Three days before Christmas, I didn’t close the window tight enough, and my sister, Willow, caught a cold. My parents immediately kicked me out, ordering me to go into the woods in the middle of the night to chop down a Christmas tree. Meanwhile, Mom and Dad hovered around Willow, asking her endless questions and fussing over her. I didn’t cry, didn’t argue. I just grabbed the saw and walked into the biting wind and snow, heading for the woods. I didn’t find a Christmas tree, but I found a man. His leg was horribly stuck between two rocks, bloody and terrifying. When he saw me approach, he rasped, “Little girl, just get me out of here, and I’ll grant you anything you wish.” I stared blankly, my eyes focusing. “Really? Then I want you to be my dad.” The words had barely left my lips when I realized the man in front of me had passed out. After thinking it over, I pulled him free anyway. I hoisted his unconscious body, limping my way back home. Just as I was about to tell my parents what had happened, my dad’s slap was my welcome. “Where’s your Christmas tree? Christmas is almost here! How are we supposed to celebrate without one?” Mom frowned, her eyes sweeping over me like I was something disgusting she’d found on her shoe. “Who is this man? Why did you bring him back?” I pursed my lips, wanting to explain. In this weather, he could freeze to death if left outside for one night, let alone with those injuries. Willow, however, suddenly skipped over, spotting a bracelet on the man’s wrist. “Wow, that bracelet is so pretty! I want it!” Willow was the family’s little princess; whatever she asked for, Mom and Dad would agree. Sure enough, Mom reached out to unfasten the injured man’s bracelet. “Ugh, why won’t this thing come off?” “Never mind. Let him stay here for the night. Once he wakes up, we’ll just ask him for it. After all, *we* saved him.” Willow clapped her hands happily. “Yay! I’ll have a new bracelet tomorrow! Riley, remember to give Max the leftover steak from dinner tonight!” Max was our dog. I hadn’t even eaten dinner yet, but Willow wanted to give my share to the dog! At that moment, Willow and Dad were helping bandage the man’s wounds. Then she suddenly turned to me and said, “Oh, right, Riley, you haven’t eaten, have you? But Max hasn’t eaten either…” Just then, Grandma Elsie snapped, “She doesn’t need to eat! She can’t even get a Christmas tree right, what good is she? Right then, the man we’d rescued finally regained consciousness and slowly opened his eyes. Willow looked at his wrist and said petulantly, “I saved you, so you have to repay me. I want that bracelet.” Without hesitation, the man took off the bracelet and placed it on Willow’s soft, pale hand. “I’m Matteus Blackwood. My friends and I had an accident while on vacation. Thank you for saving my life.” I stared intently at my “adopted” dad, hoping he’d recognize that *I* was the one who saved him. But his gaze remained solely on Willow, completely missing me. My hands, clenched tightly at my sides, slowly relaxed. It was always like this. Mom and Dad, and Grandma Elsie too. Everyone only loved innocent, lively Willow, who was like a doll. No one ever liked quiet, plain me. Willow got her bracelet and skipped off to walk Max. Dad looked at the man impatiently. “Well, if that’s the case, then hurry and have your friends come pick you up. It’s almost Christmas, you’re just being a burden.” “My apologies, I can’t reach my friends.” Matteus said awkwardly. Eventually, he promised to transfer money to my parents once he returned home, and that’s how he temporarily stayed with us. Grandma Elsie rolled her eyes at me from the side. “It’s all your fault. You couldn’t find a Christmas tree, and instead, you brought trouble into the house.” Grandma Elsie threw a dishrag right in my face. “Get out there and wash the dishes.”

I quietly dished out a bowl of mushroom soup for Matteus. I was a little reluctant; it was supposed to be my dinner tonight. That night, my parents made Matteus sleep in the storage room. He didn’t know that the storage room was actually my room. Matteus looked surprised when he asked me, “This is your room? Are you their daughter? How come you don’t even have a bed?” In the dim light, I didn’t answer his question. Matteus rubbed his temples, a hint of distaste on his face as he lay down on the floor. I curled up tighter, hugging myself, trying to stay warm. To be honest, I regretted it a little. I’d saved him hoping to finally have a dad who loved me, but my “adopted” dad didn’t even remember me. Of course, compared to cute, pretty Willow, I was dirty and thin. Since I didn’t get a good dad, maybe next time, the heavens would send me a mom. Drifting in and out of consciousness, I finally fell asleep. Around five in the morning, I woke up naturally. “You’re awake? Up so early?” Matteus, behind me, looked at me curiously. Dark circles under his eyes suggested he hadn’t slept all night. “Yeah, I have to chop wood, shovel snow, feed Max, lots of chores to do.” “Before Mom and Dad wake up, I also have to cook breakfast. Don’t worry, I’ll save a portion for you first.” Without waiting for his reaction, I turned and walked out the door. It was almost dawn; I needed to get today’s Christmas tree branches chopped. Otherwise, Grandma Elsie would hit me again. Trudging through the thick snow, I moved with difficulty. The beam of my flashlight swept over the deep snow, landing on a dark shadow behind a tree. I remained calm, expertly shielding the light. There were always strange creatures scurrying around in the backwoods; sometimes, if I was unlucky, I’d encounter a wild boar. But I was used to it; I didn’t get scared. Just as I was about to turn and slip away, a faint call came from behind me: “Is anyone there? Hello? Please don’t let me freeze to death out here.” Only then did I realize it was a woman. Could it be… the universe sent me a mom? The woman and I met each other’s gaze. She had gorgeous wavy hair and blinked her big eyes at me. “Where did this kid come from? Am I hallucinating from the cold?” “Are you in trouble? Do you want to come back with me?” I boldly asked. Seeing the woman nod frantically, I let her follow me. On the way back, I learned her name was Seraphina Thorne, and she was also here on vacation. She had gotten separated from her friends, and heavy snow had blocked the roads. Her car was stuck in the snow, so she couldn’t drive down the mountain to find help, which was how she’d stumbled upon me. Reaching our doorstep, I stopped. “I can let you stay, but you have to be my mom and take me away.” Seraphina froze. She looked at my tattered cotton coat and my basket full of branches, then asked, “Do you live here alone?” My eyes welled up. “No, Dad, Mom, Grandma Elsie, and Willow, they’re all here.” Seraphina sighed. “Little one, if you already have a mom, then I can’t be your mom. Your own mom would be sad.” I clenched the hem of my coat, shaking my head. “If you don’t want to, that’s fine. Come with me, but be careful not to let them see you, or they’ll kick you out.” I said, leading her to the storage room. The moment I pushed the door open, Matteus’s gaze snapped over, instantly freezing. Seraphina rolled her eyes. Matteus’s mouth twitched. “What a coincidence.” They knew each other. Later, I brought breakfast to the storage room. Seraphina’s eyes fell on the lingering red mark on my face, and she gasped in surprise, “Someone hit you?” I pretended not to hear, placing a few slices of bread on the table. “Breakfast, you two share it. I’m going to do chores.” Seraphina quickly grabbed my arm. “What about you? Aren’t you eating?” “I already ate,” I lied, but my stomach uncooperatively rumbled. “She didn’t eat last night either,” Matteus sighed, looking at me with pity. “Do your family abuse you?” Seraphina frowned. They were about to say more when Grandma Elsie’s shriek came from outside: “Riley! Where did you disappear to, get over here and do your chores!” I quickly went into the yard, and Grandma Elsie shoved a knife into my hand, telling me, “Kill this chicken.” The knife slipped, slicing my hand, and then slit the chicken’s throat, spraying blood all over my face. Grandma Elsie didn’t even acknowledge the cut on my hand; instead, she cursed me. “You can’t even do this simple thing right. Are you deliberately trying to make me angry?! No lunch for you today!”

I stumbled back into the storage room, dazed. My whole body trembled as if plunged into an ice bath. Seraphina had heard the commotion outside and had been peeking through the door crack. She rushed to bandage my hand, her expression frantic. When she grasped my wrist, she visibly flinched. My arm was so thin, just bone. And my outstretched hands were dark and calloused, covered in rough skin and festering frostbite. From outside, I heard my parents’ and Willow’s conversation: “The snow is so pretty, I want to take pictures!” “Okay, okay, but baby, you need to dress warmly so you don’t catch a cold.” “Where’s Riley? She grew up in the mountains, let her guide us.” “Why bother with her? That child isn’t close to us, it’s awkward to have her around.” Seraphina’s face fell. “Those are your parents?” “I guess so,” I mumbled, then mechanically walked back out. After repeating the day’s chores, I didn’t forget to sneak some food for the two in the storage room. That night, Seraphina refused to sleep on the bed with Matteus. Instead, she lay down on the floor with me. She felt my forehead and found it burning hot. She quickly took off her down jacket and wrapped it around me. An unprecedented scent and warmth enveloped me. I froze for a moment, and then tears fell first. I instinctively wanted to call her “Mom,” but I held back. Perhaps it was the fever, but my heart felt warm that night. When I woke up the next day, it was already bright outside. Grandma Elsie was yelling in the yard, and I scrambled to my feet out of habit. “I overslept, no, I—” Seraphina and Matteus also heard the commotion and tried to stop me. But they watched as I staggered out, falling right in front of Grandma Elsie. “You worthless piece of garbage, getting lazier and lazier, aren’t you?” She gave a mocking laugh, tugging my hair and dragging me over. With one hand, she snatched up the snow shovel nearby and slammed it hard onto my back. I gasped, doubled over in pain, breathing heavily. “I’m so bored, Grandma Elsie, I want to build a snowman.” Willow, beside her, acted as if she hadn’t seen Grandma Elsie’s furious beating. A sly look crossed her face, and she pointed at me. “Let Riley be the snowman.” She scooped up a ball of snow and smeared it on my face. Then she innocently called out to Mom and Dad, “Mom and Dad, come play!” My parents walked over, completely ignoring me, barely clinging to life on the ground, and dotingly helped Willow put on her gloves. “Be careful, sweetie, don’t catch a cold.” Willow giggled, shoveling snow and piling it on top of me. Icy snowflakes slid down my collar. My face was pale with cold, and I couldn’t stop trembling. But my parents’ scolding reached my ears: “It’s just a little snow, can’t you cooperate with your sister?” Suddenly, a voice cut in: “You don’t want to raise this child, do you? I’ll take her. How much do you want? Name your price.”

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My personal videos were deliberately leaked and blasted all over the headlines. Overnight, I became public property. To protect his reputation, my husband told me to suck it up and sign an NDA. Every word out of his mouth pushed me lower, like my dignity was just another bargaining chip. He thought money, apologies, and his clout could wipe the slate clean. He also thought that because I loved him, I’d stay— just like I’d put up with the ninety-eight humiliations before. What he never noticed was this: he only ever got ninety-nine chances. When the last chance was used up, the debt for saving my life was finally paid in full. And this time, I didn’t forgive. During a party game, his assistant lost three rounds straight and got dared to lick whipped cream off some playboy’s thigh. She smashed a bottle and held the shards to her throat, swearing, “Ethan, I’d rather die than let someone humiliate me like this!” My usually ice-cold husband panicked and begged me to take the fall for his assistant. “It’s just licking some cream. I promise I’ll make it up to you later.” Everyone was waiting for me to make a fool of myself, but I just agreed, cool as a cucumber. He had no idea this was the 97th time he’d cut me deep. And I was done being his caged bird. I was just biding my time, waiting to pay off that life debt, so we could be done for good. “Wow, look at that, the supermodel’s actually gonna lick it? Ethan sure knows how to keep his women in line!” “What if she backs out? They’re not really gonna make Amber do it, are they? She’s Ethan’s one that got away!” The mocking laughter was a roar in my ears, and the humiliation burned. In the middle of all this disgusting posturing, Ethan knelt in front of Amber, carefully putting a band-aid on her neck. Then he turned those cold eyes on me: “Chloe, don’t try anything. Amber’s waiting for you to finish so we can get back to the game.” Amber, Amber… It was always Amber. He never once asked if I was okay with it. He’d completely forgotten I was his wife. He’d also forgotten that just a few days ago, I’d miscarried because of her, and I was barely holding it together now. Seeing me hesitate, someone shoved me from behind: “What’re you standing around for? Get licking! Don’t tell me you’re chickening out now?” I stumbled but caught myself. When I looked at Ethan again, his eyes were glued to Amber. “96 times. That’s ninety-six,” I counted in my head as I walked stiffly toward the guy with cream on his thigh, the well-known player in our circle. Just as I bent down, the playboy grabbed my chin. He looked at Amber and said, “Miss Amber, this isn’t right. She lost to me three times. One lick isn’t enough.” “How about we play ‘egg roulette’? You convince her to do it, and I’ll call it even.” Egg roulette? What the hell?! A cold dread shot through me, and I instantly looked at Ethan. But in the next second, Amber was already clinging to his arm, pouting: “Ethan, it’s just a silly dare. Can’t you get your wife to play along just this once?” Seeing Amber’s tiny frame trembling, Ethan’s heart just melted. He stared me down: “Chloe, you were willing to lick the cream. Taking on one more little dare for Amber shouldn’t be a problem, right?” “Yay! Thanks, Ethan!” Amber bounced up, her face pure smug satisfaction. Watching Ethan pat her head with that fond look, I almost laughed right then. My dignity was dirt under their feet, and I was just a toy for their amusement. Ethan, how could you be so cold? How could you still want me to do some degrading performance art for her sake? Oh, right. I almost forgot. Amber was his untouchable white moon. He’d chased her for years and struck out, then their families got in the way. Amber left the country overnight. Now that he finally had her back, of course he’d spoil her rotten. How could I ever compete? Pushing down the bitter taste in my mouth, I said flatly: “Does that count as a forgiveness voucher?” Forgiveness voucher? The crowd laughed at the weird ask, but Ethan let go of Amber and suddenly looked straight at me. He knew what I meant. After a beat, he nodded: “It counts.” I smiled, a bitter twist of my lips. “Fine. I’ll do it.” Eight years ago, when I was just starting out as a model, I caught the eye of a big shot and got trapped on an island. Along with other girls, I became a party favor for men at their business deals. I got lucky. Ethan was the first man I met, and it was love at first sight for him. For me, he took over those men’s operations, sent them away, and saved my life. Later, I found out it was because I looked so much like Amber. The night he saved me, I asked how I could ever repay him. His eyes were sincere: “Then marry me.” I pinched him: “I’m serious.” His breath hitched as he pulled me close and said: “Then… give me 99 forgiveness vouchers.” “Forgiveness vouchers?” I clung to him, curious. That’s when he smiled: “Silly, if – and I’m just saying if – if I ever hurt you 99 times, I’ll use these vouchers to get you to forgive me 99 times. Once they’re gone, we’re even.” For the next five years, he poured everything into making me a top model and treated me like a princess. Until two months ago, when Amber came back. Everything changed. Now it was the 97th time. Just two more, and my debt would be clear. We’d be nothing to each other. Seeing Ethan agree, the playboy led me to a back room, dim and draped in silk. The table was covered in hard-boiled eggs, and on the floor lay two or three women, clothes torn, a foul smell rising from them. Ice flooded my veins as I realized what “egg roulette” meant – they were going inside me. Ethan, who’d followed us in, narrowed his eyes and turned to Amber: “Wasn’t this about eating eggs? What’s going on?” But Amber ignored him and pushed me forward. “Mr. Seven, Miss Chloe used to be a dancer. I’m sure her… flexibility will impress you.” “Don’t you want to see for yourself? See how far she can go?” As Amber finished, I was trembling. I looked to Ethan for help. I was still his wife. He’d loved me once. Even after all he’d put me through for Amber, he wouldn’t hand me over to some freak, right? But to my shock, Ethan walked to the bar, poured a drink, and shoved it into my hand. “Why don’t you have a drink with Mr. Seven first? Break the ice.” Break the ice? He wanted me to entertain them? He… actually agreed? Dazed, I saw Amber flash me a vicious grin. “Sis! You deaf? Ethan’s talking to you!” While I was staring at Amber, lost, she suddenly kicked me behind the knee. I lost my balance instantly, and the drink in my hand flew into the playboy’s face. Then I fell onto broken glass, slicing my arm open in several places. My eyes met the twisted, pale face of the woman on the floor. Amber’s shriek filled my ears: “Sis, if you didn’t want to drink, you could’ve just said so. No need to pull a stunt and piss off Mr. Seven. Is this how you act as Ethan’s wife? Trying to make him lose face?” The playboy’s face froze, then understanding dawned and he stared at me, wide-eyed: “You… you’re Ethan’s famous wife?” I said nothing, just sat on the floor, my body and heart aching so bad I could barely breathe. The playboy reached for my arm, but Ethan instantly grabbed his wrist. Ethan glanced at my bloody face, his eyes darkening. He gritted his teeth at the playboy: “Get out.” The playboy backed off, grumbling as he left. “Ethan! You’re insane! If I’d known she was your crazy wife, I wouldn’t have touched her with a ten-foot pole!” As he vanished, I got up to leave, but a large hand clamped onto my arm again. “Chloe, aren’t you happy you’re off the hook? Didn’t those two years on the island teach you how to act? You just had to have one drink, and this would’ve been over. Why the drama? You knew when I told you to drink, I was trying to end this, right? Are you really that clueless?” Looking at a furious Ethan, I met his gaze, my own eyes red. This time, I didn’t hold back. “Ethan! I’m your wife. If you’d just said who I was, this would’ve ended the same way.” My meaning was clear. It was him. He wanted to play along to save Amber’s pride, so he never said a word. Caught off guard, Ethan actually looked guilty. Amber, seeing this, tried to jump in. But Ethan frowned and cut her off: “Enough! Just shut up and wait for me in the car.” After her footsteps faded, he sighed: “Look, I’m sorry, but I need to say this. I really didn’t know what ‘egg roulette’ meant. If I’d known, I never would’ve agreed.” “As for Amber… try to understand. She just got back and saw that I was marr—” Ethan stopped short, but I could guess the rest. He was going to say Amber was upset finding out he was married, so she took it out on me, and he wanted me to let it go. Our eyes met, and Ethan seemed to read the mockery in mine. He sighed again. “Fine. You’re hurt. I’ll have the driver take you to the ER. Amber’s not in a good place, I need to check on her. We’ll talk when I get back.” Without waiting for a reply, he added: “Even though you didn’t finish, I’ll let this count as a forgiveness voucher.” With that, he turned and left. Watching him walk away, I touched my still-bleeding forehead and laughed. But I didn’t care anymore. Just two more times. Once my debt was paid, I was out. From now on, I wasn’t putting up with his crap.

The driver dropped me home late. Ethan wasn’t back, and I didn’t bother asking. The next day, his assistant brought a gift: two commercial property deeds. He made a point to say one was for the cream-licking, the other for the egg mess. Blank-faced, I labeled them 96 and 97 and tossed them into the safe. The maid beside me beamed: “Mr. Ethan really spoils you, ma’am. The gifts are coming more often.” I just smiled. She didn’t know these were just Ethan’s payoffs for hurting me. Looking at the safe stuffed with deeds, I knew I’d be leaving soon. But before I left, I needed one camera. It had stuff I had to destroy. Ethan had his kinks, and in the heat of the moment, he’d sometimes film us. Back then, those videos were just us. But now, I didn’t want them around. If they got out, I’d be ruined. But after turning the place upside down, I couldn’t find that camera. Just as I was about to search again, my agent called, yelling: “Chloe, have you lost it? Check the news! Your private photos are everywhere! How dare you mess around behind Ethan’s back? If you want to die, don’t take the whole agency down with you!” My mind went blank, only catching her words: “You better explain those videos online right now! And explain it to Ethan, or we’re all screwed!” She hung up. I fumbled for my phone. The top trending topic was my private video. With a bold, clickbait headline: [Supermodel Chloe’s Sleazy Rise to the Top] In it, Ethan’s face was blurred, but mine was clear, flushed and wanting. Millions of comments called me a slut, a gold-digger who slept her way up. My legs gave out, and I hit the floor. But right before I collapsed, strong arms caught me. “Don’t look at that stuff. It’s okay, I’ll handle it. Trust me!” The comforting words were barely out when he turned, his face like stone, and roared at the room. “Who did this! Tell me! Who!” Seeing him this furious, my eyes stung. But at the same time, Amber’s casual voice floated over: “Ethan, you mean the videos? I posted them!” The arm around my waist tightened. Ethan and I both stared at Amber. “Don’t look at me like that! I just found them and thought sis’s body was too hot for just you, Ethan. So I shared!” “Beautiful things should be for everyone, right?” Blood rushed to my head. I lunged to slap her, but Ethan caught my wrist. “Chloe! Enough!” Furious and heartbroken, I yelled: “But she—” Before I could finish, Ethan glanced at a smug Amber, then turned back to me, frowning: “I’ll get the topics taken down. Let it go. Don’t make trouble for Amber, okay? You know, she’s also…” “No! Ethan, why should I let it go? She ruined me! Why should I let it go?” “I’m suing her for defamation! She has to pay!” I stared at Ethan, my eyes red, not backing down an inch. “Chloe! You—” Ethan took a deep breath, about to say more. But Amber tugged his sleeve, fake-sobbing with red eyes: “Ethan! Don’t. I know I messed up. Let sis sue me. I shouldn’t have been jealous, jealous she married you. It’s my fault. If only I’d held on back then!” As she spoke, Amber’s eyes welled up, and she started crying for real. “Sis, I’m really sorry. I’ll kneel and apologize. Please don’t make it hard for Ethan.” “If it makes you happy, I’ll turn myself in right now, clear your name! So what if I’m ruined too, just don’t let this break you two up.” Seeing Amber about to kneel, Ethan’s eyes went cold again. He said to me, low and hard: “Chloe! Amber knows she was wrong. Drop it.” “Your rep’s already trash, so just quit the industry and be a rich housewife. Isn’t that good enough?” I was stunned by his blindness, unable to believe he’d still indulge her like this. I was about to speak, but the next second, a hard slap cracked across my face, stinging. His knuckles were red, his breathing ragged, his eyes full of a violence I’d never seen. He threw a disclaimer at me: “Be a good girl and sign this. Once this blows over, I’ll get you back in the game.” “But if you dare go to the cops, don’t even think about leaving this house again!” “I won’t sign!” I ground my teeth, glaring. But no matter how I fought, Ethan forced my handprint onto the paper. As I collapsed, exhausted, A helpless, crushing pain I’d never felt washed over me, like a thousand needles in my heart. They left, but their casual talk wormed into my ears like poison: “Ethan, is sis okay…” “She’s fine. As long as she wants back in, she’ll listen. Worst case…” “I’ll count it as a forgiveness voucher. She’s got plenty left, she’ll behave.” No, there aren’t plenty. Just one more. Ethan, I won’t be your puppet anymore. After sitting on the floor in a daze forever, I finally went to my room and took out my diary. Everyone says the modeling world is just as dirty as showbiz, but I really loved it. On the runway, under the spotlights—that confidence was where I found my worth. But now, it was destroyed. Maybe heaven was telling me it was time to go, to not stick around. Tears falling, I wrote today in the book, ending with the number 98. Every time he hurt me, I’d write it down, to remind myself not to soften. But Ethan’s voice came from behind: “What’s 98 mean?”

Seeing him reach for the diary, I slammed it shut and shoved it in the drawer. “Nothing.” He sensed my panic and seemed to remember something: “You girls and your dramatics, always writing grudges in your little books. Is this that grudge book you mentioned?” He meant after our wedding, when he lost the rings. He’d used two soda can tabs instead. That night, I was so mad I kicked him off the bed: “Ethan, you’re killing me. I’m putting you in my grudge book.” He’d laughed through the pain: “Write all you want, I’ll always win you back.” Realizing he’d misunderstood, I didn’t bother explaining, just nodded. Remembering those newlywed days, his cold face finally cracked a rare smile: “Alright, I said I’d win you back, so no more grudges. Look.” He handed me a property deed and pulled me into his arms. “It’s a new building downtown. Saved it just for you.” “The video’s been taken care of. Next month, I’ll get you back in the game, okay?” The maid peeked in, jealous. But I stayed stiff, saying flatly: “Whatever.” Seeing I wasn’t moved, his brow furrowed, anger in his eyes: “You really want to make this a thing?” I looked up, my eyes dark: “No, how would I dare, Mr. Ethan?” That set him off. “Chloe, I took those videos, and I slipped up letting Amber see them. If you’re mad, take it out on me. Got it?” For a second, it felt like a rock was crushing my chest. He’d do anything for Amber, even beg me, or throw himself in front of her. I was suddenly so tired. I didn’t want this anymore. So I calmly said: “Got it.” Seeing his punch land on cotton, he glared, jaw tight, before finally slamming the door on his way out. The next day, Ethan texted me to come to the golf course. I was about to say no, but the next message came: “I’ll count it as a forgiveness voucher.” Seeing that, knowing it was the last time, I went. As soon as I walked into the private course, I didn’t see Ethan. Instead, someone kicked me from behind, and I hit the dirt. Amber’s voice floated over: “Don’t bother looking. I invited you.” As she finished, two bodyguards pinned me. Then clubs rained down on my legs. I screamed as blood splattered. Through the pain, I shouted: “Amber, are you insane!” She smiled sweetly, but her eyes were poison: “Chloe, how dare you! You’re already trash, but Ethan still won’t divorce you. He even says he needs to make it up to you, get you back in the game.” “Chloe, tell me! How dare you?!” Ethan treats her like a queen, and his half-assed words to shut me up are worth this? Fed up, I said coldly: “I’m not competing with you.” Seeing I knew my place, she snorted, haughty: “But I just can’t stand you. You’re a supermodel, right? I’ll break your legs and see how you seduce Ethan then!” Looking at the blood on my pants, she gagged. Her eyes landed on a golf ball nearby. Like she’d had an idea, she smiled, eerie. “Strip her!” Her voice was a shriek. “Last time we didn’t get to the egg. Too bad. There’s a ball right here. Chloe, I promise you’ll feel amazing today!” She stroked the golf ball and told the bodyguards to strip me. I fought like a wild animal, roaring. Amber giggled in my ear, grabbing my face, her nails drawing blood: “Don’t scream! You’ll feel so good soon, better than any man! I promise you’ll be addicted!” Looking at her ugly face, I flashed back to all the times Ethan had scolded me, looked at me with disgust, iced me out because of her. Tears poured out, giving me the guts to say screw it. I was leaving anyway. Why should I take this? Just as my pants were coming down, strength came from nowhere. I shoved the bodyguards and charged Amber. Then I bit down hard on her hand. Amber screamed, trying to pry my mouth off. But I held on. The taste of blood filled my nose as I bit off half her finger. “What the hell?” Ethan’s roar came from behind. Rushing in, he saw my bloody face and half-stripped legs. Realizing Amber was behind this, he was shocked! He kicked the bodyguards away and yanked up my pants, his eyes full of panic. “Chloe, what happened? Don’t be scared, I’ll… get you to the hospital!” But Amber shrieked, showing him her bloody half-finger, her cries piercing: “Ethan, she bit my finger off! My hand is ruined!” “It hurts! Ethan, please, help me!” Ethan’s face changed. He looked at me, shocked, torn. But after a second, he tossed me a few words and scooped up Amber. “Finger reattachment’s time-sensitive. I’m taking her first. Call an ambulance. I’ll come back for you.” Hearing that, my heart dropped into a black hole. So, he knew exactly how vicious Amber was. He was just picking sides. I looked up at him, my eyes empty: “Ethan, this is the last time.” Ethan looked at my stone-cold face and felt a pang, like he’d lost something big. But feeling the broken girl in his arms, he still chose to leave me. As he left, he looked at me, pleading: “I know you’re hurt. I’ll make this right.” “Just… don’t call the cops… please.” Watching him disappear, I didn’t go to the hospital. I just dragged my busted leg back to the villa. Sure enough, as soon as I got home, the maid handed me the 99th property deed. It was for this villa. I locked it in the safe. With my diary, divorce papers, and contract termination, I put them on the table. I left a note: “The life debt is paid, love is done. Ethan, let’s divorce.” I packed a small bag and booked a flight to Yunnan. Ethan, this is how we end. As the plane cut across the sky, Ethan came home, wrecked. The place was empty, silent. He called me, confused. He saw the note on the bedroom table and reached for it as a cold, robotic voice came from his phone. “Sorry, the number you have dialed is not in service…” And the next second, when he saw the big words on the note, his eyes went wide!

“The life debt is paid, love is done. Ethan, let’s divorce.” Ethan’s mind blanked, barely registering the word “divorce.” He picked up the paper, turned to the last page, and only then saw the three words signed: Chloe. He finally got it. Chloe really wanted out. Looking at the contract termination in front of him, he smashed his phone in a rage. Then he called my agent, roaring: “You terminated her contract behind my back. You have a death wish?” The agent was terrified, stammering: “Mr. Ethan, didn’t you say Amber was hurt bad, and unless the sky was falling, not to bother you?” Ethan froze. He remembered getting a call when the specialists couldn’t help Amber. But he’d been so panicked he’d cursed and hung up. Who knew it was about Chloe’s contract? “How could you let her leave without me signing the termination?” Ethan was out for blood. The other end sighed: “Mr. Ethan, did you forget? You signed that contract five years ago.” “She’s your wife. You gave her a special termination clause back then, even paid the breach fee out of pocket…” Ethan’s lips were white, teeth grinding. That did happen. But he’d forgotten. Back then, he was head over heels for Chloe. He signed her to his own label, poured everything into making her a star, just to give her the best, make sure she wasn’t trapped. He’d even blown through his cash, pissing off his grandpa who’d whacked him twenty times with the family cane. After he healed, Chloe was so worried she got a fever in the night, almost died. He was terrified, called in every favor in the city to save her. He’d cried at her bedside like never before: “Chloe! You can’t die, you can’t. Even the grim reaper can’t take my wife!” And when Chloe woke up, her one sentence made him cry with joy: “Is this your idea of a proposal?” Remembering, Ethan’s eyes stung. His so-called spoiling had almost killed Chloe back then, and now it had made her vanish. Didn’t Chloe say she loved him? Then why did she leave… His nails dug into his palms, but he felt no pain, just the ache in his chest. The world felt like those dark days when the Jin family had him surrounded, fighting for power. The darkest days of his twenty years, suddenly thrown into a frozen hell, all warmth gone. Only Chloe stayed, loving him. She stayed up with him, coaxed him to sleep, took him to therapy, did extreme sports with him. She gave him love, became his rock. How could someone like her leave? Ethan crouched, head in his arms, asking the air over and over. But no one answered. The phone on the floor was still ringing: “Sigh, Chloe’s pitiful too. Her legs were beaten so bad she’s crippled. Can’t model anymore.” “But at least she retired as an international supermodel at her peak. People will remember her, so she won’t be too lonely.” A tear hit Ethan’s phone as he desperately needed to know: “How bad are her legs?” The agent’s voice turned angry: “It’s sick. They specifically aimed to ruin her. Didn’t touch anything else, just destroyed her legs. It’s a sin!” “Could’ve been treated, but who knows why it took so long to get her to the hospital. Her right leg’s done for now.” Only her legs? Specifically to end her career? Ethan’s heart ached, knowing Amber was behind it. His chest felt squeezed, guilt washing over him. But right now, he just needed to find Chloe!

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The day I was diagnosed with late-stage stomach cancer, my husband was lighting fireworks for another woman. When reporters blocked me outside the hospital ward, I forced a smile. “Don’t misunderstand,” I said calmly. “We’re doing fine. She’s just a relative.” That night, I left the hospital alone and went home. Under the fireworks, I saw him feeding her cake, fixing her hair, holding her like a priceless treasure. He scolded me for ruining the mood. She hid behind him, crying softly. I smiled and spoke quietly. “I just wanted to remind you—today is my birthday.” I first sensed it was over when I landed in the hospital from overworking myself into a bleeding stomach. At that very moment, Matthew was at home, hosting a private fireworks show for Olivia in the backyard. When reporters shoved their microphones in my face, I forced a smile through my pale, exhausted expression. “Don’t speculate,” I said. “Matthew and I are doing fine. The girl you saw with him is just his cousin.” The journalists looked unconvinced, their disdain and disbelief practically dripping off their faces. The truth was, I wasn’t entirely lying. Olivia wasn’t his real cousin, though, just an orphan taken in by Matthew’s family. Our marriage had always been a calculated business arrangement. Matthew had played his role well until Olivia came back three months ago. Since then, he’d stuck to her side like glue, completely forgetting he even had a wife. The “perfect husband” image that the media had painted for him was nothing but a façade. That night, while the entire household staff was preparing fireworks for Olivia, I called Matthew over and over again. He didn’t answer. Left with no choice, I discharged myself from the hospital and took a cab home. The house was alive with celebration, the vibrant colors of fireworks painting the night sky. I stepped into the yard, cold and silent, entirely out of place amidst the revelry. Under the fireworks that illuminated the backyard, I saw Matthew tidying Olivia’s hair and feeding her a piece of cake. Suddenly, I felt like an outsider. The autumn leaves covered the ground. As I stepped on them, they crackled softly. Olivia noticed me first. She jumped out of Matthew’s arms like a frightened rabbit, her delicate expression painted with innocence. “Emily!” she exclaimed, her voice trembling. “Please don’t misunderstand! We were just celebrating the company’s revival!” Huh. Revival? A celebration? Was she serious? The company did revive, yet she had no part in its recovery, none at all. As my disdainful gaze swept over them, Matthew charged toward me, shielding Olivia like she was a priceless treasure. “Emily, can you stop wearing that poker face all day?” he snapped, his voice sharp and full of irritation. “Enough with the innocent routine in front of the cameras. Haven’t you had enough? “What do you want? My sympathy? My pity? Dream on!” Behind him, Olivia clung to his arm, her eyes glistening with crocodile tears. “Matthew, please calm down,” she whispered, trembling. “You’re scaring me.” The scene was absurd, a soap opera unfolding in my own home. But I was too exhausted to focus on this drama. To their surprise, I forced a smile, closing the distance between us. “Matt,” I said softly, my tone full of practiced sweetness, “don’t be mad. I didn’t misunderstand. I just wanted to remind you… today’s my birthday. I know you’ve been busy and must’ve forgotten, but it’s okay. I don’t blame you.” For a split second, he froze. A hint of guilt flickered across his face before being quickly buried beneath his usual indifference. “Birthday?” he repeated, scoffing. “Didn’t you always say you hated celebrating your birthday?” Yes. I used to say that. My mother had died giving birth to me. My birthday was also her death anniversary. My father, who worshipped her, would spend every year mourning her with grand ceremonies. For years, I avoided celebrating my birthday. But Matthew had once changed that. Over the first two years of our marriage, he’d celebrated with me, helping me shake off the shadow of grief. I could still remember his gentle words, whispered in my ear with a warm smile. “Emily, from now on, you’ll never feel alone on your birthday. You’re not a curse. You’re my good luck charm.” Looking at him now, standing in front of me to shield Olivia, I realized those words had long since lost their meaning. But it didn’t hurt anymore. He didn’t know I’d already tricked him into signing the divorce papers a week ago.

The stomach bleeding today wasn’t a fluke. A week ago, I had been diagnosed with terminal stomach cancer, with only three months left to live. That scene was still fresh in my memory. It was our third wedding anniversary, and I sat alone in the hospital hallway. Sweat soaked through the diagnosis report in my trembling hands. My legs felt like lead; I tried to stand several times but failed. My frayed nerves finally snapped after I called Matthew for the tenth time. “Emily! Are you insane? Just because you have nothing better to do doesn’t mean others aren’t busy!” he roared. He wasn’t wrong. I was very sick, and it was indeed driving me insane. Before I could respond, a woman’s honeyed voice floated through the phone, turning my unsaid words into a lump in my throat. “Matthew! I knew you’d come! You missed me, didn’t you?” I heard Matthew’s low chuckle before the call was abruptly cut off. It wasn’t the first time. The first time he stood me up was to pick up Olivia when she returned to the country. The first time he hit me was because Olivia had damaged my piano. At first, I was shocked, but gradually, I stopped caring. The searing pain I once felt dulled into a faint ache. I made excuses for him over and over again, convincing myself it was all because Olivia was his cousin, and he had no other choice. But eventually, I had to face the truth—he wasn’t powerless and chose this willingly. To Matthew, I was nothing more than a distraction when Olivia wasn’t around, a pastime he could step on. My dignity and love were crushed beneath his feet. So, I decided he would taste the bitterness of unrequited love. I would make him fall for me and be haunted by me. If he refused to care about me now, I would make myself a thorn in his heart. While I was alive, I would be a constant, nagging pain. After my death, I would leave him utterly broken. I recorded three videos, preparing to leave Matthew a gift he would never forget.

In my last month alive, I set aside my pride. I tolerated Olivia’s blatant provocations, pretending not to notice. But she wasn’t planning to let me off so easily. One evening, I discovered razor blades hidden in my piano keys. When Matthew came home, he saw me shouting at the teary-eyed Olivia. “Did you really have to go this far?” he scolded, his voice sharp and cold. Silently, I raised my hand, showing him the blood dripping from my wrist. “Matthew! Don’t you know what she…” Before I could finish, Matthew’s gaze fell on Olivia, trembling in the corner with fearful eyes. His face twisted in anger. The next thing I knew, a sharp slap landed across my cheek. “If your hand’s injured, go to the hospital. Stop making a scene here! You really are just a piece of trash with no one to teach you any better!” Every ounce of pride and ambition I had built up in my life crumbled in that moment. The man I had once leaned on now mocked me with disdain. “If you can’t play piano, then don’t. It’s just a tool you use to fish for attention, anyway.” My desperate, hysterical questioning only made me look like a lunatic in his eyes. He scoffed, “How dare you compare yourself to Olivia? She plays piano because it’s her dream. You? You only do it for your pathetic vanity and self-interest.” Olivia picked up a glass of water, pouring it over her head before smashing the glass onto the floor. With her drenched face and trembling lips, she looked pitiful as she turned to me. “Emily, I didn’t mean to… Is this enough for you?” Matthew immediately rushed to her side, cradling her in his arms as he led her away to change clothes. Before leaving, he threw a cold glance my way. “Emily, Olivia is like a sister to me. Watch yourself.” His gaze lingered on my bleeding hand, softening for just a second. Olivia seemed to notice this change. Her eyes fluttered shut, and she collapsed dramatically into Matthew’s arms. “Olivia!” he shouted, his voice panicked. Without another word, he carried her away. That extinguished the last flicker of hope in my heart. Left alone, I hailed a cab and went to the hospital to get my wounds treated.

I sent all the pre-recorded videos to my brother, who knew about my diagnosis and was fully aware of my plan. Ours was a family devoid of warmth. Raised under my father’s influence, my brother had always resented me, blaming me for our mother’s death during childbirth. “Emily, your cancer is karma. You should’ve paid with your life for my mom a long time ago.” That was his first response upon hearing the news. I promised him the company, and he promised to play my videos at my funeral. My phone screen blinked on and off, and the messages came in nonstop. They were from Matthew, his location pinging from abroad. [Emily, don’t worry. I’ll make it back for the family dinner tomorrow.] [You’re not mad, are you?] [Emily, you have to understand. Olivia threatened suicide. I couldn’t just ignore her.] [She’s a living person! What kind of man would I be to let her die?] Each new message brought a numbing sensation to my lips and drained the strength from my limbs. As the screen filled with more notifications, I lost consciousness. When I collapsed to the ground, my final question lingered in my fading mind. Matthew, I just wondered how miserable your end would be. My soul detached from my body. I floated above, staring down at my pale face and lifeless body sprawled across the floor. Perhaps my unfulfilled rage moved the heavens, granting me this chance to witness their inevitable downfall. My phone, now running on its last bar of battery, showed over 99 unread messages. The final one from Matthew popped up: [Emily, stop causing a scene. I might be late from the airport. Wait for me at Gabor Estate.] I let out a cold laugh and willed my consciousness to Gabor Estate, ready to watch the drama unfold. Soon, Matthew arrived in a rush, his tie crooked, his breaths uneven as he stormed into the estate. “Grandfather, where’s Emily? I need to speak with her privately,” he asked. Henry’s furrowed brows deepened at his grandson’s frantic demeanor. “Matt! Must you always act so recklessly? And you’d better rein in Olivia’s antics from now on. Our family isn’t yet free from relying on Emily’s family’s support. “If it hadn’t been for Olivia’s tantrums about studying piano abroad and your secret misuse of company funds, the company wouldn’t have ended up in such a dire situation. You can’t afford to push Emily away. Watch your temper!” Matthew’s expression twisted, a mix of annoyance and frustration darkening his features. “Grandfather, is this really the time to bring that up? If Emily hears about this, everything will be ruined!” A pang of bitterness coursed through me. So, the financial crisis I nearly died trying to save them from was Olivia’s doing. Matthew’s past kindnesses were never about love; they were about greed, about using me to revive his failing company. “What?” Henry asked, confused by Matthew’s accusatory tone. Matthew froze for a moment, his composure cracking. “She… hasn’t arrived yet?” He sighed, pulling out his phone. He dialed my number over and over, but no one picked up. By the time he had called three times with no answer, panic began to creep into his expression. “Pick up, Emily! Answer the phone!” He started pacing, frustration boiling over as he stomped his feet in agitation. Henry suggested they sit down, reminding him that the family dinner couldn’t be delayed since everyone was already present. Matthew reluctantly took his seat at the table, but no sooner had he settled than his phone rang. Excitement lit up his face, only to be replaced by confusion and unease as he listened to the voice on the other end. It was my brother, Jacob. “Matthew, make sure to attend Emily’s funeral tomorrow.” The sound of the call disconnecting echoed loudly. Matthew’s hand, still clutching the phone, froze mid-air as if time itself had stopped. Henry tapped his shoulder with his cane. “What’s the matter? Who was that?”

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My fiancé took me to Las Vegas. I thought it was a vacation. A week later, I was locked in an underground casino, beaten bloody, and left behind to pay off his debt. He ran away with my foster sister. They thought I was finished. But when we met again, I kissed the casino’s owner— right in front of him. “Where’s that bitch? Bring her to me!” I cowered in the corner of the room, trembling. The locked door was being kicked in, one forceful blow after another. A week ago, I never would have imagined that the Las Vegas trip my fiancé planned would lead me to an underground casino. He and Vivian gambled recklessly day and night, but in the end, I was the one who suffered the consequences. With a loud crash, the door flew open. Several burly men in black clothes rushed in. I held up a lamp to shield myself, looking at them fearfully. “Please don’t come any closer. Ethan has gone to get money. He’ll pay off the debt soon!” The leader spat on the ground contemptuously. “Stop lying to me, girl. I fell for your trick last night, thinking they’d pay up if we kept you here. But that bastard ran off with his girlfriend!” “What? They abandoned me and ran away?” “Don’t play dumb. I bet you’re all in on this scheme together!” Cold sweat trickled down my forehead. The “bastard” their leader mentioned was my fiancé Ethan, and the woman who left with him was Vivian, my foster sister who had taken my place in the family for over a decade. They had actually conspired to leave me stranded here alone? “Boss, stop wasting time talking. Let’s teach this little bitch a lesson.” At the leader’s signal, several thugs surrounded me. With a flick of their wrists, they knocked the lamp out of my hands and roughly pinned me to the table. “Don’t touch me! Get away!” In my struggle, I accidentally kicked one of them in the shin. Immediately, a hand slapped me hard across the face. My cheek swelled instantly, and I tasted blood in my mouth. These men were brutal – if I didn’t think of something fast, I might actually die here! The leader approached me with a whip, tapping my face with the handle. “Behave yourself. I’ll show you what happens when you don’t pay your debts!” “Please, I have money! I can pay off the debt, just let me go!” “You think I’d still believe that crap? If you really had money, why would they leave you behind?” As I frantically searched for a way out, I noticed the leader’s phone screen. There was a contact labeled “Casino Owner”. When I saw the number, my eyes widened in shock. I knew that number by heart – it was Julian’s!

Julian was my adoptive parents’ biological son. Before I was reunited with my birth family, he had cherished and spoiled me for over a decade. He even plastered his room with my photos without my knowledge, harboring secret feelings for me. “Your boss is Julian?” I blurted out. “Well, well, you’ve done your homework. This whole casino is the boss’s private business. Not many people know that.” My heart steadied. I shouted at them, “Julian is my brother! We’re on the same side! Let me go now, and I can explain this misunderstanding to him!” The leader exchanged glances with his men, their faces twisted in mockery. Then, he kicked me hard. “How dare a piece of trash like you pretend to be the young miss! You don’t know your place. The young miss is the boss’s weak spot. You know what happened to the last person who tried to use her name? It’d scare you to death!” “Jay, bring me my club. I’m going to teach this audacious woman a lesson for the boss!” The kick left me dizzy, but I persisted through the pain: “I am your young miss! If you don’t believe me, call Julian here to see for himself!” Just then, the leader’s phone rang. The caller was Julian. I broke free from the thugs’ grip and lunged for the leader’s phone. “Give it to me! Let me talk to Julian. He’ll recognize my voice!” The leader slapped me hard and pointed at me, ordering me to shut up. His men pinned me down again. He gave them a look, then answered the phone obsequiously as he walked out. “Hello, boss. I was just dealing with a deadbeat gambler. What can I do for you?” I tried to shout, but only got half a syllable out before a rag was stuffed in my mouth. “We told you to shut up, you stubborn bitch!” Someone shoved me to the ground, and the others started kicking and punching me. I curled up in a fetal position, nearly passing out from the pain. The gag in my mouth prevented me from even crying out. Julian had always pampered me since childhood. He’d worry for days over a tiny scratch on my hand. His indulgence had made me proud and willful. Even after I returned to my birth family, I never suffered any hardships due to my personality. I wondered how Julian would react if he saw me in this pitiful state. Just as I was about to lose consciousness, the leader returned with his phone, looking anxious. “Stop! Stop right now!”

The rain of fists finally ceased. “What’s wrong, boss?” The leader gave me a contemptuous look. “Don’t waste any more time on this woman. The boss says the young miss is missing. She was last seen at our casino. Gather all our men to search for her immediately.” I was stunned, my head still spinning from the beating. Julian had been keeping tabs on my whereabouts even after I left, and he noticed I was missing? I propped myself up on shaky arms, making muffled sounds through the gag. One of the thugs kicked me. “Quiet!” “Boss, what should we do with this woman?” The leader’s face was grim as he pondered. “The boss is already on a plane, coming to look for the young miss himself. This woman claimed she was the young miss earlier…” My face lit up with excitement. Great, Julian was coming! He would not only rescue me but also punish these blind fools. But the leader continued: “We absolutely cannot let the boss see her. He’s already anxious about not finding the young miss. If this crazy woman jumps out claiming to be her, it might set him off and he’ll take it out on us.” “You’re right, boss. Should we get rid of her?” The leader grabbed my chin, examining my face. “She is quite pretty, though.” “Lock her in solitary confinement for now. After the boss finds the young miss and leaves, we’ll train her to be a dealer to work off the debt.” I shook my head frantically upon hearing this. They wanted me to stay and become a dealer? I’d be trapped on this island forever! But no one cared about my opinion. They dragged me away like an animal, heading for the solitary confinement cell. No, this couldn’t happen. Julian was coming soon. I had to find a way to see him. This was my last chance. Once I was locked up, it would all be over! As the two men were about to lock me in the cell, I stumbled to my feet and used all my strength to slam into the door before it closed completely. Then I grabbed a metal pipe from the ground and swung it hard at one man’s head. He clutched his head and collapsed in pain. Before the other could restrain me, I smashed the pipe into his face. After dealing with these two, my adrenaline surged. I ran forward at an incredible speed, as if my life depended on it. The sound of a helicopter came from above. It was Julian. He had arrived!

I ran like a madwoman towards where the helicopter was landing. I saw the cabin door open. Julian slowly descended the steps. My heart was racing, but before I could make a sound, a rough hand clamped over my mouth. Then my hair was yanked back violently. “You little bitch, how dare you hit me! You must have a death wish!” It was the man whose head I had struck earlier. He had caught up! The leader was respectfully waiting to receive Julian. Noticing the commotion, he frowned and looked our way. He silently shook his head at the man holding me. I was immediately dragged behind a wall. Not far away, Julian had come down. He looked travel-worn and worried. The leader immediately went to greet him: “Boss, we’ve pulled all the surveillance footage as you instructed. We’ll definitely find clues about the young miss’s whereabouts.” “Take me to the surveillance room.” Julian strode forward, passing within arm’s reach of me. We were separated by just a wall. He suddenly paused, clenching his fist. As if speaking to me, or perhaps to himself, he said: “Elena, please be safe.” My face was covered in tears and blood. He was right in front of me, but I couldn’t make a sound. In the end, I was thrown into solitary confinement. To prevent me from escaping, they dislocated my arms, tied my legs, and gagged me tightly again. For the next few days, Julian didn’t come. The underground casino was dimly lit, and Ethan had kept me confined to the hotel room during our stay. My face probably wasn’t captured on any surveillance footage. My hope was slowly fading away. But early one morning, I heard hurried footsteps and Julian’s voice. “Boss, how can you be sure that person is the young miss just from seeing her back? Could you have made a mistake? She’s just a nobody left here to pay off a debt.” Julian’s voice was agitated and slightly panicked. “Enough! Where are you keeping her?” “In… in the solitary confinement cell up ahead.” He recognized me! Hope surged within me. I tried to make muffled sounds to get Julian’s attention. But the footsteps stopped about ten paces away from me. “Mr. Ashcroft, we just confirmed with the young miss’s fiancé. He said she’s already back in the country. She was never missing.” It was Julian’s assistant’s voice. “Where does her location show?” “Also in the country. It shows she returned three days ago, but it just synced up due to signal issues.” Ethan had taken my phone when he left with Vivian. It had a tracker Julian had installed. Now he was using the phone’s location to mislead Julian! The leader eagerly persuaded him: “Boss, you must have been mistaken. I knew that woman couldn’t possibly be the young miss!” Julian instructed his assistant: “Contact the pilot immediately to prepare for our return. I need to see Elena with my own eyes to be sure.” “Yes, sir.” Hearing Julian about to leave, I threw caution to the wind. I used all my strength to slam my head against the iron door of the cell, making a loud “bang”. Julian’s footsteps halted. His tone turned cold: “Who exactly is locked in there?” The gang leader forced a smile. “Boss, it’s just a troublesome woman. She’s not worth your attention. You should go find the young miss. I’ll deal with her later.” But Julian didn’t leave.

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At the reunion, they thought I was a disposable wife— poor background, no backing, easy to bully. My husband had the divorce papers ready. His mistress brought money, threats, and hired men. Everyone waited for me to collapse. I simply made one phone call. During the Christmas break, my husband insisted that I accompany him to a class reunion. By the time we arrived at the hotel, most of the classmates were already there. The parking lot was filled with luxury cars, making our humble domestic car seem rather out of place. As we approached the entrance, I overheard some derogatory comments, “I just don’t get it. Back in school, Lucas was quite the big shot, how did he end up with someone like Evelyn…” Although the conversation cut off abruptly, the dismissive tone was unmistakable. In the face of such provocation, my husband, who should have stood up for me, was all smiles, chatting with classmates as though I wasn’t even there. After the banquet, the former campus beauty slowly approached and took my husband’s Grantd. “Evelyn, I’m quite interested in your husband. Would you let him go? You can set any condition.” I laughed instead of getting angry. “You might want to rethink that—divorcing me isn’t without consequences.” “Oh wow, you’ve become quite eloquent over the years.” “The money is a token of appreciation for taking care of Lucas all these years, think of it as compensation.” “Do you really think you can threaten me with talk of jail? Do you know my standing in New York?” Just as I was about to respond, I saw my husband pulling the campus beauty into an embrace. “Qingqing, just take the money; it’s better for everyone.” Watching them hold Grantds, a cold laugh escaped me. “So, you two have been planning this for a while, huh?” Lucas had been calling me repeatedly, urging me to attend today’s reunion. Now I see they planned to make me publicly agree to a divorce. No wonder he hasn’t been close to me since our marriage; he had someone else in mind. As soon as I finished speaking, Lucas’s expression cGrantged. “What nonsense! Vivian and I are truly in love!” “If she hadn’t been forced to study abroad back then, we’d be together now.” I was utterly shocked by his words. Everyone at school knew she dumped Lucas, and now it’s a mutual love story? I don’t know why they got back together, but at this moment, Lucas is still legally my husband. I couldn’t swallow this insult. “Lucas, do you realize how serious infidelity in marriage is?” I spoke while looking him straight in the eye, but he couldn’t meet my gaze. Then, the beauty threw herself onto him, looking pitiful, and said: “Stop with the nonsense. You’re just unhappy because the money isn’t enough.” “Name your price. I’m not short on cash!” Facing such a once-glamorous but now somewhat plump campus beauty, I felt like I was watching a joke. “Vivian, let me remind you, if Lucas agrees to a divorce today, you both will be facing legal consequences.” Before I finished, Lucas anxiously said, “Stop with the scare tactics. What could you possibly do to us?” “Since marrying you, we barely met, who knows what you’ve been up to.” “To be honest, if you hadn’t pursued me back then, don’t expect a penny.” If not for his unique status, I’d have slapped him. Lucas’s words drew laughter from the crowd. “See? It’s always said that your abilities determine your partner. A woman like Evelyn, lacking background and presence, is destined to lose her husband.” “Right? Dressed so plainly, how dare she show up here.” “When it comes to wealth and influence, the Vivian family’s daughter is generous with money and has strong backing.” Everyone was flattering the former beauty, and no one stood up for me. To them, I was just a clown for their amusement. Such friends and reunions—better to avoid them.

Ignoring their sneers, I intended to leave. But before I could stand, a Grantd pressed on my shoulder. “Trying to leave? Did you get my permission?” Vivian looked at me with a smug smile and disdain in her eyes. “Evelyn, you have two choices today: take the money and divorce, or I’ll beat you until you do.” “Think carefully and choose one.” Hearing Vivian’s words, I couldn’t help but laugh. “Are you sure you want me to choose?” Vivian, still not realizing the trouble she was in, remained smug. “Of course, as long as you divorce your husband, I promise you’ll have a good life afterward.” Suppressing the anger within, I said slowly: “I can divorce Lucas, and I don’t want the money, but…” I paused deliberately. “You must first let me make a call because the divorce isn’t solely my decision.” Vivian laughed heartily after hearing me. “Evelyn, you really think you’re someone important, don’t you? Giving you the choice was a courtesy, not a negotiation.” “No matter who you call, you must divorce today, understand?” I detected the threat in her tone but didn’t care, finding it almost amusing. “I’ve already said, I agree to divorce Lucas.” “But this needs approval from higher-ups; I can’t decide alone.” Vivian’s face cGrantged, ready to get rough, but Lucas stopped her. “Dear, we’re magnanimous, let’s not fuss over this.” “Let her make the call. My heart has long been set on you; nothing others say matters.” Lucas thought I was just stalling, looking very pleased with himself. I was about to argue back, but he continued: “Evelyn, don’t say I didn’t warn you, no matter who you call, I intend to divorce today.” I believed I was a good wife to Lucas after marriage. I Grantded over my monthly stipend without fail. He never worked or did chores, spending days shopping and playing mahjong. Despite being home only once a year, he was still unsatisfied. At this moment, my last bit of affection for him vanished completely. “Lucas, don’t flatter yourself, I never intended to persuade you, I just find it disgusting.” “But you and Vivian, I hope after this call, you won’t regret it.” “Because by then, no one will be able to save you.” I thought about giving her a friendly warning, but some people just don’t appreciate it. Like the campus beauty, Vivian. “Evelyn, you’re still putting on airs in front of me, who will regret it?” Vivian was about to continue, but I waved my Grantd to stop her. “Fine, your words are enough.” Then, I pulled out my phone and called my leader.

“Hello, sir, it’s Evelyn.” The person on the other end chuckled upon hearing my voice. “Evelyn? Why are you calling now?” “Sir, there’s a situation I need to report.” I briefly explained how Vivian was forcing me to divorce my husband at the reunion. As soon as I finished, I heard the sound of a glass shattering from the other end. “Who’s bold enough to force you into divorce?” Vivian grabbed the phone. “Listen up, I don’t care what your relationship with Evelyn is, I want her husband, and no one can stop me.” “You’d better mind your own business, or you’ll end up in trouble too!” The leader paused for a few seconds before speaking. “Are you the one forcing Evelyn to divorce?” Vivian, still unaware of who was on the other end, was as arrogant as ever. “That’s right, it’s me.” “Look around New York, anything Vivian wants, she gets.” “A man is nothing; he’s mine, who can stop me?” After saying that, she tossed the phone to the ground and stomped on it several times. It was my first time witnessing such audacity. “Now that you’ve made the call, fulfill your promise.” Lucas, holding Vivian with one Grantd, Grantded me a divorce agreement with the other. “I’ve got all the paperwork ready, just sign.” Looking at the stack of documents on the table confirmed my suspicions. Lucas had been cheating for a while. Facing someone like him, I had no mercy. I signed my name without hesitation and Grantded it back. Lucas looked at me in surprise. “Evelyn, what does this mean?” I looked up at him with a cold tone. “What? Isn’t this what you wanted all along?” “Now I’ve granted your wish, signed and stamped, and you’re blaming me?” “Sign it quickly, before Vivian loses interest in you too.” Lucas’s face turned red with anger. “Fine! I’ll sign, as if I’d miss you!” He immediately signed the divorce papers. Thus, our five-year marriage finally ended. I signed my name without a second thought and Grantded the papers back to him. Lucas looked at me, eyes wide. “Evelyn, what are you doing?” I met his gaze, my voice icy. “What do you mean? Wasn’t it you who wanted this divorce from the beginning?” “Now I’ve given you what you wanted—signed the papers and left my fingerprint—and you’re still blaming me.” “Just sign it already, so Vivian doesn’t leave you too.” Lucas flushed with anger. “Fine! I’ll sign it. It’s not like I care about you!” He signed the divorce agreement without hesitation. Our five-year marriage was finally over. Watching him sign, I felt no regret, only a weight lifted off my shoulders. “I’ve signed the papers, and now you’re free. Can I leave?” “Hold on!” Vivian blocked my way, grinning maliciously. “Now that the two of you are done, it’s time for us.” 0

Hearing Vivian, I narrowed my eyes. Her expression darkened. “You were the one who got me expelled from school, weren’t you?” “If it weren’t for you, my father wouldn’t have sent me abroad, and Lucas wouldn’t have been forced to marry you.” “Evelyn, did you know? I spent three whole years abroad, plotting revenge against that snitch, until Lucas told me the truth.” Vivian slammed her Grantd on the table. “Evelyn! I’ve waited for this day for so long!” Even as Vivian’s arrogance filled the room, I maintained a faint smile. “You’re right, I reported you.” “But I don’t think I was wrong. You were always causing trouble, fighting, even breaking someone’s leg.” “For people like you, I report every time without hesitation.” Vivian’s face twisted in rage. “I admire your arrogance.” “Evelyn, do you know why I called you back?” “This isn’t just a class reunion. I’m here for revenge.” Vivian snapped her fingers, and a dozen well-built men in black burst into the private booth. They looked ready for a fight. I leaned back, tapping my fingers on the table. “Vivian, this is your last cGrantce. Think it over.” “If you touch me today, you won’t be able to Grantdle the consequences.” “Even if you have the entire Harrington family backing you…” The sycopGrantts around us erupted in laughter. “Did you hear that? Evelyn thinks the Harrington family wouldn’t dare cross her.” “This is the funniest thing I’ve ever heard. A nobody challenging the elite Harrington family from the capital!” My former classmates quickly took sides, verbally attacking me to curry favor with Vivian. Lucas joined in. “Evelyn, what are you shouting about? Look in the mirror and see what you’re like.” “Forget Vivian, anyone here could put you in your place.” I took a deep breath and slowly removed my wedding ring. “Lucas, from now on, we have nothing to do with each other.” “As for Vivian, she’ll pay for her actions today.” Vivian sneered. “You? Make me pay?” “I’m in charge here. Even if I beat you to death, no one would dare arrest me.” The crowd burst into laughter again. Seeing the familiar faces, I felt a profound sense of disappointment. Is this what they call classmate camaraderie? I was a top student, but I never felt superior. I always answered questions patiently. Now, all I get is mockery and disdain. They don’t deserve to be called “classmates”! Seeing me silent, Vivian thought I was afraid, becoming even more brazen. “Stupid woman, either kowtow and apologize in front of the class, and we’ll let it go.” “Or get your legs broken and crawl out.” My eyes turned cold. “Vivian, you’ve crossed the line too many times. Do you really think you’re untouchable?” Instead of backing down, Vivian got even more arrogant. “Look at the men behind me. Any one of them could knock you down.” “Quit pretending. Even if the king himself came, you’d still have to kneel!” Just then, the booth door opened, and a large man entered. Vivian quickly adjusted her clothes and greeted him with a fawning smile. “Mr. Carter, what brings you here?” Hearing her call him that, everyone turned pale. Lucas retreated to a corner. I remained seated, fingers tapping the table. Mr. Carter scanned the room, and everyone fell silent. He spoke slowly, “Whose Porsche is parked outside?” 0 Everyone turned to look at me. Vivian looked like she wanted to punch me. “Evelyn, are you deaf? Mr. Carter is talking to you! How can you sit there unmoving?”

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After landing a huge project for the company, I received a ring from my boyfriend. Excited, I posted it on Ins, thinking he was finally going to make our relationship official. But then, his newly hired assistant slapped me, sending my workstation crashing down. “You’re a director, for crying out loud! Stealing a gift my husband gave me? Have some shame!” My boyfriend didn’t just stand there; he agreed, saying I was unworthy of the position. Right there, in front of everyone, he announced that his assistant would take over the big project I’d just secured. That’s when it hit me. He wasn’t going to make us official. It was her. Suddenly, everyone in the office was holding up their phones, enjoying the drama. But I wasn’t angry. Instead, I just smiled, pushing my ID badge into the assistant’s hands. “Oh, so you’re the CEO’s secret weapon, his capable lady? Consider this director position my apology gift. May you two live a long, happy life together.” My colleagues stared, shocked by my bizarre behavior. Liam, my closest co-worker, grabbed my arm, whispering, “Don’t be impulsive, Harper. A lost project is just a lost project; we can land another.” But he didn’t know the full story. I wasn’t being impulsive at all. Yesterday, walking past Julian’s office, I’d overheard his assistant, Chloe, clinging to him. “Julian, I want to make something of myself. Give me this new project you’ve landed. I promise I’ll do a great job and make you proud.” Back then, I just brushed it off. Julian and I had been in a secret relationship for seven years. I’d turned down offers from big corporations to help him build this company from the ground up. I’d secured ninety percent of all the company’s projects. He knew better than anyone how tough the journey had been, and he was always so principled. There was no way he’d ever mess with something as important as a project. Plus, he absolutely despised opportunists, having had a project stolen from him by a suck-up once before. So, when I saw the ring Julian gave me today, I thought he’d finally realized I was the best for him, that he was ready to settle down and marry me. I never expected Chloe to twist the narrative, painting me as a thief and completely humiliating me. And I certainly didn’t expect Julian to abandon all his principles for Chloe, who’d only been working here for a few months. If that’s how it was, there was nothing left for me in this dump of a company. Julian still had no idea I’d seen through their childish little scheme. He probably thought I was just jealous. He frowned at me. “What’s with the snarky comments?” Ever since Chloe showed up, he’d looked at me with this strange prejudice. This time, I didn’t waste my breath. I simply said, “Don’t overthink it, Julian. I really did give it to her.” Both him, and the job. I gave them both to her. I wasn’t planning on sticking around, but just as I was about to leave, Julian, his face cold, dragged me into his office. The office wasn’t big, and the walls weren’t soundproof. The moment he closed the door, the employees outside, eager for more drama, started buttering up Chloe, chatting excitedly about when she and Julian would get married and have kids. Chloe, feigning shyness, replied, “That depends on Julian. He hasn’t officially proposed yet.” She was playing the part of his official girlfriend perfectly, and with Julian’s silent approval, everyone believed her. Julian, hearing this, paused mid-pour with a glass of water. A flicker of guilt crossed his face. He usually acted so dominant, but now, he softened his tone, a rare occurrence, and tried to explain. “Chloe’s just a kid; she doesn’t know any better. She probably said that just for fun. Don’t take it to heart.” “She has relatives at the client company. We wouldn’t have landed this project if it weren’t for her.” I shot him a withering look. Unbelievable! Thunder Corporation, our client, had a professional tech department. They didn’t need outsourcing, which was why they’d initially rejected our collaboration. It was me who wouldn’t give up. I begged and pleaded, sending thoughtful gifts, just to get a meeting with their representative. He generously gave me thirty seconds, and I seized that opportunity to pitch our product. Seeing my expertise, he tried to poach me with a high salary. When that didn’t work, he finally agreed to work with us. I’d pulled all-nighters, traveled everywhere for this project, and he saw none of it. Chloe made one casual remark, and he believed her. If he’d used even a tiny bit of common sense, he’d realize that if Chloe truly had such powerful connections, she wouldn’t be working as an assistant in this small, struggling company. Or maybe he knew all along and was just pretending to be naive. Seeing my prolonged silence, Julian looked down for a moment, then stood up to make me a cup of coffee. He leaned close to my ear, whispering, “It’s all an act with her. You’re the only one I’ll ever marry.” In the past, whenever we fought, his soft voice and promises would always make me forgive him, no matter what. So, he probably thought it would be the same this time. He waved his hand dismissively. “Just go back to work. I’ve got the project covered.” But what he didn’t know was, I didn’t want him anymore. I scraped my chair back and stood up. “No need to go through all that trouble. I’m leaving.” With that, I pulled out a resignation form, filled it out quickly, and without a moment’s hesitation, turned and walked out of the office.

Seeing me go, Chloe rushed to block my path, feigning distress. “Harper, I know you’re an industry expert. You’re right, I don’t deserve this Head of Tech position. Here, take it back.” She grabbed the ID badge and tried to shove it into my hands. I simply pushed her away gently, but she stumbled backward, knocking over a chair and sending a computer crashing to the floor, startling everyone. Chloe got up, brushing off the concerned colleagues with a dismissive wave, saying she was fine. Julian, disturbed by the commotion, sprinted over. After making sure Chloe was okay, he glared at me, a frown on his face. “Harper, don’t think you can do whatever you want just because you’re an old employee.” Hearing him, my colleagues, who’d been watching, immediately chimed in. “That’s right, Harper. Change is good for the company. You shouldn’t bully new people just because you’ve been here a long time.” And the worst of it came from Leo, my apprentice, whom I’d personally mentored. “So what if you’ve landed a few projects? You think you’re the boss now?” “Are you addicted to forming cliques? You even look down on a genius like Chloe?” We’d worked together for years. I was the top salesperson. Everyone used to greet me respectfully. Now, they were all staring at me with schadenfreude, practically wishing me gone. Whatever. Let them say what they want. I wasn’t sticking around to entertain them. I walked out of the company without a word. Julian jogged after me. Once we were away from prying eyes, he rubbed his forehead and said, “You’ve just been too stressed lately. I’ll approve some time off for you. Take a break.” “Today is our seven-year anniversary. Wait for me at home, I’ve got a surprise planned.” Just as he finished speaking, the elevator arrived. I stepped in without saying a word. Back home, I made myself something to eat. I didn’t wait for him specifically, and he didn’t come back until it was dark. I put on my shoes, got ready to meet the client representative, but on my way, I bumped into a colleague. This guy, somewhat slow on the uptake, hadn’t distanced himself from me like the others. He greeted me warmly. “Harper, are you going to the promotion party Julian is throwing for Chloe? Let’s go together, we can split the ride fare!” He happily mumbled about not having to squeeze onto the subway, but I shook my head. “No.” He looked at me awkwardly. “Julian didn’t invite you?” I nodded curtly and walked away. I faintly heard him grumbling, “Julian always plays favorites,” but I didn’t look back. He didn’t play favorites. He just favored Chloe. He’d do anything for Chloe, and breaking plans with me wasn’t new. Once, when I was hospitalized with pneumonia, he said he’d come visit after his meeting. I waited until dawn, but he only arrived late, claiming he was working late, when in reality, he was with Chloe, watching a movie. Another time, we’d planned a couple’s photoshoot. I waited in my dress until the studio closed, and he showed up leisurely, claiming he was delayed by work, but he was actually taking Chloe shopping for new clothes. The list of such incidents was endless. Every time I questioned him, he’d act like “work is most important” and scold me. This kind of relationship was exhausting. At the coffee shop, the client representative looked at the progress report I handed in and exclaimed, “Harper, are you really not considering a jump? I could offer you ten times your salary.” This time, I didn’t refuse. The client representative happily told me we could negotiate any terms. After discussing the benefits package, I returned home. Julian was already sitting on the sofa, waiting for me with takeout. He’d stood me up again. Usually, he’d offer a million excuses, but this time he said nothing. After a moment of silence, he pushed the container towards me. “You must be tired today, too. Don’t bother cooking. Just heat this up; it’s still good.” I glanced down. Inside the plastic container, various dishes were piled together without any aesthetic appeal—some stir-fried, some boiled, and even a soggy piece of what looked like day-old cake floating in soup. Clearly, it was just leftovers, haphazardly packed. He didn’t even bother separating them, just crammed them into one big container. The sight alone was nauseating. I waved him off. “No thanks, I’ve already eaten.” Julian looked at me deeply. Usually so cold, he now reached out, wrapping his arms around my waist. “I’m sorry. She just got promoted, and as her boss, I had to acknowledge it somehow.” “I know you felt wronged today. Let’s go register our marriage this weekend.” I scoffed internally. He made it sound so good. When I was promoted to director, I excitedly offered to host my own promotion party. But I waited anxiously in the private room, the waiters reheated the food five times, and not a single colleague dared to show up until the restaurant closed. I sent message after message, but they all went unanswered. A kind colleague discreetly asked if I’d somehow offended the CEO. I was baffled at the time, only finding out later. While I was out of the office, he’d coldly reprimanded every colleague who said they were coming to my party. “Do you have too little work? Are you just idling around?” “All you do is think about eating, drinking, and having fun? Is this company paying you wastes to sit around? You might as well just quit!” The memory made me pull his restless hand from my waist. I spoke coldly. “No need. Julian, we’re done.”

The atmosphere in the room froze instantly. Julian gasped, his suppressed emotions finally exploding. “I did all this for the company’s development! Other girlfriends would be thrilled, why can’t you get it, Harper?” I ignored his twisted logic. He, however, continued to ramble on, as usual, about the importance of the company’s growth, promising me a place once the company went public. My ears were bleeding from his lectures. I raised a hand to cut him off. “No need. I’m packing my things and leaving right now.” Julian had wielded his authority as a boss for so many years; this was the first time he’d ever been interrupted. His face flushed with anger. He glared at me for a long time before snorting. “Fine! Then I’ll leave!” He slammed the door shut as he left. I didn’t chase after him. I quietly packed my belongings. The client had arranged a free, luxurious single staff apartment for me, ready for immediate move-in. Just as I finished packing and called the moving company, I coincidentally saw Chloe dropping Julian off at his place. They were walking hand-in-hand, laughing and chatting. Julian had shed his usual cold, distant CEO persona, looking down at Chloe with utmost tenderness, completely smitten. Chloe noticed me first and deliberately squeezed his hand tighter. Julian sensed something was off, followed her gaze, and quickly released her hand. He walked towards me, instinctively starting to explain, but when he saw me loading my things into the car, he paused, then changed his question. “It’s so late. Where are you going?” Was he blind? Didn’t he see the huge “Moving Company” logo on the truck? I was about to continue moving my stuff. But Julian blocked my path and suddenly shoved a bag of clothes he was carrying into my hands. Seeing me unresponsive, he pulled out a shirt and held it up against me. “I know you’ve been busy and haven’t had time to shop. I just picked this up for you when I passed by the mall.” For me? This designer shirt was clearly not my size. A receipt peeking out from the bag showed Julian’s credit card number and a price of over ten thousand dollars. He hadn’t “just picked it up for me.” He’d specifically taken Chloe to the store to choose it! He sure was generous. Just two days ago, I bought a two-hundred-dollar shirt and asked him if it looked good. He coldly lectured me for over an hour, calling me wasteful, rambling about how hard it was to make money, and saying that strong ability was more important than fancy clothes. And now? Now making money was easy, huh? My hands in my pockets, I looked at them coldly. “No thanks. As they say, ‘clothes make the man, saddles make the horse, and a bell makes a dog run happily.’ Keep such expensive clothes for Director Chloe.” Chloe, who had been holding the clothes, froze for a moment. When she realized what I’d said, she furiously threw the clothes down. “How dare you insult me?” Her eyes red, she glared at me, charging forward to strike. I didn’t move. One slap sent her sprawling to the ground. “Not just that. I dare to hit you, too.” Chloe’s slender limbs were like matchsticks. The only reason she’d managed to hit me earlier was because I was caught off guard. Now, I’d returned the favor. Julian cried out, clutching Chloe protectively in his arms. “Harper! Let’s talk this out! Why would you hit her?” “If you want to leave, then leave! Don’t you dare come back!” He didn’t need to say it. I wasn’t planning on coming back. I turned and got into the moving truck, speeding off towards my new life.

After leaving, I joined Thunder Corporation directly, entrusted with a vital role. Stepping into Julian’s company again, this time as the client, I was welcomed by the receptionist. As I reached the office area, I saw Chloe, wearing the director’s ID badge, bustling between employee workstations, looking very important. “Make this logo a bit bigger, but also a bit smaller at the same time.” “I told you to adjust the black, but not pure black. I meant that iridescent black, like a raven’s wing.” “After looking at everything, the first version is still better overall. But I like the font from the seventh version, and the color from the sixteenth… Finish it today and send it to me.” The workstations were filled with resentment. Someone couldn’t help but talk back. “This design was already approved by the client. The main problem now is program stability.” Chloe snorted. “The client is just a nouveau riche. What does he know about true art?” “I’m the director, you listen to me. With my superior aesthetic, the client will definitely be satisfied, and maybe even happy enough to give us more money.” Please! Their company was developing a new system to provide convenience for users, not to host an online art exhibition! And besides, with those garish, hard-to-read fonts, were they trying to boost business for eye doctors? The fact that Chloe, with her level of competence, was given such importance explained why the company’s performance was plummeting. The program crashed as soon as it ran, and the quality was a total joke. Some colleagues noticed me. Their former hostile gazes had turned into pleading looks. As for Leo, my apprentice who’d spoken such harsh words, he’d already been kicked out of the core creative team, relegated to buying coffee and running errands with his own money. Chloe glanced at me with disdain. “I guess I’ll have to suggest to Julian that we add a security position. Otherwise, any riff-raff can just walk into the company.” Mia, the receptionist, bowed slightly, about to remind her to watch her words, that I was here representing the client. The next second, Julian strode past me, his leather shoes clicking. Assuming I was here to apologize, he scoffed. “Well, well! If it isn’t Director Harper! Realized it’s hard to find work out there, did you? Thinking of coming back?” Chloe snickered, feigning kindness. “I think highly of Harper’s abilities. I believe we could give her a manager position. If she works hard under me, she’ll surely achieve something great soon enough.” Julian crossed his arms, looking at me with contempt. “Manager? She doesn’t deserve it!” “Coming back isn’t impossible, but she’ll have to start from scratch as a basic employee, with half the salary and all performance bonuses cut.” The other colleagues gasped, quickly distancing themselves from me, afraid of catching bad luck. I couldn’t help but laugh out loud. Julian still had no idea that I’d transformed into his client, no longer the obedient tag-along he could order around. Julian raised an eyebrow, curious. “What’s so funny?” I quietly pulled a contract from my briefcase and slapped it onto the desk. “Let’s reintroduce ourselves. I am Harper James, Head of Technology at Thunder Corporation.” “And I’m here to inform you…” “Project suspended. Contract terminated!”

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I Died in an Extreme Heatwave My husband locked the basement door, his mistress standing behind him. And my own son sealed the last air vent with his own hands. I woke up reborn, seven days before the apocalypse. He forced me to sign the divorce papers. This time, I didn’t fight for a thing. I just took all the water, all the food, every means of survival. —and watched them devour each other in hell. After dying from dehydration during the heatwave, I returned to the day my husband asked for a divorce. “Olivia is pregnant! I’m warning you, stop clinging!” Daniel shouted at me, his spit flying. His childhood sweetheart, Olivia, hid behind him, offering candies to my son. As I felt the cool air from the air conditioning, the suffocating sensation of being burned alive during the heatwave dissipated. I took deep breaths of fresh air. Looking at Daniel’s menacing face, I suppressed my growing hatred and agreed to the divorce without hesitation. He was taken aback, not expecting me to relent so easily, and looked at me suspiciously: “Really? You’re not planning anything, are you?” I glanced at the calendar on my phone—only seven days until the heat apocalypse. Time was short. “We either go to City Hall now, or I walk away. Your choice, Daniel.” My son, with a disdainful look, urged: “Who cares if she’s planning something? This old woman isn’t fit to be my mom!” “You need to divorce her so I can recognize Olivia as my mom!” Olivia gave Daniel a shy, coy look. Daniel shivered and eagerly drove us to City Hall. On the way, Daniel was grinning foolishly, while my son didn’t even glance at me, nestled in Olivia’s arms, full of attachment. I fought the urge to drive the car off the overpass with the three of them inside. In the last life, when the heatwave hit, Daniel and Olivia locked me in the basement, leaving me to suffer and die from the heat. This time, I swore they would pay for their blood debts.

When dividing the assets, I only took my savings card, which had 400,000 yuan. Daniel couldn’t help but boast, “Look how good I am to you. You’ve freeloaded for so many years, and I never asked for rent.” Internally, I was full of scorn, controlling the urge to slap him. “Since you were so sensible and agreed to divorce, I’ll give you an extra 100,000, so you don’t end up scavenging on the streets.” I gladly accepted the 100,000 yuan Daniel transferred. You can have issues with fools, but never with money. Besides, I knew Daniel was quite wealthy now. Three days ago, he won a thirty million lottery prize. He wanted to live with Olivia before claiming the prize, so he schemed to divorce me. In my past life, I had no idea. I thought I had a decent husband and a third-grade son, so I tried to protect my family as much as possible. Until I saw Olivia posting intimate photos with Daniel on my Snapchat feed, with the caption: “After years apart, after life’s twists and turns, it’s still you.” Daniel’s smiling face in the photo was a stark contrast to his usual impatient demeanor. I thought of how the whole family treated me after Olivia returned: Daniel mocked me for always asking for money and having no self-respect. My elementary school son despised me for not letting him play video games or eat snacks, calling me a “bad woman.” In the previous life, I rushed to the scene, gave Olivia a slap, and called her a “homewrecking sl*t,” only to be locked in the basement by them. One slap couldn’t make up for the pain of being roasted alive! I wanted them to die a hundred, a thousand times more painfully than I did! After leaving City Hall, I watched as my son jumped into Olivia’s arms. Daniel joyfully led them both away, the family of three laughing like they were on top of the world. Laugh now, but soon you won’t be able to.

Back home, I immediately began planning how to purchase supplies to protect myself. Halfway through my plan, Daniel returned with our son. Seeing his smug, satisfied expression, I guessed he had claimed the thirty million. I couldn’t be bothered to deal with the two of them and continued drawing and writing on my tablet. My son ran over, shouting, “I want to go to Miami with Dad. Hurry up and pack our things!” “I’m not your nanny. Find someone else to do it.” My son angrily threw a water cup at me, “You’re my mom; you have to do everything for me! Or I’ll have Dad hit you.” The shattered glass cut my leg. Looking at my son’s righteous expression, I felt like killing this little brat. Before having him, I was a high-ranking executive. But because he couldn’t be left alone, I became a stay-at-home mom for ten years. In the last life, when the heatwave hit, they lived comfortably off the resources I stockpiled, while I was left to die in the basement. I begged my son for a way out. But to please Olivia, he blocked the basement vent, letting me pass out. I didn’t die instantly. I watched them take a cleaver to me, heard them greedily shout: “Get a bowl to catch it! We can drink the blood!” “She’s over 100 pounds, enough for us to drink for a while!” My son jumped first to bite into my vein. Take a step back, and the sea will be vast. But the more I endured, the angrier I got. I slapped my son, swelling his cheek. He tried to bite me, yelling for me to go back to the countryside. I glanced at Daniel, who was watching the drama, and calmly said: “If you don’t control the kid, I won’t get the marriage certificate in thirty days.” Only then did Daniel intervene, “You gave birth to him. What’s wrong with packing his clothes?” “Did I reproduce asexually?” Daniel couldn’t out-argue me, so he awkwardly packed some short sleeves and shorts, dragging our son, who made faces at me, out the door. He pretended to be affectionate, asking me to stay for a while. I didn’t agree. The city apartment would soon lose water and power in the apocalypse, not only becoming useless but also making us targets for neighbors. This time, let it be the Smith family’s grave!

Once Daniel and my son left, I wasted no time rummaging through the basement. During the three special years, I developed a habit of hoarding supplies. I had stored quite a bit of food in the basement. This time, I’m taking everything! Twenty cases of bottled water? In the heatwave, water is most precious—must take! Seven bags of rice, flour, and oil? I went through hell to get these into the basement, so I’m taking them home! The vegetables growing on the balcony? They’re my hard work; no way I’m leaving them for those jerks! Light summer clothes and quilts…wear clothes and cover with quilts in the heat? I packed them into the donation box downstairs, leaving only long sleeves and thick quilts for the Smiths. I also picked up a hammer from the toolbox and gave the air conditioner a few whacks. The already-broken unit let out a few whimpers. I hope the three of them have good endurance, wearing long sleeves at 149 degrees Fahrenheit, with nothing to eat or drink, and still thrive. While emptying the house, I spotted the familiar cleaver. My son loves meat, so I used it to chop bones. But in the past life, it became the tool they used to dismember me and drink my blood. After a moment’s pause, I took it from the cabinet and placed it on the counter. Finally, I looked around the seemingly unchanged house, now empty of supplies. I ordered several surveillance cameras, installing them in hidden spots. Once everything was done, it was past 2 PM. I didn’t care about the heat outside and quickly drove back to my hometown with my things. I’m an orphan. My parents died when I was in high school, leaving me a plot of land. The villagers were kind, pooling together to support me through college. Before giving birth, I worked hard despite Daniel’s objections, building a three-story villa in my hometown. On the day it was completed, I went door-to-door, bowing and repaying the money. When the foundation was laid, most villagers helped. They used the best materials and installed eight solar panels. To avoid potential wild animals from the mountains, they even set up an electric fence around the house. Afraid I’d neglect it for long periods, the villagers planted vegetables and dug a well, maintaining it often. Even though it was 95 degrees Fahrenheit, I stood in the garden full of fruits, laughing out loud. Thanks to my stubbornness back then, this well-equipped countryside villa by the mountains is my strongest support against the heat apocalypse and my hope for rescuing villagers. With a week left until the apocalypse, I began checking the villa’s hardware. I contacted workers to install a water filtration system and bought several home-use large batteries and power banks. Even if the solar panels broke, I could manage with self-generated power. Enough cooling sources were needed. Though the house came with a complete ventilation system, I bought seven or eight stand fans, pairing them with humidifiers to ensure comfort during the apocalypse. With just a week left until the apocalypse, I began assessing the condition of my cottage’s hardware. I reached out to workers to set up a water filtration system and purchased several large home batteries and power banks. This way, even if the solar panels fail, I can still rely on alternative power sources. I also need sufficient cooling options. Although my house is equipped with a complete ventilation AC system, I wasn’t completely reassured, so I bought seven or eight stand fans and matching humidifiers to ensure I can stay cool even after the world ends. The home freezers weren’t enough. I bought an entire row of commercial freezers from the shelves, placing three on each floor of the basement. Thankfully, my house is spacious enough, so storing all this equipment didn’t make it feel cramped. After reviewing my home’s layout, I ordered five extra-large water barrels, four home fish tanks, a row of breeding cages, and a set of indoor gardening tools. I arranged for the workers to deliver these the next day. After purchasing all these items, I found myself out of money. I didn’t hesitate and quickly downloaded loan apps on my phone, borrowing nearly a million from them. By the time the water filtration system was installed, it was already late at night. I hastily ate a meal and lay in bed to rest, preparing for the challenges ahead. The next day, I started stocking up on essentials. Not knowing how long the extreme heat apocalypse would last, I bought items focusing on quantity rather than cost.

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Five years ago, Foster went bankrupt. Hounded by creditors, he was almost killed. He just said: “Chloe, please, help me.” I sold my heart for a million to pay off his debts, agreeing to have an experimental bionic heart implanted. But later, I found out the bankruptcy was fake. The real reason? To trick me into donating my heart to save his childhood sweetheart, Vivian. I left without a second thought, coming to this remote town of Maple Creek to be a teacher. Now, the side effects of that bionic heart are kicking in. I’m growing increasingly emotionally detached, becoming “Ms. Chloe, the robot,” as my students call me. I never imagined Foster would show up again, with a rosy-cheeked Vivian by his side. Vivian gasped, covering her mouth in feigned surprise, “Is that… Chloe?” She sighed dramatically: “Who would believe the former wife of the wealthiest man would hide in a backwater like this? And dressed so… shabbily.” Foster looked at my faded clothes, his eyes unreadable. “You left me over such a small thing, just because I lied to you, and now you’re living like this?” “Chloe, I told you I’d take care of you forever. You shouldn’t hate me.” Meeting him again, I felt nothing: “Mr. Foster, thank you for coming to donate to the community school and help the children.”

Foster’s eyes held a frustration I couldn’t decipher. “Chloe, enough! I know you still blame me, but you have to come back with me. I’ll make it up to you.” My gaze was completely calm. “You ripped out my heart for another woman, then put this defective piece of machinery in me. Now you talk about making it up to me?” Vivian immediately stepped forward, linking her arm through Foster’s, her voice sweet but sharp. “This bionic heart is the result of my medical professor’s research. It was rigorously tested during clinical trials. There are absolutely no side effects.” Foster’s gaze on Vivian remained soft. He turned to me, sighing. “Chloe, as long as you don’t take it out on Vivian, you can be Foster’s wife again.” I gently shook my head. “I stopped caring a long time ago. All I want now is to stay in Maple Creek.” Foster froze, his eyes dark and unreadable. Vivian caught Foster’s hesitation, a flicker of displeasure in her eyes, though her face twisted into a wronged expression. She clutched Foster’s arm, her eyes watery as she looked at me. “Chloe, I know you still resent me for using your heart, don’t you? I’ve felt so guilty all these years. What if… what if I just give you your heart back?!” Foster’s face darkened. He quickly pulled Vivian behind him, his eyes filled with wary defensiveness as he looked at me: “Vivian is allergic to metal; a bionic heart would kill her. You wouldn’t want anything to happen to her, would you?” “What happened back then was my fault. If you want to hate anyone, hate me. Don’t target her.” I stood my ground, my fingers curling, feeling the bionic heart beat a little erratically. I turned to leave, but Vivian, still sniffling, blocked my path. “But you clearly resent me for taking your heart.” Her voice was choked with tears. “Foster, let’s go. Since Ms. Chloe doesn’t welcome us, we won’t bother her any longer. The school… there’s no need to donate anymore.” The students peering from the windows instantly panicked, quietly calling out, “Ms. Chloe, don’t let them leave.” Seeing their wide, hopeful eyes, I knew I couldn’t betray their expectations. I silently turned, pulling out a stack of yellowed, well-worn letters from a drawer. These were the revised new school applications I’d written over and over for five years, along with the signed donation agreement. I handed them to Vivian. “Ms. Vivian, the students have been waiting for this school for a very long time. I hope you won’t withdraw your donation because of personal feelings.” A glint of ruthlessness flashed in Vivian’s eyes. “Foster, she’s using the children to emotionally manipulate me! We came here to donate, not to be disrespected!” The next second, she snatched the donation agreement, poised to tear it apart. 2. Seeing this, I quickly stepped forward to stop her. “You can’t tear it.” Vivian paused, raising an eyebrow at me mockingly. “Oh? So you’re anxious now? Why don’t you beg me?” I didn’t hesitate. “Fine, I beg you.” She didn’t know how many times I had practiced that pleading tone. As Vivian’s hand lifted again, I knelt, the cold concrete digging painfully into my knees. “Please.” All that so-called dignity and shame had long vanished, along with the heart I’d sold. Foster’s pupils constricted. He reached out to stop me, pulling me up forcefully, his voice low. “Chloe! What are you doing?!” He remembered the old me, too proud to ever easily bow her head. Now, she was kneeling for a donation agreement. A look of unbearable pity crossed his face. He turned to Vivian, his voice firm. “Give me the donation agreement. I won’t withdraw the donation for this community school.” Vivian saw Foster protecting me, and jealousy flared in her eyes. She pouted. “Fine, it’s not like I said I wouldn’t donate.” As she spoke, her hand suddenly relaxed, and the paper, caught by a gentle breeze, drifted into the nearby river ditch. Without a moment’s hesitation, I turned and jumped into the icy water. Foster’s face twisted in panic. Vivian clung to Foster’s arm, her voice soft. “My hand just slipped. It’s okay, Foster. Chloe knows how to swim; she’ll be right up.” But the water was bone-chilling. My bionic heart suddenly emitted a piercing hum, instantly malfunctioning. A suffocating sensation overwhelmed me. Foster waited for a moment, and when I didn’t surface, he began to take off his coat, preparing to jump in. “It’s too dangerous!” Vivian desperately pulled him back. “You’re a CEO, how can you take such a risk?!” Foster’s movements faltered. Reason returned, but looking at the calm surface of the water, his heart clenched. Just as he hesitated, I suddenly burst out of the water, clutching the drenched agreement tightly in my hand, my voice weak. “I found it.” Vivian scoffed. “You can clearly swim, so why didn’t you come out earlier? I bet you just wanted to get Foster’s attention!” Foster’s anger instantly ignited. He said coldly: “Chloe, purposefully delaying in the water, just to make me worry?” I was drenched and had no energy to respond. Struggling out of the river ditch, they finally saw that I was only wearing a thin single layer in the dead of winter. Foster’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He was angry and heartbroken. “Chloe, you left me just to live this hard life? Wouldn’t it be better to come back with me and be Foster’s wife again?” He took off his cashmere coat, reaching out to drape it over my shoulders. But I turned away, coldly rejecting his approach. Foster’s eyes darkened. At that moment, the students rushed over, putting their not-so-warm jackets on me, their small faces filled with worry. “Ms. Chloe, are you okay? We don’t want a new school if they don’t really want to donate.” Vivian’s face instantly changed. She stepped forward, scolding sharply: “What are you little brats talking about? Why are you all gathered here? Get back to class!” The children were intimidated by her aggressive tone, timidly backing away, but still watching me, their eyes full of concern. 3 The biting cold prevented the bionic heart from restarting. Intense pain instantly filled my chest, and a suffocating sensation drowned me like a tide. I bent over, my voice breaking. “Go to my room… get my medicine.” A student turned and ran off. Foster frowned, staring at me, his tone full of suspicion. “Chloe, are you really playing sick to avoid coming back with me? Is this some kind of game?” Vivian stood by, faking a check of my pupils and pulse. “Foster, I’m a medical doctor. I can responsibly tell you, she’s fine. I know all the specs of that bionic heart; these symptoms simply don’t occur. She’s faking it.” But the excruciating pain made me curl up on the ground, my skin flushing an unnatural red. Every breath was a tearing agony. I bit down hard on my lip, tasting blood. Though I had long been prepared for my bionic heart to fail, ready to leave this world at any moment. But not now… I still needed to see the new school built, to see these children find their way out of this mountain town. As my breathing grew weaker, Foster finally panicked. He was about to step forward when Vivian blocked him. “I’m a doctor, let me handle this.” She rummaged through her bag, pulled out a white pill, and put it in my mouth. After a while, the intense pain throughout my body actually gradually subsided, and my breathing became smoother. Foster sighed in relief, looking at Vivian with profound gratitude. “Thank goodness for you, Vivian.” I lay on the ground, gazing at the gray sky, feeling my bionic heart resume its beating. Principal Miller rushed over. Seeing my state, he quickly helped me up. “Ms. Chloe, please go rest in your room. Change your clothes. The donation ceremony is in three hours.” Back in my dilapidated dorm, with its peeling walls and sparse furnishings. Back then, before the side effects fully manifested, I often cried myself to sleep, my heart feeling like a piece had been brutally ripped out. But later, the bionic heart’s side effects completely took over, stripping away all my emotions. Love and hate became blurred concepts, leaving only indifference. A wave of exhaustion washed over me, and I collapsed onto the bed, quickly falling asleep. Three hours later, Foster’s knocking woke me up. I opened the door. He frowned, urging me, “The donation ceremony is about to begin. As a teacher, how can you be absent?” Before he finished speaking, his gaze fell on the dilapidated, simple room. His pupils constricted, and a complex wave of emotion flooded his face. At the community school donation ceremony, Foster and Vivian stood side by side on stage. Principal Miller couldn’t help but praise them. “You two are truly a perfect match, and so generous! A couple made in heaven!” Foster’s brow furrowed. He explained in a low voice: “We are not married.” Vivian, however, tightened her grip on his arm, her smile gentle. “Foster, we’re getting married next year. What’s the difference?” Foster didn’t respond, remaining silent. During the donation segment, Principal Miller held the microphone, excitedly saying: “Thank you, Mr. Foster and Ms. Vivian, for your generous donation of one hundred million dollars. The children of Maple Creek will forever remember your kindness.” When it was time for the flower presentation, I walked onto the stage holding a bouquet. They were the esteemed donors, the center of attention. I was just a teacher tasked with presenting flowers, like an inconspicuous usher. As I reached the front of the stage, my bionic heart suddenly throbbed violently. My legs buckled, unable to support me. I stumbled straight forward, colliding directly with Vivian.

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Before Valerie’s grandmother passed away, her dying wish was for Valerie to marry me. So, even though she still loved her high school sweetheart, Valerie stuck to our engagement. Until her high school sweetheart killed the puppy I’d raised since it was tiny. Valerie, yet again, chose to stand by him. This time, I didn’t argue. I just contacted my professor and applied to join his top-secret research project. Before I left, I gave myself seven days to sort everything out. On the first day, I took off the engagement ring, the one that was supposed to symbolize “forever.” On the third day, I handed in my resignation to the company. It wasn’t until the day I left that Valerie seemed to suddenly remember Lucky, promising to take me to pick out a new puppy tomorrow. Immediately after, she added, “Brandon needs a tux for the company’s charity gala tonight. Get it ready and send it over to him.” I smiled and agreed, and from that moment on, I disappeared from her life forever. Later, every time Valerie heard news of me, she would stare blankly at that engagement ring. It was the lover she could never get back, and the new puppy she would never get to give away…

Looking at the non-disclosure agreement in my hand, I signed my name without a moment’s hesitation. “Professor Davies, I’m ready to join the Rocket Development Project.” He looked at me with a hint of regret. “Julian, you need to understand, this project is highly classified. Once you’re in, you’ll need to go off-grid for at least ten years, cutting off all contact with the outside world.” “Aren’t you getting married soon? You should at least discuss this with your fiancée.” Remembering Valerie’s cold and resolute face, I shook my head with a bitter smile. “There’s no need.” Professor Davies was silent for a moment before finally nodding. “Alright. Get ready. We leave in seven days.” When I left Professor Davies’ office, it was raining. I didn’t bother with an umbrella, walking all the way back to that cold apartment, drenched. As expected, Valerie still wasn’t home. Brandon had taken Lucky, the puppy I’d raised since it was tiny, and when I confronted him, Valerie had snapped at me. I hadn’t seen her for three days since then. I pulled the ring off my finger and tossed it carelessly into the back of a drawer. It was “forever,” Valerie’s own design, symbolizing a lifetime of commitment, a promise of “till death do us part.” I had once been naive enough to believe we would grow old together. But ever since Brandon came back to the country, everything changed. Valerie stopped remembering my birthday, stopped caring about my feelings. I became nothing more than a disposable shadow in this house. I was about to take off my soaked shirt when the doorbell rang. I opened the door to find Brandon standing outside, a look of disdain and arrogance on his face. He casually nudged something on the ground with his foot. “Your dog. Unfortunately, it got hit by a car.” I stared in disbelief at his feet—Lucky’s tiny body was curled up there, his fur matted with mud and blood. My heart twisted, and my eyes instantly burned. Seeing my reaction, Brandon’s lips curled into a barely perceptible smirk. “It’s just a dog. Why are you crying like someone in your family died?” I couldn’t hold back anymore. I shot up and grabbed his collar. “You did this, didn’t you?!” Just then, Valerie rushed over, drawn by the noise. Her brows furrowed as she saw the scene. Brandon smoothly brushed my hand away and sighed at Valerie. “I understand he’s upset about his pet. But he seems to think this is my fault.” Valerie immediately glared at me, her eyes filled with displeasure. “Brandon was being kind, bringing Lucky back! Julian, you’re out of control.” I pointed at Lucky, my voice trembling. “Kind? Look at him!” Valerie’s gaze swept over the tiny body on the ground. A flicker of pity crossed her eyes, but it was quickly replaced by irritation. “It was just an accident! Julian, can’t you be more mature? We’re sad about it, but life goes on. Grandma’s trust fund for you is more than enough to handle this.” “A ‘dog’?” I stared at her, barely able to breathe. She knew what Lucky meant to me – he was the last gift my mother gave me before she died. She had once stood by my mother’s hospital bed, solemnly promising to take care of Lucky and me. Now, to defend Brandon, she casually dismissed him as “just a dog.” Valerie’s heart had clearly strayed beyond return. I was tired, too tired to argue anymore. Thinking of my impending departure, a sense of relief washed over me. Valerie ignored me, turning to Brandon, her tone softening. “It’s pouring outside. Let me walk you out.” Brandon nodded. As he turned to follow Valerie, he glanced back at me, a provocative glint in his eyes. Watching them walk away side-by-side, I smiled bitterly. It turned out the Valerie who had fallen for me at first sight, who had pursued me so passionately, had never truly loved me. I was just a comfort during her loneliness, and Brandon, he was her heart’s true desire. Now, her true love was back. It was time for me, the placeholder, to make my exit. But none of that mattered anymore. I locked the ring and the unsigned pre-nuptial agreement in the drawer. Valerie would never know that the agreement her grandmother had forced her to sign, stipulating that half her assets be transferred to me, I had never even taken to a lawyer for notarization, nor had I signed my name.

After Lucky’s cremation, I buried him next to my mother’s tombstone. Early on the third day, Professor Davies sent me the exact departure time. I replied, “Received,” then walked into the Human Resources office. The process of formally resigning went unusually smoothly, perhaps they had been displeased with me for a while. As soon as I closed the office door, hushed voices drifted out: “Quitting just like that? It’s different when your fiancée is about to be CEO. I heard Valerie’s grandmother designated half her trust fund to him.” “What CEO’s husband? They’re not even married yet. I bet it’s because Valerie transferred his key project to Brandon.” “Wasn’t that the project he’d been working on for almost two years? It was almost finished. Letting Brandon take over now is like letting him just waltz in and claim the credit.” “So what? Brandon is Valerie’s favorite.” I couldn’t blame them for thinking that. As soon as Brandon returned to the country, Valerie gave him a Senior Vice President position. Even though he was completely unqualified, she would personally hand projects to him. She even made me pull all-nighters to revise proposals for Brandon, to entertain clients for him, until I ended up hospitalized with a stomach hemorrhage. Even then, she merely said, “You owe him.” Listening to the continuous mockery, my heart remained calm. I just wished time would pass faster. Paperwork done, I returned to the apartment with a box of personal belongings, only to find Valerie and Brandon having breakfast in the dining room, chatting and laughing. Watching Valerie naturally feed Brandon a bite of food, my fingers tightened slightly. Once, I accidentally used her water glass, and she immediately hired a professional team to disinfect the entire kitchen, sternly warning me to mind my boundaries. Turns out she wasn’t a germaphobe; she just recoiled from intimacy with me. Seeing me return, Brandon deliberately hooked his finger around Valerie’s hand, his tone light but subtly pointed. “Valerie, if you gave Julian’s position to me, won’t he be upset?” Valerie didn’t even lift her head, scoffing. “I’m the CEO. Do I need his permission for my decisions?” “But he hasn’t been home for days.” “Let him throw a tantrum, ignore him.” Valerie’s voice was impatient. A victorious smile flickered in Brandon’s eyes, and he leaned casually on her shoulder, an intimate gesture. I remained silent, walking straight towards the stairs. “Julian!” Valerie finally noticed me, a flicker of discomfort crossing her face. She angrily dropped her knife and fork onto her plate, ordering, “Stop!” I didn’t stop. She took a few quick steps and grabbed my arm. “Julian, are you done with your tantrum? You decided to come back?” She reached for the box in my arms. I stepped aside to avoid her. “Don’t bother, you have other things to tend to.” Valerie’s face darkened further, about to erupt, when Brandon’s voice chimed in, just the right hint of dependence. “Valerie, I’d love some scrambled eggs. Yours are the best.” “Okay.” Valerie immediately turned and walked to the kitchen. I was about to head to my room when Brandon blocked the staircase. “Something wrong?” I looked at him. He glanced towards the kitchen, his docile expression vanishing. “You heard it all, didn’t you?” He lowered his voice, an undisguised arrogance in his tone. “Julian, you know perfectly well Valerie’s heart belongs to me. If her grandmother hadn’t forced her, do you really think you’d have been in this position?” “I heard the old lady left you a lot of stuff? Don’t actually think those things are yours.” He advanced half a step, his gaze intense. “Be smart, hand over that agreement yourself. If I say the word, she’ll make you leave anytime.” He paused, a mocking smirk playing on his lips. “Oh, I forgot. Your family is gone. You’re pretty much a stray dog with nowhere to go now. No wonder you’re clinging to Valerie so desperately.” I could endure any humiliation he threw at me. But he shouldn’t have mentioned my family. A cold fury instantly gripped my heart. I lowered my voice, each word deliberate. “Brandon, shut your mouth.” “Julian! What crazy stunt are you pulling now?!” Valerie’s angry shout came from the kitchen doorway. She had clearly heard my low growl and quickly rushed over, instinctively shielding Brandon behind her. I froze. In that instant, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Brandon’s mouth twitch almost imperceptibly. Then, his foot slipped, he let out a gasp, and his body seemed to lose balance, falling backward, but his hand “accidentally” slammed hard into my arm. I was already standing at the edge of the stairs, holding a box and off-balance. The sudden force sent me sprawling backward, tumbling down the stairs. Excruciating pain shot through my entire body. “Julian!” Valerie dropped what she was holding and rushed down the stairs to help me. Brandon followed, a hint of panic and helplessness on his face. He clutched his arm, his brow furrowed, and explained to Valerie, “Valerie, I… I lost my footing and accidentally bumped him. I’m so sorry.” His voice was soft, with a deliberate note of suppressed pain, but his gaze darted quickly to me, a fleeting, almost imperceptible coldness in his eyes. Valerie checked Brandon to make sure he was okay, then frowned at me. “Are you alright? Do you need to go to the hospital? Brandon didn’t mean it, don’t make a big deal out of this.” I shook my head, turning my face away in pain, only to see my resignation letter and that confidential document lying scattered among my belongings.

My heart leaped into my throat. Ignoring the pain, I fumbled to gather them. “I’ll get it.” Valerie had already knelt down, picking up the resignation letter before me. My breath hitched, my eyes fixed on her hand. Fortunately, her attention was entirely on the letter. I quickly tucked the confidential document under other miscellaneous items. “You quit?” Her tone held surprise. “Yeah.” I haphazardly stuffed my things back into the box. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” she asked, displeased. “I told you to hand over the project to Brandon, and you were so unwilling. Did you finally come to your senses?” Perhaps my face was too pale, as her tone softened slightly for a rare moment. “It’s fine that you quit. Grandma left you enough to live on. Just be Mr. Wen now, and stop competing with Brandon. He’s innocent; he doesn’t have as many tricks up his sleeve as you do.” I bit my lower lip, nodding, my heart feeling like it was being pricked by countless needles. I endured the pain, trying to stand. She reached out to help me, then continued, “Before you leave, make sure to explain all the project details to Brandon, so those difficult clients don’t give him trouble.” “He’s not as good at dealing with people as you are, and he’s not like you, knowing how to win over Grandma and get so much stuff.” I didn’t want to waste any more time on them. I calmly replied, “Okay.” Valerie seemed pleased by my obedience, a faint smile gracing her lips. “That’s better. I’ve neglected you lately, but once Brandon fully takes over your work, I’ll make it up to you.” “After Grandma’s mourning period is over, we’ll have our wedding, so she can rest in peace.” I bit my lip hard, suppressing the ache in my chest. That day would never come. Over the next few days, I quietly packed my bags, prepared a detailed project memo for Brandon, and made time to visit Valerie’s grandmother’s grave, informing her of my decision. She had loved me dearly in life; I knew she wouldn’t want to see me suffer like this. On the last day, Valerie didn’t go to the office. I was a little nervous, wondering how to avoid her. But she found the long-unused astronomical telescope. “Brandon wants to go stargazing and camping in the park. I’m going with him today.” “Okay.” I secretly breathed a sigh of relief. This suited me perfectly. “The company’s charity gala is tonight,” she added. “Get his tux ready.” I thought for a moment. By then, I would already be on my way to Nevada. Brandon walked over, intimately linking his arm through Valerie’s, his voice tinged with a well-placed hint of difficulty and grievance. “Valerie, asking Julian to prepare the tux… his project files caused me so much trouble with clients before. Maybe I should just wear something casual? I don’t want to…” He lowered his eyes, his voice trailing off. Though there were no tears, he perfectly portrayed that look of suppressed grievance, of being wronged but not stating it directly. Valerie immediately frowned and glared at me. “Julian! If you don’t want to, you can just say so! Doing these sneaky things behind my back is truly disappointing!” The moment of departure was close at hand. I didn’t want any more conflict. I calmly told Brandon, “My apologies, that was my oversight last time. It won’t happen again.” Then I said to Valerie, “I’ll prepare the tux, don’t worry.” A faint look of shame flickered across Valerie’s face. After a moment of hesitation, she spoke in a stiff voice, “Julian, tomorrow… tomorrow I’ll go with you to pick out a new puppy. We’ll definitely find one just like Lucky.” Before the car Professor Davies sent came to pick me up, I had already delivered the perfectly ironed tux. I also placed the “forever” ring and the never-effective pre-nuptial agreement on the living room table. Carrying my simple luggage downstairs, Professor Davies looked at my expressionless face and sighed softly. “Since you’ve made your decision, focus on your work there and make a real impact.” “I will.” The car started, and Valerie’s mansion grew smaller and smaller in the rearview mirror, eventually disappearing from sight. In the early hours of the morning, Valerie returned home with a slightly tipsy Brandon. The house was dark and silent. She instinctively felt annoyed. Usually, no matter how late, I would always leave a light on in the living room. “Julian? Go make some hangover soup.” The empty house offered no response. Valerie irritably flipped on the light. The moment her gaze landed on the documents and the ring on the table, her pupils constricted, and she shrieked, “Julian! Who gave you permission to take off the ring!”

But the empty house offered no response, only silence. Valerie stood in the center of the living room, unaware that her heart was trembling. Everyone exchanged confused glances, wondering what was wrong with Valerie, why she was suddenly acting this way. But a chill radiated from Valerie, and no one dared to approach. So they subtly nudged Brandon. “Brandon, what’s wrong with Valerie?” “Don’t you want to go check on her?” “Yeah, it looks like Valerie is looking for something.” Someone even whispered, “Didn’t Valerie stop caring about Julian ages ago? Why is she looking for him now?” “Right? Julian already quit, what’s the point of looking for him?” The whispers reached Valerie’s ears, but she was too preoccupied to listen. Her mind was consumed with where Julian could be, and why he had taken off the ring. For the first time, panic began to set in. She felt as if something was slipping from her grasp, and her heartbeat echoed in her ears, almost deafening her. Valerie snatched up the documents and the ring from the table and rushed towards Julian’s room. Ever since Brandon’s return, she and Julian had been sleeping in separate rooms. Valerie had said Brandon would misunderstand, that he would be upset. But she had never considered whether Julian would be sad, or upset, even though he was her fiancé. She should have realized then that it was just Brandon’s way of marking his territory. But she had foolishly believed that everything would get better once she and Julian were married, that she would change. But what was the reality? Valerie had only pushed Julian’s boundaries, only hurt him, time and time again. And all it took was a single word from Brandon. Seeing Valerie’s panicked state, Brandon secretly gloated, wondering if this meant his chance had finally arrived. “Valerie.” “Forget about him for now. Who knows where he’s gone off to.” Brandon walked up to Valerie, attempting to gently stop her, but she flung his arm away. The force of her push was not insignificant. Brandon stumbled, hitting the wall. A dull pain shot through his shoulder blade, making him wince and suck in a sharp breath. “Ow… that hurts.” The woman who should have immediately fussed over him, showering him with concern, now seemed deaf to his pain, not even sparing him a glance. Brandon put on his familiar pained and wronged expression, his brow slightly furrowed, his voice dropping. “Valerie, you hurt me…” In the past, if he ever showed the slightest discomfort, no matter what it was, Valerie would agree to anything. Even on their engagement night, when he asked Valerie to abandon Julian and come to him, she would do it. All past events proved that Valerie’s indulgence for him surpassed everything. But now Valerie was pushing him away like this. It was something he simply couldn’t accept. “Valerie!” Brandon called out again, his voice tinged with displeasure and a hint of almost imperceptible panic. Unwilling to bear the pain, he tried to catch up but, seeing he couldn’t, stopped, clutching the sore spot, his face pale. Someone stepped forward to express concern. “Brandon, are you okay?” “Where did you hit yourself? Is it serious?” Brandon shook his head, completely baffled by Valerie’s sudden coldness. He hesitated, then turned to look at his friend – Valerie’s secretary, who naturally knew Valerie’s affairs well. He blurted out, “It’s Valerie’s pre-nuptial agreement.” “Valerie’s grandmother made her sign it, and I was the one who delivered it to Mr. Julian for his signature. I don’t know why he never sent it for notarization to become legally binding.” “Could it be that he doesn’t want that trust fund?” The secretary looked completely astonished, as if she couldn’t comprehend it. Brandon, however, was secretly overjoyed. “Does that mean Julian isn’t going to marry Valerie now?” This was Julian giving up willingly. He had been preparing for a much longer wait to get what he wanted. Now that the opportunity was right in front of him, there was no reason not to seize it. He even thought that if Julian were there, he would “thank” him profusely for stepping aside. Seeing the barely concealed delight on his face, the secretary looked puzzled. “You’re happy they’re not getting married?” “Didn’t you always want them to get married?”

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After remarrying Jesiah Spencer, I became the perfect, compliant wife. Jesiah once said, “If you’d been this agreeable from the start, maybe we never would’ve divorced.” Even at a college reunion, his drunk friends would mock me, “You really are Jesiah’s slave, aren’t you? Even after divorcing, you just had to get back with him. You totally messed up his chance to marry Serena.” The atmosphere instantly grew thick with awkwardness. Jesiah probably expected me to blow up like I used to. But I just smiled, saying nothing. They all thought I remarried Jesiah because I loved him too much. The truth? I’d been so angry during our last divorce that I walked away with absolutely nothing, suffering a devastating financial loss. This time, after we remarried, I immediately drafted a new prenuptial agreement. When we divorced again, I wouldn’t be the one left empty-handed. After the party, Jesiah said to me in the car, “I feel like your attitude towards me has been off ever since we remarried…” “You’re being overly sensitive,” I calmly replied. “Before we got back together, I promised you repeatedly that I wouldn’t let Serena interfere in our lives again, and I’d keep my distance from her. Even at the reunion tonight, she and I kept to ourselves. What more do you want from me?” He wasn’t known for his patience, so hearing him actually string together that many words was practically unheard of. “I’ve told you countless times, if Serena’s father hadn’t helped me back then, I never would’ve made it out of that poor little town.” I locked my phone screen and stared at him, calmly meeting his impatience. “You don’t need to explain, I know.” I’d heard the same story a million times. That’s why I’d endured it when, after graduation, Jesiah went to great lengths to fast-track Serena’s recruitment into the hospital, keeping her by his side. That’s why I’d endured her frequent appearances in our lives, even on our wedding anniversaries, there was always a third person tagging along. That’s why I’d endured their endless sharing of daily details, while my own attempts at conversation were always met with cold, clipped words. But when I came home early from a business trip and found them tangled up, naked, that was it. I couldn’t endure it anymore. I demanded a divorce, willing to walk away with nothing just to cut ties with him. But then, not long after, my mother was diagnosed with an aggressive tumor and needed surgery. And it turned out, Jesiah was the only surgeon who could perform it. So, I went and begged him. What truly chilled me to the bone wasn’t just my emotional backlash, but his utterly callous attitude. “Chloe, you know I’ve been incredibly busy since my promotion.” “But if the patient were my own family, I’d definitely make time to operate myself.” “So… do you finally understand what you did wrong?” I stared at him, stunned, and under his smug, self-satisfied expression, I nodded. We remarried. But our relationship was irrevocably broken. Even sleeping in the same bed, we were strangers. Just like today. “Jesiah! I knew you hadn’t left yet! I told you, you wouldn’t abandon Serena!” Serena’s college friend, Sarah, waved from a distance. She helped a half-drunk Serena walk over to us. “Serena’s so beautiful, I just couldn’t let her go home alone. Didn’t you always take her home before?” She glanced at me, subtly, her tone laced with mockery. “Chloe, you’re pretty ‘safe-looking,’ you’ll be fine going home by yourself, right?” Jesiah looked at Serena, leaning against her friend, then at me. He looked conflicted. It stung, just as it always did, no matter how many times I witnessed his hesitation. But unlike before, when I would shout and scream, this time I simply raised my phone, expressionless. “My ride’s here. I’m leaving.” Just then, my Uber arrived. Jesiah helped Serena into the back seat, rolled down the window, and looked up at me. “You go home first and wait for me.” “Tomorrow is your mother’s final surgery. We need to discuss the details tonight.” As expected, Jesiah didn’t come home that night. But thankfully, I wasn’t like I used to be. Foolishly waiting up for him.

If a breakup is a massive withdrawal, then I’d been tortured by that feeling twice. The first time, I broke down, deleting his number and throwing away everything related to him. But after years together, he was ingrained in every corner of my life. The books he’d given me still held his love letters, each word pouring out his deepest feelings. The scarf he’d knitted for a whole month, pricking his fingers raw, he’d still smiled foolishly, asking me to try it on. He knew I loved stargazing, so he’d used two months’ worth of his part-time earnings to buy a telescope and confessed his love to me under a once-in-a-lifetime meteor shower. “Chloe, I grew up without parents, no one to look out for me. I just want to be yours, completely, to let you guide me.” But then, later, he said, “In this world, I see Serena as my only family. Chloe, can’t you just stop being so possessive?” Family? What kind of family sleeps naked in the same bed? Honestly, from the very beginning, I’d heard rumors about him and Serena at school. They said Jesiah was the top student, and the school made an exception to admit Serena because of him. They were from the same small town, their bond so close from childhood, I couldn’t help but be suspicious. But he’d told me, “Serena’s father practically adopted me back then, otherwise I would have died. I owe him everything.” “But Chloe, don’t worry, in my heart, she’s only ever been like a sister to me.” I believed him, and I paid for it with five years of my life. To be honest, that first time I saw him again after our divorce, my heart still pounded in my chest for him. His phone lock screen was still our photo together, as if nothing had changed. Remarrying him, I told myself, was my second attempt at withdrawal. I couldn’t forgive him and pretend nothing happened. Nor could I just walk away cleanly right then. So, I decided to let the pain slowly chip away at me, like a dull blade. Even if it hurt more, even if it took longer. But thankfully, after six months, I was finally numb. Once my mother’s last surgery was done, I could divorce him again, free from any burdens. I’d already drafted the divorce papers: 70% for me, 30% for him. After all, he was the one who messed up. He had to pay a price, didn’t he? However, the next day, Jesiah disappeared. The substitute surgeon, thrust onto the operating table, was sweating profusely. “We can’t reach Dr. Spencer! You’re his wife, don’t you know where he is?” “I have less than a ten percent chance of success with this surgery. You… you need to prepare yourself!” Jesiah’s phone went straight to voicemail. I called him over a hundred times, until my fingers were numb, mechanically dialing the same number again and again. Until, after what felt like an eternity, someone finally answered. “Jesiah, where in the world are—” “Oh, it’s Chloe. Jesiah went back to his hometown with me for an emergency. He’s in the shower right now.” *Buzz.* My mind went completely blank. My phone slipped from my hand and smashed to the floor, its screen shattering into a spiderweb. Was it my imagination, or did I hear Jesiah’s voice through the receiver? “Who’s calling? Is it Chloe?” “No, just a spam call…” For the next three hours. I knelt outside the operating room, begging for my mother’s life, pleading with whatever gods would listen not to take her. But when the lights of the operating room finally dimmed, all I received was a death certificate. 2. I handled my mother’s funeral all by myself. For seven days, I drifted in a daze. It wasn’t until the eighth day that Jesiah finally returned. “I’m sorry, I…” Before he could finish, I raised my hand and slapped him hard across the face. “Jesiah Spencer, you bastard!” “You killed my mother!” I put every ounce of my fury into that slap. Jesiah’s head snapped to the side. To my surprise, he didn’t get angry. He just calmly explained, “Your mother’s condition wasn’t good. Even if the surgery succeeded, she would have been tormented by chemotherapy treatments over and over again.” “Serena’s father suddenly fell gravely ill. If I didn’t go back with her, she might not have seen her father for the last time.” I was trembling with rage, unable to form a coherent sentence. But his cruelty didn’t stop there. “You never had a father growing up, so it’s only natural you wouldn’t understand this kind of bond.” I stared at him in disbelief. I couldn’t reconcile the man in front of me with the loving partner from my memories. He knew. He knew my father died in his mistress’s bed when I was eight, and that it was a pain that had haunted me my entire life. Back then, he’d held me close, comforting me, vowing to love me forever. In that moment, I completely lost it. I grabbed everything within reach and hurled it at him, screaming for him to die. But he just watched me rage, his eyes cold, and finally said, “Chloe, I actually prefer you like this.” “Stop pretending from now on. It’s pointless.” After he left, I collapsed onto the cluttered floor, sobbing uncontrollably. I started to hate him. I hated how he’d used the very weapon I’d given him to stab me through the heart, without so much as a flinch. My phone suddenly rang. It was Serena. *Hey there, sis. Heard about your mom. My condolences~* *It’s all Jesiah’s fault. I told him my dad just had a slight cold, but he just *had* to abandon you and your mom to come home with me.* *But… who told you to keep pestering him to remarry you? You only have yourself to blame, right?* Those messages stripped me of all reason. Clutching my phone, I rushed to the hospital and reported Jesiah Spencer and Serena’s improper relationship to the administration. I reported Jesiah for gross medical negligence, disappearing before surgery due to personal reasons, which led to my mother’s death. But the hospital didn’t immediately launch an investigation. They merely “invited” me into an office. They said it was a private matter, and they couldn’t intervene. Their words were a warning: Jesiah was a brilliant surgeon they’d invested heavily in. They advised me to let it go. When Jesiah arrived, I was in the middle of arguing passionately with Dean Thompson. “How can it have nothing to do with him? If it weren’t for him, my mother wouldn’t have died!” But Jesiah simply said, “I apologize, my wife has been through a lot lately, and her mental state might be a bit unstable.” The glances that had held a touch of sympathy instantly turned complex. They instinctively took a few steps back, creating a distance between us. Soon, only Jesiah and I remained in the cramped office. “Chloe, apologize.” I had cried so much my eyes were swollen, blurring his face, but I could feel his condescending presence. “You shouldn’t have caused a scene at the hospital. What if it gets out and damages Serena’s reputation?” “So, I need you to apologize to her.” I stopped wasting my breath on him and turned to open the door. I was going to contact the media, reporters, and expose their illicit affair. But then I heard him sigh softly behind me. “Then don’t blame me.” As the youngest Chief Resident in the hospital, a brilliant young mind already famous in the medical world, he’d taken seven years to climb to this position. But it would only take him seven days to have me committed to a psychiatric hospital. I lost count of how many times I insisted I wasn’t sick, only to be met with larger doses of sedatives and tighter restraints. I began to calm down, stopped resisting, and waited for my chance. Finally, I seized it. I escaped.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “320040”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn #励志Inspiring