I’m incredibly lazy. My husband Franklin has been keeping a mistress, and I know about it. But I can’t be bothered to deal with it. For ten years, the two of them have been lovey-dovey while I’ve been lying flat at home doing absolutely nothing. The amazing thing is, these two are incredibly capable. They actually took my failing little company and made it go public. I was planning to keep being lazy, but today they came to talk to me. Franklin slid a divorce agreement across the table. “I’ll give you ten million. Let’s get divorced.” I looked at the company now worth over a hundred million and laughed. “I may be lazy, but I’m not stupid.” The air conditioning in the café was blasting. Sitting across from me were Franklin and his mistress of ten years, Lisa. The two sat intimately close, wearing perfectly tailored designer clothes with matching couple’s watches on their wrists. Meanwhile, I wore a loose cotton dress and flat shoes, looking like a housewife who had wandered into a high-level business negotiation by mistake. Franklin pushed a document toward me. Next to it lay a check for ten million dollars. “Ivanka, let’s talk.” Franklin’s voice was calm, carrying that particular condescension of someone in power. “These past ten years, you haven’t managed anything. The company’s success today is entirely due to the hard work Lisa and I put in.” He paused, as if giving me time to process this. “There’s been no love between us for a long time. Dragging this out benefits no one.” Lisa chimed in at the perfect moment with a gentle, slightly apologetic smile. “Ivanka, Franklin is only thinking of your best interests. With this money, you can live comfortably for the rest of your life without worrying about anything.” Her tone was sincere, as if she truly had my welfare at heart. Ten years. Ever since I handed that half-dead company over to Franklin, I’d been living like I was retired. I knew he was having an affair with his assistant Lisa, but I couldn’t be bothered to call them out. As long as they ran the company well and money kept appearing in my account, I didn’t care how many mistresses he had on the side. My best friend Elena said I was stupid. I just smiled. I didn’t touch the divorce agreement or look at the check. My fingers leisurely stirred the coffee in front of me. The porcelain spoon clinked against the cup, making a crisp sound. Once. Then again. In the quiet of the private room, it rang out especially clear. Franklin’s brow furrowed slightly. My calm reaction displeased him. In his script, I should have been crying, shocked, or greedily haggling for more. Not sitting here so composed, as if listening to a story that had nothing to do with me. “Ten million, and I leave with nothing.” I softly repeated the terms, as if savoring the words. “Franklin, after ten years running a publicly traded company, is your vision really this small?” Franklin’s expression darkened. “Ivanka, people shouldn’t be too greedy. Have you contributed even one ounce of effort to this company? You don’t even know which office building it’s in, do you?” Lisa immediately jumped in, her tone laced with contempt. “Ivanka, this company is worth over a hundred million, but that’s all from Franklin’s and my blood, sweat, and tears. Giving you ten million is already extremely generous.” I finally stopped stirring my coffee. I looked up at them. Then I laughed. Not a cold laugh or a mocking laugh, but genuine laughter from finding something truly amusing. “Have you two gotten something confused?” My voice wasn’t loud, but it made both of them freeze simultaneously. “This company—from its inception, I’m the legal representative. One hundred percent of the shares are in my name. You two are my authorized agent and a senior employee of the company.” I watched their expressions gradually change, my smile deepening. “When did I ever say my company became your company?” Franklin’s face flushed red. “Ivanka, without us, it would just be an empty shell!” “So I should thank you.” I nodded. “As thanks, I’ve never shorted you on salary or bonuses. Lisa, your year-end bonus last year was over three hundred thousand. That’s what bought you that watch on your wrist, isn’t it?” Lisa’s face instantly went deathly pale. I stood up and grabbed my bag. “I won’t sign the divorce agreement, and I won’t give up a cent of my assets.” I looked down at them like they were a pair of clowns. “The company’s annual shareholders meeting is next month. When it happens, I’ll attend in my capacity as Chairman of the Board.” “I’d like to see how you plan to spend a single dollar of the company’s money without my authorization.” I turned and left, leaving behind two people with ashen faces. Walking out of the café, the sunlight was blinding. The smile vanished from my face instantly, replaced by icy coldness. I got in my car and made a phone call. “Attorney Jamal, it’s me.” A steady male voice came through the line. “Ivanka, are you ready?” “Yes.” I looked in the rearview mirror at the two figures chasing out of the café, my eyes cold as ice. “They’ve shown their hand. We can begin our plan.” The pigs I’d been fattening for ten years—it was time for slaughter.

My attorney, Jamal, was a top expert in the field. Ten years ago, when I decided to become a hands-off boss, I sought him out. At the time, I had just inherited the company my father left behind. The company wasn’t large, but due to mismanagement, it was drowning in debt and on the verge of bankruptcy. My father’s dying wish was for me to save the company. But I was naturally lazy and had no clue about business management. Back then, Franklin was a dirt-poor nobody with overwhelming ambition. He pursued me obsessively and catered to my every whim. I saw the hunger in his eyes. I needed someone who could do the work. He needed a platform to climb the ladder. We hit it off immediately. Before we got married, I brought Franklin to meet Attorney Jamal. Jamal drafted a prenuptial agreement and a company management authorization agreement that could only be described as harsh. The agreement stated clearly: I owned the company, Franklin only had management rights. As my husband and agent, he could exercise management duties on my behalf, but all major decisions and equity changes required my personal signature. His annual salary and bonuses were spelled out in black and white. At the time, Franklin was dazzled by money and beautiful promises of the future. He signed without hesitation. He thought that once we were married, both me and my company would be his. He was too naive. I’ve never believed in love. I only believe in contracts written in black and white. These past ten years, I seemed completely uninvolved, but every financial statement, every board resolution—Jamal organized them all and sent them to me. Every transaction Franklin and Lisa made, I knew about. I knew they worked together to inflate performance numbers, win over shareholders, and hollow out my authority. I even knew they secretly used company funds to register several subsidiary companies under Lisa’s relatives’ names, attempting to transfer assets. I knew everything. The reason I didn’t act was because I was waiting. Waiting for them to make the pie as big as possible. Waiting for them to think they had victory in hand. Then I would take everything back, with interest. Now, the time had come. “Attorney Jamal, they tried to buy me out for ten million.” My tone on the phone was calm and matter-of-fact. Jamal chuckled lightly on the other end. “Sounds like they’ve completely forgotten who they actually are.” “They’ve forgotten. We’ll help them remember.” I said. “What do you need me to do, Ivanka?” “First step: send a lawyer’s letter. Notify the board and all shareholders that effective immediately, I’m revoking all authorization given to Franklin. All company seals—corporate, financial, and contract seals—are to be secured immediately pending handover.” “Second step: file for asset preservation. Freeze all bank accounts belonging to Franklin, Lisa, and their affiliated companies.” “Third step: notify the financial regulators. I’m reporting current CEO Franklin for embezzlement and illegal benefit transfers.” I issued my instructions clearly, one by one. Jamal recorded everything quickly on his end. “Understood. Ivanka, you still have that founding document, right?” “I do.” That was my final trump card. It was what my father left me—the company’s original charter with the highest legal authority. Buried in an inconspicuous additional clause, it stated: Company founder Ivanka possesses veto power over any company resolution. This clause is permanent, unalterable, and cannot be diluted. Franklin and his people always thought I only had that hundred percent equity stake. They didn’t know I also held this card that could flip the entire table. After hanging up, I drove home. To the villa Franklin and I had lived in for ten years. He probably wouldn’t come back tonight. Fine by me. I couldn’t be bothered dealing with him anyway. I walked into the dressing room and retrieved a sealed manila envelope from the safe in the deepest corner. I ran my fingers over the wax seal, my eyes clear and sharp. Dad, I haven’t failed you. I’ll protect what you left me. Anyone who tries to take it will pay the price. The next morning, Attorney Jamal worked with exceptional efficiency. The lawyer’s letters were delivered at maximum speed to every member of the board. Almost simultaneously, court summons and asset freeze orders were served to Franklin and Lisa. I could imagine the ghostly expressions on their faces when they saw those documents. My phone was blown up with calls. Company shareholders. Franklin. Lisa. I didn’t answer a single one. I changed clothes, put on light makeup, and drove to Elena’s art gallery. She was instructing a student in painting when she saw me and raised her eyebrows in surprise. “Well, well, the sun must be rising in the west. You, the ultimate lazy bum, actually got yourself out of the house?” I smiled and sat down on the sofa across from her. “I’m here to tell you some good news.” “What?” “I’m planning to go to work.” Elena’s paintbrush clattered to the floor. She stared at me with wide eyes, her face full of disbelief. “You? Go to work? Do you have a fever?” “No fever.” I picked up the lemon water on the table and took a sip. “Franklin and Lisa want to push me out.” Elena’s expression instantly darkened. She knew those two cheaters were up to no good. “How dare they?!” “They think because I’m lazy, I’m easy to bully.” I set down the glass and looked at her, my eyes filled with unprecedented determination. “So I’ve decided to stop being lazy.” “I’m going to take back my company and make them leave with absolutely nothing.”

Monday morning. Azure Sea Group. The boardroom. Around the long conference table sat the company’s directors and shareholders. Most of these people were confidants Franklin had promoted over the past ten years, or allies he’d bound to himself through mutual interests. At this moment, their expressions were grave as they whispered among themselves. At the head of the table sat Franklin, his face dark, his eyes bloodshot. Beside him, Lisa—serving as his special assistant—also looked haggard, having lost her usual polished competence. Everything that happened last Friday felt like a sudden tsunami to them. Lawyer’s letters. Asset freezes. Reports to regulators. Three strikes, and they were completely blindsided. Franklin couldn’t understand how the woman who had been lying at home for ten years, completely uninvolved with the company, could suddenly become so ruthlessly efficient, every move deadly. He especially couldn’t figure out how she knew about those affiliated companies. Those accounts had been cooked to perfection. “Franklin, what’s going on? Why is Ivanka suddenly revoking your authorization?” A shareholder couldn’t help but speak up, his tone anxious. With the company accounts frozen, several projects had ground to a halt. The stock price was also beginning to fluctuate abnormally. Franklin took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his irritation. “Everyone, don’t worry. This is just a small family dispute between her and me. It’ll be resolved soon.” He tried to reassure them. “A family dispute?” An older director laughed coldly. “A family dispute that needs to be reported to regulatory agencies? Franklin, you’d better give us a reasonable explanation!” This was an old company employee, someone from my father’s generation. Over the past ten years, Franklin had marginalized him until he had no real power left. Seeing this, Lisa quickly said in a soft voice, “Johnson, please don’t be upset. This really is a misunderstanding. Ivanka… she might just be temporarily upset.” “Temporarily upset?” Johnson looked at her. “I think you two have been harboring improper ambitions for far too long!” The boardroom instantly erupted. At that moment, the heavy double doors of the conference room were pushed open from outside. I walked in wearing a sharp white suit, seven-centimeter heels clicking, accompanied by Attorney Jamal in his black suit. Every pair of eyes instantly focused on me. Shock. Confusion. Scrutiny. Hostility. I ignored all those looks and walked straight toward the head of the table. Franklin sat there, staring at me with eyes that seemed ready to spit fire. “Ivanka, what are you doing here?” I didn’t look at him. Instead, I looked at Lisa beside him. “Lisa, is that a seat you’re qualified to occupy?” I said flatly. Lisa’s face went white as a sheet. She stood up reflexively, looking at Franklin helplessly. I walked to the head seat and stopped, my gaze finally landing on Franklin’s face. “This seat isn’t for you either.” My voice wasn’t loud, but it landed like a hammer blow on everyone’s heart. Franklin’s fists clenched instantly, veins bulging on the backs of his hands. “Ivanka, don’t go too far!” “Too far?” I smiled. “Franklin, who gave you the nerve to spend my money, manage my employees, and then try to push me out?” I pulled out the chair and sat down gracefully. Attorney Jamal distributed a stack of documents to every director present. “Ladies and gentlemen, these are Azure Sea Group’s original founding charter and proof of Ivanka’s equity as the company’s sole founder.” “According to corporate law and the group charter, Ivanka possesses one hundred percent of Azure Sea Group’s equity and is the group’s sole legal controller.” Jamal’s voice was steady and authoritative. “Furthermore, according to additional clause three of the charter, founder Ivanka possesses veto power and has final decision-making authority over any group resolution.” Veto power! Those words brought instant silence to the boardroom. Everyone’s eyes widened, their faces written with disbelief. Franklin’s body swayed violently, as if all his strength had been drained. He knew I had majority shares, but he never knew I had this power. This meant that no matter how many shareholders he’d won over, no matter how many allies he had on the board, as long as I disagreed, no resolution could pass. I was this company’s absolute sovereign. I looked with satisfaction at Franklin’s ashen face. “Now, in my capacity as Chairman and sole shareholder of Azure Sea Group, I announce the first resolution.” My gaze swept across the room before settling on Franklin. “Franklin is hereby removed from all positions within Azure Sea Group, effective immediately.” “As of today, all his access privileges are frozen, and a third-party audit firm will conduct an exit audit.” “Until the audit results are available, Franklin may not leave the city.”

As my words fell, the boardroom became deathly silent. Franklin’s eyes instantly reddened, like a cornered beast. “Ivanka! What gives you the right?!” he roared, his voice twisted with rage. “The fact that this company is mine, not yours.” I leaned back in my chair, relaxed but authoritative. “You don’t have that authority! Removing a CEO requires a board vote!” One of Franklin’s loyalist directors stood up, his voice shrill. Attorney Jamal adjusted his glasses and spoke coldly. “According to the company charter, when the Chairman has sufficient reason to suspect the CEO is damaging company interests, she has the right to remove them first and seek board ratification afterward. Moreover, Ivanka possesses veto power. She herself is the board.” The director’s face turned red, unable to say another word. My gaze shifted to him as I tapped lightly on the table. “James, I recall you own a construction materials company that’s the main supplier for several of Azure Sea’s real estate projects?” James broke out in a cold sweat immediately. “I… that’s normal business cooperation…” “Is it?” I picked up a document and waved it in front of him. “In this procurement contract, your company’s pricing is twenty percent above market rate. The profit margin there is enough for you to buy a new car, isn’t it?” James’s legs gave out, and he collapsed into his chair. Around the boardroom, several other members of Franklin’s faction also showed panicked expressions. They hadn’t expected that I, the lazy one, actually knew the company’s inner workings inside and out. I was making an example of them. I wanted everyone to know exactly who called the shots at this company. “And you, Paul.” My gaze turned to another person. “The money for your son’s overseas education—Lisa helped arrange that, didn’t she? Using the company’s overseas accounts.” “You…” Paul’s face also turned deathly pale. Lisa stood to the side, trembling. The way she looked at me was full of fear. She had always thought I was a clueless waste who could be manipulated at will by her and Franklin. Only now did she understand—I wasn’t unaware. I was just waiting. Waiting for them to personally deliver all the evidence to me. Franklin watched as I called out his allies one by one, his expression changing from dark to deathly pale. He finally realized I wasn’t throwing a tantrum. I had come for a reckoning. “Ivanka, what exactly do you want?” His voice carried a tremor. “What do I want?” I smiled. “I want to take back what’s mine. That’s all.” I looked at Johnson, who had remained quiet. “Johnson, this company was my father’s life’s work, and yours too. Thank you for these ten years.” Johnson’s eyes reddened as he stood up emotionally. “Ivanka, you’re finally back!” “Yes, I’m back.” I nodded, then looked at everyone, my voice clear and firm. “Now, I announce the second resolution.” “Johnson will temporarily assume the position of Group CEO, responsible for daily operations. At the same time, a special audit team will be formed with Johnson as team leader to thoroughly investigate all company accounts from the past ten years.” “Everyone here, every single one of you—whoever has issues, come forward and explain clearly. Don’t wait for me to throw the evidence in your faces.” My gaze swept like a blade across every guilty director. “Let me be clear: this company doesn’t support freeloaders, and it certainly doesn’t support parasites.” “Now, those who agree with this resolution, raise your hands.” Johnson was the first to raise his hand. Then several neutral shareholders hesitated before raising theirs. Then the directors I’d called out raised their hands, trembling, faces ashen. They knew resistance was futile. I held their lifelines in my hands. Finally, only Franklin remained, sitting there rigidly. He looked at me, his eyes full of resentment, hatred, and a trace of fear. The business empire he’d spent ten years building, thinking it impregnable, had been effortlessly dismantled by me in just one hour. He had lost. Utterly and completely. I didn’t look at him again. I said to Johnson, “Johnson, arrange the handover immediately. Clean out Franklin’s office, and Lisa’s too.” “Yes, Ivanka.” Johnson’s voice was strong and clear. I stood up, preparing to leave. At the door, I stopped and looked back at the dejected Franklin. “Oh, one more thing I forgot to mention.” “The villa we’ve been living in—that’s also in my name. You have three days to move out.” “I’ll have the housekeeper pack your things. As for anything that doesn’t belong to you, don’t even think about taking it.”

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I’ve been married to George for five years, and we’ve maintained the habit of getting annual checkups. This year, feeling bad that I’d been working so hard for the family, he booked me a full-body examination worth three thousand dollars. But on the day of the checkup, just as I was about to leave, I got a call from him: “Betty says her breasts are bothering her again. I gave her your appointment slot. Just stay home and get dinner ready!” I froze mid-step. My stomach, empty all morning, churned violently, and my heart sank with disappointment. Betty was George’s childhood friend. Whatever she asked for, he would never refuse. I grabbed my bank card, planning to go to the hospital and book another checkup myself, but was told: “There’s no balance on this card. How can you make a reservation?” I stood there as if struck by lightning. Five years of savings—how could there be nothing left? I immediately called George, and he admitted it without hesitation. “Betty majored in finance. Having her manage the money is the best choice. What would a housewife like you know about it?” I gripped the bank card tightly. In that moment, my heart finally died. “What? Are you sure?!” I stood there clutching the bank card, anxious and confused, my brain completely shutting down. Seeing I didn’t believe her, the nurse swiped the card through the machine again, frowning impatiently: “There’s no money on this card. How am I supposed to charge you for the examination?” “Don’t you have a balance on your phone? Mobile payment works too…” The nurse gently reminded me, but all I had on my phone was the fifty-six dollars George had given me for groceries. Nothing else. Voices behind me in line grew impatient. Embarrassed and flushed, I apologized and hurried away with my card. Only when I stood outside the hospital did my emotions gradually settle. In our five years of marriage, George and I had agreed on how to handle our household savings—all income would be deposited into the card under my name. There was no way it could have zero balance! But where could my eighty thousand dollars in savings from five years have gone? Suddenly, a terrifying thought flashed through my mind. With trembling hands, I called George to demand answers. The moment he picked up, I heard George’s puzzled voice calmly admitting everything: “That’s right, I transferred the eighty thousand in savings to Betty’s name. She majored in finance and knows how to manage money—naturally better than a housewife like you.” I was so angry my voice shook, nearly losing control: “Twenty thousand of that was mine! Who gave you permission to transfer my money to her without asking me!” “You need to transfer my money back right now!” Hearing my near-hysterical voice, George sighed with exasperation, his tone growing sharp: “Is this little thing worth getting so worked up over? Betty’s not a stranger. Worst case, I’ll give it back to you later!” As we reached this impasse, Betty’s voice drifted over from a distance: “George, there are way too many tests! My arm is all bruised from the needles. It hurts so much!” George immediately softened his cold tone, speaking with careful tenderness: “That’s my fault. I was worried about your health, so I scheduled all these checkups. I’ll buy you a bag later to make up for it…” The two of them flirted shamelessly as if no one else existed. George’s mother, Ruth, joined in with playful banter: “If only Betty were my daughter-in-law! Maybe our family would finally have an heir!” I felt like an outsider, left to the side, listening to their family chat. All my anger dissolved into overwhelming grievance. Even before marriage, I knew George had a close friend. I’d been suspicious once, but George held me and coaxed me for a long time, swearing: “I only think of Betty as a sister. Don’t worry, I promise we’ll never cross any lines!” But those promises had now become evidence slapping me in the face. I was such a fool, believing George year after year. Betty seemed to deliberately move closer to the phone speaker, constantly acting cute and pitiful, clearly gloating despite getting everything she wanted. I couldn’t listen anymore. I hung up directly, tears gradually blurring my vision. I used my remaining fifty-six dollars to take a cab home, too exhausted to speak.

Every detail in the house was the result of George and me staying up late designing together. He’d once held my hand, kissed the corner of my lips, and smiled: “You’re the only mistress of this house. There will never be anyone else.” But less than two months later, Betty moved into our home under the excuse of a graduation internship, treating me like a servant to order around. “Christina, can you cut me some fruit? I’m allergic to mango though!” “Christina, where’s George’s bathrobe? It’s too cold after my shower. Can I borrow it?” “Christina, I’m scared of the dark by myself. Can I sleep with George tonight?” When Betty said that last line, she batted her eyes. She knew my opinion didn’t matter. Suppressing my dissatisfaction, I was about to warn Betty not to mess around when I saw George pull her into the bedroom. “Betty’s just a kid to me. You’re not going to be petty with a kid, are you?” This matter that had bothered me for so long ended up being dismissed as me being petty, and I got lectured by the whole family. The coffee table I loved sat in the center of the living room. Our wedding photos on the bookshelf now looked bitterly ironic. Lost in thought, the door suddenly burst open. Betty’s laughter reached my ears, followed by complaints. “Christina, you’re home alone and didn’t even make dinner?” Right. In five years of marriage, this was the first time I didn’t want to cook dinner. I didn’t respond. Standing for so long had made my lower back ache again. George stared at me like I was his enemy: “Christina, you’re so angry about the savings that you won’t even cook dinner?!” Ruth walked in from behind the door. She had severe OCD and couldn’t tolerate even a speck of dust. My chronic back pain had become this severe under her day-after-day nagging. Ruth raised her voice, her hand trembling with anger: “Christina, you didn’t mop the floor again today! Are you trying to make the whole family sick with germs!” “How did our family end up with such a daughter-in-law!” Then Ruth, as usual, started bringing up old grievances, criticizing me inside and out. I’d devoted myself wholeheartedly to serving this family, giving up my career and life, only to receive such differential treatment in return. I laughed bitterly. The last trace of hope in my heart vanished completely. “I’m not hungry, so why would I cook dinner for you? Don’t you have hands?” George’s face turned iron-blue, as if looking at a stranger, his brow furrowed tightly. I turned to look at Ruth, who was still cursing, and said calmly: “Since I’m so terrible, why don’t you have George marry Betty instead? She seems pretty willing.” The moment those words left my mouth, Betty’s eyes turned red, looking as if she’d been completely slandered, and she turned to leave. “So this is how Christina sees me! And I thought of you as family. I’m leaving!” George quickly grabbed Betty to explain, then turned and slapped me across the face. The force was so great I fell directly onto the glass coffee table. My already agonizing lower back felt like it had snapped in two. I cried out in pain. The glass table shattered instantly, shards embedding themselves in my flesh, making me shudder. Seeing my torn and bleeding state, George’s voice softened somewhat, but still carried suppressed anger: “I’ve told you so many times—Betty is just my sister. Can you stop being so unreasonable!” “Consider what happened today a lesson. Don’t make things difficult for me again!” Ruth snorted coldly and stepped over my body to go to the side bedroom. Betty continued sobbing. Just before George was about to leave, I spoke with trembling voice. My tone carried a note of finality: “George, let’s get divorced!”

“Divorced?” George, who had just calmed down, lost his composure again: “We’ve been together for so many years, and just because of some argument about a checkup today, you want a divorce?!” “What am I to you? Is marriage a game to you!” Every organ in my body ached, making it painful to say even one more word. “I’ve thought it through. We have to get divorced!” George thought I was playing hard to get like during our dating period. He laughed and stopped paying attention: “Then go get divorced by yourself. As long as I don’t agree, you won’t succeed!” Betty glared at me coldly, then left for the bedroom with her arm linked through George’s. I struggled to get up from the shattered glass, fortunate that my face and carotid artery were uninjured. I pulled out my phone and called someone I hadn’t contacted in a long time: “You once said if I was wronged, you’d come get me. Was that true?” At ten that evening, I got in Dino’s car, semiconscious as he took me to the hospital. When I woke up, the doctor had practically wrapped me up like a mummy. It looked rather ridiculous. I glanced at the hospital room facilities, lowered my eyes, and laughed bitterly: “Thank you, Dino. I’ll pay you back for the hospital fees as soon as I can!” Dino acted like he’d heard a joke, furious: “Christina, we’ve known each other for over ten years with such a deep friendship, and over a few thousand dollars you say something so cold!” “You’re an only child from a well-off family. When were you ever short on food or drink? How could George let you suffer like this!” “George won’t even give you a few thousand dollars!” My heart ached hearing this. I didn’t want to admit it, but that was indeed the truth. Pampered for over twenty years, after marriage I didn’t even have money to go to the hospital. Remembering the embarrassment of having no money on my card that day, tears streamed down uncontrollably, along with years of resentment. Thinking he’d spoken too harshly, Dino quickly embraced me gently and comforted me: “Christina, don’t cry. I didn’t mean it that way. I just can’t stand to see you wronged…” I shook my head, pulled away from the warm embrace, and sobbed: “I need to ask you for one last favor!” “Help me find a good lawyer. I want to file for divorce!” Dino paused, his eyes growing determined as he solemnly agreed: “Alright, I’ll help you!” After three days in the hospital, some of the bandages could finally be removed. During this time, George hadn’t called once. I knew that without me at home, the two of them could celebrate freely and live it up. But I wasn’t idle either. Through the lawyer Dino found, I detailed my demands. George’s marital infidelity, Betty’s use of my savings—everything that belonged to me, I would claim back in full. That evening, as I was getting out of bed to move around, I suddenly received a message. It contained unabashedly intimate nude photos. Betty was lying on George’s back, sending me a provocation: [George finally decided not to use protection this time. Once I’m pregnant with his child, you’ll have no choice but to pack up and leave!] [What belongs to me, you’ll never take away in this lifetime!] I looked at the provocative nude photos Betty sent, completely unmoved. Whatever love I’d had for George had long been ground away, leaving only endless hatred. This idiot had just handed me concrete evidence of the affair. I’d been worried about not having surveillance to preserve this evidence. I smiled coldly and backed up all these photos and chat records to send to my lawyer. The day I was discharged, Betty sent me another medical report. This time it was a pregnancy test. The ultrasound already showed a gestational sac—pregnancy was imminent. I thought these naked provocations were all there was. But then Betty revealed an important piece of information that left me stunned. [Christina, do you know why you haven’t gotten pregnant in five years of marriage?] [Because your prenuptial medical report was fake. George said you had an infertile constitution, but that was just an excuse because he didn’t want to have children with you!] [You fool, I can’t believe you were deceived for so long haha!]

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“What’s one plus one?” On the highway, my brother Sam suddenly asked. I hesitated. “It’s…” Before I could finish, my mother flew into a rage and slapped me hard across the face. “I have a master’s degree. Your father has a PhD.” “Your brother is a math prodigy who gets perfect scores every time, and you have to hesitate over one plus one? You’re nothing but a useless waste!” My cheek burned. Terror flooded my chest. I shook my head, crying: “Mom, please don’t hate me. I’m not useless. Sam said-” But she wouldn’t listen. She pushed me out of the car “A piece of trash that inherited nothing but inferior genes doesn’t deserve to sit in the same car as us. Walk home yourself!” I ran after them desperately, but my parents drove off with Sam anyway. A massive truck came speeding from behind. Suddenly, my body felt light. I caught up to their car. “Mom, Dad, I’m not useless! My teacher called me a young artist and said everyone has their own strengths!” …… “A child’s stride is is roughly between 0.3 and 0.5 meters.” “I did the math for you. From here to the highway rest stop, you only need to walk 3,000 steps.” “This is your punishment, but it’s also meant to activate your potential. Since you’re not naturally clever, it’ll help you fit into our family.” Once Mom finished, she turned and got into the car without a second glance. I ran after her. “Mom, don’t leave me behind.” The car window slowly rolled down. Mom just tossed a small camera out from inside the car. “This is the latest cloud camera. It’ll record you, so don’t try to slack off and skip counting.” “Be careful on the road. You can only walk in the emergency lane.” Mom left those final instructions, and the window immediately rolled back up. I watched helplessly as the car drove away. The taillights grew dimmer and dimmer until they completely disappeared into the darkness. “Mom, it’s so cold.” The weather lady on the forecast said today’s temperature was 10 degrees below zero. But Mom forgot to give me my coat. I held up the little camera dejectedly and spoke to the lens. “Mom, I’m not useless.” “I’m the best at drawing in my whole class. My teacher said that’s called having different strengths.” But the camera lens couldn’t talk back. I sniffled and held back my tears, then started counting seriously. “1, 2, 3…” But it was so cold. Even the warm breath I exhaled seemed to turn to ice. I counted slower and slower, and my steps got smaller and smaller. When I reached 1,000, my legs felt as heavy as two big stones. I tripped over something and fell to my knees. The pain shot through me instantly. My whole body hurt. I apologized to the camera lens through my tears. “Mom, I’m sorry. It really hurts too much. I’ll just rest for ten counts.” Our family often played counting games. Success brought rewards, failure brought punishment. Sam always got the rewards. I always failed, and Mom would punish me for ten counts. Ten slaps on the hands, ten spanks on the bottom. I used to think ten counts was so slow, but now it felt so fast. When the ten counts ended, I struggled to get up from the ground. I moved my legs bit by bit. The blood from my knees soaked through my pants, and every step hurt so much. I gritted my teeth. Just 1,970 more steps and I could get back to our hometown. My grandparents were waiting for us at the reunion dinner. But my body grew colder and colder. White spots seemed to drift before my eyes. I cried toward the camera. “Mom, I don’t think I can keep going.” She didn’t answer. Then a blinding light flooded in from behind me. I had wandered into the middle of the road without even realizing it. When I woke up, I suddenly realized my body had turned weightless.

My lighter body quickly caught up to my parents. They were resting at a service area with lots of delicious food on the table. Mom was urging Sam to drink some hot water. “It’s too cold today. You must drink some hot water.” Sam reluctantly took a sip. I quietly swallowed, wanting so badly to drink some hot water too. “Mom, I want some too.” I timidly begged, but Mom remained completely indifferent. She fed Sam water and gave Sam fruit. She seemed unable to see me at all. I held back my sadness. Just then, Dad suddenly raised his hand to look at his watch and frowned. “We’ve been waiting at the service area for an hour. Why hasn’t Chloe arrived yet? I hope nothing happened to her.” My heart lifted with joy. Dad-he finally remembered me. “Dad, I met a really big truck. I was too tired to run, and that truck-” I wanted to tell Dad loudly. But Mom said impatiently, “Dylan, it’s only two kilometers. It’s not that far.” “If it were Sam, he would’ve run here already.” “She’s always been lazy since childhood. This is a good chance to let her exercise!” Sam nodded. He wasn’t just good at math-he was athletic too. “She’s already slow. If she doesn’t get some exercise, what are we going to do when she’s always sick?” He snorted coldly. Sam often mocked me. This time in the car, he suddenly asked me a math question. He just wanted to laugh at how stupid I was. Before, I would always grin at Sam foolishly, never holding grudges. After all, he was my brother. But this time I was a little angry. I yelled at him. “I am not! Sam is so mean!” If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t have been kicked out of the car. Dad hesitated. He looked at the thick fog outside, then his brow gradually relaxed. “A two-kilometer walk takes adults 20 to 35 minutes. Considering external factors, it’s normal for a child to be a bit later.” Hearing Dad’s words made my heart feel heavy. I’d been sickly since childhood, getting winded after walking just a few steps, let alone walking 3,000 steps in such cold weather. But they seemed to have forgotten. They decided to wait a little longer. They waited another hour, until Sam got impatient. He pestered Dad to drive. Just then, a couple walked in. Their conversation interrupted Sam. “We left at dawn on purpose, but there’s still a traffic jam.” “That accident just now was really terrible. I heard the kid’s brains were splattered everywhere. It was just a child…” At those words, Dad trembled violently. Mom panicked too. She quickly opened her phone. She saw the little dot still moving on her phone and breathed a sigh of relief. The next second, she became angry again. “The camera I bought not only records video but also has GPS tracking.” “Look, she’s moving fast right now. She definitely got a ride and is playing victim. She doesn’t listen at all!” “We’re not waiting for her anymore. Let’s leave now. If she’s so capable, she can have whoever’s driving her take her home!” Hearing this, I became anxious. “Mom, that’s not true.” “I didn’t. That’s an ambulance, not a ride I found.” But Mom couldn’t hear me. She bundled Sam up tightly and pulled Dad to the car to go home. I cried as I followed my parents’ car. The ambulance siren seemed to get closer and closer, but Dad hit the gas and exited the highway. The car soon arrived at my grandparents’house. I rushed toward them feeling wronged, but passed right through them.

New Year was my favorite time every year. The New Year gathering meant I could see my grandparents. But now I felt so sad. My tears wouldn’t stop flowing. Grandma rushed to the back seat and lifted Sam out first. Then she looked into the car again. “Where’s Chloe? Why isn’t Chloe in the car?” “Grandma, I’m here.” I sobbed and tugged at Grandma’s sleeve. Mom said impatiently, “She’s riding with someone else.” “Come on, it’s freezing out here. Sam sat in the car for so long-he’s cold and hungry. Show some concern for your grandson.” Mom’s words immediately silenced Grandma. She looked at Dad. When Dad nodded, she sighed and stopped asking. “Alright, alright. I made apple pie. Try some.” Mom, Dad, and Sam all ate with relish. I clutched my stomach, about to cry. After walking for an hour, I was exhausted and starving. What I wanted most was Grandma’s apple pie. “Chloe loves apple pie. I even saved some especially for her.” Grandma said with a smile, standing up to look out the window again and again. I sniffled. I couldn’t hold back my tears anymore. After everyone finished eating and Grandma cleared the table, she still hadn’t seen me arrive and finally couldn’t help asking my parents about me again. “Why isn’t Chloe here yet? Whose car is she riding in? Why didn’t you all come together?” The living room suddenly fell silent. Dad hesitated. “Soon, I think. She should be here soon.” His uncertain answer puzzled my grandparents. “Whose car is Chloe riding in? Just call and ask. She’s been gone so long-aren’t you parents worried at all?” Dad pushed up his glasses but looked at Mom. Mom angrily opened her phone. my grandparents stretched their necks expectantly. I looked too. She frowned and opened her phone. Seeing that the camera’s GPS showed it wasn’t far from my grandparents’ house, she said, “Fine. She’ll be back in five minutes.” my grandparents wanted to look closer, but Mom immediately closed her phone. “While we’re back, I need to tell you something important.” “Chloe’s about to start first grade. You can’t keep spoiling her anymore. It’s very bad for her future development.” Mom’s tone was extremely stern. I hid behind Grandma in fear. Mom loved smart children. She was always gentle with Sam. But I was too stupid. Mom was always angry. Once I scored 59 on a math test, and she was so furious she slapped me. “Are you even my biological child? How can you be this stupid?” “You got such simple addition and subtraction wrong? What’s in your brain?” To make me learn math well, she frantically created study plans for me. Study a year’s worth of math, do math problems. If I couldn’t learn, she’d hit my palms. Grandma couldn’t stand it and would speak up for me. This time was the same. She said quietly, “Jennifer, I think teaching children shouldn’t be too forceful. Chloe is still young…” Before she could finish, Mom cut her off sharply. “Mom, do you know that Chloe now has to hesitate even when asked what 1+1 equals?” “When Sam was her age, he could already solve third-grade math problems!” Grandma’s face turned pale. In the corner, Sam was secretly laughing. I rushed forward anxiously. “Mom, I didn’t hesitate! It was Sam!” “Sam said 1+1 doesn’t equal 2!” I didn’t understand, but when Sam asked again, I hesitated. But Mom couldn’t hear my explanation. “Everyone, look! Isn’t this Chloe’s coat?”

Dad and Grandpa went to get the luggage. They found my coat. Grandpa held up the coat, looking confused. “If Chloe rode with someone else, why is her coat in your car?” Dad frowned, also seeming incredulous. “Jennifer, when you made Chloe get out of the car, you didn’t give her a coat?” Mom panicked, her eyes shifting. “I… I forgot.” “And Chloe too. She’s old enough-she should know to put on her own coat.” Hearing Mom’s complaint, I felt wronged and hugged myself. Mom kicked me out of the car. She didn’t give me any chance to resist. The bone-chilling cold seemed to return. In this warm, heated room, my body kept shivering. “What?” “On the highway, you kicked Chloe out of the car?” Grandpa’s voice immediately rose in accusation. Grandma clutched her chest. “Are you insane? In weather ten degrees below zero, leaving a six-year-old child alone on the highway-how could you do such a thing!” “What if… what if something happened…” Mom immediately cut off Grandma. “There won’t be a ‘what if.’ I told her to walk in the emergency lane. There’s no danger!” Mom seemed to be trying to comfort Grandma. She even opened her phone. “Look, Chloe’s GPS is still moving. Nothing will happen.” But my grandparents didn’t believe her. They insisted on going to the highway to find me. I shook my head crying, my heart aching. “Chloe’s already back. Please don’t fight…” Sam suddenly ran out. He looked like he’d discovered something new. “Mom, look what I found!” I looked at what he was holding and wanted to snatch it away in fear. But Mom grabbed it first. She seemed to have found powerful evidence to turn things around. She pointed at the thing in her hand and questioned my grandparents. “What is this? You’re such good grandparents to Chloe! Spoiling her so she won’t amount to anything!” “Thank goodness I raised Sam myself. Look how excellent he is-first in his grade, perfect math scores. When it was time to move up, every school fought to have him!” “What about Chloe? She’s useless! A waste that you spoiled!” Her words stabbed into my heart one by one. In the picture of our family that I’d drawn, Sam and I held hands while my parents held ours. We all had big smiles on our faces. I’d titled it “A Happy Family.” “What future is there in drawing? I want them to get into NYU! To have a good future!” She was about to tear up the family portrait. I rushed over begging. “Don’t! Mom, don’t!” “I’ll be good. I’ll study hard. I’ll never draw again.” The next second, Mom ruthlessly tore the picture to shreds anyway. Her face twisted as she yelled at my grandparents. “Do you know how much pressure there is in society now? Degrees are so devalued, and you still spoil her. What will she do when she enters society?” My grandparents’ faces went pale. They looked at my father. He adjusted his glasses. “I also believe Chloe should focus on her studies, not waste her limited energy on meaningless things.” His words broke me completely. Through my tears, I felt myself slowly floating upward. Mom, Dad, I wasn’t the child you wanted. Please don’t be angry. Sam will become your pride… The doorbell rang suddenly. Mom went to answer it, muttering, “That must be Chloe. I told her to walk three thousand steps, but I bet she barely took one!” But outside stood two officers in uniform. They held a bloodstained camera and a photo from the accident. “Excuse me,” one of them asked. “What is your relationship to the child holding this camera?”

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1 After I got pregnant, I kept working. But right before I was about to land a huge client, my boss’s assistant, Tiffany, tried to fire me. Her reason? I threw up too much and went to the bathroom “too often.” Fuming, I marched into my boss Aldrich’s office—my husband’s office. He handed me a termination letter and said, “Company policy allows only five bathroom breaks a day. You took ten. Tiffany has every right to fire you. And you’re pregnant—just stay home and rest.” My eyes dropped to the floor. A corner of a lace thong was sticking out from under his couch. So he was cheating. I said nothing. I slapped the termination letter across his face. The moment I walked out of the building, I called our biggest competitor. “Do you limit how many times employees can use the bathroom? If not, I’ll bring my client to you tomorrow.” …… “Serena, are you messing with me?” Daniel’s voice on the other end of the line was laced with shock. “I’m not kidding,” I said, my voice calm. “If you agree, I’ll bring the Evergreen Holdings deal I secured straight to you tomorrow to sign. Once that’s done, you’ll be the top company in Northwood.” Daniel hesitated. “Are you having problems with Aldrich? Is this call just to spite him?” “Everyone in the industry knows you’re the powerhouse, carrying all the major accounts for Aldrich’s company.” “You sold your parents’ apartment to fund his startup, and you’ve personally landed every single contract for the company all these years.” “For the Evergreen Holdings mega-deal, you pushed yourself so hard you nearly passed out from severe morning sickness. Employees wanted to rush you to the ER, but you were so worried about delaying the signing, you stubbornly…” I froze, surprised he knew about what happened recently. Listening to him, I just managed a bitter smile. Yeah, everyone in the industry knew how much I cared for Aldrich. I once believed we’d build our empire together, side by side, until the very end. But today, I was dealt a blow that shattered me awake from that beautiful dream. Aldrich and I started with nothing, two broke students, determined to carve out our own space in this big city. We built everything from scratch, pushing hard until today, finally owning our own company. Six months ago, when I told him I was pregnant, his hands trembled with excitement. But when I suggested we get married, he fell silent for a long time before finally speaking. “Serena, once we secure Evergreen Holdings, our company will be number one. Our dream of making it big in this city will finally be realized.” “Don’t you want to walk down the aisle when we’re at our peak, at our most glorious moment?” “Let’s get married after we close the Evergreen contract, okay?” I agreed. Yesterday, Evergreen Holdings confirmed the partnership, and the signing date was set. I was so overwhelmed, I collapsed on the street outside the office and ended up in the hospital. When I woke up, I rushed back to the company to prepare for the final signing. But I couldn’t get in. The facial recognition failed; I’d been blacklisted. I found a familiar intern to let me in, only to find my office supplies dumped in the trash. Photos of Aldrich and me were covered in footprints, my smiling face defaced with black marker. And sitting at my personal desk was the new secretary—Tiffany. With her bright red nails, she scrolled through her phone, pulling up three months’ worth of my bathroom break surveillance videos. “New company rule: no more than five bathroom breaks during working hours, each not exceeding five minutes.” “You go a dozen times a day. Who knows if you’re actually working or just taking a break?” “If everyone acted like you, how would the company function?” I was stunned. Since when did the company have such a rule? I went to Aldrich’s office and told him what happened. He simply said, his tone flat: “Tiffany was headhunted from a major corporation. The rules she’s implementing are based on big company experience. We, of course, have to follow them.” I tried to suppress my anger, explaining that my frequent bathroom trips were due to pregnancy and work stress. He waved his hand dismissively. “That’s just your weak constitution; don’t use it as an excuse.” “Today, I’ll make an exception because of your morning sickness. But in the future, if someone takes a break in the bathroom and then claims to be sick with diarrhea, am I supposed to pretend I don’t see it? How can I manage then?” My face flushed with anger, my eyes burning. In his eyes, my pregnancy sickness was no different from an upset stomach. I was about to say something more when Tiffany walked in, phone in hand. “Serena, company policy states pregnant employees should be terminated. I only didn’t fire you out of respect for Aldrich.” “But now you’ve violated the rules too many times. If I don’t act, other employees will lose respect for me. How can I lead my team?” “Besides, you’re expecting at your age; you should be home resting. Constantly running to the bathroom doesn’t just affect efficiency, it makes our company look unprofessional.” I stared at her, my voice icy. “My pregnancy, and my frequent bathroom trips, didn’t stop me from securing the Evergreen Holdings deal for the company.” “I’m also a VP here. This policy was never approved by me, so it shouldn’t have been implemented.” Her eyes welled up, and Aldrich slammed his hand on the desk. “Enough!” He saw the shock and tears in my eyes, frowned, and said impatiently: “I’m the one who set the rules. If you have a problem, take it up with me. You’re already fired. Stop pulling rank on her.” “And don’t bring up the deal. Tiffany told me you’ve been skipping out on work, constantly running to the bathroom. The rest of the team did everything.” “If working while pregnant is too stressful for you, making you run to the bathroom all the time, then isn’t Tiffany doing you a favor by firing you and sending you home to rest? Instead of thanking her, you’re bullying her right in front of your direct supervisor?” He furrowed his brow. “Apologize to Tiffany, now!” 2. Apologize? I took a long, hard look at the man I’d loved for ten years, from college sweetheart to business partner. There was a time when a key employee, disrespectful of a woman in charge, talked back to me. Aldrich, without a second thought for the crucial technology that employee held, told him to pack his bags and leave on the spot. He held my hand, standing firm in front of the entire company. “Serena is my wife and my business partner. Disrespecting her is disrespecting me. Furthermore, our company has no room for employees who disrespect women.” Those words spread online, earning us countless praises, and we were even named Best Enterprise that year. Just one year later, he was tolerating a new assistant, God knows where he found her, being disrespectful to me, and discriminating against a pregnant woman. I took a deep breath, about to speak, when my peripheral vision caught a glimpse of underwear tucked under a couch cushion. Embroidered with small snowflakes. It wasn’t mine. A mix of absurdity and nausea churned in my stomach. My feet swayed, and as I looked up, Tiffany was staring at me, a defiant glint in her eyes. It was hers. The words caught in my throat suddenly lost all meaning. I pulled my ID badge from my pocket and threw it on the couch. “You want to fire me? Fine. But according to regulations, I expect my severance package. If I don’t see the money by tonight, I won’t hesitate to take your ‘rules’ to arbitration. And when that happens, I won’t be the one losing face or paying the fines.” “Also, *I* landed this project. You fire me, and you can forget about the Evergreen Holdings deal.” Watching their faces cycle through shades of green and white, I sneered and walked out of the office. The first thing I did was call Daniel. There was no way I was letting them benefit from the project I worked so hard for while they were busy betraying me. Daniel’s voice came through. “Whether you’re doing this to spite Aldrich or not, I’m taking you seriously. If you come, my VP position is yours. And if you’re worried about managing a baby later, I can help with that too.” “That won’t be necessary,” I said, smiling. But for some reason, his voice on the other end dropped, a hint of disappointment in it. “Alright then. See you at the signing tomorrow.” I hung up and went home to pack. Good thing we weren’t married; otherwise, I’d be figuring out a divorce too. But the baby… I touched my belly. A few seconds later, my gaze hardened. With a father like Aldrich, it was better to raise this child on my own. I got home early and started packing. In the corner of the study was a storage box with a note taped to it: “Aldrich’s treasures, please do not touch.” This was the box he kept all my gifts in. He even collected my old water cups and hair ties. He used to say: “These will all be shown to our precious son someday, to tell him they’re tokens of our love.” I had intended to cut all ties with him, but seeing that box, my heart still ached. I opened it. The moment it opened, I froze. Inside weren’t my old things, but a pile of toys and lubricants. My head exploded with a buzzing sound. On the computer, Aldrich’s SnapChat was still open, and messages with Tiffany kept popping up: “Protecting you is what I should do. If you hadn’t helped me relieve stress these past few months, I would’ve exploded.” “Wear the bunny girl outfit tonight to celebrate the successful signing, okay?” My vision blurred, but I bit back the nausea and saved all the chat logs and videos to my phone. Still furious, I grabbed a bag of fuzzy peaches and rubbed them all over those disgusting items, back and forth. You want to play games? Fine. Play all you want. My things packed, I was about to leave when the door suddenly swung open. Aldrich walked in, saw me with my luggage, paused, then smiled. “What’s wrong? I just said a few things. Is that reason enough to get mad and run away?” “I’m just being professional, you know? You’re my wife, so I have to be even stricter with you for the others to follow rules.” “Alright, stop messing around. I bought your favorite steak. Tonight, we’ll celebrate tomorrow’s signing.” I was about to speak, but Tiffany came in behind him. “Aldrich, I don’t like my steak medium-well, make it medium-rare.” “Right, Tiffany likes it tender. Make sure you cook it well.” “Tiffany’s been so busy, she hasn’t eaten all day, unlike you, who got to go home early.” He pressed a package of fish into my hands, trying to push me toward the kitchen. My face went cold, and I threw the fish back. “I won’t cook it.” His face immediately darkened, and he grabbed my arm. “What’s wrong with you? Is pregnancy making you stupid? You can’t even handle this?” “You embarrassed Tiffany at the office today. I specially invited her here so you could personally cook her a meal as an apology, and you’re still being difficult?” “Aldrich, it’s okay. Serena’s pregnant with your baby, it’s normal for her to be moody. I can take it.” Tiffany cut in. “Just because she’s pregnant, she can act like this?” Aldrich grew even angrier at her words. He dragged me to the kitchen, pushed me in, and locked the door. “You’re not coming out until you cook dinner!” I stumbled and fell. A sharp, twisting pain shot through my belly, and cold sweat instantly drenched me. I pounded on the door, crying out. “Aldrich! Let me out! My stomach hurts so bad… I fell… Take me to the hospital…” “Aldrich, I think Serena’s just mad I’m eating dinner here, and she’s trying to use the baby to manipulate you. Maybe I should just leave?” The footsteps outside paused, then his cold voice came through the door: “I just asked you to cook dinner? Is that reason enough to threaten me with the baby’s safety? You’re crazy!” I couldn’t tell if it was heartbreak or abdominal pain, but I kept knocking, pleading. “Cook if you want, don’t if you don’t. Come on, Tiffany, let’s go to that Michelin-starred place instead.” “Oh, Aldrich, you’re so sweet~” I was in too much pain to speak. “I’m not lying… really… it hurts so bad…” My only answer was the *bang* of the front door closing. My vision went black, and I passed out. 3. When I woke up again, I was in a hospital bed. And the person watching over me was Daniel. He visibly relaxed when he saw my eyes open. “I called you a bunch of times, but no answer. You scared me to death. I thought you and Aldrich had a huge fight and he might have hurt you, so I rushed over.” “Then I found you collapsed in the kitchen. The doctor said you just fell and bruised your stomach; the baby is fine.” I managed a bitter smile. My injury and collapse *were* because Aldrich had effectively “hurt” me, in a way. I gratefully thanked him, then picked up my phone, wanting to contact Evergreen Holdings’ representative. I planned to tell him I’d left Aldrich’s company and jumped ship to Daniel’s. But my phone screen was flooded with texts from Tiffany. And videos. “Bitch, so what if you’re carrying Aldrich’s kid? You still got sent home to be a housewife? Giving your desk and your job to me?” “Aldrich said he’s sick of you, always working, no fun at all. And you smell gross when you’re pregnant. He prefers someone young like me, hehehe. Who knows, maybe soon I’ll be more than just his VP at work.” “Oh, and Aldrich said since you’re a housewife now, how can you be the Evergreen project lead? Don’t come to the signing tomorrow. I’ll go instead. Save them from seeing your disgusting face and throwing up.” I stared at her taunts and videos, expressionless. Before I could even react, Daniel exploded. “What the hell is this? How dare she talk to you like that!” “You’re not even mad? Do you really love Aldrich that much? Enough to just let this trashy woman walk all over you?” Daniel’s eyes were red. “Serena, if I had a wife as amazing as you, I’d cherish you every single day. I’d never let you suffer.” I calmly texted Tiffany back: “The garbage man is all yours. But you can forget about my project.” I looked up at Daniel, bewildered. “What did you just say?” He gritted his teeth. “Nothing. I just said I’m your boss, and if they dare try to steal your project, I’ll make them pay.” I nodded. “Okay.” The doctor recommended strict rest to prevent a miscarriage. I immediately asked Daniel for three months of leave, planning to rest at home after the signing. As I left the obstetrics department, I bumped into a man and a woman. Both were covered in red rashes, constantly scratching at their bodies. When Aldrich saw me, his face instantly paled, and he rushed to question me. “Serena, did you mess with anything in my study? What did you put in there? The doctor says if they can’t find the allergen, we’ll keep itching like this!” I instantly understood. They must have used the clothes that had peach fuzz on them. I said blandly, “What ‘thing’? Tell me, so I can try to remember if I touched it.” He flushed, but dared not explain clearly. I sneered, pulled out the videos I’d saved from his SnapChat yesterday and the videos Tiffany sent me, and laid everything bare. “Oh, you mean this bunny girl outfit? I was eating peaches yesterday, and I think I accidentally dropped some fuzz on the clothes.” “You!” His face was ashen, and he cursed under his breath. “You’re crazy, spying on my computer! And sending someone to record our videos! What are you trying to do?” He pointed at me and yelled: “You did this to us! I’m not letting you get away with it! Get on your knees and apologize to me and Tiffany right now! And transfer the Evergreen project to her!” “Otherwise, the wedding’s off, and you can look forward to being an unemployed single mom!” 4. I looked at him coldly, then pulled out my phone and called the wedding planner directly. “Yes, we’re not getting married. Cancel everything.” As Aldrich’s face turned ashen, I calmly said, “For the past ten years, I was blind. I mistook a piece of trash like you for a treasure.” “Since I’ve finally realized my mistake, I’m willing to give you up and cancel the wedding. But there’s no way I’m handing over the clients I’ve worked so hard for and the Evergreen contract to you.” I said softly, “You should probably start thinking about how to explain this to the investors who thought you’d secured the Evergreen deal. Oh, and don’t forget my compensation, either.” I turned to leave, but Aldrich lunged forward and grabbed my arm. “I’m sorry, Serena, you know I’ve been under a lot of pressure lately, and with you pregnant, I was scared to touch you, afraid of hurting the baby, so I just couldn’t resist…” “It was just a mistake after some drinks. She said it wouldn’t affect us. We agreed it was just for your pregnancy, and once you had the baby, I’d be devoted to you and our child.” I smirked. “Do you really think I’d believe that?” I glanced at my phone. The signing time was approaching. I looked up at the man I’d loved for ten years, and spoke calmly. “Can’t we just part ways amicably, Aldrich? I’m only taking what’s mine. I’m not trying to ruin your company.” His face cycled through shades of green and white. He just mumbled, “But I don’t want to lose you. I never thought about losing you.” I gave him a deep look. “When you were doing all those things, did it ever cross your mind how much pain you’d cause me? If you had, you’d know that with my personality, I would definitely leave you.” His lips moved as if to say something more, but I walked away. He quickly followed. “I was wrong! Serena! Please, give me another chance! For the sake of our child! Give me one chance. If you don’t want me to have contact with Tiffany, I can pay her off and send her away!” “If you still want to work, I’ll give you a position to come back to after you have the baby…” I impatiently pulled away from his grasp when a car suddenly swerved directly toward me. I couldn’t dodge it in time and was sent flying. Blood splattered as I hit the ground hard, a pool of crimson spreading beneath me. I writhed in agony, reaching out to Aldrich, screaming. “Save me! Save the baby!” Aldrich’s face was pale. He was about to rush over, but then Tiffany staggered out of the car, crying, and threw herself into his arms. “Oh no, Aldrich! What do I do? I just saw you say Serena was taking the project and clients, I was so desperate, I just wanted to chase after her, but I hit the wrong pedal!” “I don’t want to go to jail, Aldrich! Please help me!” I struggled, convulsing in pain. “Aldrich…” I pleaded with him. “That’s your child too! You can’t just let him be killed!” A momentary struggle flashed across his face, then he firmly pulled Tiffany to him and spoke to the police who had arrived at the commotion. “I’m the pregnant woman’s husband. She was arguing with me and suddenly ran out into the street, that’s why she was hit. It wasn’t this young lady’s fault.” He rushed over, grabbed my hand, and said. “The baby… is already gone. We can’t drag an innocent girl into this too.” “How about this, consider this compensation for you forcing Tiffany away, okay? And since you can’t make it to the signing now, Tiffany and I will handle the meeting and sign the contract for you.” “After this, I promise to return home and treat you well.” “Aldrich!” My eyes burned with hatred. “You bastard! You’ll regret this!” Doctors rushed to pull him away, urging him to sign the papers to send me to emergency. But he just pulled Tiffany closer and left. “Sorry, we have a very important meeting to attend. Let her rest in the emergency room for a bit; I’ll come sign later.” With that, they got into the car and drove away. I passed out from the pain. Tiffany, specially dressed in a designer gown, walked triumphantly into the conference room, arm in arm with Aldrich. Some people curiously asked, “Where’s Serena? Wasn’t she in charge of this partnership?” Aldrich said nonchalantly, “Serena severely violated company policy and has been fired. Tiffany is now in charge of this project.” The representative from Evergreen Holdings looked astonished. “What did you say? Serena was fired? Then who will be responsible for our partnership?” “Tiffany, of course.” He looked at Tiffany, whose face barely concealed her excitement, and said dotingly, “This partnership was made possible thanks to Tiffany’s new rules, which streamlined many inefficient employees, allowing us to successfully secure the Evergreen deal. With such an excellent employee as the new project lead, she’ll undoubtedly manage the Evergreen project even better in the future.” Tiffany puffed out her chest, her face glowing. “Yes, I will definitely live up to Aldrich’s expectations. I’ll achieve even better results than Serena did in the future.” But the Evergreen Holdings representative across the table stood up, his face cold. “I apologize, but for this project, we only recognize Serena. Since Serena isn’t here, I see no reason to proceed with this partnership.”

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While organizing files in my husband Julian’s study, I accidentally found a yellowed gift agreement in the bottom drawer. It was the breakup compensation Julian had given to his ex-girlfriend, Megan, completely free of charge: 30 million dollars in cash, 2% of his company shares, and the property rights to two downtown office buildings. Julian and I had been married for seven years, yet before our wedding, he had me sign a cold, impersonal prenuptial agreement. I had no assets in my name, let alone any involvement in his business. Even this villa we lived in had nothing to do with me. Just as anger surged through me, Julian appeared at the doorway and snapped at me: “I told you not to go into my study. You’ve broken the rules again.” I handed him the gift agreement for his ex-girlfriend and said calmly: “Julian, let’s get a divorce.” He frowned and tore the document in my hands to shreds: “Just because of this agreement?! Do I need your approval to spend my own money? Besides, this is all in the past.” With that, he didn’t spare me another glance and walked out of the study. As for me, I simply picked up my phone and called my lawyer.

When the divorce lawyer sent over the divorce agreement, she was still trying to talk me out of it: “Mrs. Weston, are you sure you want to leave with nothing? Even though you signed a prenup, Mr. Weston has always been generous. You could fight for your legal rights.” Hearing the lawyer’s words, a bitter smile tugged at my lips. Legal rights? I actually had nothing. After we got married, Julian only took a one-dollar salary from the company each month. The division of company shares—he had made that perfectly clear before we even got married. All core assets were under his personal name and had nothing to do with me. The day we got our marriage license, he brought in a professional lawyer as witness, and I faced a thick stack of prenuptial agreements. Actually, I never thought there was anything wrong with it before. Julian was a born businessman—calculating, strategic, extremely rational. Back then, I loved him as a person, not his wealth, so I didn’t haggle over any of it. I even sympathized with how hard it was for him to build his business, always trying to save money so he could invest more in the company. But it wasn’t until I saw how generous he’d been with his ex-girlfriend that I realized what a fool I’d been. My chest tightened painfully, but I replied calmly, “No need. Just proceed with this agreement.” After hanging up with the lawyer, I slipped off my ring: The engraving inside read “JM.” Only now did I suddenly realize—this was the initials of “Julian and Megan.” This reminded me of three years ago, when I had accidentally left the ring behind at an art exhibition. When Julian noticed I wasn’t wearing my ring, he flew into a rage. He dragged me to the door. “Why aren’t you wearing your ring? Where did you put it?” The coldness on his face made me panic. I hurriedly explained: “I went to an art exhibition during the day and accidentally left it in the restroom. The staff said they’d send it over tomorrow.” After hearing my explanation, Julian didn’t say anything more that night, but he still sent his assistant to retrieve the ring from the exhibition staff overnight. Even this villa we lived in—he had originally bought it planning to marry Megan. Megan had left him, yet she walked away with wealth I could never obtain in my entire life. What made me jealous wasn’t just the unfair distribution of assets—it was his favoritism toward his ex-girlfriend all these years. For the entire seven days that followed, he barely said a word to me. He didn’t touch the breakfast I prepared. He didn’t even come home for two of those nights. Thinking of everything that had happened, a wave of numbness and bitterness washed over me. Afraid tears would spill over, I took off the ring and placed it on the table. When the lawyer delivered the agreement, I signed my name on the divorce papers without hesitation and left the villa without looking back.

With a friend’s help, I quickly found a suitable place to live. I’ve never been picky about my surroundings, so that same afternoon I finalized the lease with the landlord. By the time I finished cleaning, it was already nine o’clock at night. I planned to go back to the villa to discuss the divorce with Julian face to face. But I waited until eleven, and Julian still hadn’t come home. I sat blankly in the living room, waiting for him. At one in the morning, Julian pushed open the door, reeking of alcohol. Seeing me sitting there, he immediately looked annoyed. He tossed his suit jacket onto the back of a chair and said coldly, “Are we going to fight again? I don’t have time for this.” As he spoke, he rolled up his shirt sleeves and started walking straight to his room. He didn’t even glance at the divorce agreement I’d left on the table, nor did he say a single unnecessary word to me. My throat tightened, but I still called out to him, “Julian, this is the divorce agreement. Please sign it.” Julian’s steps faltered slightly. He turned back to look at me with irritation. “You’re still mad about that agreement with my ex? You’re my wife now. Can’t you be a little more gracious about this?” Hearing those words, I almost wanted to laugh. So in Julian’s mind, the only reason I wanted a divorce was because he’d given his ex a breakup settlement? But if it were really just about money, I never would have married him in the first place. Maybe Julian would never know—for all four years of college, I had secretly loved him. I wrote him ninety-nine love letters, but never had the courage to hand him a single one. Like a humble bystander, I quietly watched everything about him from the sidelines. It wasn’t until after graduation, when my family arranged a blind date for me, that I ran into him again. At the time, he had just broken up with his girlfriend and looked completely lost. Even though I knew he might just be using me to fill the void, I still agreed to date him. I thought people could change. My sincerity would eventually move him. After we started dating, he rarely took the initiative with me, but he was always polite. He didn’t spend much time with me, but he was willing to watch a movie with me on Valentine’s Day. He’d give me birthday gifts, even though his secretary was the one who picked them out. But those tiny bits of sweetness were enough to make me feel content. After a year of dating, we got married. There was no touching proposal, no romantic wedding. It was only because his parents pressured him to get married that he agreed to marry me. Four years of secret love, one year of dating, seven years of marriage. It was enough. I didn’t want to continue anymore. Fighting back the ache in my chest, I took a deep breath, “Julian, I really want a divorce.” With that, I stood up first, calm and resolute, and repeated myself, “So I hope this agreement is signed by tomorrow morning.” After saying this, I walked past him toward the guest room, mimicking his usual cold demeanor, and locked the door behind me. Julian suddenly shouted angrily behind me, “Fine then, Sophia! You want a divorce? Great, I’ll sign right now. Even if you come crawling back to me on your knees, I won’t take you back!” Soon after, the sound of a door slamming came from the next room. Listening to the commotion outside, even though I was mentally prepared, I still felt a sharp, prickling pain spread through my heart. Maybe Julian had forgotten—during these seven years of marriage, I had begged him countless times. On our first anniversary after the wedding, I had pleaded with him to go celebrate at the beach. He agreed readily, but when the time came, he sent a last-minute message saying he had an emergency board meeting that night. After that, he didn’t bother to explain anything—he just hung up the phone. Seven years passed, and every year I would ask if he had time to travel abroad with me. But every year, he said his schedule was too packed. Just like that, the trip he owed me kept getting postponed again and again. Actually, I never understood why even after being married to Julian for years, it always felt like there was an invisible wall between us. Until that gift agreement surfaced. Then I finally understood—it was simply because he never cared about me at all. I had to admit one thing: Where a man spends his money is where his love lies.

The next morning, Julian was already gone. All that remained in the living room were the shredded pieces of the divorce agreement scattered across the floor. Looking at the mess, for a moment, I felt almost dazed. Maybe Julian wasn’t really that heartless toward me after all? Did he tear up the divorce agreement because he couldn’t bear to let me go? Then my phone buzzed with a new message, snapping me back to reality. The message was from a woman I didn’t know. A week ago, she had suddenly sent me a friend request on Instagram. Her verification message read: “Homewrecker, I’m back. Time to give Julian back to me, don’t you think?” Out of curiosity, I accepted her request. Since then, she had been sending me all kinds of photos and files. Photos of Julian with her at a concert. Screenshots from a video of them watching fireworks together at the beach. Even photos of them kissing in a parking garage late at night. She was even the one who tipped me off about that agreement in Julian’s study. This time, she sent me a photo of Julian sleeping in a hotel bed, his face turned to the side. “I heard you went through Julian’s study and found that agreement. So, have you given up yet?” “By the way, the jewelry Julian left for you—I hope you’ll have it cleaned and disinfected soon.” “I’m a germaphobe. I don’t like other people touching my things.” “The only reason I let Julian marry you in the first place was because you seemed clean enough. Men have needs, you know. Better he uses you than goes out looking for hookers.” “Also, you have three days to get the divorce done. Otherwise, I’m going public with our relationship.” “Don’t think Julian will miss you. You have no idea how eager he’s been.” “Ever since I came back to the country, he’s been coming to see me almost every day. Anyway, I’ve got to go—Julian’s waking up. We’re about to take a bath together.” The messages stopped there. And my tears fell one by one onto the keyboard. Through my blurred vision, I forced myself to reply: “You say you don’t like other people touching your things? Well, Julian’s been sleeping with me for years—at least a thousand times by now.” After I sent the message, she didn’t respond. My chest felt suffocated, like punching cotton. That piercing pain shot straight through my heart. No wonder he stormed out in the middle of the night. I thought it was because my mention of divorce had upset him. Turns out he was just rushing off to relive old memories with his ex. The last thread holding my heart together finally snapped. With trembling fingers, I sent him a message: “Julian, are you free today? Let’s go to City Hall and get this done.”

It had been a full half hour since I sent my message, and Julian still hadn’t responded. He didn’t answer my calls either. But Megan did send me a voice message. “Can you stop being so annoying? Why do you keep calling Julian? Don’t you know? Julian and I hate being interrupted when we’re alone together.” I swallowed my rage and replied: “I’ve already asked him for a divorce. If you don’t want to stay nameless forever, tell him to come back and sign the papers.” Megan didn’t respond. I had no patience left to wait for Julian’s reply. I called a moving company directly and started packing all my belongings. Including all the gifts I had given him over the years: The oil paintings I’d painted for him, the ties and cufflinks I’d bought him… All of it had been tossed in the storage room like garbage. Since he didn’t want any of it, I’d throw it all away—along with the heart that once loved him. Even though I’d lived in this house for seven years, it only took three hours to load everything onto the truck. As I was about to leave, I couldn’t hold back anymore—tears streamed down my face once again. I had just moved into my new apartment and was organizing my things when I received another message from Megan: “Come over. Julian is in my hotel suite. He’s agreed to sign the divorce papers.” Looking at the message, my fingers tightened around the phone. In the end, I only replied: “Okay.” Before I left, a plan for revenge had already formed in my mind. I changed into athletic wear and grabbed a camera with a telephoto lens. Then I took a taxi straight to the hotel address Megan had sent me. She had humiliated me for an entire month. It was time for her to experience what humiliation felt like. Even if it meant Julian would be furious. Even if we’d both go down in flames.

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When I learned that my wife, Miranda Shaw, had abandoned me while I was unconscious in the hospital—all to deliver a jacket to her male assistant, Callum York—I asked for a divorce. Miranda agreed instantly. “What’s there to worry about? He’s a grown man. He can take care of himself.” That same day, she posted a photo on social media of her and Callum holding hands. The caption read: “For the rest of our lives, you and I are each other’s one and only.” I immediately called my sister, Autumn. “Autumn, buy me a plane ticket home.” “Really? That’s wonderful! You’re finally willing to leave that awful woman! Wait right there—I’ll come pick you up myself!” My sister’s voice on the other end was full of joy. After I hung up, Miranda walked in, reeking of pungent perfume. The hickeys on her neck stung my eyes. “Who was that?” Miranda asked casually, her eyes glued to her phone. She didn’t even glance at me. “Autumn.” A shrill ringtone drowned out my voice completely. Miranda answered immediately. Callum’s voice came through: “Miranda, thank you for bringing me those clothes the other day. If it weren’t for you, I would’ve been so embarrassed. I don’t know what I would’ve done.” Seeming to realize the timing was inappropriate, Miranda looked somewhat guilty as she lowered the volume, stood up, and retreated into the study. A self-mocking smile tugged at my lips. We were already in the cooling-off period for divorce. What was I even expecting? I silently cooked myself a bowl of noodles, ate it without a sound, then returned to the bedroom to pack my luggage. An hour later, Miranda finally finished her nauseating conversation with Callum. As usual, she sat at the dining table with a magazine, waiting for me to serve her a hot breakfast. But this time, after waiting and waiting—not even a glass of warm milk appeared—she finally spared me half her attention, visibly irritated. “So what if I didn’t go with you for your checkup? Insomnia isn’t some serious illness.” “The doctor prescribed medication. Just take it on time and you’ll be fine. Why are you being so emotional?” “Besides, I already agreed to the divorce. What more do you want? Are you going to keep giving me that sour face every day?” I stopped what I was doing and looked blankly at this person who used to share my bed. That day after she left, I collapsed at the hospital. If the doctors hadn’t acted quickly, I would’ve already been sent to the crematorium. And afterward, neither I nor the doctors could get through to Miranda’s phone. When I finally did reach her, I heard Callum’s sweet laughter in the background, followed by Miranda’s impatient scolding: “It’s just medical bills. Can’t you figure it out yourself?” In the end, I had to borrow money from a friend to pay the fees. Yesterday when I was discharged, I learned that she’d gone to deliver a jacket to Callum, who was at a business dinner. All because he said he was cold. I asked for a divorce on the spot. “Once we get the divorce decree, you won’t have to see this face anymore.” I thought my distant attitude would please Miranda, since she’d always wanted me to stop interfering in her affairs. But to my surprise, she slammed her magazine on the table and shouted, “You’d better not regret this!” Then she stormed out. Bang! The loud noise didn’t stir a single emotion in me. I had no interest in analyzing her behavior or emotions. I just did my own thing. After sending the revised proposal to my client, I poured myself a glass of warm milk. I was just about to find a movie to watch while taking a bath when a message popped up. It was from Miranda. “Dawn Lounge. Had too much to drink. Drive over and pick me up.” I was about to close the screen when a second message appeared. “You’re still my husband in name. This is your obligation.” I gripped my phone tightly and took several deep breaths before mentally preparing myself to go out. It’s all for a smooth divorce. I can endure this! When I found the private room at the lounge according to the address she’d sent, I heard Miranda and Callum laughing inside. Their voices were like swords stabbing into my heart. I bit down hard, steadied my expression, and pushed open the door. The laughter stopped abruptly.

When Miranda saw me, her expression was startled, her delicate brows knitting together. “Are you following me?” Miranda’s accusatory question made everyone present exchange subtle glances. I pulled up the message screen. “This is the address you sent me.” Callum immediately wrapped his arm around Miranda’s shoulder and said softly, “Miranda, I was worried it wouldn’t be safe for you to go home alone, so I had Dylan come pick you up. I hope I didn’t mess things up by trying to help.” Miranda’s expression softened. Looking at Callum’s anxious face, she smiled indulgently. Watching Callum shoot me a provocative look when no one was watching, and seeing Miranda’s tacit approval, I felt strangely calm. I simply nodded, my attitude cold and distant. Perhaps she was used to my hysterical outbursts in the past. My current silence seemed to make Miranda uncomfortable. For once, she extracted herself from Callum’s embrace and explained in a gentler tone, “Dylan, we were just entertaining clients. Everyone here is either a client or an employee.” I handed her the milk I’d grabbed on my way out. “I know.” Perhaps my arrival had ruined the atmosphere. Soon everyone left in twos and threes. Miranda called a car for Callum and fussed over him with reminders before finally getting into my car and settling into the passenger seat. I started the car silently while she dozed off beside me. Neither of us spoke. When I parked in the underground garage, I got out first and walked toward the elevator. At the corner, Miranda suddenly grabbed my arm and pulled me into her embrace. The next second, a car sped past where I’d been standing. For an instant, my heart pounded wildly. “Can’t you watch where you’re going? What if you’d gotten hurt?” Miranda’s voice was urgent as she gripped my hand tightly and positioned me on the inside. Memories of our passionate early days suddenly surfaced. She used to hold my hand like this, protecting me. But at some point, such gestures had disappeared. I’d even forgotten I was once cherished this way. Fortunately, the elevator wasn’t far. When she pressed the floor button, I discreetly withdrew my hand. Miranda glanced at me, seeming to want to say something, but ultimately made no further moves. But the next morning, she surprisingly offered to drive me to work. “I’ll take you.” I yawned and agreed. I’d slept poorly last night, drifting in and out, so I could use the extra rest. However, when I opened the car door, I saw a custom pillow in the passenger seat with a photo of Miranda and Callum making heart shapes together. This was a blatant declaration of ownership. I pointed at the pillow. “So you two take couple photos together?” But what I really wanted to ask about was the photo Miranda had posted on social media the day we filed for divorce—the one of intertwined fingers at a candlelit dinner. I still remembered the caption: “For the rest of our lives, you and I are each other’s one and only.”

My words made Miranda’s face flash with discomfort. All my energy suddenly drained away. Whether out of revenge, showing off, or some other reason, Miranda’s heart had strayed. That was a fact. I gave up on asking further and silently sat in the back seat. Perhaps feeling guilty and awkward, Miranda handed me a pastry. “Have something to eat.” My gaze fell on where she’d retrieved the pastry. That compartment was filled with various cookies and candy, even pungent spicy snacks. “How rare. Your germaphobia is cured?” I admit I was jealous. I was constantly too busy to eat regular meals and needed to keep bread and cookies on hand. Once when I was doubled over with stomach pain, trembling all over, I’d barely taken out my only piece of bread when Miranda snatched it and threw it out the window. That day, Miranda had sternly warned me never to eat anything in her car, not even drink water. Yet now, what she’d forbidden me to do, she allowed another man to do freely. The one who is loved can always be indulged without limit. My sarcasm made Miranda’s face darken. But I didn’t care about her feelings. I turned my head and closed my eyes, pretending to rest. As soon as we arrived at the office, I couldn’t wait to get out. While she parked, I rushed into the elevator ahead of her and went straight to my desk. Countless emails awaited me. I was so busy I didn’t even have time to look up. It’s not that I wanted to stay at Miranda’s company. I just believe in seeing things through to the end, and I still had unfinished work. If I was going to resign, I needed to complete my current projects first. I worked straight through until four in the afternoon, too busy even to order lunch. My stomach was cramping painfully when I finally realized I hadn’t eaten in a long time. I quickly got myself some hot water, returned to my desk to eat some bread, and continued working. Just then, the security guard came in carrying two large bags of snacks, bubble tea, and small cakes. “Miranda ordered afternoon tea for everyone. Come and get some.” The guard’s announcement made everyone cheer. A crowd immediately swarmed over. “Thank you, Miranda! It’s my favorite pearl milk tea!” “Ah, there’s nothing with mango…” “Tsk, be grateful for what you get. Don’t you know Callum is allergic to mango?” People immediately responded with knowing “ohhhs” and some gossips turned their gazes toward me. A new intern spoke thoughtlessly: “I heard Miranda got divorced. Is she going to marry Callum now? She spoils him so much!” Someone immediately yanked her back. “Shut up. Dylan’s right here.” The intern’s face flushed with embarrassment. Someone placed a milk tea and a piece of cake on my desk, saying awkwardly, “The kid was just joking. Don’t take it personally.” I looked at the walnut cake on my desk and pushed it away. “Sorry, I’m allergic to nuts. You can have it.” The person’s face showed awkward embarrassment. Actually, everyone knew I was allergic to nuts, because Miranda had used this tactic against me before. Back then, to prove her love for me, she’d order my favorite matcha cake for the office every day and wouldn’t allow anything nut-related in the office because of my allergy. She’d even order meals delivered to everyone’s desk when I was too busy to eat, then sit in front of me and supervise until I finished. Now, she’d simply switched to a different target. Because Callum was allergic to mango, the company wasn’t allowed to have anything mango-related. The grand romantic gestures she once gave me, she now gave to another man. The office had no shortage of gossip. As many people who used to ship me and Miranda now shipped her with Callum. I wasn’t bothered by it. The work was too demanding for me to spare any attention for irrelevant people.

My current project was nearing completion, and communication with the client was becoming more frequent. The proposal might need revisions two or three times within an hour. I’d been working overtime for nearly a week, and today we’d finally reached the critical final stage. Once I got through this, the project would be complete. I stretched, deciding to treat myself to a nice dinner tonight. But as I raised my arms, I bumped into someone, letting out a startled yelp. I turned around to find Miranda standing there. When had she positioned herself behind me? “Still working overtime?” Miranda didn’t care that my face had gone pale from fright. She asked casually. I didn’t know why she’d suddenly sought me out. I could only try to calm myself. “Miranda, is there something you need?” A flash of displeasure crossed Miranda’s face. She wasn’t used to my distance. But she still reined in her temper. “Transfer the client and project you’re working on to Callum. He needs to build experience.” A chill shot through me. Even knowing how unreasonable Miranda could be, I hadn’t expected her to be this absurd. Seeing my silence, Miranda stepped forward. “There are always rumors in the office. He just graduated not long ago—how can he handle all that? Having this project in hand will shut up those questioning him. You’re the senior here. It’s only right to help newcomers.” I couldn’t help myself. I laughed bitterly and rolled my eyes. Miranda knew perfectly well how many all-nighters I’d pulled for this project. I’d even worked myself into cardiac arrest and had to be rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment. But the moment I entered the hospital, she’d been whisked away by a casual phone call from Callum. My life wasn’t even as important as a jacket for Callum. And now, this project I’d fought desperately to complete, she wanted to hand over to Callum with a few careless words. She considered Callum’s feelings, worked to protect his reputation, but never once considered whether any of this was fair to me. “Fine. Have him come for the handoff tomorrow.” Perfect timing to submit my resignation letter. I’d done my duty to this company. As for what happened afterward, with Miranda interfering, I couldn’t control it even if I wanted to. Better to let go gracefully. Miranda seemed surprised I’d agreed so easily. She froze for a moment. But then she was overjoyed, throwing her arms around me. “I was wrong before. I always thought you were petty and stubborn. I didn’t expect you to be so understanding today. Let’s go to that revolving restaurant by the river for dinner. You’ve wanted to go there for ages, haven’t you?” The revolving restaurant by the river? That three-star French restaurant? I’d once wanted to spend our wedding anniversary there, but none of that mattered anymore. Miranda put her arm around my shoulders, her tone much warmer. “We’ve been married for years. What obstacle can’t we overcome? You should work on your temper too. In a couple days, we’ll withdraw the divorce application, and then I’ll go back with you to visit your parents. You haven’t been home in years, right? This time you can stay longer.” I remained silent. She assumed I’d accepted everything and talked enthusiastically, continuing even after I’d saved my files and gotten into the car with her. Sitting in the back seat, I scrolled through social media and discovered Callum had posted a photo from an hour ago. He was wearing a suit, sitting in a spacious outdoor restaurant, elegantly dining by candlelight. Looking at the river behind him, I couldn’t help a self-mocking laugh. So he’d already enjoyed his time there, and Miranda was thoughtful enough—after finishing the first date, she’d deigned to leave her beloved and arrange a second one with me.

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I signed the divorce papers, but Adrian Caldwell thought it was a gift I wanted. After he signed, he pretended to be affectionate and pinched my cheek. “For the baby, I’ll give you anything you want.” He didn’t know our child had already died on the night he accompanied his first love to watch the meteor shower. Those hundred and one missed calls-he dismissed them with “I had work to do.” Later, I stood on the Nobel Prize stage while he lay in a liver cancer ward. His final wish was to see me one last time. I brought my new husband with me. Clarissa Hart POV I had just finished watering the white roses on the windowsill when the lawyer called. “Clarissa, the divorce papers have been sent out as you instructed. Please keep an eye out for them.” “Alright.” I hung up and ran my fingertips over the damp leaves. The doorbell rang. The courier handed me an envelope. I signed for it. The moment I closed the door, the smart lock beeped from the entryway. Adrian was home. He walked up to me and bent down, pressing his cheek against my flat stomach. “I’m back.” His voice was low, laced with exhaustion and apology. “I’ve been so busy these past few days. Didn’t have time to reply to your messages.” I felt his warm breath penetrate my thin loungewear and touch my skin. “Has our baby been good?” I lowered my eyes, looking at the crown of his head. I didn’t move. “Adrian.” I spoke. The man looked up, confusion in his eyes. It had been a long time since I’d called him by his full name. I didn’t meet his gaze. I turned, picked up the envelope from the entryway table, tore open the seal, and pulled out the document inside. I flipped to the last page, covered the terms with my palm, and left only the signature line at the bottom exposed. “This is the gift I want,” I said. “A gift for after the baby is born.” Adrian froze for a moment, then smiled. He took the pen, didn’t even glance at what I’d covered, and signed his name without a second thought. After signing, he returned the document and pen to me, affectionately pinching my cheek. “Once I give it to you, it’s yours,” he said with a soft laugh. “I’m not afraid you’ll take everything I own.” I looked at his name on the paper and found it absurd. I didn’t want everything he owned. I wanted freedom. Just then, the phone in Adrian’s pocket began to vibrate. He pulled it out and glanced at the screen, the light illuminating his face. Caller ID: Seraphina Quinn. His expression didn’t change. He immediately pressed the power button to silence it and put the phone back in his pocket. “Something urgent at the company,” he said, standing up and adjusting his shirt cuffs. “I’ll go handle it in the study.” He walked toward the study. After two steps, he stopped as if suddenly remembering something. “By the way, why did you call me so many times the other day?” I looked up at him. “It was nothing.” Adrian didn’t press further. He turned and went into the study, closing the door behind him. I was alone in the living room. I looked down at the divorce papers in my hands. Adrian’s signature-sharp and decisive, just like the man himself. Nothing. How could it be nothing? Five days ago, I was driving in the rain when my car skidded and crashed into the guardrail on the elevated highway. Blood flowed from between my legs, staining the light-colored seat. I lay in the ambulance, waves of pain tearing through my abdomen. The baby was slipping away. With trembling hands, I dialed Adrian’s number. I just wanted him to come see the baby one last time. First call: no answer. Second call: no answer. Tenth call. Fiftieth call. One hundred and first call. On the other end, only the mechanical voice of voicemail. Finally, the phone died. I lay on the hospital bed, the sheets cold and hard beneath me. The doctor announced that the baby was gone. As I listened, my heart grew strangely calm. I finally understood. Adrian wasn’t busy. He just didn’t care. While he was rejecting all my calls, he was accompanying his newly returned first love, Seraphina, to an astronomical observatory outside the city to watch a once-in-a-century meteor shower. Seraphina’s Instagram had photos to prove it. In the photo, Seraphina leaned on Adrian’s shoulder, smiling sweetly. The caption read: The meteors are beautiful, and so are you. After four years of marriage, I’d always thought that even if Adrian didn’t love me, at least he liked me. It wasn’t until that moment that I saw the truth. I was just a substitute for Seraphina. A shadow he used to ease his loneliness after his first love went abroad. Now, the original had returned. It was time for the substitute to exit the stage. I picked up the signed divorce papers and gently ran my fingers over the ink that hadn’t yet dried.

Clarissa Hart POV Adrian went into the study. I picked up my phone and called the lawyer back. “He signed.” The lawyer on the other end was clearly surprised, then recovered his professional composure. “That fast?” He paused. “Without expediting, it will take two months to complete all procedures and obtain the divorce decree. Regarding the division of joint assets, we can start drafting a detailed plan at any time.” “No need,” I said. “I’m waiving all property claims. I just want the divorce.” “Miss Hart, are you sure? Based on your prenuptial agreement and the appreciation of your marital assets, you could at least-” “I’m sure.” I cut him off. “Just follow the standard process, Mr. Cooper.” “Alright.” That night, Adrian slept in the study. Early the next morning, Adrian emerged from the study already dressed in a perfectly tailored custom suit. “There’s an urgent early meeting at the company today. I can’t go with you to your prenatal checkup.” He adjusted his tie as he spoke, his tone apologetic. “I’ll bring you your favorite tiramisu tonight to make up for it.” I almost laughed out loud. Prenatal checkup? The baby was gone. What hospital would I go to for a prenatal checkup? On the day of the miscarriage, the doctor told me to stay on bed rest, but I checked myself out less than twenty-four hours after admission. Adrian still didn’t know about any of this. But I just nodded. Adrian finished tying his tie, examined himself in the mirror, and once everything looked perfect, he habitually pointed to his cheek, signaling for me to come over. For four years of marriage, I’d kissed his cheek every morning before he left. I didn’t move. “You’re going to be late,” I said. Adrian paused, turned to look at me, and shook his head with a smile, thinking I was still upset about him sleeping in the study last night. “I’m leaving then.” I went back to my room to change, then took a cab to MIT. It was my alma mater, a place I’d been away from for four whole years. Everything was the same as I remembered, yet somehow different. When I arrived, a lecture in the auditorium had just ended. I walked against the flow of people and heard students around me discussing excitedly and admiringly. “Professor Hudson is incredible. No wonder he’s the youngest tenured professor in the field.” “Yeah, he’s even more handsome in person than in photos. That scholarly demeanor is just mesmerizing.” “During the Q&A, he cited literature I’d never even heard of. I need to go home and catch up on my reading.” I walked into the gradually emptying auditorium and immediately spotted the man surrounded by students and several instructors near the podium. Callum Hudson. He wore a simple white shirt and casual pants, patiently answering the last student’s question. Compared to his student days, he’d shed some youthfulness and gained the composure and confidence of a mature scholar. I was about to leave and contact him later when he had time. The moment I turned around, Callum looked up. His gaze cut through the crowd and found me instantly. The joy in his eyes was unmistakable. He apologized to the students and colleagues around him, squeezed through the crowd, and walked quickly toward me. “Clarissa? Is it really you?” “Callum.” I smiled. After brief pleasantries, I got straight to the point. “Callum, I want to join your research institute.” Callum was stunned, immense joy flooding his eyes. “Of course! If you’re willing to come back, our advisor will be thrilled.” He looked at me, his eyes full of undisguised regret and sympathy. “You were the most gifted student in our department. Everyone thought you’d win the Nobel that year. Then your family forced you to give up your doctorate and walk away from condensed matter physics, all for business and an arranged marriage.” His tone was bitter, indignant on my behalf. “And now?” he asked with some concern. “Your family… will he agree to this?” “I’m getting divorced,” I said. “But it’ll take two months to finalize everything. After that, I can report to the research institute abroad.” “Good.” Callum smiled. “I’ll wait for you.”

Clarissa Hart POV A soft laugh interrupted us. Adrian appeared at the auditorium entrance without warning. He walked over slowly, still wearing that expensive suit, but his face no longer held the warmth from this morning. His expression was dark, his gaze fixed on Callum. For the first time, I saw such undisguised jealousy and possessiveness in his eyes. I was confused. The person he loved was Seraphina. Why bother putting on this devoted act in front of me? “Care to introduce us?” Adrian walked to my side, positioning himself between me and Callum. “This is my friend, Callum, a physics professor at MIT.” After the introduction, I pointed to Adrian, my tone flat. “This is my husband, Adrian Caldwell.” The two men shook hands with composed expressions. But I noticed that when they released their grip, both had clear red marks on the backs of their hands. “Professor Hudson, I’ve heard so much about you.” Adrian smiled without warmth. “I didn’t realize my wife was so close to you that she’d make a special visit when returning to campus.” “You’re too kind, Mr. Caldwell. Clarissa is a once-in-a-century genius in our physics department. We’re friends.” Callum was neither humble nor arrogant, his gaze straightforward. “Callum, I need to go. We’ll be in touch later.” Sensing the uncomfortable atmosphere, I took the initiative to say goodbye to Callum. Adrian and I left side by side without looking back. I didn’t want to cause him trouble, so I didn’t see the loneliness and concern in Callum’s eyes after we turned away. Adrian and I walked out of the auditorium into the sunlight, but the chill radiating from him didn’t dissipate. “What were you doing here?” Adrian demanded coldly. “I just felt like visiting the campus,” I said vaguely, then countered, “What about you? Was your urgent early meeting held at MIT?” Adrian didn’t answer. His expression grew even darker. We reached the parking lot. I habitually walked toward the passenger side. Adrian pressed the unlock button. I was about to open the door. The window slowly rolled down, revealing a delicate, radiant face. It was Seraphina Quinn. She sat in the passenger seat-that position reserved for the lady of the house. My hand froze on the door handle. “I ran into a friend and caught up for a bit,” Adrian said without missing a beat. My gaze landed on the paper bag in his hand. It was red velvet cake from that famous shop behind campus. I remembered it’s was Seraphina’s favorite. His so-called urgent meeting was actually a trip down memory lane with his first love, revisiting their student days together. Seraphina sat in the passenger seat and greeted me proactively, her tone intimate but her posture condescending. “Clarissa, what a coincidence running into you on campus.” She showed no intention of giving up her seat. Instead, she watched me with interest, her eyes carrying a subtle challenge. I silently withdrew my hand, opened the rear door, and got in. Throughout the drive, Seraphina chatted and laughed with Adrian as if I weren’t there, reminiscing about their student days. She even took a piece of cake from the bag and held it up to Adrian’s lips. “Ahhh-” She let out a saccharine sound. Adrian instinctively opened his mouth and took a bite. “Ouch, you bit my finger.” Seraphina withdrew her hand with coquettish reproach, though her eyes and expression were full of flirtation. Through the rearview mirror, Adrian saw me in the back seat, expressionless. I sat quietly against the window, my gaze fixed outside. Panic flashed in his eyes. He awkwardly pushed away Seraphina as she leaned in again. “Clarissa, do you want some?” “No, thank you.” Seraphina immediately seized the opportunity. “Adrian went through so much trouble to buy me this cake back in the day.” She laughed, but her eyes locked onto mine through the rearview mirror. “One time the dorm curfew had already locked the doors, but he climbed out the window anyway.” “He ended up hurting his leg in the fall. He limped for a week-all just to buy this for me.” She went on and on, flaunting all the love and devotion Adrian had once shown her. She was waiting for a reaction. Waiting for me to break down, get angry, or show even the slightest hint of jealousy. But I remained silent. I leaned against the window, watching the scenery fly by outside, my thoughts already far away. I was even thinking about what direction to take for my first research paper. My complete lack of reaction made Seraphina’s provocation fall flat. She had no choice but to give up resentfully. She said to Adrian with sarcastic sweetness, “Your wife is so easygoing. So understanding.” Adrian laughed softly, though his grip on the steering wheel tightened. “She’s very docile.”

Clarissa Hart POV We arrived at the villa. “I have a gathering with Seraphina tonight,” Adrian said through the lowered window to my retreating back. “You’re pregnant, so it’s not convenient for you to go to that kind of place. Get some rest early.” I didn’t turn around. I waved my hand and went inside. In the middle of the night, an unknown number called. “Adrian’s drunk. Come pick him up.” It was Seraphina’s voice. She hung up immediately, then sent an address. A top-tier private club. I decided to go. I wanted to see what other tricks Seraphina had up her sleeve. I changed clothes without putting on makeup, got in my car with a bare face, and drove over. When I arrived, several servers stood outside the private room door, seemingly hesitating about whether to go in. Through the half-open door, I could see the gaudy lights and hear the noise inside. Adrian and Seraphina sat on the central sofa surrounded by people, all of them cheering. They were playing a game where they passed playing cards using only their mouths-an intimate, provocative game. Soon, the card reached Seraphina and Adrian. The crowd began whistling and cheering loudly. Seraphina held the card in her mouth, looked at Adrian with hazy eyes, and slowly moved closer. Closer, even closer. The card fluttered down. Their lips touched. The cheers grew louder, almost lifting the roof. Adrian didn’t push her away. Under the influence of alcohol, he even reached out, cupped the back of Seraphina’s head, and deepened the kiss. His eyes were closed, his expression intoxicated and wild-a look I’d never seen before. I stood outside the door watching him like this, and my heart went completely cold. I was about to leave quietly when Seraphina chased after me, as if she’d known I was there all along. “Did you see?” Seraphina stood before me, triumph written on her face. “Adrian has always loved me. He only married you because your face resembles mine a little, and you’re more docile and easier to control than I am.” She leaned close, her voice dropping very low. “I advise you to abort the baby and get lost while you still can. Otherwise, when he gets tired of you, you’ll be thrown out without a penny and become a laughingstock.” I asked expressionlessly, “Does Adrian know that the ‘girl’ he’s cherished and loved for years is someone as two-faced as you?” With that, I ignored the shock and anger on Seraphina’s face, walked past her, and entered the private room. The room fell silent at once. Everyone stared at me, this uninvited guest who’d suddenly barged in, their expressions varied. I kept my eyes forward, walked to Adrian’s side, and helped up the man who was too drunk to know where he was. His body was heavy, most of his weight pressing on me. I supported him, turned, and left without looking at anyone else. Back in the car, I dumped Adrian into the passenger seat. He leaned against the seat back, mumbling Seraphina’s name incoherently. “Seraphina… don’t go…” I gripped the steering wheel, started the car, and stared at the dark road ahead. “Just wait a little longer.” Just wait a little longer, and I’d be free. When Adrian woke up, his head was splitting. He only had vague memories of the previous night. He only remembered drinking a lot, and that I seemed to have picked him up later. “I didn’t do anything inappropriate last night, did I?” He rubbed his temples, asking nervously. I was changing in the walk-in closet. Hearing this, I just shook my head calmly. “No, you fell asleep after getting drunk.” I finished changing and prepared to go out. “Where are you going?” Adrian grabbed my arm. My coldness unsettled him. “To see Callum.” Adrian’s face immediately darkened. “Stay away from him,” he warned. “Men understand men best. The way he looks at you isn’t right.” I found it ridiculous and retorted, “You look at Seraphina the same way.” Adrian was speechless for a moment. He released my arm irritably, but his tone remained forceful. “I didn’t bring you tiramisu yesterday, so I prepared something else for you…” His words trailed off. A document slid out from the drawer he’d pulled open and fluttered to the floor at his feet. It was the signed divorce papers.

Clarissa Hart POV Adrian was about to look at what it was, but I moved faster. Before he could read the title, I’d already bent down to pick up the document, clutching it tightly to my chest. I protected the document like a treasure. Remembering how I’d held the papers last night, Adrian blurted out, “This is the gift I want.” He laughed, thinking I just cared about this gift that proved his love. “Once I give it to you, it’s yours. Why are you so nervous about it?” I breathed a silent sigh of relief and quickly changed the subject. “What gift were you talking about?” Only then did Adrian remember the actual matter. He pulled out a set of keys from the drawer and dangled them in front of me, a delicate metal pendant hanging from them. “Come with me.” The car drove to a standalone mansion in the wealthy district on the east side of the city. “You said the old house was too oppressive, that you didn’t like it,” Adrian said, leading me inside. “This place is decorated entirely according to your taste.” The house had a modern minimalist design with large expanses of white space and clean lines. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, the backyard was filled with white roses. My favorite flower-quiet and pure. He led me upstairs and pushed open the door next to the master bedroom. Inside was a nursery. The walls were a soft beige, thick wool carpet covered the floor, and an oak crib sat in the corner with a handmade cosmic mobile hanging above it. Adrian embraced me from behind, his voice low and tender. “In the future, our child will live here.” He painted an imaginary future. “Let’s give them a name that combines both of ours. As a symbol of our connection. How does that sound?” I listened, looking at everything before me. This should have been the home I’d always dreamed of-with an adorable child and a husband who loved me. If all this had happened before the miscarriage, I would have been moved. But now. Tears fell hot on the back of my hand. Adrian seemed to notice I was trembling. He turned me around to face him, only to see my face streaming with tears. He thought I was moved. He smiled and reached out to wipe my tears. “Silly girl, why are you crying? Don’t you like it?” “Adrian, so this is where you are.” A voice interrupted, breaking the moment between us. Seraphina walked in as if she’d happened to pass by. She surveyed the house, her eyes full of undisguised admiration. “This house is beautiful.” She walked straight to Adrian’s side, linked her arm through his, and made her demand. “I just got back to the country and haven’t found a suitable place to live yet. Give it to me, won’t you?” Adrian’s expression became troubled. “Seraphina, this is for Clarissa-a gift for her pregnancy.” “But I really like it, and I’m in urgent need.” Seraphina tugged on his arm and swayed gently, leaning close to his ear to whisper coquettishly, “Adrian, just give it to me. She’s your wife. You can buy her something even better later. I’m just an outsider without even a place to live. How pitiful.” Adrian hesitated. He looked at Seraphina’s expectant, aggrieved eyes, then at me standing silently beside them. He knew I’d be good. I wouldn’t make a fuss. But Seraphina needed him to coax her, needed him to compensate her. A moment later, he made his decision. “Alright.” He agreed to Seraphina’s request. He turned to me with his promise. “Clarissa, I’m sorry. I’ll buy you an even better house later. Let her stay in this one for now. She just got back and it’s inconvenient for her.” He paused, then added another line. “Besides, the baby hasn’t been born yet. There’s no rush.” That sentence completely crushed the last remnant of hope in my heart. Yes, the baby hasn’t been born yet. No. The baby is already dead. Dead the night he took Seraphina to watch the meteor shower.

Clarissa Hart POV I didn’t object. My opinion no longer mattered anyway. After all, the baby was already gone. Seraphina was delighted and suggested treating us to dinner. She made reservations at a French restaurant known for its privacy. Midway through, Adrian received a work call and got up to take it outside. Only the two of us women remained at the table. The moment Adrian left, Seraphina dropped her pretense. She picked up her wine glass and swirled it gently. “See?” Her tone was smug. “Whatever I want, Adrian will give me. Whether it’s a house or the man himself.” She set down the glass, leaned forward, and dropped her voice to a low, vicious whisper. “Clarissa, I’ll advise you one more time-abort the baby yourself and get lost. Otherwise, when he gets tired of you and kicks you out, you’ll become a joke in our entire social circle.” I cut my steak, my movements uninterrupted. I didn’t even look up at Seraphina. I just felt annoyed and too tired to respond to these provocations. My calm came from genuine indifference. My face showed none of the hurt or anger Seraphina had been expecting, which frustrated her deeply. Just then, from the corner of her eye, she saw Adrian hang up the phone and start walking back. She picked up the steaming cup of coffee on the table. Her wrist jerked, and the scalding coffee spilled all over her arm and chest. “Ah!” She let out a short cry. Adrian’s expression changed. He rushed over in several quick strides. Seraphina collapsed into his arms. Her makeup ran with tears that fell in large drops. She couldn’t form complete sentences, only clutched his sleeve and pointed at me with grievance. “Adrian, I didn’t mean to… I just wanted to talk to Clarissa. Is she angry at me about the house…” This statement was a direct accusation. Adrian immediately turned to look at me, his eyes full of questioning and displeasure. I stood up and met his gaze. “It wasn’t me. I didn’t pour it on her.” But Adrian no longer believed me. He looked at Seraphina crying in his arms with her swollen, reddened arm, then at my expressionless face. His mind was already made up. “I know you’re upset, but you shouldn’t hurt people.” He said nothing more, simply scooped Seraphina into his arms and strode out of the restaurant. “To the hospital.” Late at night, Adrian finally came home. He carried the smell of hospital disinfectant mixed with a hint of perfume. His face was set, his expression stern in a way I’d never seen before. “Go apologize to Seraphina.” He stood before me. “The doctor said she has severe burns. They might scar.” I sat on the sofa, looked up stubbornly, and repeated, “I didn’t do it. I won’t apologize.” I looked at him, searching his eyes for even a trace of trust. There was nothing. “The surveillance footage,” I said. “The restaurant has cameras.” Adrian dismissed it as stubbornness and tantrum, not bothering to consider it at all. “Stop being difficult. Come with me to the hospital.” He reached out directly, grabbed my wrist, and tried to pull me up from the sofa. His grip was strong. He yanked me and I stumbled. I didn’t want to go. I didn’t want to be humiliated again in front of his friends and the woman he loved. “Let go!” I struggled, trying to shake off his hand. My resistance angered him. His grip loosened momentarily. I fell backward from the momentum. Thud. A dull sound. The back of my head slammed into the marble coffee table. Warm liquid slid down from my temple, covering my eyes. Everything in front of me turned blood red. The pain was so intense it went numb. I couldn’t feel it anymore. Adrian saw that shocking red and his pupils contracted violently. He froze, watching me collapse to the floor, bleeding profusely, his mind blank. A few seconds passed before he snapped out of it. He rushed over in a panic and picked me up, his hands and voice both trembling. “Clarissa! Clarissa!”

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My whole family has amnesia. My dad always forgets to send me my living expenses every month. My mom forgets to pay me back every time I cover something for her. Whenever I remind them, my parents act like they’ve just had an epiphany. “Look at my memory—getting old makes me forgetful.” I always thought they were genuinely getting forgetful with age. Until I accidentally discovered the study abroad fund account my parents set up for my brother. Every single deposit was accurate to two decimal places, and never once delayed. That’s when I realized my parents’ so-called amnesia only applied to me. My parents both have severe amnesia. Every week at the end of the month is my fixed call time with my dad. More accurately, it’s the time when I remind my dad to send my living expenses. “Dad, next month’s living expenses…” This time was no exception. A week had already passed, and my dad still forgot to send my living expenses. The call connected, and I heard the sound of my dad slapping his forehead. “Look at my memory—I forgot again! Dad will definitely transfer it tomorrow, won’t forget this time for sure.” I didn’t say anything. After all, this scene had been playing out in our family for three whole years. Since my freshman year, my dad forgets to send my living expenses every single month. My mom has amnesia too. Every time I advance payment for her purchases, she forgets to transfer the money back to me. Once she had me buy a cashmere sweater for her—the price was $239.90. Another time it was several health supplements as gifts, $63 per box. Recently she had me buy the latest sneakers for my brother—$139.90. … “I don’t have much money on hand right now. You buy it first, I’ll pay you back later, okay?” I paid. But she never transferred the money. The day the cashmere sweater arrived, my mom posted photos in the family chat and @my brother, saying: “What my son picked out is so warm!” When I really had no money left to eat, I tactfully messaged her: “Mom, does the cashmere sweater fit?” She replied instantly: “Perfect fit! I want to buy one for your grandma too. Help me buy another one.” I told her I had no money left. Only then did Mom have her epiphany and say she’d definitely transfer the money next time. But I never knew when “next time” actually was. Right up until three months ago, when I needed appendicitis surgery. Late at night, I curled up on a plastic chair in the hallway clutching my abdomen, cold sweat soaking my shirt. The nurse was urging me to pay the fees. I called my mom. “Mom, I need money right now. I’m at…” Before I could finish, she cut me off.

After leaving the hospital, I kept recalling how many times my parents’ so-called “amnesia” had made them forget over the years. Every time Dad sent living expenses, I had to chase him for it. I never received it until the last moment. My parents weren’t forgetful at all—they just randomly found an excuse to brush me off. Thinking of this, I dialed my dad’s number again. “Dad, you shouldn’t be busy at this time. Please send my living expenses.” The other end was silent for a few seconds, then my dad’s awkward laughter rang out. “Yes, yes, I forgot again. I’ll transfer it to you right now.” “Dad, remember to transfer two thousand. Don’t click wrong like you always do.” I reminded him. My dad hadn’t hung up yet, and hearing this made him cough guiltily. “How could that happen? When you started college, we agreed on two thousand a month.” Yes, that’s what we agreed on, but every month he finds some reason to forget part of it. Dad’s transfer came through, and the call disconnected. I immediately paid back the money my roommate had lent me when I was sick. “Your dad finally remembered to send you living expenses?” My roommate Megan knew about my family situation. I nodded. Before I could figure out how to allocate the remaining money, my brother’s call came through. “I heard Dad sent you living expenses? See, Dad still favors you. When I asked him for money, he didn’t give me any!” I made up an excuse and hung up on him. Usually it went like this—every time Dad sent me living expenses, my brother would call soon after to play the victim, saying he had no money to spend, and I would soften and lend him my living expenses. But my brother has amnesia too. Every time he gets living expenses, he forgets to pay me back. So this time I didn’t want to be a fool anymore. I thought the matter would end there, but who knew that night I’d receive another call from my mom. She rarely calls me. Even when asking me to buy things, she just sends me a link. As soon as the call connected, my mom’s anxious voice came through the receiver: “Willow, why are you so stingy? Did your brother ask to borrow money from you this afternoon?” So that’s what this was about. Before I could answer, the other end continued: “Your dad was good to you and sent you living expenses first. Your brother has no money—why won’t you lend it to him?” Even Dad chimed in: “Fine, next time we’ll take turns sending you siblings living expenses. Don’t you dare ask your brother to borrow money then!” I acknowledged and hung up, having no interest in watching their family of three put on a show. At midnight, my mom sent another link.

“Willow, help Mom buy this. I’ll transfer you the money tomorrow.” I clicked the link. It was Bluetooth earphones, priced at $98.80. I laughed coldly. So because I wouldn’t lend my brother money, Mom would come asking me for money to buy what my brother wanted. I didn’t buy it and didn’t reply. I set my chat with my mom to “do not disturb.” The next evening, Mom actually called again. I answered. Mom’s gentle voice was completely different from when she questioned me yesterday. “Willow, were you busy today?” “What is it?” She seemed not to expect me to become so cold. She laughed dryly, then asked: “By the way, did you buy the Bluetooth earphones for me?” I pretended to suddenly realize: “Oh, I forgot. My memory hasn’t been good lately!” “Then buy it for me quickly. After you buy it, I won’t bother you anymore. Don’t worry, I’ll transfer the money to you later.” I knew very well there would be no transfer. I simply turned off my phone and ignored it. Three days passed. My phone received no messages from them. It was quite peaceful. The holiday was approaching. My roommate Megan curiously came over and asked: “What are you planning to do during the break?” “What else? Go home.” After saying that, Mom’s call came through again. Megan saw the caller ID and kindly reminded me: “Don’t forget to ask your mom for the transfer, or you won’t even have money to buy a ticket home.” I smiled. What she didn’t know was that this time I hadn’t paid for anything for them at all. “Willow, where’s the thing I asked you to buy last time?” I pretended not to understand: “Mom, what thing?” The air froze for a moment before Mom spoke: “The earphones I asked you to buy for me. You didn’t forget, did you?” I hadn’t forgotten, but I also hadn’t bought them. “Oh, I was waiting for you to transfer the money so I could buy them, then I forgot. Mom, is my forgetfulness hereditary?” Even through the phone I could feel her struggling to contain her anger: “Child, what nonsense are you talking about!” Mom quickly changed the subject: “The holiday’s coming soon, right? Don’t forget to buy those earphones when you come back.” I agreed. “Don’t worry, Mom. Leave it to me.” Since that’s how it is, I’ll take advantage of the New Year to give her a big gift.

I saved all the records of my family’s “amnesia” over the years, not just chat screenshots but also link screenshots and my parents’ social media posts. After finishing all this, I couldn’t help but marvel. So over these three years, I’d already bought so many things for the family. Besides the monthly living expenses, I’d even put in quite a bit of money I earned from part-time jobs. Overall, these three years of college I not only self-funded my education but also had to earn money to subsidize the family. Looking at the continuously accumulating numbers on the calculator, I received another text from Dad. “Coming back tomorrow, right? Willow.” I raised the corners of my mouth, looked at the document I’d been preparing on my computer, and replied with one sentence. “All prepared.” The next day after getting off the bus, I received a restaurant address from Dad. They happened to be having a gathering with relatives at the restaurant. I didn’t need to think to know what they were planning—nothing more than wanting me to cover the bill again. What a fine plan. I walked in empty-handed. The conversation at the table stopped abruptly. “Willow’s back! Come sit!” I smiled and took a seat, greeting everyone naturally. Mom kept glancing toward the door. “Willow, the thing I asked you to buy…” Halfway through the meal, my mom suddenly spoke. Now everyone’s eyes turned to me. Dad, his face flushed from drinking, laughed heartily: “Right, right! Last time we asked this child to buy something for the family—she keeps forgetting!” I exclaimed: “Oh my! Look at my memory!” This display instantly changed their expressions. Dad frowned at me, anger barely concealed in his tone: “Child, your mom just reminded you the other day! How could you turn around and forget!” My brother chimed in: “Exactly, Willow. Are you getting dementia at your age?” I didn’t take it seriously: “Probably family heredity. After all, Mom and Dad always forget things too.” One sentence shut them up. Mom could only wave at me: “Willow, go pay the bill. Mom will transfer it to you when we get home.” After speaking, Mom pulled my arm toward the server. I shook off her hand in front of everyone: “I have no money.” Mom froze in place, looking at me incredulously: “What are you saying?” “I said I have no money. I can’t pay the bill.” The atmosphere became awkward. My brother jumped out at this moment: “Willow, can you not be so petty? Mom’s just asking you to cover it temporarily, giving you a chance to show off in front of everyone. It’s not like she won’t reimburse you. Is it really necessary?” After his words fell, relatives also started pointing fingers at me. “That’s right, Willow. You’re in college now. Your tuition and living expenses are all from your parents. Don’t be so stingy.” “It’s just paying a bill. It’s not like they won’t pay you back. Besides, we’re all family—don’t be so calculating.” My dad pointed at my nose and scolded: “Your money all comes from me anyway, doesn’t it? Now asking you to pay a bill—isn’t it still spending my own money?” Mom looked at me with teary eyes: “Willow, I never thought you were this kind of person. I’m just forgetful. How could I not give you money…” For a moment, all the blame pointed at me. I didn’t offer any explanation. I just opened my phone and sent a document to the group chat. “Is it really just forgetfulness?”

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I found a red lace thong tucked into the couch in my husband’s office. I didn’t make a scene or throw a fit. I quietly put it away. On the day of the shareholders’ meeting, I peeled off the one-way window film from his office glass. And so, without any idea what was happening, my husband stripped the intern naked and pressed her against the glass in full view of over 300 shareholders and employees. He loves excitement, doesn’t he? Well, I’ll give him all the excitement he can handle! I went to my husband’s office after a meeting to bring him some cake. The moment I sat down on the couch, something felt off. The couch was warm, clearly just used by someone else. The warm area was bigger than just one person sitting—more like someone had been lying here? I looked closer and spotted a red lace thong wedged between the couch cushions. My head buzzed like thunder, my heart racing wildly. “What’s wrong, honey?” My husband, Nathan Hayes, wrapped his arms around me affectionately. I froze, unable to move. Before I could react, I saw the intern walk in wearing a pencil skirt and a blouse with a neckline so low it exposed half her chest, marked with suggestive traces. She seemed to smile at me provocatively. Combined with the strange sounds I’d heard outside the office door just moments ago… I was completely stunned. In broad daylight—while I’d just been in the conference room next door meeting with department managers—he was fooling around with the new intern, Hannah Lewis, in his office? My heart felt like it had been stabbed with a sharp blade. It hurt so much. “Wow, this cake looks delicious! Mr. Hayes, can I have a bite?” Hannah batted her eyes playfully at Nathan. Nathan smirked and smiled. The familiarity between them didn’t match what you’d expect from a superior and subordinate who’d only known each other for two months. “Go ahead if you want some.” Only after saying that did Nathan glance at me, adding as an afterthought: “Haha, my doctor said my blood sugar’s a bit high, told me to cut back on sweets.” He casually handed the cake to Hannah, his expression relaxed and natural, without the slightest hint of guilt.

I glanced at the dozen or so photos of us kissing displayed on his desk. The tears welling up in my eyes, I forced back down. How could he do this—look at photos of me while messing around with another woman in his office? And that woman was Hannah? I didn’t lose my temper. Clinging to a thread of hope, I held it in until we got home that night. While he was in the shower, I checked his phone. “Honey, tomorrow in the office, wear that lolita-style lingerie set I bought you, okay?” “That depends on whether you can make me climax seven times in one hour.” “No problem. I’ll have you crying by the time you get to work. God, it’s been over two hours since we left work, and I already miss you so much! The moment I wake up, I need to go to the office and kiss you!” “What should we do? I’m so in love with you. How about next week we get matching couple tattoos?” “So bold. Aren’t you afraid your wife will find out?” Even though I’d prepared myself mentally, seeing the actual evidence made all the blood in my body feel like it had frozen solid. My body trembled from the cold. At that moment, Nathan’s phone wallpaper was still our wedding photo. How ironic. “Why are you looking at my phone?” Nathan’s face darkened. Without even wrapping a towel around himself, he rushed naked out of the bathroom and snatched the phone away. “You and Hannah seem pretty close, don’t you?” “Can you not interfere with my freedom? I’m allowed to have friends of the opposite sex.” I smiled bitterly as tears spun uncontrollably in my eyes. When we were dating, he’d directly added my fingerprint to his phone and said, “Feel free to read my messages anytime. Anyone in my contacts you don’t like, delete them.” Five years ago, when he was pursuing me, he sent me a bouquet of roses every single day, saying he wanted to marry me from the moment he first saw me. Three years ago, when we got married, facing my father’s difficult demands—that he marry into our family, that our future children take my father’s surname, that he work late into the night every day and become a qualified successor within three years— he never showed the slightest hesitation or reluctance. Even with a 102-degree fever, he insisted on attending meetings, earning unanimous approval from both old and new company employees. No matter how late his business dinners ran, he always came home. He never stayed out overnight. Our dating anniversary, our wedding anniversary, Valentine’s Day, my birthday—he never forgot any of them. He always carefully prepared a gift for me. Everyone said he was the model of a perfect husband. I didn’t understand. If he treated me so well, why would he cheat? Was it really true that no man could resist cheating? My heart died. My first thought was divorce.

I went back to my father’s house that very night and told Dad that Nathan had cheated and I wanted a divorce. Dad looked down at the documents in his hand, not even lifting his head: “That just proves you’re a woman without charm, unable to keep your husband, so your husband had no choice but to run to another woman’s bed.” My breath caught. My heart grew even colder. Years ago, when he cheated and abandoned my mother, did he say the same thing to her? “Anyway, cheating doesn’t hurt men. As long as he comes home, that’s all that matters.” I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms painfully, and said word by word: “I want a divorce.” “Don’t even think about it. If you want to blame something, blame yourself for not having children yet. Hurry up and have a baby. Don’t let some woman out there have his child first. Otherwise, you’ll have to split the assets with some illegitimate kid.” My chest felt tight and stuffy. Through gritted teeth, I said: “I’ll agree not to divorce on one condition—give me the CEO position. You originally promised it to me…” With a “whoosh,” Dad grabbed the documents in front of him and violently threw them at my head. “You? A woman? What ability do you have to inherit my company?” “I told you long ago to stop daydreaming!” Looking at the documents scattered on the floor, my heart grew even colder. Those were the annual summary reports I’d stayed up several nights to write. Summarizing my achievements over the past three years. Three years as sales champion. The first year I won sales champion, at the year-end party, Dad had me sit beside him, served me food, and said many encouraging and praising words. The second year I won, he gave me a thumbs up: “Worthy of being my daughter! If you win again next year, Dad’s position will be yours.” This was the third year. Even after he changed the sales policies on me, forcing me to double my performance targets, I still became sales champion. But he went back on his word. “At next week’s shareholders’ meeting, I’m handing the company over to Nathan. Don’t you dare make trouble. Just stay home and have babies like a good girl!” “It was you who insisted on marrying this poor boy in the first place. Otherwise, why would I have bothered training him?” “Dad, why have you never considered training me?” “Train you? What for? A woman should focus on being a good wife and mother at home. What business does she have showing her face in public all the time?” “Back then, if your mother had been worth anything and given me a few more sons, would I need to train an outsider as my successor?” I closed my eyes hard. I didn’t understand. I was his biological daughter, yet he’d rather trust Nathan, a complete outsider, than trust me? Just because I’m not a man?

“Oh honey, why are you so angry? Your blood pressure will go up, and I’ll feel so bad for you.” “Lydia, I’m not trying to criticize you, but Dad’s getting up there in years. Can’t you be a little more accommodating?” Hannah wore the same outfit from earlier that day, her neckline cut even lower now. She burrowed into my father’s arms—a man thirty years her senior. I truly admired her. Servicing my husband during the day, servicing my father at night. Clearly, my father had no idea he was being cuckolded by Nathan. Nathan’s nerve was truly remarkable—he dared touch my father’s mistress? I tested the waters, asking Hannah: “As one woman to another, if you were me and your husband cheated, how would you feel?” Hannah paused, then smiled: “I’d only blame myself for being incompetent.” “I’m not criticizing you, but you’re always busy with work and never bother to dress yourself up. How can you expect your husband to be interested in sleeping with you?” I wanted nothing more than to rush over and slap Hannah across the face right then. But thinking twice, that would be letting her off too easy. Mimicking her manner, I smiled at my father: “Dad, don’t you want to know who Nathan’s cheating with?” Hannah’s brow tightened. She shot me a glare: “Like I said, who doesn’t matter. What matters is you hurry up and give him a baby.” “Besides, you’re probably overthinking it. Look how busy Mr. Hayes is with work, spending all day working overtime in his office. Where would he find time to cheat?” Yes, I never imagined it either. This man who came home every day, who video-called me during lunch breaks, who rarely attended business dinners—I never thought he’d be keeping a mistress in his office. My father’s mistress, no less. As if afraid I’d say more, Hannah pressed her chest directly against my father’s face and cooed: “My birthday’s coming up, darling. What birthday present are you getting me?” “I’ll buy you an island and name it after you.” “Yay! Darling, you’re so good to me!” The two started making out right in front of me. On my mother’s birthday, when she came home, Dad had been rolling around on the couch with a female college student twenty years his junior in exactly the same way. Coincidentally, today was also my birthday. Nathan had forgotten. My father had forgotten too. Fine. If everyone wants to hurt me like this, then let’s all be destroyed together.

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After Serena ran me over with her car, I permanently lost my sense of smell. My daughter’s congenital asthma worsened severely, causing major lung damage. My husband, a top attorney, promised he’d send Serena to prison. But I didn’t find out until the trial day that he’d secretly signed a settlement agreement behind my back. He even defended her in court on another prostitution charge, trying to get her acquitted. I asked him why he would save our enemy. He frowned. “You just can’t smell things anymore. Aria’s asthma can be managed with enough medication. But if Serena loses this case, her whole life will be ruined. Lily, you can’t be so selfish.” From that day on, my daughter and I stopped crying and making a fuss. I even thoughtfully brought him a glass of milk when he was working tirelessly on that defense. Zachary thought we’d finally learned to behave. Until the day he came home early with stomach pain. Outside the study door, he overheard our conversation. “Mom, did he drink that special milk?” “He did. The dosage is steady. It won’t show up on any tests.” “Mom, you said Dad is such a great lawyer. If he ends up a vegetable, can’t take care of himself, can’t even speak clearly, will he still think that woman is innocent?” I smiled slightly. “When he’s completely bedridden, I’ll make him watch with his own eyes as the woman he risked his life to save changes her tune right by his bedside.”

The door burst open. Zachary stormed in, his face dark with rage. “Lily, what the hell did you feed me?!” I didn’t have time to answer. He slapped me across the face. Then his hand clamped around my throat and slammed me against the wall. My vision went black. I let out a muffled cry. Aria screamed “Mommy!” and rushed over, but he kicked her away. Her small body curled up on the floor, her face turning purple-red. I grabbed his hand, tears streaming down my face. “Zachary, your stomach problem is chronic. The doctor said stress can trigger acute attacks…” He sneered coldly. “Then explain to me what you put in my milk.” My heart went cold. “That was the child talking nonsense she learned from TV shows… How could you take it seriously?” Aria’s small face was streaked with tears. “Daddy, I was just talking silly… from a cartoon… I was wrong…” After a long while, he finally released his grip, though his venomous gaze remained locked on me. I slid down to the floor, gasping for air, my heart growing colder and colder. Aria threw herself into my arms, not even daring to sob loudly. “Tomorrow I’m getting a toxicology screening. If anything shows up, I’ll send you and this bastard child to prison together!” Prison? A year ago, Serena hit Aria and me with her car. I held my blood-covered daughter in one arm. With my other hand, I fumbled for my phone and pressed the speed dial. But no one answered. I called again and again. It wasn’t until the seventh attempt that he finally picked up. “We were hit by a car. Aria is bleeding… I can’t move…” But he sounded extremely impatient. “Call an ambulance yourself. Serena is shaken up, I need to stay with her. You two go to the hospital first, I’ll come later.” A passerby called the ambulance. He didn’t show up at the hospital until the next afternoon. Aria was unconscious. I had bandages wrapped around my head. He touched my hair. “Don’t worry. The person who hit you-I’ll make sure she goes to prison.” Later, I discovered that signed settlement agreement. Now, he was using that same calm tone to say he’d send my daughter and me to prison. I almost wanted to laugh. But I lowered my head, letting my hair fall across my face. Zachary stared at me for a few seconds. The fury on his face gradually subsided. He pulled a document from his briefcase and threw it in front of me. “Sign it.” This was a statement certifying that Serena had merely passed by the brothel and had not participated in any illegal activities. I looked up. “This is perjury. If they find out, I’ll go to prison.” “I’m one of the top three criminal attorneys in this city. With me here, what are you afraid of?” He crouched down and gripped my chin. This face had once made me lose my mind with love. Now it only held coldness and unfamiliarity. “If you don’t sign, I can send you to prison right now. If you sign, you’re still Mrs. Bennett. Aria can still attend the best private school, and her targeted medication won’t be stopped.” He didn’t know that Aria hadn’t been to school in three months. Because she could suffocate at any moment, I had to stay by her side constantly. For Aria’s treatment, I needed money. I signed with trembling hands. “Tomorrow morning at nine, come to the law firm to familiarize yourself with the testimony.” He stood up, resuming the appearance of that well-dressed top attorney. “I’m going to the hospital now. You’d better pray the test results come back clean.” The door closed. Aria finally let out her voice and cried loudly. I held her tightly in my arms. I wiped away my tears and opened my phone. The screen reflected my resolute face. Every word Zachary had said while forcing me to sign was recorded. He should be at the hospital by now. But I knew the doctors wouldn’t find anything. Because what I gave him wasn’t any poison you could buy on the market.

The next day, I brought Aria to the law firm. Zachary went through the fake testimony word by word, teaching me how to memorize it. Aria sat beside me, her small hands constantly fidgeting with her dress hem. Midway through, Serena left for a bit. When she returned, her face looked panicked. “Zachary, my diamond brooch is missing. The one you gave me for my birthday last year…” She searched everywhere but found nothing. “Aria was playing outside the conference room earlier…” Aria’s small face went pale. She shook her head desperately. “I didn’t take it…” Zachary walked over and grabbed Aria roughly. I tried to step forward, but he elbowed me back. My head hit the wall with a dull thud of pain. “Hand it over.” “Daddy… I didn’t…” “I said hand it over!” Aria’s coat pocket was violently turned inside out. The diamond brooch fell out. Serena covered her mouth. “Oh my, the child not only steals but also lies!” Zachary’s entire body radiated coldness. “Lily, this is the daughter you’ve raised?!” I pulled Aria behind me. “She never left my sight. You can check the surveillance footage.” Zachary looked at the administrative supervisor. The supervisor looked uncomfortable. “Unfortunately, the surveillance system has been under upgrade these past few days and hasn’t been restored yet…” “I didn’t steal…” Aria cried out, her wheezing becoming noticeable. “It was the lady… when the lady went out earlier, she stuffed something in my pocket…” “Aria!” Serena raised her voice. “I know you don’t like me, but you can’t lie like this.” She turned to Zachary. “Lily must still resent me for the car accident.” “Even the child has been taught to act this way. She probably hates me to death…” Zachary’s expression grew even darker. “Lily, I think you’ve been living too comfortably. Starting today, all of Aria’s treatment costs and additional expenses are suspended.” My mind exploded with a roar. “Zachary, Aria’s medication can’t be stopped…” “Why can’t it be stopped?” He cut me off. “Hasn’t she managed all these years?” “She doesn’t have ordinary asthma!” My voice trembled. “Her lungs are underdeveloped. Once the targeted medication is stopped…” Serena sighed. “Lily, you’re being so dramatic. The child has been fine all these years. Why would she suddenly die now?” “I think you’re just using the child as an excuse because you want to see me lose the case.” Aria’s breathing began to sound like a bellows. That was the warning before her airway was about to close. I crouched down, frantically searching through my handbag. Then I remembered I’d left the emergency medication on the entryway cabinet. “Where’s the medicine?!” Zachary roared. With shaking hands, I pulled out my phone. My fingerprint slipped three times before the screen unlocked. “I’ll call 911… right now…” The call had just connected when a hand reached over and pressed the disconnect button. “Lily, Zachary is about to go to court. If you cause a scene with an ambulance rushing into the law firm and the media photographs it, what will they write?” Serena took my phone and handed it to Zachary. “Zachary, you can’t be soft-hearted. She’s trying to make a big scene to force you to compromise. The reputation you’ve built all these years can’t withstand this kind of scandal.” The last trace of hesitation in Zachary’s eyes completely extinguished. He took my phone and threw it to the ground. “Lily, do you hate me this much? Enough to destroy my career?” “Zachary!” I screamed, my voice cracking. “Can’t you see?! She can’t breathe!” Serena clicked her tongue. “If you were really worried about Aria, why didn’t you bring her medicine when you left the house this morning?” I didn’t want to argue. I picked up Aria and rushed toward the exit. Zachary blocked my way. “Where are you going?” “The hospital!” I turned around, my eyes bloodshot. “Are you blind?! She’s dying!” Serena stood in front of the door. “Lily, do you have to see me go to prison? How can you be so cruel?!” Zachary’s voice dropped. “You haven’t finished memorizing the testimony. You’re not going anywhere today.” I screamed, tears finally rolling down my face. “Zachary, look at her face! She won’t last until your trial is over!” Aria convulsed in my arms. He snatched Aria away and pushed me back into the chair with his other hand. “I want you to sit here and memorize the testimony. Until you finish, neither of you is leaving.” Aria was placed on the sofa. Her small body curled up, her face already turning a dark purple. My heart felt like it was being sliced by knives. I fell to my knees. “I’m begging you, take her to the hospital… I’ll memorize the testimony right now, I promise word for word… I’ll do whatever you want… please…” Zachary kicked me in the shoulder with disgust. My whole body fell backward, the back of my head hitting the corner of the conference table. Warm liquid flowed down my neck. Through my blurred vision, I saw Aria’s eyes losing focus. Darkness swallowed everything.

When I opened my eyes, I found myself lying in a hospital bed. I jerked my head around. Aria was on the bed next to me, sleeping, her chest rising and falling steadily. “You’re awake?” Zachary’s voice came from beside the bed. Only then did I notice him sitting there, with faint dark circles under his eyes. He looked at me, his eyes full of guilt. “Aria was resuscitated. Don’t worry.” I turned back to look at Aria, tears streaming endlessly. Seven years ago, Zachary wasn’t yet Attorney Bennett. When I had severe morning sickness, he’d run across half the city in the middle of the night to find the pickles I craved. The day Aria was born, he held that wrinkled daughter of his with trembling hands. “Lily, thank you both… for coming into my life.” But what about later? Later he became Attorney Bennett. Serena came back. After that came the car accident. The settlement agreement he signed. The kick he landed on my shoulder. “Lily…” Zachary reached out his hand, wanting to touch my face. I instinctively dodged. His hand froze in mid-air. “I’m sorry. I was too anxious at the time. Serena’s case is under a lot of pressure, I…” Before he could finish, his phone rang. His expression changed slightly. He stood up and walked to the window, lowering his voice to answer. “Serena? Don’t cry, speak slowly… You fell? How serious is it? I’ll come right away.” After hanging up, he walked back to the bed and picked up his suit jacket. “Serena fell at home. She’s emotionally devastated. I need to go check on her.” “I’ve already paid the medical bills. The doctor said Aria can be discharged tomorrow.” He was about to leave. I felt very tired. But I still spoke up. One last time. “Zachary, tonight, stay here. Stay with Aria.” I paused, then added the words I’d rehearsed countless times in my heart but never spoken aloud. “If you walk out that door today, there will never be any possibility between us again.” He looked away. “Serena is alone, and she’s injured… I can’t just leave her.” I watched him walk out of the hospital room, his figure disappearing around the corridor corner. I leaned against the headboard. I didn’t cry. I would never shed tears for him again. The next morning, I handled the discharge procedures myself. Back home, I changed Aria’s clothes and gave her medication. “Mommy, is Daddy not going to want us anymore?” I crouched down. “If Mommy separates from Daddy… would you be willing to live with Mommy?” She stretched out her small arms and wrapped them around my neck. “I’ll stay with Mommy. I only want Mommy.” This answer severed the last thread of hesitation in my heart. The night before the trial, Zachary finally came home. I was sleeping in the master bedroom with Aria. I heard movement but didn’t get up. The next morning, I was woken by pounding on the door. When I opened it, camera flashes lit up like lightning. Serena rushed forward and grabbed my hand. “Where’s Zachary? He promised he’d appear in court. How could he do this… What about my case…” I pulled my hand back. Before I could speak, Zachary rushed out. “What’s all this noise…” Then he saw Serena’s tears and the camera flashes. He turned to glare at me. “Lily! What did you feed me last night?!” The flashes intensified. “Mr. Bennett! Are you saying your wife drugged you?” “Is it a domestic dispute that caused you to miss the trial?” “Have you given up on Ms. Serena’s case?” Serena cried even harder beside him. “Lily might have just been confused for a moment…” Strangely, I felt no panic at all. Zachary turned to the cameras. “I will petition the court to prohibit my wife Lily from having any contact with this case in any form. Her mental state and actions do not qualify her as a witness.” “As for our domestic affairs, I’ll handle them privately. Now, please leave.” The media was half-pushed, half-escorted out. Before leaving, Serena glanced at me, smugness hidden in her eyes. Zachary got dressed and coldly threw out a sentence. “You and Aria stay home for the next few days. Don’t go anywhere.” After the front door closed, I walked into Aria’s room. She sat on the bed, fiddling with the children’s watch on her wrist. The watch suddenly emitted a faint sound. Serena’s voice. “Lily is too emotionally unstable now. Having her testify is too risky. She has to be removed.” Zachary’s voice carried fatigue. “TThe way she is now, she really isn’t suitable. Serena, handle the media yourself. Last time, didn’t she say I poisoned her? Since she opened that door first, let’s… push it in that direction.” The recording stopped there. Aria looked up. “Mommy, this is what Daddy and that lady said outside the door when you were sleeping in the hospital bed. I pressed the wrong button and recorded it.” I held the watch, my fingers burning hot.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “365783”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn #浪漫Romance #擦边Steamy #狼人Werewolf