For our New Year’s honeymoon, my husband, Carter, and his female bestie, Mia, secretly changed our destination from sunny Maui, Hawaii, to a freezing, rugged mountain cabin in Aspen, Colorado. I had severe car sickness and lay in the back seat the whole time, completely exhausted. When we finally stopped at a diner to eat, I took just one bite of my pasta and immediately had a massive allergic reaction. There was crab meat hidden in the sauce. Mia looked at me with pure disdain. “Oh, come on. Who is actually allergic to crab? Are you seriously faking this right now?” Carter didn’t hesitate. He raised his hand and slapped me right across the face. “Stop being so dramatic, Chloe. If you eat it more often, you’ll build immunity.” I didn’t even have the strength to speak. My hands were shaking violently, and my vision began to blur. I pointed at my purse, struggling to squeeze out a single word: “Epi…Pen…” He didn’t care at all. He casually kicked my bag under the seat, further out of my reach. “Just suck it up. It’ll pass.” Using the absolute last ounce of my strength, I speed-dialed my father. “Dad… Carter is trying to kill me.” Before I could say another word, Carter snatched the phone from my hand. But he had no idea. If anything happened to me, my billionaire father would make sure he paid with his life.

Carter let out a mock laugh, looking down at me with utter contempt. “Chloe, aren’t you making a mountain out of a molehill? It was just a tiny bite of crab meat.” “You’re nothing but a broke college graduate. How could you possibly have some wealthy, powerful father?” I stared at the man in front of me, unable to connect him with the sweet boy who had chased me so passionately in college. My father had always told me that genuine love was hard to find when you were filthy rich. I was rebellious back then, and I wanted to prove him wrong. So, I hid my background, became a low-level clerk at a firm, and met Carter, who had joined the company at the same time. Back then, he was thoughtful and attentive. He constantly praised how “independent and down-to-earth” I was. He used to say, “Chloe, you’re not like those gold-digging girls.” Even after we got married, I kept the secret that my father was a billionaire. But right after the wedding, Carter showed his true colors. He didn’t respect me at all. He threw my phone onto the floor. “It was just a joke. Is it really that serious?” Beside him, Mia was still glowing with excitement, acting coy. She walked over to me, wearing a fake, sugary smile. “Chloe, sweetie, please don’t be mad at Carter. It’s my fault, really. He only did it to make me laugh. He didn’t mean any harm. Besides, you only took one tiny bite. What could possibly go wrong?” Carter shot me an annoyed look. “Can you stop acting like a victim? A mild seafood allergy won’t kill you, even without medicine. You’ll be fine in a few minutes. Besides, if this little joke made Mia happy, why is it such a big deal? Mia is my best friend. Keeping her happy is my top priority.” That was always Carter’s logic. The moment I made Mia even slightly uncomfortable, he would humiliate me without mercy. My hands trembled as I fumbled through my coat pockets, trying to find my emergency medication, but they were completely empty. Mia suddenly pulled my EpiPen out of her own pocket and tossed it right out of the window into the snow. “You probably don’t even need this. Let me help you get rid of it, honey.” Carter chimed in immediately. “Exactly. It was just one bite. Stop being so fragile.” Looking at his self-righteous face, my vision went completely dark. The other customers in the diner kept their heads down, eating quietly. No one wanted to get involved in a domestic dispute. “Severe allergies… can cause anaphylactic shock… I will literally die!” I used every bit of energy left in my body to scream those words. But Mia just grabbed the edge of my sleeve, looking like she was about to cry. “Chloe, I know you don’t like me, but you don’t have to target me like this. You’re putting on a whole show in public just to make me look bad.” “Enough!” I couldn’t take it anymore. I struggled to stand up, wanting to slap the smug look off her face. But Carter shoved me back down hard. “What the hell is wrong with you? Mia has a weak heart! Are you trying to kill her?” Mia immediately clutched her chest, putting on a dramatic show of pain. “Carter, my chest hurts… I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have come on this trip with you guys.” “No, it’s not your fault, Mia.” Carter quickly held her, comforting her with a soft, gentle voice I hadn’t heard in years. “She’s just spoiled. She thinks the whole world revolves around her. Just ignore her.” I watched them holding each other like a perfect couple. My chest felt tighter, and breathing became almost impossible. With a sudden burst of rage, I swept the plates of food off the table, sending them crashing to the floor. “Carter! The moment we get back, we are getting a divorce!”

Carter froze for a second, and then his face twisted with pure fury. “Are you insane?! You want a divorce over this tiny thing? Do you even hear yourself? Do you really think I can’t live without you?” “A tiny thing?” I squeezed the words out of my burning lungs. “You tricked me—someone with a deadly seafood allergy—into eating crab. You call that a tiny thing?” “Carter, we’ve been married for so long. Have you ever actually looked at me as your wife? The second Mia has a minor issue, you run to her. But when I need you, you always have an excuse. I am your wife!” Mia stepped forward again, her voice trembling like a frightened child. “Chloe, please don’t be mad at Carter… It’s all my fault. Carter only did it to make me smile…” She wiped away fake tears and looked at Carter. “She’s only saying this because she loves you. You should go comfort her.” Seeing me collapsed miserably on the floor, a tourist at a nearby table couldn’t watch anymore. He frowned and tried to mediate. “Hey, man, your wife really doesn’t look good. Food allergies can be fatal. Maybe you should take her to the ER first.” “You don’t know her! She just loves playing the victim for sympathy,” Carter snapped, cutting the tourist off aggressively. “She always does this. The more people there are, the more she loves to put on a show. Every single time, she makes a mountain out of a molehill. Last time, just because Mia and I shared a quick kiss during a party game, she made a huge scene and embarrassed me in front of all my friends. Now she’s pulling this crap again!” His words felt like ice-cold daggers in my chest. That game happened right after we started dating. He didn’t care that I was standing right there. He kissed Mia right in front of my face. When I told him he had no boundaries, he called me petty and insecure. “Well, if that’s the case, she shouldn’t have reacted like that. It’s normal for a guy to have female friends,” another male tourist murmured in agreement. “They didn’t do anything crossing the line. Can’t you just let it go?” Hearing a few people take his side only fueled Carter’s ego. He looked down at me and barked, “Mia is just a young girl. What bad intentions could she have? Get up right now and apologize to her!” I stared at them, my vision blurring even more from the physiological tears streaming down my face. “Why… should I apologize?” My throat felt like it was blocked by concrete. My heart was pounding frantically against my ribs, suffocating me. The veins in my temples were throbbing so hard I thought they would burst. These were the warning signs of cerebral and pulmonary edema. I knew them all too well. Seeing that I wasn’t apologizing, Mia acted as if she had suffered the ultimate insult. She sobbed, “Chloe, please don’t do this. I’m so scared you guys will fight because of me… I don’t want to be the reason you divorce. I’ll book a flight and go home right now…” She made a move to leave. Carter grabbed her hand immediately, his eyes filled with worry and anger. “Mia, don’t be stupid! She’s just trying to force your hand! Anyone can play the victim!” Carter whipped around to face me, his eyes filled with disgust and hatred. “You are truly malicious, Chloe. Mia cares so much about you, and you still accuse her of trying to hurt you. Are you really going to ruin our entire honeymoon just because you feel a little uncomfortable?” How dare he even mention our honeymoon? This was supposed to be our trip. Because of his inappropriate relationship with Mia, we had argued countless times. But he never listened. He never cared. And now, my life-threatening condition was just “proof” of my pettiness in his eyes. The severe swelling in my throat prevented me from speaking. I could only open my mouth helplessly, making weak, choking sounds. Mia hid behind Carter, giving me a cold, mocking smirk when he wasn’t looking. Then, she gasped dramatically, “Carter, her face looks so pale… Do you think she’s actually hurt?” “It’s fake! She’s acting!” Carter said firmly. “She just wants to force me to apologize so she can control me later. I won’t give her the satisfaction!” He opened his water flask and handed it to Mia. “Here, Mia, have some warm water. You must be tired from talking so much. Ignore her. Let her cool her head off by herself.” I leaned against the wall, my body sliding down to the cold floor as my consciousness began to fade. Just then, Mia quietly knelt down in front of me. Her face was flushed and healthy, showing absolutely no sign of the “chest pain” she had claimed to feel earlier. She leaned in, whispering in a voice only I could hear: “Chloe, you were so good at acting. Why stopped now?” “To be honest, Carter never loved you. Once you ‘accidentally’ die, the massive life insurance policy he took out on you will kick in. Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of him—and his money—for you.” She patted my cheek gently, her voice freezing cold. “Don’t worry, sweetie. I’ll make sure your funeral is absolutely grand.”

Mia’s words were the final blow that shattered my remaining consciousness. I wanted to raise my hand and slap her, but the severe anaphylactic shock had drained every bit of my strength. I could only lean against the wall, desperately gasping for air like a fish out of water. But Mia wasn’t done. She picked up the bowl of crab pasta from the table and brought it to my lips. “Chloe, honey, are you hungry? Your lips are so white. Let me feed you another bite.” She scooped up a large piece of crab meat and shoved it brutally into my mouth. “You…!” I glared at her, trying to scream, but only a raspy wheeze came out. My body began to shake violently. Mia viciously covered my mouth, preventing me from spitting it out. “Chloe, do you know how many times I’ve been pregnant with Carter’s babies?” “Six times. Want to know why he didn’t marry me? Because he didn’t want me to suffer. He didn’t want me to live a middle-class life. So, he came up with a brilliant plan. Find a dumb, broke girl to marry, kill her for the insurance money, and then live happily ever after with me. Isn’t he smart?” Hearing this, I couldn’t believe my ears. They were monsters. Complete psychopaths! With a sudden surge of adrenaline, I slammed my head forward, knocking Mia back. I lunged at her, my mouth open, trying to bite her. Mia screamed dramatically and fell to the floor. “Chloe! I was just trying to feed you! Why did you try to bite me?!” Hearing the commotion, Carter whipped around. Seeing me lunging at Mia, his face darkened instantly. “You psycho bitch! Mia was nice enough to feed you, and this is how you treat her?!” He rushed over and kicked me hard in the stomach, sending me rolling across the floor. “How long are you going to keep acting?! Do you seriously have to throw a tantrum in front of everyone?!” “It… wasn’t me… she forced…” I squeezed out the last few syllables with everything I had. But he didn’t give me a chance to explain. He kicked me again. “Enough! I don’t want to hear your lies anymore! You only ate a bite of crab. Even if you’re allergic, it wouldn’t be this bad! You’re just jealous of my relationship with Mia, aren’t you? I only treat her like a sister, and she treats you like family! How could you be so cruel to her? Do you think acting like this will make everyone pity you?” Carter turned around and began complaining loudly to the other diners about how controlling and demanding I was, claiming I had “princess syndrome” but lived a peasant life. His complaints quickly won the sympathy of several men in the diner. One of them yelled, “You need to teach a woman like that a lesson. If she doesn’t behave, a good beating will fix her.” Carter looked down at me with absolute disgust. “Fine. You love acting? I’ll let you act all you want. Just stay here and keep pretending. I hope you actually die this time. If you can’t keep up, you can walk back yourself.” With that, he turned and walked out of the diner without looking back. The other customers looked away, leaving the diner one by one. No one cared if I lived or died. I lay on the freezing floor, my body’s trembling slowly weakening. Every breath felt like swallowing glass, and the pain in my chest gradually numbed. My vision grew darker, and the sounds around me faded into static. Not a single person turned back to look at me. Despair, cold and heavy, began to pull me down into the abyss. Maybe… this is it… I don’t want to die yet, Dad… I don’t know how much time passed, but eventually, those two devils walked back in. I heard them whispering near my ear. “Is she dead yet? Is our insurance money ready?” Suddenly, a thunderous roar echoed through the diner. “How dare you touch my daughter!”

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During my wedding dress fitting, Julian handed me a yellowed, tattered vintage gown with frayed lace and obvious yellow sweat stains under the armpits. The makeup artist froze, her hand hovering in mid-air, and the whispers of my friends and family pierced my ears like needles. His childhood friend Mia popped her head out of the fitting room with a mischievous grin. She was wearing my custom haute couture wedding gown, spinning around in front of everyone. “Are you guys mesmerized? The real dress is right here!” My three-hundred-thousand-dollar gown had been stolen and replaced by her. I bit the inside of my cheek so hard I tasted copper, wanting nothing more than to tear her apart. But Julian just smiled in delight. “Mia, you’re always so full of quirky ideas. This is actually pretty fun. Chloe, just wear that vintage one. It’s unique.” I let out a cold laugh, threw the tattered old dress right over Mia’s head, and said, “No thanks. Why don’t you two get married instead? I’m out.” Julian roared in disbelief, “She just wanted to swap dresses for fun! It’s not like she left you naked! Don’t forget, we are getting married for our families’ sake!” I replied coldly, “Don’t forget, it was your family begging for this merger, not me begging to marry you.”

The makeup artist dropped her blush brush, and the eyeshadow palette shattered into pieces on the floor. That musty, tattered wedding dress sat mockingly on the rack. The whispers around me felt like hot needles pricking my skin. “Why is the heiress of the Vance family being given a trashy, worn-out dress?” “Is the Carter family doing this on purpose? Who gets married in that?” “I heard Chloe’s custom gown cost over three hundred thousand dollars to make…” I marched over, grabbed the collar of the musty dress, my fingernails digging deep into the cheap fabric. Cold sweat began to trace down my spine. A second later, I gestured to my maid of honor. “Search the place! Head to toe! Don’t even spare Mia’s purse!” I glanced over at the VIP lounge. My mom’s face was as white as a sheet, her hands shaking so badly her teacup was sloshing over. Beside her, my dad was frantically wiping sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief. This alliance between the Carters and the Vances was a massive deal. The venue rental alone cost a fortune. The wedding was supposed to be the event of the year. I couldn’t let it become a laughingstock! “Did one of the staff make a mistake?” My best friend Harper whispered in my ear, holding the coat I had just taken off. I remained silent. The haute couture gown had been delivered by a secure transport this morning. I had watched the staff hang it in my private fitting room with my own eyes. Unless… “Chloe,” Julian walked over, his tone incredibly dismissive. “How about we skip the fitting today? We can come back when it’s less crowded…” “No.” Harper cut in quickly. “Everyone, don’t just stand there! Did someone take the dress by mistake? Bring it out now!” “Yeah! If we find it, dinner is on us! Let’s not hold up the schedule!” I watched Harper and the boutique staff tear the fitting rooms apart, checking even behind the heavy velvet curtains. I let out a cold scoff and locked my eyes onto Mia’s hiding spot. “Stop acting. If you keep dragging this out, everyone’s going to look stupid. Hand over my dress.” The moment the words left my mouth, everyone turned to look at Mia. She took a couple of steps back, instinctively grabbing Julian’s arm. After a tense silence, she screeched defensively, “I didn’t hide it! I didn’t even go into your fitting room! How would I know where the dress went? Chloe, I know you’ve always hated me, but you can’t just accuse me like this…” Julian immediately glared at me, then turned around to pat Mia’s head soothingly. The air outside the fitting room was dead silent, but Mia’s hands were visibly shaking. “Check the security cameras. From the exact moment we walked in!” Even after playing the footage back at half-speed three times, we only caught a blurry shadow. Taking advantage of a staff member’s turned back, someone had slipped the tattered vintage dress into my fitting room. But the face was obscured. I noticed Julian’s mother checking her phone for the hundredth time, her patience wearing thin. Julian suddenly stood up and said, “Chloe, we don’t have to do the fitting today. I’ll have my assistant order a new one. We can try again some other time, okay?” He didn’t even wait for my response. Instead, he turned to look at Mia. He was clearly waiting for her approval. I clenched my fists, a suffocating weight pressing down on my chest. But at this point, causing a bigger scene would indeed leave everyone embarrassed.

I took a deep breath, preparing to speak. Suddenly, Mia stepped out from the crowd. Right in front of everyone, she unbuttoned her overcoat, revealing my custom haute couture gown underneath. She squealed in mock surprise, “Ta-da! The dress is right here! I told you guys you wouldn’t be able to find it!” The delicate lace of the collar brushed against Julian’s arm. Without thinking, Julian reached out to gently smooth the fabric over her shoulder. That casual, intimate gesture made my chest ache with sharp betrayal. But Mia didn’t care at all. The moment she finished her little display, the entire boutique fell into a horrifying silence. Everyone stared at her, their faces painted with utter disbelief. Harper finally snapped out of her shock, her voice climbing an octave, “I knew it! Earlier, Mia said she wanted to help you check the measurements. I literally saw her walk into the storage closet with a garment bag… Oh my god, Chloe, I’m so sorry! I didn’t realize she was psycho enough to actually steal your wedding dress!” Turning to Mia, Harper asked, her voice cracking with fury, “Mia, do you literally have nothing better to do with your life? Why the hell would you swap Chloe’s dress with a piece of trash?” Mia just rolled her eyes, completely unfazed. She looked up at Julian, putting on a sweet, whining baby voice, “Julian, I just wanted to give you a little surprise. Don’t you like it? I look so pretty in this dress. I’m sure Chloe wouldn’t mind letting me try it on, right?” With that, Mia snatched the tattered vintage dress from the table and shoved it into my hands, acting as if she were the star of the show. “Chloe, just wear this one. Let’s get this fitting over with!” The smug triumph in her eyes made me realize this entire farce was a calculated move. She wanted to humiliate me publicly. No wonder she had been hovering over me since we arrived. One minute she was asking about the dress details, the next she was offering to hold my things. She had been setting this trap all along. I let out a sharp, cold laugh. “So, let me get this straight. You expect me to just hand over my three-hundred-thousand-dollar custom gown to you, while I wrap myself in your tattered garbage?” The moment I said that, Mia’s eyes welled up with tears, and she sank into Julian’s chest. “Julian, I really didn’t mean to… I just wanted to play a harmless joke on Chloe. I didn’t know she would be so mean… I’ve never worn a wedding dress before. How was I supposed to know it was so fragile and off-limits?” “Even if you’ve never worn one, surely you know that stealing someone else’s property is wrong?” I sneered, staring at her pathetic act. “Or did your parents forget to teach you basic morals?” Of course she knew. If she had any respect, she wouldn’t have “accidentally” spilled red wine all over my gown at the last family gala. Back then, she had whimpered the exact same excuse, “Chloe, your dress was just so pretty. I wanted to see how it felt.” But what shocked me most was Julian’s reaction. He actually stepped in to shield her. He pried my hand away, his tone dripping with impatience, “It’s just a dress, Chloe. Mia was just having some fun. Do you really have to throw a tantrum over this?” I looked down at his tight grip on my wrist. He was frowning, looking at me as if I were a nagging nuisance. “Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill, Chloe. Everyone is watching.” I glanced over at the lounge area. Julian’s mother was wearing a tight, strained smile. His father was staring at the floor, his face completely dark. This arranged marriage was supposed to secure the Vance family’s logistics and supply chain for the Carters. In exchange, the Vance family would expand our market into the West Coast. Anyone with half a brain knew this was purely a business transaction. In an instant, all the anger drained out of me. I wasn’t calm; I was just completely, utterly exhausted. Julian didn’t notice my shift in mood. He pressed on, “I’ll just have my assistant order another custom gown. Stop causing a scene, okay?” He spoke to me with the patronizing tone one would use on a hysterical toddler. Then, my eyes fell on the pearl necklace around Mia’s neck. It was a rare piece I had dropped hints about for months, yet Julian always “forgot” to get it for me. I burst into a sudden laugh. “Don’t bother ordering a new one. The wedding is off.” The entire fitting room went dead silent. Every eye in the room snapped to me like daggers. The hanger clattered out of a staff member’s hand. Julian grabbed my arm, his grip painfully tight. “Chloe Vance! Have you lost your mind? You’re calling off the wedding over a dress?!” Mia was the one who stole the gown, brought a sweat-stained rag, and ruined the entire day. Yet, in his eyes, I was the one being unreasonable. Julian and I had been together for two years. Two years ago, my dad started convincing me that the Carter family was our best business match, so I agreed to meet him. From awkwardly forcing conversations on our first date, to pretending to share his obsession with sports cars. I was always the one adapting, the one compromising. I thought even the coldest stone could be melted if I held it close enough for long enough. The day he finally agreed to the engagement, I immediately commissioned a gown from a top designer in Paris. I chose the exact silhouette he had casually mentioned liking once. Harper told me that when I got the sketches back, I was smiling like an absolute idiot. “I begged my dad for a year to get him to agree to this partnership with your family,” I had told him back then, holding his hand. “Now, I know it was worth it.” I kept my word. I always put him first. I rescheduled board meetings just to attend his parties. I drifted away from my own friends because his moods dictated my schedule. Whenever he said, “I want to see you,” I would drop everything and run to him, no matter where I was. But everything changed when Mia returned from abroad. Our dates were constantly interrupted by her emergencies. She would snatch the anniversary gifts I bought him, whining, “Julian, I want one of these too!” Every time I got upset, Julian would just pat my head condescendingly. “Mia is practically my little sister. Stop being so petty, okay?” He didn’t know I had seen the photos on her Snapchat. She was cuddled up in his lap, wearing the luxury watch I had gifted him. He didn’t know that last week, when I went to his office to drop off some corporate documents, I saw Mia walking out of his private office wearing his suit jacket. The night before the fitting, I had sat on my balcony until dawn. I had already realized, deep down, that this marriage was a mistake.

But it wasn’t until I saw him shielding Mia just now, looking at me with pure annoyance, that I finally woke up. “Chloe!” Julian squeezed my arm harder, making me wince. “You know this is a merger. You wouldn’t dare call it off!” One by one, I pried his fingers off my arm. My gaze drifted to the pearl necklace on Mia’s neck. “The Vance family is merging with the Carters. I am not marrying you.” Julian’s grip tightened again. He leaned in close, his voice dripping with a low threat, “Chloe, if you call off this engagement, the Carters will immediately cut off your logistics channels.” He stepped closer, his eyes cold and sharp, fully expecting me to fold like I always did. But I simply turned my head, ignoring the staring onlookers, and looked him dead in the eye. “Cut off our logistics? Go ahead. The contract is clear. A breach of contract requires a ten-fold penalty. Are you sure the Carter family can afford that kind of cash right now?” His eyes widened, clearly shocked by my sudden spine. The Carters’ cash flow issues were an open secret in high society. Without our supply chain backing them up, they’d have gone under months ago. His father had practically begged my dad for this alliance. Julian had assumed I would keep playing the submissive fiancé. Too bad for him. This time, I was done. Sensing the shift in the room, Mia immediately turned on her waterworks. “Chloe, please don’t fight with Julian because of me.” She reached out to grab my arm, but I stepped back, letting her hand fall into empty air. Her eyes welled with tears as she looked up at Julian, her voice trembling. “Julian, this is all my fault. If I hadn’t put on this dress, none of this would have happened. I’ll take it off right now. I’ll tell everyone it was just a silly mistake. Please, go ahead with the wedding. Don’t let me ruin your lives, okay?” Her words sounded apologetic, but her eyes shot me a smug, silent message: Give up. He’ll always choose me. Sure enough, Julian immediately wrapped his arms around her, whispering softly, “It’s not your fault, Mia. She’s just being difficult.” Watching their pathetic little show, a wave of pure disgust washed over me. “Mia,” I interrupted, my voice perfectly calm. “Are you done acting? If you were actually sorry, you’d take off my dress and get the hell out of here, instead of fishing for sympathy.” The room gasped. Mia’s expression froze. She never expected me to call her out so bluntly. Julian immediately stepped in front of her, raising his voice, “Chloe Vance! Who do you think you are, talking to Mia like that?” I looked at him coldly. “I am the bride who was supposed to try on her wedding dress today! She stole my gown and left me a sweat-stained rag! Is that not enough? Or…” I paused, letting every word sink in. “Do you think she has more of a right to marry into the Carter family than I do?” Julian’s face completely darkened. He wrapped his hand tightly around Mia’s waist, pulling her flush against him, and let out a harsh laugh. “Fine! You want to call it off? Mia and I are leaving right now. Enjoy your empty venue! And by the way, I already booked two tickets to the Maldives. I guess I’ll just take her on the honeymoon instead.” He spat the word “honeymoon” with deliberate malice, his eyes filled with smug satisfaction. He was testing me. He was absolutely certain that jealousy would make me beg him to stay. He was sure that, like every other time, seeing him close to Mia would break my pride. But he was dead wrong. This time, I wasn’t playing his childish games anymore.

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I had been stationed at a medical outpost on the edge of the western desert for eight years. In the eighth year, just when I thought our long-distance relationship, stretched across over a thousand miles, was finally about to end, my transfer request was rejected again. The reason was always the same: “Key medical personnel in remote areas, transfer temporarily deferred.” With red-rimmed eyes, I dialed Ethan’s number, but a little girl answered the phone. “Are you looking for my daddy?” the little girl’s voice was soft and sweet. “Daddy is blow-drying Mommy’s hair. They’re going out for dinner soon.” Daddy? That word hit me like a bucket of ice water, freezing me to the core. I thought it had to be a wrong number. After all, everyone knew how deeply Ethan loved me. He came out to the desert to see me almost every month. Even if he could only stay for one weekend, he said it was worth it. He once said, “Sarah, when you come back, we’ll get married.” Sarah POV Through every harsh day when sandstorms raged, and through every lonely late night under a single lamp, I relied on that promise to hold on. So how could Ethan Bennett, who had always been waiting for me to return for our wedding, possibly have built a family with another woman and had a child? I was about to hang up when a deep, gentle voice suddenly sounded. “Emma, stop playing with the phone. We’re going out for dinner.” That male voice, so familiar it felt carved into my bones, came through the phone without warning. It was Ethan! In an instant, my whole body went stiff, and my mind went completely blank. Ethan was actually married, and he even had a child? I was just about to question him when I suddenly heard another woman’s voice follow, “Ethan, I heard Sarah’s approval document for her transfer back was rejected by you again?” At those words, my breathing stopped, and my eyes widened in disbelief. The person speaking was none other than her good friend, Mia Collins. Over the phone, Ethan gave a faint “Mm.” His casual response was like a sharp blade stabbing fiercely into my heart. “You can’t keep rejecting her applications forever,” Mia said with a sigh. “She’s already twenty-eight. If she stays there any longer, she’ll be past her prime. What good man with a decent background would want her in the future?” “Let’s talk about it next year,” Ethan said in a cold and calm tone. “If she comes back now, with her qualifications, this year’s promotion spot for attending surgeon might not be yours anymore.” Mia sounded a little hesitant. “But if you won’t let her transfer back for the sake of my promotion, won’t that be a little unfair to her?” “It’s fine. She’s soft-hearted and won’t mind,” Ethan paused, then said as if it were perfectly natural, “Besides, the desert also needs good doctors. She’s treating patients there too, so there’s no real difference.” The call ended without warning right there. My hand trembled uncontrollably as I held the phone, unable to believe everything I had just heard. Treating patients there too… What a convenient excuse. So there was no real difference. So it turned out that the biggest thing keeping me away all these eight years was Ethan. The same man who kept saying he loved me and couldn’t wait for me to come back so we could get married. And even in the year when I had the best chance of going back, he rejected my application again, just so Mia wouldn’t miss out on her promotion. I felt as if all the blood in my body had frozen, as if my whole heart had been cut into countless pieces by a blade, and my body shook like a sieve. I suddenly remembered that back then, when the medical team selected someone to support a remote area, the person originally chosen was Mia. Mia was her parents’ only child, and at the time, her mother happened to be seriously ill, so she nearly broke down when she learned she was about to be sent to the frontier. I looked at my friend’s pale face, then looked at Ethan, who was my boyfriend at the time. I remembered the flash of pain that crossed Ethan’s eyes then. Back then, I naively thought that the pain in Ethan’s eyes was sympathy for Mia’s situation. So my heart softened, and I volunteered to stand up and say, “I’ll go. I’m in good health, and I adapt well.” Ethan did not object to it, and he did not try to make me stay. He even expressed support. He held my hand, his gaze complicated, and only after a long time did he say, “Sarah, don’t worry. Once you’ve stayed there for a full year, I’ll find a way to transfer you back. I’ll let you suffer for this one year first, and I’ll wait for you to return.” Mia hugged me even harder and cried until she could not speak. “Sarah, thank you. You’re the best friend I’ll ever have in my life! When you come back, I’ll definitely be your bridesmaid!” But now, the man who said he would wait for me to return and the woman who said she would be my bridesmaid were together! My best friend had married the man I had spent my entire youth loving, and they even had a child! They had kept me in the dark and deceived me for a full eight years! How absurd, and how shameless! After returning to my dorm, I dragged a metal box out from under the bed. Inside were all the things Ethan had sent me over the past eight years, neatly stacked. There was a thick pile of letters, each one written in his handwriting, and every signature at the end was always “waiting for you.” Yet now, looking at those words again and at his caring lines in the letters, I only found them painfully ironic. There were also scarves, books, and other things he had sent me… I had once treasured every single item like a precious gift, and they had been the warmth and motivation that supported me through this harsh environment. But now their existence seemed to silently mock my stupidity and ridiculousness all these years. If not for that phone call, I might still have no idea that my best friend and the man I loved most had betrayed me long ago. My eyes were red, tears blurred my vision, and my heart felt as if it were being twisted by a knife, hurting so badly that even my breathing trembled. I never wanted to see these things again, so I threw them all into the fire pit one by one. I let everything I had once treasured be swallowed by the flames and burn to ashes. Just then, the station supervisor knocked on my door, his expression grave. “I just received news that your mother is critically ill and is being resuscitated at the hospital. They said you must go back as soon as possible no matter what!”

Sarah POV My mother was critically ill and being resuscitated? Hearing that shocking news, my vision went black, and I had to hold on to the doorframe to steady myself. But my transfer order had just been rejected, and leaving my post without permission would have serious consequences. I was so anxious that I paced in circles, and with no other choice, I went to the phone booth again and dialed the number I knew by heart once more. This time, Ethan himself answered the phone. “Ethan!” I begged with a choked voice. “My mom is critically ill and being resuscitated. Please help me find a way, okay? Let me go back and see my mom…” Back then, my parents had disagreed with my application to go far away to the western desert, but with Ethan’s support, I had stubbornly gone ahead and broken their hearts. At the time, I thought I was only going there for one short year and would not be separated from them for long. Unexpectedly, once I came here, it lasted eight years. For a full eight years, I could not go back to visit my parents. If I could go back, I would apologize to Mom and Dad in person and stay by their side properly. However, the other end of the phone was silent for a few seconds. Then Ethan refused me in his usual calm tone. “I already know about your mother’s condition. I’ll help you contact the best doctors, so just stay there.” “No!” I said in a panicked rush. “Ethan, my mom isn’t just sick. She’s being resuscitated! This might be the last time I get to see her…” “I know,” Ethan interrupted me with a hint of displeasure. “But under the current circumstances, even if you come back, it won’t help. The station needs you more.” My expression froze, as if I had heard something inside my chest shatter completely. I never imagined that at the critical moment when my mother was critically ill and being resuscitated, he would still be so heartless. Over the phone, Ethan said softly again, “Sarah, I want you to come back as soon as possible more than anyone. I’ll definitely transfer you back next year. But the prerequisite is that you don’t abandon your work without permission.” He wanted me to go back as soon as possible more than anyone? It was as if I had heard the biggest joke in the world, because the person who least wanted me to go back was clearly him, wasn’t it? Next year, and next year again… Over all these years, he had used eight next years to give me hope again and again, trapping me in this desert like I was a fool and spinning me in circles with his lies. Now that things had come to this, did he think I would still believe in some so-called next year? “Ethan,” I said with my nerves stretched tight, hearing myself ask him in an unusually calm voice, “what exactly am I to you?” After a brief silence, his slightly impatient voice came through. “Sarah, stop making trouble. Be good and follow the arrangements. After your transfer request is approved next year, I’ll personally go there and bring you back.” I was just about to speak when I suddenly heard a childish voice. “Daddy, you promised to take Mommy and me to the aquarium. When are we leaving?” “We’re going now.” The busy tone sounded, and the call was hung up. I stood frozen in place, endless cold sinking deep into my bones. My mother was on the brink of life and death in the emergency room, and he would not even let me go back to see her for the last time, while he himself was going to accompany Mia and their child to the aquarium? Was this the man I had loved for ten years? Was this my best friend? Endless disappointment turned into blade after blade, piercing my heart over and over. At that moment, I could not care about anything else, and a wild thought began to grow in my mind. I could not just sit there and wait helplessly. I had to go back and see my mother one last time! I turned and went to the station supervisor’s office, placing an application form on his desk. The station supervisor adjusted his glasses, looked it over, and stood up in shock. “Application to join the international peacekeeping medical team? Sarah, are you kidding me? Do you know what kind of place that is? It’s a conflict zone, the language is different, and there are infectious diseases! Once you go, it’s at least two years, and…” “Supervisor, I heard that team members who voluntarily sign up for the peacekeeping medical team get a half-month family visit leave before departure, and they also receive assistance with urgent family matters. Is that true?” “Yes, that rule exists, but…” “No buts.” I raised my head, my eyes slightly red, but my gaze was resolute. “My mother is critically ill. This is the only way I can get back to see her as soon as possible. Please approve it.” The station supervisor knew about her relationship with Ethan and hesitated. “Then have you discussed this with Director Bennett?” “My affairs,” I said coldly and firmly, “have nothing to do with him from now on.” That afternoon, the approval document stamped with a red seal came down. Along with it came a special emergency family visit leave slip and a bus ticket for the fastest route to the provincial train station. That evening, she boarded the bus leaving the station.

Sarah POV After two straight days of bumpy travel, I finally arrived in New York. On this journey, I had barely closed my eyes, and I was still wearing the old coat I had put on when I left the station. It was covered in travel dust, and my hair was a little messy. But I could not care about any of that. I did not even have time to go home and drop off my luggage. As soon as I got off the bus, I dragged my suitcase straight to the hospital. However, the moment I stepped into the hospital, my steps suddenly stopped. At the end of my line of sight, a familiar figure appeared before my eyes. The man stood tall and straight, wearing a well-tailored dark coat. His bearing was noble and gentle, and even among the bustling crowd, he was still the kind of person people noticed at a glance. It was Ethan. He was holding a little girl about five or six years old in his arms. The child lay weakly against his shoulder, her small face flushed with an abnormal redness, and she looked very unwell. And the woman standing beside him was none other than Mia. They were talking to a doctor in a white coat, and Mia reached out from time to time to touch the child’s forehead, her face full of worry, while Ethan tilted his head slightly and comforted her in a low voice. What a warm and harmonious scene for a family of three. I froze in place. Even though I had already known all of this from that phone call, and even though I had kept telling myself along the way to stay calm, not to care, and that it was not worth it. But when this scene truly crashed into my eyes, I still felt as if someone had stabbed me hard in the chest. Just then, Ethan seemed to sense something, and his gaze swept over casually. The moment our eyes met, his expression first turned shocked, then quickly became angry. “Sarah?” The words almost burst out of him, his tone full of disbelief. I withdrew my gaze, did not want to deal with him, and turned to leave. But I had just taken one step when Ethan stuffed the child into Mia’s arms, strode after me, and blocked my path in just a few steps. “Why are you here?” He looked me up and down, his gaze sweeping over my travel-worn appearance and the suitcase beside me. Instead of showing even a word of concern, he furrowed his brows. “Did you run back on your own?” His voice was very low and carried obvious anger. “Sarah Lane, do you know what kind of issue it is to leave your post without permission? Do you know you’ll be punished? This is absolutely reckless!” “I didn’t…” I had just tried to say that I had come back with approval, but Ethan cut me off and grabbed my arm with so much force that it hurt. “Come on. I’ll take you to the station and buy you the earliest ticket back. After you go back, write a proper self-criticism and accept the punishment!” He dragged me outside, his steps fast and urgent. He pulled me so hard that I stumbled and almost tripped. “Daddy!” Suddenly, from not far behind us, the child cried noisily, her voice full of tears. “Daddy, I want Daddy to hold me…” Ethan’s movements clearly paused. That word, Daddy, was like a needle stabbing into my eardrum. My face turned even uglier, and I forcefully shook off his hand, my voice as cold as ice. “Ethan, I don’t need you managing my affairs. If you have time to worry about whether I’ll be disciplined, you should go take care of your own daughter first!” Ethan froze, and a trace of guilt flashed quickly through his eyes. “Sarah, it’s not what you saw. I…” He opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but Mia, who was walking over with the child in her arms, interrupted him. “Ethan.” Mia stopped in front of us, and when she looked at me, surprise and complicated emotions intertwined in her eyes. “Sarah, when did you come back? Why didn’t you tell us in advance? Ethan and I could have gone to pick you up.” Looking at her hypocritical face, my stomach churned, and I felt utterly disgusted. But I was anxious to see her mother now, and for the moment, I had neither the time nor the energy to settle accounts with them. Without saying a word, I pressed my lips together coldly, turned, and walked away. “Sarah!” Ethan instinctively stepped forward to chase after me. “Ethan.” Mia grabbed his sleeve with one hand and said anxiously and worriedly, “Emma has a high fever and feels awful right now. She keeps crying for you to hold her. Let’s take Emma to see the doctor first, okay?” The child lay on Mia’s shoulder, whimpering in discomfort, and called to him weakly, “Daddy… hold me…” Ethan stopped in his tracks. He looked back at his listless daughter, then looked at me. A few seconds later, he took the child. “Okay. Daddy will take you to the doctor.” When I had walked some distance away and could not help looking back, the three of them were already gone from the lobby. I could not help tugging my lips in a mocking smile. It turned out that whether he cared or not was so obvious, yet I only understood it today. All these years, I had truly been blind to love a man like that for so long.

Sarah POV I found my mother’s ward, and the moment I pushed open the door, my fingers were trembling. On the hospital bed, my mother lay with her eyes closed, her face sallow, and monitoring equipment surrounded the bedside. My father sat beside her, with far more white hair at his temples than I remembered, and he looked utterly exhausted. Hearing the door open, my father looked up. When he saw that the person standing in the doorway was the daughter he had not seen in eight years, my father froze for a long while, and his eyes instantly reddened. “Sarah?” My mother also slowly opened her eyes, her cloudy gaze focusing on my face. Her lips trembled a few times, and tears slid down from the corners of her eyes. “Sarah, I thought I wouldn’t get to see you before I died.” “Mom, please don’t say that.” I threw myself to the bedside and held my mother’s thin, bony hand. My throat felt as if something had blocked it, and for a long time, I could not speak. My father wiped his eyes and stood up. “I’ll go call the doctor.” The doctor came quickly, flipped through the medical record, and looked at the monitoring data, his expression not relaxed. “Ms. Lane, your mother’s condition… to be honest, it isn’t very optimistic.” My heart tightened. “Doctor, didn’t my mom already make it through resuscitation?” “She did make it through resuscitation,” the doctor sighed. “But your mother’s heart disease has been recurring again and again for so many years, and each time, her condition gets worse than the last. This time is especially serious. Although her vital signs are stable for now, she still needs continued observation, and whether she can completely get out of danger is still hard to say.” It had been recurring again and again for so many years, and her condition had gotten worse each time? I felt a chill rush up from the soles of my feet, and my whole body felt as if it had fallen into an ice cellar. I knew my mother’s heart was not good. All these years, every time I spoke with Ethan on the phone, I would ask about my parents’ health. Ethan always answered her, “Don’t worry. They’re both in good health.” “Your mom has been in good spirits recently.” “Everything is being watched over by me. Don’t worry.” He had never mentioned a single word about my mother’s heart disease recurring again and again, or that her condition was getting worse year by year! I had never doubted what he said, but he had even lied to me about something like this! I stood where I was, my hands ice-cold, my fingertips trembling. “Sarah?” My mother’s voice pulled back my thoughts. “Come here and let me take a good look at you.” I suppressed the surging emotions and sat back down beside the bed. My mother held my hand and carefully studied my face, her eyes full of heartache. “You’ve lost weight. You must have suffered a lot over there.” “It wasn’t hard, Mom. I’m doing fine.” “Silly girl, I know you don’t like to complain.” My mother caught her breath and said weakly, “My body is getting worse year by year, and I probably don’t have many years left. I only have one wish now, and that is to see you get married.” She tightened her grip on my hand. “Since you’re back this time, pick a date and marry Ethan. You two have been together for so many years, and he has been waiting for you all this time. It hasn’t been easy for him.” A sharp pain twisted at the tip of my heart, as if it were being cut back and forth by a dull knife. I lowered my lashes and shook my head bitterly. “Mom, this marriage… I won’t go through with it.” My mother froze, and my father also looked stunned. “Everything was fine, so why are you suddenly saying you won’t get married?” My mother grew anxious and struggled to sit up. “Did something happen? Did you and Ethan fight?” I opened my mouth, but I did not know how to say it. How was I supposed to tell my mother that the man everyone thought was waiting for me to come back and marry him had already had a wife and child long ago? How was I supposed to tell my mother that the future son-in-law our whole family trusted had not only hidden his marriage and child from me, but had also hidden my mother’s illness from me and deceived me again and again? In everyone’s eyes, once I returned, I should marry Ethan. After all, everyone knew about our relationship of so many years, everyone knew he was waiting for me, and everyone thought we were a match made in heaven. But what was the truth? He had turned my eight years of trust and deep love into a complete joke. But I could not say these things. If I said them, my mother would worry. If I said them, my mother might become so angry that her condition would worsen. I took a deep breath and forced out a smile. “Mom, we didn’t fight. I have something else going on.” She paused, then made up an excuse. “I’ve applied for an opportunity to study abroad, and the higher-ups have already approved it. I only have half a month to come back and stay with you, and after half a month, I have to leave.” “Study abroad?” Mom and Dad looked at each other, both stunned. “Mm.” I nodded. “So the wedding can only be put on hold for now.” As soon as I finished speaking, the ward door was suddenly shoved open. I turned back and saw Ethan stride in, his face terrifyingly dark. “Who’s going abroad? Going to what country?”

Sarah POV My expression instantly turned cold, and my voice held no warmth at all. “This is my business. It has nothing to do with you.” Ethan’s brows were tightly knitted. “How does it have nothing to do with me? You were transferred from our hospital to the western desert, and you can’t come back without approval. But what did you do?” His tone was stern. “You have no sense of responsibility. You left your post without permission and snuck back here, and now you’re making up some excuse about going abroad? Sarah, do you know how terrible an impact this will cause?” Listening to his series of questions and accusations, I sneered in my heart. So after all these years, it turned out that in his heart, I was this kind of irresponsible person. He did not even have the most basic trust in me. Ethan stopped looking at me and turned toward my parents by the hospital bed, his tone easing a little yet still heavy. “Sarah snuck back this time. If she’s found out, the consequences will be unimaginable. I have to send her back immediately, and I hope you can understand.” My mother’s face went pale, and my father froze too, looking at me in disbelief. “Sarah, did you really sneak back?” “No.” I frowned and explained to my parents, “I came back with approval.” I took the leave slip out of my coat pocket and handed it over. Ethan reached out first and snatched the paper. Without even looking at it, he tore the leave slip into scraps in his hand the next second. “Sarah!” He flung the scraps into the air and said darkly, “You actually dare to forge a leave slip. That makes your offense even worse!” Seeing the family visit leave slip I had only gotten by joining the international peacekeeping medical team be torn apart without hesitation by him, I was so angry that my whole body shook. “Ethan, what right do you have to tear up my leave slip? Are you insane?” Ethan’s eyes grew even darker, and without giving me any chance to argue, he grabbed my arm with one hand, his grip so strong it felt like he was going to crush my bones. “Come on. You’re coming back with me right now. I’ll help you fight for a lighter punishment as much as possible!” “Let go of me!” I struggled desperately, but he was too strong, and I was dragged two staggering steps toward the door. Just then, my mother’s urgent cry came from behind me. “Sarah!” I turned back and saw my mother anxiously struggling to sit up from the bed, her face pale, gasping for breath, and reaching out as if she wanted to grab something. “Sarah.” Before the words fell, my mother’s body went limp, and she collapsed straight back onto the bed, closing her eyes. The monitor suddenly let out a piercing alarm. “Mom!” I did not know where the strength came from, but I suddenly shook off Ethan’s hand and threw myself to the bedside. My father was also terrified and shouted with a trembling voice, “Wake up!” “Mom! Mom, don’t scare me!” I frantically pressed the call button at the head of the bed, my voice hoarse and broken. “Doctor! Doctor, hurry! Someone come quickly!” The doctor soon rushed over, checked my mother’s condition, and looked grave. “The patient’s condition is critical. She must be resuscitated immediately.” “Then resuscitate her!” I was so anxious that tears fell straight down. “What are you standing there for? Hurry!” But the doctor did not move. He stood there, his gaze passing over me and turning toward Ethan, who stood at the door. I followed his gaze and instantly understood. This was Ethan’s hospital. Here, his power was greater than the sky. Ethan met my eyes, his expression calm and his tone flat. “Sarah, as long as you’re willing to honestly go back to the desert with me and accept the punishment, I’ll immediately arrange for people to resuscitate your mother, use the best imported medicine, and guarantee her safety.” My breathing stopped, and all the blood in my body seemed to freeze at that moment. I looked in disbelief at the man before me, the man I had loved for a full ten years and once thought I would spend my whole life with. To keep Mia from losing her promotion spot, he was actually using my mother’s life to force me back to that desert? All my disappointment, anger, and sorrow broke through my chest like a flood. But as I looked at my mother’s pale face on the hospital bed, unconscious and unmoving, every second of delay meant another degree of danger for her. So at that moment, I could not explode, and I could not go against him. The most important thing right now was to save my mother first, because nothing mattered more than her safety. I clenched my hands tightly, my nails digging into my palms, desperately holding back all my emotions. “Fine.” I heard my own voice, barely forced out of my throat. “I’ll go back with you.” Only then did Ethan smile in satisfaction. “If you had listened this obediently earlier, she wouldn’t have passed out from anger again.” Hearing that sentence, I felt cold all over. I thought, it’s fine. Once I return, the supervisor can prove she came back with approval.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “449018”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

On the day my physical therapist husband, Ethan, got promoted, I received a photo from a coworker. In the therapy room, Ethan was holding his ex-girlfriend’s waist. They were staring into each other’s eyes, and he was leaning over her, pinning her down on the table. I printed that photo out and placed it on the nightstand. Late that night, Ethan came home smelling of sweet orange blossom cologne. He froze when he saw the photo on the nightstand, but quickly recovered and started explaining. “Avery, you know this is just my job.” “The area where she feels pain is very sensitive. I had to find the exact angle to apply pressure. This photo is just a bad camera angle.” I pulled the blanket tighter around myself. “Okay. Go to sleep. You still have to do her pelvic alignment therapy tomorrow.” He looked surprised. “You don’t mind?” I shook my head. He just couldn’t let go of his first love. It was fine. I happened to have one of my own, too. Seeing that I had nothing more to say, Ethan went to take a shower. The posture in that photo didn’t look like physical therapy at all. It looked like an embrace. The photo was sent to me by Mia, a nurse in the physical therapy department. We had interned at the hospital together. She had only attached one sentence. “Avery, I’m not trying to stir up drama, but Dr. Ethan has been doing this every single day for the past six months.” After his shower, Ethan walked over, sat on the edge of the bed, and reached out to ruffle my hair. “Avery, Chloe’s lower back injury is serious. Ordinary physical therapy doesn’t work for her. I have to get close to find the right trigger points.” “I was just treating a patient.” I turned my head to avoid his hand and stared at the ceiling. “I know.” “She’s a prima ballerina. Her rehearsals have been intense lately, and her lower back muscles are spasming again. I don’t trust any other therapist to handle it.” “I know.” “You know my skills. I’m the best in the department.” I finally turned my head and offered a faint smile. “I know, Dr. Ethan. You’re a saint.” He continued to justify himself. “She and I broke up a long time ago. We’re just regular friends now.” I didn’t reply. I knew exactly how deep their history ran. Since Chloe returned to the country two years ago, she had never truly left his life. She strained a muscle during rehearsal, her old injuries flared up, she couldn’t sleep and needed him to come over for a massage. On the night we went to the courthouse to sign our marriage license, she sent a Snapchat at 11 PM. “My back is locked up again! I can’t move! It hurts so bad!” Ethan had just taken off his coat. After reading the message, he didn’t say a word and tied his sneakers back on. I stopped him. “Does it have to be tonight?” “She’s alone in her apartment. No one is there to take care of her.” I sat on the edge of the bed and lowered my head. He leaned down and tucked the blanket around me. “I’ll be back soon. I’ll take you to get our courthouse wedding photos tomorrow morning.” He didn’t return until three in the morning. There was a trace of orange blossom massage oil on his collar. He explained that it “rubbed off while massaging her.” I didn’t throw a tantrum. I didn’t argue. I just remembered the date. Every time Chloe was brought up, he would always say, “She’s my patient. It’s my job.” The more fragile she acted, the more patient he became. The more demanding she was, the harder it was for him to say no. Everyone said they had never truly broken up. I, his legal wife, felt like a mere prop in their love story. Ethan wanted to say something more, but his phone buzzed. He glanced at it, his expression changing slightly, and silenced it. “It’s probably her. She gets anxious before big shows.” I closed my eyes. “Answer it. In case she can’t sleep again tonight and ruins her rehearsal tomorrow.” He didn’t answer. He placed his phone face down on the nightstand, turned around, and pulled me into his arms. “Don’t overthink it, babe. She and I are ancient history.” I didn’t hug him back. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through my lower abdomen, as if someone had pinched me from the inside. I frowned but didn’t say a word. Even if I told him, he wouldn’t care right now anyway.

At six-thirty the next morning, Chloe’s call came in right on time. “Ethan, I can’t do the rehearsal. I seriously can’t even lift my back.” Ethan’s voice carried a hint of helpless indulgence. “Chloe, you’ve been dancing ballet for over a decade. You’re not a rookie.” Chloe whimpered over the line. “Would it kill you to comfort me a little?” He was silent for two seconds, his tone softening. “Fine. I’ll head over after my morning rounds. I’ll put a pain patch on you first.” Chloe immediately pushed further. “After that, you have to buy me breakfast and help me stretch my legs.” Ethan let out a low chuckle. “Maybe I should just apply to be your dance company’s full-time doctor.” “Oh, I wish! Do you dare? Will your wife mind, though?” The bathroom door was ajar, and I heard every single word. He hung up, turned around, and froze when he saw me standing there. “She’s just really stressed before the show.” My face was expressionless. “You really take great care of her.” “Maybe you should apply for that full-time gig.” He frowned. “Avery.” Another wave of sharp pain shot up from deep inside my abdomen. I grabbed the doorframe, my voice hoarse. “Move.” I rushed into the bathroom, kneeling by the toilet and dry-heaving. Nothing came up, but cold sweat kept pouring down my face. Ethan stood at the door. He didn’t come closer, only frowning. “Did you skip dinner again last night?” I gasped for air. “My stomach… it hurts.” He took one look at my pale face and spoke in a cold, detached tone. “Lower back strain can compress the sciatic nerve, causing referred pain in the abdomen. It’s normal.” “You’ve been staying up late editing videos lately. Your posture is terrible. That’s why you’re hurting.” I froze, my fingers gripping the edge of the sink tightly. “It’s not my back.” He acted like he didn’t hear me. He grabbed a tissue and wiped the doorknob. “You never say anything when you’re uncomfortable. You only play the victim when the pain becomes unbearable. It’s exhausting, Avery.” He glanced down at his watch. “I have to do Chloe’s physical therapy this morning, and I have a consultation this afternoon. I can’t stay.” “There are painkillers in the medicine cabinet. Take two.” He paused before adding, “Make sure to turn on the exhaust fan when you’re done. Don’t leave a smell for others.” The moment the door slammed shut, another wave of intense pain hit me. I couldn’t even stand straight. A metallic taste rose in my throat. I leaned against the wall for a long time, suddenly feeling a deep sense of irony. He had all the patience in the world to find the perfect angle for every inch of Chloe’s spine, but he found my pain “exhausting” and unseemly. So, his medical ethics were reserved only for certain people. He grabbed his bag and left without looking back. I wiped my face, ordered an Uber by myself, and went to the hospital.

When the doctor handed me the ultrasound report, her face was grave. “The embryo is implanted very low, right near your previous scar. Continuing this pregnancy carries a massive risk.” I stared at the blurry shadow on the screen, unable to speak for a long time. The doctor’s tone softened. “In this situation, it’s best to make a decision with a family member. Should we contact your husband?” I opened my mouth, only to realize that the only name I could call was Ethan. My parents had passed away early. When I finally got married to Ethan, I thought I finally had a family. But now, when the doctor asked for family, I was holding the paper with freezing fingers. Leaving the clinic, I stood on the steps and called Ethan. No answer. I sent him a text. “I have an emergency. Come home now.” I took a cab back. When I walked in, a pair of pink ballet flats was kicked off at the entryway. In the living room, Chloe was curled up on our sofa, one leg resting on the coffee table, her ankle wrapped in an elastic bandage. Ethan was kneeling in front of her, his fingers gently tracing her foot, massaging it with professional care. “Did you twist it again during rehearsal?” he asked. “I didn’t land cleanly,” Chloe said, frowning, her voice dropping into a soft whine. “Ethan, am I going to be out for another two weeks?” “The fascia is tight. Don’t rush back to the stage.” He pinched her ankle. “Does this hurt?” “Yes,” Chloe whispered, her eyes curved as she looked at him. “But it doesn’t hurt when you’re here.” “I’m here,” he said. Those two words. Since we got married, I had almost never heard him say them to me. Another wave of pain hit my abdomen. I gripped the entryway cabinet, my knuckles turning white. Only then did Ethan look up and see me. “Where have you been? You look pale.” I opened my mouth to say “I went to the hospital,” but Chloe spoke first with a sigh. “Avery, please don’t misunderstand! My ankle was so swollen I couldn’t walk. Ethan was worried about me taking an Uber alone, so he brought me here to treat it.” I didn’t look at her. I only looked at Ethan. “I need to talk to you.” Before he could answer, Chloe suddenly let out a sharp gasp. “Ethan, my toes are going numb.” He immediately looked down to check her ankle joint again, his voice softening even more. “Don’t move. The ligament is still loose. Give it a minute.” I stood there, clutching my purse strap. I tried again. “Ethan, can you please take me to the hospital?” Chloe grabbed his wrist at that exact moment. “Did I break a bone? Why is it hurting more and more?” Ethan frowned as he examined her foot, not even looking up. “Avery, if you’re not feeling well, go lie down for a bit. I’ll come check on you once I’m done here.” “No need.” I turned and walked back to the bedroom, shoving the ultrasound report into the very bottom drawer of my vanity. That night, Ethan knocked on my door. “The guest room is too damp. Let Chloe sleep in our bed tonight. You can crash in the guest room for one night.” I opened the door. Chloe had already walked into our master bedroom with a glass of warm water. She sat directly on the edge of my bed, reaching into the nightstand drawer to look for pain patches. The very bottom drawer held my ultrasound report. I pressed my hand against the drawer. “Don’t touch that. I’ll get it for you.” But Chloe’s fingers had already brushed against something else in another compartment. A box of unopened birth control pills. She raised an eyebrow and smiled. “You guys have been married for so long, and you’re still using these?” She shot Ethan a meaningful look. “Didn’t you use to hate these? You always said you never wanted kids in this lifetime.” Ethan’s face shifted. “That’s enough.” “Did I say something wrong?” Chloe’s smile didn’t fade. “You said it yourself. If you ever have a child, it would only be with me.” The room fell dead silent. I looked at Ethan. He avoided my gaze. So, all these years, he wasn’t being considerate by not pressuring me to have kids. He had already made the decision for me. My abdomen seized with another sharp pain. Clutching the edge of the cabinet, cold sweat beaded on my forehead. I pulled the ultrasound report out from the drawer and walked toward the door. “Avery, where are you going?” he called out from behind. I didn’t look back. Where else could I go? To take care of a child he never planned to have, and never deserved to know about.

By the time I reached the hospital, I couldn’t even stand straight from the pain. The ER doctor looked at my ultrasound and blood test results, her face darkening. “There’s a high probability of an ectopic pregnancy rupture. You could bleed out at any moment. We need to admit you immediately and prepare for emergency surgery!” I leaned against the chair in the examination room, my back soaked in cold sweat. “Where is your family?” the doctor asked. “This kind of surgery requires emergency consent and someone to stay with you.” I was silent for a long time. Finally, I dialed Ethan’s number. It rang for a long time before he picked up. In the background, I could hear Chloe’s whiny, tearful voice. “Ethan, my foot is swelling up again. Come look at it…” Ethan’s voice instantly softened. “Don’t move, babe. I’m coming.” I spoke into the receiver. “Ethan, come to the Medical Center.” His voice grew cold. “If you’re really not feeling well, just let the doctors handle it. What good is me going there?” “The doctor said I need next of kin to sign the consent form.” My voice was so quiet I could barely hear myself. “I don’t have any other family. I can only call you.” The other end went silent for two seconds. Then, a frustrated sigh came through the speaker. “Avery, stop doing this. I know you’re an orphan and grew up in a foster home, and I get that you have abandonment issues. But you can’t use that to guilt-trip me every single time.” Those words felt like a needle stabbing straight into my eardrum. I doubled over in pain, my vision going black. The call was disconnected. I stared at the dark screen, my legs giving out. He knew exactly how alone I was in this world, yet he used that very vulnerability as an excuse to push me away. I braced myself against the wall, stood up, and scrolled through my contacts to a number I hadn’t dialed in years. He picked up on the first ring. “Avery?” My voice trembled with pain. “Can you come to the hospital?” There was a brief silence, followed by the sound of a chair scraping back. “Text me the address. I’m on my way.” … That evening, Ethan took Chloe to a college reunion party. After a few rounds of drinks, someone started a game of Truth or Dare, and the bottle spun and pointed at Ethan. “Ethan, be honest. If Chloe hadn’t gone abroad back then, would you two have been married by now?” The room went quiet for a second, followed by a chorus of suggestive laughter. Chloe leaned against his side, lowering her head with a smile. “Stop teasing, guys. Ethan’s been married for three years.” Despite her words, her hand slid over his. Ethan didn’t pull away. Someone yelled, “You’re holding hands and telling us to stop teasing? Answer the question, Dr. Ethan!” He raised his glass. “Next question.” The laughter grew louder. Chloe took his phone, wanting to take a selfie. Her finger paused over the passcode screen. It was still her birthday. “You never changed the passcode,” she whispered, her eyes curving as she leaned against his shoulder for a photo. “My back is still stiff. Block the angle for me.” Ethan frowned slightly but still turned his body to block the camera light for her. Someone asked if they could post the picture on Instagram. He said casually, “Go ahead. My wife doesn’t check my social media anyway.” He paused, then added, “She’s been in a weird mood lately. Always complaining about not feeling well.” The laughter slowly died down. A female colleague in the corner, Sarah, suddenly looked up. “Are you saying Avery is faking it?” “Obviously.” Sarah’s expression changed. “But yesterday, I was at the Medical Center, and I saw Avery being rushed into the ER. A man was supporting her.” “The doctor said it was an ectopic pregnancy rupture. She was hemorrhaging. The guy who signed the consent form wasn’t you.”

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I had just announced our engagement dinner to my coworkers in the work group when Ethan’s childhood best friend, Vicky, dropped a bombshell in the chat. “Chloe. How dare you ask Ethan for $8 million for the wedding?” “Ethan’s parents had to sell their family home just to satisfy your greed. Aren’t you afraid of killing them?” In less than ten minutes, everyone at the office branded me as a gold-digger. I was shaking with rage. The total budget for Ethan’s and my wedding was only twenty-eight thousand dollars. I went to confront Vicky, but she immediately started playing the victim, crying in the group chat. “I’m so sorry, everyone. I shouldn’t have mentioned the $8 million at work. I didn’t think about Chloe’s reputation.” Overnight, I became public enemy number one. The internet tore me to pieces. Ethan never said a single word to defend me. My dad was harassed and bullied at his construction site. He fell from a scaffold and never woke up. In the end, consumed by depression, I jumped from the roof of our apartment building. But then, I woke up. I had been reborn. This time, I didn’t argue with Vicky. Instead, I took screenshots and screen recordings of every single message she sent. Then, I tagged Vicky in the chat: “Please show everyone the evidence that I demanded $8 million.” “If you can’t, my lawyer will see you in court.”

The moment I sent that message, the chaotic group chat went dead silent for a few seconds. Vicky was quick to reply. “Chloe, is there any need to be so hostile? I just couldn’t bear to watch this happen.” “Ethan is such a sweet guy. Look how far you’ve pushed him.” I stared at the screen. My fingers were steady, showing none of the panic of someone who had just died a horrific death. “Stop changing the subject.” “An eight-million-dollar demand, selling the house, and draining his elderly parents.” “Give me proof for these three claims.” Some coworkers started chiming in. “But seriously, eight million is insane. Chloe, did you really ask for that much?” “Trying to hit the jackpot in one go, huh?” “Ethan is too nice. He’s probably too embarrassed to say anything.” I ignored them and messaged my best friend, Mia, directly. “Someone is spreading rumors in the company chat, calling me a gold-digger. I’ve already recorded everything.” She replied instantly. “Don’t argue with them. Just keep saving every piece of cyberbullying.” I turned back to the work group and pressed Vicky. “Vicky, I’ll give you ten minutes.” “If you can’t produce a bank transfer of eight million, a house sales contract, or a prenuptial agreement signed by me, I am calling the police for defamation.” Vicky replied with a crying emoji. “I’m not the bad guy here. I just feel bad for Ethan.” “If you’re going to be this heartless, how do you expect to live with Ethan’s family in the future?” Finally, Ethan showed up. He sent only one line. “Chloe, stop making a scene. Everyone is watching.” My heart went cold, aching with a familiar pain. “Ethan, did I ever ask your family for eight million dollars?” The chat went silent again. Ethan didn’t reply. But Vicky jumped right back in. “Don’t force him! He’s caught in the middle and it’s already so hard for him! If you really love him, can’t you save him some dignity?” I laughed. What a disgusting pair. I uploaded a screenshot of my chat with Ethan’s mother, Jennifer, directly into the group. It clearly showed our conversation: The total wedding cost was exactly twenty-eight thousand dollars. Jennifer had even replied with a smiley face: “Chloe, you are so sensible. I love you.” Some coworkers immediately started changing their tunes. “Wait, the wedding only cost twenty-eight thousand?” “Then where did the eight million come from?” “Did Vicky get her facts wrong?” Vicky went silent. Ethan went silent too. But very quickly, the screenshots of our internal company chat were leaked to social media. Strangers who knew nothing about the truth started calling me a gold-digger on Twitter. Mia sent me a voice note. “Chloe, the rumor is spreading fast on social media. Make sure you back up all the chat logs.” I logged onto the company network, exported the chat history, and submitted it to an online notary for digital evidence preservation. Just as I finished, my manager, Marcus Vance, messaged me. “Come to the conference room. Now.”

Three people were waiting for me inside. Marcus, the HR Director Rachel Hughes, and Ethan. Vicky was nowhere to be seen. She was crying her eyes out online, but in reality, she was hiding safely in the shadows. Rachel closed the door and spoke in a gentle, patronizing tone. “Chloe, please sit.” “We’ve seen what happened. The company understands your frustration.” “But this is a personal matter, and it’s already affecting the team’s productivity.” “For next week’s client presentation, we think it’s best if you step back temporarily.” I looked up at her. “The liar gets to keep working, while the victim gets kicked off the project?” Marcus frowned. “Chloe, don’t make it sound so ugly.” “The company isn’t punishing you. We are protecting you.” I fired back. “Protecting me by taking my name off the project?” “Or protecting Vicky so she can keep spreading lies in the company chat?” Marcus’s face darkened. Ethan finally spoke. “Chloe, can you please grow up? Vicky just has a hot temper. She didn’t mean any harm.” I looked at him and let out a cold laugh. “And what about you? Did you mean any harm? Why didn’t you explain to everyone that I never asked for eight million dollars?” Ethan avoided my eyes. “Can’t we talk about this in private? There’s no need to corner me in the work chat.” I nodded. “Fine. Let’s make it clear right now. Did I take your money?” Rachel coughed. “Chloe, there’s no need to discuss these details at work.” “Yes, there is.” I looked directly at her. “The rumor started in the company chat.” Rachel’s expression hardened. “Are you saying you don’t trust the company?” I smiled. “Oh, I know this company all too well.” In my past life, the company was preparing for a funding round. They didn’t want the scandal of an “employee demanding a multi-million dollar for wedding” to trend on social media. They suspended me and forced me to write a public apology online. They made me sign a statement admitting that “my personal relationship issues had brought negative publicity to the company.” I had signed it back then. That piece of paper was later posted online by Vicky. It became the ultimate “proof” of my guilt, showing that I had admitted to my mistakes because I was guilty. This time, I wouldn’t sign a single dirty piece of paper. I pulled out a printed formal request for an internal investigation from my bag. Marcus spoke up. “Don’t turn a small issue into a massive scandal.” I didn’t back down. “It is already a massive scandal.” Suddenly, Rachel’s phone buzzed. She glanced at it, and her face turned pale. “Chloe, did you offend some influencer?” She handed her phone to me. On TikTok, a drama channel had already uploaded a video. The title was eye-catching and disgusting: “Tech Manager Demands $8 Million For Her Wedding; Groom’s Parents Forced to Sell Family Home.” The comment section was a toxic mess. “Another gold-digger.” “The guy needs to run fast.” “Someone expose her company. Don’t let clients support a woman like this.” Staring at those words, a strange sense of calm washed over me. I sent the video link to Mia. As I walked out of the conference room, Ethan chased after me. He lowered his voice, hissing. “Chloe, have you had enough?” “How are my parents supposed to face the world now because of you?” “They didn’t sell their house, so why can’t they face the world?” Ethan froze, his face turning pale.

At 7 PM, I got back to my apartment. There was a paper bag sitting at my doorstep. There was no return address. It only had a handwritten note: “An $8 million bride, but only worth $80 a night.” I didn’t touch it. I pulled out my phone and recorded it first. In my past life, I had been so hysterical that I tore the package to shreds and threw it away. Later, when I called the police, they asked for evidence, and all I could do was sob. This time, I called the building management and asked them to pull the security footage. The bag had been delivered by a courier wearing a face mask. The sender’s number was blocked. I posted a formal update in the company WhatsApp group: “An offensive package was left at my doorstep. I have contacted the police and secured the building’s security footage. I will prosecute anyone involved.” As soon as that message went out, several coworkers who had been mocking me immediately deleted their previous comments. Too late. I had already screenshotted everything. When Mia arrived at my apartment, she was carrying her laptop. She opened it and her fingers flew across the keyboard. “I tracked the social media source. It was Vicky who leaked the company chat screenshots to those gossip accounts.” Suddenly, my phone rang. It was my mom. “Chloe, your dad got into a fight with someone on his way home from work today.” I bolted upright. “Is he okay? Where is he?” My mom quickly explained. “He’s fine, he’s at home. It’s just… some people at the construction site gates were saying nasty things. They said you demanded eight million dollars and were driving Ethan’s parents to suicide. Your dad couldn’t stand it and got into a fight with them.” My fists clenched tightly, my nails digging into my palms. My dad had been an honest, hard-working safety officer his entire life. He hated being slandered more than anything. In my past life, under the crushing weight of the rumors, he had been distracted at work, fell from the scaffolding, and died. In this life, I would never let anything happen to him. “Mom, listen to me. Don’t let Dad go to the site tomorrow. I’ve booked a full medical checkup for him.” My mom panicked. “Chloe, what on earth is going to happen?” “Someone is trying to ruin me, and they are targeting you and Dad too.” Silence fell over the line for a few seconds. Then, my mom’s voice started to tremble. “Chloe, don’t be scared. I understand.” I immediately called Robert, the manager at my dad’s construction site. Robert had worked with my dad for over a decade. After hearing what happened, he cursed loudly over the phone. “What kind of sick bastard would do this? Don’t worry, Chloe. I’ll approve your dad’s paid leave for tomorrow.” “We have cameras at the main gate. I’ll have the security team pull the footage and see who was harassing him today.” After hanging up, I contacted the local mail distribution center near my parents’ house. I instructed them to hold any anonymous packages addressed to my parents, telling my mom to only open them while recording a video. At midnight, Ethan sent me a text. “Chloe, my mom has been crying all night. Are you happy now that things have gotten this out of hand?” I replied: “Why is she crying? Because her lies got exposed?” He didn’t reply. But ten minutes later, Vicky posted a photo on her Snapchat story. It was Ethan’s mother sitting on the sofa, wiping away tears. The caption read: “She told me that as long as her son is happy, she doesn’t care if she has to sell the family home.” Mia sneered beside me. “She’s really putting on a show.” I saved the photo and sent it to a friend who worked as a real estate agent. “Can you do me a favor and check if the Cooper family’s house has had any recent listing or transaction records?” The next morning at 9 AM, Rachel sent me an email. The company had decided to suspend me from all client-facing communications. My project was temporarily handed over to Vicky. I laughed out loud. The person who started the rumors was taking over my project.

At noon, Vicky finally posted her “evidence.” Three images. The first was a fake “prenuptial demand.” It stated: The bride, Chloe Davis, demands the groom, Ethan Cooper, pay $8 million for the wedding. If he refuses, the wedding is off. My signature at the bottom was a shaky, forged mess. The second was a fake bank receipt. Sender: Jennifer Cooper. Receiver: Chloe Davis. Amount: $8,000,000.00. The third was a fake home sales contract. The sellers listed were Ethan’s parents. Vicky sent a voice note in the WhatsApp work group. “I really didn’t want to post these. But Chloe kept pushing me.” “I just want everyone to know how hard it is for Ethan’s family.” The chat erupted instantly. “The eight million is real?!” “This is terrifying. She was scheming even before the wedding.” Looking at those three images, I almost laughed. The background of the desk in the photo of the fake agreement showed Vicky’s signature pink mousepad. In my past life, I had pointed this out in a panic. But back then, no one believed me. This time, I didn’t try to argue in the chat. I simply typed: “Received.” “To everyone in this chat, please do not delete these messages.” “I will be submitting these for forensic analysis.” After sending that, I saved the high-resolution images and uploaded them to a secure digital evidence platform. Mia was already on the move. She contacted the bank’s customer service through official means to verify the format of the receipt. My real estate friend also messaged me back: “The Cooper house has no transaction history. It wasn’t even listed on the market.” Just as I stepped out of the office building, an unknown number sent me a text. It was a photo of my dad’s identification and his construction site address. Below it was a single line: “Call off the wedding now, or your family’s personal info goes public.”

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During the category 4 hurricane evacuation, my mother completely ignored my broken leg. She pushed me off the rescue boat with her own hands, forcing me to give up my spot for my sister. “Mom, my leg is broken. I want to go with you…” “Stop being so dramatic!” “You’re the older one. You should let Chloe go first!” “You’re a grown girl, why are you being so selfish? Do you really have to fight with Chloe at a time like this?” I never showed up at the shelter. When others urged her to call me, she just sneered. “She’s just throwing a tantrum to make me worry!” “I always knew Hazel was an ungrateful brat! She’s doing this on purpose, ignoring my Snapchat messages and calls!” “If you’re so brave, don’t you dare ever call me again!” But, Mom, I wasn’t throwing a tantrum. I just didn’t have the chance to answer anymore. The hurricane howled, carrying a torrential downpour that quickly flooded the first floor of our house. The crowd of evacuees huddled on the second-floor balcony, everyone desperately trying to get onto the rescue boat. My jeans were soaked in blood. Just minutes ago, when we were running downstairs, my half-sister Chloe had shoved me from behind, sending me tumbling down the steps. I grit my teeth, trying to stand by putting all my weight on my uninjured leg. But the moment I managed to crawl onto the boat, a cold, firm hand gripped my shoulder. I looked up. It was my mother, Eleanor. Without a single word, she violently shoved me off the deck. “Hazel, get off! Get off right now! Give your spot to Chloe!” Her voice was frantic, but there wasn’t a shred of warmth in it. I crashed onto the wet ground. A sharp, blinding pain shot up my spine. My injured leg went completely numb. Our neighbor, Mrs. Gable, gasped in horror and tried to stop her. “Eleanor, Hazel’s leg is badly hurt! Let her stay on the boat! Let her go!” But Eleanor didn’t hesitate. “She’s fine. Hazel is tough. Besides, she’s practically an adult. She can wait for the next boat.” She said it so casually, her voice dripping with impatience. My heart sank into a cold abyss. My vision blurred. After pushing me away, Eleanor turned around and pulled Chloe into a tight embrace on the boat. Chloe wrapped her arms around Eleanor’s waist, tears streaming down her face, refusing to let go. “Mom, please, I want to go with you too…” my voice cracked, muffled by the rain. Eleanor looked down at me, her eyes freezing cold. “You are the older sister, Hazel. You should let Chloe have this. Why are you still trying to compete with her at a time like this?” “But my leg is broken! Mom…” “Enough! Stop being so dramatic. Be responsible for once. Your leg isn’t going to fall off. Can’t you just wait for the next trip?” She gently patted Chloe’s back, soothing her like a precious baby. It was a gentle touch she had never, not once, given to me. The rescue boat’s engine roared to life. As I watched their silhouettes fade into the grey sheet of rain, my chest felt completely hollow. Mrs. Gable’s voice cut through the wind. “Ever since you divorced her father, Hazel lived with Grandma Martha. She barely comes visit you. How can you be so cruel to her?” Eleanor sighed, her voice laced with irritation. “Just looking at her face makes my stomach turn. She ruins my mood.” I stood there alone. Rain mixed with tears flowed down my cheeks. The entire world suddenly felt incredibly distant and freezing cold.

After they were evacuated, they were taken to the local high school gymnasium, which was serving as a temporary red cross shelter. The voice from the emergency radio broadcast drew everyone’s attention: “Latest update—water levels in the southeast district are rising rapidly. Debris has blocked the main roads, making it extremely difficult for rescue teams to enter…” An anxious chatter broke out in the gym. Hearing this, Mrs. Gable immediately rushed to Eleanor’s side. She lowered her voice, her eyes wide with panic. “Eleanor, did you hear that? The water is rising too fast in the southeast! Our neighborhood is right in that zone. You need to contact Hazel right now to see if she made it out!” Eleanor merely frowned. There was no panic on her face. She just waved her hand dismissively. “She’ll be fine. Hazel knows how to swim. Nothing will happen to her.” Her tone was so indifferent, as if she were talking about a complete stranger rather than her own daughter. Mrs. Gable snapped, grabbing Eleanor’s arm. “Her leg was ruined! Aren’t you worried at all? It looked broken! How is she supposed to swim like that? What if something terrible happens to her?” Eleanor let out a soft, mocking laugh. “Broken? She probably just bruised it. Kids these days are so fragile.” She rolled her eyes. “Back in my day, we went through much worse and still went to work the next day. Kids today can’t handle a single scratch.” Right at that moment, Chloe let out a tiny sneeze. Eleanor’s face instantly changed, as if an emergency button had been pressed. She immediately bent down, frantically feeling Chloe’s forehead. “Oh my god, sweetheart, did you sneeze? Are you catching a cold? Are you cold? Does your head hurt?” Her voice was trembling with anxiety, her face pale. She became a completely different person. She stood up abruptly, pulling Chloe toward the medical corner. “Come on, we can’t wait. We need to see the shelter doctor right now. A cold could turn into pneumonia!” She held Chloe’s hand tightly, walking slowly to match her pace, terrified that her precious daughter might experience the slightest discomfort. All her anxiety, care, and love were poured onto Chloe. And that was a kind of warmth I had never experienced in my entire life.

By nightfall, the shelter was brightly lit. People began to settle down on their cots, trying to get some sleep. Yet, there was still no word from me. Mrs. Gable couldn’t take it anymore. “Eleanor… maybe you should call Hazel again? It’s so late. What if she’s stranded?” Eleanor sighed in annoyance and pulled out her phone. Every movement she made showed her frustration, as if I were nothing but an annoying chore. “You guys just spoil Hazel too much. She’s definitely throwing a tantrum, hiding somewhere just to make me feel guilty,” she muttered through gritted teeth, her eyes filled with resentment. She dialed my number. But all she got was a long, endless ringing. No one picked up. Her expression darkened instantly. “See? I told you! She’s doing this on purpose. What an ungrateful brat. She has zero consideration for me! Always talking back, always trying to steal Chloe’s spotlight. She’s practically an adult and still behaves so selfishly. She is completely ruined.” Mrs. Gable wanted to say something, but Eleanor had already lost her patience. She aggressively locked her phone and threw it into her bag, as if cutting off her very last connection to me. “I am not playing her games! You think I’m going to call her again? No way! If she wants to play dead, she can go ahead and never call me again!” Just then, Chloe gently tugged at her sleeve, looking terrified. “Mom, it’s so dark here. I can’t sleep.” In an instant, the rage on Eleanor’s face vanished, replaced by a soft, loving smile. She knelt down and whispered tenderly, “Don’t worry, sweetie. Mommy is right here. I’ll stay with you.” She stroked Chloe’s hair, hummed a soft lullaby, acting as if there was nothing more important in the world than putting her younger daughter to sleep. Meanwhile, her other daughter was left alone in the freezing storm, clinging to life. My safety, my life, meant absolutely nothing to her. Her eyes only saw Chloe. Her heart only held Chloe. My existence was nothing more than an inconvenient burden.

The next morning, Grandma Martha arrived at the shelter, her face pale with worry. The moment she saw Eleanor, she didn’t even bother with a greeting. She went straight to the point. “Where is Hazel? Why is only Chloe here? Why didn’t you bring Hazel with you?” Eleanor rolled her eyes, her voice dripping with annoyance. “Look at how you spoiled her! She is throwing the most ridiculous tantrum right now. Who knows where she ran off to? She won’t even answer her phone. She’s doing this just to spite me!” Grandma Martha’s face fell, her voice shaking with repressed anger. “Hazel is not that kind of girl. She would never play games during a natural disaster. Think, Eleanor! Where could she be? Why aren’t you out there looking for her?” “Look for her? I called her last night, and she ignored me! How is that my fault?” Eleanor sneered. “She’s old enough to walk. Was I supposed to carry her onto the boat? I had Chloe to protect! I couldn’t just abandon Chloe for her. You’ve coddled her since she was a baby, and now she’s turned into this selfish, stubborn brat!” Grandma Martha’s hands trembled, her voice cracking. “I coddled her? That’s because you never wanted her! You dumped her on my doorstep. When have you ever acted like a real mother to her? And now you’re blaming me?” Eleanor looked defensive, her voice rising. “I let you raise her because you insisted! Besides, how can you say I don’t love her? She’s just difficult and always goes against me!” Just then, a police officer in a high-visibility jacket walked into the gym. He scanned the crowd, his face grave, and walked straight toward Eleanor. “Excuse me, are you Hazel Vance’s family?” Eleanor frowned, turning to Grandma Martha with a smug look. “See? I told you she was fine. She probably got herself brought here by the cops just to make a scene.” She turned to the officer, her voice filled with condescension. “What did she do this time? She always loves making a scene to get attention. Did you find her? Was she fighting with someone? Or did she cause some trouble? Just tell me what kind of embarrassing stunt she pulled this time.” She shook her head, sighing dramatically, ready to lecture me. However, the officer didn’t smile. He looked down, silent for a painful moment, before speaking in a low, heavy voice. “Ma’am, I am so sorry for your loss… We recovered Hazel Vance’s body.”

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Five years after a car accident left me paralyzed, I signed my organ donor registry form. As my heart began to fail, I called my mother, wanting to hear her voice one last time. “Chloe, why don’t you just die already? Stop ruining everyone’s lives!” “You shouldn’t even be drawing breath in this world!” When she slammed the phone down, I smiled. Because I was finally going to die, just as she wished. But when my cold corpse ended up on her operating table, she completely lost her mind. Today was my birthday. I sat alone in my wheelchair in my cramped basement apartment. Just like every other year, there was no one else here. It was just like my mother always said—my birth was a disgusting mistake. I didn’t deserve to celebrate. Staring into the pitch-black room, a crushing weight pressed down on my chest. It felt like something was expanding inside me, stealing my air. Ever since the accident paralyzed me, I had signed up to be an organ donor. Knowing my time was short, I had already notified the donor registry staff. As the suffocating pain intensified, I knew it was finally ending. It was an agonizing sensation I’d never felt before. It felt as though an invisible hand was squeezing my heart to pieces. Every breath felt like inhaling frozen needles, piercing my lungs. Yet, in that final moment, I didn’t know if I felt sad or incredibly relieved. Tragic, painful memories flashed before my eyes like a broken film reel. The feeling in my limbs was slipping away completely. With the last bit of strength in my fingers, I picked up my phone. I slid my thumb across the screen and dialed that all-too-familiar number. I knew this would be my last connection to the living world. The call connected. My heart skipped a painful beat. “Chloe, what is wrong with you? Why are you calling to annoy me again?” Eleanor’s voice crackled through the speaker, dripping with absolute disgust. “Mom… I think… I’m dying,” I whispered. My voice trembled, yet I sounded strangely at peace. Her tone didn’t soften for a second. “Chloe, what kind of sick game are you playing now? Are you not tired of lying to get attention?” “It’s real this time…” My breath hitched. The last word took every ounce of energy left in my body. “Fine! Do us all a favor and just die already! Stop being a curse on everyone!” “You shouldn’t even be drawing breath in this world!” “Beep. Beep. Beep.” The line went dead. In the final second of my life, a smile touched my lips. I finally did what she wanted. I died. Shortly after my soul detached from my body, the paramedics arrived. My lifeless body slumped in the wheelchair looked horrifying in the dark, empty basement. They bowed their heads to my corpse, covered me with a white sheet bearing the red cross, and wheeled me into the ambulance. I thought my soul would finally drift away into the afterlife. But a powerful, invisible force dragged me along, keeping me tethered to my physical body. Organ donors are sent to different hospitals depending on which facility needs the match immediately. As the streets outside the ambulance window grew familiar, my ghostly heart tightened. The ambulance pulled up to Westside General Hospital. This was a place I had visited in my nightmares a thousand times. This was where my mother, Dr. Eleanor Thorne, worked. It was the only place I knew I could ever find her. People bustled through the busy hallways. My invisible spirit floated past the doctors and nurses. And then, I saw her. The woman I couldn’t forget even in death. She was laughing. She looked happier than I had ever seen her. Beside her, another surgeon was prepping for a procedure. “Eleanor, you’re so lucky. You finally found a matching liver for Maya.” A few young nurses nearby chimed in. “I heard the donor is the exact same age as Maya. What a tragedy for the donor’s family. They must be devastated.” “Dr. Thorne loves Maya so much. She spent a fortune to bump her up on the priority list. Maya is so lucky to have a mother like you.” A nurse said while organizing the surgical instruments. “Every mother loves her child. It’s only natural to want them to be healthy,” Eleanor replied, her lips curving into a warm, gentle smile. “Every mother loves her child.” I let out a bitter, silent laugh. Even as a ghost, I could feel a stinging pain where my heart used to be. “But Mom… wasn’t I your daughter too?” Eleanor pulled out her phone and sent a Snapchat to Maya. The contact name was saved as “My Precious Angel.” As she swiped back to her main chat screen, my eyes caught another contact name. Saved right below “My Precious Angel” was “The Mistake.” That was me.

Her phone rang. The screen displayed “My Love.” Eleanor picked up the call and stepped out of the office, telling the staff to double-check everything. I followed the medical team into the operating room. Under the harsh, sterile white lights, I looked down at my own corpse. They began preparing me for the extraction. Seeing the nurses work, it finally clicked. My liver was going to Maya. I couldn’t escape that name in life, and now, I couldn’t escape it in death. Maya was the daughter of Eleanor’s high school sweetheart, Richard Vance. Back then, Richard came from a poor, troubled family. My grandparents were completely against Eleanor marrying him. My dad, Arthur, loved Eleanor deeply. He did everything to win over her family—paying off her brother’s college debt and buying them expensive gifts. Eventually, my grandparents forced Eleanor to marry my dad. Even though my dad treated Eleanor like a queen, she never loved him. My early childhood with my dad was the only happy time of my life. But then, the factory explosion happened. My dad died on the job. Eleanor didn’t hesitate. She divorced his memory, packed her bags, and left. But to my surprise, she took me with her. I used to think she kept me because she loved me. Only later did I realize the sick truth: she kept me because she wanted to make sure I was miserable. She projected all her hatred for my father onto me. She forbade me from ever contacting my dad’s side of the family. I was so desperate to make her happy that I obeyed. I never reached out to my grandparents, terrified of making her angry. Looking down at the cold metal table, I watched the surgeons make the first incision on my chest. Surprisingly, I felt a strange sense of peace. My mind drifted back to my childhood. I remembered my dad always greeting me with a big, warm hug. Meanwhile, Eleanor would stand in the corner, staring at me with icy eyes. Whenever I tried to grab her hand, hoping for a tiny bit of warmth, she would violently push me away. “Mom, why do you hate me so much?” I had asked her once with childlike innocence. She never answered. She just stared at me, her eyes filled with dark resentment. Now, I finally understood. Her heart was consumed by hatred. Hatred for my dad, and hatred for me. She poured all that poison onto me, leaving me to grow up isolated and helpless. And her hatred only grew a hundred times worse after Maya entered our lives. My legs became paralyzed during my freshman year of college. That day, Eleanor had taken Maya shopping for designer clothes. I was dragged along just to carry their heavy bags. While crossing the street, a speeding SUV came barreling toward me. The impact sent me flying. I crashed onto the asphalt yards away. The pain was blinding, and then my vision started to fade. Through the haze, I saw Eleanor and Maya slowly walking over. Maya looked at the bloody shopping bags on the ground, frowning in disgust. “Ugh, my new clothes are ruined! I can’t wear these now.” Eleanor gave me a look of pure revulsion. Then, she turned to Maya, her voice instantly turning sweet. “It’s okay, sweetie. I’ll buy you new ones.” “Honestly, Chloe, you are such a curse. Bringing you out was a mistake.” Those were the last words I heard before I blacked out. After the accident, I wasn’t kept in the hospital for long. The initial scans didn’t show any major spinal fractures. But soon, my legs began to lose sensation. Sometimes, I even lost control of my bladder. When I realized something was seriously wrong, I begged my mother to take me to a specialist. But she didn’t hesitate to scream in my face. “You useless leech! You just want to drain every penny I have, don’t you? You’re a liar! Just like your pathetic father!” She ripped my self-esteem to shreds. Maya stood right behind her, arms crossed, watching the show with a smirk. The stress made me lose control, and I wet myself right there in the living room. Maya let out a dramatic shriek, pinching her nose in disgust. In my most vulnerable moment, Maya’s scream felt like a knife slicing through my soul. Her face was twisted in mockery. Tears streamed down my face. No one comforted me. No one even came near me. Eleanor glared at me, her face pale with disgust. “This is repulsive! Mom, kick her out! She’s disgusting!” Maya yelled. Eleanor raised her hand and slapped me hard across the face. “Clean this mess up right now!” Choking on my tears and shame, I dragged my useless legs across the floor to clean up my own waste. Later, Eleanor claimed a massive settlement from the driver’s insurance. But she only threw $500 at me and forced me to move out. That $500 was barely enough to rent a damp, converted garage studio at the edge of town. And that was where I spent the hardest years of my life.

To me back then, $500 was everything. But that money didn’t bring me any warmth. It was just a brutal reminder that I was completely unwanted in this world. Fortunately, my landlord, Mrs. Gable, took pity on me. She lowered my rent from $300 to $100 a month. As the days crawled by, my condition worsened. I lost all control over my bodily functions. Every time it happened, I felt an overwhelming wave of shame and despair. I tried calling Eleanor, begging her to help me get medical care. But her response crushed the last bit of hope I had left. She told me, “You’re a leech. You brought this on yourself. You deserve it!” In my darkest moments, I wanted to die. I wondered if she would feel even a shred of regret or sadness if I was gone. But then I realized she would probably throw a party. She would finally be free of me. I tried my best to keep my dignity. I kept my tiny garage room spotlessly clean. But no matter how much I scrubbed, the heavy scent of decay and despair never left my mind. While I fought for my life in that freezing room, Eleanor and Maya lived in luxury. They lived in the spacious house my father had left behind. Maya’s room was overflowing with expensive makeup and designer clothes. I, on the other hand, wore rags and used a squeaky, second-hand manual wheelchair. Eleanor treated Maya like a fragile princess. I was treated like trash. Every time I thought about it, my heart felt like it was being pierced by needles. I remember once, about six months after my dad died. I saw Maya running around our front yard, her laughter ringing out so happily. I tried to talk to her. I thought if I made friends with her, maybe Mom would love me a little more. “Maya, do you want to play with me?” I asked, trying to sound cheerful. Maya stopped and looked at me with pure disdain. “Why would I play with a dirty rat like you? You don’t belong here.” But everything she owned, the very ground she stood on, was paid for by my dad. As my health deteriorated, I started fainting frequently. Once, I collapsed near the sidewalk and a kind stranger called 911. When the hospital contacted Eleanor, she didn’t show a single ounce of worry. Instead, she coldly told the doctor: “Why are you wasting your time saving her? She should have died a long time ago.” The doctor stared at her in utter disbelief. I lay on the hospital bed, my tears blurring the bright ceiling lights. I had prayed so hard for just a drop of love from her. But I finally knew it was impossible. During my final days, I never tried to call her again. I knew her heart only belonged to Maya. I was just a stain she wanted to scrub away. Signing that organ donor form was my final choice. I wanted to believe that a part of me could go on living, doing something good for someone else. How ironic that my liver was destined for Maya. I was so envious of her. It felt like the entire universe existed just to serve her happiness, while my life was just a sacrificial offering. I watched the surgeons carefully extract my liver and place it in the cooler to transport it to Maya’s operating room. Eleanor didn’t participate in the extraction, but she was the lead surgeon for Maya’s transplant. When the container holding my liver was handed to her, Eleanor knit her brows. She froze for a few seconds, staring at the organ container. Maybe mothers and daughters really do have a subconscious connection. But the feeling quickly passed. She threw herself into the surgery. I could tell she was incredibly nervous. When the transplant was finally completed, she let out a long sigh of relief. She wiped the sweat from her forehead, changed her scrubs, and prepared to head to Maya’s recovery room. Right then, her phone buzzed. It was Mrs. Gable. I suddenly remembered I hadn’t paid this month’s rent. “Hello, is this Chloe’s mother? Chloe hasn’t paid her rent this month. I went to check on her, but the door was locked and no one answered. I’m really worried…” Mrs. Gable’s voice was gentle and filled with concern. “Enough! What does her rent have to do with me? If she didn’t pay, throw her trash out and kick her onto the street! Stop calling me with her drama!” Eleanor snapped. Mrs. Gable tried to speak, but Eleanor hung up without giving her a chance. “Useless brat,” Eleanor muttered under her breath. She unlocked her phone and sent me a text—the first text she had initiated in years. “You worthless parasite, if you’re going to die, do it quickly. Don’t ruin my life. Pay your rent now. If your landlord calls me again, I’m cutting you off completely. You can starve on the streets for all I care!” She had completely forgotten that she hadn’t sent me a single dime in over two years. She tossed her phone onto her desk. Outside the office, a couple of nurses were gossiping. “Hey, did you hear? The liver donor for Dr. Thorne’s daughter was a paralyzed girl. She lived all alone in a converted garage. It’s so tragic. How could her parents be so heartless?” “Maybe she was an orphan. Poor girl.” Eleanor froze. Her head snapped up. She stood still for a moment, then shook her head, trying to dismiss the thought. She reached for her phone again. Underneath it lay a copy of the organ donor registry sheet that had been sent over with the organ. Her eyes accidentally grazed the bottom of the page. When she saw the signature, her face drained of color…

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My family was dirt poor. To pay for my college tuition, I worked on a construction site, but I ended up getting beaten black and blue after pissing off the foreman. To keep my parents from worrying, I went to a local Urgent Care clinic alone. But there, I saw my parents—dressed in high-end luxury brands—holding another boy, waiting to get registered. “Doctor! Our precious Ryan just cut his finger with a fruit knife! Please save him!” With that, my dad threw a stack of cash at me. “Get lost, you filthy beggar. Don’t ruin Ryan’s sight.” The boy in their arms looked at me with pure disgust, like I was piece of trash. I looked at their expensive designer clothes, and then at the luxury Rolls-Royce parked right outside the clinic. Then I looked at my own dirty, torn clothes. My throat tightened. With a broken heart, I walked straight to the Army recruiting office. I never planned to see them again. Maybe I looked too pathetic, because my parents didn’t even recognize me. I stood there, frozen, staring at the expensive designer suit on the boy in my parents’ arms. Then I looked at my own shirt. It was old, didn’t fit, and had been patched up for three years because I couldn’t bear to throw it away. My heart ached. I remembered my dad giving me this shirt for my birthday three years ago. To buy it, he worked from dawn to dusk, even fainting on the construction site a few times. I saw how hard they worked, so I grew up fast. I never caused trouble. Even when I was bullied at school or mocked at work, I kept it to myself and licked my wounds in secret. Even when the girl I liked confessed to me, I smiled and rejected her out of insecurity. I knew my family couldn’t afford any mistakes. Every step of my life had to be carefully calculated. But now, I realized my parents weren’t poor at all. The only poor one was me. They gave that boy infinite luxury, yet they wouldn’t even give me the tuition deposit I needed to change my life. Tears streaming down my face, I walked out of the clinic like a ghost. People on the street avoided me, terrified I would get too close. Of course. If my own parents treated me like trash, why would strangers be any different? I went back to our rented shack. I washed off the dirt with cold water, patched my torn clothes with old rags I found, and lay on the hard wooden bed, nursing my hurts. After what felt like hours, my parents’ voices came from outside. “Ethan, come out quick!” “Look what we brought you!” My body was in pain, my lips pale. I was running a fever. I forced myself to stand and walked out. My parents were back in their cheap, dirty worker clothes. In my mom’s hands was a jacket. “We got lucky today! Your dad and I found this jacket. It just has a little stain on it. We’ll wash it and it’ll be good as new. Try it on!” My mom handed me the jacket, completely ignoring how sick I looked. So, the clothes I had been wearing all these years were just hand-me-downs from their wealthy son? What I cherished as treasure was just someone else’s trash. “And these white sneakers. Consider them your reward for getting into NYU.” My dad pulled out a pair of shoes from behind his back, smiling. Yeah. Those were Ryan’s too. He loved white sneakers. The last pair my parents brought home was also white. Maybe because I was too quiet, my mom handed the jacket to my dad and looked at me closely. She finally realized something was wrong. “Ethan, why are your lips so pale? Do you have a fever?” “Go lie down, honey. I’ll get you some medicine right now.” My dad immediately looked panicked and carried me to my room. Actually, my parents used to be good to me. I remember once, I went to the mountains to harvest wild herbs to sell. I fell off a small cliff and passed out. My dad climbed down a thirty-foot cliff with no safety gear to save me. My mom walked fifteen miles in the dark to the next town to find a doctor. But these same parents had lied to me for years. The poor parents and the billionaire parents were the exact same people. How pathetic. My mom mixed some medicine and fed it to me. She asked anxiously why I was suddenly sick. I looked into her worried eyes, forced a smile, and said, “I got hurt at the construction site and went to the clinic. But three rich people kicked me out.” “I came home and got a fever.”

Panic flashed across their faces, but they masked it in a split second. Guilt filled their eyes, and my mom’s eyes turned red. “Ethan, it’s our fault. We made you suffer so much.” “We… we failed you.” My mom started sobbing, and my dad comforted her with red eyes. In the past, I would have comforted them like a mature adult, telling them that once I graduated from college, we would have a better life. But now, I just sat there in silence. Even if I graduated and worked for ten years, I probably couldn’t even afford one tire of that Rolls-Royce. Seeing that I wasn’t comforting them, they stopped acting. My dad cleared his throat, put on a warm smile, and took over my usual role. “Well, we might be poor, but we have a great son. Ethan got into NYU! Once he graduates, our family will be set.” He was going to be disappointed. Even if I worked for ten years, I couldn’t afford that lifestyle. My mom wiped her tears and smiled. “I can’t wait to live the good life.” Hearing this, I bit my lip and finally asked, “Mom, Dad, I still don’t have enough for the enrollment deposit. I’m short $800.” “Can you… help me out?” My heart pounded. This was the first time I had ever asked them for money. I had saved enough from my construction job, but my coworkers stole it, and the police couldn’t find them. College was my only ticket out. I couldn’t lose it. For something this important, they would surely give me the money, right? I looked at them with hope. Hesitation flashed across my dad’s face, but it quickly disappeared. He sighed. “Ethan, can you find another way? Maybe borrow it from a classmate?” “You know our situation. Your mom’s surgery cost us a fortune, and we’re still in debt. We really don’t have $800.” My mom’s eyes went red again. She lowered her head. “It’s all my fault. I’m dragging this family down. If Ethan can’t go to college because of me, I’d rather just die!” Her words felt like a bucket of ice water poured over my head. My entire body went numb. I looked at the white sneakers on the floor. Those shoes alone probably cost more than $800. In that moment, I realized Ryan wasn’t just stepping on those shoes—he was stepping on me. They knew how much college meant to me, yet they were so stingy. I forced a smile and looked down. “Okay. I’ll ask a classmate.” I climbed back into bed and pulled up the blanket. My parents exchanged a look. Finally, my mom walked over, forced a smile, and said, “Son, don’t be sad. Today is your birthday! We’ll make you a great dinner tonight.” My dad walked over too, grabbing my hand. “You’ve been wanting that smoked brisket, right? I’ll slice it up for you tonight.” I nodded. Their faces lit up with joy. Just then, my dad’s phone rang. He suddenly looked very tense. I glanced at the screen. The caller ID said: “Baby Boy”. It must be Ryan. Must be nice to have a phone. I didn’t even have one. “Ethan, get some rest. We’ll take this call outside.” My parents, who were just showing me so much love, walked out together. To make sure I didn’t overhear, they went all the way to the yard. But they forgot one thing in their rush—I had excellent hearing. I could hear them perfectly from this distance. I peeked through the door crack. My dad frowned, keeping his voice low. “Didn’t we tell you to text us? What if your brother finds out?” Ryan’s whiny voice came through the receiver: “Dad, Mom, I cut my finger today. It hurts so much~” “Can you guys come home and stay with me tonight?” My parents looked at each other, then back at our front door, hesitating. Ryan’s voice dropped. “I guess I’m just not as important as Ethan. ‘Sniff’…” My parents immediately panicked. “Of course not! Your brother can’t even compare to a single hair on your head.” “Yeah, sweetie. You’re our favorite.” Hearing this, Ryan cheered up. “I knew you loved me most! I’ll be waiting at home!” He hung up. My parents headed back inside. I quietly climbed back into bed. Maybe because of the cold, I started coughing. Hearing me, they rushed in with worried faces and patted my back. That evening, they made a feast, including the smoked brisket I loved. But they were dressed up, ready to go out. “Ethan, we just got a call for a quick gig. We can make $200 tonight.” “That means you’ll only need $600 for school. We’re sorry we can’t spend your birthday night with you.” I coughed, nodded, and smiled as I ate a piece of brisket. My parents looked relieved, walked out, and gently shut the door. I chewed the dry, salty meat, my smile turning into tears that dripped into my bowl. What was I expecting? I was never their favorite child. Under the cover of night, I walked over to our neighbor’s house and borrowed his phone to call the military recruiter who had been trying to reach me. “Sergeant Carter, if I join the Army’s Closed Training Program… will my college tuition really be fully covered?”

Hearing this, Sergeant Carter was thrilled. He told me that not only was tuition free, but room and board were covered too. It was just tougher than regular college. But I had suffered my whole life. What was a little more hard work? After hanging up, I went home and slept. I had a strong immune system, so I was mostly recovered by the next morning. My parents came back, holding a small cake. But a slice was missing, like someone had already eaten from it. “Ethan, we couldn’t get you a cake yesterday, so we got you this today!” “And here is the $200 we made last night. Take it. Don’t worry, we’ll get the rest of your tuition.” They handed me the cake and the money, but I pushed them away. “I don’t really like cake. Too sweet.” “As for tuition… I borrowed it from a friend. You don’t have to worry.” They were stunned for a moment, but didn’t push. They left the money on my nightstand for pocket money. “We met a very generous boss. We’re going to work for him for the next two weeks. Take care of yourself, Ethan.” “Oh, and watch out for scammers. If anyone tells you weird things, don’t believe them. When we get back, we have a huge surprise for you.” Then, they rushed off. Two weeks? That was exactly when I was scheduled to leave. A week later, fully recovered, I used the advance money Sergeant Carter sent me to get my military physical at the hospital. But when I got back, the yard was a mess. My few cherished belongings were scattered all over the dirt. Ryan was sitting in the yard, surrounded by several bulky bodyguards, looking at me with utter contempt. Just like he did at the clinic. I stood there, frozen. “You don’t know me, do you? I’m your brother. Our parents are actually the richest family in this city.” “But they don’t like you. That’s why they raised you like a beggar~” His words felt like glass shards grinding into my heart. “Look at this trash you cherish. It’s all stuff I threw away. My dog’s collar is worth more than all of this combined.” “I never understood how someone with such a trashy life could smile so much. Every time I see your face, I want to rip that smile off.” I did smile a lot. I smiled at my parents, at my school bullies, at the cruel foreman. Because life was hard, and smiling was my only defense. My eyes burned, and my fists clenched to stop my body from shaking. “Why? I’m their biological son. Why would they do this to me?” Ryan smirked, laughing in my face. “Why? Because they don’t love you. You were just a mistake. They wanted to drown you when you were born, but our grandparents wouldn’t let them. That’s the only reason you’re alive.” “But once they had me, grandparents finally let them dump you in the slums. I guess I’m just too lovable~” “Anyway, I’m here because the family inheritance is being decided soon. I don’t want anyone getting any funny ideas, so I’m here to warn you.” My mind went blank. I stumbled backward. So, I was abandoned by everyone from the very beginning. With a hollow chest, I forced out: “Don’t worry. I won’t fight you for the inheritance.” “You couldn’t even if you tried. Mom and Dad love me, not you.” With that, Ryan threw a few hundred-dollar bills on the ground and swaggered away with his guards. I didn’t touch the money. I just silently packed up my ruined things. Once I was done, I left the house I had lived in for eighteen years and checked into the military academy early. A week later, my parents finally returned. They were dressed in high-end luxury clothes, carrying countless expensive gifts. “Ethan, come out! We have great news!” “Actually, we are…” My dad stopped mid-sentence. The only thing waiting for them was a silent, empty house.

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The night before Prom, our class Snapchat group chat suddenly blew up. “Oh my god! Ashton, Why’d you switch your Prom partner to Hailey? Weren’t you supposed to dance the opening waltz with Chloe?” Ashton replied casually, “So I changed it. What’s the big deal? It’s not like she’ll get mad.” “She’s easy. She can just come tomorrow and be Hailey’s and my personal photographer.” My mind went completely blank. I was still clutching the designer tie I had specially bought for Ashton. I exited the group chat and threw the tie straight into the trash can, and blocked him on everything. Then I scrolled to the bottom of my contacts to find the one guy in school nobody dared to mess with—Ryder, the top-tier F4 racer. “Ryder, do you need a date for Prom tomorrow night?” **Chapter 1** Ashton’s words felt like cold knives cutting my heart to pieces. In Santa Monica High, everyone knew I was basically Ashton Miller’s “exclusive shadow.” To match his Prom suit, I had ordered a custom-made couture gown in the exact same color palette three months in advance. And now, he just changed his mind. Without even telling me to my face. Someone in the group chat asked him. “Aren’t you afraid Chloe will find someone else? You literally have to bring a date tomorrow.” Ashton replied with a mocking sneer. “No way. Chloe has been following me around since ninth grade. She’s head over heels for me.” “Giving her a spot as our photographer is doing her a favor. She’ll show up tomorrow with her camera, guaranteed.” The chat quickly filled with guys hyping him up, sending “Bro is a legend” texts. Then, someone else chimed in. “Don’t be so sure, man. What if Chloe actually finds someone else?” “She’s pretty popular in school too, you know. Plenty of guys want to ask her out.” Another text popped up immediately: “Did you guys forget about Ryder?” “He’s always had a thing for Chloe.” “He’s a US F4 racer. Half the girls in school are lining up to get his attention. You sure Chloe won’t give him a chance?” Ashton paused for a few seconds before typing back, his tone noticeably colder. “Bullshit.” “Ryder is nothing.” “Chloe would never look at him.” “She only cares about me. Just last week, she canceled all her plans just because she didn’t see me for a single day.” “In her world, I’m the only one who matters.” “Don’t worry. Tomorrow night, she’ll be there, happily taking pictures of me.” After that, the group chat went quiet. A long moment passed before someone cautiously typed. “Bro, that’s kind of messed up to do to Chloe.” “You should have at least told her first.” Ashton let out an annoyed “ugh” before replying. “Annoying. I’ll deal with it later.” The chat quickly went back to joking around. “To be honest, Chloe is a bit plain compared to Hailey.” “Ashton is living the dream.” … Those teasing words felt like they were crushing me. I scrolled to the very bottom of my contacts. Ryder—the resident bad boy of Santa Monica High, a rising star in the US F4 racing circuit, and the guy Ashton had unilaterally declared his arch-nemesis for the past three years. The phone rang twice before he picked up. “Chloe? Wow, you finally decided to call me. What’s up?” I spoke flatly. “Ryder, do you still need a date for Prom tomorrow?” On the other end of the line, I heard the sharp screech of car brakes. After two seconds of dead silence, Ryder’s voice came through: “For you… I’m always free.” I hung up and threw myself onto my bed. **Chapter 2** Staring at the ceiling, my thoughts began to drift. How could someone change so quickly? From ninth grade to twelfth grade, we spent four whole years together. We stayed up late studying for the SATs, and just a few months ago, he was excitedly planning our first dance at Prom. Back then, he said he wanted the entire school to envy him that night. But now, when the finish line we had both waited for was right in front of us, he suddenly let go of my hand and ran toward someone else. If he wanted to change dates, why couldn’t he just tell me? Was I really that insignificant to him? If he found me so annoying, what about his late-night promises when he whispered about our future? Were those all lies? Or was it just because the night was too dark for him to see who was actually standing by his side? I hugged my knees tightly, hiding myself in the dark, and let the tears flow. Honestly, it wasn’t like I couldn’t live without him. And I definitely wasn’t “head over heels” for him like he claimed. Every time our opinions differed, he would throw a temper tantrum. He only smiled when I went along with whatever he wanted. So, while I quietly kept up with my own life goals, I constantly made compromises for him. Ashton wasn’t wrong about one thing—I had built my future plans around him. As long as it didn’t cross my boundaries or hurt my self-respect, I was willing to compromise for the sake of love. But that didn’t mean I would let him walk all over me. I unlocked my phone, opened the meticulously planned “Prom Itinerary” and our reservation for two at the rooftop restaurant, and tapped **[Cancel All]** without hesitation. He made his choice, and I have my pride. From now on, we go our separate ways. Right after I washed my face, Ashton tried to FaceTime me. “Chloe, pick up! I need to see you!” When I didn’t answer, he sent several more FaceTime requests before finally texting. “We’re at our usual spot. Everyone is waiting for you. Hurry up, get an Uber.” But I didn’t want to go. “Tired. Staying in.” The moment I sent it, a reply popped up. “Are you sick? I’ll come over.” “No. Don’t come.” Just as I replied with a frown, Hailey sent me a Snapchat message. “I’m so sorry, Chloe. I was the one who begged Ashton to let me come. I didn’t know it would make you upset. I’m leaving right now.” “As long as you come, I don’t mind whatever happens to me.” Before I could even reply, people started spamming my name in the group chat. “Chloe, what is your problem? You can’t stand Ashton having other friends? Your jealousy is getting ridiculous.” “You’re just jealous because Hailey is prettier than you.” I froze, instinctively wanting to explain, when a message from Ashton popped up. “Chloe, I was the one who invited Hailey. If you’re mad, take it out on me. Why are you making Hailey feel bad?” “Whatever. Stay home if you want. We’re having more fun without you anyway.” Right after, they sent a bunch of photos of them partying. Someone added sarcastically: “It’s so much more fun when certain people aren’t here.” What a bunch of psychos. I immediately left the group chat and blocked Ashton’s Snapchat. In the past, no matter how much we fought, I always accommodated him. Now, out of sight, out of mind. **Chapter 3** Honestly, when Hailey first transferred to our school, she was actually my friend. Back then, Ashton even warned me, saying Hailey seemed shady and that I shouldn’t get too close to her. To help her feel included, I brought her into my friend group and even put in a lot of effort to help her get along with Ashton. But during the Homecoming pep rally, Hailey took off her nerdy black-rimmed glasses and showed up in a stunning red dress. After that night, Ashton never told me to stay away from her again. He and Hailey got closer and closer. He even took the initiative to add her to our core group chat. By the time I realized what was happening, my old friends had all turned into Hailey’s personal bodyguards. Ashton treated Hailey way too well. Once, Ashton and I had a massive fight over it and didn’t speak for three months. I told him, “If you like Hailey, I’ll step aside.” But Ashton got so panicked his eyes went red, and he held me tight, apologizing. “You’re the only one I care about.” “Hailey comes from a broken home and gets bullied at school. I just felt bad for her and wanted to help her out.” I believed him. But Ashton was just treating me like a fool. Their interactions became more and more frequent, using the word “friends” as a pathetic cover-up. Until last night, when he officially replaced me as his Prom partner with Hailey. Making me look like a complete idiot! By the time I snapped out of my thoughts, the sun had already set. My mom had come home at some point, and she smiled as she looked at me. “Did you fight with Ashton again? He said you blocked him.” “He wants you to unblock him.” I gave a vague answer and walked out the door. Our school counselor, Mr. Davis, had asked us to come in for one final check on our college enrollment portal before the system shut down. When I arrived, there was an empty seat next to Ashton. Usually, that was my spot, but Hailey sat right down in it. Ashton didn’t say anything. Instead, he naturally took Hailey’s designer handbag and set it on his lap. He kept glancing over at me. He was waiting for me to bow my head and apologize. Too bad for him, he was dead wrong this time. I turned around and sat down right next to Ryder, far away from them. “Make sure you double-check everything, guys. The college portal closes tonight, and once it’s locked, there’s no going back,” Mr. Davis yelled from the front of the classroom. Seeing me sit next to him, Ryder stopped spinning his car keys. “Well, look who finally decided to talk to me.” “Aren’t you afraid your precious Ashton will get jealous?” I didn’t offer a long explanation. My voice was calm. “I’m done with him.” Suddenly, someone tapped my shoulder. “Chloe, don’t you have anything to say to me?” I ignored him. But Ashton grabbed my arm and dragged me out into the hallway. “Chloe, are you serious right now?” “You’re throwing a tantrum and blocking me over this?” “I’m warning you, unblock me right now, or don’t ever bother texting me again.” I forced myself to look at him for a few seconds. “Okay. I wasn’t planning on texting you ever again anyway.” Ashton’s face instantly turned incredibly pale. “Fine! Don’t come crying back to me later!” I turned to walk away, but he suddenly grabbed my hand again, his eyes filled with a desperate seriousness. “Stop acting like a child. Go check your enrollment portal again, make sure you didn’t make any mistakes…” He wanted to say more, but Hailey walked up and interrupted him. “Ashton, I don’t really understand this part of the form. Can you help me look at it?” “Sure, let me see.” Ashton immediately looked down at Hailey’s tablet. I let out a sarcastic laugh and walked away. By the time he looked up to say something else, I was already back inside the classroom. “Chloe, make sure you double-check it! Carefully!” **Chapter 4** Actually, when I was checking the portal earlier, I saw the enrollment changes Ashton had made. He had secretly logged into our shared portal and changed the college preferences we had agreed on. He changed his to a school in the same city as Hailey’s. He probably thought that as long as he didn’t tell me, I would just submissively change my choice to match his, like I always did. What a joke. Since he didn’t want to bring it up, I played dumb. After all, he thought I was obsessed with him, and I found explaining things to him too exhausting. Luckily, I finally opened my eyes. Back in the classroom, Ryder saw my terrible expression but didn’t pry. He just told me to focus on getting ready for Prom tonight. That evening, I showed up at Prom as Ryder’s date. The moment we walked into the decorated venue, almost every eye in the room locked onto us. Right ahead of us stood Ashton, his face dark. I treated him like thin air, walking right past him without a second glance. When I walked past the hallway near the restrooms, I ran into Ashton and one of his friends. “Ashton, you need to tell Chloe about changing your college choice. Are you really okay with her going to a different state alone?” “Look how close she’s getting with Ryder now.” Ashton let out a dismissive snort. “What she does has nothing to do with me.” “Besides, she definitely changed her college choice already. She’s just using Ryder to make me jealous. It’s so annoying.” I froze, stepping out of the shadows and running straight into them. Ashton told his friend to leave and cornered me against the wall. “Going to Prom with Ryder without telling me? You’re really trying to test my patience, aren’t you, Chloe?” “You think this petty little stunt is going to make me jealous?” He grabbed my wrist, his voice arrogant. “Fine, I’ll let it slide. Can we make up now?” “Did you check your college portal?” Then, he added with a slight hesitation in his voice. “Did you… change yours to match mine?” I kept my mouth shut, and the silence became painfully awkward. As we stood there, Hailey walked over. “Ashton, the guys out there are teasing me. Come help me.” Then, she acted as if she had just noticed me, her voice dripping with fake surprise. “Oh, Chloe, are you here alone?” “Please don’t misunderstand, I only asked Ashton to be my date because I didn’t have one, and I’ve been looking forward to Prom for so long.” I was too exhausted to play along with her drama. Taking advantage of Ashton’s distraction, I slipped away. But before I could run off, Hailey reached out and blocked my path. **Chapter 5** “I’m so sorry, Chloe. Did I make you upset?” “I’ll leave. I just don’t want you and Ashton to fight because of me. He’s been in such a bad mood these past few days because of you, and it hurts me to see him like this.” “As long as he’s happy, I’ll do anything.” With tears welling up in her eyes, she looked like she was about to drop to her knees and beg. “What are you doing? Hailey, get up!” Ashton shoved me aside, pulling Hailey into his arms with an expression of pure worry. “Chloe, can you stop acting crazy every time you see Hailey?” “We’re going to be in the same city for the next four years. Why do you have to be so incredibly petty?” I stared at him, finding the whole thing hysterical. “Do you honestly think the way you two act is how ‘just friends’ behave?” He froze for a second, then sneered. “Oh, so you’re finally dropping the act?” “Weren’t you the one who said she was pitiful and told me to look out for her? You were the one who brought her into our circle!” I stared at his face—a face I had looked at for over ten years—and realized he looked like a total stranger. “If you love playing savior so much, why don’t you guys just date!” I turned and walked away, completely ignoring Ashton’s furious shouts behind me. “If you walk away now, don’t you ever come back!” I didn’t even look back. During the interactive game segment of Prom, the spotlight suddenly landed on Ashton and Hailey. The screen above the stage flashed the words: *“Truth or Dare / Take a Shot.”* The crowd started chanting and cheering. Hailey looked at Ashton, seemingly flustered. His friends shouted from the crowd: “Hailey, everyone is watching! If Ashton rejects the dare, you have to down three shots of tequila!” With all the cheering and whistling around them, Hailey’s face flushed red. She tried to explain, looking like she was on the verge of tears. Ashton stood there, completely still. “Ashton doesn’t want to do it. I’ll just take the shots,” Hailey said, closing her eyes and reaching for the cup. Suddenly, a hand reached out and stopped her. “You have a severe alcohol allergy. Do you want to end up in the ER?” Ashton muttered. “But what else can I do? I don’t want to ruin the vibe for everyone.” Looking at Hailey’s tearful face, Ashton lifted her chin. “You couldn’t have picked anyone else besides me?” “No.” Hailey, overcoming her shyness, grabbed Ashton’s lapels, stood on her tiptoes, and kissed him. This time, Ashton didn’t pull away. Instead, he wrapped his hand around her waist and deepened the kiss. The cheers and whistles from the crowd grew deafening, but my heart felt like it had been dropped into a boiling pot of oil, burning with a searing ache. Even though I had told myself I didn’t care anymore, seeing this still hurt. Ten years of friendship and feelings can’t be ripped out without drawing blood. When I finally got home, a small pebble suddenly hit my bedroom window. It was our secret signal. For a split second, I wished I had amnesia. I leaned out the window. Standing down there was Ashton, the same guy who had just been passionately kissing Hailey at Prom. He spoke with a pleading tone. “Chloe, stop playing games. Go change your college commitment.” **Chapter 6** When I walked downstairs, I could smell the alcohol on Ashton. He was slurring his words, looking completely different from his usual arrogant self. Why couldn’t he have acted this desperate earlier? Thank God he didn’t. “Chloe, we promised we’d go to the same college.” “You’ve never been away from me. You cry if you don’t see me for a single day. I don’t want you to cry, so I’m letting you follow me…” I knew I should have slapped his face and walked away like a badass. But my feet felt glued to the driveway. I took a deep breath and shoved him away. “Let go of me.” A flash of pure panic crossed his eyes, but he quickly masked it with a clueless expression. Ashton, you are such a disappointment. Why are you still so cowardly and dishonest? “It’s almost midnight, Chloe. We need to fix this first.” He grabbed my hand, trying to use my face to unlock my phone. “Be good. The school I chose is really good. Once this is done, you can throw whatever tantrum you want.” I stood frozen. “So even now, you refuse to tell me the truth?” “You didn’t just change your Prom date. You changed the college we decided on together, too.” “Is there even a point? You already know everything anyway.” I was crazy to be wasting my time out here. I forcefully pushed him, sending him falling onto the grass. I ignored him as he screamed my name desperately from behind. “Chloe, you’re going to regret this!” Even now, he was still trying to threaten me. I turned around and waved my phone at him. “The portal is closed. It’s too late.” The expression on Ashton’s face was priceless. I went back to my room and threw myself into the darkness. One last time. I would let myself cry for him one last time. But just as the sky was turning gray, my bedroom door was pushed open by my mom. “What is going on with you two? Ashton has been waiting downstairs since dawn.”

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At noon, my online boyfriend sent me a mirror selfie from the gym. Eight-pack abs, broad shoulders, a narrow waist—the sexual tension was practically dripping off the screen. [Babe, I had a great workout today.] [Don’t you think I deserve a little reward?] I was just about to text back: [I’ll reward you with phone sex twice tonight.] But then, my eyes caught the logo printed on the gym wall behind him. Apex Tech. My heart instantly skipped a beat. Because… I worked at Apex Tech. And that gym looked exactly like our private corporate gym… I froze on the spot. No way. Was this a joke? The mature daddy I’d been having phone sex with for the past two years actually worked at the same company as me? I zoomed in on the photo. Bigger, bigger, and bigger. The logo was clear as day. [Apex Tech] It was definitely my office building. Our company gym was strictly VIP, accessible only to internal employees. My online boyfriend was actually my coworker? OMG! [Babe, why the silence?] Another photo of his abs popped up on my screen. He had casually pulled up his gym tank top. His rock-hard chest and the sharp lines of his V-taper were perfectly reflected in the mirror. The testosterone was practically suffocating. The texts kept rolling in. [I know you love this.] [Why aren’t you replying to me, huh?] [PayPal Transfer: $50,000] My brain was short-circuiting. I knew my online boyfriend lived in the same city. But I never, in my wildest dreams, expected us to be under the same roof. Talk about a twisted stroke of fate! After quickly drooling over his abs for a second, I decided to probe. “Hey babe, where do you work?” “Is it by any chance Apex Tech?” I typed the words out, then deleted them. Over and over. I didn’t know what to say. If I asked, he would definitely ask where I worked. He’d find out I was at Apex Tech, too. And then he would want to meet up. What would I do then? The mere thought of face-to-face interaction with someone I’d been dirty-talking with for two years made me want to curl up and die of embarrassment. Before I could even process this, another text popped up: [Why are you ignoring me? Is my body not doing it for you anymore? Or do you need more shopping money?] Another picture of his abs. [PayPal Transfer: $100,000] [PayPal Transfer: $100,000] To keep him from sensing my panic, I quickly replied: [Just grabbed lunch, sorry! missed your texts.] [The abs… look amazing.] Only then did the text onslaught stop. [Good. Now, where’s my reward?] I didn’t dare reply. I stood up from my cubicle and walked over to the elevators, heading straight to the gym on the fifth floor. There were plenty of guys lifting weights, but which one was him? I forced myself to calm down and organize my thoughts. Right now, I needed to figure out three things: First, who the hell is my online boyfriend? Second, is he actually a decent guy in real life? Third, if I do find him, do I confess, keep the online relationship going, or break it off? I mean, sexting a coworker is a HR nightmare. Just thinking about it made my skin crawl. Looking back at our two-year history, we had actually kept our privacy top-notch. We never traded face pics. Even during our FaceTime sessions, we never showed our faces, only our bodies. My boyfriend would only send me photos of his chest and abs whenever I begged for them. Based on that alone, it was almost impossible to identify him. I couldn’t exactly go around the office ripping guys’ shirts open to compare their ab patterns with my Snapchat archive.

Back at my desk, I looked at my male coworkers. I shuddered. We battled each other in meetings every single day like mortal enemies. If my online boyfriend turned out to be one of them, I would literally die on the spot. I scrolled through our chat history, desperately looking for clues. And I actually found something. Last month, he was struggling to choose a watch. [I’m out shopping with a friend. Want to buy a watch.] [Which one looks better? Which do you prefer? I’ll get you one too.] He had sent a few photos, and I had picked out the Rolex Daytona. To protect my identity, I had politely declined his offer to buy me one. [Whatever you choose is the best,] I had said. He bought it right then and there. So all I had to do was look around the office and see who was wearing that exact Rolex Daytona. I took a few laps around the office, secretly staring at every guy’s wrist, but I couldn’t find a single match. I messaged my boyfriend: [Are you wearing your new watch today?] He replied instantly with a photo. It showed a man’s dress shirt sleeve rolled up slightly, revealing a strong, tanned forearm. On his wrist, the Rolex gleamed with a cold, low-key luxury. Just the way he rested his hand exuded the quiet confidence of a powerful, mature man. Ah, so he had his sleeves rolled up. No wonder. But why hadn’t I spotted him? While I was lost in thought, a message popped up on my work WhatsApp from my boss, Julian Vance: [Chloe, there are some issues with the proposal. Come to my office right now!] When I walked into the corner office, Julian was smiling into his phone, on a call. “Yeah babe, I miss you too. Just come to the office tomorrow to see me.” “Oh, by the way, Ethan is coming over tomorrow. You can hitch a ride with him.” “Come on, I just don’t want you driving all that way by yourself, it’s not safe~” “Alright, alright, have it your way. Drive safe. See you tomorrow.” “Talk to you later. Kiss kiss~” I awkwardly looked away. Yikes. Major cringe. Who knew our tough CEO, Julian, had such a clingy, lovesick side? Julian hung up, cleared his throat, and offered me a professional smile. “Chloe, the investors looked at the proposal this morning. They’re mostly satisfied, but they had a few notes. I’ve marked them here. Make the edits based on their feedback.” “Sure, Julian.” I turned to leave, but my eyes caught his wrist. He was wearing a Rolex. The exact Daytona model I had picked out! In an instant, it felt like lightning had struck my brain. I froze. Seeing that I hadn’t left, Julian looked up. “Yes? Anything else?” His voice snapped me out of my shock. I took a deep breath, trying to act casual. I pointed at his wrist. “Nice watch, Julian.” Julian smiled, his hazel eyes crinkling at the corners. “Thanks. My girl helped me pick it out. It is nice, isn’t it?” Me: “……” Julian grinned. “Why? Do you like it?” I quickly masked my horror, waving my hand dismissively. “Oh, no. Just making conversation.” With that, I practically bolted out of his office. A wild, terrifying thought screamed in my head: Julian is my online boyfriend! But if I was his girlfriend… then who the hell was the “babe” he was just sweet-talking on the phone? Was Julian cheating on his girlfriend with me? Holy shit! And why was Julian so different online versus offline? Online, he was this dominant, mature, daddy-type protector. Offline, he was a gossipy, clingy millennial!

I was a complete zombie for the rest of the day. I didn’t even reply to my online boyfriend’s messages. Somehow, I managed to finish editing the proposal and dragged myself home, feeling absolutely hollow. My phone was buzzing like crazy with notifications from him. [Babe, what are you doing? I miss you.] [It’s been a while since we had phone sex. Tonight?] [Are you there?] [PayPal Transfer: $100,000] [Buy yourself something nice.] [Why are you ignoring me?] [You’re acting weird today.] [Still no reply? Did I do something wrong?] … My hands shook as I typed out a reply. [Are you keeping secrets from me?] He replied within seconds: [I’ve never lied to you about anything.] [Babe, is there some kind of misunderstanding?] [No.] I tried to calm my racing mind. If my online boyfriend really was Julian, my next step was to figure out if he was cheating on his actual girlfriend. And who exactly was the “babe” he was hosting tomorrow. What if I was overreacting? What if it was all a misunderstanding? Another text came in: [Help me pick an outfit.] He sent a photo of several designer suits lined up. [I trust your taste.] I intentionally chose a navy blue Tom Ford suit. It was distinct enough that I’d easily spot it. Deep down, I was desperately hoping. If Julian didn’t wear that suit tomorrow, it meant he wasn’t my online boyfriend. Then I wouldn’t have to worry about whether my digital lover was a cheating scumbag. The next morning, I walked into Julian’s office with the updated proposal. Julian was sitting on the leather sofa, sipping tea. And he was wearing the exact navy blue Tom Ford suit I had picked out last night. “Julian, here’s the final draft.” Julian nodded with a smile. “Thanks, Chloe.” “The lead investor is coming this afternoon. Get ready to present.” “Will do.” I stared at his suit and asked, trying to sound nonchalant: “I’ve never seen you in this suit before, Julian. It looks great on you.” Julian smiled. “Really? Just bought it yesterday.” My heart sank. That confirmed it. Julian was my online boyfriend. Sitting at my desk, I couldn’t focus. I kept staring at his glass-walled office. Julian had said his “babe” was coming today. I wanted to see who she was with my own eyes. If it was what I feared, then this relationship had to end immediately. Half an hour later, a stunning, well-dressed girl walked straight into Julian’s office. I grabbed my mug and pretended to go to the breakroom. As I passed his office, their laughter drifted through the cracked door. “I missed you so much! This suit looks incredible on you. Navy blue is definitely your color.” Julian’s voice was incredibly tender. “I’m glad you like it. I wore it just for you. Aren’t I meeting your parents tonight? I was worried they wouldn’t approve of me.” “Are you kidding? If I love you, my parents will love you too.” Hearing those words felt like a physical blow to my chest. So, the reason he had asked me to choose an outfit was to impress his real girlfriend’s parents. What was I, then? A dirty little online secret? A side chick? My stomach churned. I pulled out my phone and typed out a text to my online boyfriend with trembling fingers: [You are a piece of trash. We are done.] I blocked and deleted his contact immediately.

Julian walked out of his office, hand-in-hand with his girlfriend, waving her goodbye. He didn’t look sad at all. I felt like the biggest clown on earth. Thinking about all our late-night chats, a wave of bitterness washed over me. My only saving grace was that I had used a burner Snapchat account and never revealed my real name or face. Otherwise, I’d have to resign and flee the country. I took a deep breath. No guy was worth losing my career over. I was a professional. I wasn’t going to quit a great job over some online drama. In the afternoon, Julian messaged me. [Chloe, the investor is here. He reviewed the proposal and likes it. Come in and present your pitch.] I put on my best professional face, stood tall, and walked in. “Chloe, this is our lead investor, who also happens to be my best friend, Ethan Cross. Don’t be nervous. Just pitch your ideas to him.” I completely ignored Julian and looked at the man sitting on the sofa. My eyes locked with Ethan’s. Unlike Julian’s warm, approachable vibe, this man exuded pure wealth and power. He had a cold, untouchable aura. He wore a tailored black V-neck suit over a fitted black mock-neck sweater. The sweater clung to his incredibly broad chest, hinting at a powerful build that was teasingly concealed by his jacket. It was enough to make any girl’s imagination run wild. His long, pale fingers picked up a glass of water, and he took a slow sip. I was completely intimidated by his presence and swallowed hard. At Julian’s prompting, I began my presentation. Once I got into work mode, my confidence returned. I was articulate and poised. By the time I finished, Julian was clapping. “Excellent job, Chloe! Ethan, what do you think?” Both Julian and I looked at Ethan. But Ethan’s eyes weren’t on the papers—they were locked onto my collarbone. Suddenly, he said, “Miss Miller, that’s a beautiful necklace.” I looked down. My blouse had a slightly wide neckline, and my crystal pendant necklace was fully visible. Panic seized me. When I bought this necklace, I had sent a close-up photo of it to my online boyfriend. [Look at my new necklace! Isn’t it pretty?] The photo had been a close-up of my collarbone and neck. My online boyfriend had replied: [You’d look beautiful wearing anything.] Now that the necklace was on display, would Julian recognize it? I shot a quick glance at Julian, but he didn’t seem to notice anything. He was just eagerly waiting for Ethan’s feedback. Of course. Julian had a real girlfriend. To him, I was just a fun online distraction. Why would he remember a detail like that? Only a fool like me would treasure every single memory. I awkwardly covered my collarbone with my hand. “Thanks. Just a cheap piece of jewelry.” Julian sat down next to Ethan and took a sip of his coffee. “So, what’s the verdict?” Julian stared at Ethan, but Ethan kept his eyes on me. After a long pause, he slowly murmured: “It’s perfect.” Hearing this, Julian happily slapped Ethan’s shoulder. “Ethan, you’re a lifesaver! I knew I could count on you.” I let out a quiet sigh of relief. All those sleepless nights working on this proposal had finally paid off. Ethan brushed Julian’s hand off his shoulder with a look of mild annoyance, then looked back at me with a faint, rare smile. “Credit goes to Miss Miller. She’s incredibly talented.” Even though it was our first meeting, I felt an odd sensation. The intensity in Ethan’s gaze made my ears burn. Julian looked shocked. “Whoa, hold on. Did the ice king just pay someone a compliment?” “Well, to be fair, Chloe is amazing. Anyone would praise her.” “But you? Complimenting a girl? That’s a first. Did the sun rise from the west today?” “Oh, wait. I forgot about your girlfriend—actually, ex-girlfriend. She dumped you, didn’t she? My bad, big mouth.” My ears instantly perked up. Ooh, tea! The legendary billionaire investor, Ethan Cross, got dumped? Who on earth would be dumb enough to dump a guy like him? The next second, Ethan shot a dark, brooding glance in my direction. I quickly looked down, suddenly feeling inexplicably guilty. Ethan looked away, took a sip of his tea, and said coldly to Julian: “Keep talking, and I’ll pull my funding.” Julian immediately held his hands up in surrender. “Alright, alright! My bad. You really can’t take a joke, can you?” Trying to calm my racing heart, I quickly excused myself. “Julian, Mr. Cross, if that’s all, I’ll head back to my desk.” I practically fled the room. Back at my desk, Julian sent me another message on WhatsApp. [Chloe, are you free tonight? Mr. Cross still has a few questions about the proposal. He wants to discuss it over dinner. Our treat.] I replied coldly: [Not interested.] [If you go, I’ll double your year-end bonus.] Hey, nobody turns down free money. I replied instantly. [Deal. Send me the address.] Locking my phone, I thought about Julian meeting his girlfriend’s parents tonight. A pang of sadness hit me, but I shook it off. Well, Chloe, I thought to myself, unlucky in love, lucky in career.

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