I was on maternity leave, taking it easy at home, when I suddenly got a SnapChat friend request: “Be careful of your husband, he’s going to kill you.” “Crazy!” I couldn’t help but curse, hitting ‘decline’ immediately. Right after, the friend request popped up again: “Trust me, I’m trying to help you.” After I declined it again, they didn’t give up: “David is going to take you on a trip soon, then he’ll make his move to get the insurance money.” Even though they sounded convincing, I didn’t buy a word of it. Our relationship, David’s and mine, wasn’t something a stranger’s few words could shake. I really wanted to type back a furious reply, but just then, I heard the front door open. David was home. I put my phone down and went to greet him, deciding to ignore the weird message for now, though I couldn’t shake the bad feeling. “Honey, you must be tired from work. The baby and I missed you so much at home.” As I spoke, I gently touched my belly. David set down his briefcase and walked over with a smile, pulling me into a half-hug. He’d always spoiled me, and since I got pregnant, he wouldn’t even let me cook dinner; he’d come home and make it himself. “What do you feel like eating tonight, sweetheart?” “Anything you make, I love it all,” I replied sweetly. I really was so happy with him. “How about some porridge then?” “Sounds good.” I leaned against the doorframe, watching his every move. Touching my belly again, I truly felt like the happiest woman in the world. Then, that mysterious friend request flashed in my mind, and I couldn’t help but feel a surge of annoyance. Could someone be jealous of my happy life and trying to mess things up on purpose? The thought made me even angrier. I wanted to vent to David and get it off my chest. Just then, David finished rinsing the rice and put it in the pot. He washed his hands and saw me standing by the doorframe, so he walked over to me. His eyes were just brimming with love. With one hand on my waist, he guided me forward. “Why are you standing here? You’ll get tired. Go sit in the living room; the porridge will be ready soon.” “I just want to look at you more,” I whined playfully, letting him gently guide me to the living room sofa. David picked up a fruit knife from the table, intending to peel an apple for me. Even though I said I didn’t have an appetite, he insisted: “Even if not for yourself, you have to eat some fruit for the baby. That way, our little one can grow up healthy.” I thought David made perfect sense and nodded obediently. That’s how much David loved me, he spoiled me like a princess. “Oh, honey, I wanted to tell you earlier about…” I was halfway through complaining about the friend request when David cut me off. He looked at me with sudden excitement, as if something just occurred to him: “Sweetheart, how about we go on a trip next week?” “Huh?” I was stunned. Then he quickly followed up: “The company gave me a perk—a two-person trip to Bali! It’ll be so romantic. We never even went for our honeymoon, so this time we can really enjoy ourselves.” “Oh, and I know of a really fun spot in Bali. I’ll look it up right now…” David finished speaking, shoved the peeled apple into my hand, and grabbed his phone to start researching. I looked at the apple in my hand, then at his incredibly excited face, and just froze. Why would he suddenly bring up a trip? Before, David had always told me to rest at home and avoid going out too much during my pregnancy. Now he was suggesting a trip, and to such a far-off place? The words from that SnapChat message earlier flashed in my mind, and a cold shiver ran down my spine. David noticed my change in expression and came closer, gently patting my shoulder with concern. “Honey, what’s wrong? Are you not feeling well?” Looking at his smiling eyes, I involuntarily flinched. “N-Nothing… I’m fine.” “Are you sure nothing’s wrong? Do you want to see a doctor?” David continued to respond tenderly. But my skin just crawled. Was all his tenderness and thoughtfulness a facade? “No, really, I’m fine. I just didn’t sleep well last night.” I forced down my panic, trying to put on a calm smile, just spouting a casual lie. David didn’t press further. He leaned down and kissed my forehead. “Then make sure you get some good rest after dinner. I’ll tuck you in, okay?” “Okay…” David usually tucked me in, it was one of our little marital traditions. Normally, I loved it, but now, hearing him say it, all I felt was resistance. During dinner, David clearly noticed my distraction, but he didn’t say anything, probably still thinking I hadn’t rested well. Watching him walk off to take a shower, I let out a shaky breath, immediately pulled out my phone, and added the mysterious person. “Who are you, and how do you know David wants to kill me?” My fingers trembled as I typed. There was no immediate reply. The minutes felt like hours. “Heh, what, you believe me now?” His tone was mocking. “Cut the crap. Why do you say David wants to kill me? Do you have proof?” I didn’t waste time with him, cutting straight to the chase. “Who are you really?” My fingertips trembled as I typed. “Who I am doesn’t matter. What matters is that David will kill you during your Bali trip for that accidental death insurance payout.” He knew David was taking me to Bali! I was utterly shocked! My heart was pounding, but when I replied, I tried to sound defiant. “Ha, you think I’d believe you? My husband and I are deeply in love; David would never do such a thing!” Even as I retorted, my stomach started churning. “You really trust your husband that much?” “Heh, if you want to bet on it, we’ll see.” Reading his message, I couldn’t help but shiver. I couldn’t gamble with my own life. Better safe than sorry. Did David really want to use my life to defraud insurance? I immediately started looking into any insurance policies under my name. If David had actually bought one for me, it would definitely be traceable. In the few days leading up to the trip, I tried to act normal, but secretly, I began investigating insurance information. I searched almost everywhere, but there was absolutely no insurance under my name! “Seriously, what a psycho!” I couldn’t help but curse. I really didn’t know who was playing such a sick joke, pulling such a damn prank. If I found out who it was, I’d never let them off the hook!

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That year, when I was seventeen, I discovered I was the real heiress of a prominent family. But after I swapped places with the girl who’d been living my life, something strange began to happen. My biological parents, the Harringtons, saw their business plummet, while my previously struggling adoptive parents, the Millers, became incredibly prosperous. Turns out, Serena, the girl who took my place, was a walking good luck charm. Wherever she stayed, that family would flourish. So, both my adoptive and biological parents clung to Serena. “Serena! You’re our only daughter now!” I watched them coldly from the sidelines, but I didn’t tell them the full truth— Serena was indeed a living good luck charm. But her charmed life was only good until she turned eighteen. After her eighteenth birthday, she would become a harbinger of ruin. When I returned to the Harrington estate, Serena had just been thrown out. She only managed to grab a backpack, and a woman who looked like a housekeeper impatiently shoved her. “You imposter! The real heiress is coming home today. Now get out!” Serena’s face was red with shame and resentment, just as my biological parents came out to greet me. She immediately screamed at them. “Dad, Mom, are you really abandoning me?!” Mr. Harrington didn’t even glance at her. He spoke blandly. “I’ve arranged a sum of money for you. Consider this our final settlement for the years you were with us. The Harringtons owe you nothing more.” Mrs. Harrington looked conflicted, but she also said, “Serena, take care of yourself from now on.” Serena’s eyes filled with even more anguish. She stumbled downstairs, almost tripping at the bottom of the stairs. I reached out and steadied her. “Are you okay?” I asked, genuinely concerned. But she just stared at me blankly. The next second, she figured out who I was and angrily yanked her arm away. “You’re Maya? Don’t pretend to be kind!” She yelled at me. “Do you think being the real heiress makes you special? I’m telling you, you’ll all regret this! You’ll come crawling back, begging me!” With that furious declaration, Serena spun around and ran off.

After returning to the Harrington estate, my biological parents treated me incredibly well. They gave me credit cards to swipe as I pleased, bought me expensive jewelry and designer bags, and even set up a trust fund for me. But their generosity didn’t last long. Their business ventures were plagued by one misfortune after another, leaving them struggling to keep their heads above water. “What did you say?” At the breakfast table, my father slammed his hand down after taking a phone call, his voice filled with fury. “Our newly signed artist is in trouble again? That, plus the plane crash last month, and the food poisoning incident… how many times has this happened in just two months?!” “Lower your voice,” my mother scolded him, then turned to pat my hand. “Maya, your father and I need to discuss work. You can go back to your room.” I nodded obediently, preparing to leave the dining room. But as I reached the stairs, I suddenly remembered I’d forgotten my phone. Just as I was about to turn back, I overheard my father’s voice. “Honey, what do you think is going on? Ever since Maya came to live with us, our business has been plagued by such strange occurrences. It’s like we’re cursed! Do you think… maybe Maya and I just don’t have good karma together?” “Don’t be ridiculous!” My mother instinctively retorted, but her tone was laced with uncertainty. “But things have been truly awful lately. Several of our subsidiaries have already gone bankrupt. If this continues, our cash flow will dry up completely…” I heard my father furiously kick the coffee table. He shouted. “No, this can’t go on! I need to find a mystic to take a look!”

The next day, I went back to visit my adoptive parents. Unlike Serena’s hostile departure from the Harrington estate, my adoptive parents had cried their eyes out, holding my hands and telling me they’d always be my mom and dad, urging me to visit whenever I could. So, I went back. But to my surprise, the house was empty. Not only that, all the flowerpots and shoe racks that used to be by the door were gone, as if they’d moved out. I was startled and went to ask Mrs. Gable, our next-door neighbor. “Oh, Maya, didn’t you know?” Mrs. Gable looked surprised too. “Your parents struck it rich recently! They moved into a big mansion with their biological daughter!” I was still reeling from the shock of them moving without telling me when the elevator door next to me suddenly opened. I heard my adoptive mother’s familiar voice. “Serena, you left something at the old house. I told you I’d get it, it’s so hot, why did you come yourself?” I looked up and saw my adoptive mother warmly embracing Serena as they stepped out of the elevator. They looked up and saw me, their smiles freezing. “Maya?” My adoptive mother frowned. “What are you doing here?” Her guarded, distant attitude was a stark contrast to the mother who had cried, begging me not to leave. I subtly furrowed my brow but still spoke honestly. “Mom, I came back to see you and Dad.” But to my surprise, my adoptive mother frowned even harder when she heard my words. “Don’t you dare call me that,” she said coldly. “I am Serena’s mother. You are nothing to me.” I froze. It was then I noticed that in just one month, my adoptive mother had transformed completely. Not only had her style changed, but she was covered in expensive jewelry and designer clothes, looking utterly transformed. More importantly, the expression on her face was like that of a stranger I’d never known. I was shocked by her change, but my adoptive mother paid me no mind. She simply spoke gently to Serena at her side, “Serena, go get your things.” Serena nodded obediently and quickly went into the house. She came out with a potted succulent and left with my adoptive mother. As they entered the elevator, I heard Serena pretend to innocently ask my adoptive mother. “Mom, why didn’t you talk to Maya more? It looked like she came back specifically to see you.” And my adoptive mother, completely unconcerned if I would overhear, immediately spoke with disdain. “We raised her for so many years, and everything went wrong. The moment she left, your father’s business started to pick up. If you ask me, she’s a jinx. I hope I never get entangled with her again!” I watched the elevator doors slowly close. In that moment, a certain bond in my heart snapped completely.

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My mom always said she loved me, but her ‘love’ came with strings. “Do you think I’d be this exhausted if it weren’t for you?” “If you don’t study hard, how can you face me?” “Everything I do is for *your own good*.” She forced me to choose the humanities track, even though I hated it. Before college started, she hid my acceptance letter to my dream university, pushing me instead toward a local state college closer to home. Even after I went to college, she rented an apartment nearby, just to keep an eye on me. Later, I fell in love, finally feeling a glimmer of hope. But she ruined my relationship, threatening to die if I didn’t marry a man who’d already been divorced once. After the wedding, I was constantly abused, leading to a miscarriage, and I could never conceive again. She still told me to “make it work.” Eventually, I jumped from a tall building, ending a life dictated by her. Reborn, I found myself back in my sophomore year of high school, right before the humanities or STEM track decision. “Mom, if you don’t want to drive me to my death, let me choose for myself.” 0

My words froze Mom mid-sentence. It was true; I’d never once defied her since childhood. We were a single-parent family; my dad passed away when I was very young. Everyone around us urged Mom to remarry, but she refused. “What if I remarry, and he doesn’t treat my daughter well?” she’d say. She drilled that into my head constantly throughout my childhood. At first, I felt guilty and incredibly grateful for her sacrifice. But as time wore on, I just felt exhausted. Under Mom’s constant ‘guidance,’ my thoughts twisted. I genuinely believed that disobeying her meant I was a monster, deserving of nothing. Sometimes, secretly, I’d wonder if Mom had remarried, maybe her focus wouldn’t be solely on me, and I wouldn’t have had such a hard life. But now, after living a tragic, manipulated life in my past, I understood. I needed to live the life *I* wanted. And if possible, I hoped my mom could find her own life too. She stared at me for a moment, her mouth slightly agape. “Audrey, you’ve grown up, haven’t you? You don’t listen to your mom anymore.” “I raised you from a baby, sacrificing everything, being both your mother and father. Is *this* how you repay me?” “You actually dared to threaten me with death? Fine. If you absolutely insist on the STEM track, I’ll bash my head against the wall and die.” With that, her eyes welled up, and she moved as if to carry out her threat. I lowered my gaze. In my previous life, I would have been on my knees by now, crying and begging her not to. Whenever I had my own ideas that went against her wishes, she’d pull this stunt. It always worked. Slowly, I lost all courage to rebel. But now, I just wanted to forge my own path. Mimicking her theatrics, I picked up a fruit knife from the table. Her eyes widened in shock as I pressed the blade against my wrist. “Go on, Mom. Bash your head in. If you die, I’ll die with you.” 0

Mom lunged forward, snatching the knife from my hand. She clutched her chest, sobbing, and hit me. “You heartless ingrate, you’re trying to kill your mother!” “Is it so hard to just take humanities? I’m doing this for your own good, sweetie. Why should a girl study STEM? You won’t even have an advantage on the college entrance exams!” “For my own good.” Since I was a child, my mom had controlled me with that phrase. Not just her, but everyone around us. When they heard how Mom hadn’t remarried for my sake, how she’d worked tirelessly to raise me, they looked at her with admiration. And I became the one expected to obey her unconditionally. Otherwise, I was a heartless ingrate. They’d all say, “Your mom is so good to you, you must treat her well when you’re older.” “Don’t ever cross her or make her angry.” I’d heard such words countless times growing up; my ears were practically numb from hearing them. I patted Mom’s back. “Mom,” I reasoned patiently, “I like the STEM track. Actually, STEM opens up many more college majors. My choice makes sense.” Mom didn’t reply. As if struck by an idea, she pushed me aside, wiped her tears, and stormed out. I didn’t know what she was planning, but right then, all I wanted was to focus on my studies. To get into a university I loved, have a free and loving relationship, and build an independent life for myself. But I didn’t expect a crowd to gather at our doorstep shortly after. These were Mom’s ‘reinforcements.’ Among them were some aunts who had always seemed somewhat kind to me. They were all neighbors, well-versed in our family situation. Mom stood there, arms crossed, a triumphant look on her face. It was as if she was saying, “See? If you don’t listen to me, everyone around you will point fingers and scold you.” Soon, Brenda, a neighbor, walked over and took my hand. She spoke with feigned sincerity, “Sweetheart, I know you’re a sensible girl. Your mom is doing this for your own good. Why upset her so much over a simple track choice?” Looking at her smiling face, I felt nothing but scorn. Brenda’s daughter, Skyler, was notoriously rebellious. She never disciplined her, or rather, she *dared* not discipline her. She’d boast to others that her daughter had character and independence, unlike those pathetic kids who only listened to their parents. Now she was siding with my mom, scolding *me* for being disobedient? I smiled back at her. “Brenda, you should probably focus on your own daughter, Skyler. If I’m not mistaken, I saw her with some troublemaker heading into some shady place just the other day.” “You might be a grandma soon. I’ll make sure to drop by for a wedding gift when she has to rush down the aisle.” Brenda’s face changed instantly. She pointed at me, spitting, “You ungrateful brat, how could you be so rude? I’m here trying to help you, and you spread rumors about my daughter? Clearly, a child without a father truly has no upbringing!” As she said that, my mom’s face darkened. She didn’t realize that these aunts, who pretended to be her friends, actually laughed at her behind her back for being a ‘lonely widow.’ In my previous life, I would have argued with them, only for Mom to scold me for being impolite. Now, I was going to make her see these fake friends for who they were. Brenda quickly went to comfort my mom. “Eleanor, I spoke without thinking, please don’t take it to heart.” Then, she shot me a glare before adding, “You’ve raised quite a daughter there, I wouldn’t dare say anything else. I’m leaving.” My mom lost one fake friend, and a key ally in her scheme. But she couldn’t do anything about it, only signaling with her eyes for the others to continue. 0

Patricia, another neighbor, was quite stout with a booming voice, and an even fiercer temper. Her husband couldn’t stand her fiery personality, so he constantly cheated on her with other women. She, however, spent her days ignoring her husband and children, preferring to meddle in other people’s affairs. I hated her. It was because of her that my mom had hidden my dream university acceptance letter, causing me to miss the enrollment deadline. Patricia was jealous that I got into a top-tier university while her own daughter barely scraped into a community college. So, she constantly whispered poison into my mom’s ear. She’d say that if I went to a big university, I’d never come back home. That’s why Mom pressured me into choosing a local state college, keeping me tied to her side. And it didn’t end there. After I started college, she kept pushing Mom to visit me and spy on me. She deliberately badmouthed me to my mom. This constant interference only worsened the relationship between my mom and me. She looked at me with an air of superiority. Clearing her throat, Patricia announced, “Audrey, this is wrong. Your mother raised you; whatever she tells you to do, you should obey. To defy her like this is truly unfilial.” “Back where I’m from, girls weren’t even allowed to go to school. Your mom worked so hard to support you. You’re not only ungrateful, but you’re defying her? Honestly, Eleanor, I think you should just make her drop out and get a job.” I sneered. “Patricia,” I said directly, “I truly admire you. Your husband is about to divorce you, yet you still have the energy to meddle in our family’s business. Whether I study or not, what does it have to do with you? Or is it that you’re jealous that I’m always first in class while your daughter is always last, so you’re hoping to convince my mom to make me drop out?” “You’re utterly stupid and wicked. Only my mom is naive enough to believe you truly care about her. Don’t think I don’t know you’ve always been jealous that my mom raised such a smart, well-behaved daughter.” Patricia’s face contorted with rage, and she began to hurl curses at me. “You really are a no-good, fatherless brat with no upbringing! What business is our family’s affairs to you? Do you, a little hussy, need to tell me how to live my life?” I shot back, “Oh, really? What business are *my* family’s affairs to *you*? Do *we* need you to tell my mom and me how to live *our* lives?” Patricia tried to say more, but Brenda, who had rushed back in, pulled her away. My mom’s face grew darker and darker. The remaining aunts, seeing my outburst, didn’t dare say another word. It was true; I knew all the dirty laundry of these neighbors. Arguing with me would only strip away the last shred of their dignity. So, one by one, they offered my mom a polite smile and left. After Mom closed the door, her expression was still terrible. “Who taught you to say all that?” she asked, her voice cold. I sighed. “Mom, you don’t have many friends. I saw how genuinely happy you were with them, so I didn’t want to tell you.” Tears slowly welled up in Mom’s eyes. She walked towards me and gently embraced me. “Audrey, no matter what they say, no one is as important as you are in my heart.” “I know, Mom. Sometimes my methods aren’t right, but deep down, I truly want what’s best for you.” I smiled, patting her back. “Mom, I actually hope you’ll find your own hobbies and your own life.” “Instead of making me your whole world. Only when you’re happy, will I truly be happy.” Reborn. I had resented Mom, blamed her, but I never hated her. I knew she had sacrificed a lot for me. And endured a lot because of me. Many of the things she did were indeed out of love, just misguided. What I wanted to tell Mom was that I was grown now. I had my own thoughts and my own path to follow. I could take care of myself, and I could take care of her. This time, I was determined to ensure both my mom and I had a happy ending. Mom didn’t say a word. After a moment, she sighed. “I don’t really understand much about your studies.” “If you like the STEM track, then go ahead and choose it.” I couldn’t believe my ears. I never thought Mom would actually give in to my wishes for the first time. It was a small step, but it meant the world to me. I hugged Mom tightly. Jumping with joy, I exclaimed, “Mom, don’t worry, I’ll work incredibly hard, and I won’t let you down!” From that day on, I studied even more diligently. My mom also changed. She wasn’t as strict with me anymore. I thought, maybe after that incident, Mom truly had a change of heart. A year passed like this, and I was far ahead with the highest STEM grades in the entire school. My teachers had high hopes for me; they believed I would surely be the state valedictorian that year. Tsinghua or Peking University — the world was my oyster. Just before the college entrance exams. My mom prepared a lavish feast for me. “Audrey, you’ve worked hard for three years. I’ve thought things through, and from now on, I won’t interfere with anything you want to do.” “You’re right. Actually, Arthur has been quite good to me. After you go to college, I’ll try dating him.” I was overjoyed. I accepted the glass of wine my mom offered, drinking it all without hesitation. “Mom, it’s great that you’ve come around! I promise I’ll work hard, earn a lot of money, and take care of you.” I was too excited. I completely missed the fleeting flicker of guilt in my mom’s eyes. Soon, I was drunk. My mom helped me to bed. I had a beautiful dream. In it, I got into my dream university, MIT. There, I found a supportive and understanding boyfriend. My mom had her own new family and was happy every day. But when I woke up again, rubbing my bleary eyes, I discovered something utterly terrifying.

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I’ve never been one for beating around the bush. So when intimate messages from a strange girl popped up on my doctor boyfriend’s phone, I didn’t hesitate. I just placed the phone in front of Liam Davis and demanded an explanation. After a long silence, he confessed: “She’s a critically ill patient I was responsible for. I admit, I had developed some different feelings for her.” “But Chloe, we’ve come so far since college, it hasn’t been easy. I promise, I’ll cut ties with her, for good.” Gazing into Liam’s earnest eyes, I forced down the sharp pain in my heart. I chose to forgive him, letting our wedding preparations continue as planned. But on the wedding day, his colleague suddenly burst into the venue: “Dr. Davis, Elara Vance found out you’re getting married and her condition took a sharp turn for the worse. She’s in emergency!” My bouquet slipped from my grasp, hitting the floor with a thud. Liam bolted out the door like a gust of wind. Tears stinging my eyes, I screamed after him: “Liam Davis, if you walk out that door today, we are done! Absolutely, irrevocably done!” He hesitated for a split second, then, without a single glance back, he was gone. He had broken his promise.

The wedding venue instantly plunged into chaos. The guests’ murmurs swirled around me like a thousand tiny needles, piercing through my skin, making my entire body ache. My parents rushed over, utterly confused about what had happened. Ben Carter, Liam’s assistant, stood awkwardly to the side, his face flushed crimson. “Chloe… Elara, her situation is… complicated. Dr. Davis saved her life last time she was critical. She only trusts Dr. Davis; only *he* can stabilize her. It’s a matter of life or death, Chloe. Dr. Davis had no choice, please don’t blame him…” Ben had worked with Liam for two years and always called me ‘Chloe’ so warmly, showing me great respect. But now, he couldn’t even meet my eyes. I didn’t know how much he had hidden for Liam, or what connection he had to that girl, Elara Vance. The pain in my chest spread like a suffocating web. I truly felt Liam’s betrayal. My parents clutched my hands, their faces etched with panic. “What in the world is going on? Didn’t he take leave for the wedding? What kind of patient needs rescuing *right this second*?” Mr. and Mrs. Davis were frantically calling him, their voices laced with guilt. Mrs. Davis kept saying, “Chloe, don’t worry, honey. I’ll call that rotten boy right now and make him come back! If he doesn’t, I’ll break his legs myself!” My fallen bouquet, trampled and scattered by hurried footsteps, mirrored the shattered pieces of my heart. I stood rooted to the spot, my wedding dress, its hem dragging on the floor, felt like a flower ravaged by a storm. The wedding scene I’d dreamed of countless times had dissolved into this humiliating mess. The groom had abandoned his bride for another woman, leaving her utterly alone in a chapel brimming with blessings. For four long hours, seventy-six calls—Liam answered none of them. I watched the phone screen dim and light up again and again, until it finally went black. Sunlight streamed through the hotel’s floor-to-ceiling windows, casting harsh glares on the floor, and landing on my empty ring finger with an icy, biting cold. Guests gradually dispersed, leaving behind a chaotic mess of deflated balloons and half-eaten banquet dishes. Suddenly, the room spun violently. Everything swayed before my eyes, and the last sound I heard was my mother’s frantic cry. When I opened my eyes again, the sterile scent of disinfectant stung my nostrils. The nurse, taking my blood pressure, said softly, “You’re in a delicate condition right now. You absolutely cannot endure any more stress; you need complete rest.” I stared at the ceiling, tears silently tracked paths into my hairline. From the moment I was nineteen, accepting the notebook Liam handed me in the university library, to the handwritten letters he sent every week while he was away for his advanced medical training, to the day he became a senior resident, holding my hand and promising, “I’ll save lives and heal the sick, and I will always protect you.” Those six years flashed through my mind like a fast-forwarded movie. I saw the barely concealed joy on my parents’ and Mr. and Mrs. Davis’s faces, and tears welled in my eyes. How was I supposed to tell them that this six-year relationship had to end?

The news of Elara Vance’s “critical condition” reached me for the third time while I was in the kitchen, brewing herbal medicine. The clay pot gurgled, steam rising, and the pungent scent of the herbs, bitter with dried orange peel, filled the air, much like the bitter taste of my relationship with Liam lately. He burst in, creating a gust of wind. The hem of his white coat brushed the stove, knocking over the bowl of medicine I’d just poured. The dark brown liquid splattered across the off-white tiles, leaving an ugly, spreading stain. “Chloe, Elara’s crashing again. Her heart rate dropped to forty, the doctors said…” He stammered, grabbing my arm with a force that felt like he was trying to crush my bones. “I have to go to the hospital, just for a moment. If she sees me, maybe she’ll stabilize…” I looked at the bloodshot in his eyes, at the long strand of hair on his white coat collar, a shade that definitely wasn’t mine, and suddenly I laughed. “Liam Davis,” I pulled my arm free, grabbed a rag, and squatted to wipe the floor, my fingernails digging into the grout lines of the tiles. “Do you even remember what day it is today?” He paused, clearly not getting it. “It’s my follow-up appointment.” I wiped the medicine stain into a blurry smear, my voice flat as stagnant water. “The doctors said my post-op recovery isn’t going well. I *have* to go in for a dressing change today, or there’s a risk of infection.” His Adam’s apple bobbed. His eyes flickered away. “I know, but Elara, she…” “So she’s important, and I’m not? Is that it?” I looked up, meeting his eyes, asking each word clearly. “In your eyes, am I just supposed to stand here forever, waiting for you? Waiting for you to soothe your patient, waiting for you to remember the fiancée you abandoned, waiting for you to throw me a crumb of your pathetic attention?” “No!” he blurted out, rushing to explain, but his phone buzzed wildly at that moment, the words “Emergency Room” flashing across the screen. He glanced at his phone, then at me, and finally snatched up his car keys. “Chloe, please, I’m begging you. I promise I’ll take you to the hospital as soon as I get back, and stay for as long as you need…” “No need.” I stood up, threw the herb-stained rag into the trash bin. “Liam Davis, just go.” His footsteps halted. A flash of surprise crossed his eyes, perhaps not expecting such a calm response from me. “There’s just one more thing I need to tell you,” I said, walking to the hallway, picking up my jacket, and zipping it all the way up, covering half my face. “During my check-up last week, the doctors told me… it might be very difficult for me to get pregnant again.” The car keys clattered to the floor from his hand. “What did you say?” His voice was utterly shaky. He lunged forward, trying to embrace me. “How could this happen? Was it… the surgery?” “Yes,” I stepped back, evading his touch. “Or maybe it was when I fainted at the wedding and hit my stomach. Who knows?” I tried to force a smile, but it felt twisted and wrong. “But it’s fine, right? You don’t care anyway, do you?” He stood frozen, his face went ghost-white, his lips trembling, unable to utter a single word. His phone was still ringing, the shrill sound like a death knell. I changed into my shoes, pulled open the door, and a blast of cold air rushed in, making me shiver. “Go,” I said, looking at the stark, fluorescent light in the hallway. “Don’t keep your patient waiting.” He didn’t move, his eyes fixed on me, as if trying to brand me into his very soul. “Liam Davis,” I gave him one last look. “The moment you chose her, you should have known some things, once broken, can never truly be put back together.” The door closed behind me, sealing away his unspoken words, and sealing away the six years he had so carelessly crushed. I walked downstairs. The rain had started at some point, a fine drizzle on my face that was an icy, stinging cold. After just a few steps, hurried footsteps pounded behind me. He had chased me out, clutching my medical file in his hand. He must have brought it out in his panic. “Chloe! I’ll take you to the hospital! Right now!” He tried to grab me, his eyes brimming with panic. “I’ll have a colleague watch Elara. I’m worried about you…” “No need.” I pulled the medical file from his hand. “Dr. Davis, you should go save your patient. After all, in your heart, her life is far more important than mine.” I turned and walked into the rain, not looking back. The footsteps behind me chased for a few paces, then stopped. I knew, without a doubt, his phone must have rung again. The rain blurred my vision, blurring also that path that began in a library, a path I once believed would last an eternity. I found out later that day, he *did* go back to the hospital. Elara Vance’s supposed “heart rate drop” was a complete fabrication; she’d just pulled out her IV and lied again. Meanwhile, when I went for my dressing change at the hospital, the local anesthetic didn’t work. The doctor slowly inserted the dilator, and I bit down so hard on the bedsheet, tears mixed with cold sweat drenched my pillow. The nurse said I didn’t make a sound the whole time, but my hands, gripping the bedsheet, had fingernails dug deep into my flesh. They didn’t know that compared to the physical pain, the wound in my heart had already gone numb, long ago, each time he ran to someone else.

At 8 PM, Liam, who had been missing for seven whole hours, finally appeared. Dark circles shadowed his eyes, and his gaze towards me was filled with guilt. “Chloe, I’m so sorry.” His voice was hoarse. “Elara… I couldn’t just stand by and watch her die. It’s my duty to save lives.” I suppressed the bitterness, unable to stop myself from asking: “There are so many doctors in that hospital. Couldn’t they manage without you?” “Liam Davis, I’m not an idiot.” After a long silence, he grasped my icy hand, his voice raspy. “Chloe Miller, in these six years, I’ve never asked you for anything. Just this once, I’m begging you, please don’t blow this out of proportion. Don’t cause Elara any negative impact, okay? I’m afraid her condition can’t handle such a blow.” I looked at the desperate plea in his eyes, my heart felt like it was being squeezed in a vise, constricting my breath until I could barely gasp. He shouldn’t have *begged* me; he should have *apologized* to me. Your first instinct never lies: he hadn’t spared a single thought for how humiliated I was, left standing at our wedding; he hadn’t worried why I ended up in the hospital. The first words out of his mouth were all about Elara Vance. Tears fell like a broken string of pearls, hitting the white bedsheet and spreading into dark, damp spots. It took every ounce of strength I had to force out a single word: “Fine.” He visibly deflated with relief, then added: “Elara found out I was getting married, and her emotional state became really unstable. Let’s postpone our wedding for now.” “I’ll stay with her for her treatment for a while, just until she’s a bit better… maybe two months, only two months, then we’ll have our wedding, okay?” Liam’s voice was laced with a careful, hopeful tremor. I had waited six years; another two months didn’t seem like much. But looking at the concern in his eyes for another woman, I suddenly felt like even two months was too long to wait. The tiny life inside me seemed to sense my turmoil, stirring ever so slightly. I gently touched my lower abdomen. A five-week-old life resided there, ours, yet it suddenly felt like it had nothing to do with him. I slowly withdrew my hand, my voice calm as stagnant water. “Liam Davis.” “My memory isn’t perfect, but I remember when I was nineteen, you handed me that notebook in the library, so nervous you could barely string a sentence together.” “I remember our first dinner date, your palms slick with sweat, you could barely hold your forks.” “I remember on graduation day, you held me close and promised me a good life, promised to make me the happiest bride.” “All these years, you remembered I hated cilantro, that my stomach gets upset easily so I need hot soup, you remembered all my little quirks… I always believed you cherished me, that I was the most precious thing in your life.” I looked up at him, and my tears suddenly burst forth, a torrent I couldn’t stop. “But today, I can’t feel your love for me anymore…” Six years of memories flooded my mind, a chaotic rush. Liam’s eyes were also red. His Adam’s apple bobbed. A single tear tracked a path down his cheek. “But Chloe, Elara… she can’t manage without me right now.” That one phrase, “she can’t manage without me,” shattered the last flicker of hope within me. I looked at him, and a tearful laugh escaped me. “Then go.” He paused, seemingly not expecting me to say that. But in the end, he said nothing, turning and leaving the hospital room. The next day, I packed my things, ready to check out. As I reached the end of the corridor, I bumped into Liam. He didn’t even *see* me. All his attention was fixated on the girl by his side. She was wearing a patient gown, her face pale, half-supported in his arms, like a frightened little bird. So this was the woman he’d abandoned me for, on our wedding day.

My gaze must have been too intense, because Elara Vance saw me first. She instinctively recoiled behind Liam, her fingers clutching at the hem of his coat. It was then that Liam turned to look at me, his brow instantly furrowing, his tone laced with impatience: “Chloe Miller, Elara’s emotional state is fragile. If you have something to say, take it home. Don’t make a scene here in the hospital, you’ll upset her.” Elara peeked out shyly, her voice barely a whisper. “Chloe, Liam and I are really nothing more than patient and doctor… please don’t misunderstand.” I gripped the maternity scan report in my hand, my knuckles turning white, yet I managed a weak smile. “You’re overthinking it. I’m just here to check out.” With that, I ignored them, turning to pay my bill. Liam’s gaze became strange for a moment; he seemed surprised by my calmness, and a strange hollowness echoed in his chest. He reached out to take my hand, but I instinctively turned my head, and my eyes immediately caught sight of an unidentified medicinal stain on his white coat. His gaze followed mine. He saw me take off my jacket, and he started to take off his own to put over my shoulders, but I moved away. He froze, then stepped forward, again trying to take the coat. “Give it to me. You like this coat so much, I’ll take it back and have it cleaned.” I shook my head, simply dropped the coat into a nearby trash bin, my voice flat. “Just toss it. I don’t like things that are stained, you know I’m a bit of a clean freak.” Watching my cold expression, the smile froze on Liam’s face. He knew I wasn’t just talking about the coat; I was talking about our relationship. By the time he wanted to speak again, I had already paid and turned to leave. Not long after I left the hospital, my phone buzzed. It was a text from Liam: 【Please don’t be mad at me. I bought you that strawberry cake from your favorite place, the one you mentioned. Hope you get it.】 When the delivery arrived at my apartment, I looked at the familiar blue box and suddenly laughed. He used to buy me this strawberry cake to appease me whenever he angered me. I mechanically took a bite. It used to taste so sweet, but now it was just bitter and hard to swallow. That night, Liam didn’t come home. Tearing away six years of a relationship was more painful than I’d ever imagined. Sleepless until dawn, I finally just got up and started packing. Matching sweaters in the closet, books lined up on the shelf, sticky notes on the fridge… every single item was a thorn of memory. I remembered that graduation year, when Liam had just become a doctor, working tirelessly, day and night. But he would still come find me on his days off, his eyes bright like stars: “Chloe Miller, as soon as I get promoted, I’m going to marry you.” Two years later, he stood before me, holding a ring, his voice trembling, “I did it. Marry me. A promise is a promise.” The sun was exceptionally bright that day. I hugged him and cried for a long time, feeling like I was the happiest person in the world. We decorated our apartment together, chose furniture together, and filled the windowsill with my favorite succulents. He said he wanted warmth to always embrace our home. But now, this home, it had no room for me anymore. By the time I closed the last suitcase, the sky was turning a pale, fish-belly white. When I called a moving company to take my things, both sets of parents showed up. I hadn’t told them about Liam, so they still didn’t understand why people who were about to get married two days ago were suddenly breaking up. My parents sighed, not trying to persuade me much, just saying, “Come home whenever you want.” Mrs. Davis, however, clung to my hand, refusing to let go. “Chloe, honey, please give Liam another chance, won’t you? What happened at the wedding, he just… he just got confused in the moment…” I said nothing, only told the movers to continue loading the boxes. Just as Mrs. Davis was practically pleading herself hoarse, the door opened. Liam was back. And he brought Elara Vance with him.

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Five ruthless figures from various powerful circles tortured me to death six times. This seventh time, I was reborn to my teenage years, at 13. The five of them cornered me in the girls’ restroom, cameras fixed on me. They demanded I strip naked and confess I was a slut. In my previous six lives, these five — incited by Seraphina Hayes’ ‘prophetic dream’ that I was a harbinger of death — brutally murdered me six times. The first life, Julian Blackwood, the future business tycoon, kicked me out of a plane during a skydive, sending me plummeting thousands of feet to my death, leaving no trace of my body. The second life, Dorian Thorne, the future medical giant, falsely accused me of having given birth eight times, branding me as a tainted, used-up whore. The third life, Rico Moretti, the future head of the city’s most powerful crime syndicate, put a bounty on my head. I fled frantically, constantly on the run. Eventually, I died, scarred and broken, at the hands of a hundred people. This seventh time, I refused to be a helpless victim: “There are five perverts secretly filming in the girls’ restroom!” Shock flashed in their eyes. “Damn it, a dog dares to bite back!” Punches rained down on me like bullets. But I secretly started recording. My screams grew even more hysterical: “The peeping Toms are killing someone!” All five of them— Can you really inherit a prominent family and become a titan of your field with a massive scandal hanging over your head? This life, you’ll taste what it’s like to be disowned, to be a stray dog.

As my screams intensified, so did the force of their punches. They surrounded me, forming a suffocating wall that blocked out even the slightest ray of light. It felt like no matter how much I struggled, escape was impossible. Julian Blackwood’s face contorted in vicious rage as he kicked my calf. For a moment, I thought my bone would snap. “Damn it! You little bitch, how dare you accuse us!” “I’m the future business tycoon! Is there anything I can’t get if I want it?” He then pointed to the refined-looking but utterly sinister boy on his right: “This is Dorian Thorne, the future medical giant.” Next were Blake Sterling, the future film mogul, Rico Moretti, the future crime syndicate head, and Reed Ashworth, the future research leader. “Who would believe *we*, destined for greatness and powerful careers, would be perverts secretly filming in a girls’ restroom?” Dorian Thorne, the future medical giant, spoke in a low, heavy voice: “Seraphina was right. This slut is truly the stumbling block in our lives.” “She’s already trying to ruin our reputation! How can the lives of future titans be stained?” The others nodded in agreement: “Such a wicked heart! She deserves to die a thousand deaths!” I spat out a mouthful of fresh blood. “Future titans don’t film secretly, but are you ‘future titans’ *now*?” “You’re all delusional lunatics!” The five yelled again, threatening to kill me. Good. Just like that, expose your ugly faces for the camera. Let everyone see your true colors. Julian Blackwood was so enraged his breathing hitched. He grabbed my collar, teeth gritted, and swung at me: “I’ll smash your teeth in, let’s see how arrogant you are then!” Just then, a long shadow stretched across the stark white tiles of the restroom wall: “Stop it! What are you doing!” A faint, almost imperceptible curve touched my lips, hidden in the shadow. Perfect. I trembled, crying, fear practically etched onto my face: “Mr. Harrison, they came into the girls’ restroom, sneaking around with their phones. So I secretly followed.” “Then they found me. Five boys ganged up and beat me.” I rolled up my uniform pant leg, revealing the shocking red and purple bruises on my calf. Then I limped and huddled behind Mr. Harrison, a move that fully ignited his fury: “Hand over your phones!” In my previous lives, it wasn’t like I hadn’t fought back. But each time, they miraculously escaped consequences. The first time I resisted was in my second life. I told my parents about the bullying, but Julian Blackwood twisted the narrative, claiming I had a crush on him, and when it wasn’t reciprocated, I slandered him. My parents risked offending the Blackwood family, the most powerful dynasty in the city, to check his phone. But all the videos were gone. From then on, I lost my family’s trust and protection, leaving me vulnerable to their manipulation. In my third life, I told Mr. Harrison afterwards. But the five boys all backed each other up. Due to their families’ influence, the matter was quickly swept under the rug. They always found a way to condemn me to death, and I could only obediently wait for it. This time, Julian Blackwood wore his usual irritating smirk: “You can check our phones, but if you find nothing, she has to kneel and apologize in front of the entire school!” This life, I didn’t argue: “Fine. But if you *do* find something, you’ll admit to the media that you’re perverts who secretly film in girls’ restrooms.” My calm, firm words made the five boys glance at each other. A dog that had been obedient for three years was suddenly biting? Mr. Harrison finished checking their phones, his brows furrowed tightly: “Scarlett Hayes, I need an explanation.” Julian Blackwood and the others’ faces clearly showed their triumph: “Have you thought about how you’re going to kneel?” I smiled, cool and unbothered, slowly raising my head from the shadows: “Would the video recorded by my bracelet count as an explanation?”

I had recorded the entire scene. The competition for inheritance among the city’s seven most powerful families was brutal. Even a small scandal could cost them their right to inherit. “Damn it! Where did she get a bracelet from?!” Julian Blackwood couldn’t help but curse. He had been the one to hit me the hardest. In previous lives, my electronic devices had been confiscated six times. This time, I had hidden my bracelet in my bra. Just as I was about to hand the bracelet to Mr. Harrison, Seraphina Hayes pushed through the crowd, appearing like a ray of light. Her innocent face, concealing malicious intent, wore a smile: “Mr. Harrison, you’ve misunderstood. The student council arranged for Julian and the others to clean the girls’ restroom.” With that, she handed over a duty roster, clearly written in black and white. The student council only managed school discipline, when did it start assigning cleaning duties? I immediately retorted, “Even if you’re the student council president, you don’t have the authority to make students clean the campus, do you?” This elite private school wouldn’t make students do such things, would it? Mr. Harrison agreed with me. However, a middle-aged male voice interjected: “I asked Seraphina to arrange the cleaning.” Dean Miller, the Dean of Students, explained that Julian and the others had accidentally broken a priceless crystal vase. “Cleaning the restroom was their punishment.” Dean Miller softened his tone, “But cleaning the *girls’* restroom was indeed inappropriate.” His words prevented Mr. Harrison from pursuing the matter further. Seraphina Hayes shot me a gloating look: “Mr. Harrison, why don’t you let me see the bracelet?” “What if Julian really did secretly film while cleaning?” I clutched the bracelet tightly. There was no way I would hand my only evidence to Seraphina Hayes. She would definitely delete the video! I feigned panic and collapsed to the floor with a thump: “I didn’t see anything, I really didn’t record you cheating on the exam, nor do I know about you stealing classmates’ things and selling them for money.” “I also have no evidence of you and Julian using cheating devices to win the national competition!” “I don’t know anything, nothing at all…” I seemed to be so terrified I lost my mind, tears flowing freely. But when it came to acting, I was still no match for Seraphina Hayes. In just a breath, her face was covered in tears: “Nonsense! How could the genius of Royal Metropolitan High cheat or steal?!” “You’re just jealous! Jealous that I represent the school, my family, and even our country in world competitions.” “Scarlett Hayes! You’re afraid I’ll steal the Hayes family’s affection and spotlight from you!” I used my old trick, trembling as I hid behind Dean Miller: “Your dorm closet is full of stolen luxury goods.” My precise mention of the hiding place made Seraphina Hayes’ expression falter for a few seconds. She had hidden them well, and she was a recognized genius, so who would ever connect her with theft? Too bad I had lived seven lives. All the sordid secrets Seraphina Hayes painstakingly hid, I knew them all. She was short on cash, very short. But the Hayes family only funded her tuition and living expenses, giving her bonuses only when she performed exceptionally. That meager amount wasn’t nearly enough for her to buy luxury goods. Seraphina Hayes wanted to hold her head high in this elite private school, to gather influence and even become someone important. Just being smart wasn’t enough; she had to use money to maintain appearances. Each time, she disguised her thefts, making it seem like someone had carelessly lost an item. And she only took things that had no sentimental value and weren’t too expensive. This allowed her to steal for two years without anyone noticing. That’s why Seraphina Hayes’ current expression was like she’d just eaten literal garbage. Even when Dean Miller suggested going to the dorm to verify and clear her name, she shrieked hysterically: “No! Who dares to search?! You’re violating my privacy rights!” It seemed I didn’t need to say more; Seraphina Hayes’ reaction was enough to explain everything. Julian Blackwood also defended her, “Exactly, privacy rights! Even the school has no right to search dorms!” Dorms at this elite private school were single rooms, usually used for naps, so they were private spaces. The school had no right to search them. But what about the police? Three to five figures slowly entered my view. They wore uniforms, stood tall, and their voices were firm: “Where are the stolen items?”

As soon as I started crying about Seraphina Hayes’ theft, I used my bracelet to send a message to my mother. My mother had always disliked Seraphina Hayes, finding her too cunning. But Seraphina had shown astonishing talent, and for the sake of the Hayes family’s reputation, they had continued to sponsor her. However, if her character was truly flawed, and her talent a sham, then the Hayes family wouldn’t be blamed for abandoning her. Dean Miller was the first to react, “This is a small matter, why bother the police?” If I didn’t make a big deal out of it, how could everyone see their ugly faces? How could Julian Blackwood, the other four, and Seraphina Hayes never rise again? Future titans of their fields? Heh, they’d need a future first. The chattering of the students watching highlighted their immense shock. Seraphina Hayes had cultivated a genius persona since childhood, earning the family’s attention. She had also successfully befriended Julian Blackwood and the other four, making her the unprecedented sponsored student student council president. Her influence at school even surpassed some of the children of old money families. Who would believe such a prominent figure was secretly a thief? “Seraphina might be a Hayes-sponsored student, but she’s never placed second in anything, a true genius!” “And she’s very close to the heirs of the city’s five powerful families. Rising through the ranks isn’t just talk for her.” “Exactly, there’s no way she’d steal anything.” “Didn’t you hear Scarlett Hayes say her grades were all from cheating? Even the national competition was rigged!” “Scarlett Hayes is also a prodigy, entering world-class competitions with older students in her second year of middle school, and she’s a legitimate Hayes. She wouldn’t just slander someone, would she?” The students’ discussions were like slaps to Seraphina Hayes. Her face alternated between green and red, a truly colorful sight, yet she stubbornly blocked the search: “You have no evidence, how can you accuse me of stealing!” “Even the police can’t just search a dorm room!” Julian Blackwood and the other four also spoke up to vouch for her: “Seraphina has good grades and is popular, she’s the student council president, what reason would she have to steal anything?!” “Spreading rumors about Seraphina? Are you tired of living?” “Don’t think Seraphina is as brainless as you, with only malicious intentions.” “Being in the same school as you is an insult to my character.” “Dean Miller! This slandering slut should be expelled! Get her out of this school!” I pursed my lips, saying nothing, stubbornly refusing to let my tears fall. My mother’s eyes tightened with concern. “Search it! Whatever happens, I’ll take responsibility!” “My daughter, the Hayes family’s princess, will not suffer this humiliation!” The group marched to the dorm area and, sure enough, found a considerable amount of luxury items. This incident alerted all the school’s senior staff. The principal’s face was filled with disappointment, a mix of anger and sorrow: “Were the scholarships the school gave you not enough? You had to steal?!” Seraphina Hayes’ face was ashen as she made a final struggle: “Scarlett Hayes framed me! She secretly planted them in my room!” “Principal! Julian! You have to believe me!” My calm gaze swept over everyone: “I originally wanted to give you some dignity, but you insisted on dragging me down.” “The cheating device is still in the hidden compartment of Julian Blackwood’s backpack, isn’t it?” Seraphina Hayes’ greatest reliance was her intelligence. She had fought her way to the national robotics competition, claiming first place. This not only brought honor to the metropolis but also proved her worth and ability. Now, several Fortune 500 companies were already extending invitations to her. Julian Blackwood stepped forward, shielding Seraphina Hayes behind him, seemingly not having learned his lesson, again fiercely supporting her: “What cheating device? Nonsense!” “You’re just obsessed with me, but you’re jealous that Seraphina is close to me, so you deliberately spread rumors!” I recognized this as his tactic to buy time, to have someone move the items from his backpack. It was my seventh life, and he still hadn’t learned to change his tricks. I raised my right arm and strode directly towards the classroom: “If you dare to stop me, the video on my bracelet will immediately appear online!” Seraphina Hayes’ second reliance was the bottomless protection of Julian Blackwood and the other four. But would they truly be willing to sacrifice their inheritance for Seraphina Hayes?

The answer, of course, was no. They approached Seraphina Hayes solely for the prophetic dream of becoming titans in their fields. In that dream, I was their only stumbling block. As long as they eliminated me, they would undoubtedly become winners in life. I couldn’t help but inwardly mock them: five fools! Julian Blackwood and the others didn’t stop me. My mom and the school authorities navigated the situation, and bodyguards escorted me all the way. The moment the cheating device fell out of Julian Blackwood’s backpack, Seraphina Hayes’ good fortune was utterly gone. The head of the Hayes family personally expelled her: “A fraudulent failure.” He didn’t even give Seraphina Hayes a glance. “Go to the desolate ‘Elysium Island’ and fend for yourself.” Elysium Island was a harsh, remote island owned by the Hayes family overseas. Of those sent to the island, barely one in ten returned; the rest went to their ‘Elysium’. As they escorted Seraphina Hayes away, tears of blood streamed from her eyes. Those bloodshot eyes burned with murderous hatred for me: “It was you!” “You destroyed my life! I’m only sixteen! I can’t die, I can’t die!” I watched her leave, gently saying: “Too noisy. Mute her.” The day after Seraphina Hayes disappeared, news of her theft and cheating spread throughout the campus. On the third day of Seraphina Hayes’ disappearance, negative trending topics about her topped the Ins charts, staying there for three days and three nights. All her past honors became a joke. The competition also completely disqualified her. These were my doing, and a preview of what I was about to unleash on Julian Blackwood. However, before anything began, I was informed that I was to go to the Sea Nation early. “Scarlett Hayes, after discussion, it has been decided that you will represent us in this competition.” I was replacing Seraphina Hayes as the national competition representative? Before I could refuse, the principal saw through my thoughts: “You extensively publicized Seraphina Hayes’ dirt, causing her disqualification. Wasn’t it all for this day?” I did want to go from reserve to starting member, but I never dared to dream of being the representative. Although, with the knowledge accumulated from living seven lives, I could easily be a mentor. Yet, something about this whole situation felt off. Was Julian Blackwood making his move? He wanted to avenge Seraphina Hayes; he wanted to see me humiliated. If this competition was lost under my leadership, I would be absolutely vilified. At that point, the Hayes family, for the sake of the company, would inevitably remove me from the line of succession. Julian Blackwood’s strategy was clever. But the arrow was already on the string; I couldn’t refuse. The plane to the Sea Nation waited quietly under the night sky. Tonight, we were departing. I stepped onto the plane, my gaze instantly locking onto a figure: “Seraphina Hayes?! Shouldn’t you be dead on Elysium Island?!”

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I was a transmigrator. Right from the start, the plot jumped to the climax: my wife telling me she was in love with someone else and wanted a divorce. The original plot had me begging, pleading, and making a huge scene, refusing to let her go no matter what. That story would have led to a series of love-hate dramas, ending with me meeting a violent death at the hands of her new lover. *** “Alex Thorne, let’s get a divorce! I’m in love with someone else. Even if we force ourselves to stay together, we’ll never be happy.” “You might get my body, but you’ll never get my heart. And honestly, you won’t even get my body!” Hearing those familiar lines, I was a bit dazed. I opened my eyes and realized I’d somehow transmigrated into a book. According to the memories flooding my mind, the story had reached the point where the female lead, Seraphina Dubois, wanted a divorce from me. In the original plot, I was supposed to make desperate attempts to cling to her, refusing the divorce at all costs. I’d even spout threats like, “I’ll only divorce you over my dead body!” Which, naturally, made Seraphina hate me even more, to the point where she couldn’t even stand to look at me. I quirked a smile. As absurd as it all sounded, I could still roll with it. I looked at the divorce papers. If I agreed to the divorce, Seraphina, as the future heiress of the powerful Dubois family, would give me $3 million as compensation. My current self? Just an average guy, barely making $2,000 a month. By the book, I couldn’t earn that much in a lifetime. Divorce? Seraphina and I never had any real feelings for each other. Our marriage was nothing but a twist of fate to begin with. Now Seraphina had found her true love and was even willing to compensate me. Why would I say no? Just as Seraphina looked utterly disappointed, even furious, I calmly stated, “Sure, let’s do it.” Then I decisively signed the divorce papers: “Should we go file the paperwork now?” Seraphina froze, unable to believe her ears. Seeing me actually sign my name seemed to stun her even more. “You’re agreeing to the divorce?” She’d expected a huge fight, not this easy acceptance. “Of course! I can’t just hog a spot I’m not using, right? Besides, we were husband and wife in name only. No real intimacy, so no harm done to either of us!” “Speaking of, when will that compensation hit my account?” Having thoroughly read the original plot, I knew that in about a year or two, I’d rejoin my real family. A family that the Dubois clan couldn’t even hold a candle to. Unfortunately, the original ‘me’ wasn’t so lucky; he died before he could be recognized. Right now, my main goal was to live well, live freely, then reclaim my birthright and enjoy a better life. Everything else? Just background noise. “Uh… alright, let’s just go to the county clerk’s office then.” Seraphina was surprised, but still took me to the office. We finalized the divorce without a hitch. Seeing the $3 million deposit notification from my bank, I couldn’t help but grin from ear to ear. “Ex-wife, since you’re so generous, let’s keep in touch! I can help with anything else, but romance? Nope. Bye now!” Seraphina’s mouth twitched. She clearly couldn’t grasp why I was acting this way. I didn’t bother to explain. I just went back, packed my ridiculously sparse belongings, and left without a second thought. First things first, I used the money to buy a fully furnished luxury apartment downtown. As soon as I stepped out of the elevator, my next-door neighbor came out. “Alex Thorne? Is that really you? Don’t tell me your wife kicked you out?”

It was true, but it still stung to hear it. I turned around and saw the woman who used to be my ex-wife’s arch-rival. Isabella Montez, I think her name was. Because of my relationship with Seraphina, Isabella often made snide remarks or tried to mess with me. Running into her now was hardly a good sign. I pursed my lips, jumping to conclusions. “You’re a wealthy heiress. Why are you buying a small apartment here when you could live in a mansion?” Isabella looked me up and down, her smile deepening when she saw my suitcase. “Looks like you really did get kicked out, didn’t you? Alex Thorne, what’s this? Did you finally wise up and decide to stop being a kept man?” My eye twitched. “Isabella Montez, if you have nothing nice to say, don’t say anything at all! When was I ever a kept man?” Isabella scoffed. “Fine, play tough. Let’s see how long that lasts.” … Since the apartment was fully furnished, I could just move right in. That evening, I bought some groceries from the supermarket, planning to treat myself to a nice meal. I also figured I should start looking for something to do. I could be chill, but I couldn’t just do nothing. Suddenly, the doorbell rang. I walked to the door and saw Isabella again. She was holding several takeout containers, all looking warm. “Want to share a drink?” I was a bit surprised but couldn’t really refuse, so I let her in. Isabella, being a Montez heiress, was used to being pampered. She just had to snap her fingers, and someone appeared with every kind of drink imaginable in my apartment. We sat across from each other at the dining table. Maybe it was my imagination, but Isabella seemed to be thoroughly surveying my place. Finally, she contentedly opened a bottle of red wine. “Cheers! To your newfound single status!” I paused, then realized that with Isabella’s connections, finding out about my divorce would have been incredibly easy. Still, her actions were a little out of character. Was she scheming something? Especially those eyes of hers, full of a mischievous glint, clearly showing she had something up her sleeve! Just then, the doorbell rang again. I wondered why. I’d just moved in, and hardly anyone knew where I lived. Why so many visitors? I opened the door and found… Seraphina Dubois? For some reason, Seraphina’s eyes were red. She reached out to grab me. “Alex Thorne, come back with me.” I didn’t understand what was going on, but I instinctively stepped back, refusing her touch. “We’re divorced, Sera. You shouldn’t be grabbing me like that. We need to set some boundaries.” Seraphina clenched her jaw. “I know, but I have no choice.” “My grandfather is sick. He’s in the ICU. He always liked you the most. Please, I’m begging you, go see him. It might help him recover.” Mr. Dubois had always been kind to me. Our marriage, in fact, was largely due to his efforts. But according to the original plot, he wasn’t supposed to get sick at this time. What was happening? Could it be that the news of my divorce from Seraphina had upset him? Seraphina seemed to guess my thoughts and nodded heavily. “Yes, it’s exactly what you’re thinking. But no matter what, just come with me now!” I was conflicted. On one hand, I didn’t want any more ties to my ex-wife. On the other, I didn’t want to disregard an old man’s kindness. Suddenly, Isabella appeared. Without a word, she wrapped her arm around mine and playfully nudged me. Then, as if to deliberately stake her claim, she said, “Seraphina, you’re divorced from Alex now. Is it really appropriate to be clinging to him like this?” Alex? The way she said my name was a little too intimate, wasn’t it? Before I could react, Seraphina noticed Isabella, and her beautiful face instantly darkened. “You! Isabella Montez, why are you with Alex Thorne? And why are you being so intimate?” Seraphina couldn’t wrap her head around it. This man she’d always looked down on seemed to have undergone such a drastic transformation. Isabella kept up the provocation, boldly tracing circles on my chest. “Why?” “A man and a woman, alone in an apartment, having a candlelit dinner late at night. What do you think, Seraphina?” Seraphina looked as if she’d been struck by lightning. She froze, completely stunned, before turning and stumbling away, utterly devastated.

I quickly pulled my arm away. Watching Seraphina’s retreating back, I didn’t feel heartbroken. But I did feel that Mr. Dubois’s illness was somewhat connected to me, and I couldn’t truly be heartless. “Isabella, thanks for bailing me out just now, but I still need to go to the hospital.” She pinched my arm, frustrated beyond belief. “I was trying to help you save face, and you’re just going to go running back? Haven’t you had enough of being a simp?” My previous status with Seraphina had invited constant insults, and Isabella had genuinely been helping me. I looked at her, helpless. “It’s about loyalty and respect. Mr. Dubois has always been good to me. Now that he’s sick, I can’t just ignore it.” Seeing my resolve, Isabella, despite her displeasure, could only sigh. “Fine, go ahead then! What a waste of my time. You don’t deserve this good wine; I’ll drink it myself!” I just smiled, half amused, half exasperated. I suddenly found Isabella’s temper quite charming. At the hospital. Seraphina and I arrived at the room one after the other. Thankfully, it wasn’t his time. Mr. Dubois had already been moved from the ICU to a private room. When he saw me, the worry on his face finally eased a little. “Alex, you’re here? Grandpa knew you were a good boy.” I leaned closer, pouring him a glass of water. “Grandpa, are you feeling any better?” “You’re getting older now; you shouldn’t get so stressed or upset. It’s not good for your health.” Mr. Dubois nodded, taking a shaky breath. “Grandpa knows. Grandpa’s still waiting to hold his great-grandchildren!” Then he glared indignantly at Seraphina. “You’re getting too big for your britches, young lady!” “If you still consider me your grandpa, then you’ll remarry Alex at once! I don’t approve of your divorce!” Seraphina tried to defend herself. “Grandpa, I…” The next second, the hospital room door was pushed open from outside. It was Julian Blackwood, Seraphina’s new boyfriend. He was the heir of a prominent family, skilled at feigning kindness. As soon as he appeared, he took Seraphina’s hand, their fingers intertwined. Julian: “Mr. Dubois, Sera can agree to anything else, but not this. We’re already planning to get married.” Mr. Dubois, who had just managed to calm down, now looked like he was about to spit blood. His chest heaved violently, a painful sight. “You… you scoundrel! Didn’t your family teach you any manners?” “You want to marry my granddaughter? Over my dead body!” Seraphina instinctively pulled her hand away. For some reason, she felt particularly uncomfortable. She shot Julian a glance. “What are you doing here? I thought we agreed you wouldn’t come?” I stood by the bedside, helping Mr. Dubois calm his breathing. Who knew Julian would drop another bombshell? “If I didn’t come, my future wife would be running off with someone else.” “Mr. Dubois, your tactics won’t work. Sera can only marry me, because she’s already carrying my child.” I froze again. What? According to the original plot, this was impossible. But Julian’s expression was so confident and calm. Even I couldn’t help but doubt my memory. Had… I remembered wrong? This time, Mr. Dubois completely lost it. He slammed the cup in his hand to the floor and coughed up blood. “Seraphina Dubois! How dare you? You’re pregnant with another man’s child? What about Alex’s reputation?” Seraphina tried to explain, but Julian gave her no chance. “Mr. Dubois, you’re not looking so good. Don’t stress yourself out. I’m certainly better than that kept man. Wouldn’t it be better for Sera to marry me?” In the end, Julian was escorted out. Seraphina was also cast out. Mr. Dubois looked utterly guilty and heartbroken. “It’s all my fault for not raising my granddaughter properly. How could she do such a thing?” My heart remained unmoved. I never had any love for Seraphina anyway. Leaving the hospital, I let out a long breath. I hailed a taxi and went home. But to my surprise, as I reached my door, I saw a drunken girl squatting outside. It was Isabella. She seemed to have had a lot to drink, muttering incoherently to herself. “Alex Thorne, are you an idiot? She doesn’t want you, and you’re still chasing after her?” “Alex Thorne, you big jerk, I have pride and dignity too, you know? You… you fool!” I gently patted Isabella’s shoulder, my voice tinged with helplessness. “Isabella, how much have you had to drink? Why are you having a meltdown outside my apartment?” Hearing my voice, Isabella braced herself against the wall and slowly stood up, staring intently at me, as if trying to see right through me. Then, before I could react, she used her drunken strength to pin me against the door! I was dumbfounded. What… what was this girl doing? Isabella reached up and pinched my cheek, quite hard. It hurt, and I couldn’t help but wince. “Ouch.” She poked me again. “It’s really you, Alex Thorne?” I nodded. “Who else would it be? Is there another me?” As soon as I said it, Isabella stood on her tiptoes and kissed me! I was completely stunned. This?! This wasn’t in the plot either?!

She held tightly onto my arm, as if afraid I’d run away. “Alex Thorne, I have a temper too, you know! You’re divorced now, and from this moment on… you’re not allowed to go near anyone else!” Honestly, Isabella was even prettier than Seraphina, and her personality was so vibrant. With her being so forward, any man would find it hard to resist. Including me. Which made what happened next feel utterly natural. I have to say, the master bedroom in this apartment certainly had a huge bed. If I hadn’t understood before why Isabella cared so much about whether I was divorced, Well, after that night, I definitely got it. This girl… she actually liked me? When did that happen? She hid it so well; I never suspected a thing! Heh, this was quite the pleasant surprise. That night, Isabella and I clicked perfectly. The next day, it was late morning before Isabella and I finally woke up. Isabella opened her eyes, saw me, and immediately froze in shock. As if remembering something, she quickly pulled back the covers, and almost fainted from what she saw! “I must be dreaming, right? Yes, I’m definitely dreaming…” she murmured, trying to convince herself. I gave her my best aggrieved look. “Isabella, you’re not going to try and ditch me, are you?” “Last night, you were so intense, so assertive; you didn’t even give me a chance to say no… Are you going to pretend you don’t know me today?” Isabella hadn’t expected such a move from me and was speechless. I pretended to be angry and got up, putting on my clothes. “If you really don’t want to take responsibility, then just leave.” Isabella panicked. Though the whole situation was unexpected, she didn’t dislike it one bit. “Wait, Alex Thorne, I never said I wouldn’t take responsibility!” Having gotten the answer I wanted, I turned around, a playful smile already back on my face. “You silly girl, I was just kidding. But… since you’ve already ‘had’ me, I’ll take responsibility for you.” “From now on, I’m your boyfriend, and you’re my girlfriend.” “You… you did that on purpose!” Isabella was both annoyed and shy, finally pulling the covers over her head, saying nothing more. I rubbed my stomach, which had been grumbling all night. “I’ll go make some food. You get some more sleep.” Luckily, I was a decent cook. One Seraphina left, and an even more charming Isabella arrived. Thinking about it, this was practically a dream life, wasn’t it? I was busy in the kitchen for a while, planning to impress my new girlfriend with my cooking skills. Unexpectedly, there was another knock on the door. I walked over and opened it, only to see Seraphina, her cheeks red, as if she’d been slapped. Even with makeup, some marks were visible. I was a bit surprised and cut straight to the chase. “Yesterday, the doctor said Grandpa’s condition is stable. As long as he doesn’t get too stressed, he’ll be fine. Do you need something else?” Seraphina didn’t speak. I didn’t want Isabella to misunderstand; she was my current girlfriend, after all. “If you’re not going to say anything, I’m going to close the door.” Seraphina panicked. Before, I had always spoiled her, giving in to her every whim. She had never experienced such treatment. But all of this was her own doing. Seeing that I was really about to close the door, she quickly pushed it open. “Alex Thorne, I’m not pregnant.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “298689”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #后宫Harem

On our fifth anniversary, I found an old cell phone in Liam Blackwood’s personal safe. The password was his first love’s birthday. It chronicled all their sweet moments from the past. And his current photo album? It didn’t even have a single picture of me. “Clara Reynolds, is it fun to snoop through other people’s privacy?” I turned to face the man standing in the doorway, no shouting, no drama. Just a calm, “Let’s get a divorce.” Liam Blackwood formatted the phone right in front of me, his expression so indifferent it was impossible to read. “Better now?” he asked, “Still want a divorce?” I nodded seriously. “Yes, I do.” … “Come on, enough already. Stop making a scene.” Liam frowned, a hint of impatience in his voice. “Just listen, will you? Once the project finishes at the end of the year, I’ll make time to take you to Hokkaido to see the snow, okay?” Seeing my prolonged silence. Liam quirked the corner of his lips, a familiar nonchalance in his gaze, and lightly tapped my forehead with his fingertip. “This time, no lies, I promise. It’s for real.” I almost laughed. “No lies this time.” So he *knew* all along he’d been lying to me, repeatedly. He’d promised to take me to Hokkaido to see the snow, pushing it off year after year. Our usual movie dates? I’d always be the one waiting alone outside the theater until the show started. He said he’d pick me up, but I never even saw a shadow of his car, not even after getting drenched in a downpour. Liam Blackwood always broke his promises to me. So now, uttering those words, he genuinely believed he was doing me a favor, bestowing a grand reward upon me. “No, thanks.” I took a deep breath, repeating with firm resolve, “Liam Blackwood, I want a divorce.” This time, the man’s eyes hardened, his patience completely gone. “Clara, you are completely irrational!” “Take it or leave it about Hokkaido. I’ve already extended the offer.” “Don’t come crying to me later, saying I didn’t keep my word.” With that, he grabbed his jacket from the couch and walked out. He didn’t even touch the dinner I’d meticulously prepared to his taste. I remained silent. For the first time, I didn’t try to stop him, didn’t beg him to stay even one minute longer, like I used to. Liam Blackwood paused at the door, glancing back at me. I had already sat down, picked up my forks, and quietly started eating. The door slammed shut behind him. As if releasing some pent-up fury. My heart had stopped aching long ago, leaving behind nothing but desolation. I used to think Liam, being so high and mighty, was too good to be touched by the mundane realities of life. But it turns out, he *would* cook for the girl he loved. Just to earn a word of praise from her. The cuts on his hands, the blisters from burns—they all seemed like badges of love. He even used to say such childishly sweet things: “Cooking for the person you love really does make you feel incredibly happy.” “I’m going to cook for Seraphina forever, fatten her up so no one else will want her.” It was only after reading those records that I truly understood for the first time. How much of a joke I was. The next day, I met my best friend, Maya, who was a lawyer, at a coffee shop and asked her to draft divorce papers for me. “What happened with you two? Is it this serious this time?” Maya’s face was filled with surprise. She knew how deeply I loved Liam Blackwood. Whenever we argued in the past, at most we’d have a cold war for a while. “I’m just so tired.” I looked out at the bustling traffic. “You know what? She’s back.” With just that pronoun, Maya understood. Seraphina Bellwether. Liam’s unforgettable first love, etched deep into his very being. That name was like a tiny needle, piercing my heart. No blood, but a constant, subtle ache. I had never even seen her in person, yet her existence had influenced me for five whole years. Liam said personal space was important, yet he and Seraphina had shared a music account. Liam disliked his life being public, yet his old social media was filled with traces of her. The art exhibition he took me to see? It was the favorite artist of Seraphina. He complained that shopping with me was a waste of time, but he once spent days with her, exploring antique markets across the entire city. Dating me for two years, married for three, Liam had never truly removed her from his heart. And I? I was just a rebound, a placeholder during his time alone. A comfort, a habit, a second-best option. “Alright, leave the divorce papers to me. I won’t let you get a raw deal!” Maya looked at me worriedly. “But Clara, are you really sure about this?” “I told you from the start, this man isn’t right for you. His heart was never completely cleared out, and you’ve sacrificed too much for him.” “But you just got swept up in it, head over heels, and you wouldn’t listen to any advice.” I lowered my gaze, stirring the coffee in my cup. “Some lessons, you just have to learn the hard way, even if it means hitting rock bottom and getting bruised and battered, before you finally turn around.” The sky was gloomy, and a sudden rain began to fall. Maya’s husband, Owen, came to pick her up. “Didn’t I tell you not to come?” “No way, babe! I’d never let you get drenched. Hey, Clara, let’s all go together. I’ll drop you off first.” I smiled and shook my head. “You two go on ahead. I’ll sit a bit longer.” I used to envy their genuine concern and affection for each other. Why were Liam and I, after being husband and wife for so long, always separated by an invisible wall? Why? The answer was simple: he just didn’t love me enough. But I had deluded myself for so long, thinking he was just naturally incapable of love. When the rain let up a little, I stood up to leave. Just then, a familiar luxury sedan slowly pulled up to the curb. A woman in a cream-colored long dress sat in the passenger seat, her hair softly curled, exuding a gentle elegance. Liam Blackwood stepped out from the other side and walked towards the cafe, seemingly just passing by to grab a coffee. Seeing me, his expression remained unchanged, only a slight lift of his eyebrow. He probably expected me to greet him, but I just looked down at the ride-share app on my phone. Perhaps I was distracted, but I accidentally missed a step, twisting my ankle. Liam glanced over coolly again, frowning without a word. He went into the coffee shop, ignoring me. I gritted my teeth against the pain in my ankle, continuing to wait for my ride on the curb. Soon, Liam emerged with two takeout coffees. “Let’s go.” “You just wanted me to give you a ride, didn’t you?” His tone was cold, tinged with annoyance. “…I didn’t.” Liam, disinclined to waste words, simply pulled me into the car. Then he handed me one of the coffees. I didn’t take it, so he casually placed it aside. The entire journey was silent. A heavy atmosphere hung in the car. Suddenly, Seraphina clutched her forehead. “Liam, I think my blood sugar is a bit low. Do you have any candy?” Liam naturally reached into the glove compartment and handed her a chocolate. “How many times have I reminded you? You never learn, do you?” Seraphina took it, smiling softly. “I just forget when I get busy. Good thing you’re here.” They naturally fell into conversation about their past, mutual acquaintances, and shared experiences. An unspoken understanding flowed between them. Meanwhile, I sat in the back, an incongruous listener. The scenery outside the window flew by. We passed Central Park, where a giant Ferris wheel slowly turned. Liam and I had our first date there. Legend said that couples who kissed at the very top would be happy forever. I had stolen a kiss from him then. He stared at me for a long moment. I thought that was one of our few shared sweet memories. Later, I learned that Liam’s biggest regret was never having taken Seraphina on that Ferris wheel. Flashes of countless past moments flickered through my hazy mind. Most of them were my unilateral expectations and his constant dismissals. I closed my eyes and drifted off. When I opened them again, the car was parked downstairs from my apartment building. Seraphina had apparently gotten out at some point. Liam unbuckled his seatbelt and turned to look at my swollen ankle, his brows deeply furrowed. “Clara,” his voice was low, “Does it have to be like this?” I looked up, confused. “You could’ve just told me you wanted a ride. Did you really have to pull this ridiculous stunt just to get my attention?” His tone was even, but I caught an underlying flicker of irritation. I didn’t know what was irritating him. Perhaps, he was annoyed that I had interrupted his private time with his pristine first love. “Liam Blackwood, you’re overthinking it.” “I didn’t ask you to drive me.” He probably thought I was playing tough, and scoffed, “Oh? So, are you planning to crawl back upstairs looking like that?” “I can call a cab,” I said, looking at him. “Liam Blackwood, I’m not helpless without you.” “I used to cling to you, depend on you, because I loved you. That doesn’t mean I’m worthless without you.” “Worthless? Clara, go ahead and try to leave, I dare you. See if I come back begging for you.” The man’s eyes darkened again. I had no desire to waste more words on him. Anyway, once the divorce papers landed on his desk. He would know that this time, I wasn’t just making a scene; I was serious. I pushed open the car door, attempting to get out myself. But he moved faster, scooping me up in his arms. The action wasn’t gentle, but he didn’t let me fall. Once inside, he found the first-aid kit and clumsily sprayed medication on my ankle, his expression still cold. “Don’t do that again.” I watched him silently as he finished. Liam was always like this—pushing me away only to pull me back in, dealing a blow then offering a sweet reprieve. His hot and cold behavior repeatedly trapped me in endless internal struggle. Was there even a shred of genuine affection for me? It felt incredibly foolish to agonize over whether someone loved me, yet I had been foolish for five years. It was time to wake up. Too tired to keep guessing his thoughts, I simply said thank you. Liam stood motionless in front of the sofa. “Is there anything else?” Liam pressed his lips together. “Don’t you have anything you want to ask me?” I calmly shook my head. Actually, I had checked Seraphina Bellwether’s social media. Yesterday, she had posted a picture of a plane landing on Ins. The caption read: “Waiting for you.” I’d scrolled through all the comments, but hadn’t seen any likes or comments from Liam. But I knew he would go. And indeed, he had. “I’m really tired. I want to sleep.” I stood up. “I’ll sleep in the guest room tonight.” Liam grabbed my wrist. “Clara!” For the first time ever, he actually offered an explanation. “Seraphina and I aren’t what you think.” “I only picked her up this time because she just got back to the country and isn’t familiar with the area. I was just helping out.” I hummed in acknowledgment. “Of course.” Liam scrutinized my face, as if searching for any hint of insincerity. “Clara, Seraphina and I ended things a long time ago. We’re just friends now.” I nodded, uninterested. “I know.” Liam pulled me into his arms, a rare moment where he actively tried to kiss me. The searing heat of his body, even through our clothes, was the warmth I once craved most. He knew I liked physical intimacy, thinking a kiss would instantly make everything better. But I turned my head, avoiding his lips. Liam visibly froze. He hadn’t expected me to refuse him. His face turned grim. “Clara, my patience has its limits. You better not push it too far.” That night, we slept in separate rooms. Liam left the master bedroom for me and went to the guest room. I woke up the next day to a silent house; he had already left. My expression was calm as I headed to the office and handed in my resignation. If I was leaving, I would leave completely. I had only stayed at this company for Liam, hoping to work with him and spend more time together. But at work, he concealed our marriage, claiming it was “bad for business.” Not only that, but he deliberately kept his distance from me. When he needed a subordinate to accompany him on a business trip, he never chose me. During meetings, he treated me like I was invisible. Even when I single-handedly completed a major project, I never received any praise from him. His cold attitude made colleagues wonder if Liam had a prejudice against me, or if I had somehow offended him privately. HR was one of the few people in the company who knew about my relationship with Liam. “You’re leaving?” “Mr. Blackwood only said he was demoting you, not that you were resigning…” I froze. “Demoted?” HR nodded, looking at me with sympathy. “Your position was filled by someone fresh back from abroad, a direct order from Mr. Blackwood.” A chill spread through my heart. I heard my own voice tremble. “Is her name… Seraphina Bellwether?” “Yes, that’s the name.” I could barely stand, bracing myself against the table. Even though I was leaving anyway, hearing that news still brought an earth-shattering wave of defeat. At the company, Liam had never given me any special treatment. I had climbed to the director position purely through my own abilities. And he just… gave it to her. Tonight was the company’s anniversary celebration, with a grand banquet. Before officially resigning, I decided to attend. At the very least, I needed to collect my annual bonus. In front of everyone, Liam publicly announced Seraphina Bellwether’s appointment on stage. He even specifically instructed everyone to “take good care of our new colleague.” People whispered, “My God, is that something the notoriously unyielding Mr. Blackwood would actually say?” I listened from below, clapping politely. Liam’s gaze subtly flickered my way, as if assessing my reaction. The next second, Seraphina, standing next to him, stumbled in her heels. He immediately turned to steady her. Midway through the banquet. I went out to the terrace for some fresh air and overheard Liam and his friend talking. “What, another cold war with Clara?” He casually swirled his drink. “Yeah.” His friend sighed. “Your stubborn temper, when will you ever humble yourself and just appease her? Good women like her are rare.” “I know.” “Then why bring Seraphina Bellwether here to rub it in her face? All you’re doing is escalating the conflict between you two. What if Clara really can’t take it anymore and leaves?” “She won’t.” Liam paused, then added with conviction, “Clara will never leave me.” He was still so confident. He thought I’d be the one to give in, just like every other time. I was about to turn and leave. But then Seraphina’s voice rang out behind me. “What a coincidence, care for a drink?” Seraphina naturally walked up to me, her tone intimate, as if we were old friends. “I forgot to introduce myself last time. You’re Clara, right?” “I’m so sorry, coming in and snatching your position like that.” Her words carried a double meaning. I heard the challenge in her voice and coldly countered, “Ms. Bellwether, are we very close?” She smiled, even more brightly. “Well, I certainly don’t know you, but you must know a lot about me, right?” I knew she must have seen my visits in her profile’s visitor history. Seeing that I still didn’t rise to the bait, not showing the angry, flustered reaction she expected. Seraphina seemed displeased. She simply splashed the wine from her glass onto herself, letting out a startled cry. The man, who had been watching from a distance with an indifferent expression, instantly changed his demeanor and rushed over. “Clara, what are you doing?” I clenched my fist, offering no explanation. Instead, I threw the wine glass in my hand directly at his face. Amidst the collective gasps around us, I let out a cold laugh. “This is what I did.” A server quickly brought a towel. Liam wiped the wine from his face, his deep, dark eyes, like cold pools, fixed on me, unreadable. Finally, he said nothing, only taking Seraphina and leaving the banquet. I watched their retreating backs, then pulled out my phone and typed a message. “My resignation letter and the divorce papers are on your desk.” “Remember to sign them.” Then I blocked and deleted his contact. I went home to grab my already packed luggage, only to find two additional tickets to Hokkaido. Did Liam actually think that all these days of me packing were because I was looking forward to seeing the snow with him? My face expressionless, I tore the ticket with my name on it in half. And left the city without looking back. Liam, carrying the scent of wine and a heavy mood, dropped Seraphina off at her apartment. Seraphina gently comforted him. “Liam, don’t be angry. Clara probably just misunderstood, I don’t think she did it on purpose.” “I’m fine, really. It’s just that I dragged you into it.” “Please don’t fight because of me.” Liam’s gaze was fixed on the rapidly receding neon lights outside the window, distracted as he hummed in response. She paused, then tentatively reached out, intending to straighten his slightly disheveled tie. Her voice grew softer. “Seeing you like this, my heart aches a little…” But Liam instinctively moved aside, avoiding her touch. Seraphina’s hand froze in mid-air, her expression visibly hurt. “Liam, I didn’t mean anything by it.” “I know.” Liam paused, then irritably loosened his tie. “I can do it myself.” An awkward silence fell over the car. Liam seemed completely oblivious, his fingers unconsciously tapping the car window frame. An indescribable sense of panic and unease began to spread in his heart. Soon, they arrived at Seraphina’s apartment. “Liam, thank you for dropping me off.” Liam didn’t even say his usual “Get some rest” with concern; he merely rushed out, “Everything at the company has been arranged. You should head up. I’m leaving.” Seraphina stood downstairs, unmoving. She just smoothed a stray strand of hair behind her ear, revealing her slender, fair neck. “Liam, do you want to come up for a bit?” “I still find it hard to sleep alone. Maybe with you here, it would be a little better.” Her vulnerability was perfectly timed. Liam’s eyes deepened, a flicker of hesitation crossing them. But he managed to restrain himself. “Seraphina, that’s not appropriate.” He sighed. “You know, I’m married to Clara.” The car headed towards home. Liam rubbed his temples, pushing down the unease. He thought, maybe Clara really was angry this time. After all, the demotion was a bit much. But when she saw those two plane tickets at home, she’d surely be surprised and happy, right? Then, she’d probably play coy for a moment, then eagerly fall right back into his arms, just like before. Yes, that’s exactly how it would be. Liam pushed open his front door. The apartment was pitch black, eerily silent. No warm lights were on, and the woman who always waited for him was nowhere to be found. Clara wasn’t home? Liam frowned and switched on the lights. The living room was excessively tidy, an empty feeling lingering in the air. On the dining table, there was no supper kept warm as usual. Instead, there was a plane ticket, torn in half. In that instant, Liam’s heart instantly plummeted. Just then, his phone vibrated continuously. It was a SnapChat message from his assistant, a string of screenshots. He opened them to see a company gossip SnapChat group chat’s messages. The screen was filled with dense text, brimming with excited gossip: “Mr. Blackwood and the new Director Bellwether definitely have a history!” “Look at the way Mr. Blackwood looked at her on stage, their gazes practically oozing affection for each other!” “And that moment he steadied her, total boyfriend vibes!” Below, someone had attached a clearly secretly filmed short video. It was the very scene from tonight, on stage, where he steadied Seraphina when she nearly fell. The camera angle was cunningly chosen. It captured his momentary tension and Seraphina’s upward glance of reliance on him, making it look incredibly intimate and ambiguous. “Holy crap! Director Bellwether is apparently Mr. Blackwood’s college sweetheart, his untouchable first love!” “No wonder!” Below that, a low-resolution, slightly blurry old photo was posted. He and Seraphina, in school uniforms, smiled side by side. The background was their familiar university campus. Liam’s brows were tightly furrowed. The rumors spread like wildfire, the details too specific, too ancient for just any employee to dig up. A chilling suspicion of being manipulated began to fester inside him. Liam went to confront Seraphina Bellwether. The moment the woman saw him come downstairs, her face lit up with joy, mixed with a barely concealed triumph.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “298688”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #后宫Harem

Everyone knew Julian Blackwood nearly lost his life pursuing Skylar Hayes back in the day. Yet, just three years into their marriage, his heart had strayed. When Skylar heard the news, the talk of Julian chasing after a spiritual guru named Luna Sterling was already the scandal of the city, known to all. Rumor had it, this woman always wore plain, serene dresses, chanted meditations daily, followed a strict plant-based diet, and frequently advocated for releasing captive animals. Her social media was filled with “Namaste” and “Blessings.” Julian, however, seemed utterly bewitched. He lavished her with gifts, followed her everywhere, as if ready to tear out his heart and lay it at her feet. Skylar’s chest tightened, making it almost impossible to breathe. She rushed into Julian’s study, her voice trembling as she asked if the rumors were true. Julian looked up from his documents. His eyes, behind gold-rimmed glasses, were as deep as ever, but the warmth she once knew was gone, replaced by a unsettling, unfamiliar calm. He admitted it, direct and cold: “Yes, I’ve fallen for Luna. Skylar, if I had met her sooner, I wouldn’t have married you.” Skylar stumbled back, her face ghost white. He paused. “But rest assured, I told you on our wedding day that I wouldn’t divorce you. So, my wife’s position is still yours. However, you need to stop interfering with us. She is my true love.” True love? What did that make her? What did those three years mean? What about the past, when he’d almost died for her?! She wanted to question him, to scream, but all sounds choked in her throat, unable to escape. She couldn’t believe it, couldn’t believe Julian Blackwood could change so quickly. She tried to comfort herself, telling herself he was just infatuated, that he’d tire of Luna’s platitudes and realize she was dull, and he would come home. Clinging to that pathetic hope, she waited day after day. But what came was Julian himself bringing Luna into *their* home. He even handed over the household’s financial control to her. And the very next day after Luna moved into the Blackwood estate, Skylar received a call from the hospital. Her mother, Eleanor, had been in a severe car accident, urgently needing surgery. The cost? At least a million dollars! Skylar was utterly distraught, her mind a blur. Her first thought was to go to Luna for the money. Luna was in the conservatory, arranging flowers. After hearing Skylar’s desperate plea, she calmly snipped a withered leaf from a lily, not even lifting her eyelids. “Surgery cuts into the body, disturbing its natural balance. It’s an unnatural interference. Perhaps it’s better left undone.” Skylar couldn’t believe her ears. “What did you say? That’s my mother! She’s in critical condition! The doctors say if she doesn’t get surgery now, it’ll be too late!” Luna finally raised her eyes, her gaze serene and undisturbed. “Miss Hayes, please calm yourself. If your mother accumulated good karma during her life, she will receive divine protection and recover without surgery. If her spiritual debts are not cleared, then this is her fate. Forcing surgery would only hinder her transition to a higher plane. I will chant prayers and meditate for her. That is the true path.” With that, she actually stood up, intending to go to the hospital and stop the surgery. Skylar, frantic, blocked her path. “You can’t go! You’ll be murdering her!” The two began to argue and push each other. In the chaos, Skylar, in a desperate burst of strength, pushed too hard. Luna gasped, her foot slipped, and she fell to the ground. Just then, Julian returned. He saw Luna on the floor, his face instantly darkening. He rushed forward, helping her up, his voice laced with a tension Skylar had never heard before. “Luna, what happened? Are you hurt anywhere?” Luna leaned into his arms, her brow delicately furrowed, and recounted the “story.” She finished with a soft, sorrowful tone: “Julian, don’t blame Miss Hayes. She’s just desperate to save her mother, but her methods… they were too aggressive. But I couldn’t stand by and watch her create such negative karma, harming both her mother and herself…” Julian listened, then his gaze, ice cold, swept over Skylar, who stood pale and trembling. Without a moment’s hesitation, he issued a command: “Guards! Take my wife to her room and keep her there! She is not to leave without my permission! Luna, you go to the hospital. Do as you see fit to bless Mrs. Hayes.” Skylar felt like she’d been struck by lightning. She clutched Julian’s sleeve, her voice shattered. “Julian Blackwood! You know that’s nonsense! It’s superstition! It will kill my mother! Are you really going to sacrifice my mother to prove your devotion to her?!” Julian meticulously pried her fingers off, his touch not harsh but utterly cold and resolute, carrying an undeniable authority. “Don’t be dramatic. I told you before Luna came home that, for now, everything in this house goes by her word. It’s the only way she agreed to my courtship.” He waved his hand, and bodyguards immediately stepped forward, forcefully dragging the nearly hysterical Skylar away. “Julian Blackwood! Let me go! That’s my mother! You can’t do this! Julian Blackwood!” Skylar struggled and screamed wildly, her fingernails scraping an awful sound across the doorframe. The door was cruelly shut, then locked. No matter how she pounded, pleaded, or shrieked, there was no sound from outside. She slid weakly to the floor, tears blurring her vision. How could this be? Not long ago, he had been the man who loved her more than life itself. That year, she was just a struggling college student, able to finish her education only with the help of the Blackwood Group’s scholarship. He was the powerful CEO, noble and aloof, yet he fell for her at first sight during a campus event and pursued her with fervent intensity. She didn’t believe in true love among the wealthy, rejecting him repeatedly, but he was relentless, pouring all his patience and tenderness into chipping away at her hardened exterior. The most terrifying moment was when she was kidnapped. He went alone to rescue her, taking multiple stab wounds, almost dying in a deserted warehouse. The first thing he asked upon waking was if she was hurt. It was that blood-soaked body and his weak voice that finally shattered all her defenses. At their wedding, he held her hand and swore before all their guests: “Skylar, in this life, I, Julian Blackwood, will love only you. I will never let you suffer a single grievance.” His words still echoed in her ears, now a bitter mockery. That night stretched on, long as a century. Not until the next morning was her bedroom door finally opened. Blinding sunlight flooded in, and Skylar, like a rag doll drained of its soul, stumbled out. Luna stood calmly at the door, wearing her usual serene, compassionate expression. “My mother? How is my mother?!” Skylar grabbed Luna’s arm, her voice desperate. Luna looked at her, sighed softly, her face showing a hint of regret. “Miss Hayes, please accept my condolences. The universal energy… has taken your mother’s spirit. This indicates that your mother did not accumulate enough good deeds in her lifetime. This was her fate.” Skylar’s vision swam, and she almost collapsed. “As for your mother’s remains,” Luna continued, her tone as flat as if discussing the weather, “cremation pollutes the air and harms spiritual merit. I had her body taken away last night for a natural disposition, a release of the spirit. News came this morning that the scavengers picked your mother’s body remarkably clean. This is a good sign, showing that the divine ultimately granted her forgiveness.” With that, she even pulled out her phone, opened a video, and handed it to Skylar. On the screen, in a desolate, open area, a flock of vultures frantically pecked at a body whose features were no longer discernible… Skylar felt as if struck by lightning. Overwhelming grief threatened to crush her. She let out a piercing scream, violently knocking the phone from Luna’s hand. Her eyes instantly became bloodshot. “Luna Sterling! I will kill you!!!” She lunged at Luna like a madwoman, but Julian, who had arrived just in time, seized her. “Skylar Hayes! What new fit of madness is this?!” Julian held her in a vice-like grip, his voice sharp with impatient reprimand. “Luna meant well! Your mother’s death was an accident, it had nothing to do with her! At most… I’ll buy you some more jewelry to compensate!” Compensate? Jewelry? Skylar stared blankly at him, at the man she had loved for so many years. A sharp pain tore through her chest, and a metallic taste flooded her throat. No amount of jewelry could bring back her mother. This realization, like the sharpest blade, severed her last thread of life. She suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood, scarlet stains splashing onto the expensive carpet, a shocking sight. Her vision blurred, and she could no longer stand. She completely lost consciousness. Before plunging into total darkness, she vaguely saw Julian on their wedding day, holding her hand, putting a ring on her finger, his eyes filled with gentle sincerity… She woke up again in her cold bedroom. Her heart was dead. Her tears had run dry. She got up, expressionless, and drafted a divorce agreement. Then, holding that light-as-air yet heavy-as-lead document, she went to the Blackwood Group. The receptionist, however, stopped her, formally informing her: “Mrs. Blackwood, Mr. Blackwood is in a crucial meeting and has given instructions not to be disturbed by anyone.” She could only sit in the cold waiting area, like a soulless puppet. Just then, Luna also arrived. “Miss Hayes, you look unwell. I saw you coughing blood yesterday; why aren’t you resting more today? Life and death are fated, wealth and poverty are divine will. Your mother has found ultimate peace, which is a release. Why cling to such sorrow and harm yourself? Do you need me to chant prayers to help you dispel this attachment?” Skylar couldn’t even bother to lift her eyelids, her heart ashen. She handed the document to Luna, her voice flat and emotionless. “If you really want to help me, then help me get him to sign this.” Luna took it, a hint of curiosity in her eyes. “What is this?” “Didn’t he say he would compensate me with jewelry yesterday?” Skylar forced a faint, cold smile. “I’ve chosen it already. The list is at the back. He just needs to sign off on the allocation.” “Why don’t you go in and give it to him yourself?” “He won’t see me if I go in.” Skylar looked at her, her eyes hollow. “Don’t you know? He only wants to see you now.” Luna sighed, seemingly helpless. “Blessings, blessings. Fine, I’ll help you this once.” She took the document and walked directly towards the CEO’s office. Without even knocking, she pushed open the meeting room door. The high-level meeting inside instantly halted. All the executives stared in astonishment at the unexpected intruder. However, Julian, seated at the head of the table, not only didn’t get angry, but his eyes instantly lit up with that familiar, yet no longer hers, doting affection. “Luna? What brings you here? Is something wrong?” Luna walked over, whispered a few soft words in his ear, and then placed the document in front of him. Julian didn’t even glance at the contents. He simply picked up a pen, signed his name at the bottom, and then gently stroked Luna’s hair. All the executives exchanged glances, audible gasps faintly heard. Through the crack in the door, Skylar silently watched the scene, her heart no longer aching, only a numb, icy coldness. Luna soon emerged, handing the signed document back to Skylar, not forgetting to “advise”: “It’s signed. However, Miss Hayes, jewelry and such are external possessions, mere illusions. Clinging to them is not conducive to spiritual practice. You should stop being so greedy for these things in the future. Perhaps you should join me in cultivating your character, meditating, and chanting…” Skylar simply hummed in response, took the document—which was, in reality, her divorce agreement—and turned to leave. She didn’t go home. Instead, she went directly to a law firm. Handing the divorce agreement to the lawyer, she said calmly, “I want to file for divorce.” The lawyer opened the document, paused, then understood. “Ms. Hayes, this divorce agreement is valid. Given your circumstances, after a one-month cooling-off period, your marriage can be dissolved.” Skylar nodded, a dead calm settling in her heart. After returning home, she stayed indoors, awaiting the end of the divorce cooling-off period. In the mansion, she constantly saw Julian’s meticulous care for Luna. In the past, her heart would have twisted in pain, but now, she watched with indifference, yearning only to escape this suffocating place. One day, Mr. Davies, the butler, approached her carrying a cardboard box, his expression sorrowful. “Mrs. Blackwood, the belongings of the late Mrs. Hayes, which you asked me to collect from the countryside, are all here.” Skylar took the heavy box. Seeing her mother’s familiar old possessions inside, tears finally streamed down her face once more. Grief and regret gnawed at her heart like venomous snakes. Luna, an unwelcome shadow, appeared again, asking, “Miss Hayes, what is causing you sorrow now?” Skylar remained silent. Mr. Davies explained in a low voice, “Mrs. Blackwood is thinking of her mother…” Hearing this, Luna immediately pressed her hands together, intoning, “Namaste. Your mother has ascended to a higher plane, escaping the sea of suffering. This is a joyous occasion. Everyone must go through this transition. Why do you cling to crying and needlessly accumulate more negative karma?” Skylar snapped her head up, her bloodshot eyes fixed on Luna. “If it weren’t for you, my mother would never have died!” She refused to utter another word to this viper. She picked up her mother’s belongings and turned to retreat to her room. Luna watched her retreating back, finally sighing and murmuring to herself, “Alas, she remains misguided, truly pitiful. I will help her one last time, to dispel this spiritual block.” She called Mr. Davies and instructed, “Go, catch some snakes.” Mr. Davies’s face changed. He hesitated. “Miss Sterling, but… Mrs. Blackwood is terrified of snakes! What do you need them for?” Luna’s expression darkened, clearly displeased. “Julian said everyone in this house is to obey me. Are you defying his orders?” Mr. Davies, recalling Julian’s indulgence of Luna, bristled with unspoken anger but could only grimace and comply. Late that night, Skylar slept restlessly. In a haze, she felt something cold and slimy crawling on her. She woke with a jolt and switched on the bedside lamp. “Ah—!!!” A piercing scream sliced through the night! Her bed, the floor, the table… they were swarming with snakes of all sizes, twisting and wriggling! They flicked their tongues, their cold, vertical pupils glinting eerily in the light! Extreme terror instantly seized her. She scrambled, crawling, toward the door, desperate to escape, only to find it locked from the outside! “Help! Open the door! Let me out! Snakes! So many snakes!” She frantically pounded on the door, her voice distorted by extreme fear. Luna’s calm voice drifted from outside the door. “What are you screaming about in the middle of the night? Disturbing one’s spiritual peace.” “Snakes! It was you! You put them there, didn’t you?! Luna! Let me out!” Skylar was on the verge of a breakdown. “Yes, it was me.” Luna admitted candidly, her tone even carrying a hint of “for your own good” reproach. “You couldn’t sleep due to your mother’s passing, could you? Snakes are creatures of yin energy, deeply serene and spiritually attuned. Letting them keep you company will help calm your mind and dispel your grief and attachments. Why are you so agitated and speaking such nonsense again?” “You’re insane! You’re an absolute lunatic! Let me out! Please! Julian Blackwood! Julian Blackwood, save me! I’m scared!” Skylar cried incoherently. The commotion finally drew Julian. He walked over in his bathrobe, looked at the locked bedroom door, and frowned. “What’s going on? What’s all the noise about?” Skylar clung to him like a drowning person clutching a lifeline, pleading through the door: “Julian Blackwood! It’s Luna! She filled my room with snakes! You know I’m terrified of snakes! Please, let me out! Get them away! I’ll die!” Luna, however, linked her arm through Julian’s, explaining softly: “Julian, don’t listen to her wild claims. I merely wanted to help her. Snakes can soothe the mind, I meant well. She’s always so emotional; it’s not good for her well-being.” Julian was silent for a moment, his gaze shifting between the closed door and Luna’s delicate, pitiable face. Skylar’s heart sank deeper and deeper, yet she still clung to a faint hope. In the past, if she even saw a snake on TV, he would immediately change the channel, holding her close to comfort her… Finally, Julian spoke, his voice as cold as ever, but making the most cruel decision. “Skylar, stop being dramatic. Luna’s intentions are pure. Anyway, these are just harmless garden snakes; a few bites won’t matter. And… Luna is right, they’re gentle creatures. With them around, perhaps you won’t dwell on your mother’s passing so much.” He even paused, adding, “You might be scared now, but if you stay with them long enough, you’ll get used to it, and then you won’t be scared anymore.” With that, he put his arm around Luna’s shoulder and said gently, “It’s late. Let’s go back to bed. Don’t worry about her.” Their footsteps gradually faded. Outside the door, the world returned to silence. Inside, Skylar completely collapsed, slumping to the floor, as if all her bones and soul had been drained. A few cold snakes slowly crawled over her ankles, her arms… She even forgot to scream, just staring with hollow eyes at the dim light on the ceiling. One snake, seemingly confused by her stillness, lifted its head and tentatively bit her arm. A slight sting. Darkness, like a tidal wave, surged forward, completely engulfing her last shred of consciousness. Julian Blackwood, your love, it only lasted three years. … When Skylar woke again, her nostrils were filled with the distinctive smell of disinfectant. Her eyes met the pale hospital ceiling, and then Julian, sitting by her bed, his face showing a hint of imperceptible fatigue. Seeing her open her eyes, he spoke, his voice devoid of much emotion. “You’re awake? How are you feeling?” Skylar turned her head, not wanting to look at him, her voice dry and hoarse. “You refused to open the door for me last night, so why bother asking now?” Julian frowned, seemingly displeased by her attitude, but eventually, he patiently said, “I know you’re still angry. But Luna… she doesn’t have any malicious intent. She just meant well, wanting to help you dispel your spiritual block. You shouldn’t be rude to her anymore. After all, you both need to coexist peacefully under the same roof.” Peacefully coexist? Skylar scoffed inwardly, a cold chill spreading through her. No. Soon, she would leave him, forever, completely! Over the next few days, Julian stayed at the hospital to care for her, attending to every detail, even personally feeding her water and medicine. But Skylar watched him with cold eyes, always catching him picking up his phone, his fingers flying across the screen. The flickering avatar was unmistakably Luna’s. When he looked at the screen, his gaze would soften unconsciously—a tenderness she once knew intimately, now utterly out of reach. She felt nothing but bitter irony and spoke flatly, “If you want to see her, then go. You don’t need to stay here guarding me.” Julian put away his phone, looked up at her, his tone flat. “No need. You are the most important thing right now.” Skylar closed her eyes, saying nothing more. He wasn’t truly concerned about her. He was only staying here because he feared that once she was discharged, she would unleash all her resentment and anger on Luna, the woman he adored. He truly… was desperately in love with that spiritual guru. But what about the woman he once held in the palm of his hand, whom he couldn’t bear to speak a harsh word to, whose every tear broke his heart? What did she count for now? A joke, that’s all. The day she was discharged, the weather was bright and sunny, but the sunlight couldn’t penetrate Skylar’s cold heart. Julian finished her discharge procedures. As they sat in the car, he casually mentioned, “Luna’s birthday is in a few days. For the sake of you two getting along in the future, you should prepare a gift. A rare, blessed spiritual text from a revered monastery, I’m sure Luna would be delighted.” Skylar looked out the window, her voice devoid of emotion. “I won’t. And I will not coexist peacefully with her.” Julian’s face instantly darkened, and the air in the car grew heavy. He turned his head, his gaze behind the gold-rimmed glasses as sharp as a blade. He spoke slowly. “Skylar, I’m not asking you. If you don’t go… think about that box of your mother’s belongings in your room.” Skylar snapped her head around, staring at him with wide, disbelieving eyes. Her heart felt as if it had been brutally stabbed, the pain almost suffocating. He… he was actually threatening her with her mother’s possessions?! “Julian Blackwood…” Her voice trembled uncontrollably. “Do you really… love her that much? Love her enough to humiliate me in this way?” Tears streamed uncontrollably, blurring her vision. She grabbed his arm, as if clinging to her last hope, sobbing uncontrollably. “Do you remember? Do you remember the vows you made to me? You said you would only love me, and that we would be together forever! How long has it been? Three years! In just three years, your heart changed! How could you do this… how could you…” She cried hysterically, all her grievances, pain, and despair exploding at once. However, Julian merely looked at her calmly, even slightly frowning, as if watching a drama unrelated to him. When her sobs eventually subsided, he spoke coldly, every word like an ice pick piercing her heart. “Your tears, they don’t work on me anymore.” Skylar’s crying stopped abruptly. She stared blankly at his cold profile, then suddenly laughed, a desolate, tragic sound, even as her tears flowed more fiercely. Yes, when he loved her, a single tear from her would break his heart. Now that he no longer loved her, even if she cried her eyes out, it would only annoy him. She raised a hand, fiercely wiping away her tears, and took a deep breath, her voice frighteningly calm. “Alright, I’ll go.” That supposed rare, blessed spiritual text required sincere prayers at an ancient monastery to be obtained. The rules were strict: one had to kneel on cold flagstones outside the temple for a day and a night to show sincerity; then, one had to walk barefoot over a path of glowing hot coals to prove faith. To protect her mother’s last memory, Skylar did it all. The spring chill was biting. She knelt on the cold, hard stone slab from sunrise to moonset, and then until the first hint of dawn the next day. Her knees went from aching to numb, then to losing all sensation. Her lips were cracked, her face ashen, but she bit down hard, keeping her back straight. Then came the path of hot coals. Scorching heat waves washed over her, and the glowing coals crackled. The moment she took off her shoes and socks and stepped onto it barefoot, the excruciating pain almost made her faint. The faint smell of burning flesh was discernible. She bit her lower lip fiercely, drawing blood, taking one step after another, as if walking through a hell of blades and fire, leaving behind blurry, bloody footprints. When she finally held the cool, ancient manuscript in her hands, her feet were a bloody mess, and she was utterly exhausted, barely able to stand. She dragged her broken body down the mountain, nursing her injuries for several days before she could barely walk. Just in time for Luna’s birthday party. The Blackwood mansion was brightly lit, filled with guests. The extravagance far surpassed any of Skylar’s own birthday celebrations. Whispers constantly drifted into her ears. “Mr. Blackwood truly spoils Miss Sterling to no end.” “Indeed, he was never this extravagant with his wife.” “Ah, only the laughter of the new, never the tears of the old.” Skylar stood expressionless in a corner, watching Julian meticulously attend to Luna, fetching her drinks, draping a coat over her shoulders, his eyes dripping with a tenderness that could melt stone. Her heart was a dead calm, no longer stirred. When it was time for gifts, Julian presented a priceless antique jade necklace, glistening and translucent, drawing gasps of admiration and envy from the entire room. Then, his gaze turned to Skylar in the corner, a silent but undeniable command. Skylar clutched the manuscript in her hand, her nails digging into her palm. She walked forward, step by step, and handed the manuscript to Luna, her voice flat. “Happy birthday. This is for you.” Luna took it, opened it, and her face instantly lit up with surprise. “Oh! It’s a hand-transcribed ancient spiritual text from a revered monastery! Miss Hayes, how did you know this is what I’ve been wishing for? Thank you so much!” “Julian Blackwood told me,” Skylar stated plainly. Luna immediately looked at Julian, her eyes sparkling with gratitude. “Julian, you’re so good to me. You remember everything. Thank you.” Julian’s lips curved into a doting smile. He reached out and wrapped an arm around her waist, leaning down to whisper in her ear. His voice was low, but close enough for Skylar to hear clearly: “Just a ‘thank you’? No more… practical display of affection?” Luna blushed shyly, stood on tiptoes, and quickly pecked him on the cheek. “Is that enough?” Julian’s eyes deepened. He touched his cheek, savoring the moment, then chuckled softly. “What kind of display is that?” He cupped the back of Luna’s head, his voice husky and sensual. “Sweetheart, *this* is a kiss.” With that, in front of all the guests, he deeply kissed Luna’s lips, a passionate embrace, as if they were utterly alone. Skylar stood by, watching them kiss intimately, her heart squeezed by an invisible hand, twisted until it bled. The pain made it almost impossible to breathe. When the kiss ended, Luna melted into his arms, her face flushed. Skylar suppressed the surging nausea, looking at Julian, her voice hoarse. “My task is done. May I leave now?” Just then, Mr. Davies, the butler, rushed in from outside, frantic, shouting, “Mr. Blackwood! Terrible news! Many eagles have appeared outside! They’re circling above the mansion and won’t leave!” The guests stirred with commotion. Luna’s eyes, however, lit up with delight. “Namaste! Eagles circling on my birthday! This is a great omen! It’s a divine message for me! It calls me to offer flesh to the eagles, an act of supreme compassion!” Julian frowned instantly. “No!” But Luna was insistent. She looked up at him, her tone carrying a fervent piety. “Julian, if you truly love me, you should support my spiritual path! This is an opportunity for me to accumulate good karma!” Julian’s face was grim. He pressed his lips together, looking at the dark shapes circling above, then at the determined woman in his arms. Finally, he said in a low voice, “Alright! If you insist… then I’ll do it for you.” Luna’s eyes welled up with tears of gratitude. “Julian… you would do this for me…” But then she shook her head, her gaze shifting to Skylar, whose face was pale. “No, I can’t bear for you to do it. Why not let Miss Hayes? I spent so much energy chanting prayers to bless her mother before. Now, let her repay that karma and fulfill this act of offering flesh to the eagles.” Skylar looked at Luna in disbelief, then at Julian, shaking her head frantically. “No! I won’t…” Luna, however, looked anxiously at the sky. “The eagles are about to fly away! This opportunity is fleeting! Never mind, I’ll do it myself…” She started looking for a knife. Julian immediately stopped her, his eyes cold, no longer hesitating. He directly ordered the bodyguards nearby, “Hold her down!” Several bodyguards immediately stepped forward, holding down a wildly struggling Skylar. “Julian Blackwood! You can’t do this! Let me go! Ah—!” A bloodcurdling scream echoed through the garden. The cold blade sliced through the flesh of her arms and legs. Blood gushed out. Pieces of flesh were cut off and thrown into the sky, drawing the eagles down to peck and devour. Intense pain and extreme terror engulfed Skylar. Her vision went black, and she completely passed out. When she woke again, she was, once more, in the hospital. Her body was covered in bandages, and excruciating pain was everywhere. Julian was, surprisingly, still sitting by her bed. The moment she opened her eyes, before she could even feel the relief of surviving, she heard his cold voice. “Luna has faced a lot of criticism and attacks online because of this ‘offering flesh’ incident. You need to do a live stream and clarify to the public that you volunteered to offer flesh to the eagles, as an act of gratitude for her chanting prayers and blessings for your mother. And that the eagles came because of her good karma.” Skylar couldn’t believe her ears! She was covered in wounds, yet he was here, not to ask about her injuries, but to rush to clear the name of the woman he loved? “I won’t!” her voice was hoarse. Julian’s face darkened, his tone full of menace. “You don’t have a choice. Think about your mother’s belongings.” Mother… belongings… Skylar closed her eyes in despair, tears silently tracing paths down her cheeks. He always knew how to twist her Achilles’ heel. Soon, Liam, his assistant, had set up the equipment, and a global live stream began. Skylar’s face was ghostly pale. Facing the camera, she repeated Julian’s words, syllable by syllable, her voice flat and devoid of emotion. “…I willingly offered flesh to the eagles, to express gratitude for Miss Sterling’s blessings that brought good fortune to my mother… it had nothing to do with her…” The live stream’s comment section exploded, a torrent of abusive comments and doubts scrolling furiously. Skylar looked at the scrolling words, her eyes bloodshot, yet no tears would fall. As soon as the live stream ended, she couldn’t hold it in any longer. She lunged out of bed and rushed to the bathroom, vomiting violently, as if trying to expel her very insides. Teary-eyed, she looked up, seeing Julian, who had followed her in, in the mirror. Her voice was shattered. “Is this… enough for you?” Julian looked at her disheveled, pained state, and for a moment, an imperceptible flicker of something stirred within him, but he quickly suppressed it. He averted his gaze, his voice still hard. “You need to understand me. Luna is the woman I love now. I won’t let her suffer a single grievance.” Hearing this, Skylar’s heart ached to its absolute limit, then went numb. Even her tears had dried up. Julian was about to say something when his phone rang. It was Luna. He didn’t know what she said, but his tone instantly became anxious and gentle. “Okay, don’t worry, I’m coming right back.” After hanging up, he told Skylar, “Luna’s feeling a bit unwell. I’m going back to check on her. Take care of yourself.” With that, he actually turned and left, without a single backward glance. Skylar watched his retreating back, feeling an overwhelming mix of ridiculousness and tragedy. Over the next few days, she took care of herself. Her wounds hurt, but her heart hurt even more. She finally made it home from the hospital, and Mr. Davies coincidentally brought back her golden retriever, Buddy, whom she had boarded at a pet hospital. Buddy, a loyal companion for many years, was one of the few sources of warmth in her bleak life. Buddy affectionately rubbed against her, whining comforting sounds. Skylar hugged him, feeling a long-lost warmth. She felt incredibly weak and wanted to nourish herself, so she asked a maid to stew a bowl of chicken soup for her. She had barely taken two sips when Luna appeared, like a cat drawn to the scent of fish. Luna looked at the chicken soup, her eyebrows instantly shooting up. She declared sharply, “Skylar Hayes! How can you eat chicken?! How many times have I said that all living beings are interconnected, and all beings are equal! Eating meat is taking a life, it’s creating negative karma! You must immediately come with me to the meditation room to confess and atone!” With that, she reached out to grab Skylar. The pent-up anger and hatred within Skylar instantly exploded! Skylar violently flung Luna’s hand away and, with a swift movement, slapped her hard across the face! “Get out!” Skylar trembled with rage. “Julian Blackwood might tolerate you, but I won’t! Can you just stay away from me?! You make me sick!” Luna clutched her face, staring at Skylar in disbelief, then her eyes welled up with tears of indignation and anger. “Skylar Hayes! You… you dared to hit me?! I was doing this for your own good! Taking a life leads to deep spiritual debts! I know it’s hard to abstain from meat, but you must persist…” “I can’t persist!” Skylar interrupted her sharply, pushing her hard. “Just get away from me!” Luna, wearing high heels, stumbled with the push, gasped, and fell to the ground, her forehead hitting the sharp corner of a nearby plant stand. Blood immediately flowed! Just then, footsteps sounded at the door. Julian had returned. He immediately saw Luna on the floor, bleeding from her forehead, tear-streaked and looking like a delicate flower drenched in rain. He also saw Skylar standing nearby, her face pale but her eyes blazing with fury. “What happened?” His face instantly darkened. He quickly went forward and helped the weeping Luna up. Luna leaned into his arms, her tears flowing even faster. She recounted the “story,” punctuated by sobs, and added sorrowfully at the end, “Julian, I just didn’t want to see her create negative karma… I was too eager, my approach was wrong, so it’s not Skylar’s fault… but her temper… she’s truly a hopeless case…” Julian’s eyes, cold as ice, swept over Skylar. He told the maid, “First, help Luna upstairs and call the doctor to tend to her wound.” He paused, then added, “I will have a serious ‘talk’ with Skylar.” Luna nodded submissively and was helped away. Once her figure disappeared up the stairs, Julian’s gaze turned utterly cold. He looked at Buddy, who was wagging his tail, unaware of what had just transpired, and ordered the bodyguards, “Take that dog, and dispose of it.” Skylar felt as if struck by lightning. She lunged forward, hugging Buddy tightly, screaming in terror, “No! Don’t! Julian Blackwood, you can’t touch Buddy! He’s my dog! No! Please! I was wrong! I won’t ever talk back to her again! Please, don’t hurt my dog!” Julian remained completely unmoved, his eyes cold and ruthless. “This is the price for laying a hand on her. If you dare to bully Luna again next time, it won’t be just a dog.” The bodyguards forcibly snatched the wailing Buddy from her arms. “No! Buddy! Give me back my Buddy!” Skylar cried and struggled, but she was held down firmly. Soon after, a piercing dog yelp echoed from the backyard, then fell silent. Skylar froze, her pupils dilated, as if even her breathing had stopped. Then, an even more horrifying scene unfolded. The bodyguards actually dragged Buddy’s lifeless body into the kitchen! Before long, a steaming bowl of “meat soup” was placed in front of her. The heavy smell of meat overwhelmed her. Skylar’s stomach churned, and she recoiled in horror. “Take it away! I won’t drink it! Take it away!” Julian lost his patience and gave a bodyguard a look. The bodyguard stepped forward, roughly grabbed her chin, and with a sharp jerk! A soft “click” sound, followed by the excruciating pain of her jaw dislocating! Tears streamed down Skylar’s face, but she couldn’t close her mouth. That warm, oddly fragrant meat soup was forcibly poured down her throat… “Ugh… cough, cough, cough…” The soup, mixed with tears and snot, smeared all over her face. Skylar collapsed to the ground, coughing and retching violently, feeling as if her liver, spleen, stomach, and kidneys were being churned, in agonizing pain. Julian watched her, cold and distant, as if observing an insignificant performance. “Remember this taste. Next time, don’t challenge my bottom line.” Skylar completely broke down. That night, she developed a high fever and became gravely ill. In her semiconscious state, Luna came again. She held several homemade black pills and insisted on feeding them to Skylar. “Miss Hayes, I truly can’t bear to see you so ill. These are special pills I prepared for you, using many precious herbs. You’ll get better quickly after taking them.” Skylar clamped her lips shut, refusing to take the pills. Luna seemed to sigh, then told the maid beside her, “Help her.” The maid immediately stepped forward, forcibly pried open Skylar’s mouth, and stuffed the pills in! Not long after the pills went down, Skylar felt a searing, knife-like pain in her abdomen. Cold sweat instantly soaked her clothes. She couldn’t help but curl up, then vomited a mouthful of black blood. “It hurts so much… send me to the hospital…” she pleaded weakly. Just then, Julian returned. Luna immediately went to meet him, complaining tearfully, “Julian, I kindly gave Miss Hayes my special pills, but she seems to be even more uncomfortable and insists on going to the hospital… Perhaps she still doesn’t trust me, still has issues with me… I think it would be better if I just left…” Julian immediately pulled her back, his face darkening as he looked at Skylar. “Luna meant well, why are you so ungrateful?” “That’s not medicine… she’s hurting me…” Skylar’s voice trembled with pain. “Enough!” Julian didn’t believe her at all, his eyes filled with annoyance. “It seems you’re not sick enough if you still have the energy to accuse someone! Take her back to her room! She’s not allowed to leave, and no doctor is to be called without my permission!” Skylar was roughly dragged back to her room and locked in. Excruciating pain tormented her. She began to cough up blood, her consciousness growing increasingly hazy. Finally, Mr. Davies, unable to bear it, secretly called a trusted private doctor, who prescribed medicine and barely saved her life. The next day, just as she was recovering slightly, Luna came again. She looked at Skylar and smiled triumphantly, “See? I told you my medicine was effective. Aren’t you feeling better?” Julian also came over, warning her coldly, “Luna is compassionate; she would never harm you. Don’t ever betray her good intentions again.” Skylar was utterly exhausted, unable to utter a single word. A few days later, Luna announced she was going to perform her “daily acts of compassion” again. This time, she insisted on bringing Skylar. “Miss Hayes is too agitated and carries too much negative energy; she needs to perform good deeds to clear her karma,” she explained. Skylar refused to go, but Julian’s bodyguards simply “escorted” her into the car, coldly relaying, “Mr. Blackwood instructed that Miss Sterling is not to be disappointed.” The first nine “good deeds” were merely feeding stray cats and dogs, donating money, and releasing captive animals. For the tenth act of kindness, Luna, as usual, handed out money to a group of ragged beggars. But the beggars exchanged glances, pushed the money away, their eyes leering at Luna and Skylar. “Miss, we don’t want money… We haven’t been with a woman in a long time… why don’t you let us have some fun with the boys?” Luna immediately recoiled, pressing her hands together, her face showing distress. “Namaste! I am a woman of spiritual practice; how could I engage in such impure acts? What a sin, what a sin…” But then, seeing the beggars’ “piteous” faces, she sighed again, her gaze suddenly shifting to Skylar, whose face was pale. “I see you are truly suffering, tormented by your desires. It’s a苦楚. So, let my friend here help you find some release. It would be an act of good karma.” With that, she abruptly shoved Skylar into the midst of the beggars! Then, she turned, got into the car, and started the engine. “Luna!!!” Skylar’s terrified scream was drowned out by the beggars’ lecherous laughter and foul language. She struggled and fought desperately, but the grinning beggars surrounded her, dragging her toward a dark alleyway nearby! In utter despair, she found a surge of strength from somewhere. She bit down hard on one beggar’s hand, seized the opportunity to break free, and ran for her life towards the main road outside the alley! She ran blindly, straight out of the alley— Blinding headlights suddenly flared! Accompanied by the screech of tires and a tremendous impact! Skylar was thrown through the air like a broken kite, landing heavily on the cold pavement. Blood rapidly spread from beneath her. Before losing consciousness, she vaguely saw Luna’s cold face in the driver’s seat of the stopped car. Once again, she woke up in a hospital. Her entire body ached as if it had been shattered. And Julian, sitting by her bed, didn’t ask about her injuries first. Instead, he presented her with a letter of understanding. “Sign it,” his tone was unyielding. “Although Luna accidentally hit you, it wasn’t intentional, and she’s very remorseful now. I won’t let her go to jail.” Skylar looked at his cold face, her last shred of hope completely extinguished. She spoke with difficulty, her voice hoarse. “I won’t sign… She did it on purpose… She pushed me to the beggars first… then she drove into me… She’s guilty of attempted murder… she must face legal consequences…” Julian’s face instantly became terrifyingly grim. “Stubbornly refusing to cooperate!” He lost patience and directly ordered the bodyguards, “Take her away! Lock her in the high-temperature steam room! She’ll be released when she’s willing to sign!” It was a specially built steam room in the mansion, with the highest temperature setting, capable of dehydrating and suffocating a person. Skylar was dragged inside. High heat and lack of oxygen instantly enveloped her. Sweat evaporated as soon as it formed, her skin felt scorched, and breathing became extremely difficult. Her lungs felt like they were bursting. The fear of death seized her once more. Just as her consciousness began to waver, and she thought she would truly die there, she finally surrendered. “I’ll sign… I’ll sign…” Only then did Julian order them to let her out. She lay on the floor like a dehydrated fish, coughing and gasping for air. Julian shoved a pen into her hand, watched her sign her name, then said, “Luna is very upset about this incident. I’m taking her out to clear her head. You stay quietly at home for the next few days. Don’t cause any more trouble.” With that, he once again left without a second thought. Skylar lay on the cold floor, watching his resolute retreating back, too exhausted even to cry. Heartbreak couldn’t be more complete. A week later, Julian still hadn’t returned, but she received news from her lawyer. The divorce procedures were complete; she could pick up her divorce certificate. She went to the civil affairs office alone and received the dark red divorce certificate. Touching the cool, gilded letters on it, she actually felt a sense of release. Back at the mansion, she quietly began to pack her bags. She didn’t have many belongings; one suitcase held everything. On the day she left, she called a car to the airport. In the airport departure hall, she happened to see Julian walking out of the international arrivals gate, holding Luna’s hand. His face held a rare, relaxed smile as he spoke softly to Luna, who looked equally blissful. The two seemed to have just returned from a romantic getaway abroad. Watching their intimate closeness, and then looking at the divorce certificate in her hand, Skylar suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of irony. He liked global live streams, didn’t he? Good. She would give him what he wanted! She pulled out her phone, logged onto a global social media platform, and started a live stream. The camera was aimed at herself, and at the bright red divorce certificate in her hand. On the other side, Julian and Luna arrived back at the mansion. The moment he stepped inside, Julian felt an unusual sense of emptiness and quiet. He felt an inexplicable unease and frowned, asking Mr. Davies, “Where is she? What is Skylar Hayes doing?” Mr. Davies stammered, “Mr. Blackwood… Mrs. Blackwood… Mrs. Blackwood is…” “What is she doing?!” Julian demanded impatiently, his voice sharp. Mr. Davies closed his eyes, then bravely held out his phone. “Mrs. Blackwood… she’s… she’s live streaming globally… live streaming her divorce!” On the phone screen, clearly visible, was Skylar Hayes’s pale but serene face, and the glaring divorce certificate in her hand! The live stream viewer count was skyrocketing! The airport departure hall’s announcement looped boarding information. Skylar stood before the floor-to-ceiling windows, her finger hovering over the live stream button on her phone. Behind her, travelers bustled by, oblivious that this seemingly fragile woman was about to ignite a storm that would shake the entire internet. She tapped to start the live stream, and a few viewers trickled in. Skylar took a deep breath and aimed the camera at the dark red divorce certificate in her palm. The gilded words “Divorce Certificate” gleamed particularly harshly under the lights. Her voice was as calm as if recounting someone else’s story, yet it carried a power that pierced through the heart. “Hello everyone, I’m Skylar Hayes, Julian Blackwood’s ex-wife, from Blackwood Group… Today, I’d like to talk about what I experienced during my three-year marriage to Julian Blackwood.” “Three months ago, my mother was in a car accident and urgently needed a million dollars for surgery. Julian Blackwood handed over the family finances to a woman who calls herself a spiritual guru—Luna Sterling. When I went to her for the money, she told me, ‘Surgery cuts into the body, disturbing its natural balance. It’s an unnatural interference. Perhaps it’s better left undone.’ She even threatened to go to the hospital to stop the surgery, claiming that if my mother’s spiritual debts weren’t cleared, forcing surgery would hinder her transition.” As she spoke these words, she trembled uncontrollably, and her voice became choked with tears. She brought up screenshots of hospital payment records on her phone, with the date clearly marked for that day. “And Luna’s supposed ‘chanting prayers and blessings’ was nothing more than watching my mother miss her critical window for surgery!” At this point, the number of viewers in the live stream was rapidly increasing, and the comments were filled with outrage. “The day after my mother died, Luna told me she had sent her body for a natural disposition.” Here, her voice trembled slightly, but she maintained her composure. “But the neighborhood surveillance cameras recorded her having workers move the body at dawn. Neighbors also heard my arguments with her. These recordings and evidence have already been uploaded.” “Because of her… my mother’s remains are still nowhere to be found…” The live stream viewer count soared, and the comments began to flood the screen. Tears streaming, she continued, “On the week following my mother’s death, I found my room filled with snakes. Luna had put them there, saying they would help me calm my mind. When Julian came back, he told me to just get used to it…” As she displayed screenshot after screenshot of evidence, the live stream viewership surpassed three million. She raised her hand to brush back her hair, revealing the still visible scars on her arm. “Two weeks ago, at Luna’s birthday party, Julian Blackwood forced me to obtain a hand-transcribed ancient spiritual text from a revered monastery. I knelt for a day and a night, walked barefoot over a path of hot coals, my feet a bloody mess. But at the birthday party, Luna claimed that circling eagles were a good omen and demanded to offer flesh to them. They both then ordered bodyguards to hold me down and cut my flesh to throw to the eagles!” “A week ago, I drank a bowl of chicken soup, and Luna claimed I was taking a life and creating negative karma. When Julian came back, not only did he order bodyguards to dispose of my dog, Buddy, but he also forced me to drink a soup made from Buddy’s meat.” She pulled out a photo of herself with Buddy, both smiling at the camera. Skylar, however, was now sobbing uncontrollably. “Buddy was with me for five years, but he became Julian Blackwood’s sacrifice to please Luna…” Within half an hour, the live stream viewer count exceeded five million. Hashtags like #JulianBlackwoodColdHusband, #LunaSterlingFalseGuru, and #JulianLunaAdulterers quickly topped trending lists in multiple countries. The comment section was filled with condemnation for the two. [Is Julian Blackwood blind?! He just watched his wife get abused like that! Blackwood Group is absolutely heartless!] [Luna truly embodies the phrase ‘a viper with a saint’s tongue.’ Chanting ‘Namaste’ while committing murder. She should be excommunicated from any spiritual practice!] Simultaneously, Blackwood Group’s stock price plummeted, dropping 10% within half an hour. Numerous partners urgently sent letters suspending their collaborations. Watching the discussion heat up, Skylar knew she had achieved her goal. She wanted the whole world to see how vicious these two people were. Remembering her deceased mother and her tragically killed dog, she wiped her tears and ended the live stream. After the live stream, Skylar immediately blocked all of Julian Blackwood’s contact information. After backing up the evidence on her phone, she deleted all content related to her past. She dragged her suitcase and boarded a flight to a small coastal town in the south. When the plane landed, the salty, humid sea breeze greeted her. She rented a ground-floor apartment with a small garden, spending her days painting small pictures and tending to her flowers. Watching the sunlight fall on the petals, she finally smiled, a genuine smile she hadn’t shown in a long time. The pain of the past might never fully disappear, but she knew that from this moment on, her life would begin anew, completely severed from Julian Blackwood and Luna Sterling, moving towards her own fresh start. Julian Blackwood stepped into the mansion. A faint trace of Skylar’s presence still lingered in the air. But this familiar sensation was quickly shattered by the phone screen Mr. Davies handed him. In the live stream replay, every incident Skylar calmly recounted felt like an ice-cold knife, plunged into his cherished sense of control. “Fabrications! All fabrications!” He violently slammed the phone onto the marble floor. The shattered screen’s cracks mirrored his current uncontrolled rage. A jarring crash echoed through the study as he swept an expensive antique vase off his desk, sending porcelain shards scattering everywhere. Julian’s eyes were bloodshot, his chest heaving. He couldn’t calm down. “She did it on purpose! Even after the divorce, she won’t let it go, she wants to destroy me!” When Liam, his assistant, rushed in, Julian was already beside himself with fury. “Immediately launch a PR offensive!” His voice was hoarse, his command absolute. “Delete all negative information, issue a statement! Say Skylar Hayes is maliciously slandering me due to marital dissatisfaction, and all her claims are baseless!” But the PR team’s efforts couldn’t keep up with the speed of the public outcry. The statement was barely out before it was drowned in a flood of mockery from netizens. [Can Blackwood PR stop wasting money on statements? Instead of trying to delete comments, how about you figure out how to apologize to Skylar Hayes!] [Blackwood Group’s PR move practically screams ‘guilty conscience’! It’s hilarious, if you’re so innocent, show us proof!] Some people posted screenshots of the various records Skylar had displayed, others copied the audio recordings released in the live stream, Luna’s voice clearly discernible. The speed of deleting posts couldn’t match the rate at which new topics emerged. Even business partners sent strongly worded letters suspending collaborations, Liam reported, drenched in sweat. “Mr. Blackwood, the PR campaign… it’s a complete failure. Now, netizens are waiting for us to provide counter-evidence.” Julian slumped into the leather armchair, his knuckles white from clenching his fists. He stared out at the gloomy sky, anger churning within him, yet also a strange sense of confusion. He couldn’t understand how the woman he once protected, the woman he feared would cry if he hurt her, could have become so “ruthless.” Did three years of marriage, of tenderness and sacrifice, truly mean nothing against the bitterness of a divorce? As he fumed, Luna, dressed in a plain, serene dress, softly walked into the study. Her eyes were red-rimmed. Seeing his disheveled state, she immediately went to him and nestled into his arms, her voice choked with feigned sorrow. “Julian, don’t be angry… Skylar must have misunderstood me. She’s just been through a divorce and is hurting. Perhaps she’s saying these things out of sadness; please don’t blame her.” Her fingertips gently traced his furrowed brow, her eyes filled with concern. “It’s all my fault. If I had been more accommodating, perhaps things wouldn’t have come to this.” Her delicate vulnerability acted like a temporary sedative, slightly easing Julian’s strained nerves. He raised a hand to embrace her shoulder, his voice softening a little. “Perhaps Skylar will understand your good intentions in a few days.” But he didn’t see the flicker of malice in Luna’s downcast eyes. That night, while Julian was still in his study working, Luna quietly called a trusted confidant, whispering instructions: “Back up all the sky burial videos on my phone, and delete all chat records with the hospital staff. Not a single trace must remain.” After the confidant left, Luna secretly clenched her teeth, a sense of panic stirring within her because of Skylar’s revelations. “That woman… she actually dared to plot against me…” Late that night, while Julian was sound asleep, Luna stealthily crept into his study. She located the file folder and quickly typed on Julian’s computer keyboard. Just as she was about to permanently delete the files, her anxious fingers slipped, and instead of deleting, she accidentally uploaded a copy of the attachments to the cloud for backup. She didn’t notice this flaw. After confirming the files were gone, she quickly shut down the computer and stealthily left the study. But in the room, a faint “cloud sync successful” notification flashed briefly in the darkness. The next morning, Julian, observing that the public opinion had not improved, irritably rubbed his temples. Luna brought him a warm cup of ginseng tea, gently advising, “Julian, why don’t we just ignore the online noise for now? Everyone will forget about it after a while…” Julian took the teacup, his doubts about Luna momentarily suppressed. He thought of the plummeting stock prices, the billions lost in market value, the disrupted plans, and his hatred for Skylar deepened. He stared into the bottom of the cup, muttering to himself. “How could she do this to me… three years of shared memories, did they mean so little?” Hearing that name, Luna’s face instantly darkened. But neither of them knew that, in the cloud system, those accidentally saved files were like a buried bomb, waiting to explode Luna’s carefully constructed facade at some point in the future. The sea breeze in the coastal town always carried a salty warmth. Whenever Skylar looked out her apartment window, her mood would always relax, and she stopped dwelling on the past. With the last of her divorce settlement, she opened a small flower shop on the street corner. Hand-knitted wind chimes hung on the glass door, making a clear, tinkling sound when pushed open—her favorite sound. The shop didn’t have the rare, exotic flowers from the Blackwood mansion, only common sunflowers, daisies, roses, and a few thriving succulents. Every morning, Skylar would go to the flower market to select fresh flowers, then return to trim leaves and arrange bouquets, finding endless joy in the process. At the Blackwood mansion, even her water glass was handed to her by a maid. Anything she wanted to eat, no matter how exotic, a word to Mr. Davies would make it appear. But now, she wore gloves to prune thorns, and when tired, she would sit in the wicker chair by the window, sipping warm lemon water, watching pedestrians stroll by at a leisurely pace. This life, though lacking the extravagance of the past, gradually relaxed her nerves, which had been stretched taut for three years. At night, she finally slept peacefully. During this time, a regular customer named Leo Maxwell often visited. Leo first came to the flower shop on a weekend afternoon. He wore a clean white shirt, sleeves rolled up to his forearms, revealing his wrists. The wind chimes tinkled as he entered. “Hello, I’d like a bouquet of sunflowers.” His voice was gentle. His gaze swept across the array of fresh flowers, finally resting on Skylar, who was bending over, trimming roses. “Your flowers are of excellent quality. I’d like to buy a bouquet to take to the children in my department who are ill. They love them.” Skylar looked up, pausing for a moment before nodding. “Alright, just a moment.” She turned to get the flowers, her fingertip accidentally pricked by a rose thorn. A bead of bright red blood immediately welled up. She instinctively froze, about to wipe it away casually, but Leo called out to her. “Don’t move.” He quickly walked over, pulling a small bottle of iodine and a band-aid from his white coat pocket. As he knelt, a faint scent of disinfectant wafted from him, yet it wasn’t unpleasant. “I’m a pediatrician; I’m used to carrying these.” He didn’t ask why she was flustered. He just carefully took her fingertip, gently dabbed iodine with a cotton swab, his movements as delicate as if tending to a fragile flower petal. Skylar stood rigid, watching his focused profile as he treated her wound. Her heart inexplicably quickened. For the past six months, Julian had been lost in Luna’s embrace, never showing her such meticulous tenderness. “All done,” Leo said, affixing the band-aid and smiling as he stood up. His gaze fell on the bouquet she had just arranged. “Your shop’s flowers are beautiful, especially when you’re tending to them.” He gave her a few instructions about the wound, then, holding the sunflowers, paid and quietly bid farewell. Left standing there, Skylar’s fingertip still held the warmth of his touch. Over the next few weeks, Leo came precisely at the same time every week to buy sunflowers. They would sometimes chat for a few minutes, their conversations always revolving around the small town’s weather. “The wind is strong by the sea today; remember to close the windows securely when you shut the shop.” Sometimes, Leo would share amusing stories from the hospital. “Yesterday, a little boy pinned a sunflower at the nurses’ station, saying he wanted the nurses to be happy every day.” Occasionally, he would invite Skylar to admire the seaside scenery with him. “You can see beautiful sunsets by the sea in the evening. You should go check it out if you have time.” He never asked too many questions, nor did he pry, acting merely as a regular customer, sharing the small, warm moments of life. Skylar gradually let down her guard. Once, when Leo came to buy flowers, she proactively spoke. “Today, a little boy bought a small bouquet of daisies with his pocket money. He said he wanted to give them to his mom, hoping she wouldn’t be angry when she saw the flowers.” She had a slight smile on her face as she spoke, and her eyes were brighter than before. Leo paused, listened intently, then responded with a smile, “We have a little girl in our department who always resisted treatment until I brought her sunflowers. Then she started taking her medicine. Yesterday, she was discharged, and she even drew me a sunflower, saying she’d come here with her mom to buy flowers when she’s better.” Sunlight streamed through the glass window, falling between them. The air was filled with the fresh scent of flowers and a faint warmth. Skylar looked into Leo’s gentle eyes and suddenly felt that perhaps she didn’t have to live in the shadow of the past forever. This coastal town, this small flower shop, and this person who was willing to listen to her share small things, were slowly piecing together the life she once dared not dream of—a life truly her own. When Leo left, the wind chimes tinkled once more. Skylar watched his retreating figure disappear around the street corner, then looked down and touched the band-aid on her hand. She then turned to continue arranging flowers, the smile on her lips more genuine than before. The evening downpour in this coastal town arrived abruptly. Large raindrops hammered against the flower shop’s glass, splattering fine water droplets that quickly converged into streams on the ground.

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Pushing open the VIP room door, the first thing Aurora saw was a man and a woman kissing. One was her boyfriend. The other, her best friend. Julian pulled Chloe fiercely into his arms, his mouth taking hers with a raw, wild hunger, their breaths tangling together. Seeing that, a chill ran through her, her fingertips digging into her palms so hard they drew blood, yet she felt nothing. The music around them was deafening. The crowd was going wild, cheering them on. “They’ve already kissed! Why not make it more intense? A French kiss!” “WOW! French kiss! French kiss! French kiss!” Amidst the cheers, Julian pried Chloe’s lips open, their tongues dancing and intertwining in a passionate embrace. A lightning bolt struck her heart, making her ears ring, her vision blur. She stood there, frozen, tears streaming down her face, her heart twisted in agony. After what felt like an eternity, Julian’s eyes met hers. They were clear, almost shockingly so. But his first reaction wasn’t panic; it was pure delight. Her eyes were bloodshot from crying, her face barely holding its composure. She instinctively turned to leave. Julian ruthlessly shoved Chloe away, who was dazed from the kiss. He strode out of the room, catching up to Aurora, and pulled her tightly into his embrace. “Aurora, you came!” “I just messaged you saying I was going to kiss another woman, and you rushed right over. You love me, don’t you? That’s why seeing me with another girl makes you lose it.” “Since that’s the case, why don’t you stop seeing other men? That kiss was your punishment, for secretly talking to another man for half an hour behind my back. Do you feel my heartache now?” He took her hand and pressed it against his chest, letting her feel his pounding heart. Aurora gradually stopped crying, gazing into his unfathomable eyes. “I told you, that man only asked me for directions. I don’t even know him!” A sick, possessive madness flickered in Julian’s sharp eyes. He held her tighter. “No, it doesn’t matter who it is. If anyone gets close to you, I’ll go crazy with jealousy.” Hearing that, Aurora’s tears flowed even faster, a deep sense of helplessness spreading through her heart. The next second, Julian’s phone rang. “Julian, the party’s not over yet. You spend all your time with your girlfriend at home. We rarely get to hang out. You’re not allowed to leave this time.” He hung up, then looked at Aurora, coaxing her with a helpless smile. “Be a good girl, go home first, okay? I’ll stay and play with them a bit longer. Don’t worry, now that you’ve been punished, I won’t touch anyone else again.” The moment he turned to leave, the sky darkened, and rain began to fall. The cold rainwater drenched Aurora’s clothes, but she felt nothing, walking numbly towards home. Rain mixed with tears streamed down her face, blurring what was what. That blinding scene replayed in her mind. This wasn’t the first time Julian had done this. Years ago, in high school, she’d been captivated by the cold, aloof boy. To win him over, she made him breakfast every day, copied notes for him, and even shielded him from a car accident. That day, as he took her to the hospital, his eyes were wide with panic, constantly wiping the blood from her body. “Aurora, are you crazy? You’d risk your life for me? You like me that much?” “Yes, I really do like you.” She smiled foolishly, accidentally pulling at her wound, wincing in pain. He froze, then held her tightly in his arms. That day, they officially became a couple. He said: “Aurora, you’re my first girlfriend, and you’ll be my last. If you like me, you have to like me forever. Never stop.” After they started dating, Aurora realized that the aloof, untouchable man she’d idealized was actually a complete romantic, almost to the point of obsession. He not only gave 100% but also spoiled her rotten. Back then, she thought she was the happiest girl in the world. Until, slowly, she started to notice something was off. His possessiveness was too strong, almost bordering on obsession. At first, he deleted all male contacts from her phone. Later, if she so much as glanced at another guy, or had any friendly interaction with one, he’d spiral. Once, she merely complimented another guy, and he dragged her into their room. That night, the intensity of their passion shook the very foundations of their room, and she couldn’t leave her bed for days. Eventually, he escalated to punishing her by getting intimate with other women, only satisfied when he saw her jealous and heartbroken, desperately proving her love for him. She repeatedly convinced herself that his madness stemmed from his love for her, enduring it time and again. But now, she was truly tired, and she couldn’t take it anymore. An hour later, she arrived home. Just as she reached the door, a delivery person quickly ran up. “Excuse me, are you Ms. Aurora?” Aurora nodded. “I am.” The delivery person quickly pulled out a letter. “Ms. Aurora, this is from the National Classified Biological Research Institute. I was told to deliver it directly into your hands.” Aurora stiffened. After thanking him, she went inside and opened the letter. “Dear Aurora, congratulations on being accepted into the National Classified Biological Research Institute. Upon accepting this position, your identity will be strictly confidential. You will not be permitted to contact anyone outside the institute for five years. In ten days, a special vehicle will pick you up and take you to the base.” She reread the terms of the agreement. This had been her lifelong dream: to follow in her parents’ footsteps and complete the work they couldn’t finish. Before, she hesitated because Julian loved her and relied on her as his emotional anchor. If she was separated from him for even three days, he would go crazy. But now, She didn’t want to stay for him anymore. Her future had nothing to do with him. Thinking about everything that had happened today, Aurora finally made up her mind, picked up a pen, and solemnly signed her name! The next morning, Aurora came downstairs to find the dining table laden with a steaming hot breakfast. Julian walked out of the kitchen, a faint smile playing on his lips. Her jealousy yesterday had made him happy. After breakfast, seeing she was ignoring him, Julian quickly pulled out a sparkling gemstone necklace. He brushed her hair aside and fastened it around her neck. “Aurora, this is that necklace you loved so much. I bought it. Please don’t be mad anymore, okay? Even though I kissed Chloe, I was thinking of you the whole time.” “I just wanted to make you jealous. You know I only love you.” “Please don’t interact with other men, or even look at them, anymore, okay?” She remained silent. In the past, she would have believed he said it out of love and concern. But now, she couldn’t bear the weight of his suffocating love. Now, she just wanted to wait ten days, then quietly disappear from his world. The National Institute’s security was top-notch. Her records would be hidden. Even if he wielded immense power, he wouldn’t be able to find her. Seeing her persistent silence, Julian assumed he hadn’t appeased her enough. He called his assistant again. “Arrange a party for me. Everything should be set up according to Aurora’s preferences.” Aurora knew that if she didn’t go, it would likely cause another scene, so she didn’t object. The party was held at the most luxurious hotel. Luxurious, vibrant roses filled the air with their fragrance. Guests approached them, their eyes full of envy for their relationship. “Mr. Julian really spoils his girlfriend. Seven years, and he still wants to keep Ms. Aurora in his pocket, never letting her out of his sight.” “Right? Such a grand gesture just to make his girlfriend happy. When will I ever find a man who treats me so well?” Everyone was chattering excitedly. A guest who was close to Julian came over to toast him. “Julian, you and Aurora have been together so long, are you getting married soon?” Julian’s eyes softened with a smile as he looked lovingly at Aurora. “Yes, soon.” She glanced at his chiseled profile, forcing a small smile. Soon? No, they had no future left. Throughout the entire banquet, Julian clung to her. With just a glance from her, he’d immediately bring her a drink. If she so much as touched her arm, he’d instantly take off his jacket and drape it over her. His attentiveness was meticulous, yet she felt suffocated. “I want some cake. Can you get it for me?” Only after sending Julian away did Aurora finally breathe a sigh of relief. She wandered into the garden behind the banquet hall, seeking some fresh air. As she was lost in thought, gazing at the blooming flowers, a man in a sharp suit suddenly appeared. “Aurora?” The man sounded surprised and delighted. “It’s Daniel. I was your next-door neighbor when we were kids, do you remember me?” Aurora searched her memory, recalling a vague image, and nodded. “I remember.” Daniel’s eyes softened as he chuckled. “I can’t believe I’d see you again after so many years abroad. Do you have a boyfriend now? Remember how you used to say you’d marry me when we played house?” As he spoke, he leaned closer, gently removing a fallen leaf from her hair. A fresh, clean scent enveloped her, making Aurora slightly uncomfortable. She instinctively recoiled. The next second, a strong hand gripped her waist, pulling her into an embrace. Julian’s face was dark, his deep eyes filled with a dangerous glint. “What do you think you’re doing to my girlfriend?” He was like a dragon guarding its treasure, resisting anyone who dared approach Aurora. Daniel’s expression froze. “I’m sorry, I was just helping her with a leaf. I didn’t know she had a boyfriend.” For some reason, that statement ignited Julian’s fury. He smirked provocatively, pulling the girl in his arms closer, then lowered his head and kissed her. He bit her lips, aggressively invading, conquering. “Now, do you know?” Aurora hadn’t expected Julian to do that in front of someone else. Her breath caught, and she frantically pounded on his chest, gasping out fragmented syllables between breaths: “Stop… Julian…” Sensing her resistance, Julian’s face darkened even further. He looked at her, panting, his sharp eyes narrowing. “Why won’t you let me kiss you? Because of him? You don’t want him to see?” Before she could answer, Julian turned to the black-suited bodyguards behind him, his voice venomous. “Take this man away. Break the hand he used to touch Aurora!” Aurora’s face instantly paled. “Julian! This is between us, it has nothing to do with him!” Seeing her defend another man, Julian’s lips thinned into a rigid line, his eyes filled with icy rage that he could barely suppress. “What are you waiting for? Do it!” Following the command, the bodyguards disregarded Daniel’s struggles, quickly pinning him to the ground. One pulled out a baseball bat and raised it high. Seeing Daniel suffer for her sake, Aurora immediately threw herself over him, shielding him with her body. “Julian! If you dare touch him, you’ll have to step over my dead body!” Julian gripped the baseball bat, almost laughing in disbelief, forcing out the words from deep in his throat: “Aurora, you truly are something!” He strode forward, his large hand clamping onto her wrist. Ignoring her struggles and protests, he dragged her to the car. Back at home, Julian radiated an icy chill. His eyes bloodshot, he maniacally scooped Aurora into his arms, threw her onto the bed, and leaned over her. Seeing his handsome face drawing closer, she instinctively recoiled from his burning kiss. He, however, bit directly into her collarbone, kissing her wildly, tearing at her clothes, as if he wanted to press her into his very bones. “Don’t touch me!” Julian stared at her obsessively, coaxing in a low voice: “Aurora, wife, baby, tell me you’re mine, that you’re only mine!” He murmured it over and over, but only met with Aurora’s rejection. “No, let me go, you’re hurting me!” She pounded his chest repeatedly, resisting his kisses and every move. However, this only provoked Julian into a more furious assault. Her clothes were torn to shreds. She closed her eyes in despair, tears slowly trickling from their corners. Seeing her tears, Julian instantly froze. She was crying. She was actually crying! Just because she didn’t want him to touch her? After his chest heaved for a long time, Julian suddenly released her, then slammed the door shut and left, his face grim. It was a long time before Aurora realized he was gone. She lay on the bed, calming herself for a while, before getting up, wiping her tears, and changing her clothes. Then, she quietly packed her luggage. She packed until late into the night. Julian returned. But this time, he brought Chloe with him. He glanced at Aurora, then pressed Chloe against the wall and kissed her as if no one else was there. Chloe, half-pushing him away, half-invitingly, hooked her arms around his neck, returning his kiss. After a long kiss, he whispered, “Chloe needs to stay here tonight. Her apartment complex isn’t very safe lately.” If it were any other day, Aurora would have been heartbroken by this sight, knowing he was carrying out another one of his ‘punishments’. But now, she was calm, her face numb as she nodded. “Whatever you want.” Seeing her so indifferent, Julian’s face turned iron-gray. Just as he was about to speak, Chloe smiled and said, “Julian, which room am I sleeping in tonight?” He suppressed his emotions and deliberately said, “Sleep with me. Aren’t you scared?” After saying that, he looked at Aurora again, quietly waiting for her tears and outrage. Instead, he saw her calmly giving up the master bedroom and walking towards the guest room. His face darkened once more. That night, just as Aurora was about to fall asleep, she received photos from Chloe. Her pale collarbones were covered in dense hickeys, and there were even a few finger marks and bite marks. “Aurora, Julian really went overboard tonight, it was too intense, I could barely handle it.” Looking at Chloe’s taunting message, Aurora felt no anger, only a profound numbness. She casually turned off her phone and slept soundly through the night. In the morning, Aurora descended the stairs unhurriedly, only to meet a pair of eyes simmering with suppressed anger. “Don’t you have anything to say to me?” She met Julian’s gaze, calmly retorting, “What do you want me to say?” He felt like he was punching a cotton ball, a deep sense of powerlessness washing over him. Finally, he stopped looking at her. He took Chloe’s hand directly, his expression gentle. “Today I’ll take you shopping. Whatever you want, I’ll buy it for you.” Hearing that, Chloe smiled and leaned into his embrace, casting a triumphant glance at Aurora. After they left, the house fell silent again. Soon after, notification sounds kept pinging, all from Chloe. One after another, photos of incredibly expensive jewelry, accessories, and bags came through. [Julian is so good to me. Whatever I want, he buys without batting an eye.] [As best friends, if you like anything, I’ll get it for you. I’m currently at the artificial lake in the villa district, enjoying the view. Come over and choose.] Aurora didn’t want to engage, so she simply ignored them. But Chloe’s messages kept coming. Finally, she sent a photo of a small, intricately carved jade charm, a family heirloom. [Aurora, my patience isn’t very good. If you make me wait any longer, I’ll just smash this, okay?] That jade charm was one of the few mementos her parents had left her. In the past, Aurora and Chloe had been best friends. Knowing Aurora was often sickly and accident-prone, Chloe had given her the charm, hoping it would protect her and keep her safe for life. She never expected Aurora’s kindness to become Chloe’s tool of blackmail now. Anger surged in her heart. She immediately left for the artificial lake. “Give me the charm.” Chloe chuckled, casually tossing the jade charm to her. “Aurora, you’ve seen how good Julian has been to me these past few days, right? I’m even living in your house now. Aren’t you going to give up and let go?” As she spoke, she casually flipped her hair, revealing a delicate diamond necklace, her eyes full of triumph. Aurora took a deep breath. “I’ve told you many times, he doesn’t love you, he’s just using you!” Chloe’s smile vanished instantly, replaced by her usual impatience. “What a joke. Do you think I wouldn’t know if he loved me or not?” Aurora didn’t explain further. This wasn’t the first time she’d tried to explain to Chloe. Julian was handsome and came from an excellent family. If he wanted to, he could easily make any woman fall for him. To make Aurora jealous, he had specifically chosen her best friend, Chloe. Just a few words had made Chloe fall for him, leading her to hold hands, hug, and kiss him, despite having no official status. Aurora had told her the truth many times: that Julian was using her. But Chloe simply refused to believe it, even going so far as to break off their friendship. “You can’t hold a man’s heart, but I’m different. Julian truly loves me. If you don’t believe me, shall we test it?” With that, before Aurora could react, she suddenly shoved her into the lake from behind. Then, she jumped in herself. Aurora thrashed desperately in the water, her mind blank. She had almost drowned once before, so she couldn’t swim and was terrified of water! The cold lake water instantly engulfed her, leaving only a sliver of light above. In utter despair, she saw Julian running towards the shore. Splash! He ripped off his jacket and jumped into the water, but he swam right past her, rescuing Chloe instead. Overwhelming darkness consumed her vision. She only saw their receding figures and Chloe’s triumphant look as she glanced back. Chloe mouthed three words: “You. Lost. Now.” Aurora felt her limbs go weak and numb. Yes. She had lost. Completely. When she opened her eyes again, Julian’s dark hair filled her vision. His eyes were bloodshot. Seeing her awake, he dropped the cold facade he’d been maintaining. “Aurora, you’re finally awake. Are you cold? Hungry? Is anything else bothering you?” Seeing his anxious expression, Aurora found it incredibly ironic. “Does it matter to you, Mr. Julian, whether I live or die?” Julian stiffened, his eyes bruised with fatigue, looking utterly exhausted. “Aurora, are you angry with me? You know perfectly well I didn’t save you just to punish you.” “To punish you for talking to other men, to punish you for being so calm when I got close to other women!” Aurora pursed her lips. Punishment. What a punishment. Julian seemed to realize he had erred, and softened his tone, apologizing. All day long, he asked after her, prepared chicken soup with his own hands, and carefully fed it to her spoon by spoon. She, however, didn’t even lift her head. The nurse, seeing her so indifferent, couldn’t help but speak up for him. “Ms. Aurora, Mr. Julian was practically frantic when he brought you to the hospital. He stayed by your side for three days and three nights without sleep. If anything had happened to you, I think he would have torn this hospital apart. He’s so good to you, can’t you two talk things over?” Aurora didn’t want to listen. She simply closed her eyes in protest. While Julian was speaking with the doctor about her condition, she got out of bed to clear her head. After sitting outside for a while, breathing in the fresh air, she returned to her room. As she pushed open the door, her eyes met his grim gaze. Julian held her phone, his aura intensely suppressive. There was a missed call on the screen. “Who is this?” Seeing the number, Aurora’s heart tightened instantly. It was the institute’s number! Aurora quickly stepped forward and snatched her phone. “No one I know. Spam message.” Julian’s face was dark, his brows furrowed. “Really?” Aurora looked at him indifferently. “What else would it be? Who did you think it was?” He didn’t know who it was, but this was the first time he’d seen her so nervous. And the person she was nervous about wasn’t him. A fierce fire instantly ignited in his chest. After burning for a while, he said nothing, just gave her a deep look, then turned and left. Soon after, all the doctors and nurses in her ward were reassigned. A nurse whispered, “Who exactly is that Ms. Chloe? Mr. Julian dotes on her so much, he’s transferred all available medical resources just to take care of her. He’s also staying by her side constantly.” Hearing this, Aurora knew that although Julian hadn’t said anything, he was angry again. But she wouldn’t try to appease him like before. Nor would she care about his feelings anymore. After being discharged, Aurora returned home to continue packing. Just as she stepped through the door, with a bang, the villa door suddenly locked. Then, a line of bodyguards stood guard at every corner of the villa. “Ms. Aurora, Mr. Julian has given orders. From today onwards, you are not allowed to leave. If you have any requests, just tell us.” Aurora was slow to react. What did that mean? Was she being imprisoned? She suppressed her anger, trembling as she dialed Julian’s number. “Julian, let me out.” His deep voice came through the phone. “Aurora, you know why I’m doing this. When you cut off contact with other men, and only have me in your eyes and heart, then I’ll let you go.” Before she could say another word, the call was disconnected. She tried calling again, but it wouldn’t connect. Other men? Did he think the institute’s number belonged to another man? Aurora felt utterly helpless to explain. She couldn’t tell him the truth, so she could only try to find a way out. But every door in the villa was guarded by burly bodyguards, leaving her no chance to escape. Helpless, she could only temporarily give up. Fortunately, she still had a few days before she had to leave for the institute, so she could still figure something out. In the middle of the night, she slept restlessly, as if she had a premonition. The phone on her bedside table rang like a death knell. Aurora had just answered when the frantic voice of a nursing home aide came through. “Ms. Aurora, your grandma is experiencing concurrent high blood pressure and cerebral thrombosis tonight. She’s fading fast!” The phone clattered to the floor. Aurora froze, as if struck by lightning. Her parents had died young, and her grandma had raised her since childhood. In recent years, her grandma, suffering from Alzheimer’s, had been sent to a nursing home. A few days ago, she had even visited her, planning to transfer her to the city where her research institute was located. How could she be failing now? How could this be happening? There was chaos on the other end of the line. Grandma Margaret lay in her hospital bed, vaguely calling her name: “Aurora… why hasn’t Aurora come to see me? Grandma misses you. When will you and Julian… come?” “Grandma, Aurora’s here, Aurora’s coming right now.” Aurora cried out to her, rushing out without even changing her clothes. But she was immediately stopped by the bodyguards. “Ms. Aurora, we cannot let you out without Mr. Julian’s orders.” Aurora was burning with anxiety. She could only pull out her phone and call Julian. One, two, three… She didn’t know how many calls she made. Just as she was about to give up hope, the phone finally connected. “Julian, let me out! My grandma is dying! Let me out to see her! To see her one last time!” Hearing her tearful voice on the other end, Julian suddenly stood up, grabbed his car keys, and was about to leave. But then, as if remembering something, he instantly suppressed that moment of softness. His tone hardened. “Aurora, you’d make up a lie about your grandma being critically ill just to go see that man? To trick me into letting you out? Is he really that important to you?” A wave of overwhelming despair swept over her. “Julian, I didn’t, I didn’t…” Lie to you! Her words were cut short by Chloe’s voice. Then, the sounds of tangled kissing, followed by a beep. The call was disconnected. When Aurora dialed again, the phone was off. She was utterly desperate. She rushed towards the door recklessly, but was inevitably stopped again. She was completely hopeless. Raising a fruit knife, her eyes red, she held it to her throat. “Let me out! Or I’ll kill myself!” The bodyguards, professionally trained, swiftly snatched the knife from her hand. “Go back inside, Ms. Aurora. We’re just following orders.” A feeling of helplessness consumed her. Grandma, Grandma was still waiting for her. Aurora had no other option. She bypassed all the bodyguards, ran straight to the third floor, and jumped. With a thud, she landed on the grass, feeling searing pain in every limb. No one had expected her to jump, So no one immediately chased after her. She didn’t care if her leg was broken, or if the blood wouldn’t stop flowing. She forced herself up, gritted her teeth, and hailed a taxi to the hospital. “Driver, hurry! Please go faster!” Aurora fought back tears, urging the driver several times. The driver looked back, saw the blood and scrapes on her, and didn’t dare ask questions, stepping hard on the accelerator. Upon arriving at the nursing home, she ran towards Grandma Margaret’s room. However, she was still too late. She dashed to the doorway, only to see a nurse covering her grandma with a white sheet. The old woman’s eyes were closed, her lips slightly parted, clearly having passed away with regret, unable to wait for the person she yearned for. A crushing grief instantly surged from her heart, engulfing her entire being. Aurora collapsed to her knees with a thud, tears streaming down. “Grandma!!!” She clutched her grandma’s frail hand, placing it on her own face, begging incessantly: “Grandma, wake up, Aurora’s here to see you, Aurora’s here, please open your eyes and look at me, okay?” But the person before her could no longer open her eyes. She had no family left. Grandma was the last one. But she hadn’t even seen her one last time. That night, the entire hospital room echoed with the girl’s cries. Afterwards, Aurora moved like a zombie, mechanically going through the motions of arranging the funeral. On the day of the funeral, she knelt before Grandma Margaret’s memorial tablet, observing a moment of silence. Suddenly, a gentle, trembling hand reached from behind her and pulled her into an embrace. Julian, dressed in solemn black, his eyes filled with regret and heartache. “Aurora, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know Grandma was really in trouble. I thought…” “I know you’re angry with me. Hit me, curse me, do whatever you want, just don’t ignore me, please?” As he spoke, he took her hand and hit himself on the face and body repeatedly. His handsome face was red and bruised, yet Aurora stared blankly at the memorial tablet, unmoved. The funeral ended. She drifted out with the crowd, like a lost soul. Sitting alone in the car, Aurora silently watched the retreating scenery outside the window. After a long while, she finally realized something was wrong. This wasn’t the way back home. Just as she was about to look up, the driver in the front seat suddenly pulled out a spray bottle and sprayed her. A sweet, cloying scent filled her nostrils. Her vision blurred, then she plunged into darkness, completely losing consciousness. When she woke up, Aurora found herself tied up in a dilapidated warehouse. On a leather chair in front of her, a man with a sinister, evil smile sat watching her. Victor Thorne. She recognized him. Julian’s archenemy. The Thorne family had just been ruined by Julian a while ago. Victor grabbed her chin, a contemptuous smile on his face. “Don’t worry, I don’t hurt women. I brought you here because I want Julian’s life!” Just then, anxious footsteps sounded outside the door. Victor smirked coldly, patting her cheek. “I didn’t realize you were so important to him. I just made the call, and in less than twenty minutes, he’s already speeding over.” The words had barely left his lips when the main door was violently kicked open, and Julian’s furious voice cut through the air. “Victor Thorne, if you touch her, I’ll end you!” Aurora looked up, her eyes meeting Julian’s as he rushed in. Seeing her state, Julian’s eyes immediately reddened with pain. He whispered, “Aurora, don’t be scared.” “Mr. Julian, I think you’ve misunderstood the situation.” Victor pressed his knife against Aurora’s neck. “I hear this is the woman you love most. Now I am the butcher, and you are the fish. I can do whatever I want. What makes you think you can stop me from touching her?” “Victor, don’t hurt her! Whatever you want, I’ll do it, just don’t hurt her!” Victor Thorne and Julian had been rivals since childhood. This was the first time he had seen Julian’s weakness so clearly exposed. He gave a cold, sinister smile. “Anything? Does that include kneeling and begging for my forgiveness, my arrogant Mr. Julian?” Bang! Almost as soon as the words left his mouth, Julian dropped to his knees with a thud. The dust that rose stained his pant legs, the once aloof man now touched by grime. Aurora knew Julian loved her, but she never imagined someone so proud would kneel for her. Yet, the pain he inflicted upon her was also very real. Her heart was a maelstrom of emotions, love and hate intertwining. Tears streamed down her face. Seeing this, Victor smirked, a look of utter humiliation on his face as he kicked Julian to the ground. “What are you waiting for? You all, give Mr. Julian a warm welcome.” He waved his hand, and several henchmen with iron rods surrounded Julian. The burly men, with all their might, repeatedly struck Julian with their rods. For Aurora, Julian did not resist, gritting his teeth and enduring it silently. Blood, however, flowed onto the ground. Perhaps because he didn’t react with much pain, Victor found it somewhat boring. He called a halt, then tossed an iron rod in front of Julian. “Mr. Julian, you ruined the Thorne family. If I cripple one of your hands, it’s not too much, is it?” Julian looked at Aurora, spat out a mouthful of blood, his eyes red. “If I cripple one hand, will you let Aurora go?” Victor’s lips curled into a smile. “If you do, I’ll consider it. But if you don’t, she dies.” With that, he deliberately moved the knife blade higher. “Don’t touch her!” He picked up the iron rod almost without hesitation. “I’ll do it!” “Julian!” Aurora looked at him in disbelief, shouting his name. Julian merely managed a faint smile, silently mouthing three words to her. I, love, you. Just as the iron rod was about to shatter his hand, the abandoned warehouse door was violently kicked open. A swarm of police officers rushed in, immediately apprehending Victor Thorne. Julian dropped the iron rod, then stumbled over, pulling Aurora tightly into his embrace, as if holding a lost treasure he’d found again. Only after confirming she was unharmed did he finally lose his strength and completely pass out. A day later, Julian woke up. The first thing he said was, “Aurora, are you hurt?!” At that moment, Aurora felt utterly exhausted. She didn’t understand why. The man before her clearly loved her, Yet he was also the one who hurt her the most. She regretted it, deeply regretted why she had ever fallen for Julian, why she had pursued him, why she had ever provoked him. Seeing her silence, Julian hugged her even tighter. “Aurora, I was wrong before. I’ll never lock you up again, and I won’t get jealous anymore. Will you forgive me?” Aurora closed her eyes, saying nothing, feeling a profound weariness in her heart. For the next few days, Aurora stayed to take care of him, but remained silent. Seeing his state, Julian felt an inexplicable panic. Assuming she was still angry about Grandma Margaret, on the day of his discharge, he arranged a proposal for her. Countless fireworks bloomed in the sky, and romantic flowers and candles were arranged in a heart shape. Julian slowly knelt on one knee before Aurora. “Aurora, marry me.” She gazed at the massive diamond ring, but her eyes were lowered. She remained silent. As time slowly passed, the smile on his face gradually faded. Finally, with an unyielding demeanor, he slipped the ring onto her ring finger. “Aurora, I will always love you.” Perhaps fearing a change of heart, the wedding preparations proceeded incredibly fast. Julian even hosted a banquet, announcing their happy news to everyone.

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In the eighth month of Amelia Vance’s pregnancy, a horrific car crash shattered her world. Her uterus ruptured. Her baby, stillborn. The driver responsible, Serena Harding, stormed into the hospital. She’d converted tens of thousands of dollars in cash into loose change, then, bag after heavy bag, she hurled it at Amelia. “Your dead baby didn’t have the fate to be born. Take this money and get lost. Even if you sue, you won’t get more than this.” Amelia, like a rabid animal, lunged at Serena, ignoring her own torn body. Her voice raspy with rage, she screamed, “I’ll sue you! I’ll make you pay for my baby’s life!” But on the day of the trial, her husband, Julian Thorne, presented a psychiatric evaluation report in court. It claimed Amelia suffered from persecutory delusions and had intentionally thrown herself in front of Serena Harding’s car, causing the baby’s death. Amelia stared at her husband in the witness stand, utterly stunned, as if struck by lightning! *** Amelia Vance was labeled a high-risk psychiatric patient and confined to a special ward for five grueling years. Electroshock, needle jabs, lashings—they nearly claimed half her life. Her body and mind were severely traumatized, to the point where the mere sound of the ward’s iron door opening would trigger instant incontinence. Finally, the day came when her psychiatric evaluation showed her to be normal. She saw the sun and blue sky for the first time in years, but her skin, hypersensitive from the harsh treatments, was covered in a rash of red bumps. A car approached from a distance, stopping in front of her. The window slowly lowered. Julian Thorne’s face appeared in the car, his gaze cold and disgusted, as if he were looking at a beggar on the street. “Since you’re out, behave yourself. I bought a villa on the outskirts of the city; you’ll live there from now on.” Without waiting for her response, he simply instructed another car following behind to take her there, then rolled up the window and drove away. As Amelia arrived and stepped out of the car, she witnessed a scene that would haunt her for the rest of her life. Julian Thorne’s car drove past the entrance of her assigned villa, straight into the yard of the house next door. After getting out, he stood by the car door, opening his arms towards the house. A little girl, like a joyful lark, came running out of the villa and leaped into his embrace. Her sweet, childish voice pierced Amelia’s heart like a dagger. “Daddy, Daddy! You’re finally home! I missed you so much!” Julian affectionately scooped the girl up, kissing her plump, rosy cheeks. “Daddy missed you too. Did you have fun with Mommy at home today?” The little girl giggled as he tickled her, then turned and shouted, “Mommy, hurry! Daddy’s tickling Lily! Daddy’s naughty, come hit him!” The next second, Serena Harding’s graceful and alluring figure emerged from the house. She wrapped her arms around Julian Thorne’s neck, pressing her fiery red lips against his cheek, a fleeting touch that left a crimson stain. “See? Mommy hit Daddy. Happy now, little angel?” Amelia Vance’s heart shattered instantly. The pain made it almost impossible to stand upright. The sight of their happy family of three made her wish she could gouge out her own eyes right then and there. Even a single glance felt more agonizing than the five years of torture she’d endured in the psychiatric hospital. Why?! Her baby hadn’t even had the chance to see the world. Her best years had been destroyed by this woman. Yet now, even though she and Julian Thorne weren’t divorced, they were already eagerly living a happy family life with Serena and her child. Amelia couldn’t articulate her feelings at that moment, nor did she have the courage to rush over and confront them. Her mind buzzed, her heart ached as if being constantly squeezed, and she could no longer stand. She collapsed to the ground, her palm landing on sharp pebbles, slicing a deep wound that immediately gushed blood. So that’s it. Julian Thorne had painstakingly labeled her insane five years ago, sending her to a psychiatric hospital, all so he could openly be with Serena Harding and have a child with her. They had been childhood sweethearts, inseparable before high school. Their families had often joked about them getting married, wishing them to be together forever. Later, the Thorne family lost everything. Julian Thorne’s parents were both sentenced to death for severe financial crimes. Because he was underage, he was taken in by a distant uncle until they met again in high school. But Julian Thorne’s life with his uncle’s family was terrible. He was a constant punching bag, his relatives routinely beating and scolding him. He never had a proper meal, his clothes were always filthy, and his six-foot-one frame barely topped 130 pounds, his body frail and constantly on the verge of collapse. Amelia Vance would bring him home every day—to eat, shower, wash his clothes, and do his homework. He would sneak back to his uncle’s house only after everyone there was asleep, then leave before dawn the next day. Once, on their way home, they encountered his uncle, who was returning late and drunk. The man grabbed a shovel from behind the door and swung it at Julian Thorne. Amelia, without a second thought, threw herself in front of him, protecting him. She broke two ribs and was covered in blood, but didn’t utter a single sound. That day, Julian Thorne held her in his arms and swore to the heavens: “Amelia, I will treat you well my entire life. I will give you a good life. If I ever break this vow, may I die a terrible death!” From that day on, he worked tirelessly, clawing his way up, eventually becoming a dark horse among the city’s rising stars, rebuilding Thorne Enterprises. Amelia Vance stood by him through every twist and turn, from his lowest point to the pinnacle of success. She, too, became a highly sought-after research expert in environmental monitoring. They married, moved into a spacious penthouse apartment, and then she became pregnant. Everything was perfect, blissful. Until the eighth month of her pregnancy, when she was utterly cast into hell. Julian Thorne betrayed her, allowing his mistress to kill their child, and then turning her into a complete madwoman, locked away in a sunless place, subjected to inhumane torment. He broke his vow, but why did her child have to pay the ultimate price? The conversation from next door drifted over: “Julian, you brought that crazy woman back today. Shouldn’t you go check on her?” Serena Harding said, burying her face into Julian Thorne’s chest, clearly not wanting him to leave. Julian Thorne’s handsome face, sharply defined by the sunlight, showed a flicker of disdain. His voice was equally cold: “Bringing her back was an act of mercy, out of consideration for our past. Do you expect me to cater to her every need now?” The gravel in Amelia Vance’s palm was crushed tighter by her clenched fist. A small patch of ground beneath her hand darkened with seeping blood. She finally forced herself to scramble to her feet, stumbling into the villa. Her hands trembling, she fumbled through her five-year-old contact list for a long time before finding her best friend Chloe Miller’s number and dialing. “Chloe, I’m out. Can you help me contact that person you told me about when you visited me at the hospital?” “Really, Amelia? You’ve made up your mind?!” Tears finally streamed down, and Amelia Vance nodded heavily. “I’ve decided. I’m going to get justice for myself and for my unborn child!” “I’m going to make Julian Thorne and Serena Harding pay for my baby’s life!” After hanging up, Amelia Vance sat blankly on the sofa for a long time. Finally, she looked up, surveying the villa Julian Thorne had arranged for her. The decor was barely changed from their old apartment when they were first married. Even the delicate trinkets that used to adorn their home were here, spotless. The curtains, the sofa, the decorative paintings—every single item was exactly as she remembered it five years ago. On the windowsill, a few succulent potted plants were still the ones she had personally planted all those years ago. They had simply grown more robustly, clearly cared for meticulously over the years. Amelia Vance lowered her gaze, staring blankly out the window. She certainly wasn’t so narcissistic as to believe that the man who had destroyed her life would kindly care for her flowers. She was just suddenly lost in a haze. If her child were still alive, if that terrible incident had never happened, would she now be as radiant and beautiful as these potted plants? The sound of a door opening came from the entryway, followed by footsteps. Amelia Vance’s back stiffened. She didn’t turn around. She didn’t understand why he wasn’t staying next door, but had returned. It wasn’t until Julian Thorne had changed into his slippers and walked beside her that she slowly raised her eyes, meeting his cold gaze. “Why are you standing here? Didn’t you go upstairs to look? Your clothes and things are all still there. I moved everything from the old house here.” Amelia Vance numbly nodded, speaking in a flat tone: “Thank you.” Julian Thorne was visibly taken aback, clearly not expecting such a reaction from her. It took him a moment to recover, then he forced a smile. “Want some wine? You used to enjoy a glass or two in the evenings, didn’t you?” He turned and walked to the wine bar, took out a bottle, uncorked it, and poured it into two empty stemmed glasses, pushing one towards her. “A good vintage, the light chocolate notes you like.” Amelia Vance scoffed, her eyes, now bloodshot and red, lifting to meet his. Her hands, still uncleaned and undressed, reached out, the mixed blood on them a deeper crimson than the wine. She snatched the wine glass, splashing it directly into Julian Thorne’s face. Then, with a `smash`, the glass slipped from her hand, hitting him and then shattering on the floor. “Julian Thorne, isn’t there anything you want to tell me?!” Julian Thorne’s expression was calm; he didn’t seem angered. He simply downed the wine in his hand, then casually dropped the empty glass to the floor, watching it, too, splinter into fragments. “Amelia Vance, are you ever going to stop? Five years in a psychiatric hospital and you still haven’t cured your rabid dog temper? It’s been so long, what do you want me to tell you? That you killed your own flesh and blood to compete with Serena?!” Amelia Vance stared at him in disbelief, her heart twisting painfully. She never imagined that even now, he would utter such a twisted lie, distorting right from wrong. She gave a bitter laugh, stepping back, her bare foot landing on the broken glass from earlier. Blood immediately seeped out, staining all the fragments. Julian Thorne’s eyes widened in horror. He rushed over, pulling her into his arms with a pained look. “Amelia, how could you be so careless? Quick, to the sofa, I’ll help you clean the wound.” He scooped her up by the waist and quickly placed her on the sofa, then deftly went to find the first-aid kit. But just as he sat down beside her, his phone rang. He answered, and Serena Harding’s anxious voice came through: “Julian, Lily’s suddenly not feeling well. She’s throwing up and has diarrhea, it’s really scary. Please come see her.” Julian Thorne didn’t hesitate. He hung up and rushed out. Before closing the door, he threw out a final sentence: “Rest well tonight. I’m going out, probably won’t be back. Don’t wait up for me.” Wait for him? Amelia Vance reached down, fiercely pulled a piece of glass from the sole of her foot, and stared at it in her hand for a long time, until the blood on it dripped onto her palm. Then she scoffed: “I stopped waiting for you a long time ago.” After cleaning her wound, Amelia Vance took a shower in the guest bathroom. Then she pushed open the door to the master bedroom. The bedding was all new, and even the crib next to the sofa was the very one she had personally chosen all those years ago. Tears, no longer controllable, gushed from her eyes. She collapsed onto the bed, sobbing uncontrollably. Tiny clothes were neatly folded at the head of the bed, many toys still unopened. Several expired cans of formula and diapers filled the space beneath the crib. “My baby, my child. Mommy doesn’t even know if you were a boy or a girl. I hate myself so much, hate my powerlessness, hate that even now I can’t avenge you!” And Julian Thorne. His own flesh and blood had been squeezed out of her ruptured uterus during that car accident. The tiny body was bruised purple, without even a single cry, before it stopped breathing forever. Amelia Vance still remembered those tiny hands gently resting on her belly, mixed with bloody organs, a sight of horrifying cruelty. He was the baby’s biological father. Even if he no longer loved her, even if he wanted to spend his life with another woman, why did he have to kill her child?! Her wailing filled the entire bedroom, the hollow echoes chilling her to the bone. Unconsciously, she drifted off to sleep. When she next opened her eyes, Amelia Vance was lying on the cold floor. A momentary illusion made her think she was still in the psychiatric hospital. She instantly curled into a ball, eyes wide with defensive terror. Suddenly, the bedroom door was pushed open. A figure entered, holding a syringe, and walked towards her. She shrieked in terror, lunging forward and colliding with the person. But a child’s cry of pain rang out. By the time she realized it was a little girl who had come in, it was too late. The little girl was knocked hard to the floor, sobbing loudly. Julian Thorne and Serena Harding immediately rushed in, each picking up the girl from the floor, anxiously comforting her: “Lily, darling, don’t be scared. Daddy and Mommy are here. How did you get in here? Don’t cry, don’t be afraid, Lily.” Amelia Vance trembled, leaning against the door frame. Her bloodshot eyes, peering through her sweat-soaked bangs, fixated on the syringe lying on the floor. It was a child’s doctor toy, identical to the set she had once bought for her unborn baby. Julian Thorne looked up at her, his dark eyes spitting fire. He stepped forward, giving her no chance to react, and slapped her across the face twice. Blood splattered from her mouth, speckling the pristine white wall. He yanked her hair, pulling her head up, his heavy breaths fanning her face. “Are you actually insane, Amelia Vance? Locked up for so many years, have you gotten addicted to it?!” “Lily is just a child, she’s my biological daughter! What exactly do you want to do, take your anger out on a child?!” Amelia Vance stared at him, utterly disgusted by his words. Without thinking, she blurted out: “What’s wrong? When you two conspired to kill my baby all those years ago, did you ever consider that she didn’t even get a chance to see the world? Did you ever consider that the baby in my belly was your own flesh and blood too!” “Why did you arrange for me to live next door to her and your daughter? Why didn’t you just divorce me? Then you could flaunt your affair openly for the world to see, wouldn’t that be more comfortable?!” Julian Thorne’s face shifted through various expressions, the rage in his eyes flaring before being forcibly suppressed. He sighed, as if in concession, and released his grip. Then, as if with lingering affection, he cupped her face, as if he still loved her. “Amelia, I never thought about divorcing you. But you’ve had your uterus removed and can’t have children. My family business needs an heir. Lily is my first child, but she definitely won’t be my last. Can’t you try to understand me?” Amelia Vance scoffed, staring in disbelief at the sanctimonious man before her. She couldn’t fathom how he could be so shameless! “Oh really, Julian Thorne? What exactly is the reason you never considered divorcing me? Is it because the thrill of a secret affair is too exciting? Or is it because you’re inherently depraved, an illegitimate son who is addicted to this kind of dirty relationship, craving its disgusting taste!” “Shut up!” Julian Thorne’s roar shook the very floorboards. But Amelia Vance wouldn’t let him go. She knew everything about him, his most shameful secrets. Those secrets she once cherished and protected with her life now became her best weapons to attack him, just as he had sat in the witness stand in court and personally destroyed her. “Why should I shut up? I’ll say it! You, you illegitimate son, you caused your parents’ deaths because all the wealth and status you craved had to be built upon their lives!” “Shut up! Stop talking!” “I refuse! Why don’t you just die, Julian Thorne! You—” `Slap!` Julian Thorne was as furious as a mad lion. “Shut up, Amelia Vance! What did you say?! Do you dare say that again?!” The veins on the back of his hand bulged, trembling uncontrollably. His fierce eyes desperately suppressed an emotion Amelia Vance couldn’t understand at all. Finally, he simply shoved her hard onto the floor, looking down at her with cold disdain: “If you want a divorce so badly, it’s not impossible. But my subsidiary company is listing on Nasdaq next month, and I can’t have any negative news leaking out.” “For now, you just stay put and behave yourself. Don’t cause any trouble, or else, if I could put you in once, I can put you in a second time!” “If you ever dare to harm my child again, I’ll send you to hell to join that short-lived wretch from your belly!” With that, Julian Thorne turned and walked back to Serena Harding’s side, took the child from her arms, and led the way down the stairs. Amelia Vance stared at his retreating back, hatred almost devouring her heart. A short-lived wretch? He actually called her child… his own flesh and blood, a short-lived wretch?! Just then, Serena Harding walked over, bent down, and squatted beside her, leaning close to her ear, enunciating each word: “Amelia Vance, you were no match for me five years ago, and you’re even less of a match now. I was the one who begged Julian not to divorce you. You’re right, it’s more exciting this way…” Her voice paused, then she continued: “And it makes you suffer so much more!” Amelia Vance first saw Serena Harding at Julian Thorne’s parents’ funeral.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “298685”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #后宫Harem