1 It was the year Jared Lavelle and Nina Volkov’s love curdled into the purest hate. Nina had taken three of his fingers with a butcher’s cleaver and vanished. Three months after she left, Jared Lavelle announced his wedding. And just like that, I went from a caregiver fresh out of college to the lady of the Lavelle estate. For five years, Jared cherished my clean slate, my innocence. He allowed me to become his vulnerability, his soft spot. Until Nina Volkov came back from Europe and shattered his ribs. I rushed to the hospital the moment I got the call. But I stopped dead outside his private room, my hand hovering over the door. Through the glass, I saw Nina drive a blade deep into Jared’s chest. He didn’t even flinch. Instead, he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her into a brutal kiss. When they broke apart, Jared wiped a smear of blood from his lips, his voice a raw rasp of desire. “Nina,” he breathed. “God, I’ve missed you these five years.” … Nina’s face was a mask of ice. She shoved him away and slapped him hard across the cheek. That’s when I burst in. “Stop it!” Jared’s expression flickered with something uncomfortable as he let his hand drop from Nina’s waist. She glanced down at his retreating hand, a cold, sharp laugh escaping her lips. Her gaze, utterly devoid of warmth, swept over my simple white dress, dripping with scorn. “Elara. Perfect timing.” She gestured to a chair. “Let’s talk.” A shadow crossed Jared’s face. “Elara, go home,” he ordered, his voice strained. But my feet felt like they’d grown roots. Nina lit a cigarette, the same brand I knew intimately. An entire drawer in our bedroom was filled with them, a five-year constant. The smoke curled into my lungs, and I broke into a fit of coughing. She watched the tears well in my eyes, her voice like chipping ice. “Let me be frank, Elara. You’re not his type.” Her eyes raked over my white dress again, a cruel smirk playing on her lips. “The blood on my hands—on our hands,” she corrected, “could stain every white dress in your closet crimson.” As she spoke, she casually wiped the blood from her fingers—Jared’s blood—onto the pristine fabric of my skirt. “These five years? They were a gift. A little vacation I allowed you to have.” She leaned closer, her voice a conspiratorial whisper laced with undisguised menace. “But you should know, Elara. Stolen things always have to be returned to their rightful owner.” I stared down at the garish red stain blooming on my dress, a sickening knot tightening in my stomach. I finally found my voice, a weak attempt at defiance. “You’re the one who left five years ago, Nina. If it wasn’t for me, Jared…” Her brow furrowed in annoyance. She moved slowly, gracefully, but her strike was vicious. Her hand clamped around my throat, and she dragged me toward the open window, forcing half my body out into the cold night air. Jared, despite his injuries, shot out of bed, grabbing her wrist. “Nina, that’s enough,” he growled. She just laughed, a bitter, ugly sound, and shoved me out another few inches. The city lights swam dizzyingly below. “Are you stopping me for another woman now, Jared?” The silence that followed was heavy, suffocating. My heart plummeted into a cold, dark abyss. With a look of grim determination, Nina reached over and yanked the small blade from Jared’s shoulder. A fresh spray of hot blood erupted from the wound, but only my face paled. “Jared!” Nina didn’t hesitate. Using the same knife, she carved a deep, ragged hole into her own wrist, then mine. Blood, warm and slick, soaked my sleeve, my dress. “I’m giving you another chance to choose, Jared.” In the space of a single sentence, my white dress was drenched in so much red it was impossible to tell its original color. Jared ground his teeth, each word a low snarl. “Nina, are you insane?” She said nothing, merely holding her mangled, bleeding wrist up for him to see. He hesitated for only a fraction of a second. Then, he scooped me into his arms and sprinted towards the emergency room. For the first time, I saw Jared Lavelle, always so composed, stumble in his haste. A nurse met us, pushing a gurney forward. “Put her down! Where is she injured?” Jared instinctively held up my left arm—the one that was completely unharmed. The air froze. The nurse stared, confused. But I understood everything. The wounded wrist belonged to Nina. With a look of pure contempt, the nurse shooed Jared out of the E.R. His face vanished behind the swinging doors, his anxious voice echoing in the hall. “Elara, don’t be scared! I’ll be right here waiting for you!” The nurse scoffed under her breath. “Doesn’t even know where the wound is. Some deep love that is.” She turned and saw the bitter smile on my face, and an awkward silence filled the room. The cut Nina had made was deep. They didn’t have time for anesthesia. I felt every pull of the surgical needle, the thread stitching my skin back together, searing the moment into my memory forever. When it was over, they wheeled me out into the hallway. It was empty. Jared Lavelle, the man who said he would be waiting, had broken his promise. 2 It wasn’t until the early hours of the morning that a weary-looking Jared finally found my room. Seeing my eyes closed, he must have thought I was asleep. He slipped into the bed beside me, a familiar routine, pulling me into his arms and pressing a soft kiss to my hair. But a foreign perfume clung to the bandages on his chest. It wasn’t mine. It wasn’t even Nina’s. I opened my eyes just enough to see it: a faint, crimson lipstick stain smeared across the white gauze. A soft snore rumbled from Jared’s chest, but sleep was now a distant country I couldn’t reach. I shifted, turning my head away from him. Five years ago, Nina’s departure, coupled with a series of failed surgeries on his hand, had nearly destroyed him. He was a ghost, a hollowed-out shell of the man he once was. He’d shut everyone out, refusing to eat, drink, or sleep. Then I showed up with a simple bowl of homemade noodle soup. The moment he smelled it, something in his dead eyes flickered back to life. “I’ve lived on a knife’s edge for too long,” he told me later, describing that plain bowl of noodles. “That soup… it reminded me of what home tastes like.” For five years, I stayed by his side, patiently pulling him back from that blood-soaked abyss. He rewarded me with a pink diamond ring and proudly declared me Mrs. Lavelle to the world. He told me he could only truly sleep beside me, without the fear of being woken by the cold barrel of a gun. He told me that once things settled down, we would have a child. We would live a normal life. A home, a family, a future. Now, Nina’s return had shattered that future with a single, brutal punch. At dawn, Jared’s best friend, Leo Sterling, tapped lightly on the door. Jared gently eased me back onto the pillow and slipped out of the room. Leo’s voice was a low murmur. “Nina’s stable. She’s going to be fine.” I heard Jared let out a long, slow breath of relief. They stood in silence for a moment before Leo broke it. “Damn. It’s been a while since we’ve had an adrenaline rush like that. These last few years of peace have made me soft.” Jared’s reply was a quiet hum. “Too peaceful.” His words were a blade twisting in my chest. I didn’t know if he meant life had grown too dull, or if I had. Leo’s tone turned serious. “Now that Nina’s back, what’s your plan?” Jared paused, not answering directly. “If Elara hadn’t been with me five years ago… I would have been gone. I can’t just throw that away.” A bitter taste filled my mouth. So, he hadn’t forgotten. But then, he spoke again. “It’s just… sometimes, after five years of plain broth, you start craving something with a little fire.” In that instant, the foundation of love Jared had built in my heart over five years crumbled into dust. He was the one who said he was tired of living on a knife’s edge. And now, he found that life bland. Jared clapped Leo on the shoulder. “I’m going to check on Nina. Let me know when Elara wakes up.” After Jared’s footsteps faded down the hall, Leo’s voice came from just outside the door. “I know you’re awake, Elara.” Before I could answer, he pushed the door open and took a seat in the visitor’s chair, getting straight to the point. “I’m advising you to leave Jared,” he said, his gaze steady. “It’ll be better than the humiliation you’ll face later.” He paused. “I can have divorce papers drawn up. You want money? Name your price.” He leaned forward, his voice low and earnest. “The bond between Jared and Nina was forged in blood and fire, Elara. That’s not something five years of domesticity can erase.” I lowered my gaze, hiding the desperate helplessness in my eyes. It was true. For all these years, I’d been living in a separate world, isolated from Jared’s true life, his true self. An island of my own making. The beautiful future he painted for me was nothing more than a fantasy he’d spun to deceive himself. We had both forgotten the truth. His soul was colored in shades of black, stained with crimson. Leo’s voice was filled with a strange sort of pity. “How about we make a little wager?” After a long moment, I finally made my decision. “Fine.” 3 Jared didn’t show up again until noon the next day. I didn’t ask where he’d been. He, in a rare show of tact, didn’t explain. He gently helped me change out of the blood-stained dress, his touch as careful as ever. He pressed a soft kiss to my forehead. “Elara, I’m taking you home.” The drive was wrapped in a long-forgotten silence. Jared held my hand, but his gaze was distant, his mind clearly miles away. When we arrived at the villa, Nina was already there, leaning against the doorframe as if she owned the place. She shot him an impatient look. “Next time, don’t make me wait.” Then, without another word, she tapped a six-digit code into the keypad and walked inside. The casual, familiar way she did it made me feel like the intruder. Jared’s expression darkened. He opened his mouth to explain. “Elara…” But Nina, turning back from the living room, answered the question for him. “The code is my birthday,” she said with a dismissive wave. “It’s never changed.” She sank onto the sofa like a queen returning to her throne. Our housekeeper, Martha, rushed over, her face alight with joy, and grabbed Nina’s hands. “Miss Nina! You’re finally back!” she exclaimed. “I’ll… I’ll go make you your favorite noodle soup right away!” I stumbled, the world tilting beneath my feet. A chilling realization washed over me. The person who made this place feel like home for Jared… it was always Nina. I had merely stumbled into the gap they’d left in their endless war, using another woman’s comforts to pry open his fortified heart. Nina was right. These five years were stolen. They were never truly mine. Jared’s hand tightened around my cold fingers. He turned to the housekeeper, his voice sharp. “Martha! Get out!” Then he strode over to the sofa and hauled Nina to her feet. “Alright, what do you want? Why are you really back?” Nina didn’t even flinch. She simply reached out and pressed her thumb hard against his broken ribs. “I want the two warehouses on the Southside.” Jared’s face contorted in pain, but he didn’t make a sound. I knew those warehouses. In our first year of marriage, I lived in constant fear of getting a call saying he was dead. The first step in legitimizing the Lavelle enterprise was to sell off those properties. Leo had gotten into a massive fight with him over it. They were the place where he and Nina had built their empire from nothing. “Have you forgotten the bandages soaked in blood that littered the floors there?” he had asked. Jared had been silent then. He had discarded that part of his past for me. Now, Nina had effortlessly ripped open those old wounds, making him remember the days of gunfire and chaos. Jared’s voice was hoarse. “They’re gone. Sold them off years ago.” A flash of disbelief crossed Nina’s face. She was about to speak when the front doors of the villa imploded. A shower of shattered glass sprayed across the room, and tiny shards sliced into my skin. My new white dress was once again stained with red. Jared’s face was grim as he shoved me behind him. But Nina stepped forward, positioning herself right at his side. My fingers curled into fists. The two of them, standing shoulder to shoulder, a perfect, deadly pair, were a testament to my own powerlessness. In the next second, dozens of armed thugs swarmed into the house. A familiar, menacing voice drifted in from the doorway. “Nina, my dear. Long time no see.” Jared’s grip on my hand tightened. The sight of Silas Quinn’s face made my heart sink to the floor. He leisurely straightened his suit jacket and sat down on our sofa. “Nina, our deal was simple. The Southside warehouses for two blocks of my territory. Today’s the deadline, and I have yet to see any keys.” Nina faced him calmly. “They’re gone,” she said, her eyes flicking to me. “Jared got rid of them. For a woman.” Silas raised an eyebrow, his expression dripping with amusement. “Oh?” he purred. “Well, that’s a shame. In that case, Nina, your life belongs to me.” Jared exploded, lunging forward and grabbing Silas by the collar. “Silas! You dare!” Instantly, the room bristled with the sound of safeties clicking off. Dozens of guns were aimed at Jared and Nina’s heads. Silas looked utterly unfazed. “Jared, you’ve been playing the legitimate businessman for so long, you seem to have forgotten. The rules of the street don’t allow for broken deals. There’s no backing out. Only payment, or death.” After a long, tense moment, Jared’s hands fell away from Silas’s suit. He looked defeated. “Let Nina go,” he said, his voice ragged. “I’ll find a way to get you the warehouses.” Silas clapped his hands in mock applause. “That’s what I was waiting to hear.” He gestured to his men. “Take Mrs. Lavelle.” In that moment, a cold sweat broke out across my back. The thugs moved, but Jared’s first instinct was to rush toward Nina. He only seemed to remember me when he saw them grabbing my arms. “Silas, Elara isn’t part of this life!” he yelled, his voice raw with panic. “Let her go!” Silas’s friendly demeanor vanished. “I’m already showing you respect by calling you Mr. Lavelle,” he snarled. “You have a choice. I take one of Nina’s hands, right here, right now. Or I take your wife with me. You decide.” Jared went silent. From her place by his side, Nina watched me, a triumphant smirk playing on her lips. My heart felt like a tattered flag in a storm. I didn’t want to hear his answer. I turned and walked out on my own. Nina was right. We were never from the same world. Silas rose from the sofa, his eyes cold and predatory. “Three days from now, at the Southside warehouses. I’ll be waiting.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “385024”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

The new intern at the firm was a handsome idiot. Just as my project hit a critical phase, he swapped high-strength steel for standard grade. The stadium roof collapsed overnight, injuring ten workers. Before I could investigate, Julian Miles ran to our director—my girlfriend, Seraphina Vance—with red-rimmed eyes and an innocent face. “Director Vance,” he whimpered, “I was just trying to save money…” Seraphina shielded him and turned on me coldly. “You’re the project manager! Why blame the intern?” Furious, I struggled with an asthma flare-up. Julian insisted on “helping” me apologize to the victims’ families. On the stairs, his grip slipped—or he shoved me. My head hit the concrete, and everything went black. A week later, I died in the ICU from a brain injury. I heard Julian sobbing, “If I wasn’t so stupid, Liam wouldn’t have died.” Seraphina comforted him, “It was an accident. Not your fault.” My death was ruled a suicide. My parents lost everything and froze to death on the streets. Then, I opened my eyes—back to the day Julian was about to submit the order. 1 I saw him walking toward the procurement department, list in hand, and my voice was a whip crack across the office. “Julian Miles! Who gave you permission to modify the materials list?!” He jumped, a flicker of panic in his eyes before it was replaced by a disarmingly innocent smile. “Oh, Liam! The list had so many different types of steel, it looked really complicated. I just swapped them for the most common one to make purchasing easier! I was just trying to be more efficient!” I snatched the paper from his hand and jabbed a finger at the altered specifications. “Complicated? This is the key component ensuring the structural integrity of the entire roof! If you use the wrong material and that roof comes down, can you bear that responsibility?” Julian’s lower lip trembled, his excuse a perfect echo of my past life. “They looked pretty much the same to me… and the standard steel is so much cheaper. I was just thinking about the project’s budget…” I let out a cold, sharp laugh and turned away from him to face Mr. Evans, the senior engineer who had drafted the original list. “Evans, if this order goes through and the construction team builds according to this, the roof’s load-bearing capacity will fail. When the accident happens, you, me, and this entire firm will be held responsible. Do you understand?” The blood drained from Evans’s face as the consequences hit him. A cold sweat broke out on his forehead. “Yes, sir! Understood!” he stammered. “It was my oversight, Liam! I’ll never let an unauthorized person touch these documents again!” At that, Julian’s eyes welled with tears. “Mr. Evans, I was just trying to help you! How can you side with him to bully me like this?” he cried, his voice rising. “We interns do the hardest work for the least pay, and now we have to deal with workplace bullying too?” His outburst drew stares from our colleagues. Right on cue, Seraphina stepped out of her office. Her brow furrowed at the scene. She strode directly to me, her tone sharp with disapproval. “Liam, what could possibly be so important that you feel the need to shout at a new intern in front of the entire office?” I fought to keep my rage in check, pointing at the list. “He replaced the high-strength steel with a standard grade. This is about architectural safety and people’s lives!” Seraphina glanced at the paper, then waved a dismissive hand. “Julian just graduated. He’s bound to make mistakes. As his senior, you should guide him, not blow this out of proportion.” Julian seized the opportunity, bowing a full ninety degrees to me, his voice thick with tears. “I’m so sorry, Liam! It’s my fault, I’m just too stupid! Please don’t be mad. I’ll do anything you ask!” Whispers erupted around us from those who didn’t know the full story. “Ugh, another manager picking on the new guy.” “It’s a simple mistake. Just correct it and move on. Who didn’t mess up at their first job?” “Yeah, even Director Vance said so. Isn’t Liam overreacting?” Listening to them, a strange calm washed over me. “Seraphina, since you admire him so much, you can supervise him from now on. Any future mistakes he makes will be your full responsibility.” She scoffed. “Fine, I will. But your attitude today was unacceptable, Liam. You will apologize to Julian.” I was done arguing. I took the correct materials list, turned, and handed it to the procurement manager. “Order according to this original list. No changes.” I walked back to my desk. But Julian, like a persistent ghost, followed me. “It’s okay if you don’t apologize, Liam,” he said with false sincerity. “I’m a forgiving person. I don’t hold grudges.” His voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper, laced with triumph. “But… Director Vance has been taking really good care of me lately. I’d hate for her to be angry with you over this. It might affect your relationship.” I didn’t even look up. “Are you bored? If you are, go find something to do instead of being an eyesore.” Julian bit his lip, but for once, he didn’t argue. He turned and walked away. Less than half an hour later, a crash and a collective gasp echoed from the direction of the archives. 2 My stomach lurched. I shot up and ran. The archives were a disaster zone. Several filing cabinets were toppled over, their contents—priceless blueprints and documents—scattered across the floor. Ms. Davis, the archivist, was trembling with rage, pointing a shaking finger at Julian, who was hiding behind Seraphina. “Who told you to touch these blueprints? And you spilled ink on them! These are archival copies, the firm’s treasures! They’re irreplaceable, do you understand that? Irreplaceable!” Julian’s face was pale. He clutched at Seraphina’s jacket, his eyes wide and tearful. “Director… I saw some dust on the drawings, so I tried to wipe them off… I just accidentally knocked over the ink bottle. I really didn’t mean to…” Seraphina’s expression was thunderous as she looked at the blackened, ruined blueprints. But when she saw Julian’s pathetic, quivering form, her tone softened impossibly. “It’s alright, it’s alright. It’s not your fault. It was an accident.” She turned her icy gaze on the heartbroken Ms. Davis. “You’re in charge of the archives. You knew Julian was new. Why didn’t you inform him of the rules beforehand? This incident is your responsibility! The cost of restoring these blueprints will be deducted from your salary!” Ms. Davis stared, utterly dumbfounded by the injustice. Julian was still sobbing his apologies. “I’m so sorry, Ms. Davis. It’s all my fault, I’m so stupid… Liam told me to find something to do, and I just wanted to help. I never thought I’d cause you so much trouble. I’ll pay you back as soon as I get my first paycheck, I promise.” Seraphina sighed and patted Julian’s shoulder. “Don’t be too hard on yourself, Julian. The blueprints… maybe some of them can be salvaged. Don’t let it weigh on you.” How could it weigh on him? The one taking the fall was the hardworking, diligent Ms. Davis. The value of those original blueprints was immeasurable. Even if some could be restored, the cost would be astronomical. Seraphina had always prided herself on being fair and strict. When I first started, she publicly berated me and docked three months of my bonus for accidentally tearing a tiny corner off an unimportant draft. Now, faced with the irreparable damage Julian had caused, she was downplaying it, even shifting the blame to an innocent party. Emboldened, Julian even tried to pass the buck entirely. “Actually, this is all Liam’s fault. If he hadn’t been bossing me around, I wouldn’t have caused this mess…” I let out a cold laugh. “Julian, did I tell you to spill ink on archival blueprints? You make a stupid mistake and immediately blame someone else. How did you even get hired here?” Before the words were fully out of my mouth, a sharp crack echoed through the room. Seraphina had slapped me. Hard. It caught me completely off guard. My cheek burned, and my ears rang. “Liam Carter!” she seethed. “The one shirking responsibility is you! Julian is an intern! He doesn’t know any better! As his supervisor, you should be teaching him with patience, not targeting him with your bitter remarks! Is this what you call professional conduct?” Behind her, Julian shrank back, his tears falling even faster, as if he were the one who had been wronged. “Director, please don’t fight with Liam because of me… It’s all my fault. I never should have come to this firm…” 3 I clutched my stinging cheek, my gaze sweeping over Seraphina and Julian, as cold as ice. “Fine. I will cover Ms. Davis’s loss. But Seraphina, we’re done.” To my surprise, she agreed without a moment’s hesitation. “I was thinking the same thing. Before I met Julian, I thought it didn’t matter who I was with. But when he came along, I finally understood what true love feels like.” What a joke. We had been together for eight years, from college until now, and she was telling me she had just found “true love”? Ms. Davis tugged at my sleeve, her eyes pleading with me not to be rash. I watched Julian pull a tearfully grateful Seraphina into his arms and felt the corner of my lip curl into a small, bitter smile. “It’s okay. I’ve never been more clear about anything in my life.” A cheater and a walking disaster. They deserved each other. In the end, I called in a favor from a friend who specialized in restoring historical documents. He managed to save the blueprints. Neither Ms. Davis nor I had to pay a cent. After that incident, every project team in the office treated Julian like the plague. I thought he might have learned his lesson and would lay low for a while. I was wrong. The very next day, the head of a partner firm stormed into our office, his face purple with rage. “Liam! What is wrong with your firm? Who submitted this final version of the construction plans? The core data is completely wrong! You almost caused a massive failure in our multi-million dollar equipment installation!” I took the plans and saw it immediately. Someone had altered key data points before submitting the file to the client. In the signature block was my own electronic seal. A quick check of the industry’s online forums confirmed my fears. A post titled “#MajorDesignFirmFumbles, Senior Architect Accused of Malpractice!” was trending. The comments were brutal. “These so-called experts are a joke! They don’t even have the basics down!” “This Liam Carter guy is supposed to be a top graduate from Crestwood University’s architecture program? What a disgrace to his school!” “Everyone, remember this name and face. Avoid him at all costs for future projects!” It didn’t take a genius to figure out who was behind it. I went straight to Seraphina. “You let him use my electronic seal to submit faulty plans. That’s a major breach of protocol and has caused severe damage to both the firm’s and my personal reputation!” Julian stood beside her, pouting innocently. “I just saw how busy Liam was every day, and I wanted to help him out…” he mumbled. “The data didn’t look quite right to me, so I adjusted it a little. I had no idea it would be such a big deal…” Seraphina rubbed her temples, looking exhausted but still shielding him. “Julian was just trying to be helpful, to lighten your workload. The mistake was caught in time, no actual damage was done. Can’t you be a little more gracious?” I rolled my eyes, not bothering to argue. I pulled out my phone. “If I don’t receive a public clarification and an apology, I’ll let my lawyer get me one.” Seeing I was serious, Seraphina’s expression hardened. “Fine! Do you have to make a federal case out of every little thing? I’ll issue a clarification from the firm’s official account.” She paused, her gaze turning cold and menacing. “But your complete lack of team spirit convinces me that you’re no longer fit to be a project manager.” I slapped the resignation letter I had already prepared onto her desk. She glanced at it but made no move to sign. “Trying to threaten me with quitting? I wasn’t finished. What I mean is, you should be giving Julian more opportunities to learn and grow.” I laughed internally but agreed with a pleasant smile. “Of course. I’ll make sure he gets all the opportunities he deserves.” After Seraphina posted the clarification, she began to systematically strip me of my authority. But she refused to approve my resignation, instead dumping all the most difficult and tedious projects on my desk. Meanwhile, Julian, with his new “opportunities,” was a fountain of failures. He’d take a client’s request for modern minimalism and produce a render that looked like a cheap country nightclub. He’d mess up the page order on important bid documents, sticking Company B’s price list into the proposal for Company A. 4 The complaint calls piled up. The pressure on Seraphina mounted until she suggested transferring Julian to the administrative department to handle basic tasks. But Julian tearfully refused, his voice choked but firm. “Director, I know I’m stupid and I keep messing things up… but I really want to be a great architect! It’s my dream!” Defeated, Seraphina agreed. Under her direct and constant supervision, Julian finally managed to stop making mistakes. She let out a huge sigh of relief. Until the day the firm landed a major government-led project: a landmark cultural center. The project was being personally overseen by Mr. Thornton, a highly respected, retired city official. Mr. Thornton was known for his exacting standards. He insisted on regular, personal visits to the construction site. Though he was a gentle man, he had an eagle eye for incompetence. The initial phase of the project went smoothly under his watch. To give Julian more “experience,” Seraphina had him tag along, responsible for simple on-site communication and document delivery. That afternoon, an emergency call came through to the project team. The construction foreman’s voice was shaking, the background filled with frantic, panicked shouts. “There’s been an accident! At the site! Mr. Thornton was hit by a falling support frame! He’s unconscious, the ambulance is taking him to the hospital now!” My heart seized. I rushed to the hospital. In the emergency room, Mr. Thornton lay on a gurney, his head covered in blood, utterly still as doctors and nurses fought to save him. “What happened?” I demanded. Julian was just crying, unable to form a coherent sentence. The foreman explained. “Mr. Thornton was inspecting the main exhibition hall when a support frame overhead suddenly came loose. That section… Julian had submitted an ‘optimized’ plan for it. Said it would cut costs and speed things up. We had no idea… no idea this would…” I snatched the so-called “optimization” blueprint from his hands. One glance was all it took. I almost passed out from sheer rage. It wasn’t an optimization; it was a death trap. He had recklessly simplified the support structure in a critical area, using a flimsy design and cheap materials that were flagrantly in violation of safety codes. He had set a trap over the heads of the workers and Mr. Thornton. And Mr. Thornton had paid the price. “Who told him to change the structural plans?!” I roared. “Do you think this is a game?!” Julian flinched, his eyes swimming in tears. “The Director said the original plan was too complicated… I was just trying to save time and money, so I tried to optimize it. I never thought this would happen…” “Optimize?!” I was shaking with fury. “This is a criminal disregard for safety! Is that what architecture is to you? A joke?” But it was too late. Mr. Thornton died on the operating table. His son, Marcus Thornton, a powerful and influential local entrepreneur, arrived at the hospital in a storm of grief. When he learned his father had died because the design firm had unilaterally changed construction plans, his sorrow turned to a burning rage. He grabbed Seraphina, who had just arrived, by the collar, his eyes bloodshot. “Director Vance! My father was just checking on the project’s progress. How is he suddenly dead?! Your firm owes me an explanation!” Seraphina’s first instinct was to pull the stunned Julian behind her. Her sharp gaze then locked onto me, her voice ringing with absolute certainty. “It was Liam Carter! He approved the faulty blueprint! He failed to conduct a proper review, which led to this tragic accident! We will handle this with the utmost seriousness and give you a satisfactory answer!” As if finding a lifeline, Julian began to sob his agreement, pointing a trembling finger at me. “Yes… yes, it was Liam who told me to tell the construction team to use the new plan. He said it was the final version… It’s my fault, I was too stupid, I trusted him too much… sniff… it’s all my fault…” Marcus Thornton’s hateful gaze snapped to me. “Fine! A ‘senior architect’! My father is dead, and it’s your fault! I will make you pay!” He pulled out his phone and called the police. Soon, police cars were parked outside the firm. As the officers approached to take me into custody, my gaze remained perfectly calm, fixed on Julian and Seraphina. 5 My voice was steady, repeating Julian’s own words back to him. “Julian. Are you sure I’m the one who told you to tell the construction team to use the new plan? Are you certain?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “385023”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

My twin brother has a severe identity disorder; he thinks he’s me. Everything that’s mine is his, including my fiancée, the formidable head of a powerful syndicate. The ninety-ninth time he disguised himself as me and climbed into Seraphina’s bed, she finally lost her patience and had him abandoned in a remote, primeval forest. But then someone discovered the transparent glass cabin deep within the woods. They captured photos of my brother pressing Seraphina against the floor-to-ceiling window in a passionate embrace and plastered them all over the internet. Seraphina came to me that night to explain. “The doctor said the only way he might recover is if he’s allowed to experience everything you do,” she said, her voice cool and measured. “You’re his older brother. Surely you won’t hold it against him.” A cold, bitter laugh rose in my throat. Of course I wouldn’t. So the next time she was pressed against that same glass, lost in pleasure with my brother, I pressed a button. The glass wall began to retract, slowly sliding upwards into the ceiling. From my hiding spot, I watched with cold eyes as a large black bear lumbered out of the trees, drawn by the scent. Seraphina had probably forgotten. Besides being her fiancé, I was also an accomplished survivalist and explorer. He wanted to be me so badly? Fine. He could have it all. 1 I tossed the remote control into the underbrush, hoisted my pack, and prepared to leave. But Seraphina and her men appeared, blocking my path. Her brow was furrowed as she looked me up and down, a hint of exasperation in her voice. “Jian, there’s a limit to this childishness.” When I didn’t respond, she stepped closer, reaching for the survival pack on my back. “Kaelen is doing much better lately. Once I have his child, he should make a full recovery. Then, we can finally get married.” A humorless laugh escaped my lips. I sidestepped her hand. “You’re tainted. What makes you think I’d still want you?” The smile on her face froze, but her voice remained steady. “Jian, do you really think I don’t know you? If you truly didn’t care, you wouldn’t have come all this way to pull a stunt like this.” My fists clenched at my sides. Why was I here? She knew better than anyone. The day my mother was dying, we were trying to honor her last wish: to be carried to this very forest. But before we could even reach the tree line, she closed her eyes for the last time, her final words a whispered breath: “It’s no use, Jian. I’ll never make it there.” I had collapsed, my grief a raw, physical force. Seraphina held me, her arms a tight circle of comfort. “We’ll bury her here, Jian. We’ll fulfill her wish.” Today was the anniversary of her death. Of course I had to be here. Dealing with them was just a bonus. “Kaelen is your brother, Jian. He’s just sick. He’s not trying to take your place as my husband.” She paused, her eyes meeting mine. “But you raised the glass. You terrified him, and it’s caused a relapse. He won’t hold it against you, but I can’t play favorites. You need to be taught a small lesson.” She took the remote, which one of her men had found, and toyed with it. With a flick of her wrist, two of her men understood. They shoved me aside and strode toward my mother’s grave. One of them raised a sledgehammer. As it swung towards the headstone, my heart stopped. I lunged forward, but two other men pinned me to the ground, my struggles useless. In a single, sickening crack, my mother’s gravestone shattered into pieces. My vision went red. I glared at Seraphina, pure hatred burning in my eyes. She had been the one to pick out that very stone, to have it set. Now, she had destroyed it. “Next time, Jian, it won’t just be the headstone,” she said, her voice like ice. “It’s up to you whether your mother gets to rest in peace.” Her men released me. In a flash, I was on my feet, my knife in my hand. I launched myself at her, plunging the blade deep into her shoulder. “Seraphina,” I snarled, my teeth gritted. “I am not your pet. You want to hurt me? You’ll have to get through this blade first.” She didn’t even cry out, though her eyes darkened with pain. Her men stood frozen, not daring to breathe. But when her gaze fell on my face, the killing intent in her aura seemed to melt away, replaced by a sigh. She gently touched a scratch on my cheek. “If you would just behave, you wouldn’t have to suffer like this.” Ignoring the pain in her shoulder, she reached into my pack, her movements familiar, and pulled out a tube of antiseptic cream. She began to apply it to my face, her touch surprisingly gentle. It was just like that night, years ago. We were both covered in blood as we carried my mother from the house. Neither of us had made a sound, not wanting to scare her. Only later, after my mother had fallen asleep, did Seraphina, with red-rimmed eyes and trembling hands, tend to my wounds. “I swear, Jian,” she had whispered, “I will protect you. No one will ever hurt you again.” Her own injuries had been far worse than mine. After that, she clawed her way to the top of her family’s organization, becoming the ruthless leader everyone feared. And no one dared to touch me again. Until today. Seraphina blew softly on the scratch. “Jian, can’t you just let it go with Kaelen? You may not accept him as your brother, but even your mother did…” SLAP! The sound echoed through the silent forest as my hand connected with her face. 2 Her men instantly turned their backs, refusing to witness their leader’s humiliation. Seraphina wiped a trickle of blood from her lip, her eyes chillingly cold. “You need to think this through. But rest assured, I will marry you.” She quickly discovered the remote was broken. After a long silence, she took my survival pack and led me back to the glass cabin. She tended to her wound with practiced efficiency. When the roar of the bear echoed through the trees again, she ordered her men to grab the spare survival kits from the cabin and get ready to move. “Well, Jian,” she said with a tired sigh, “it looks like we’ll need you to get us out of here.” I shot her a look but said nothing. Kaelen glared at me, his face a mask of resentment. That night, we took turns keeping watch. I sat by the fire, turning an old, worn compass over and over in my hands. Kaelen came and sat beside me. I slipped the compass back into my pocket and casually tossed another log onto the fire. He looked healthy, rosy-cheeked, not at all like a man in the throes of a debilitating illness. The gentle smile he’d worn during the day was gone, replaced by a venomous stare. “You think Seraphina really loves you?” he sneered. “It’s just a sense of duty. She loves my skin, smooth and flawless. She says yours, with all its scars, disgusts her. I told you I would replace you completely.” He pulled open his collar, revealing a chest covered in a dense pattern of love bites. Marks of Seraphina’s affection. I had always known his illness was a sham, but she had refused to believe me. “If I were you,” I said, my voice dangerously low, “I wouldn’t be provoking the only person in this group who knows how to survive out here.” He flinched, then glanced over at the sleeping Seraphina, his voice dropping to a taunting whisper. “All talk. You’re just jealous that I can give her a child, while you’re just a useless…” I grabbed a heavy rock from beside the fire and smashed it against the side of his head. “Let Seraphina teach you the rules of being a pet,” I said coldly. He staggered back, his hand coming away from his head covered in blood. A shrill scream tore through the night, waking everyone. Seraphina immediately ordered her men to treat Kaelen’s wound. Then she came to sit beside me, her anger a palpable force. “Jian! He is your brother, and he is sick! How could you hurt him?” “I did,” I said flatly. “So what?” I stared at her, unblinking. My defiance seemed to push her over the edge. “Just because you can’t be a father,” she roared, “does that give you the right to take that away from someone else?” My eyes widened in disbelief. I couldn’t believe those words had come from her. Years ago, when she was just the illegitimate daughter, the heir to her family’s syndicate had left her for dead in this very forest. I had used my survival skills to find her, half-frozen and near death. But her family had followed, determined to eliminate her for good. I hid her, and for three days and three nights, they tortured me, but I never gave up her location. When she finally awoke and saw my broken, scarred body, she had gone on a rampage, leading a bloody coup that made her the head of the family. I was saved, but the damage was done. I was covered in scars, and I could never have children. I slapped her again, so hard my arm went numb. She didn’t move, but a dark red welt immediately rose on her cheek. It took her a moment to realize what she’d said. Her eyes filled with tears. She pulled me into a fierce embrace, the metallic scent of blood still clinging to her from the wound on her shoulder. “Every time I look at him,” she whispered, her voice trembling, “he looks so much like you, but without a single scar. And I can’t help but think… if it hadn’t been for that, you could have been just like him…” A wave of nausea washed over me. I shoved her away, my voice filled with disgust. “You’re pathetic.” 3 The conversation ended there. I wanted to leave them to their fate, but Seraphina wouldn’t let me. She knew better than anyone that without me, they were all dead. I laughed to myself, a cold, bitter sound, and began to lead them through the forest. When I returned from scouting for a water source, I saw the strange looks on her men’s faces. My heart sank. Beside the dead fire, my pack was empty. The ground was littered with the shattered remains of my equipment. Kaelen shot me a triumphant glare. “This is all mine now,” he declared loudly. “And I can destroy it if I want to.” Seraphina stood nearby, watching him with a gentle smile. “That’s right, darling. It’s all yours. Do whatever you want with it, as long as you don’t upset yourself.” “Seraphina!” I bit out, my teeth grinding. I took a step forward, but her men blocked me. She turned to me, the warmth in her eyes vanishing. “You hurt him yesterday. He’s had a relapse. If he doesn’t destroy these things, he’ll only get worse. They’re just trinkets. We have plenty of spares in our packs. Take what you need.” Kaelen’s smirk widened. He picked up the compass I had been holding the night before, threw it on the ground, and raised a rock to smash it. “No!” I screamed, diving for it, but I was too late. Seraphina’s face paled. She lunged forward, grabbing Kaelen’s arm just before the rock came down. “Are you crazy?” she hissed at me. “It’s just a compass!” Her careless words struck me like a physical blow. That compass was the only thing I had left of my mother. She had clutched it to her chest while my stepmother rained blows down on her, refusing to let it go, just so I would have something of my mother to remember. That compass was something we had both bled for. The cracks in its glass were still stained with our dried blood. And to her, it was now “just a compass.” My vision swam. I shoved her aside, grabbed a knife from one of her men’s packs, and lunged at Kaelen. Seraphina stepped in front of him, taking the blade in her back. She let out a muffled grunt of pain. The image of her shielding him, so fiercely, was a mirror of how I had once shielded her. Back then, she was the small, skinny illegitimate daughter, despised by everyone. When a group of other children had beaten her nearly to death, I had thrown myself over her, taking the blows meant for her. “Jian,” she had sobbed, “one day, I’ll protect you just like this.” But this… this was a knife twisting in an old wound. “Why didn’t you move?” Kaelen shrieked at her. “You could have just kicked him away!” Seraphina ignored him. She turned, her fingers trembling as she wiped a tear from my cheek. “Don’t cry,” she whispered. “Are you feeling better now?” I looked down, realizing my own tears were falling onto the back of my hand. 4 “His identity disorder is an act. Do you believe me?” My voice was hollow. I pointed at Kaelen. Seraphina frowned, her displeasure evident. Kaelen, emboldened, shot back, “An act? You keep accusing me. When will you just give up?” I ignored him, my eyes locked on Seraphina. “You haven’t answered me.” “Kaelen is sick, Jian,” she said, her voice tight with suppressed anger. “He’s suffered enough. Why must you keep questioning him? He’s your brother.” I couldn’t help it. I laughed. She knew perfectly well Kaelen was my stepmother’s son. My stepmother, who was my father’s mistress at the time, had given birth at the same time as my mother. My father had brought Kaelen home and forced my mother to claim him as my twin. He wasn’t my brother. He was a symbol of my mother’s shame, an open wound that never healed. Seraphina had known. She had held me and promised, “Jian, I will never let you suffer another injustice.” Her men, seeing the situation escalating, quickly gathered up all the weapons. But they underestimated me. An explorer’s greatest skill is improvisation. I broke a branch from a nearby tree, sharpening one end to a deadly point. With a sneer, I lunged, driving the makeshift spear into Kaelen. Blood bloomed across his shirt, mingling with the faded love bites. He collapsed, writhing and screaming Seraphina’s name. “A rat from the gutter,” I spat, “belongs in the gutter.” A powerful force yanked me backward. The rage in Seraphina’s eyes was a living flame, threatening to consume me. I had seen that look once before. After my mother died, my stepmother had taken control of the family fortune, locked me away, and tortured me daily. When Seraphina found me, broken and bleeding, her eyes had held this same fire. Without a word, she pulled a knife from her belt and plunged it into my thigh. The searing pain was blinding, radiating from my leg to my very core. I bit down hard, my body trembling, but I refused to give her the satisfaction of a scream. “Whether he’s a rat from the gutter is for me to decide,” she said, her voice lethally soft. “If you don’t want to end up like your mother, you’d be wise to learn some restraint.” The veins in my neck bulged. I glared at her, my vision turning red. My mother, after being forced to accept Kaelen, had finally snapped when my stepmother’s taunts became too much to bear. She had slapped her, and for that, my father had severed her Achilles tendons. My mother, who lived for the freedom of the wilderness, was crippled, a prisoner in her own home for the rest of her life. Seraphina had known that, too. She had held me and promised, “You can go wherever you want, explore any corner of the world. I will always have your back. All you need is your freedom.” “Seraphina…” I ground out her name through clenched teeth. She laughed, a cold, empty sound. “When we get out of this forest, you’re going to learn how to get along with Kaelen. Otherwise, I might have to reconsider our wedding.” My eyes darkened. “Seraphina,” I said, my voice dangerously calm, “did you really think I would walk into this forest alone and let you do whatever you wanted with me?” I pushed through the pain, forcing myself to my feet and stumbling away from them. A strong wind suddenly whipped through the trees. I stood in its path, laughing. “You have no idea who you’re dealing with. Get ready for my little parting gift.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “385022”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

After my dorm mates found out about my $100,000 monthly allowance, one of them became my personal copycat. If I dined at a Michelin-starred restaurant, she’d max out her credit cards to order the exact same tasting menu. If my parents gifted me a limited-edition handbag, she’d commission a high-quality replica from a back-alley workshop when she couldn’t buy the real thing. Everyone told her to stop being a cheap imitation, but she reveled in it. I was beyond annoyed. Until the day she chopped her waist-length hair into a wavy bob, identical to mine. That’s when the pop-up comments first appeared in my vision: [GIRL, WAKE UP! SHE’S NOT TRYING TO COPY YOU, SHE’S TRYING TO REPLACE YOU!] [ONCE THE IMITATION METER HITS 100%, YOUR ENTIRE IDENTITY AS A WEALTHY HEIRESS WILL BECOME HERS. THE PROGRESS BAR IS ALREADY AT 80%.] [THE SCARIEST PART: SHE’S INTENTIONALLY TAKEN OUT A NAKED LOAN. WHEN IT DEFAULTS, YOU’LL BE SADDLED WITH THE DEBT, AND THE COMPROMISING PHOTOS WILL GET YOU EXPELLED!] She wanted to steal my life? I looked at my reflection in the mirror and made a decision that would make my ancestors roll in their graves. I was going to take the hair I’d spent eighteen years caring for… and shave it all off. 1 Seeing my roommate, Jenna, with her new hair—a perfect replica of my own wavy bob—my best friend Kristen finally snapped. “Jenna, what is your damage?” she fumed. “You’re a total wannabe! It was bad enough when you were copying Ava’s every move, but now you have the same exact hair and outfit? Who are you trying to freak out?” Honestly, having someone mimic your every move is deeply unsettling. Our other roommates had tried to talk to her, gently suggesting she focus on her own strengths instead of being someone else’s shadow. But it was like talking to a brick wall. This time was no different. Faced with Kristen’s outrage, Jenna just casually fluffed her newly styled hair. “Everyone has the right to pursue beauty. I happen to like this style right now. What’s the big deal?” “Is Ava Sterling’s name written on this haircut?” she continued, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Can no one else have it? Don’t be so selfish.” She had twisted it around to make us the villains. That was the last straw for me. I was about to let her have it when the comments flooded my vision again: [GIRL, WAKE UP! SHE’S NOT TRYING TO COPY YOU, SHE’S TRYING TO REPLACE YOU!] [ONCE THE IMITATION METER HITS 100%, YOUR ENTIRE IDENTITY AS A WEALTHY HEIRESS WILL BECOME HERS. THE PROGRESS BAR IS ALREADY AT 80%.] [THE SCARIEST PART: SHE’S INTENTIONALLY TAKEN OUT A NAKED LOAN. WHEN IT DEFAULTS, YOU’LL BE SADDLED WITH THE DEBT, AND THE COMPROMISING PHOTOS WILL GET YOU EXPELLED!] I had thought Jenna was just a deeply insecure copycat. I never imagined her intentions were so malicious. In that moment, a plan formed. I put a calming hand on Kristen’s arm. “It’s fine. I was getting tired of this hairstyle anyway.” “But she’ll just—” Kristen started, probably about to say that Jenna would just copy whatever I did next. “Kristen,” I interrupted, my voice sweet but firm. “Jenna just said, she simply likes wavy hair. She’s definitely not intentionally copying me!” We were in the crowded campus dining hall, and I made sure to raise my voice. Heads turned. Everyone saw it: Jenna, a dollar-store version of me in every way except for her face. No one said anything, but the looks of disdain they shot her were loud and clear. Jenna couldn’t stand being the center of negative attention. Her face flushed. She muttered something under her breath that sounded like, “So smug. Just you wait,” before storming out of the hall. Kristen poked my arm. “You’re just going to let her get away with that?” I shrugged. “What else can I do? It’s not like she’s breaking the law.” “You could at least yell at her! The nerve of that copycat, being so arrogant!” “Arguing with someone like that is beneath us,” I said, soothingly. “Besides, a gorgeous girl like you can’t risk getting frown lines. It’s not worth it.” Kristen laughed, but she warned me not to be too nice to Jenna, or she’d take a mile. I wasn’t worried about her copying me. In fact, I was counting on it. With no classes in the afternoon, I told Kristen I was off to get a new look. She was all for it. I left campus and drove to the mansion my parents had bought for me. They were worried I wouldn’t adjust to dorm life, so they’d dropped a cool twenty million on a place nearby. Thinking of Jenna’s smug face, I didn’t hesitate. I picked up the electric clippers, took a deep breath, and shaved off the hair I’d spent eighteen years caring for. The comments went wild. [WHOA! WHAT IS SHE DOING? IS SHE SHAVING HER HEAD TO GET REVENGE?!] [DID SHE FIND OUT ABOUT THE PLOT AND DECIDE TO JUST BURN IT ALL DOWN?] [I MEAN, CREDIT WHERE IT’S DUE, THE GIRL HAS A PERFECTLY SHAPED SKULL. SHE EVEN LOOKS GOOD BALD. BUT DAMN, THIS IS JUST HANDING THE VILLAIN FREE PROGRESS POINTS.] 2 When I returned to the dorm with a freshly buzzed head, dyed a shocking shade of bubblegum pink, Jenna’s face went pale. “Ava! Why would you do that?” she demanded. “And that color! It’s an embarrassment to the whole university! You need to change it back right now!” I scoffed. “What I do with my hair is none of your business. And show me the rule in the student handbook that says we can’t have pink hair.” Knowing she was losing the argument, she changed her tack. “I’m not saying there’s a rule, I just mean… pink doesn’t suit you.” That was all Kristen needed to hear. She jumped to my defense. “Are you serious? My girl is a natural beauty; she doesn’t need your fashion advice. Pink is a tricky color, though. It definitely wouldn’t work on someone with your… complexion.” The comments popped up again. [Kristen is a legend. That little mouth of hers is a lethal weapon. The villain is turning green, LOL!] [No wonder she’s freaking out. She spent all her loan money. Her bank account is flashing red, only two hundred bucks left.] [LMAO, Villain’s dilemma: Change hair, insufficient funds. Don’t change hair, all previous effort wasted!] [I take back what I said before. This girl knows exactly what she’s doing.] An unexpected bonus. But I had underestimated Jenna’s determination to steal my life. The next day, while I was trying on wigs at my mansion, Kristen texted me. “Ava, when are you coming back to campus?” [image] [image] “OMG I’m dying! The copycat dyed her hair pink to match you, and she looks like a gorilla in drag. It’s a crime against humanity!” In the photos, Jenna’s hair was a disastrous shade of pink, making her look like an angry flamingo. Apparently, she’d bought a $3 box of dye and borrowed a flat iron from another roommate. After hours of effort, she had achieved a hairstyle that was a sad, 70% match to my wig. A slow smile spread across my face. I took a long, black, wavy wig from its stand and put it on. I wondered what Jenna’s expression would be when she saw my new new look. When I walked into the dorm, Jenna was in front of the mirror, yanking at her pink hair in frustration. The cheap dye was already fading, the ends turning a sickly yellow. “Ava! You’re finally back!” she chirped, striking what she must have thought was a glamorous pose. “Sorry, I just thought the pink was so pretty, so I…” Her voice trailed off as she saw my hair. Her pupils contracted. “You… you changed it again?!” I twirled a black curl around my finger. “I thought about what you said. You were right. Pink is too flashy. Black suits me better.” “Ava, you…” Jenna was trembling with rage, unable to form a complete sentence. Kristen delivered the final blow. “What’s wrong, Jenna? You’re not smiling. Are you just not a happy person by nature?” [Kristen is a master of psychological warfare. I can’t breathe!] [I mean, say what you will, but at least our girl has the looks to back it up. Jenna with that fluorescent pink skin tone looks like a walking dragon fruit.] [This is what happens when you try to fake it without the resources. A new level of pathetic!] 3 Jenna was so angry she skipped dinner, hiding under her covers and plotting something. I, wearing my black wig, was leisurely enjoying soup with Kristen in the dining hall. “Do you think she’ll dye her hair back to black tomorrow?” Kristen mused, poking a piece of broccoli. “I bet you fifty bucks she’ll try something.” I was about to answer when the pop-up comments exploded: [GIRL, YOUR HOUSE IS BEING ROBBED! THE VILLAIN IS USING A VOICE CHANGER TO CALL YOUR MOM!] [She’s mimicking your voice, whining that she’s out of money and needs her mommy to spoil her!] [OMG, that’s low. She’s trying to use the family connection to speed up the replacement progress bar!] My hand froze, the spoon halfway to my mouth. Jenna was targeting my mother? My mom was a total softy. She was easily swayed by a little sweetness. If Jenna laid it on thick, my mom might actually fall for it. Kristen noticed my expression. “What’s wrong? Are you thinking about Jenna’s horrifying face again?” I shook my head, slowly swallowing a spoonful of soup. “Nothing. I was just thinking that constantly changing my hair is getting boring.” “So what’s next?” Kristen’s eyes lit up. “A whole new style? You’d look amazing in historical costumes!” Just then, a text from my mom popped up on my screen: “Sweetie, I just transferred a million dollars to your account. Don’t be afraid to spend it.” “Oh, and that girl in your dorm, Jenna? She seems so nice. I sent her eighty thousand dollars as a little thank you for looking after you.” She was clever. After failing with me, she’d gone straight to my mom for cash. But no one takes money from the Sterling family that easily. “A new style is boring,” I said, placing my phone on the table. “If I’m going to change, I’ll change into something she can’t possibly copy.” The comments went into a frenzy: [Is she planning a new game? *rubs hands in anticipation*] [I’m almost starting to feel bad for the villain, LOL. She’s getting played so hard.] [The villain’s morals are twisted. She deserves this! Why can’t she just be a normal person instead of trying to steal someone’s life? Serves her right!] “What do you mean?” Kristen asked, her curiosity piqued. I met her gaze and smiled. “Next Wednesday is my birthday. It wouldn’t be too much to treat the entire class to dinner, would it?” On my birthday, I booked out an entire five-star hotel. Jenna showed up, ground her teeth for five minutes, and then left in a huff. “Ava, did you see her face? It was priceless!” Kristen gloated. “She thought she could become you just by copying your clothes. Today, she got a lesson in the difference between the real deal and a nine-ninety-nine knockoff.” I remained silent. I knew Jenna. She wouldn’t give up that easily. Sure enough, a few days later, on Friday night, a message from her appeared in our class group chat, complete with a location pin for the city’s most exclusive private karaoke club. “Hey everyone, I made a little extra money at my part-time job, so I’m treating you all to a night out! Party starts at 7 PM. Hope to see you there!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “385021”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

I saw it with my own eyes: my wife, eight months pregnant, fooling around with the new intern in her office. In the fallout, I chose my daughter, not my wife. I raised her with the help of my best friend. Twenty years later, at the equity transfer ceremony, my daughter told me she had a special gift for me. Smiling, I began to sign the contract. Halfway through my signature, the pen ran out of ink. I set it down, about to signal my assistant for a replacement. But my daughter, assuming I had finished, clapped her hands toward the conference room doors. The doors swung open, and a middle-aged woman walked in. A woman whose face haunted my nightmares, a woman I had fantasized about tearing apart with my bare hands a thousand times over. 1 “This is your big gift for me?” The polished, radiant woman standing before me was none other than my ex-wife, Lillian—the woman who had cheated on me during her pregnancy without a shred of shame. The moment she appeared, every eye in the room swiveled to me. Many of them had been there for the spectacular implosion of my marriage, and they had all watched me raise my child alone, through years of tireless work. “Dad,” my daughter, Sophie, said, her voice smooth. “You’ve been through so much, all these years alone. It’s time you and Mom made things right.” I gripped the arms of my chair and pushed myself up, my voice urgent as I reached for Sophie’s hand. “Sophie, you don’t understand what happened back then. You’re old enough now. I can explain everything.” But she pulled her hand away, her face a cold mask. “I already know what happened. Mom had a moment of weakness, and for that, you threw her out and robbed me of a mother for twenty years.” The air was punched from my lungs. I couldn’t believe it. The child I had poured my entire life into was so blind to the truth. Lillian shot me a look of smug triumph. “Ethan, Sophie is my daughter. She came from my body. That’s an undeniable fact. No matter how hard you tried to keep us apart, you can’t sever the bond of blood.” Sophie pulled out a chair for her at the head of the table, guiding her to sit in a director’s seat. It was a gesture of care she had never once shown me, her own father. I took a deep breath, fighting for composure. I looked at my daughter. “After all these years, after everything I’ve done for you, are you really going to betray me for this woman who walked out on us?” Sophie’s brow furrowed in disgust. “She is my mother. You will not insult her like that.” Mr. Davies, one of the board members, finally spoke up, unable to watch any longer. “Sophie, your mother was clearly in the wrong back then. That’s why Ethan divorced her and removed her from the company. For you to bring her back the moment you take over… that’s a hard pill for anyone to swallow.” Other shareholders around the table nodded in agreement. But Sophie was unmoved. “I could have had a happy, complete family,” she declared, her voice ringing with accusation. “But for the sake of his own pride, he stubbornly threw my mother out. Because of him, kids at school bullied me my entire childhood, calling me the girl with no mom.” “If he had just swallowed his pride for my sake—forgiven her for one mistake—I never would have had to suffer like that.” “He already ruined my childhood. Is he going to ruin my chance to finally heal from it, too?” Her words were a blade, twisting in my heart. All these years, I had never spoken of Lillian in front of Sophie. I wanted to shield her from the hatred, to let her grow up happy and healthy. I never imagined that instead of hating the mother who abandoned her, she would grow to hate me for shattering her fantasy of a perfect family. I dug my nails into my palm, a desperate attempt to hold back the tears stinging my eyes. I pointed a trembling finger at Lillian. “If you have to choose between us, Sophie, right here, right now… who is it?” Sophie was silent for a long moment before her voice, firm and resolute, cut through the tension. “You and Mom are the most important people in my life. If you’re going to be as stubborn as you were twenty years ago and try to tear my family apart again, then I’ll have to do to you what you did to her.” My legs nearly gave out. “What does that mean?” She walked over to me and picked up the contract from the table. “The equity transfer is complete. I’m in charge of the company now.” “Dad,” she said, her voice devoid of warmth. “It’s time for you to step down.” “If you refuse to accept Mom back into our lives, then I’ll have to teach you a lesson. You’re going to experience the same suffering she did for the past twenty years. It’s time you learned what karma feels like.” She closed the folder, completely oblivious to the fact that the signature was incomplete. Suddenly, I felt like I was meeting the child I raised for the very first time. Back then, blind with rage, I had landed a few solid punches on that intern. Lillian, despite being eight months pregnant, had thrown herself in front of him, shielding him like a woman possessed. The struggle ruptured her amniotic sac, and she was rushed to the hospital. After the birth, she screamed from her hospital bed that the baby was a cursed thing, that the sight of it made her sick. She warned me not to even think about using a child to tie her down. She never even asked if it was a boy or a girl, or if it was even alive. She just signed the divorce papers and ran off with her lover without a backward glance. For twenty years, I never mentioned her name. I forbade her from ever coming near Sophie. My daughter shouldn’t have even known a person named Lillian existed. Yet here they were, putting on a show of mother-daughter devotion for the entire board, looking as if they’d known each other for years. I couldn’t piece together where everything had gone wrong, but one thing was terrifyingly clear: there was a traitor in my midst. My eyes swept across the faces in the room, searching for a flicker of malice, of sadistic pleasure. I found nothing. “Fine,” I said, my voice steady. “I can accept Lillian back. On one condition.” Hearing me relent, Sophie’s expression softened instantly. “What is it?” “When did you first find out about her?” Sophie’s eyes lit up, as if she were recalling a cherished memory. “It’s a long story. When I was in elementary school, the other kids would pick on me, saying I was the weird girl with no mom, that they could do whatever they wanted to me.” “One day, a group of them cornered me after school. Mom appeared out of nowhere and saved me. She scared them off, and after that, no one ever bullied me again.” “That’s when I learned the truth. It wasn’t that I didn’t have a mother; she had been watching over me all along, from the shadows.” A tear welled in her eye. “And she couldn’t come home because you, in your selfishness, had cast her out.” I pressed on. “So you recognized each other then? Did she know it was you, or did someone tell her?” I knew Lillian. She couldn’t care less about the child she’d just given birth to, let alone feel a sudden pang of conscience and rush to protect a bullied little girl. A coincidence that perfect could only have been scripted. Someone had been pulling the strings, connecting them. “For that, we have someone very special to thank,” Sophie said, a smile gracing her lips. “And he’s here now.” As she spoke, the conference room doors opened once more. Standing in the doorway was a man in a bespoke suit, radiating an aura of mature, refined confidence. “Godfather!” Sophie cried out, her face breaking into a genuine, happy smile. It was my special assistant, Mark Peterson. For years, he was the one person besides myself I trusted implicitly. He’d been with me through thick and thin. He was my brother in all but blood. Since he never married or had children of his own, I’d asked Sophie to call him her godfather. Mark’s leather-soled shoes clicked against the floor as he walked straight to Sophie’s side. “Is the transfer complete?” Sophie nodded. “Yes. We were just waiting for you to celebrate Mom’s homecoming.” Mark reached out and affectionately ruffled her hair. “Good girl. You did well.” “You were the one who made it possible for Mom and me to reunite,” Sophie said, beaming at him. “You’re the hero of this story. We couldn’t possibly celebrate without you.” Her words shattered what little composure I had left. My voice trembled. “You’re telling me… it was Mark who introduced you to Lillian?” “Yes. Godfather couldn’t bear to see us kept apart. He told me the truth a long time ago.” My gaze, cold as ice, locked onto Mark. “I never thought the one to betray me would be you. You, of all people. You know there’s nothing I hate more than betrayal.” “Don’t make it sound so ugly, Ethan,” he said with a dismissive wave. “I just felt sorry for Sophie, growing up without a mother. Not everyone can be as heartless as you.” I slammed my fist on the table, the sound echoing my collapse. “What did I ever do to you? How have I ever wronged you for you to do this to me?” Mark wasn’t just my colleague; we’d been friends since college. Back then, when he was so broke he was about to drop out, I gave him my allowance to cover his tuition. We survived for months on nothing but cheap bread together. He swore to me then that wherever I went, he’d be there to support me, to repay my kindness. Even when Lillian’s scandal broke, everyone in the company hid it from me. It was Mark who risked his job to tell me the truth. From that day forward, he became the person I trusted most in the world. When his career stalled, I promoted him. I cleared obstacles from his path, gave him power and authority. After me, he had the most influence in the company. When he said he didn’t want a family, I made him a part of mine. I remembered now how Sophie, as a child, would have these strange tantrums, screaming that she hated me, that I was a cruel father. I always assumed it was because my work kept me away, that I wasn’t there for her enough. Now I saw it all. Mark had been poisoning her mind against me, then playing the peacemaker to gain both our trust. My voice was hoarse with disbelief. “You knew everything that happened back then. You knew Lillian was carrying my child when she was messing around in her office. How could you help her get back to my daughter? After what she did, how could you do this to me?” Mark’s face twisted with resentment. “What, you wanted Sophie to live her entire life without a mother? Twenty years was more than enough punishment for Lillian. This day was always going to come.” He gestured around the room. “And now the company is in Sophie’s hands. If you want to live out your days in comfort, you’ll welcome Lillian home.” “The way you say her name… Lillian,” I spat. “What the hell is going on between you two?” A smug, vicious grin spread across his face. He raised his chin, looking down his nose at me. “Well, since we’re laying all our cards on the table…” “Let’s just say the intern wasn’t her only affair back then.” He turned to look at Lillian, his eyes filled with a sickening adoration. The world tilted on its axis. “You two… you were together behind my back all along?” A flicker of pure hatred flashed in Mark’s eyes. “If that new intern hadn’t been so damn brazen, trying to step on my territory, I never would have exposed her in the first place.” I closed my eyes, the pain a physical blow. “I treated you like a brother. Why?” Mark laughed, a cold, bitter sound. “You treated me well? You were always the master, throwing me scraps from your table. You gave me things you had in excess.” “We were supposed to be equals! We both graduated from a top university. I graduated first in our class; you were near the bottom. But you walked straight into a manager position while I had to claw my way up from the mailroom, terrified every single day that I’d be fired.” “Lillian told me she always liked me more. The only reason she chose you was for your family’s money. She wouldn’t have given you a second look otherwise.” His voice rose to a furious shout. “Just because you were born rich, I was supposed to hand over everything that should have been mine. Tell me, Ethan, how is that fair?” “Everything you have now,” I ground out through clenched teeth, “I gave to you!” “Is that all you can do?” he roared back, his face contorted with rage. “Hold your charity over my head? You’re a damned hypocrite, Ethan. You get off on it, don’t you? The feeling of tossing a bone to the less fortunate, having people worship you. But you’re a ruthless, selfish bastard underneath it all.” My body went numb. “This whole thing… you planned this together?” Mark walked to Lillian’s side and wrapped a protective arm around her. “So what if we did?” “The company belongs to Sophie now. Do you have any idea how long we’ve waited for this day?” he sneered. “You have nothing left, Ethan. You can either nod and welcome Lillian home, or you can pack your bags and get out. It’s your turn to see how it feels to suffer.” He kept saying her name, Lillian, and it made my stomach turn. Lillian leaned into his embrace, her face alight with petty victory. “How does it feel, Ethan? To have everyone you trust turn against you and side with me?” I glared at her. “You were the one who cheated! If I were you, I’d be too ashamed to ever show my face again, let alone try to reclaim a daughter you abandoned.” “Enough, Dad!” Sophie cut in. “I know you have no feelings for Mom. I’m not asking you to get back together. I’m just asking you to let her and Godfather be happy.” “If you hadn’t gotten in the way, they would have been married years ago. Since you don’t want her, let Godfather have her. We can still be a family. We can all live together, peacefully.” I laughed, a harsh, broken sound. “A family?” My best friend, one of the men who destroyed my marriage, and now my daughter, the daughter I raised alone for two decades, wants me to give them my blessing. “Let’s all just compromise,” Sophie pleaded. “You accept Mom and Godfather’s relationship, and I’ll support you for the rest of your life.” “What are you saying? If I don’t let these two adulterers have their happy ending, you’ll actually throw me out?” “What happens next is your choice. But I will not let what happened twenty years ago happen again. Anyone who tries to destroy my family will be the one to leave.” She didn’t say it directly, but the threat was clear. I had one option: bless this disgusting union. Otherwise, I would be the villain, the one tearing her “family” apart. And with the company in her hands, she held all the power. One word from her, and I’d be gone. I looked my daughter in the eye, my voice hard as steel. “I will never let them have an easy life.” Hate flashed in Sophie’s eyes. “You have to be this selfish?” “Fine. Then get out of this company. Get out of my house. When you’ve had a change of heart, you can come back.” I leaned back in my chair, a slow, cold smile spreading across my face. “Who leaves is still up for debate.” Mark scoffed. “Get a grip, Ethan. The shares are in Sophie’s name. You have no say here anymore.” I raised an eyebrow. “Is that so?” “Sophie,” I said, my tone shifting to that of a disappointed teacher. “How many times have I told you? Be meticulous. The details are what matter. Don’t let your victory be undone by a simple oversight.” Panic flickered across her face. “What are you talking about?” “If you’d bothered to look at the contract you just closed, you’d know this is far from over.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “385020”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

On the first holiday morning, after days of overtime, I was dead asleep. At 2 a.m., an unknown number buzzed me awake. A woman’s sharp voice demanded, “Is this Leo? My Aiden came home yesterday with a full water bottle. Did he not drink?” It took me a second—Aiden, the new intern in the CEO’s office. I politely replied, “It was hectic before the holiday. I’ll remind him to drink water when we’re back.” Five minutes later, she called again. “Aiden’s eyes are dry. Remind him to do eye exercises.” Exhausted, I hung up quickly. It rang instantly. “How dare you hang up? Aiden must rinse with 90°F water after lunch!” she shrieked. I snapped. “We hired an intern, not a god! He’s 26, not 6. Chain him at home if you’re so worried!” Before sunrise, I was summoned to the office. A woman with red lipstick stormed over and slapped me. “My Aiden is CEO Byron Vance’s son,” she yelled. “It’s your privilege to serve him!” I froze. Because I’m Byron Vance. And I had no idea I was married—or had a 26-year-old son. 1 The sharp sting exploded across my cheek, and a firestorm of rage ignited in my chest, threatening to burn me to ash. I lifted my eyes and gave the woman a cold, deliberate once-over. Impressive. In my entire life, no one had ever dared to lay a hand on Byron Vance. I was intensely curious to see who, exactly, had the gall to impersonate me—and invent a wife and son for me out of thin air. My stare seemed to infuriate her further. “What are you looking at?” she screeched. “You’re a lowlife. You think you have the right to glare at me? I ought to gouge your eyes out right now!” My manager, Mr. Davies, rushed over and barked at me, “Leo! Are you mute? Apologize! Now!” He turned to the woman, his face instantly transforming into a mask of fawning servitude. “This is Mrs. Janine Vance, the CEO’s wife and young Mr. Aiden’s mother! If she’s not happy, you can kiss your job goodbye!” After chewing me out, he turned back to her, bowing slightly. “Mrs. Vance, please, calm down. This worthless new hire doesn’t know the rules! For his disrespect, I’ll personally make sure he pays dearly today!” Janine lifted her chin, a contemptuous snort escaping her nostrils. “Does this branch office not vet its hires anymore? You’ll let any riff-raff off the street in here.” “You’re absolutely right, ma’am.” Mr. Davies wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead, practically groveling. “It’s my failure as a manager. I’m so sorry you had to endure this…” “That’s enough,” Janine said, clearly savoring the groveling. She glanced between us, her eyes holding the same detached interest one might have for an ant just before crushing it. “I’m not an unreasonable person,” she said, her gaze landing back on me. “For Mr. Davies’ sake, we’ll let this slide.” Her tone shifted, becoming imperious. “You. From now on, you will be personally responsible for my Aiden.” “You make sure he’s comfortable, and I’ll make sure you’re rewarded.” Mr. Davies immediately chimed in like a trained dog. “Did you hear that, Leo? This is the opportunity of a lifetime! A chance to personally attend to the Crown Prince! Your ancestors must be smiling down on you! Thank Mrs. Vance right now!” Janine nodded, satisfied. She pulled a stack of papers from her purse and began issuing her decrees. “My Aiden has a delicate stomach, so you’ll be cooking all his meals. The food out there is filthy. All ingredients must be certified organic, and his water must be from Fiji. Anything else gives him an upset stomach!” “Also!” she continued without taking a breath, “Aiden must get up and move for ten minutes every hour. You will give him a full-body massage, five minutes per set, with moderate pressure. And his white shirts must be hand-washed, never machine-dried, or he’ll break out in a rash…” She rattled on and on, while Mr. Davies stood by, nodding and bowing as if he were receiving holy scripture. The longer I listened, the colder my smile became. “Hah.” A single, sharp laugh echoed through the dead-silent office. Janine’s condescending expression froze. “What are you laughing at?” she demanded, her voice turning dangerously low. I slowly raised my head, locking my eyes on hers. “I came here to work,” I said, enunciating every word. “Not to babysit a mentally deficient man-child.” “Is he paralyzed? Does he need me to hold it for him when he pees? If he’s that incapable of basic functions, hire a nurse. The fact that you insist he work when he’s that handicapped… it’s a true inspiration, really. A testament to the human spirit.” The air went still. Mr. Davies’ face turned white, the hand he pointed at me trembling. “Leo! Are you… are you insane?” Janine was shaking with fury, jabbing a finger at my nose. “What did you say? You dare repeat that! Do you know how many people are on their knees, begging me for a chance to take care of my Aiden? I’m giving you an honor! A born servant like you was put on this earth to shine our shoes!” Her little speech was so absurd I had to laugh. “Ma’am, what century did you just crawl out of? And on your way out of the crypt, did the coffin lid happen to slam on your head? It would explain why you’re so spectacularly stupid.” “You—!” Janine clutched her chest, her ragged breaths echoing in the silence. Mr. Davies scrambled to her side. “Mrs. Vance, please! Don’t waste your anger on this trash!” She shoved him away, her face a mask of fury. “Fine! Just fine! You want to play tough? You’re fired! Get out! Now!” I shrugged nonchalantly. “Fine by me.” As I turned to leave, I deliberately slowed my pace, glanced back, and added with a small, knowing smile, “I’m just afraid you’ll be crying and begging me to come back later.” “Beg you?” Janine burst out laughing as if I’d told the joke of the century. “Who do you think you are? I said you’re fired, but I never said you could walk out of here!” Her eyes turned to ice. She shot a look at Mr. Davies. He immediately stepped in front of me, playing the loyal attack dog. “Security!” he bellowed toward the door. “Get in here! Block the exit! Don’t let this bastard escape!” Several guards rushed in, surrounding me. “You think you can just stir up trouble and walk away?” I scanned their faces, my fingers curling into fists at my sides. Behind me, Janine’s voice dripped with smug satisfaction. “Scared now? Get on your knees. Apologize properly. Three times, with your head to the floor. Or I’ll make sure you leave Vance Industries horizontally.” “Make me kneel?” I slowly turned back around, a low chuckle escaping my lips as I took in her triumphant, distorted face. “You and what army?” Mr. Davies shoved my shoulder hard. “Leo! What is that attitude? You think you can act like this after disrespecting Mrs. Vance? You’re out of control!” He shot Janine a placating smile. “A punk like you needs to be taught a lesson! Mrs. Vance is telling you to kneel for your own good, so you learn not to cross the wrong people in the future! She is the queen of this company! If you make her happy today, you’ll never have to worry about a job again!” A classic masterclass in manipulation. If I were any other employee, that combination of threats and promises might have been enough to make my legs buckle. Too bad for them. They still hadn’t figured it out. They were the ones who had crossed the wrong person. And that person was me. Byron Vance. I brushed Mr. Davies’ hand off my shoulder and dusted off a speck of non-existent lint. “Don’t try that with me,” I said calmly. “If you think I’m going to bend, you’re dreaming.” At my defiance, Janine’s eyes grew even more venomous. “So, you’ve chosen the hard way. A dog that doesn’t obey needs to be beaten. Once it’s broken, it’ll learn how to wag its tail.” Mr. Davies understood immediately. With a nod from him, the security guards lunged at me from all sides. I was outnumbered. There were too many of them, and I couldn’t fend them all off. In the chaos, a stun baton jabbed hard into the small of my back. A searing jolt of electricity and pain shot through my entire body. My knees buckled, but I dug my nails into my palms, forcing myself to stay upright. “Make him kneel!” Janine commanded. Two guards grabbed my shoulders, forcing me to the ground. I gritted my teeth against the agony, forcing the words out. “You… are… not… worthy!” In the struggle, I managed to pull my wallet from my pocket. With the last of my strength, I whipped out my ID and slapped it across Janine’s face. “Take a good look! See who the hell I really am!” The plastic card shattered her arrogant expression and clattered to the floor. Stunned, Janine bent down and picked it up. When she saw the name and photograph, her eyes widened for a second, then she exploded into a fit of piercing, manic laughter. “Hahahaha! Byron Vance? Your name is Byron Vance, too? You? With that pathetic look on your face? You dare impersonate my husband? You idiot!” I spit out a mouthful of blood and sneered, “I am the CEO of Vance Industries. The sole heir to the Vance family. The one and only Byron Vance.” The laughter died on her lips, her face turning cold. “So that’s your game! You got a fake ID from some back-alley printer and you think you can impersonate my husband? You must have a death wish!” She quickly dialed a number and put it on speaker. “Honey, I’m at your branch office. There’s some lunatic here with a fake ID claiming to be you. You need to get down here and handle this!” A deep, booming male voice immediately answered. “Outrageous! Don’t worry, darling. I’m on my way!” That voice… It was familiar. My stomach dropped, but for the life of me, I couldn’t place it. Before I could speak, Mr. Davies kicked me sharply behind the knee. “Leo! Have you lost your mind? Your name is Leo Shaw, not Mr. Vance! Apologize to Mrs. Vance right now, or when the real CEO gets here, this whole company will go down with you!” Pain shot through my leg, and I stumbled to the floor. But I forced my head up, my gaze like a knife. “I’ll say it one more time. I am Byron Vance. Headquarters is preparing for a merger, and I came here undercover to see how this branch really operates.” My words were met with even more scorn from Janine. “Spoken like true gutter trash. You can’t even spin a convincing lie! You’ve read too many fantasy novels, haven’t you? Started to think you’re the main character?” The smile vanished from her face. “If you’re going to be a con artist, you should pick an easier target. You don’t poke the bear. Today, I’m going to teach you what real power looks like.” She raised a hand, her voice chillingly cold. “Beat him. Beat him until he can’t stand.” “If he dies or ends up crippled, Vance Industries will cover it. Whoever hits him the hardest gets to be the new manager of this office!” The guards swarmed me, fists and feet raining down like hail. Pain and humiliation washed over me, but more than anything, I felt a sense of endless absurdity. Idiots! A bunch of complete idiots! How could anyone believe this charade? A true legacy family would never behave with such crude, theatrical foolishness. I fought back with everything I had left, roaring, “I dare you! Touch me again! I’m calling the police! Let them verify who I am!” Perhaps it was the raw fury in my eyes, but for a moment, they actually hesitated. All except Janine. Her laughter grew louder, more unhinged. “The police? Oh, they’ll come, alright. They’ll come to arrest you. I was going to have you thrown in jail for fraud anyway. But first, you’re going to pay the price for your arrogance.” She leaned in close, her eyes filled with malice. “You have a filthy mouth. I’m going to knock your teeth out, one by one. Let’s see you talk smart after that.” “You dare!” I snarled, my eyes blazing with a terrifying light. “For what you’ve done to me today, the Vance family will never let you go.” My voice was quiet, but it was heavy with absolute certainty. Janine just raised an eyebrow. “The Vance family? Too bad for you, that belongs to my husband. And you? You’re just a pathetic loser with delusions of grandeur.” A flicker of cruel delight crossed her face. She slowly lifted her sharp-heeled shoe and aimed it at my face. “Better luck in the next life.” Psycho! This woman is a complete psycho! How could she be so reckless? Was I actually going to die here? Just as I braced for the impact, the office door was kicked open with a tremendous crash. When I saw who was standing there, my eyes shot wide open in disbelief. It was him.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “385019”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

The moment I was pulled into the book, I was seven years old, wearing a frilly princess dress and clutching a rapidly melting lollipop. A cold, mechanical voice in my head was delivering its final broadcast. 【User Vivian, you have successfully transmigrated. Identity: The Villainess.】 【Primary Objective: In the three male leads’ childhood, you are to shower them with warmth and kindness. This will alter their perception of you as a villain, allowing you to avoid the future where they join forces to destroy you, leading to your tragic death on the streets.】 【Alert: The male leads’ corruption level has reached 50%. User is advised to take immediate action.】 I licked the sickly-sweet lollipop and stared at the three little boys playing in the sandbox a short distance away, lost in thought. The one on the left, crying the hardest with a bubble of snot inflating at his nostril, was the future’s master of manipulation, Sebastian. Right now, he was just a sniveling crybaby, but he’d grow up to use that innocent face and a masterful victim complex to make the original story’s heroine fall hopelessly, obsessively in love with him. The one in the middle, red-faced and hopping mad because someone had stolen his toy, was the future top-tier gaming streamer, Blaze. He was a hot-tempered brat with a vicious mouth. Now, all he could do was stamp his feet, but as an adult, he’d be a lazy, venomous psycho who could verbally decimate anyone who crossed him. And the one on the right, ostracized from the group and quietly reading a book with a detached expression, was the future brilliant and aloof research scientist, Alistair. A certified genius with a mind like a labyrinth. Now, he was being forced to do other kids’ homework; later, he’d be a cold-blooded tactician who could play with your mind until you didn’t know which way was up. And I, Vivian, was the villainess who, during their childhood, embodied every cruel impulse imaginable, painting their dark pasts with an even blacker brush. My future was to have my family ruined and my life destroyed by these three vengeful men, before being run over by an out-of-control truck on a rainy night. The system urged me, 【User, go! Spread the warmth! Wipe Sebastian’s tears, help Blaze get his toy back, invite Alistair to play with you!】 I looked at them, then at my own small, pink hands, and a brilliant idea sparked in my mind. Spread the warmth? What a joke. In stories like this, a helping hand in a crisis is always remembered more than a pat on the back in good times. But… what if I’m the crisis? When they finally clawed their way to the top, the person seared most deeply into their memories would still be me, wouldn’t it? Instead of trying to win over three people destined to hate me, I might as well commit to the role. If I was crazier than them, if I pushed them harder than anyone else, they’d never be able to forget me. So, as the system watched in digital shock, I took off on my stubby little legs and charged. First, I snatched the last half of a cookie from Sebastian’s hand. As his eyes welled up with fresh tears, I leaned in and sank my teeth into his soft cheek, leaving a perfect, pink set of teeth marks. “Stop crying!” I mumbled around the cookie. “Cry again and I’ll bite you again!” Sebastian’s wails choked off instantly. He clutched his cheek, his big eyes shimmering with unshed tears, but he didn’t dare let another one fall. He looked like a terrified little fawn, and it was… ridiculously easy to bully him. Next, I planted my foot squarely on Blaze’s backside. He stumbled and went sprawling face-first into the sandbox, getting a mouthful of gritty sand. I picked up the limited-edition Optimus Prime he’d dropped and, over his enraged roars, twisted its head off with a sickening snap of plastic. “So noisy! Toy’s confiscated!” Finally, I marched over to Alistair. I slapped my workbook down on top of the book he was reading and planted my hands on my hips, mimicking the bullies from TV. “Hey, nerd. You’re doing my homework today. You’re not going home until it’s done.” Alistair looked up, his unnervingly calm eyes meeting mine. He said nothing. His stare made my skin crawl, but I couldn’t lose momentum. I’d filched a leather strap from my dad’s toolbox earlier. I pulled it out and snapped it against my leg with a sharp crack. “You hear me? Or do you want a taste of this?” Alistair’s gaze flickered to the strap for a single second before he silently dragged my workbook toward him. 【Alert! Alert! Male lead corruption levels are skyrocketing! Sebastian: 70%! Blaze: 75%! Alistair: 80%!】 【System has detected user behavior severely deviating from the primary objective! Initiating emergency protocol… Protocol failure! System… system entering dormant mode…】 The mechanical voice in my head dissolved into a crackle of static and then fell silent. Peace and quiet. I looked with satisfaction at the three little boys, all fuming but too scared to do anything. Suddenly, my tragic future didn’t seem so terrifying anymore. From that day on, my reign of terror lasted a decade. My daily routine involved making Sebastian cry, then luring him into the woods and telling him I’d only return his favorite hairclip if he barked three times like a dog. I drew turtles on Blaze’s brand-new sneakers, stole the game cartridge he’d waited in line all night for, and then stood under his window with a megaphone shouting, “Blaze wets the bed!” I smeared ink all over Alistair’s lab reports, forced him to take my place in the advanced Mathletes competition I was failing, and once, when my dad was out of town, I even stole his belt and threatened Alistair to finish building my Lego castle in under ten minutes. They were like my three pathetic little pets. Sebastian went from howling, to silent tears, to simply freezing up whenever he saw me, his eyes red and his hands clutching the hem of his shirt like a cornered rabbit. Blaze went from explosive rage, to screaming matches with me, to eventually just glaring with a dark, simmering hatred that promised he’d one day eat me alive. And Alistair… he was always the quietest. No matter what I did, he accepted it in silence, his deep, unreadable eyes just watching me, occasionally sending a shiver of unease down my spine. Time flew, and puberty hit us all like a truck. The three of them shot up in height as if on fast-forward, their faces sharpening into handsome, defined lines. Sebastian was still the gentle, harmless-looking one, with two shallow dimples that made him the dream crush of every girl in school. Blaze dyed his hair a rebellious crimson and became the infamous school bad boy, an unbeatable gaming legend. Alistair became the untouchable academic god, permanently ranked number one, his aura growing colder and more distant with each passing year. They were no longer the little boys I could easily push around. I could feel the flames of vengeance building. In the school hallways, I constantly felt three sets of eyes on me—one full of resentment, one cold with malice, one dissecting me with unnerving focus. I knew the good times were over. A direct confrontation was out of the question; what could one girl do against three guys who were all over six feet tall? So, I switched tactics. From the arrogant, tyrannical villainess, I became the pitiful, misunderstood victim. I started by getting on their parents’ good side. I went over to Blaze’s house and “happened” to walk in on his mom tearing him a new one for skipping school to play video games. I immediately pulled a crumpled pack of cigarettes from my bag (pre-planted, of course) and said, my voice thick with heartbreak, “Auntie, please don’t blame Blaze! It’s my fault for not keeping a better eye on him. He’s been hanging out with some bad crowds, and he’s started smoking and getting into fights… I’ve tried to talk to him, but he won’t listen…” Blaze, standing right there, went beet-red with rage, pointing at me and sputtering, unable to form a single word. His mom, seeing his reaction as proof, believed me instantly. She nearly broke his legs and grounded him for a month. Next, Alistair. I arrived at his house to find his parents worrying about his reclusive personality. With a look of deep concern, I pulled out a book titled Understanding Adolescent Psychological Disorders and flipped to the chapter on “Antisocial Personality Disorder.” “Auntie,” I said, pointing. “Look. Alistair is always alone, he never talks, and his eyes are so… cold. I’m not saying there’s a problem, I’m just… worried. Maybe this book could help?” His parents reacted as if I’d handed them a live grenade. The next day, they hired eight different therapists to put him through a week-long psychological blitz. I heard Alistair’s mood was blacker than coal for that entire week. But my masterpiece was Sebastian. I knew his mother was very traditional. I “casually” mentioned to her, “Auntie, has Seb picked up any new hobbies lately? The other day, I saw him hiding this really pretty lace dress… I thought it was a gift for me, but he blushed and snatched it away. I mean, it’s fine for a boy to have a unique sense of style, it’s just… a little different, you know?” His mom exploded. She tore his room apart and, although she never found the dress, Sebastian’s wardrobe from that day forward contained only three colors: black, white, and grey. My plans were a resounding success. The three of them were so swamped with parental supervision and psychological evaluations that they had no time to bother me. I thought I was in the clear. Until one afternoon, when they cornered me in the alley behind the school. The setting sun cast their shadows long and dark, making them look like three insurmountable mountains. Blaze had his hands in his pockets, a roguish smirk on his face, but his eyes were pure ice. Alistair leaned against the wall, fiddling with a metal lighter, his expression unreadable behind his glasses. Sebastian stood in front, still looking gentle, but with a chilling curve to his lips. “Vivian,” Blaze said, his voice a lazy drawl. “Done playing games?” “What?” I immediately switched to victim mode, my eyes instantly welling with tears. My voice was soft and trembling. “Blaze… what are you guys doing? You’re scaring me…” “Scaring you?” Blaze scoffed. “You weren’t scared when you were snitching on me to my mom.” “I… I was just trying to help you!” I choked out, on the verge of tears. “I don’t want to see you go down the wrong path…” “Is that so?” Alistair spoke, his voice quiet but sharp. He stepped forward and tossed the psychology book at my feet. “Was this ‘for my own good’ too?” I froze, then let a single, perfect tear roll down my cheek. “Alistair, I was just so worried about you… You never smile, and I was afraid you were… unhappy inside…” My gaze shifted to my final trump card: Sebastian. I sniffled, my voice filled with the pain of someone betrayed by the world. “Seb… you’re not going to misunderstand me too, are you? I only act this way because… because you’re my best friend. I care about you more than anyone.” As I spoke, I subtly edged toward the alley’s entrance. I knew the student prefects patrolled this area around this time. Sebastian just watched me, his gaze steady. Just as Blaze and Alistair were about to lose their patience, he stepped forward and grabbed my wrist. His hand was cold, but his grip was like steel. “Let go of me!” I shrieked, struggling frantically as the tears flowed freely. “What are you doing? Help! Somebody help!” “Vivian,” Sebastian’s voice was soft, but it carried clearly to all of us. “I know why you do these things. It’s all because you’re in love with me, isn’t it?” I froze. What? Blaze and Alistair were stunned into silence.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “385018”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

The morning we were supposed to elope for our destination wedding, my fiancée finally rushed to the airport from her office. But a second before boarding, she got an urgent message from her male secretary. “I’m so sorry, darling,” she said, her face a mask of professional regret. “A massive project just came up at the company, and I have to be the one to sign off on it.” “Could you go on ahead without me? I promise, I’ll handle everything in a few days and fly out to meet you.” It was disappointing, but work was work. I told her I understood. As soon as she was gone, I tore up my ticket. I decided I’d go have a look for myself. I was intensely curious about which company was so blind as to be negotiating a “massive project” with the figurehead CEO of a corporation that I had, just that morning, fully repossessed. Especially since they dared to bypass me—the actual owner—to do it. 1 I followed her all the way to the luxury hotel I’d bought for her when we first started dating, a place worth a hundred million dollars. The welcome sign near the entrance almost blinded me. 【Congratulations on the wedding of Ms. Chloe Jensen & Mr. Tom Vance】 Next to it was a professionally shot wedding portrait. Chloe, radiant in a white gown, was smiling brightly. But the man with his arm around her wasn’t me, her fiancé. It was her male secretary, Tom—the one who’d just texted her about that “massive project.” It all clicked into place. No wonder when we’d discussed getting married, she said she was tired of all the fake corporate schmoozing and didn’t want a big, phony ceremony. All she wanted was a quiet destination wedding with me. It turned out she’d had someone else lined up for the wedding photos, the grand ceremony, and the marriage license all along. Before walking into the hotel, I made a quick phone call. I found a table with the best view of the proceedings and sat down just as the master of ceremonies began. Chloe’s father walked her down the aisle, her hand on his arm, and they stopped right next to my table. Tom approached from the other end of the aisle, holding out his hand to her. The moment her father placed her hand in Tom’s, just before their fingers could intertwine, I kicked Chloe hard in the shins, sending her sprawling face-first onto the floor. Her veil flew off, and her bouquet scattered across the pristine white runner. The force of her fall even took Tom down with her. Chloe, sprawled at my feet, was about to let loose a stream of curses, but then she looked up and saw me. The blood in her veins seemed to turn to ice. Tom kept whining for her to help him up, but she couldn’t even bring herself to look at him. I looked down at her, panicked and scrambling on the floor. “What’s with the grand gesture?” I asked coolly. “Are you bowing to me for a wedding gift?” The sound of my voice made Tom’s head snap in my direction. His face went pale with terror. He instinctively tried to crawl behind Chloe to hide, but her father grabbed him by the collar. Chloe’s father, a shrewd look in his eyes, pointed a finger at me and bellowed loud enough for the entire hall to hear, “You shameless homewrecker! You just don’t give up, do you? I thought I already threw you out! How did you get in here?” His words made every head in the room turn toward me. “Look at that weaselly face. No wonder he’s the other man.” “Chloe’s a stand-up girl. She’s been devoted to Tom her whole life. This guy never stood a chance.” “They’ve been childhood sweethearts since they were kids, started dating in middle school. The second Chloe made it big, she brought Tom to the city to live the good life, even made him an executive to help run her company. What kind of trash are you, trying to get between them? Take a good look at yourself.” Childhood sweethearts. Dating since middle school. Perfect. I nodded slowly. Chloe had pursued me relentlessly from the moment we started college. It wasn’t until our senior year that her persistence finally wore me down, and I agreed to be with her. Which meant that today, the day of our elopement, was the day I discovered I’d been the other man for three years. And why would she, a woman so deeply in love with her childhood sweetheart, chase after me? The answer was obvious. It was for my status as the son of a billionaire and a pop superstar. For my money, the kind you couldn’t spend in a dozen lifetimes. Just perfect. I nudged her with the toe of my shoe. “So, you agree? I’m the one who broke you two up?” Chloe’s face was a mess of guilt. She shook her head frantically, about to offer some pathetic explanation, but Tom suddenly shrieked and threw himself on top of her. “Chloe, are you okay?!” he cried, hugging her tight while shooting her a series of frantic, meaningful glances. Their eyes met for a moment. Chloe slowly regained her composure, a calculated glint appearing in her eyes. Seeing Chloe on the floor, the room full of her family and friends erupted in outrage. “Who the hell do you think you are, hitting her?” one man shouted, rolling up his sleeves and raising a fist as if to strike me. “Wait,” Chloe said, her voice suddenly firm, all traces of her earlier fear gone. “Julian,” she said, looking straight at me. “I’ve told you time and time again to leave me alone. I’ve made it clear that my heart belongs to someone else. Today is my wedding day, and I will not let anyone ruin what I’ve prepared for Tom. Leave now, before I have security throw you out.” I met her gaze with a cold smile. “Chloe, have you forgotten who owns this hotel? On what authority do you get to throw me out? Or do you think if I leave, all your dirty little secrets will just disappear?” Tom stepped forward, clutching her hand. “Julian, my friend, I know you’ve always had feelings for Chloe. It must be hard seeing us get married. But she’s always loved me. You can’t force these things. We’re married now. I hope you can respect that and leave her alone.” Honestly, I wasn’t surprised. It was because I’d discovered their affair that I’d decided to take back the company I had funded, staffed, and built for her from the ground up. And she still had no idea. I had originally planned to give her one last chance, worried that my actions were too ruthless. Looking at her now, I realized I’d been far too generous. I was about to slap the company repossession documents on her face when her father’s eyes darted around, and he deliberately raised his voice. “Oh, I remember now! You’re that secretary from her office she told me about! The one who’s always trying to make a move on her!” I almost laughed. I nudged Chloe’s foot again. “What world are you living in? Me, your secretary? Your father doesn’t even know what his own son-in-law does for a living?” Before the words were even out of my mouth, a man at a nearby table spit a mouthful of peanut shells in my face. The entire room roared with laughter. “You’re a kept man, a parasite, and you didn’t even bother to research your sugar mama? Chloe is a multi-millionaire CEO! She owns countless companies, luxury cars, mansions! You see this hotel? This massive, opulent hotel belongs to her!” “And don’t even get me started on Tom. He not only manages all of Chloe’s businesses, but he’s also closed countless multi-million-dollar deals for her, single-handedly turning her company into a global powerhouse.” Tom managed her company? Tom closed her deals? Tom made her a global powerhouse? It was me who poured tens of millions of my own allowance into her ventures. I was the one who leveraged my parents’ connections to build her network. I was the one who debased myself at endless cocktail parties to secure her one project after another. I was the one who stayed up for countless nights, guiding her through every step, and more often than not, doing the work myself because her vision was too narrow and her experience non-existent. Without my help, Chloe, a poor girl from the countryside who couldn’t even afford college tuition, would have needed generations of her family to work themselves to the bone to achieve a fraction of what she has today. Someone in the crowd, annoyed by my defiant silence, chimed in. “See, Chloe, this is what happens when you’re too soft on your employees. A secretary gets a little brave and thinks he can crash your wedding. If it were me, I’d have him fired on the spot. Teach him his place.” The sentiment was echoed around the room. Chloe looked at me as if she were actually admonishing a subordinate. “After a scene like this, I obviously can’t keep you on as my secretary. But, considering you’ve been with the company for so long, I’ll transfer you to a branch office. I won’t leave you completely jobless. But if you push it, don’t blame me when you’re out on the street.” Her “magnanimity” earned a round of applause. “Chloe’s a true leader! So forgiving, even to a man like this.” I, however, was not impressed. I let out a cold laugh. “Fire me? Go on, then. Fire me. I’d love to see you try.” Someone immediately shot back with a sneer. “Of course he’s not afraid of being fired. He can just go sell himself somewhere else. A secretary’s salary is nothing compared to that, right?” A wave of lecherous understanding washed over the room. A shirtless, greasy man stared at me, practically drooling. “Nice body, kid. You up for anything? What’s your price? I can’t pay what those rich folks do, but I’m a relative of the bride. How about a family discount?” My expression turned thunderous. I stared at Chloe. “Are you really going to let this happen? You’re going to stand there and let them humiliate me like this?” Chloe hesitated for a moment, then turned her face away. “Tom is my husband. My conscience is clear. If you leave now, this can all be over.” Tom’s face was a mask of smug victory. “Julian, my friend, I know you’re just upset because you’ve ruined your own reputation and gotten nothing out of it. Normally, a generous person like Chloe might not mind giving you some money to go away, but you chose our wedding day to make a scene. Even after all this, she’s not firing you. Hasn’t she been kind enough? Doesn’t your conscience hurt at all?” As he spoke, Tom began to cry, fat tears of “pity” for Chloe rolling down his cheeks. She immediately pulled out a tissue to dab his eyes. I’d had enough of their performance. I lashed out with my foot, kicking Tom square in the back. He yelped and tumbled into Chloe’s arms. “Julian, have you lost your mind?!” Chloe shrieked. Seeing Tom hurt, she flew into a rage and slapped me across the face with all her strength. The blow sent me staggering back into a dining table. I was covered in food and greasy sauces, but worse, the hot dishes scalded my skin through my thin summer shirt, leaving angry red welts. Chloe didn’t even seem to notice. She cradled Tom protectively and snarled at me, “Apologize to him. Now. Or this isn’t over.” Tom’s eyes danced with triumph. I pushed myself up, my body trembling with pain and rage. The blistering burns on my exposed arms were a gruesome, mocking testament to the so-called love I’d wasted all these years. The searing pain intensified, but my voice grew colder. “Chloe, you hid your relationship with him while dating me for three years. You married him in the very hotel I bought you, on the day you were supposed to marry me. And now you want me to apologize to him?” “Have I given you everything you’ve ever wanted for so long that you actually think you can walk all over me? Do you have any idea how fast I can make you lose everything?” For a moment, my words stunned her into silence. Whispers broke out among the guests. “Did he just say they’ve been together for three years? And that this was supposed to be their wedding day? And that he gave her the hotel? Could that be true?” “No way. We all watched Chloe grow up. We know what kind of person she is. He’s just making it all up.” “Yeah, right, he owns the hotel. Next he’ll say he owns her company too.” Then, a quiet female voice piped up. “But… I’ve seen his clothes online. It’s a really, really expensive designer brand. I’ve never even seen Tom wear anything like it…” Tom immediately shot the girl a furious glare. “You’ve never even been to the city before, what do you know about quality? We’re from the same village! How can you take his side?” The girl shrank back, silenced. Satisfied, Chloe raised her and Tom’s hands into the air, showing off the brilliant, matching wedding bands on their fingers. She looked down at me, as if I were a thoroughly defeated enemy. “Julian, you say today was our wedding day. Do you have any proof? My parents, my entire family… none of them have ever met you. If I were really marrying you, don’t you think I would have introduced you to them?” “Besides, do we have a marriage license? Did we take wedding photos? Did I give you a wedding gift? You need evidence to make claims like that. And I’ve given all of those things to my Tom.” Tom snuggled against her shoulder, his smile triumphant. “That’s right, Julian. You need to be careful what you say.” Her words sealed my fate in their eyes. I had no rebuttal. In my foolishness, in my love for her, I had asked for nothing. I had everything I needed, and I thought she was all that mattered. I never imagined that love would become the blade she’d use to stab me in the heart. The entire hotel was now buzzing with condemnation. “A homewrecker, caught in the act! Now you’ve got nothing to say for yourself!” “We can’t just let him go! He needs to be taught a lesson!” Someone grabbed a handful of my hair and yanked me to the ground. Tom’s father gave a subtle nod to the shirtless, greasy man. The man bent down, a lewd grin on his face, and grabbed my stomach. “Being the other man isn’t very nice, little brother. Uncle here is going to have to teach you a lesson today.” I cried out, struggling to get away, but my arms and legs were pinned down. Fear, cold and absolute, washed over me. I screamed Chloe’s name, hoping for a shred of decency, a flicker of conscience that would make her stop this. Her eyes widened, and for a second, she looked like she was about to intervene. But then Tom pulled her back. “He ruined our wedding,” he whispered. “I’m not happy. I just want to teach him a little lesson.” Chloe hesitated. “But…” “Just a little one. You know our people. They know when to stop. Besides, we’re right here. What could possibly happen?” Chloe said nothing more. Tom wrapped his arms around her, and she numbly patted his back as more men and women began to grope and paw at me. “Get off me! This is assault! You’ll go to jail for this!” A slap from an unseen hand made my head ring. “A whore like you gets passed around anyway! What right do you have to accuse us? This isn’t assault, it’s justice!” A flood of filth and insults washed over me. Just as I gave in to despair, a voice boomed from the entrance. “My apologies for being late, everyone, I had some business to attend to…” The voice trailed off as the man saw me on the floor. His tone shifted to pure horror. “Stop! What in God’s name are you doing?!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “385017”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

When our R&D Director Marcus Vance publicly accused me—again—of trapping him as a “baby daddy,” I didn’t argue. I calmly rejected his purchase order, stating “department funds exhausted.” He stormed over. “The budget was just approved! Where’s the money, Reed?” I ignored him, approving an operations team order right in front of him while rejecting his again. Furious, he dragged our boss Henderson into it. “She’s sabotaging a million-dollar project! If she stays, I quit!” Amid the tension, I pulled out my resignation letter. Marcus grinned triumphantly. Then I handed Henderson a stack of R&D project quotes. His smile vanished. He went pale. … Maybe he thought my silent defiance was a direct challenge to his authority. Marcus snatched the documents from my hand and flung them into the air. Papers fluttered down around me like dead leaves. The office fell dead silent. Every eye was on me, a chorus of whispers rising from the cubicles. “Did your ex-husband take your brain with him when he left?” Marcus sneered, his voice dripping with contempt. “You dare to reject my purchase order?” He leaned against my desk, a smug thug, tapping his index finger on the surface. Tap. Tap. Tap. “Let me ask you something,” he said, raising his voice so everyone could hear. “The new budget just came in, and you’re telling me it’s gone? I wonder if someone’s been using company funds to buy baby formula.” I didn’t react, didn’t even look at him. I calmly bent down to pick up the scattered papers, even the one he was stepping on. “The R&D department’s discretionary fund has, in fact, been depleted,” I said, my voice even. “I can’t process the payment. If it’s urgent, you can seek special approval from senior management.” My calm response seemed to throw him off. He shot a glare at the gawking colleagues around us, his tone shifting to a low threat. “It’s Jenna, right? I’m giving you one last chance. Think very carefully before you speak.” I slowly rose to my feet and offered a faint smile. “It’s Ms. Reed, Marcus. And you can give me a thousand chances. The answer will still be the same. No funds, no approval.” He clearly hadn’t expected me to push back so directly. His face contorted with fury, and he pointed a finger right at my nose. “Who the hell do you think you are? You’re just a glorified shopper, and now you’re on a power trip!” he bellowed. “The company allocates a hundred thousand dollars to my department every month! It was just deposited ten minutes ago! And you’re telling me it’s gone? Do your damn job or get the hell out!” His voice escalated into a full-blown roar. My colleagues shrank in their seats, not daring to breathe. I remained silent through his tirade. I simply turned and accepted a new purchase order from the Admin department. Right there, in front of him, I submitted it for payment. Less than three minutes later, the confirmation receipt from Finance pinged in my inbox. That single action sent Marcus over the edge. “Jenna, what the hell is your problem?” he shrieked. “You just said there was no money! How can you approve Admin’s request but not mine?” He stepped closer, invading my personal space. “I work my ass off day and night for this company’s products! What are you? A nobody with a little bit of power, using it to screw me over. You better give me a damn good explanation, or I swear to God, you’ll regret this.” Seeing him about to explode, a few of his sycophantic underlings scurried over to play peacemaker. “Easy, Marcus. Don’t let her get to you,” one of them said with a sneer in my direction. “You know what they say—’mommy brain’ is a real thing. Don’t waste your energy on someone like that.” A few others, people I’d once considered friendly, chimed in. “Some people just can’t handle their own miserable lives. Divorced with a kid, so they think the whole world owes them.” “Seriously. Does she think she’s eighteen again, looking for a meal ticket?” “Yeah, well, her personal vendetta is going to screw us all. If this project gets delayed, I can’t even pay my rent…” I quietly organized the papers I’d picked up, my fingers tapping away on my calculator. Click, click, clack. When the final number was entered, I looked up at Marcus, my voice still perfectly level. “Marcus, the items on the Admin department’s order were all priced below market average. Furthermore, they were using their own unspent budget rolled over from last month. Per company policy, their request was eligible for immediate approval.” I held up his signed purchase order. “Your department’s request, on the other hand, is not only marked up by eighty percent, but your budget was already in the red from last month. Therefore,” I delivered the final blow, “all procurement requests from your department will be rejected. Not just for this month, but for the entire quarter.” The quiet hum of the office was suddenly replaced by the frantic clatter of keyboards as every single person who had been watching the drama pretended to be absorbed in their work. No one could believe it. Me—a divorced new mom with no connections, no seniority—had just openly defied the untouchable Director of R&D. Everyone knew Marcus was the boss’s golden boy. He answered to no one but Mr. Henderson and treated every other department like his personal fiefdom. He never imagined he’d be publicly humiliated by a junior employee in the middle of her lactation period—an employee whose name he could barely remember. He glared at me, his eyes filled with venom, before storming off. The door to his corner office slammed with a thunderous crack that echoed through the entire floor. Down below, my coworkers exchanged uneasy glances. A few colleagues who had also been bullied by Marcus in the past sent me private messages, urging me to apologize. Jobs are hard to find… You have a child to think about… Just smooth it over. Apologize? For what? It’s true that I got divorced while on maternity leave. It’s also true that I was transferred to the procurement department just two months ago when I returned to work. But from the moment I took over purchasing for R&D, I realized their books were a complete disaster. At first, they took advantage of my inexperience, sneaking everything from toilet paper for their department bathroom to personal snacks onto their purchase orders. I was the one who got chewed out for it. Then, they started using the excuse of “urgent project needs” to get me to pay for things out of my own pocket. It began with a friendly, manipulative tone. “Jenna, this project is critical, we’re just missing this one component. Could you please just front the money for it? I’ll sign off on the expense report next month, and you’ll get it back from the R&D budget. I promise.” I was soft-hearted. I believed him. I mean, why would a high-level director go out of his way to cheat a single mom with a new baby? But when I brought him the receipts for reimbursement, he acted like he had no idea what I was talking about. After that happened a few times, I saw him for who he really was. When his team tried to get me to front money again, I refused flat out. That’s when he started using my performance reviews to threaten me. “Jenna, raising a kid on your own must be tough financially,” he’d say with a fake smile. “Just keep up the good work, and I’ll put in a good word for you with Mr. Henderson. Promotion, raise, you name it. But if the project gets delayed… well, don’t say I didn’t warn you. Pay for what needs to be paid for. You’ll get every penny back when the project funds come through.” He talked a good game, but he still owed me for a three-hundred-dollar consumable he’d promised to reimburse months ago. Just yesterday, when I approached him again about signing my expense form, he didn’t just yell at me in front of the entire office—he twisted the story and accused me of trying to seduce him. “You were the one who was so eager to pay for me, weren’t you?” he’d sneered. “I thought your intentions were suspicious from the start, but I let it slide for the sake of the project. But you? You’re always looking for a shortcut. If you put half the energy you spend chasing me over a few hundred bucks into your work, maybe you wouldn’t be a divorced mother right now.” I trembled with a rage so pure it felt like ice in my veins. I couldn’t believe a man in his position could be so shamelessly vile. To date, I had fronted over a thousand dollars for the R&D department, much of it on my credit card. Meanwhile, because he’d had me transferred, my salary had been cut in half when I returned from leave. I was struggling to support my parents and my baby. The formula was almost gone. My mortgage was three months overdue. If I didn’t get that money back, my family would be out on the street. The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. I spent all night digging through historical purchasing contracts, compiling a detailed list of every procurement Marcus had overseen. What I found was staggering. Underneath the veneer of legitimate contracts and invoices was a cesspool of massively inflated prices. Worse, many of the specified high-grade materials had been swapped out for cheap substitutes. I cross-referenced the purchase orders with the actual delivery inspection reports. The rot in this R&D project went far deeper than I could have ever imagined. Marcus thought I was just some clueless new mom he could walk all over. He even started a rumor that I was obsessed with him, that I was using the reimbursements as an excuse to harass him after he’d rejected my advances. That’s why this morning, he didn’t feel an ounce of guilt for the money he owed me. He felt entitled. Arrogant. From his office, I could hear his booming voice, a mix of furious rant and whiny complaints to Mr. Henderson. Everyone was whispering, waiting for the show to begin. But I was waiting, too. Waiting for Marcus to push it too far. Waiting for him to play with fire and burn his whole world to the ground. His obsequious, ass-kissing voice drifted down from the office. Everyone knew how this would end. It was an open-and-shut case. Marcus would win, effortlessly. The atmosphere in the office began to shift. The colleague who used to eat lunch with me suddenly had to “work overtime” when I invited her, but I later saw her laughing with the new intern from R&D in the cafeteria. At lunchtime, I always ended up at the back of the line. Just as it was my turn, a group of R&D engineers would cut in front of me. “Must be nice to just clock out for lunch,” one would say loudly. “Unlike us workhorses who have to fight for every second.” “Leave her alone,” another would add with a smirk. “She’s got to breastfeed. If she doesn’t eat on time, the milk will dry up!” Then they would all look at my chest and erupt in loud, vulgar laughter. I’d clench my jaw and say nothing. By the time I finally got to the front, there was nothing left but scraps and watery soup. As soon as I sat down, the cleaning lady would come over and start aggressively wiping my table with a greasy rag, right next to my plate, huffing with disdain. This was just the beginning of Marcus’s campaign. When I returned to my desk, it was buried under a mountain of purchase requests, both urgent and trivial. The intern stood there, holding another thick pile of files, an arrogant look on her face. “Jenna, Marcus said he needs a full report on the supplier qualifications for all products purchased in the last three years. He needs it by the end of the day for a presentation tomorrow.” The whispers and snickers from the surrounding desks followed me. Day after day, the verbal abuse didn’t stop. My silence only seemed to encourage them. Within a week, I’d gone from “the divorced mom” to “the desperate office slut who throws herself at any man who looks her way.” They started openly commenting on my body. “How can she eat that much? Does she think she’s a sow for milking?” “You don’t get it. It’s an excuse to slack off. She goes to the pumping room, locks the door, and disappears for half the day. Who knows what she’s really doing in there?” “Look at those two sad, deflated sacks on her chest. No wonder her husband left her. It’s enough to make you sick.” It didn’t stop there. Trash—fruit peels and crumpled paper—started appearing on my desk. In the wide hallway, people would “accidentally” bump into me, hard. I was called into more and more pointless meetings about my work, with other departments making increasingly bizarre and impossible demands. My desk phone, with its dedicated extension, started ringing with obscene calls. “Fifty bucks an hour. You available?” Marcus thought he could break me, force me to quit. But I played deaf and dumb. The more he harassed me, the more flawlessly I did my job. And the calmer I remained, the more furious he became. Finally, after another week passed and he still hadn’t received my resignation, he snapped. Mr. Henderson returned from his business trip. Not five minutes later, Marcus was scurrying into his office, laptop in hand. The storm was about to break. Sure enough, half an hour later, Marcus emerged from the office like a preening rooster that had just won a cockfight. He announced an emergency, all-hands-on-deck meeting. I was at the front desk picking up a package of supplier invoices and missed the announcement. By the time I arrived, every single person in the conference room was staring at me. Before Mr. Henderson could even speak, Marcus launched his attack. “See, Mr. Henderson? It’s bad enough that she intentionally slows down all of our R&D work, but now she can’t even be bothered to show up to your meetings on time. The company’s generous policies for female employees? She’s exploiting every single one of them to slack off!” Mr. Henderson, fiddling with a string of wooden beads, frowned deeply. “Jenna Reed, is it?” His voice was low but heavy with anger. I didn’t answer. “Why is it that every simple purchase for the R&D department becomes a major drama the second it crosses your desk?” he demanded. “Our key projects are stalled because you can’t get them the materials they need. Our top engineers are threatening to quit because they aren’t getting their project bonuses! This market is a battlefield! Every day you delay is another day you’re handing an advantage to our competitors!” He slammed the string of beads onto the table. They scattered, clattering across the polished wood and onto the floor with a deafening rattle. “This company pays you for eight hours a day. Have I ever shorted any of you on your paychecks?” he roared. “Our frontline teams are bleeding to win us this market share, and you’re going to throw it all away because of some internal ‘procedure’ or ‘budget limit’? Are you all fresh out of grade school? Do I really need to spell this out?” He never said my name, but every word was a bullet aimed directly at me. Across the table, Marcus was on his knees, piously picking up the scattered beads, shooting me a look of pure, malicious triumph. I suddenly felt so tired. This company, so rotten from the inside that its leaders couldn’t see the truth. The “hard-working frontline engineers” he was defending had already hollowed it out like termites. And I, the one holding the line, was getting screamed at. Fine. I let out a long, quiet sigh and answered calmly. “Understood, Mr. Henderson. I know what to do now.” My compliance seemed to please him. His tone softened slightly. “It’s good for young people to be driven. You should learn from Marcus here. Be more tactful in how you handle things.” I nodded numbly and turned to leave. The long-running drama, a performance I had endured for weeks, was finally reaching its curtain call. But then, Marcus’s voice stopped me. “Wait! For the damage you’ve caused our team, I demand that you publicly apologize to us. Now.” “Apologize?” For a second, I thought I’d misheard. But then I saw Mr. Henderson give a subtle, permissive nod. The room erupted in a low buzz of whispers, contempt, and ridicule that washed over me like a tidal wave. The people who had bullied me, isolated me, insulted me, and spread disgusting rumors about me were now demanding an apology. From me. I clenched my fists so tight my nails dug into my palms, forcing myself to stay calm. Seeing my hesitation, Marcus put on a show of being deeply wounded. “Mr. Henderson, just because I didn’t want to be a father to her child, she sabotages my work. Is it too much to ask for an apology? I’m being magnanimous here, letting it go with just an apology, but look at her attitude!” He puffed out his chest, delivering the ultimatum. “I’m putting it all on the line. She apologizes right now, or either she walks, or I walk!” In the tense silence that followed, I stepped forward and placed the resignation letter I had prepared on the conference table. Marcus broke into a triumphant smirk. But when I immediately followed it with a thick stack of R&D project quotes for Mr. Henderson, the smirk vanished. His face went pale.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “385016”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

The ninety-ninth time Asher and I tried to get married, his ditzy little assistant, Chloe, got her high heel stuck in a sewer grate and called him, sobbing, for rescue. Asher’s hand, just about to place the ring on my finger, froze. He turned to leave. I grabbed his arm, my voice a desperate whisper. “My grandfather doesn’t have much time left. Please, Asher, don’t go.” According to my family’s bylaws, I had to be married before I could inherit my grandfather’s billion-dollar fortune. Asher knew this. He knew my grandfather’s last wish was to see me happily married. And yet, he tossed the ring into the crowd of wedding guests, letting them scramble for it like animals. “She’s a scatterbrain,” he said, his voice cold. “She can’t manage without me.” He glanced back at me, a condescending smirk on his lips. “You go find the ring like a good girl. By the time you find it, I’ll be back.” He walked away without a second glance. But I saw it. I saw the message he typed into his group chat with his friends. 【Make sure she never finds that ring. Throw it away if you have to.】 Later, when Asher returned to the reception carrying a barefoot Chloe in his arms, he tried to place the ring back on my finger with the same hands he’d just used to massage her feet. I flinched away. “Something this cheap,” I said, my voice dangerously calm, “is a much better match for people who are even cheaper.” … Asher’s face froze. Right on cue, tears welled up in Chloe’s eyes. “It’s all my fault,” she whimpered, her voice saccharine sweet. “I’m such a klutz. I’ve ruined my big sister’s wedding again.” “I’m so, so sorry. Let me make it up to you, okay?” She squirmed out of Asher’s arms and took a step toward me, then promptly tripped over her own feet and face-planted on the marble floor. A few snickers rippled through the wedding hall. Asher’s face darkened like a thundercloud. He grabbed my arm, his fingers digging into my skin like vices. “Kath, you know Chloe is clumsy. Why would you humiliate her like that?” he hissed. “Does it make you happy to see her hurt? You will apologize to her, right now. Or I swear to God, you will never wear this ring.” He shoved me hard. I stumbled and fell beside Chloe, the skin on my bare arm scraping raw against the floor. Chloe’s lips curled into a barely concealed, triumphant smirk. “Oh, Asher, you don’t have to punish her for my sake. After all, she’s going to be your wife. She’s the one who gets to spend all your money…” She clapped a hand over her mouth in mock horror. “Oops! I did it again! I’m so silly. Of course, my big sister isn’t a gold digger who seduced you for your money, right?” Her wide-eyed act didn’t hide the gleam of mockery in her eyes. Her words sparked a low murmur among the guests, whispers about my status as an orphan. Asher nodded, as if her words were gospel. “Kath, my family, the Vances, are rising stars in the tech world. You have no connections, no family, not even parents. You should be grateful I’m willing to marry you at all,” he said, his voice dripping with condescension. “Now stop being difficult. Apologize to Chloe, and once she forgives you, we can continue with the wedding.” I looked up, my eyes pleading with his parents, my future in-laws. They watched the entire scene as if it were a play. His mother examined her manicure; his father sipped his tea. They couldn’t have cared less. A wave of profound disappointment washed over me. Surrounded by jeering faces and cruel whispers, I finally felt the exhaustion settle deep into my bones. The only reason I was in such a hurry to get married was for my grandfather. His health was failing fast. The family charter was clear: marriage first, then the inheritance. Asher and I had been in love—or so I thought—so I’d begged him to set a date. But the first time we tried to get married, Chloe “lost” a million-dollar contract for his company. The second time, Chloe “accidentally” locked me in a supply closet at the office. The third time, she “mistakenly” booked the venue in another country. Again and again, for ninety-nine excruciating attempts, she had played the role of the beautiful, brainless fool and sabotaged everything. Asher allowed it because he believed that as an orphan, I was completely dependent on him. He thought he could humiliate me endlessly, and I would have no choice but to take it. But he didn’t know. Just as he was rushing off to play hero for Chloe, a text message had lit up my phone. 【Kath, I know about your family’s bylaw. If you’ll have me, I’m willing to marry you. Anytime.】 I took a deep breath and typed back a single word: Okay. Then, I knelt, picked up the gaudy ring from the floor, and shoved it onto Chloe’s finger. “A little klutz like you,” I said, my voice ringing with finality, “is the perfect match for a dumb pig like him. Congratulations.” I was already halfway out of the hall before Asher’s enraged roar finally echoed behind me. “Kath! Who the hell do you think you are, insulting Chloe like that? You walk out that door, you’re never coming back!” I laughed, a sharp, bitter sound. “She seems to enjoy calling herself a ‘little klutz’ just fine. Why is it an insult when I say it?” I yelled back over my shoulder. “And Asher? Go to hell.” With that, I forced my numb legs to carry me away, and I didn’t look back. My grandfather was staying in the Hayes family’s private care facility. Without access to my inheritance, I had no car, no driver. I had to take a cab. Thankfully, the staff knew I was the family’s sole heir and didn’t stop me, though their expressions turned to pity when they saw my dirt-stained wedding gown. My grandfather’s expression was the same. He was in the sunroom on the top floor, a frail figure tangled in a web of tubes and wires. His face, already pale with illness, looked even more drawn. “Kath, what happened this time?” he rasped. “I’ve poured millions into the Vance family to establish them in the tech world. I’ve helped you shield him from a dozen corporate sharks. How is it that after all this time, you still can’t manage one simple wedding?” I lowered my head, blinking back tears. When I looked up again, I was smiling. “I’m done with Asher, Grandfather. I’ve found someone else. The wedding is tomorrow.” I took his frail hand. “I came to invite you. You’ll be there to give me your blessing, won’t you?” The strict family rules meant that even though he adored me, he had no choice but to push me toward marriage. Seeing that I had finally moved on, he looked relieved. A bit of color returned to his cheeks. After finalizing the arrangements for the next day, I left his room. I had just turned the corner when I ran right into Asher. He was still carrying Chloe, as if she hadn’t just sprained an ankle but had both her legs amputated. The moment he saw me, the tender look on his face curdled into a cold sneer. “Kath! Do you have any idea how much damage your little stunt today has caused my family’s reputation?” I laughed in his face. “Asher, you abandoned me at the altar ninety-nine times for your assistant without a single thought for your own reputation. I walk out once, and you want to lecture me? Where do you get the nerve?” Chloe’s eyes immediately filled with tears. “It’s all my fault, sister. I’ve ruined things between you and Asher. I’ll get on my knees and beg for your forgiveness…” As she made a show of kneeling, Asher’s eyes narrowed. His hand flew out, and he slapped me across the face, hard. “You’ve been tormenting Chloe for months. It’s time you faced my wrath!” The force of the blow sent me sprawling. Before I could even react, he kicked open the door to my grandfather’s room and stormed inside. I tried to scramble to my feet, but Chloe, who was right behind me, delivered a vicious kick straight to my face. By the time I stumbled into the room after them, Asher was standing by the wall, his hand on the main power switch for my grandfather’s life-support machines. He had shut it all off. He watched my panic with a cold, cruel smile. “Kath, you use my money to pay for your grandfather’s treatment. You live under my roof. You should have known there would be consequences for upsetting Chloe.” My mind went blank. I lunged at him, trying to push him away from the panel, but he caught me by the neck and slammed my head down. “Apologize to her. Sincerely,” he snarled. Chloe, her ankle miraculously healed, sauntered over. She grinned, rubbing her bare foot against my cheek. “Sister, as Asher’s personal assistant, it’s my job to handle everything for him. And just so we’re clear, vetting you was part of that job. A gold digger like you wants to marry into the Vance family? Then you’d better learn to be obedient.” I craned my neck to look at the hospital bed. My grandfather, who depended on those machines to breathe, was already turning grey. His eyes had closed. A sharp, unbearable pain shot through my chest. My grandfather had been enduring unimaginable agony, clinging to life for one reason: to see me married so he could pass on the family fortune. And it was my fault. I was the one who had been blind, who had mistaken Asher’s cruel games for love, who had dragged this out and prolonged my grandfather’s suffering. Tears of rage and regret streamed down my face. I clenched my jaw so hard I thought my teeth would crack. “I’m… sorry,” I choked out. Chloe saw my broken state and giggled. “See, Asher? You promised that no matter what, I would always be the most important person to you. You kept your promise. I can trust you now!” Asher met my stunned gaze without a flicker of remorse. “Chloe has a simple mind. She’s timid. She was afraid that once we were married, I’d put you first and neglect her,” he said calmly. “She’s young and doesn’t know any better. Try to be more understanding.” He scooped Chloe back into his arms and turned to leave. “I’m taking her to the doctor. We’ll postpone the wedding for another week. You can have her as a bridesmaid.” I didn’t even watch them go. My hands trembled as I flipped the power switch back on. My back was drenched in a cold sweat. Thank God. My grandfather was stable. But I made sure the facility saved the security footage from that hallway. After that, I went back to the house I had shared with Asher to pack my things. The keypad beeped: Fingerprint not recognized. I tried twice more. As I bent down to manually enter the code, the door was kicked open from the inside. It slammed into my head with brutal force, and the world exploded in a flash of white pain. Chloe stood over me, her eyes filled with contempt. “See, Asher? What did I tell you? This woman is a total fake. She acts all meek and submissive in front of you, but the second your back is turned, she comes looking for revenge.” She immediately burst into tears. Asher, who had been lounging on the sofa, shot to his feet in a rage. He swung at me, but this time, I dodged. “What is wrong with you two psychopaths?” I screamed. “This is my house! Why would coming to my own home mean I’m looking for a fight?” Chloe’s crying intensified. “Asher… it looks like she doesn’t want to give me the house after all…” That was all it took. “Chloe’s pipes burst, and her apartment is flooded,” Asher snapped. “I told her she could have this house. Stop making a scene over every little thing!” I stared at him, this man I thought I loved, and I didn’t recognize him at all. “Asher, this is my house. The deed is in my name. What gives you the right to give it away?” Before he could answer, Chloe jumped in. “What’s yours is his once you’re married! Asher is giving you the honor of becoming Mrs. Vance. Your entire life isn’t worth that title!” My vision swam with rage. I lunged at her, and she threw up a hand to block me. And there, on the middle finger of her right hand, was the Hayes family signet ring. My family’s ancestral heirloom. I froze. There was no mistake. It was the one I had so carefully, so lovingly, given to Asher. The ring had been passed down through generations of the Hayes family, worn only by the head of the family. My grandfather, certain I would secure my future, had entrusted it to me early. I, in turn, had given it to Asher as a symbol of my complete trust and devotion. And he had just casually given it to Chloe, as if it were a cheap trinket. As if I meant nothing. I lunged for it, grabbing her hand. She yelped in pain and cried out to Asher. He didn’t hesitate. He kicked me, hard, right in the chest. “You come from nothing, and it shows,” he sneered, the breath knocked from my lungs. “It’s just a ring and a house. Once you’re my wife, do you really think you’ll have to worry about little things like this?” The pain was so intense I couldn’t get up. I could only glare at him with pure, unadulterated hatred. “I wanted to marry you because I loved you, Asher. But now? I wouldn’t have you if you were the last man on earth,” I gasped. “Your family is so high and mighty, so why are you using my property to impress your mistress? Give it back!” My defiance made him tremble with rage. “Chloe, give it to her!” he sputtered, trying to maintain his composure. “I’ll buy you the biggest, most beautiful ring! The biggest, most beautiful house!” He was trying to make me jealous. I didn’t even look at him. My eyes were locked on the ring. A flicker of malicious glee crossed Chloe’s face. She slipped the ring off her finger, and with a dramatic flourish, she deliberately tossed it down the sewer grate in the street. Then, she and Asher walked away, laughing. “Given your recent behavior, the wedding is postponed another week,” he called over his shoulder. “And Kath? Nobody wants your trash anyway!” I frantically shoved my fingers through the gaps in the metal grate, but the ring was just out of reach. My efforts left me covered in filth and grime. Passersby stared and pointed. Someone even took out their phone to record me. The weight of weeks of humiliation, pain, and heartbreak finally crashed down on me. I collapsed onto the pavement, and the tears I’d been holding back for so long finally came, hot and heavy. Just then, a calm, gentle voice spoke from above me. “Kath, don’t worry. I’ve already called the city works department. They’re on their way to help you get it back.” I looked up, startled, into a face that was both familiar and a stranger’s. And then I was in Ethan Lister’s arms, finally allowing myself to break down completely. “The second we get that ring,” I sobbed into his chest, “we’re going to City Hall.” Ethan just held me tighter. He led me to his car, where he had a change of clothes waiting for me. A short while later, the ring was safely recovered. Without a second thought, I dragged him straight to the courthouse. I was still in a daze when we walked out, marriage certificate in hand. Ethan, however, was beaming. He handed me a folder. “It’s all arranged,” he said. “This is a contract transferring all of my company shares to you. I’ve booked the grand ballroom at The Astoria for the ceremony. And I’ve already spoken with your grandfather’s medical team. They’ll be accompanying him to the wedding tomorrow.” Tears welled in my eyes again.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “385015”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel