1 The class reunion was winding down. Jalen suddenly turned to me. “Luna, let’s get a divorce.” I didn’t flinch. “Even if she’s completely rotten, you still love her?” Jalen bit down on his cigarette, letting out a sardonic chuckle. “You forget, I’m just as rotten.” Rotten souls, a perfect match. I forced a smile. “Fine.” A divorce was perfect. That empty space would be filled by someone else, someone who’d been waiting. … Jalen seemed surprised by my quick agreement. But it was only a split second before he suppressed that flicker of emotion, looking at me with a calm gaze. “I’ll send the papers tomorrow. You’ll get everything you’re owed, not a penny less.” I nodded. “Alright.” “Jalen!” A voice suddenly called from behind us. Ella, clearly tipsy, stumbled over and threw her arms around him. “Long time no see, handsome. All these years, have you missed me?” Jalen didn’t push her away. He even wrapped an arm around her waist, a tenderness in his eyes I’d never seen in our three years of marriage. “Jalen, you bastard, why aren’t you saying anything?” Ella’s eyes, clouded by drink, suddenly fixed on me. She pointed a finger and started shouting. “Jalen, have you fallen for this good girl? Girls like her must be dead fish in bed. I showed you so many tricks back in the day, can you really stand a dead fish now?” Her voice grew louder and louder, until finally, she lunged at me, ready to strike. Jalen caught her wrist, pulling her into his arms, then turned to me. “I’m sorry, she’s drunk.” Even though I was his wife in that moment, his first instinct was to apologize to me for another woman. I let out a self-deprecating laugh. “It’s fine, I don’t mind. If there’s nothing else, I’ll head home.” Jalen just hummed in response. “I won’t be back tonight. I’ll find you tomorrow.” My steps faltered, but I said nothing. Back home, I looked around the apartment we’d shared as a married couple for three years. From the hopeful anticipation when we first tied the knot, to the pang of hurt when he blurted out Ella’s name during our first time together. Then the agony, the disappointment, when he had a fever and mistook me for Ella. Now, only numbness remained. Ten years. My complicated dance with Jalen was finally over. I chuckled softly and went into the bedroom to pack. I didn’t have much. One suitcase was enough. After packing, I lay on the bed, expecting to stare at the ceiling, but I fell asleep the moment my eyes closed. I even dreamt, for the first time in ages, of seeing Jalen for the very first time. Every school had its popular figures. Jalen was Northwood High’s most talked-about. He was charming, good at everything, but his one flaw was probably how often he swapped girlfriends. Back then, I hated people like him, even thought anyone who fell for him was foolish. Until that day, when my friends dragged me to watch him long jump. The crowd was huge. I was shoved to the very front. I felt overwhelmed, about to leave. But then, an instant later, a jacket smelling faintly of cologne landed on my head. I frantically pulled it off, my eyes meeting a roguish grin. “Hey, mind holding my jacket for a sec?” In that moment, my heart felt like it would burst from my chest. From that day on, I harbored a secret crush. In junior year, to be in his class, I chose science, a subject I had no interest in whatsoever. Watching him move from one girlfriend to the next, it pained me, but I had no right to say anything. I just kept going with the flow, writing one anonymous love letter after another. This continued until just before graduation. I didn’t want to have any regrets, so I wrote a signed love letter, intending to confess to him in person. But when I got to the classroom, I saw him kissing his new girlfriend. The girl, blushing, hid her face in his arms. He leaned back, raising an eyebrow, smiling at me. “Hey, what class are you in? My girlfriend’s shy, mind closing the door for us?” It was then I realized that with graduation so close, he didn’t even know we were in the same class, let alone my name. The next day, I waited all morning, but Jalen never showed up. I called him dozens of times, but couldn’t get through. Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore. I got up and went to his office. Only to be told Jalen hadn’t come to work. Unusual. A workaholic, not showing up for work. Who it was for was obvious. Suddenly, my phone rang. It was my best friend, Anya. The moment I answered, a furious shout came from the other end. “Luna! That bastard Jalen is cheating! I swear to God, I just saw Jalen taking some woman to an abortion clinic!” “I’m going to go kill those two lowlifes right now! How dare they do this to you!” “That cheap tramp! That disgusting jerk! I’m going to make him suffer!” Beep— Before I could utter a single word, the call disconnected. Without another thought, I quickly hailed a cab to the hospital. As soon as I reached the entrance of the Women’s Health department, I heard Anya’s booming voice. “Jalen! You’re a married man, and you’re cheating! You actually brought your mistress to get an abortion in broad daylight!” “And you, you shameless hussy, have some self-respect! You’re a homewrecker!” “Today, I’m going to make sure you two lowlifes don’t leave here alive! I hope you both rot!” “Bitch! Whore! Jalen, how could you do this to Luna after she loved you for ten years? After everything she did for you…” “Anya!” I rushed in and cut her off, pulling her away. Seeing Jalen, his face grim, holding a pale and fragile Ella, I pressed my lips together. “I’m sorry, my friend lost her temper.” Jalen’s tone was icy. “Control her. If she’s ever so careless with her words again, I won’t let it go.” With that, he picked up Ella and left. Anya’s eyes widened instantly. “Luna! Why are you apologizing to him? He’s the one who’s wrong!” I pursed my lips. “Anya, that’s Ella.” Anya froze. I told her everything, from the beginning of the reunion last night to its end. Anya listened to everything, then took a deep breath. “So, just because Ella broke up with that guy and came back from abroad, and went to a reunion, Jalen wants to divorce you?” I nodded. “Why the hell?” Anya slapped the table, her eyes blazing red. “That woman treated Jalen like dirt, then dumped him, and even hit him with her car, almost killing him. You were the one who saved him, your hand crushed and bloody, so badly you could never hold a scalpel again. You nursed him out of the hospital, stayed by his side. Why does he get to just say ‘I want a divorce’ now?” “No! I’m going to tell him! Even if you divorce, I want his conscience to be plagued with guilt.” I grabbed her arm. “Anya, it’s pointless. Now, I genuinely want this divorce. I’m done loving him.” Anya stared at me intently, as if disbelieving. After all, every time I’d said I was done loving him, I’d ended up eating my words. But this time, I was truly tired. I even felt that Jalen, well, he wasn’t all that special. After saying goodbye to Anya, I asked the nurse for Ella’s room number. As soon as I reached the door, I heard laughter from inside. “Jalen, I treated you like dirt back then, and then hit you with my ex-boyfriend in the car, and you still love me! You even divorced that good girl for me, and you’re here with me getting rid of my ex-boyfriend’s baby!” I froze, looking up at the scene inside. Jalen’s expression remained gentle as he fed her porridge, not saying a word. Ella seemed bored and leaned in to kiss him. Jalen didn’t dodge, wanting to deepen the kiss. But in the next second, Ella pulled away, her lips curled in a mocking sneer. “Jalen, you’re so pathetic!” Jalen suddenly grabbed her chin and bit her. The sound of wet kissing filled the room instantly. After who knows how long, Jalen released her, his voice slightly breathless. “Yeah, I’m pathetic! Pathetic enough to fall for you! Pathetic enough to love you year after year.” Year after year? Could a rogue like him even love? I tugged at the corner of my mouth, about to leave. Ella suddenly saw me. She hooked her arm around Jalen. “What about your good girl wife? Don’t you love her? After all, she’s liked you for ten years.” Jalen’s hoarse voice responded, “The good girl is just a stepping stone for a mess like me. Someone like you, though, you’re my perfect match.” Ella burst out laughing, then lifted her chin. “Look, your stepping stone is outside.” Jalen stiffened, turning to look at me. My nails dug into my palm as I forced a smile. “I just came to ask when you can sign the divorce papers.” “Any demands you have, feel free to make them.” Jalen handed me the documents. I flipped to the last page, signed my name, and handed it back to him with a smile. “It’s fine, you wouldn’t screw me over anyway.” Jalen looked at the woman’s smile opposite him, finding it inexplicably grating. But wasn’t this exactly what he wanted right now? A divorce, then tying himself to that rotten Ella. Jalen shook his head, about to sign his name, when his phone suddenly rang. He murmured an apology and stood up to answer it. I don’t know what was said on the other end, but his face suddenly changed, and he started to walk out. I immediately grabbed the papers and stood up, blocking his way. “Just sign, it’ll only take a few seconds.” Jalen sharply looked up, his dark eyes fixed on me. I kept smiling, maintaining my stance. He took the pen, signed his name with a flourish. “I’ve already contacted the civil affairs office. It’ll take at least seven days to get the divorce certificate.” Seven days. I silently calculated the timing for my wedding with the other man. It was enough. Back home, I immediately shipped my belongings to Emerald City. By the time I was done, it was evening. Just as I was about to rest, I received a call from the police station. “Hello, are you Mr. Jalen Bianchi’s wife? Your husband has been reported for imprisonment and assault. We’d appreciate it if you could come down to the station.” I didn’t want to go, but we weren’t officially divorced yet. Fine, one last time. When I arrived, I saw Jalen’s face was grim, and beside him sat a smirking Ella. Seeing me, an officer immediately stepped forward. “Do you know this lady? She claims Mr. Bianchi imprisoned her, that she was recaptured after escaping, and that there were attempts to assault her in the car.” Before I could speak, Jalen suddenly interjected, “She’s my fiancée. There’s no imprisonment or assault. We’re in a legitimate relationship.” With that, he suddenly pulled out a yellowed but well-preserved piece of paper. On it was Ella’s promise, written the year they first got together, right after high school graduation. He had kept it perfectly, even carried it close to his heart. It showed just how much he liked her. The officer’s eyes widened. “But isn’t Ms. Luna Carter your wife?” I gave a strained smile. “We’re already divorced. We just haven’t received the certificate yet.” In the end, it turned out to be a misunderstanding. By the time we left the police station, it was deep into the night. Jalen went to get the car. Only Ella and I remained. She looked at me, then suddenly laughed. “Luna, you haven’t changed all these years, still fawning over Jalen as always.” I said nothing. Ella continued, “Do you want to know why Jalen likes me?” She suddenly leaned closer. “Because the person he should like is you.” I froze. Ella went on, “He received so many love letters back then, but he only kept yours. At first, I didn’t know it was you who wrote them, until one time, during recess, I came back early and saw you putting a letter into his locker that was identical to the purple envelopes he kept.” “Later, after you threw that confession letter into the trash, I picked it up. On graduation day, I crossed out your name, wrote mine, and confessed to him. He agreed, even told me those letters were interesting and he liked them a lot. That’s how we got together. That wild man even settled down for me.” I stood rigid, from head to toe. Ella’s laugh grew even more arrogant. “I went through all those letters you wrote to him later. They were pretty interesting, actually. You remembered what he liked to eat, what he liked to drink, even what he did every day, like a diary. Oh, and one more thing,” “After college, you heard Jalen and I broke up, so you mustered the courage to pursue him. Too bad, he immediately sent me the chat history and asked me to reply to you on his behalf. All those ambiguous messages during those two years? I sent them, deliberately leading you on. You have no idea how much fun I had watching you dance around for me.” “Later, Jalen and I broke up and got back together repeatedly. Even during that time, reports surfaced of him with different women in hotels, and he never said a word.” “Luna, ultimately, I have to thank you. You’re the one who made a wild man settle down and fall in love with me.” I was chilled to the bone, unable to utter a single word. Just then, Ella’s eyes suddenly darkened. She grabbed my hand and slapped herself across the face. “Ah!” Before I could react, an even harder slap landed on my face. Followed by Jalen’s icy voice: “Luna, are you asking for trouble?” He didn’t ask a single question, immediately siding with Ella. Watching Ella’s triumphant smirk, I clutched my burning cheek, then took one last, long look at Jalen. “Jalen, you’re right. You truly are a jerk too.” I turned and left, packing my things as fast as I could and returning to Emerald City that very day. Three days later, I saw a wedding invitation on social media. It was for Jalen and Ella. And my wedding was on the same day as his.

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1 The moment my neighbor and supposed best friend found out I had forty-five thousand dollars loaded on my VIP spa account, she came hunting for me. “Danica, I just did the most amazing thing!” Penny burst through my front door, eyes shining with manic excitement. “I took all the stray dogs in our neighborhood for a luxury essential oil spa day!” She clapped her hands together. “Over twenty dogs. A fifteen-hundred-dollar premium package for each of them. Aren’t I just the best?” I blinked, genuinely caught off guard. Penny was the neighborhood’s resident clout-chasing saint. She loved playing the philanthropist online, but she never spent a single dime of her own money. Her entire charity model relied on guilt-tripping others into opening their wallets. Since when did she have a change of heart? Unless she used my membership card to give a pack of feral dogs a luxury blowout. I leaned back against the plush velvet of my sofa. I kept my voice entirely neutral. “Penny, did you sign my name on that service invoice?” She froze for a split second before rolling her eyes, her tone dripping with impatience. “Well, duh! If I gave them my name, they wouldn’t know who I was. Anyway, just let them deduct it from your account balance. I gotta go!” She spun on her heels, ready to strut out the door like she owned the place. I took a slow sip of my black coffee. Just a few hours ago, the receptionist at the spa had stopped her with a single question, and it had sent her into a panic. “Danica,” Penny had asked me yesterday, her voice overly casual. “How much is left on that Obsidian card of yours at the luxury spa?” I had glanced at her, my voice perfectly calm. “About forty-five thousand. Why?” Hearing that number, Penny sucked in a sharp breath. Her eyes darted around like a slot machine. “Oh my god, I always knew you were loaded! That kind of money is nothing to you. Just the price of a couple of designer bags.” She leaned in close, lowering her voice, and slapped on a look of profound, agonizing pity. “Danica, have you seen that pack of stray dogs hanging around the community park?” “They break my heart. Absolutely skin and bones. Their fur is completely matted with filth.” “Especially that little black one with the limp. The way he looked at me last night… it was like a cry for help.” Penny was notorious in our gated community. Her absolute favorite hobby was posting tragic animal rescue videos on her Instagram stories, always accompanied by three-paragraph essays about kindness and empathy. But if you actually asked her to drop ten bucks on a bag of kibble, she would suddenly have a thousand excuses. She sighed heavily, forcing her eyes to water. “I’m just too soft-hearted. I can’t stand seeing innocent creatures suffer.” “If I could just get them a full-body essential oil treatment, scrub away all those fleas and grime…” “Get them a professional groom so they look adorable. I just know they’d get adopted by good families immediately!” I set my coffee cup down on the glass table, completely unfazed. “A spa trip will definitely make them smell nice. But what strays actually need is solid food and rabies vaccines.” Penny scowled. She hated it when I ruined her aesthetic fantasies with logic. “Food and shelter are just baseline survival! They deserve dignity, Danica!” “I’ve made up my mind. Tomorrow, I’m giving them a total makeover. I’m doing something truly beautiful.” “There’s over twenty of them. This is going to be incredibly rewarding.” She was practically buzzing with excitement, clearly already picturing the viral TikTok fame and the flood of adoring comments. “Alright, I can’t waste any more time chatting. I need to map out my rescue route for tomorrow.” “Just you wait, Danica. You’re going to see me shine!” She hummed a trendy pop song and practically skipped out of my house. Sitting in my living room, the memory of that conversation felt incredibly wrong. Penny was the kind of cheapskate who would stall at the cash register of a convenience store just to force me to pay for her popsicle. There was absolutely no way she had a sudden stroke of generosity to drop tens of thousands of dollars on stray dogs out of her own pocket. And why had she specifically asked about the balance on my Obsidian card? Lumina Spa was the most exclusive, high-end grooming club in the city, catering to both elite socialites and their pampered pets. Even their most basic wash-and-fluff cost hundreds of dollars. My stomach dropped. I immediately grabbed my phone and dialed the general manager of Lumina Spa. “Harrison, what is the current payment authorization on my Obsidian card?” “Miss Montgomery,” Manager Harrison’s polite voice came through the receiver. “Your card holds our highest VIP tier. Currently, charges are authorized purely via your signature.” I let out a cold, sharp laugh. I knew it. “Change the security settings on my account immediately.” “From this second forward, a signature is no longer enough. I want dual-factor authentication enabled. Facial recognition and fingerprint scan.” Harrison paused, clearly surprised, but his impeccable customer service training kicked in instantly. “Understood, Miss Montgomery. I am updating the system parameters right now.” I looked out the window at the gathering storm clouds, my voice dropping to a serious octave. “Mark my words, Harrison. Unless I am physically standing in your lobby to approve it, absolutely no one is allowed to deduct a single cent from that account. I don’t care who they claim to be.” “You have my word,” Harrison replied with absolute gravity. “With the system locked, no one can bypass your biometric verification to access those funds.” I hung up the phone and opened Instagram. Penny’s profile picture was a heavily filtered selfie of her hugging a dirty street dog. Her bio read: Always leading with love. 2 The next morning, the moment I pulled back my curtains, I heard a massive commotion down on the street. I opened my phone. Penny had already spammed her story with ten different updates. The newest post was a live video. In the frame, she was dressed head-to-toe in pristine white designer athleisure, wearing surgical gloves and a chic black face mask. Trailing behind her was a chaotic, filthy parade of over twenty stray mutts, taking over the entire sidewalk. The caption read: An angel on earth! I couldn’t bear to see these fur babies suffer another day. Taking them all for a luxury spa experience! Praying that once they wash away the street grime, they’ll all find their forever homes! The comment section was already a waterfall of praise. “Penny is literally an angel! We don’t deserve her!” “Over twenty dogs? Omg, that must cost an absolute fortune. You are so selfless.” “Get this girl a Nobel Peace Prize right now!” Penny pinned a comment to the top of the chat, adding a prayer hands emoji. “For these babies, I’d willingly empty my bank account.” Reading that sentence made my stomach churn. The sheer audacity of this woman was mind-blowing. Her history of weaponizing morality to rob people blind was legendary in our neighborhood. Just last month, the Homeowners Association organized a fundraiser for underprivileged kids. Penny grabbed a megaphone, planted herself at the front gates, and publicly cornered Martha, the elderly woman who cleaned our community dumpsters. Martha barely made minimum wage, but Penny relentlessly bullied her into donating a full month’s paycheck. “Martha, if you just skip buying meat for a few weeks, a child in need gets to eat warm meals!” Penny had yelled through the megaphone. “How can you be so heartless?” Publicly humiliated and driven to tears, Martha ended up handing over a hundred dollars she desperately needed for rent. Meanwhile, Penny didn’t donate a single cent. Yet, because she “organized” the drive, the HOA awarded her the title of Charity Ambassador. Then there was the time Mr. Henderson’s grandson fell terribly ill. The poor old man set up a GoFundMe to cover the medical bills. Penny hijacked the link, spamming it in every group chat she could find. She demanded everyone post screenshots of their donation receipts. If anyone failed to post one, she would tag them relentlessly, calling them cold-blooded monsters. Curious, Mr. Henderson eventually checked the backend of the fundraiser. Penny’s total contribution? One single cent. When confronted, she brushed it off. “The size of the donation doesn’t matter. It’s about raising awareness.” But her absolute worst offense involved feral cats. She would trap stray cats around the neighborhood and casually toss them over the fences into the ground-floor patios of other residents. Then, she would march up to their doors and demand they purchase imported, premium cat food to feed them. Every single afternoon, she would stand outside their fences, taking pictures of the cats eating the food the homeowners bought, and post it online to harvest likes and sympathy. I locked my screen, changed into a comfortable sweater, and headed downstairs for a walk. The moment I stepped into the courtyard, I practically collided with Brenda, the community’s most vocal busybody. Brenda was dragging her oversized Poodle along on a sparkly leash. The second she saw me, her face split into a massive, gossipy grin. “Oh my goodness, Danica! Your friend Penny is an absolute saint!” She gave me a thumbs-up, her heavy makeup creasing. “I just watched her round up every single stray dog in the neighborhood.” “I heard she took them to that ultra-fancy Lumina Spa. They’re getting the premium package! That’s like, a thousand bucks a pop!” I stopped in my tracks, feigning perfect shock. “A thousand each? For almost thirty dogs, that’s thirty grand. Where on earth did she get that kind of cash?” Brenda leaned in close, lowering her voice conspiratorially. “Well, that’s the secret, isn’t it? Penny told me she wasn’t paying out of pocket.” “She said she has a filthy rich best friend who offered to fully sponsor this beautiful act of charity.” Brenda looked me up and down, a calculating gleam in her eyes. “Danica, you don’t happen to be that filthy rich best friend, do you?” I stared her down, my expression turning to ice. “I certainly don’t have that kind of money to throw around playing savior.” Brenda scoffed, clearly disappointed she didn’t get the juicy scoop she wanted. “Right, figured. You’ve always been pretty tight with your cash. You even complain about the HOA fees. You don’t have Penny’s big heart.” “But Penny swore up and down she had it in the bag today. Said she had absolute, guaranteed funding.” I didn’t bother arguing with her. I turned my back and walked straight toward the quiet gazebo by the pond. Once I sat down, I pulled out my phone and dialed Lumina Spa again. “Manager Harrison. Has anyone tried to charge my card today?” The background noise on the other end was absolute chaos. A chorus of barking and yelping echoed through the phone. “Yes, Miss Montgomery. Your associate, Penny, brought twenty-eight stray dogs into the salon. We are currently administering the premium essential oil packages.” “She claimed she had your full authorization and instructed us to bill everything to your Obsidian card.” I watched Brenda’s Poodle hike its leg against a pristine rosebush nearby. “Remember what I told you yesterday. I don’t care what she says. Without my facial recognition, you do not authorize a single dime.” Harrison’s tone was rock solid. “Rest assured. The system is entirely locked down. We only answer to your biometric approval.” 3 Penny had fired up a TikTok Live right in the middle of the luxury pet salon. Her stream title was written in massive, bold letters: Going Broke to Save the Fur Babies! Digital Angel Live Rescue. I tapped into the stream. The screen displayed a scene of absolute, chaotic opulence. Over a dozen professional groomers in sleek black uniforms were scrambling around, trying to wrangle twenty-eight feral, panicked dogs. Penny was strutting through the salon with a selfie stick, casually panning the camera over the shelves of exorbitant grooming products. “Guys, look at this! French rose absolute oil. A tiny bottle of this costs three hundred dollars alone!” “We’re only using the absolute highest tier of care for our babies today.” She shoved the camera into the face of a scruffy terrier that was currently pinned down for a massage. “Look at him! He’s melting, he feels so good.” “He used to dig through rotting trash for scraps, and today, he finally knows what it feels like to be truly loved.” The chat was exploding with adoration. “Penny is a literal goddess! I’m sobbing rn.” “This is what real charity looks like. Putting your money where your mouth is.” “Penny, you’re dropping a fortune! How are you going to pay rent?” Penny stared at her screen, letting a single, perfectly timed tear slip down her cheek. “It’s okay, guys. It’s incredibly expensive, but to give them a shot at a real home… I’ll empty my savings!” “As long as they’re clean and happy, I’ll happily eat instant ramen for the rest of the year!” I lounged sideways on my couch, watching her perform this nauseating martyrdom. A harsh laugh escaped my lips. Eat ramen? This was a girl who constantly begged me to cover the extra fifty cents on her UberEats delivery fees. After several hours of sheer pandemonium, the twenty-eight dogs were finally done. Their matted clumps of fur were now silky and blown out, the entire pack smelling like a botanical garden. Manager Harrison stepped right into the frame of her live stream, holding a sleek leather folio. “Miss Penny, the premium luxury packages for all twenty-eight dogs are complete.” “Additionally, due to several dogs becoming distressed during the bathing process, two of our imported Italian leather sofas were severely damaged.” “The total comes out to forty thousand dollars. Will you be paying by card or wire transfer?” The live chat froze completely for one agonizing second before scrolling at light speed. “FORTY THOUSAND?! That’s highway robbery!” “Penny, don’t pay that! Sue them!” But Penny didn’t flinch. In fact, a smug, triumphant smirk played on her lips. She waved her hand at the camera, playing the calm pacifier. “Everyone, relax. Lumina is an elite establishment. These are their standard rates.” “For the fur babies, this is just a drop in the bucket!” With that, she carefully propped her phone up against a display stand, making absolutely sure the camera had a clear, dramatic angle of her settling the bill. She grabbed the gold fountain pen, didn’t even glance at the itemized receipt, and flourished a dramatic signature at the bottom. Danica Montgomery. She slid the leather folio back toward Harrison, turning to deliver her heartfelt closing monologue to her viewers. “Alright guys, our massive rescue op is a wrap! Let’s get these babies home!” She took exactly two steps toward the door before Harrison’s arm shot out, blocking her path. “I apologize, Miss Penny. You cannot leave.” Penny paused, a deep, irritated frown forming on her perfectly contoured face. “Excuse me? I signed the slip. Just run the damn card.” Harrison looked down at her, his posture perfectly rigid. “System alert. Miss Danica Montgomery’s Obsidian card has been upgraded to maximum security protocol.” “A signature alone is insufficient for payment processing.” The color rapidly drained from Penny’s face. “What are you talking about? I’ve used it a million times, I just sign her name!” Harrison maintained his flawless, customer-service smile. “Current protocols require Miss Montgomery’s biometric facial recognition or fingerprint scan to complete this transaction.” “I have just sent a remote payment authorization request directly to Miss Montgomery’s mobile device.” Right on cue, my phone screen illuminated. A sleek pop-up notification from Lumina Spa appeared. Payment Request: $40,000.00. Without a millisecond of hesitation, I slammed my thumb down on the red Decline button. “I’m afraid there’s a problem, Miss Penny,” Harrison said, glancing down at his tablet. “Miss Montgomery has explicitly denied your payment request.”

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1 “Be good. When I’m back from my shift, we’re getting married.” My girlfriend was a fire captain; after seven years together, we were finally engaged. The night before our wedding, a massive fire left her severely burned. She fell into a coma after rushing into a collapsing building to save a boy. “Dylan, you’re young—don’t waste your life waiting,” her parents begged me to end it. I refused, quit my high-paying job, and cared for her day and night for three painful years. Our town called me the devoted partner of legend. Until she woke. Claiming amnesia, she remembered only Tedd, the boy she’d saved. She glared at me with suspicion, saving all her warmth for him. “Who are you? Why are you in my room?” A news alert lit my phone: her hospital discharge, live—where she proposed to Tedd. “Tedd, I want to forget the past. I only want a life with you.” I looked at her empty bed and the torn engagement agreement. With a bitter laugh, I tallied three years of medical bills, nursing fees, and lost wages, then sent her everything—itemized—with my lawyer’s note: “Captain Garrison. Seven years together, three years of care. With damages and lost income, you owe me $2.1 million. Amnesia doesn’t erase debts.” Less than ten minutes after the text was sent, my front door was practically being pounded off its hinges. I took my time finishing my morning coffee before getting up to open it. Rebecca’s entire family stood on my porch. Rebecca herself was fiercely shielding a fragile looking Tedd in her arms. “Dylan! Do you have a soul?! Rebecca just got out of the hospital and you are harassing her with this insane bill?!” Her father’s voice was shrill. He raised a hand, fully intending to slap me across the face. I did not flinch. I just tapped my phone screen to wake it up and held it in his line of sight. “Mr. Garrison, my porch cameras are rolling. I really do not mind putting you on the local evening news if you swing.” His hand froze in midair. He was shaking with blind rage. “What is this garbage you sent my daughter? Over two million dollars? Why don’t you just rob a bank!” I looked at him with dead eyes. “Robbery is a felony. Collecting a legally documented debt is not.” “Every single cent on that invoice is money I spent keeping Rebecca alive. I have the receipts.” “That includes the money I got from selling my late parents’ house, my entire life savings, and the salary I forfeited over the last three years.” “You are full of shit!” Mr. Garrison pointed a trembling finger at me. “You took care of her voluntarily! Now that she is awake, you are trying to extort us!” Right on cue, Tedd put on a masterclass in playing the victim. He gently tugged at Rebecca’s sleeve, looking up with wide, innocent eyes. “Rebecca, maybe Dylan is just confused. That is so much money. How could we ever pay that back?” Rebecca finally spoke. The way she looked at me was like she was scraping dirt off her shoe. She actually thought I was using this as a pathetic excuse to win her back. I chuckled. “Captain Garrison, the invoice is crystal clear. 2.1 million. I am not negotiating a single penny.” “This condo you are living in. You paid the down payment, but I paid the mortgage entirely by myself for the last three years. We can value it at 200,000 dollars to offset your tab.” “That leaves 1.9 million. You have exactly three days.” “Dylan!” Mrs. Garrison shrieked. “Do not push us! Rebecca does not even remember who you are. What is the point of stalking her like this?” “I am not stalking anyone. I am collecting what I am owed.” I leaned against the doorframe, taking in the pathetic sight of this family. “Oh, I almost forgot to mention. When we bought this place, Rebecca insisted my name go on the deed. So I am going to need you all to get the hell out of my house.” Mr. Garrison’s face turned the color of a bruised plum. “You calculating bastard! You planned this all along!” He lunged at me. I was ready. I sidestepped smoothly. He missed entirely and slammed shoulder first into the wall. Rebecca instantly caught her dad, steadying him before whipping her head to glare at me. Her voice was thick with suppressed fury. “Dylan, do you really have to be this ruthless?” Looking at her acting like a human shield for her family and her little boy toy, I realized my entire youth had been a complete joke. “Ruthless? I could never compete with you, Captain.” “If I do not see the money in three days, you will be hearing from a judge.” I did not wait for a response. I slammed the door right in their faces. I could hear Mr. Garrison cursing and Tedd whimpering outside. It was just white noise to me now. 2 I walked into the bedroom and opened the closet. My tailored wedding suit was still hanging there in its plastic cover. I grabbed the hanger, ripped it down, and tossed the whole thing into the trash can. First thing the next morning, I booked a real estate agent for a viewing. The apartment was in a prime location with high end renovations. It was going to sell fast. The agent had barely left when my phone rang. It was Rebecca. “Dylan, are you really selling the house?” Her voice sounded exhausted. “What else would I do? Keep it as a honeymoon suite for you and Tedd?” Silence hung heavy on the line. “I will figure out the money. But you cannot sell that house. My dad…” “Your dad picked it out, I know,” I cut her off. “But I paid the mortgage, and my name is on the deed. Legally and morally, it belongs to me.” “What do you actually want from me?” “I want my money.” I hung up. I was done wasting my breath on her. That afternoon, while I was packing my boxes, the doorbell rang again. I assumed it was the Garrison family back for round two. When I opened the door, I found Tedd standing there alone. His eyes were bloodshot. He looked like a fragile, shivering puppy. “Dylan,” he said timidly. I blocked the doorway, making it absolutely clear he was not stepping inside. “What do you want?” “I came to apologize on behalf of Rebecca.” His eyes welled up with tears on command. “She does not mean to be cruel. She is just sick. She does not remember anything. Please do not blame her.” “And your point is?” “We really cannot afford that kind of money.” He bit his lower lip, looking like he was about to shatter into a million pieces. “Dylan, I know you suffered a lot over the past three years. I want to thank you for taking care of her. Could you please give us more time? Or maybe, ask for a little less?” “Every cent I spent is meticulously documented. The emotional distress and lost wages were calculated by a professional attorney. Which exact charge do you feel is unreasonable?” Tedd went pale. “That is not what I meant. I just feel like, considering our shared history…” A sharp voice cut him off before he could finish. “Tedd!” Rebecca came storming out of the elevator. She grabbed Tedd and pulled him behind her back, glaring at me like I was a predator. “Why are you bothering him again? I told you never to see him alone!” Tedd shook his head, looking pitiful. “Rebecca, I just wanted to talk things out with Dylan. I hate seeing you so stressed.” Rebecca gently stroked his hair, her eyes softening for a second before snapping back to me, cold and hard. “Dylan, I am warning you. Do not touch him.” I actually laughed out loud. “Rebecca, did you forget that I dragged you back from the gates of hell three years ago?” “Now you are taking my money to fund your little boy toy, and you have the nerve to warn me?” That hit a raw nerve. Her face contorted. “That fire… I am incredibly sorry. But I did not choose for this to happen.” “But you chose to forget me. And you chose him. Right?” She did not answer, but her dead silence was all the confirmation I needed. Peeking out from behind her shoulder, Tedd flashed me a smug, victorious little smirk. It finally clicked. Some people were just born to be Oscar worthy actors. “Alright.” I nodded slowly. “Then we have nothing left to say.” “Captain Garrison, my patience has run out. I want that money by noon tomorrow.” But I severely underestimated the absolute shamelessness of her family. The next day, instead of a wire transfer, I got a mob. A whole group of people claiming to be Rebecca’s relatives barricaded my front door. They were holding up giant vinyl banners. Ungrateful Gold Digger! Give Our Niece Her Blood Money Back! 3 Neighbors started poking their heads out of their doors, whispering and pointing at me. The ringleader was Rebecca’s loudmouthed aunt, Martha. “Come look at this monster, everyone! This man scammed my poor niece out of her apartment!” “Now that she has amnesia, he is throwing her out on the street and extorting her for two million dollars!” “My niece is a decorated hero! She almost died saving a child from a fire, and this vulture is trying to bleed her dry!” I leaned casually inside my doorway, watching their little theater production with cold amusement. Mr. Garrison stood at the back of the crowd, looking deeply aggrieved, occasionally wiping away invisible tears. Tedd was conveniently absent. I guessed a trashy hallway protest did not fit his delicate aesthetic. “Dylan! Open this door! Give the house back to Rebecca!” Aunt Martha started hammering her fists against the wood. I pulled out my phone and dialed the building’s management office. “Security? I have a mob trespassing and harassing me at my private residence. I need them cleared out immediately.” A few minutes later, a squad of security guards rushed out of the elevator. Seeing the uniforms, Aunt Martha dialed the drama up to eleven. She threw herself onto the hallway carpet, slapping her thighs and wailing at the top of her lungs. “There is no justice in this world! He steals our money and now he is calling the thugs to beat us!” The guards looked completely lost, unsure how to handle a shrieking older woman rolling on the floor. I calmly pulled out a photocopy of my property deed and handed it to the head of security. “I am the sole legal owner of this unit. These people are trespassing and actively committing slander.” “If you cannot remove them, I will call the police and let them drag them out in handcuffs.” The head guard glanced at the deed, then looked at the thrashing Aunt Martha. He made his choice. He barked into his radio. Backup arrived quickly, and they physically dragged the screaming relatives toward the freight elevator. The world finally went quiet. I shut my door. My phone immediately buzzed. It was Rebecca. “Did my aunt go to your house?” “She did. Quite the spectacle. If I did not know better, I would have thought I dug up your family graves,” I replied flatly. “I am sorry. I had no idea they were going to do that.” “Is an apology supposed to fix this?” She fell silent. “Dylan, please. Can we negotiate the money? I literally cannot produce 2.1 million.” “How about this? I will give you 500,000 dollars, and you keep the apartment. We call it even.” I laughed bitterly. “Rebecca, are you trying to tip a homeless man?” “My ten years of loyalty are only worth 500k to you?” “That is not what I meant…” “That is exactly what you meant,” I cut her off, my voice dropping to a freezing temperature. “Do not try to haggle with me again. I will see you in court.” I hung up and permanently blocked every single one of her numbers. That night, while I was taping up the last cardboard box, a photo message came through from an unknown number. I opened it. It was a candid shot of Rebecca and Tedd dining at an ultra exclusive rooftop restaurant. In the photo, Rebecca was gently wiping a smudge of sauce from the corner of Tedd’s mouth. They were gazing into each other’s eyes, sickeningly sweet. Below the image was a text. Dylan, Rebecca just told me that her biggest blessing in life was waking up without her memories, because I was the first face she saw. She said she is treating the past like nothing but a bad nightmare. I stared at the glowing screen for a long time. Then, with total detachment, I deleted the thread. The very next morning, my attorney officially filed the lawsuit. The Garrison family received their court summons almost immediately. Since Rebecca couldn’t get through my blocked list, her parents started blowing up my phone. I ignored every single call. Then the text messages started pouring in. At first, they were full of vicious insults. Then came the guilt trips. Finally, they resorted to begging. Dylan, please let us sit down and talk. Taking this to court will ruin everyone. I replied with exactly three words. Pay your debt. They did not text back. Two days later, Mrs. Higgins, an older neighbor from our community, called me. She sounded incredibly hesitant. “Dylan, honey, I heard about the mess with Rebecca. Her parents are going around the neighborhood dragging your name through the mud. They are telling everyone you are a greedy monster stealing from a wounded hero.” “I know.” “Are you just going to let them…” “Mrs. Higgins, I appreciate you looking out for me, but I really do not care what they say.” Anyone who had eyes knew exactly how I had spent the last three years. When Rebecca was first hospitalized, the doctors handed me critical condition notices multiple times. I was the one who dropped to my knees in the ICU hallway, begging the surgeons not to give up on her. I was the one who slept in a plastic chair for 24 hours a day. I sponge bathed her, rotated her body to prevent bedsores, and massaged her limbs to stop her muscles from dying. When she lost control of her bodily functions, I cleaned up the mess time and time again without a single word of complaint. Back then, her parents had begged me to leave, crying that they did not want to ruin my life. Back then, everyone in the neighborhood called me a saint. But now? Now that she was awake and claimed she had forgotten me, they flipped the script. They painted me as a venomous gold digger. Human nature was terrifyingly cold. I hung up the phone and plugged in a dusty external hard drive I had not touched in weeks. It held my entire life over the past three years. Every medical receipt, every hospital bill, every video recording I took to monitor her physical therapy progress. I selected one specific video, clipped a thirty second segment, and posted it to my social media feed. In the video, Rebecca was lying in the ICU, hooked up to a dozen breathing tubes. I was carefully using a wet cotton swab to moisten her severely cracked lips. My face was in the frame, gaunt and exhausted, with bruised, purple bags under my eyes from sleep deprivation. The caption was simple. A three year nightmare is finally over. I did not name anyone, but everyone who knew us knew exactly what it meant. My feed exploded within minutes. The same people who had been whispering behind my back were suddenly flooding my inbox. Dylan, what is going on? Did Rebecca do something to you?! I did not reply to a single one. Let the bullets fly a little longer.

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My stutter kept me in a car repair shop for five years. The only person who truly listened to me was my girlfriend of five years, Anna, who lived with me in the run-down city block. To deliver a smooth speech at our wedding, I practiced talking every day with a pebble under my tongue. The day I finally stopped stuttering, I was waxing a car, my mind consumed with images of my wedding to Anna. Suddenly, an arrogant male voice cut through my thoughts: “Hey Stutter Boy, is my car fixed?” It was the owner, here to pick up his car. I gave a strained smile and handed him the keys. As he raised his hand, the diamond watch on his wrist glinted, hurting my eyes. He tossed a stack of hundred-dollar bills on the ground, glancing at me. “Keep the change. My wife’s coming to pick me up.” As I bent to pick up the money, a pair of familiar white stilettos entered my field of vision. “Honey, that half-million dollar limited edition sports watch you mentioned, they have it in stock today.” I instinctively looked up. The moment my eyes met hers, the banknotes scattered from my fingertips. It was Anna, who always claimed to be allergic to motor oil, and had never once set foot in the auto repair shop where I worked. 1 Anna’s gaze lingered on me for barely a second before shifting back to the young man. “There, there, darling. Your wife will get you a year-long membership here.” Dean, with his arms around her, chuckled. “Honey, he’s such a stutterer. He sounds so silly and clumsy when he talks.” Anna giggled, ruffling the boy’s hair. “No one’s as witty as my baby. You’re the biggest chatterbox.” He leaned down and kissed Anna’s forehead, then looked at me with a smirk. “Stutter Boy, why are you always so grimy? Guess you’re only good for dealing with car parts.” My fists clenched tightly, my throat bobbed twice, but I said nothing. Compared to him, I certainly looked grimy. To earn enough for a down payment as quickly as possible, I worked from six in the morning until midnight every day. The broken-down cars in the shop were tough to fix, and I often got scratched and bruised by metal parts, always gritting my teeth to get the job done. Marrying Anna was my most steadfast goal for the past five years. In the five years we’d been together, I only had two pairs of worn-out work clothes to rotate, so I naturally looked rough. “I—” I had just started to question Anna, when her hand slamming a bank card onto the counter interrupted me. “My husband says you’re silly when you talk, so just keep quiet.” “There’s ten thousand in this card. From now on, you’re responsible for servicing his car.” Through the blurry vision in front of me, I thought I saw Anna from when we first got together. Back then, I was so self-conscious I dared not enter stores, afraid people would disdain me for my stutter. She was the one who encouraged me, often patiently listening to me practice speaking for an hour or two, never once showing impatience. Because of her, I found the courage to get a job, and first understood what it felt like to be cherished. But now, she said I was silly when I talked, telling me to keep quiet. I swallowed the bitterness in my throat and nodded. The raw wound under my tongue, chafed by the pebble, throbbed faintly, but it was nothing compared to the dull ache in my heart. Dean looked at his custom shirt, stained with motor oil, frowning and pouting. “Honey, look, this car got oil all over me.” “This shirt is a new limited edition, cost tens of thousands, and now I can’t even wear it.” Anna smiled, leaning in to rub his neck, her voice full of indulgence. “It’s okay. You’re handsome no matter what you wear. I’ll buy you new ones.” The boy pouted, then, wrapping his arm around Anna, he headed out. I stood rooted to the spot, uncontrollably shivering. For five years, before going home, I would shower and change clothes at the shop, terrified of carrying even a hint of gasoline smell. All because Anna said she was allergic to motor oil. A year ago, I was so tired I missed a tiny oil stain on my cuff. Anna saw it and immediately her face fell, she grabbed my blanket, took it to the sofa, then closed the bedroom door. That night, I curled up on the sofa and slept, the next day, I spiked a 104-degree fever. I looked at my faded, twenty-dollar work clothes, and suddenly forced a bitter smile. Laughing at my own foolishness, my own naivety. Turns out, Anna wasn’t allergic to motor oil, she was allergic to me. And in her eyes, I only deserved to wear twenty-dollar clothes. My phone rang. It was a message from Anna. The message was short, just like every other reply from her. [Don’t overthink it. I’ll explain tonight when I get back. Dean is only eighteen, you’d best not say too much in front of him.] Something inside me snapped. Anna, who at 22 told me she’d always listen to me. Anna, who at 24 said she’d marry no one but me. Anna, who at 26 held me and said I was the love of her life. The Anna I knew, she was dead. 2 I dragged my heavy feet out of the shop gate, for the first time, not staying to work overtime. The previously clear sky suddenly opened up with a heavy rain, the icy water drenching me to the bone. I had no umbrella. As I walked home through the downpour, a honk sounded behind me. A Bentley pulled up beside me, the window slowly rolling down. It was Anna. She looked at me, her expression somewhat complicated. “Where are you going? I can give you a ride.” I opened my mouth, about to speak, when Dean, in the passenger seat, stopped her. “Honey, just give him an umbrella.” “Look how dirty he is. What if he messes up our car?” I watched her wavering gaze, saying nothing, like waiting for a verdict whose outcome I already knew. A black umbrella extended from the car, then splat, fell into the mud. Anna turned, placing a kiss on Dean’s forehead. “I’ll listen to my husband. Your wife will take you to buy a watch.” I watched the receding car, my hands trembling as I pulled out my old phone, typing word by word. [Anna, let’s break up.] A sharp screech of brakes suddenly tore through the air. “Look out!” I was violently struck, my body lunging forward and falling to the ground. Warm blood trickled from my forehead, seeping through my lips into my mouth, the metallic taste spreading in my throat. An older woman climbed down from a three-wheeled vehicle, looking at me frantically. “You can’t blame me for this. Blame yourself for being an idiot and not getting out of the way.” She tossed fifty dollars onto me. “Fifty bucks is enough, right? Don’t be so young and try to fake an accident in the middle of the road. You might shorten your life.” I lay helplessly in the mud, passersby cast curious glances, but no one came to help me. I felt like I was back five years ago, being ostracized by everyone in my class. After the accident, I frantically searched my phone contacts, unable to find a single person to ask for help. Five years ago, Anna walked up to me and extended her hand. I looked up at her, meeting a familiar smile. I gently placed my hand in hers, and she pulled hard. I thought she had pulled me out of the mire. That umbrella not far away, mud splattered, leaving mottled marks on its black surface. I was like that umbrella, easily tossed from her car window, covered in mud. I’ve forgotten how I managed to pick myself up and walk home. I only remember Anna returning home at dawn that day, reeking of perfume. She saw my state and scoffed. “Found out I have money, so you’re using a pity play to get sympathy?” “Arthur Bradbury, I never knew you were so scheming.” I said nothing, simply throwing the car service card heavily onto the table in front of her. Anna picked it up, her delicate brows arching. “Arthur, ten thousand dollars would take you three months to earn.” “You should be grateful for what I give you.” “After all, without me, you would have died in that car crash five years ago.” Seeing the wound on my forehead, her tone softened slightly. “The past five years were just a test for you, Arthur. Congratulations, you passed.” “I’m actually the eldest daughter of the Sterling family in the capital, and I’ll be the future CEO of Sterling Corp.” She stepped forward, wanting to put an arm around my shoulder, but her fingers had barely touched my jacket when I avoided her touch. “Dean is just my arranged marriage partner, and you, you’re my lover.” I turned my head away, my voice a little hoarse from the injury, and with a slight stutter. “You mean, Dean will be your public husband?” Anna hesitated, then nodded. “Husband is just a title. As long as you know in your heart that I only love you, that’s enough.” I looked directly into her eyes and said, “What if I say, I want that title?” 3 Anna’s face instantly drained of color, and she sharply pulled her hand back. I stumbled slightly, then regained my footing, but she merely looked down at me from her superior height. “Arthur Bradbury, you’re a stutterer, with no money, no power, no family. Don’t dream of things that don’t belong to you.” “I can give you my love, but my husband can only be Dean.” I tightened my fingers, my nails digging deep into my palm, a sharp pain spreading from my arm throughout my body. I looked at Anna. Her face was still the same, yet I felt like I was looking at a complete stranger. I knew, she was no longer the Anna who would massage my shoulders after I finished fixing a car. She was the high and mighty Ms. Sterling, and I was merely a plaything for her to experience life while pretending to be poor. Anna’s phone suddenly rang. She answered it, a gentle smile spreading across her face. “Dean, I’ll be right back. Don’t be afraid, your wife will protect you forever.” She hung up the phone. Her gaze turned to me, becoming impatient again. “Stop messing around. Dean has nightmares if I leave him at night. You sleep alone tonight.” The door closed. I sat alone in the empty room all night, not shedding a single tear. The next day, I still put on my faded work clothes, and forced myself to the auto repair shop. Dean was already there, a modified off-road motorcycle parked at his feet. He saw me, a triumphant smirk on his face. “Hey Stutter Boy, I’ve brought you a big job, specially.” He kicked the motorcycle’s tire, his tone provocative. “Take this bike apart and put it back together for me. Finish it, and I’ll give you ten grand!” I looked at the illegally modified motorcycle, its wiring completely messed up, and took a step back. “This bike is dangerous. I won’t fix it.” But the shop manager, at that moment, fawned over Dean, pushing me forward. “Mr. Dean, don’t listen to this stutterer’s nonsense. We’ll definitely take this job.” He lowered his voice, threatening me in my ear. “If you don’t take this job, you can forget about this month’s salary.” This month’s salary would complete the down payment for the house. I gritted my teeth and nodded. Dean grinned triumphantly, and as he passed me, he whispered, “I know you’ve been with Anna for five years. But you, a stuttering mechanic, do you really deserve her?” I said nothing, took the tools, and walked over to the motorcycle. Just as I was about to inspect the wiring, the motorcycle’s battery suddenly short-circuited, sparking. The blast of air instantly knocked me off my feet, and flying metal shards savagely embedded themselves in my arm. Excruciating pain hit me. My vision went black, and I fell unconscious. In the last second before my consciousness faded, I saw Anna rushing in. When I awoke, the hospital’s stark white assaulted my eyes. Anna’s voice, clearly annoyed, came from outside the door. “You only told me you were playing a joke on Arthur, but now you’ve hurt him so badly.” “The doctor says the scar on his arm won’t go away, Dean. You’ve gone too far.” Dean complained indignantly. “I was just jealous. Sister Anna is mine!” “Why does he get to be with you for so long!” “We’re getting engaged soon. I just wanted to teach him a lesson, so he wouldn’t dare cling to you anymore!” Silence fell outside for a moment, followed by Anna’s helpless sigh. Expressionless, I pulled out my phone and called my sister. “Sis, I want to come home.” My sister’s familiar voice came from the other end. “It’s good that you’ve come to your senses. Wait there, I’ll be right there to pick you up.”

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When I checked out of my hotel, the receptionist handed me two invoices. The first was for eight hundred dollars—the cost of my own room. The second invoice was for thirty-eight thousand dollars. “Mr. Lin, this is the final balance for the fifty-two suites your wife booked for your wedding party. She said you would be settling the bill.” The receptionist offered a polite, professional smile. Her voice carried, and absolutely everyone in the hotel lobby heard her. I stared at the two pieces of paper resting side by side on the marble counter. One standard room. My room. One luxury presidential suite, quantity: 52. The problem? I was single. I did not have a wife. And I absolutely had not hosted a wedding. “I am not married. Whoever booked this, you need to find them.” I grabbed the handle of my suitcase, ready to walk away. But the receptionist raised her voice, stopping me in my tracks. “Mr. Lin, you had the money to throw a massive wedding, but you do not have the money to pay the final bill?” Every single guest waiting in the checkout line turned to look at me. People started whispering to each other. I did not waste my breath arguing. I pulled out my phone and dialed immediately. “Hello, I need police assistance at the Grand Horizon Hotel. A receptionist is attempting to extort thirty-eight thousand dollars from me.” “Also, please contact the local Consumer Protection Bureau. This hotel is engaging in aggressive, fraudulent billing practices.” 1 I frowned at the receptionist and pushed the invoice back across the counter. “I did not get married. I did not book these rooms. Why would I pay for this?” Her professional smile did not waver. “You are Mr. Nick Lin, correct?” “Yes.” She continued smoothly, “You stayed in room 1806 for the past three nights, correct?” “Yes.” My frown deepened. I despised having my personal information broadcasted in public. Still smiling, she slid the invoice back toward me. “Then there is no mistake. This is your wedding banquet bill. Look, your wife even left a handwritten note and signature for you!” I looked down at the scribbled handwriting at the bottom of the page. Hubby, I am taking our relatives back to our hometown first. Do not forget to pay the final balance! — Chloe. My face darkened. “I do not know anyone named Chloe.” “I do not have a wife.” The receptionist’s smile slipped slightly, replaced by a tone of exasperated patience. “Mr. Lin, we are only asking you to pay because of your wife’s explicit instructions.” “Your family booked dozens of rooms for your relatives to attend your wedding. Now you are suddenly claiming you do not have a wife? That is a very low blow.” The crowd around the front desk was growing by the minute. I was trapped in the center of a very public spectacle. “If Chloe left the note, then you can wait for Chloe to come back and pay it.” Her tone remained strictly professional. “Mr. Lin, it is not our place to get involved in your domestic disputes.” “But taking out your marital anger on our hotel by refusing to pay is unacceptable.” I let out a cold laugh. “You keep insisting I threw a wedding at this hotel. Where is the proof?” “Who did you communicate with? Who organized the logistics?” Her smile stiffened. “Your wife coordinated everything with us. She wanted to handle the details so you would not be stressed.” I stared at her, deadpan. “I am a tourist visiting this city alone. I have never been married.” A mocking edge crept into her voice. “Mr. Lin, you are trying very hard to deny this. Could it be that you have someone else in your life who cannot know you are married?” The moment she said that, the crowd in the lobby erupted into loud murmurs. A middle-aged man standing behind me shot me a look of pure disgust. “No wonder he is fighting it so hard. Sounds like he has a mistress he is trying to hide.” The receptionist maintained her perfect posture, though her smile was now laced with open irritation. “Mr. Lin, stalling is not going to make this go away.” She tapped her manicured fingernail against the thirty-eight-thousand-dollar invoice. A rhinestone on her nail caught the lobby lights, flashing obnoxiously. “Your wife left explicit instructions. We are simply following our client’s orders.” I looked at her. “This Chloe woman. Have you actually met her?” She paused for a second. “Of course I have. She booked the rooms in person. I handled her reservation myself.” “What does she look like?” She thought for a moment. “Pretty tall. Around five-foot-five. She was wearing a white summer dress.” “How old?” “Early thirties, maybe.” “Did you scan her ID?” “Obviously. Our hotel requires real-name registration for all bookings.” “Then pull up her ID profile and let me see it.” The receptionist’s smile vanished completely. “Mr. Lin, that would be a violation of guest privacy…” “You just spent ten minutes screaming that she is my wife. How is looking at my own wife’s ID a privacy violation?” She choked on her words, completely stumped. When she finally looked at me again, her tone had turned ice cold. “Mr. Lin, this little game is getting old.” “If you do not pay that bill today, you are not leaving this lobby.” 2 I leaned against the marble counter, staring her down. “Are you threatening me?” “I have never been married. I do not know a Chloe. I never hosted a wedding, and I never invited any relatives.” “Whoever paid you the deposit is the person you need to chase for the balance.” The receptionist, whose name tag read Sarah, finally dropped the polite act. Her mouth pulled into a tight line. “Mr. Lin, let me be completely honest with you.” “When Ms. Chloe booked these rooms, she provided your exact name and phone number.” “She told us you were the groom. She said that after the wedding, she needed to escort her elderly relatives back to her hometown, and that you would settle the final bill.” “She said you two had agreed on this arrangement.” “We approved the payment plan as a courtesy to our VIP clients.” “The wedding happened. The rooms were used. Now you are trying to dine and dash. Do you really think you can get away with this?” I kept my eyes locked on hers and took a slow, deep breath. “Fine. Tell me exactly what day this supposed wedding took place.” “The day before yesterday.” “Which banquet hall?” “The Grand Ballroom on the third floor.” “How many guests attended?” “Over two hundred.” “What color was the bride’s dress?” Sarah frowned deeply. “How am I supposed to remember that?” “You just said you coordinated everything with her. You handled a two-hundred-person wedding, and you do not remember what color the bride was wearing?” Sarah opened her mouth, then snapped it shut. The people waiting in line behind me were getting restless. “Can we speed this up?” a man yelled from the back. “I have a train to catch!” A woman whispered to her friend, “That poor guy. His wife runs off right after the wedding and leaves him drowning in debt.” “Poor? He is just trying to skip out on the bill! Thirty-eight grand is a lot of money.” “Still, you cannot just rob a hotel.” The gossip buzzed in the air like a swarm of angry bees. I glanced over my shoulder. There were about seven or eight people in my line. Some were scrolling on their phones, some were staring at me like I was a zoo animal, and others were actively debating my morals. Right behind me was a guy in a tracksuit, gripping two massive suitcases, looking furious at the delay. Next to him was an older woman with a tight perm. She was looking at me like I was a deadbeat son-in-law. “Young man, you need to be reasonable,” she scolded loudly. “Your wife planned the wedding. She booked the hotel. You cannot just refuse to pay because you two had a little lovers’ spat.” I looked her dead in the eye. “Ma’am, I do not know who that woman is.” “Oh, please! If she does not know you, how did she know your exact name?” “That is exactly what I would like to know.” The older woman shook her head in disgust, muttering about how irresponsible men were these days. Seeing that the crowd was on her side, Sarah’s tone softened, playing the victim. “Mr. Lin, look around. Everyone is watching.” “Making a massive scene is only going to embarrass you further.” “How about this? You pay half the bill now, and we will contact Ms. Chloe for the rest?” I almost laughed out loud. “Why on earth would I pay half?” “I am not married. I am not paying a single dime for a wedding I did not have.” Sarah sighed heavily, like a tired mother dealing with a spoiled toddler. “Mr. Lin, you keep claiming you are not married. Can you prove it?” The lobby went dead silent. I stared at her. “Prove that I am not married?” “Exactly.” Sarah smiled, a smug, victorious gleam in her eyes. “You see? You cannot prove a negative.” “Our hotel operates on hard evidence.” “Ms. Chloe provided your name and phone number. We verified your ID at check-in, and it was a perfect match.” “The wedding happened. The suites were occupied.” “And now you think you can just say ‘I am not married’ and walk away free?” “Mr. Lin, the real world does not work like that.” Looking at her arrogant smirk, it suddenly hit me. She was gambling. She was betting that I would be too embarrassed by the public humiliation and would just pay the thirty-eight grand to save face. It was pure profit for them. And if I refused, she would rally the entire lobby into believing I was a scumbag fraud. It was a classic trap. I pulled my suitcase closer, locked the wheels, and sat down right on top of it. “Alright. Then I will wait.” Sarah blinked, caught off guard. “Wait for what?” I pulled out my phone and held it up. “I just called the cops. I am waiting for them to arrive so I can report a thirty-eight-thousand-dollar extortion ring at the Grand Horizon Hotel.” 3 The smug confidence on Sarah’s face cracked. “Mr. Lin, what are you doing?” “Do you really think calling the cops means you can skip out on your bill?” Her voice wavered, but she was trying desperately to maintain control. I flashed her a dark smile. “I guess we will find out when they get here.” A sharp snort of laughter broke the tension. It came from a young guy wearing headphones standing a few spots back in line. He glanced at me, realized everyone was looking, and quickly pretended to be fascinated by his phone. Sarah glared at him before taking a sharp, hissing breath. “Mr. Lin, do you really think this is a game?” “Do you think sitting on your luggage like a child is going to solve your financial problems?” I looked up at her from my suitcase. “Do you think forcing a thirty-eight-thousand-dollar fake invoice on me is going to solve yours?” Sarah’s expression hardened into pure granite. She turned to the junior receptionist working next to her. “Go get me a glass of water.” The younger girl scrambled away immediately. Sarah leaned against the front desk, crossed her arms over her chest, and glared down at me. “Mr. Lin, I have been working in hospitality for eight years.” “I have seen every type of scammer walk through those doors.” “People who dine and dash. People who claim their wallets were stolen. People who pretend to have amnesia.” “But a man who denies the existence of his own wife over a hotel bill? You are a first for me.” I laughed. “And this is a first for me. A hotel that assigns me a wife just to extort thirty-eight grand.” Sarah’s face flushed dark red. “Mr. Lin, you need to watch your mouth. Do not make accusations you cannot back up with evidence.” “Show me your evidence, then.” “Ms. Chloe’s ID registration, the wedding photos, the banquet catering receipts, the liquor tab, and your check-in logs for room 1806. I can pull all of it up.” The lobby fell into a tense, agonizing silence. People in line started giving up. A few moved to the other receptionist’s desk. Others walked over to the velvet sofas to sit down and watch the drama unfold. Sarah stood behind the counter, aggressively tapping her manicured nails against the marble. I sat on my suitcase, checking my phone. It had been almost twenty minutes since she handed me the insane invoice. No new messages. I scrolled through my contacts and stopped on my mom’s number. I hesitated, then locked my screen. If my mom found out about this, she would be so furious she would probably book the next flight down here just to scream at the manager. Better to handle this myself. Sarah suddenly reached into a drawer and pulled out a piece of paper, sliding it across the counter. “Mr. Lin. Look at this. This is a photocopy of Ms. Chloe’s ID.” I took it. It was a standard black-and-white photocopy of a driver’s license. Name: Chloe Jenkins. The photo showed a woman with a bob haircut, a round face, and thick eyebrows. She looked to be in her early thirties. The address listed was from a completely different state. I stared at it for a second before sliding it back. “Never seen her in my life.” Sarah’s patience completely evaporated. “Mr. Lin!” My patience was gone, too. I cut her off, my voice dropping to a low, dangerous warning. “We will wait for the cops. When they get here, you pull out your evidence, and I will pull out mine.” “If the cops say I owe the money, I will wire it to your account on the spot.” “But if the cops say I do not owe you a single cent, you are going to stand in the middle of this lobby and publicly apologize to me.” Sarah checked her phone. Suddenly, she looked up at me and smiled. It was a cold, victorious smirk. “Mr. Lin. You are not going anywhere.” My stomach dropped slightly. “What does that mean?” Sarah picked up the desk phone and dialed an internal extension. “Chloe? Are you here yet?” She hung up and looked right at me. “Like I said, Mr. Lin. You are paying this bill today, whether you want to or not.” From the long, carpeted hallway behind me, I heard the sharp, rhythmic clicking of high heels against the marble floor. Click. Click. Click. 4 “Sarah? What is going on?” I did not turn around, but out of the corner of my eye, I saw a slender silhouette step out from behind one of the lobby’s massive pillars. It was a woman. Her voice was low, carrying a slight out-of-state accent. Sarah looked at her, then pointed straight at me. “Chloe. Your husband is refusing to pay the bill.” The woman turned to look at me. Her eyes lingered on my face for exactly two seconds. Then, she smiled. It was a completely natural, exasperated smile. The exact kind of smile a wife gives a stubborn, misbehaving husband. “Nick, stop throwing a tantrum.” She walked right up to me and reached for the handle of my suitcase. “Let’s go home.” I took a sharp step back, pulling my luggage with me. “Do not touch me.” Her hand hovered in midair. She blinked in surprise, then let out a heavy, long-suffering sigh. “Nick, I know you are mad at me.” “But my parents are old. They cannot handle a long train ride. I had to drive them and the relatives back home. It was the right thing to do.” “We are married now. All of my savings are tied up in the joint account for the house down payment. Just pay the hotel, and we can go home and talk.” Her acting was flawless. It was so terrifyingly sincere that if I did not know for an absolute fact I had never met her, I might have actually believed her. “Who are you?” I asked sharply. She frowned, looking genuinely hurt. “Nick, you…” “Do not call me Nick.” “I do not know who you are.” She looked at Sarah and gave a helpless, bitter laugh. “See, Sarah? I told you he was just throwing a fit.” Sarah immediately played along, sighing loudly. “Chloe, you cannot really blame him. You left the groom all alone right after the wedding. Any man would be furious.” “I did not have a choice! My side of the family is huge, and my mom insisted I escort them personally.” “You should have communicated better with your husband.” “I tried! I left him a note, I called his cell a dozen times, but he refused to pick up.” The two of them bounced lines off each other like a perfectly rehearsed Broadway script. I looked back and forth between them. It was almost hilarious how insane this was. “Are you two done with the performance?” Sarah turned to me, plastering that fake, professional customer service smile back on her face. “Mr. Lin. Look. Your wife drove all the way back here just to sort this out. If you two have marital issues, please discuss them privately. Do not cause a scene in our lobby.” I stared at the woman claiming to be Chloe. “You are saying you are my wife?” “Yes.” “When did we get married?” “The day before yesterday.” “Where?” “Right here. The Grand Horizon Hotel. Third floor, Grand Ballroom.” “How many guests?” “Two hundred and thirty.” “Were my parents there?” Chloe paused for a fraction of a second. “Of course they were. Your mom, your dad, my parents. Everyone was there.” “What is my mother’s name?” Chloe opened her mouth, but nothing came out. “You married me, but you do not know my mother’s name?” Chloe’s expression hardened. Her eyes narrowed, and her voice dropped to a scolding whisper. “Nick, what exactly are you trying to pull here?” “I asked you a question. What is my mother’s name?” “You are legally my wife, and you do not know your own mother-in-law’s name?” She instantly reverted back to playing the exhausted, victimized wife. “Nick, if you are going to act like a child, I cannot help you.” “I drove all the way to my hometown, dropped off my family, and drove straight back here because I knew you would struggle to handle this alone.” “And you choose to humiliate me in public like this?” “How am I supposed to look these people in the eye?” She spun around, facing the crowd of guests who were still watching the drama unfold. “I am so sorry, everyone. My husband is just acting out. I am sorry we are holding up the line.” Right on cue, the peanut gallery chimed in. “Honey, do not argue with him when he is angry. Just let him cool off,” a woman yelled. “Yeah, men just need their egos stroked. He will get over it,” another chimed in. “Honestly, leaving your husband alone on your wedding night? No wonder he is throwing a tantrum.” Chloe offered the crowd a tragic, apologetic smile. “I know, I know. It is entirely my fault.” She turned back to me, making her voice soft and pleading. “Nick. Stop making a scene. Let’s just go home.” I stared at her, deadpan. “Alright.” Chloe’s eyes lit up. “You will come home with me?” “Show me the marriage certificate.” “What?” “If we got married, there is a legal marriage certificate. Pull it out. Let me see it.” Chloe’s smile completely froze. “The certificate… is back in my hometown.” “Which hometown?” “My parents’ house.” “Call your parents right now. Tell them to take a picture of it and text it to you.” “Are you telling me not a single person in your family knows how to use a smartphone?” Sarah aggressively interrupted. “Mr. Lin, the marriage certificate is a private matter you can handle later. Right now, the priority is settling the hotel balance.” “As you can see, your wife drove hours just to be here. She is being incredibly reasonable—” Before she could finish, Chloe lunged forward. Her hand clamped onto my wrist like a vice grip, and she yanked me violently toward the exit. “Your debit card is in the car, right? I will go with you to get it.” “Stop ruining everyone else’s day! Behave!” Her grip was shockingly strong. For a split second, I actually could not rip my arm away. “I do not know this woman! This is kidnapping! Someone help me!” I shouted. But Sarah and Chloe just laughed it off, playing to the crowd. “He is still throwing a tantrum! So sorry, everyone. We will send up some wedding chocolates to your rooms later as an apology!” Sarah chirped brightly. Not a single person in the lobby moved to help me. They were all completely convinced this was just a toxic newlywed fight. My arm was starting to ache, and my mind was racing. This was a highly organized, premeditated extortion ring. This was not a random scam. I braced my legs, preparing to physically shove her off me, when a voice boomed from the sliding glass doors. “Nobody move! We received a 911 call reporting an attempted kidnapping and extortion!”

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1 After Dad’s affair, Mom used a steel wool pad to scrub him clean every single night. She’d spray disinfectant on his raw, bleeding back, muttering frantically. “Filthy, so filthy, Brandon Davies, you’re so filthy.” Dad’s face was ashen with pain, but his eyes were filled with guilt, and he didn’t move a muscle. He looked at me, completely bewildered, and spoke softly. “Dad made a mistake, what Mom’s doing is right.” But on my birthday, Dad asked to take a shower by himself. Mom, who was just slicing my cake, froze, then tore at Dad’s clothes like a madwoman. “Are you screwing that student of yours, Scarlett Reed, again?! Is she so desperate she can’t live without you?!” “And you’re just as pathetic, ignoring what you have for free at home, willing to cause a scandal just to sleep with some tramp!” After the eighteenth slap from Mom, Dad finally lost it, revealing a gash on his arm. “I got hurt checking machinery at the plant, almost lost an arm, and you don’t care! All you care about is who I’m sleeping with! When is it going to end?!” “Even if Scarlett isn’t ‘clean,’ she’s better than you! At least she didn’t get tangled up with her step-brother at a young age! I want to sleep with her, so what?!” The candles snuffed out without warning, plunging our quarters into darkness. Mom’s hand dropped limply, the light in her eyes fading with it. I knew then. Mom was truly tired. She was letting go. … The dry air was thick with a deathly silence. Dad was the first to react. He yanked the pull cord, and the dim, yellow light flickered, casting swaying shadows. He instinctively reached for Mom, but his hand met empty air. “My bad, I misspoke.” “The machine broke down today, I went to fix it and got hurt. I didn’t want you to worry, that’s why I wanted to shower alone.” “Don’t believe me? See for yourself, am I clean? No other woman’s perfume, right?” Mom’s step-brother had been a little boy her family took in, two years older than her. Little Mom was ecstatic, cheering that she finally had a big brother. But when he grew up, he pinned Mom down, telling her she was going to be his. It was Dad, passing by, who gallantly rescued Mom and promised to keep quiet. Yet now, it was Dad who brought it all out into the open. Mom said nothing, turning to reheat the cold food in the steamer. Dad finally realized he was two hours later than usual. Two hours. A very particular number. That day, Dad was two hours late, and Mom was frantic, searching for him in the pouring rain. Through the control room window, she saw Dad and Scarlett Reed intertwined. I was on Mom’s back, giggling foolishly. “Dad’s on Aunt Scarlett just like me! Is it a game?” “Dad’s like a puppy, having so much fun with Aunt Scarlett.” Mom covered my eyes, ordering me to look down. All I remember from that day was the heavy rain, the incessant thunder. Mom carried me back, crying harder than the rain. Dad remembered too, his face paling. He stammered. “I’m sorry, it really was an emergency at the plant.” “I promise, things like that won’t happen again. We’ll live a good life.” Mom stood with her back to Dad, silent. Dad thought she had conceded, letting out a long sigh of relief. He changed his clothes and sat back down, his arm already treated. “Happy birthday, little star. And here’s to many more happy returns for us.” Many happy returns, year after year. These were Dad and Mom’s wedding vows; they repeated them every year. Mom didn’t finish the second half, just kept piling food onto my plate. Dad sighed, pulling out two beautifully wrapped gifts. A pair of pearl earrings and a doll. “Bought these on my business trip down south. You two will love them.” I was overjoyed, still secretly glancing at Mom’s expression. Mom nodded at me, signaling it was okay to accept. Dad’s eyes lit up. He gently, carefully fastened one earring onto Mom. As he reached for the other side, the door was pounded on, rattling the whole house. “Mr. Davies, hurry! The data’s wrong, Scarlett Reed’s stuck in the machine again!” Dad’s hand slipped, the sharp earring stud piercing Mom’s earlobe. Blood welled up. Mom gasped in pain, tears welling in her eyes. He quickly pulled out a handkerchief to press against Mom’s wound, speaking as he headed for the door. “Something’s wrong at the plant, I need to go.” We all knew. It wasn’t the plant that was in trouble. It was Scarlett Reed. Dad’s injury? Also from protecting Scarlett Reed. Mom stared at the handkerchief, lost in thought. A rose was embroidered on it – Scarlett Reed’s favorite flower. After a long moment, Mom gave a soft, bitter laugh. She stroked my head, whispering an apology. “Mom messed up your sixth birthday, didn’t she?” “But Mom really can’t keep going. Mom’s going to divorce Dad.” Mom brought me to the courthouse the next day. Dad hadn’t come home all night, and Mom hadn’t slept a wink. She clutched a small red booklet, taking a while to grasp what the clerk was saying. “Are you saying this certificate is fake? That Brandon Davies and I aren’t married?” The clerk, a kind-faced older woman, sighed sympately. “I’ve checked multiple times. Brandon Davies’s marital status is indeed married, but the spouse isn’t you. It’s someone named Scarlett Reed.” “They registered a year ago with a certificate from the factory.” A year ago. That’s when Scarlett Reed had been living with us for three months. When Mom brought her home, Scarlett had not a single unbruised spot on her body. Mom said she was a poor soul, and Dad and I needed to be kind to her. Privately, I’d heard Dad complain that Scarlett was a lost girl with no parents, and living with us would be bad for my development. That was the first time I saw Mom truly angry at Dad. She said he was disrespecting women, and made him promise to treat Scarlett like a sister. Later, Scarlett recovered and clung to Dad, becoming his apprentice. Mom was even happy, glad Scarlett found a good path, and that Dad had let go of his prejudice. But no one expected everything to spin out of control later. Dad came home early today. Seeing the empty table, he raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t get to finish dinner with you two yesterday. Tonight, I’ll take you out to eat.” Mom didn’t move. She pointed at the wedding photo on the wall. “Brandon Davies, when did your heart change?” “Was it a year ago, or the first time you saw Scarlett Reed?” The photo on the wall was yellowed, curling at the edges. Dad’s face was stiff, Mom’s lips pressed into a thin line. But in Dad and Scarlett Reed’s photo, both were smiling radiantly. Dad first paused, then burst out laughing. “You’re mad at me over this? If you want to take pictures, we can go right now.” “Scarlett, she’s young but smart. Such talent shouldn’t be wasted. Marrying her was just for a spot at the plant.” “It’s just a piece of paper. If you mind, I’ll divorce her immediately.” I tugged at Mom’s sleeve, asking innocently. “Is that why I can’t go to school?” Dad stiffened, a flicker of embarrassment on his face. I was well past school age, but every time Mom took me to enroll, the school staff would say I didn’t meet the requirements. Mom had run around aimlessly for ages, wearing out two pairs of shoes. She had pulled strings, asking around, only to get one answer. “Is your husband’s identity correct? Please check again before coming back.” Mom thought it was because Dad worked for a classified unit that I couldn’t go to school. Turns out, my dad wasn’t my dad. I was illegitimate, a ghost child with no official papers. Mom held me gently, saying nothing. Dad cleared his throat twice, softening his tone. “Once Scarlett gets her promotion, I’ll divorce her. Then I’ll send little star to the best school. Can you wait a little longer, please?” Mom avoided Dad’s embrace, lifting her gaze calmly. “You never developed feelings for Scarlett Reed? You were just helping?” Dad nodded, pulling us into a tight hug. “Don’t worry. In my heart, there’s only you and little star.” I covered my nose, scowling at Dad. The scent on his shoulder was Scarlett Reed’s perfume. Outside the door, Scarlett Reed, in a floral dress, bit her lip, her eyes red. “Brandon, I’m pregnant.” I looked up, not missing the fleeting surprise in Dad’s eyes. Scarlett Reed pushed a pregnancy diagnosis in front of Dad, her face conflicted. “I know you only married me to help me get the spot, and I won’t keep this child either.” “I only came to let the baby meet its father, after all, the doctor says it’s a boy.” Scarlett Reed’s tears traced paths down her fair cheeks, disappearing into the pearl necklace around her neck. It was a matching set with Mom’s earrings, but hers was more expensive. Scarlett Reed self-consciously covered her neck. “Brandon gave it to me for winning the competition. If you mind, honey, I won’t wear it.” Dad’s gaze was flustered. He opened his mouth to say something, but Mom cut him off. Mom calmly took off her earrings. “Since you wear my clothes, and you sleep with my man, if you’re so fond of hand-me-downs, then these earrings are yours too.” Scarlett Reed’s smile froze, then twisted into an even brighter one. She naturally took them, putting them on as she spoke. “You’re so generous, honey. Looks like Brandon was right to sleep with me. Compared to your slender figure, I clearly satisfy him more.” “After all, he said that no matter how much I mess around, I would never get involved with my own step-brother. In that regard, I’m much cleaner than you.” “Scarlett Reed! What rubbish are you spouting?! Get out!” Dad sharply stopped Scarlett Reed, shielding Mom. Scarlett Reed’s eyes reddened, and she turned and ran. Dad paused, then pretended to calmly explain to Mom. “It’s getting dark, she’s not safe alone.” “You two wait for me at home, I’ll be right back.” Mom’s hand was hidden under the table, already purple from where her fingernails had dug into her palm. I never expected Dad to use Mom’s secret as entertainment for Scarlett Reed. And I never expected Dad to protect Scarlett Reed, leaving Mom behind once more. Mom watched Dad’s retreating back, then quietly packed her clothes to leave. As she locked the door, I still peered outside. Mom took my hand, shaking her head gently. “Don’t look. He won’t be coming back.” On the way to the train station, snowflakes began to fall. Scarlett Reed suddenly blocked our path, a triumphant smile on her face. “I knew you’d leave, so I waited here specifically. See how well I know you?” Mom didn’t want to get tangled up with Scarlett Reed, so she picked me up and tried to go around. Suddenly, several menacing figures rushed out, surrounding us. Scarlett Reed’s eyes gleamed with defiance, approaching step by step. “Remember these guys? You saved me from them back then.” “They turned me into a tramp, but you brought me into your home, made me your sister.” “Compared to you, I’m practically evil.” Mom stared at her warily, her voice guarded. “What exactly do you want?” Scarlett Reed’s face hardened, letting out a scornful laugh. “Of course, I want you to become just like me. That way Brandon won’t think about you anymore.” “What do you think Brandon will say when he comes and sees you disheveled?” Scarlett Reed’s gaze fell on me, her smile meaningful. “Little star is small, but little kids have their own… appeal, don’t they?” Mom held me tight, her eyes bloodshot. She grabbed her self-defense knife, her fingertips trembling. “Get away! Anyone who dares to come closer today, I’ll kill them!” The knife had been blessed, Dad’s first gift to Mom. I hid in Mom’s arms, crying in terror. The group let out malicious laughs, closing in on Mom. In a blur, I felt a greasy hand touch my face. Mom screamed hysterically, wildly slashing the knife into the air. Someone fell to the ground in pain, others cursed. Mom didn’t dare relax, dodging and wildly stabbing. Her back hit a fleshy wall, and I heard a familiar voice above my head. “Eleanor, how much longer are you going to carry on like this?!” Scarlett Reed lay in a pool of blood, looking like a withered flower. She clutched her stomach, forcing a bitter smile. “Don’t blame Eleanor, she saved my life, and destroying me this way… I accept it…” “But my poor baby, he’s so small, not even moving yet…” Dad coldly dropped a line. “Eleanor, you’d better pray Scarlett’s baby is alright.” Dad scooped up Scarlett Reed and ran towards the clinic. He ran so fast, he didn’t notice the bowl-sized gash on Mom’s exhausted hand. Mom was dragged by me to the clinic. The nurse stitched roughly, and the wound reopened during bandaging. I lovingly blew on Mom’s hand, glaring angrily at the nurse. “You brat! I’m already doing my duty by bandaging your mom, the other woman!” Mom instinctively covered my ears, her voice sharp. “Apologize to my child.” The nurse rolled her eyes, pointing to the special care ward. “Mr. Davies and Ms. Reed are the actual couple. Their child is legitimate.” “You, the other woman, should be keeping your tail between your legs. And you expect respect?” Dad stood at the doorway, his eyes filled with concern for the blood-stained bandage. He sighed, then carefully re-bandaged Mom’s hand. “It’s a good thing Scarlett is okay, but this can’t just be brushed aside.” “Some data was leaked, and the higher-ups are investigating. You’ll have to take the fall for Scarlett.” Mom looked as if she’d been struck by a blunt object, frozen in place. “Are you saying… you want me to take the blame for Scarlett Reed?” Dad frowned, his tone matter-of-fact. “Scarlett is young and promising; she can’t have a disciplinary record. As for you… I’ll still support you, it won’t affect you.” Mom’s tears flowed like an unstrung necklace, hitting Dad’s heart. “What about my little star? She can’t have a mother with a bad record.” Dad gently wiped Mom’s tears, silent for a moment. “Don’t worry, I’ll transfer the child to Scarlett. She won’t be affected.” Mom froze, then, realizing, held me tightly in her arms. “Scarlett Reed found people to harm me and little star! I was just protecting myself!” “It wasn’t me! It wasn’t me… Don’t take my little star!” Scarlett Reed, her face pale, advised. “If Eleanor doesn’t want to, forget it. I don’t want to make things difficult for you, Brandon…” The Jeep outside honked impatiently. Dad hesitated, then forcibly pulled me away from Mom. “It’s just to cooperate with the investigation. Nothing will happen.” I screamed for Mom, desperately hitting Dad. Mom was dragged away, her knees leaving long bloody streaks on the gravel. Her eyes blurry with tears, she screamed frantically. “I didn’t do it! I really didn’t!” “Little star! My little star!” “Brandon Davies! I hate you! I hate you!” The Jeep sped away, reappearing three days later. It wasn’t Mom who returned, but the factory manager. He glanced at Dad, who was holding Scarlett Reed, and hesitated to speak. Dad noticed the white shirt in the manager’s hand—the one Mom was wearing when she left. It was covered in dried mud, mixed with conspicuous blood. Dad’s smile froze, his heart seizing up. “Comrade Eleanor encountered a mudslide during transport and died instantly.” “These are her belongings. Please take care.”

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My billionaire father left me his entire fortune, but all I inherited was a junkyard. I confronted the lawyer in disbelief, only to be coldly informed, “Mr. Shaw, you voluntarily signed away your right to inheritance.” The next second, I received news that my illegitimate younger brother had blacklisted me from every industry. Suddenly, everyone piled on, scrambling to curry favor with Austin Heuston. Furious, I stormed to the conglomerate’s headquarters, only to find Austin Heuston sitting in my chair, soft moans of intimacy echoing from beneath his desk. “Brother, do you like the gift I gave you?” Austin provocatively pulled Chelah Vance onto his lap, roaring with laughter: “I’ll gladly accept both the company and the lady. You can spend the rest of your life with that pile of scrap metal!” Watching my wife willingly wrap her arms around Austin Heuston’s neck, my fury reached its peak, then strangely cooled. What those two scumbags didn’t know was that the junkyard held the billionaire’s secret. Whoever owned the junkyard was the true heir to the fortune. 1 Three years ago, Chelah’s mother was involved in a car accident. The culprit fled, fearing consequences, and medical bills soared to a staggering one and a half million dollars. Desperate, Chelah Vance was forced to sell herself to save her mother. It was her filial piety that moved me, and I took on all her mother’s medical expenses. After we married, I doted on Chelah, turning her into a refined, delicate princess, envied by all. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say Chelah had been completely transformed; no one would have guessed she’d almost fallen into a life of infamy. But just seven days after my father’s passing, my wife got involved with my illegitimate younger brother. My eyes blazing crimson, I stared at the two intertwined figures, my nails digging deep into my flesh. I spoke each word distinctly: “Chelah Vance, I want a divorce!” The moment the words left my lips, they burst into laughter as if I’d told the greatest joke, tears streaming down their faces. Chelah didn’t even glance at me, eagerly kissing Austin Heuston. After a long moment, she turned her head mockingly, still looking unsatisfied. “Sterling Shaw, you have to be married to get a divorce. We have nothing between us, so what are you divorcing me for?” Understanding Chelah’s implication, my heart sank. I pulled out the marriage certificate I always carried, about to prove her wrong. “Idiot. It was just an act with an actress, and you actually fell for it.” Chelah snatched the certificate, tearing it to shreds in a few swift motions, then casually tossed the pieces on me. “Since the cards are on the table, I’ll stop pretending. Austin and I registered our marriage ages ago. What you have is just a fake I bought online for three bucks.” The certificate, carefully preserved for three years, cherished and spotless, instantly became confetti, scattering across the floor. My wife, with whom I had shared a bed for three years, had actually deceived me with a fake document! Their supposed animosity towards each other was all an act for my benefit! I felt as if I’d been brutally slapped, my face burning red. After savoring my expression enough, Austin Heuston patted Chelah’s butt with satisfaction, grinning widely. “Chelah, I owe my success today all to you. Tell me how you want to celebrate later, and I’m all yours.” These words hit me like a thunderbolt, instantly blanketing my mind. No wonder, no wonder three days ago, Chelah, usually so reserved, was suddenly incredibly passionate in bed, clinging to me again and again. While I was groggy with sleep, she’d playfully mentioned she’d fallen in love with a house. I signed without suspicion, never imagining I was being manipulated into waiving my inheritance! “Beat it, unless you want to watch a live show.” Austin Heuston looked down at me, waving his hand as if shooing a dog, his hand playfully caressing Chelah’s lower back. I couldn’t take it anymore. I roared, lunging forward and landing a fierce punch on Austin Heuston’s face. Austin Heuston was hit squarely, screaming as he tumbled to the ground. “Ah!” Chelah’s face paled. She shrieked curses, grabbing my hand. “You bastard! I treated you well, and this is how you repay me?!” I backhanded Chelah across the face. Her head snapped to the side, her cheek swelling instantly. Hearing my words, Chelah’s pupils contracted sharply, her eyes burning with hatred. She was about to demand an explanation. Just then, Austin Heuston recovered, pointing at me and yelling furiously. “Are you all trying to get fired?! Where are the security guards?!” A rush of hurried footsteps. Over a dozen burly security guards poured in, surrounding me. I struggled desperately, but they outnumbered me. I was pinned firmly to the ground. “Smack! Smack! Smack!” The slaps grew heavier, landing hard on my face. Austin Heuston only stopped when his palms ached from hitting me. Everyone gasped, wincing at my disfigured face. “Throw him out and let him fend for himself! Anyone who dares to help him is going against Heuston Industries!” 2 I was roughly thrown to the ground, the friction of my skin against shattered rock sending waves of pain through my body. Every breath was agony. One man, leading the charge, strode up and kicked me squarely in the chest. I groaned, nearly spitting blood from the impact. Through a haze of pain, I heard sycophantic flattery from above. “Mr. Heuston, a trash-picking lowlife daring to lay hands on you? He’s got a death wish.” I looked up to see none other than my deputy, Mark Randysek! He bowed and scraped behind Austin Heuston, pointing an accusatory finger at me and cursing, as if we were sworn enemies. My employees, who used to treat me with utmost respect, were now vying to curse me, afraid of being left behind. “Yeah, who doesn’t know Heuston Industries is Mr. Heuston’s domain now? Since when do trash pickers get to enter the corporate gates?” “I’ve always disliked him, putting on airs with Mr. Heuston. He totally deserved that beating!” “If you ask me, Mr. Heuston inheriting the leadership is what everyone wants. The loser should just stay put and not try to cause trouble.” I abruptly looked up, my gaze sweeping over the circle of people, my heart utterly cold. Since taking office, I had reformed policies, implemented weekends off, and strictly adhered to an eight-hour workday. Company salaries and benefits had significantly increased. Countless employees had come to me, expressing their fervent gratitude. Especially my deputy, Mark Randysek. I had personally promoted him from a penniless, clueless young man to a position earning over 100,000 a month. But now that I was out of favor, the employees who were once so grateful to me instantly turned. Everyone was eager to kick me while I was down, all to curry favor with Austin Heuston. I endured the intense pain and slowly stood up, giving everyone one last look before turning to leave. The mocking, scornful gazes behind me felt like poisoned needles piercing my skin. I walked step by step back to the junkyard Austin Heuston had discarded me into, my pockets empty, unable to even afford a taxi. My accounts had been frozen, all my assets seized. With Austin Heuston’s blacklist, no one dared to help me. It wasn’t until my feet were bleeding that I finally reached the junkyard Austin Heuston had contemptuously cast aside. The place reeked, piled high with all sorts of scrap metal, enough to make anyone keep their distance. But only I knew that what Dad had hidden here before his death was enough to turn my fortunes around. I set down roots in the junkyard, spending my days collecting scrap. Meanwhile, Austin Heuston and Chelah Vance almost daily dominated headlines, flaunting their love. While I ate steamed buns with thin porridge, Austin Heuston and Chelah Vance flew to the States for a truffle chocolate ice cream. While I bought nine-dollar, free-shipping T-shirts on the internet, Austin Heuston lavished thousands on opening a clothing company, just for Chelah Vance to pick clothes from. While I was stared at and whispered about in public, Austin Heuston frequently appeared with Chelah Vance at elite galas, praised by all. Reporters relentlessly disparaged me, using my disheveled appearance to highlight their glamour. I remained unperturbed, settling into life at the junkyard. A month later, I unearthed a filthy vase from deep within the rubbish piles, instantly overjoyed. I hastily wiped away the surface grime, revealing intricate patterns underneath. Just as I was carefully putting the vase away, a burlap sack suddenly dropped from above. 3 Caught off guard, I was covered, stumbled, and fell to the ground. The next second, punches rained down on me. I groaned in pain, clutching the vase tightly, refusing to let go. Time ticked by, and my breath grew weaker. The attacker took the opportunity, violently tearing off the sack, trying to snatch the vase from my hands. I let out a low growl like a cornered beast, finding strength from somewhere, and bit hard into the person’s hand. “Ah!” Mark Randysek’s face instantly twisted in pain. He forcefully pulled his hand back, a piece of flesh actually torn off by my bite. Mark Randysek instantly erupted in fury, roaring at the people beside him. “Damn it! I’m going to beat him to death today! Grab him now!” Hearing this, two men efficiently seized me, holding me firmly. Mark Randysek cursed, then violently kicked my knee. With a sickening “snap,” I felt my bone shatter. My knees slammed hard against the rough stones, making a cringe-inducing sound. My teeth chattered from the pain, cold sweat drenched my body, leaving me feeling like I’d just been pulled from water. “Mark Randysek, I don’t understand why you would do this to me.” My face was pale, my lips trembling, as I painfully forced out these words. “You only have yourself to blame.” Mark Randysek looked at me like I was a freak, as if baffled by such a foolish question, explaining as if it were obvious. “Blame yourself for being useless, for not being able to hold onto your inheritance.” “I went against Mr. Heuston so many times for you, all because I wanted a promotion and a good life.” “Now Mr. Heuston is in power. If I don’t show him my loyalty, how am I supposed to get by in the conglomerate?!” Under the intense pain, my consciousness gradually blurred. In a haze, I recalled Mark Randysek’s indignant expression when he first learned of Austin Heuston’s existence. “Damn it! That bastard illegitimate son killed the old lady and still has the nerve to come to the company? Don’t worry, boss, I won’t let him off easy. I’ll make him pay for you!” After that, Mark Randysek and Austin Heuston were at loggerheads. He cursed Austin Heuston’s dubious origins more than once, humiliating him in public. I thought Mark Randysek was fiercely loyal to me, and I was deeply touched, treating him even more like a younger brother. “Well, well, the quality isn’t bad. Hoping to make a comeback with this, huh? Good thing Mr. Heuston is prescient and gave me this chance to redeem myself.” A triumphant, boastful voice reached my ears, and I jolted awake. The vase had been snatched by Mark Randysek at some point. “No!” I watched the vase teetering precariously in Mark Randysek’s hand, reaching out fearfully. “Letting you off for old times’ sake isn’t out of the question.” Mark Randysek chuckled, unconcealed malice swirling in his eyes, feigning understanding as he suggested. “How about you eat this piece of trash, and I’ll give the vase back to you?” I lowered my head, gritting my teeth, my body involuntarily trembling. In a matter of seconds, Mark Randysek lost patience. He abruptly grabbed the vase, clearly about to smash it down hard. “I’ll eat it.” I squeezed out two words through clenched teeth, my hands trembling as I picked up the foul-smelling garbage, forcing myself to swallow it despite the nausea. The surroundings immediately erupted in boisterous laughter that almost tore the roof off. Mark Randysek stifled his laughter, recording the video. The next instant, with a “smash,” Mark Randysek flicked his wrist, and the vase fell to the ground, shattering into pieces. “Oops, my bad, it slipped.” My eyes burned with fury. I was about to lunge at Mark Randysek to fight him to the death. Mark Randysek easily kicked me, exhausted, to the ground. “Mr. Heuston and Ms. Vance’s wedding reception is in seven days. If you don’t show up, you know the consequences.” I lay on the ground, gasping for breath like a dead dog, as Mark Randysek knelt down and slapped a beautifully designed invitation onto my face, threatening me. “Come on, the billionaire’s son is eating trash. Even dogs wouldn’t eat what the billionaire’s son is eating. We won’t compete with the billionaire’s son; let him eat his fill. We’re going for a fancy dinner!” It wasn’t until their figures completely disappeared that my eyes suddenly narrowed. The scattered vase shards lay nearby, but I didn’t spare them a single glance. Instead, I carefully felt my pocket. 4 Late at night, in the quiet of my junkyard, I finally saw what was inside, my eyes widening in disbelief. A plan quietly formed in my mind. I hadn’t been idle these seven days. Chelah Vance’s hateful gaze from the office that day had haunted me. Armed with the secret my father left behind, I used my last connections to investigate an old case, and indeed, I uncovered something interesting. On the day of the wedding, I pushed open the grand hall doors. The moment I stepped inside, the elegantly dressed elites wrinkled their noses in disgust. “Where did this beggar come from? This isn’t a soup kitchen. Security, get him out of here!” “Oh, can’t you recognize him? That’s the famous Sterling Shaw. He’s the billionaire’s son, but now he looks like a stray dog. How pathetic.” I offered a slight smile, ignoring them, and strode to a corner to await the ceremony. Chelah Vance, arm in arm with Austin Heuston, came to greet me. After a few months, her belly was noticeably swollen. Not seeing me in a state of disarray, Chelah seemed a little disappointed. But then, remembering something, she defiantly puffed out her chest, sneering triumphantly. “Sterling Shaw, I’m pregnant. Austin isn’t useless like you. I spent three years with you, and my belly never made a sound.” Even though my heart had died, Chelah’s words still cut a gash in it, throbbing painfully. The night Chelah and I consummated our marriage, she tearfully confessed that she had a naturally thin uterine wall and couldn’t conceive. I didn’t blame her for hiding it; I treated her even better. But as time passed, the gossip grew more intense. Many long-tongued women called Chelah a barren hen, and a stream of girls were sent to my bed. Afraid Chelah would feel burdened, I took the blame, announcing publicly that I had azoospermia, shifting the blame to myself. That finally quelled the rumors. Recalling our handful of intimate moments over three years, I clenched my fists tightly. It turned out Chelah wasn’t naturally cold or unloving; she was saving herself for Austin Heuston. Even her infertility was a lie; she just didn’t want to bear my child! I lowered my head, concealing the turbulent storm within, my teeth digging into my flesh. “Sterling Shaw, what happened three years ago should finally be settled.” Seeing that I wasn’t resisting, Chelah “hmphed” disinterestedly. She paid no mind to my reaction, dropped her statement, and turned to leave. I didn’t miss the hint of malicious satisfaction in Chelah’s voice, a sense of long-awaited revenge. A bad premonition arose. The wedding began. Austin Heuston and Chelah Vance walked onto the stage under everyone’s gaze, the atmosphere electric. Just as the two were about to exchange rings, Chelah suddenly snatched the microphone, her eyes brimming with tears, and shouted at me with hatred. “Sterling Shaw, three years ago you hit my mother with your car and then used your power to escape jail time.” “I’ve bided my time for three years, and finally I’ve brought you down. I’m going to make you rot in prison!” This bombshell news immediately caused an uproar, murmurs filling the venue. “What?! Sterling Shaw helping Chelah Vance’s mother at the hospital was even in the local charity news! Was it all an act?!” Almost the next second, police burst through the doors, pulling out handcuffs without a word, ready to arrest and convict me. “I’d like to see who dares lay a hand on me!” I spoke with a deep, calm authority. Chelah immediately screamed at me like a madwoman. “Do you think you’re still the billionaire’s son?! Your dad is dead! Now Austin is the master of the Shaw family!” I calmly raised the object in my hand, speaking each word distinctly. “My father only had one son. Since when can a stranger with no blood relation waltz into someone else’s house and claim to be the master?”

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1 After being beaten bloody by my autistic son yet again, I finally collapsed onto the floor, sobbing uncontrollably. I had cared for him meticulously for thirty years, and he had tormented me for thirty years. My son, John, sneered and walked away. My husband, Adam Clarke, came downstairs, ignoring my blood-soaked face. “Thirty years have passed, it’s time I told you the truth.” I looked up, blood trickling down my cheek and onto the floor, listening as he spoke indifferently. “John isn’t your biological son. Your biological son is Finn.” “Thirty years ago, when Sarah Willett was pregnant, she found out her child had a genetic defect. So, after they were born, I swapped the two babies.” My body froze. He glanced at me indifferently. “Now, thirty years have passed. The children are grown, and everything is settled. There’s nothing left to hide from you.” With that, he walked away without looking back. I slumped to the floor, recalling thirty years of torment, laughing through tears, crying through laughter. Finally, a rush of blood to my head, and the wound John had inflicted gushed blood. I collapsed, closing my eyes. “Congratulations, it’s a boy, seven pounds, six ounces.” I opened my eyes, finding myself lying in an operating room from thirty years ago, having just given birth… … The nurse brought the baby closer, “Look, it’s a little boy.” I reacted, looking down. Gazing at the wrinkled baby, I gently pulled back his small blanket and indeed saw an inconspicuous red mole behind his ear. It was real… In my past life, when I was blow-drying Finn’s hair, I had incidentally discovered this red mole. I even teased, “Finn, I have one behind my ear too.” At that time, my cousin, Sarah Willett, instantly changed color, her tone sharp. “We’re family. What’s so strange about a red mole?” But when I saw Finn again later, I noticed his red mole had been removed… I didn’t think much of it then, but now I knew, it was clearly a sign of guilt! I couldn’t help but clench my hands. Intense hatred and relief washed over me. I held Finn, tears streaming down my face. The nurse saw my reaction and said with a smile. “It certainly wasn’t easy. The baby was quite large, and you almost hemorrhaged. But now it’s all good, mother and son are safe, don’t worry.” I nodded. The thought of the child I’d nearly died giving birth to being given away by Adam Clarke made my heart ache. The nurse wheeled me out. Almost simultaneously, Sarah Willett, who had given birth in the room to the left, was also wheeled out. Adam Clarke, waiting outside the delivery room, didn’t hesitate, rushing straight to Sarah Willett. Everyone exchanged bewildered glances. I coldly turned my head away. Only then did I realize how intimate those two were. In my previous life, I must have been blind not to see their affair! Adam Clarke also realized his behavior was overly emotional. He quickly turned and walked towards me, taking my hand, his face filled with concern. “You worked so hard, my love. I love you.” I pulled my hand away, no longer looking at him. Adam Clarke’s body stiffened for a moment. Back in the hospital room, I dared not sleep. In my previous life, I never knew when they made the switch, but thankfully, this time there was the red mole. John was diagnosed with autism when he was three. Further examinations revealed he also exhibited severe violent tendencies. As his mother, I felt I had failed him, so I desperately tried to compensate and treat him. But what I received in return? Only increasingly severe beatings, day by day. When John bludgeoned me to death with an ashtray, I was only fifty, yet my hair had already turned completely white. Thinking of this, I took a deep breath to suppress the rising bitterness in my chest. Looking down at the sleeping Finn, a wave of tenderness washed over me. Thank goodness I was back… Soon after. Adam Clarke entered with a thermos, spooning out nutritious porridge and feeding me bite by bite. During this, I carefully observed him, noticing he kept glancing at Finn, his eyes shifting uneasily! Adam Clarke snapped out of it, seeing my inscrutable expression, his face stiffening slightly. “What’s wrong?” I spoke faintly, “Nothing.” He quietly exhaled, relieved. After putting away the thermos, he reached out towards Finn. “Come here, Daddy will hold you.” I reacted reflexively, pushing his hand away with a slap, my breathing rapid. “Get out! Don’t touch him!” Adam Clarke nearly lost his balance, his brows furrowed in surprise. “Isabelle, what’s gotten into you? Why such a temper after giving birth?” I held Finn tightly. My gaze filled with hatred. What’s wrong? In my previous life, when he saw me being beaten and kicked, all he would say was, “What’s a little hit? It won’t kill you.” Yet when Sarah Willett fell ill, he would drop everything to care for her! Just then, Mom, Dad, and Sarah Willett arrived. Mom lightly nudged me, “Adam, don’t be angry. Women’s emotions can be off after childbirth.” Sarah Willett stepped forward, “Cousin, let me see him. These two brothers born on the same day, how fated.” I looked up at them, my voice hoarse and cold. “I need to rest. Everyone out.” Adam Clarke and Sarah Willett exchanged a bewildered glance, which I clearly saw. He pursed his lips. “Then I’ll go pay the bill.” As he turned, I called out to him, my eyes indifferent and resolute. “Adam Clarke, we’re getting a divorce.” Silence instantly fell in the room. Everyone stopped, turning to look at me in shock. “You, what did you say?” Adam Clarke’s voice trembled with surprise. He quickly walked to my side, taking my hand. “Isabelle, what’s wrong with you?” I closed my eyes, pulling my hand away. “I’m tired. Everyone out.” Mom and Dad exchanged glances. Seeing my overly pale face, they dared not say anything. He frowned. Withdrawing his empty hand, “Alright, you rest first. I won’t disturb you. I’ll come back to stay tonight.” The room became quiet again. I held Finn, looking at the red mole behind his ear, my eyes a little sore. Soon after. A nurse entered, “The baby needs a blood test. Who will accompany him?” “I will,” I replied. I picked up Finn and stood. As I passed the emergency exit, I heard hushed whispers. “Adam, why did Isabelle suddenly want a divorce from you? And she won’t let us touch the baby.” Sarah Willett sounded flustered. “Did she find something out? Can we still successfully swap the autistic child with her? I don’t want to raise a disabled person!” Adam Clarke quickly tried to reassure her, his tone also heavy, tinged with doubt. “She couldn’t possibly know.” “Only the two of us know about this plan, and we haven’t even acted yet. How could Isabelle possibly suspect?” His tone was confident. “Don’t worry, it might just be emotional instability. We’ll switch them as soon as possible. I’ll stay with her tonight, and we’ll act then.” Sarah Willett whimpered, “Okay.” At this moment. I stood outside the door. A gust of wind made me shiver, my face completely drained of color. Tonight… I hugged my child tightly. No one would take him from me! Evening. Adam Clarke indeed sent Mom and Dad home, citing their age and susceptibility to fatigue, and retrieved a folding bed from a nurse. I watched him constantly, my gaze dark and unreadable. Adam Clarke kept touching his nose under my scrutiny; I knew it was a sign of his guilt and nervousness. “What’s wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?” He set up the bed, acting as if he was genuinely protecting me. Sitting there, he looked at me gently and sighed. “Izzy, I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear you talk about divorce today. I know you just gave birth, and your hormones are running wild.” “Don’t worry, I’ll always be here for you and the baby.” As he said this, his eyes were incredibly sincere. I sneered inwardly. In my previous life, Sarah Willett had suddenly become pregnant. She only said she’d met the wrong person outside and gotten herself pregnant. Mom, Dad, and I thought she’d encountered a bad man. Sympathetic and heartbroken. We didn’t dare ask for too many details. Only now did I realize, ‘met the wrong person’? That was clearly Adam Clarke’s child! Adam Clarke spoke, interrupting my thoughts, “Okay?” I hummed in response. Without any emotion. He quietly let out a breath, confirming that I hadn’t detected any sign of the plan. He turned to grab his phone, likely to confirm the plan with Sarah Willett. I was genuinely exhausted. My nerves had been on edge since nearly dying in childbirth that morning. Unbeknownst to me, I actually fell asleep. I don’t know how much time passed, but the entire hospital grew quiet. Adam Clarke got up and walked to my side. “Isabelle, Isabelle?” I woke up on his second call, but didn’t move. Soon after. After a flurry of hurried but deliberately quiet footsteps, the child in my arms was taken, and then another was put back. “You take the baby back quickly. Don’t worry, all newborns look the same. She won’t notice.” Adam Clarke was instructing Sarah Willett. After Sarah Willett left, he called me softly twice more. Seeing I still didn’t react. Only then did he let out a sudden sigh of relief. He lay back on the folding bed, emitting a faint snore. At this moment, I opened my eyes. Looking at the child in my arms without the red mole, all I felt was heartbreak, a cold numbness, and hatred. Three AM. I secretly went to Sarah Willett’s room and swapped the two babies back! In my previous life, John first exhibited violent behavior at the age of eight. That day, I took him to the street to buy ice cream. As we crossed the road. John suddenly and unexpectedly broke free from my hand, pushing me straight into the path of speeding traffic! I was slammed onto the ground, my face and body covered in blood. And John stood not far away. Watching me with a sinister smile. “Heh heh, serves you right! Mommy got hit by a car!” My face was ashen, but I was rushed to the hospital in time. However, I suffered permanent brain trauma, and every rainy day, I would get splitting headaches. But I didn’t blame him. The more abnormal he became, the more guilty I felt. After all, I had given birth to him. Later, he would reach out and slap me hard when I was helping him with homework. As he grew older, he started punching and kicking, throwing cups and ashtrays at me—it was commonplace. And at home. Adam Clarke was often nowhere to be found, spending his time with Sarah Willett, leaving me alone to crumble. On the way back with my child, I reminisced, gently pushing open the door. Lying back on the bed, I finally let out a sigh of relief. Morning. I was woken by Adam Clarke. His eyes were smiling, as if a great weight had been lifted from his mind. “I bought red bean porridge for breakfast. Drink some, it helps with milk production too.” I gave him a long, hard look. Lowering my gaze, I hid all my thoughts. “Okay, bring it to me.” Then I added. “You should hold the baby. After all, you’re his father.” Now, my Finn was completely safe. Being overly cautious would only raise suspicion. Adam Clarke’s eyes lit up at my words. I didn’t know if he was happy about being able to hold the baby, or if he was simply relieved that my ‘madness’ yesterday was just an anomaly. Just then, Finn whimpered and woke up, crying from hunger. Adam Clarke handed the baby to me, then cleared his throat. “By the way, I should go check on Sarah Willett.” “She’s your relative, and she doesn’t have a husband around. As her brother-in-law, I should go check on her and bring her some food?” I soothed Finn. Then nodded, saying indifferently, “Okay, go ahead.” No sooner had he left than Mom and Dad arrived. I handed the baby to Mom, my expression normal, “Mom, I’m going to check on Sarah. She’s quite pathetic.” Then I followed him. I needed to confirm if they truly believed that was Finn, and if they had any suspicions. In the hospital room, Sarah Willett held ‘Finn,’ her face soft and tender. “Adam, thank you for helping me.” The man held her, “What are you thanking me for? It’s my fault I can’t give you a proper status.” “Now it’s all good. Our child is healthy. As for Isabelle, that’s her fate.” I listened from outside the door. My hands clenched tightly into fists, trembling uncontrollably. In that instant, I felt both absurd and heartbroken. Fate? Thirty years of torment, thirty years of being beaten and kicked. Why was that my fate?! I took a deep breath, suppressing my rage. When Adam Clarke returned, there was a faint hickey on the back of his neck. I averted my gaze, pretending not to see it. Only feeling sickened. In the afternoon, Sarah Willett came with ‘Finn,’ a barely concealed triumph in her eyes. “Good boy, Mommy’s baby is so well-behaved.” She glanced at me, then began to show off. “Cousin, I hear your baby cries constantly and can’t be soothed? Oh, I envy you, boys should be lively.” “Not like mine, who just eats and sleeps all day, giving me no worries.” I looked up, a faint, unreadable smile on my face. “Is that so? Well, cousin, you must take very good care of him, and hope he becomes lively.” The biggest characteristic of an autistic child. Is that they are especially quiet and well-behaved in the first few days after birth, and then… the symptoms will slowly begin to show! And so, three days later. Sarah Willett suddenly broke down. That morning, I was woken by Sarah Willett’s cries. Everyone opened their doors to investigate. Adam Clarke, frowning, instinctively opened Sarah Willett’s room door. Her hair was disheveled, and her eyes were bruised. Clearly, she hadn’t slept all night. “Why won’t he sleep?! He just cries and cries! Is there something wrong with him?!” She instinctively appealed to Adam Clarke, then looked at me after a moment of realization. “Cousin, can you ask my brother-in-law to help me soothe him?” I sneered inwardly. But outwardly, I said, “Of course. We’re family. Darling, go help Sarah.” Seeing this, everyone dispersed. Watching them flounder, I felt a kind of vengeful pleasure. In my previous life. No one helped me. Only I, myself, got up again and again from despair and breakdown, until I lost my life! In the middle of the night, after I fell asleep, Adam Clarke went to the next room again. I opened my eyes and quietly followed. I heard Sarah Willett’s broken sobs, “Adam, what’s wrong with this baby? I’m truly losing my mind.” Adam Clarke frowned, his voice a little hoarse. “Hungry? Or what?” Sarah Willett sobbed and cried, suddenly clutching his arm tightly, her voice trembling. “Do you think the tests were wrong? My baby was never sick. Isabelle also had an amniocentesis. Could the nurse have mixed up the reports?!” “What if Isabelle’s baby is the one who’s actually sick?!” The more she spoke, the more plausible it seemed to her, and she started to break down. “Then didn’t I give her my healthy biological son?! No, I have to swap him back!” Adam Clarke held her down. “It’s not that easy. The babies have grown now; there’s no way to switch them back!” Sarah Willett’s breathing was ragged, reckless. “Then I’ll just say Isabelle secretly swapped the babies! At worst, we’ll do a paternity test. Anyway, she has my biological son right now! That way, my child will be back, won’t he?!” Adam Clarke pondered, found it feasible, and then nodded. I took in everything. Sarah Willett thought I had her child and wanted to use a paternity test to get him back, but she didn’t know I had already swapped them back! Let them cause a scene. The bigger the scene, the better. Then everyone would know that her child was the one with the condition! The next morning. My door was thrown open by Sarah Willett. She advanced, grabbing my hair and slapping me hard, crying hysterically. A crowd of curious onlookers began to gather at the door. “Isabelle! You’re my sister, the only person I care about in this world! Why would you do this to me?!” The family members and patients at the door frowned. “What’s going on? Aren’t they family? Why are they fighting?” “I don’t know.” The slap left me seeing stars, my face instantly red and swollen, stinging fiercely. Sarah Willett cried uncontrollably. “Isabelle, tell everyone here, why did you swap my baby?!” Everyone gasped in shock, their eyes wide. “Swap babies?!” “That can’t be true. Why would she swap babies?” I said nothing. Sarah Willett continued her self-pitying performance, crying incessantly. “Because her child has autism, a mentally disabled child! So she swapped my healthy child!” She placed the constantly crying child on the bed. “This is her child!” At this, I got out of bed and confronted her, “How can you claim I swapped the babies? Don’t you dare accuse me falsely!” Sarah Willett was convinced. “You won’t admit it? Cousin, I originally thought we shouldn’t make such a spectacle as family, but now, you’re forcing my hand!” “We’ll do a paternity test!” The crowd at the door was shocked, then turned to criticize me. “That girl is willing to do a paternity test, so it must be true. Can’t believe this sister is such a vicious woman!” “How shameless!” The incident escalated, and the hospital, fearing complications, had to arrange a paternity test. Sarah Willett sat on the bed. She wouldn’t even glance at the crying child. “So noisy! Shut up!” I held Finn, observing coldly. At 6 PM, the paternity test results were ready. The crowd of onlookers was even larger than that morning, chattering, accusing me of being malicious and shameless. Sarah Willett looked at the doctor holding the report, reaching out to me. “Isabelle, the paternity test results are out! What do you have to say for yourself now that it’s come to this! Give me back my healthy biological son!” I stood still. Adam Clarke glanced at us, then quickly snatched the report and tore it open to read. Then. His confident expression suddenly froze, his face turning ashen.

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My company sent me on a week-long business trip out of town. After it ended, I hurried to drive home for my mother-in-law Harvey’s birthday. But just as I was waiting at a red light, a line of text suddenly appeared before my eyes. [Whatever you do, don’t go home! If you go back, you’re sealing your fate!] [The moment you step inside, Harvey will fall from the building!] [Harvey’s body will be covered in your fingerprints. You won’t be able to explain yourself and you’ll be sentenced to death. Then Cooper will take the insurance money and live it up with your best friend Shelly!] I froze. A few seconds later. I decided to trust what the text said. I’d take this gamble! The light ahead turned green, and the car started moving. I slammed my foot on the gas pedal and crashed straight into the stone barriers on the side of the road. Today was Harvey’s sixty-fifth birthday. My husband Cooper told me he wanted to have a simple celebration for Harvey at home. So as soon as my business trip ended, I rushed to drive home. The car was running smoothly on the road home, and I was just three intersections away from our neighborhood. That’s when semi-transparent text suddenly appeared out of nowhere before my eyes. Just like watching a TV show, lines of text scrolled across my vision. My mouth fell open. I thought my old eyes were playing tricks on me, so I rubbed them vigorously. But the text remained firmly floating before my eyes, not dissipating in the slightest. The messages kept sending me warnings. [It’s over, it’s over. Lester’s almost home! There’s no escaping this now!] [Lester, Cooper will find an excuse to leave you alone with Harvey—it’s all to frame you! Whatever you do, don’t go inside!] [At 7:10 PM tonight, Harvey will fall from the building right on schedule! And you’ll be the murderer!] [Watch out for your best friend Shelly. She’s been fooling around with Cooper, plotting to get rid of you.] My mouth fell open. I thought my old eyes were playing tricks on me, so I rubbed them vigorously. But the text remained firmly floating before my eyes, not dissipating in the slightest. My heart pounded wildly. Why would Harvey suddenly fall from the building when she was perfectly fine? And why would Cooper and my best friend Shelly want to frame me? Countless questions churned in my mind, leaving my head completely blank. Just then, my phone on the center console buzzed twice. It was a message from Cooper. “Lester, are you almost home?” “My boss just notified me that there’s an emergency at the company. I have to go handle it right away.” “Just get home and help Mom cut the cake. I’ll be back as soon as I’m done with this.” The moment I saw the message, the blood in my veins nearly froze. Could there really be such a coincidence? Right when I was about to get home, right at this moment, he had to leave. If what the text said was true, once I obediently went inside, only Harvey and I would be left at home. If Harvey fell from the building, all fingers would point at me. Those fingerprints all over the scene would only become ironclad evidence against me. I wouldn’t be able to explain myself even if I had a thousand mouths. I didn’t dare think further. The more I thought about it, the more terrified I became. My finger hovered over the chat box, but in the end I didn’t reply. I looked at the time—it was 6:40 PM. Thirty minutes until Harvey would fall. As the light ahead turned green, I made a decision. Since the text said I would be framed, I’d take this gamble!

As long as I didn’t appear alone with Harvey at home tonight, I wouldn’t fall into this conspiracy. I gripped the steering wheel tightly, took a deep breath, and suddenly pressed down hard on the gas pedal. The car engine roared as it shot forward. The car drove straight toward the heavy stone barriers on the side of the road and crashed into them with precision. A deafening bang exploded, and the car body shook violently. The next second, the airbag instantly deployed, protecting me firmly. My head rested against the seat as intense dizziness swept over me. My head felt like it had been struck hard with a hammer, incredibly foggy. In moments, I felt warmth on my forehead as sticky liquid trickled down. I could only vaguely see more and more people gathering around. Some were holding up their phones, filming and making calls. Several figures pushed through the crowd and walked quickly to the car. “How are you? Can you hear us?” The traffic officer’s voice came through the glass. I opened my mouth but couldn’t make any sound. Soon, I was lifted onto a stretcher. After confirming I was in the ambulance, I finally closed my eyes with relief and fell into brief unconsciousness. After arriving at the hospital, the doctor treated the wound on my head. By this time, my consciousness had cleared up quite a bit. I quietly opened my eyes, my gaze falling on the electronic clock on the wall. It was exactly seven o’clock. I closed my eyes again, telling myself I just needed to hold on for ten more minutes. During this time, I learned about the original plot through the text messages. It turned out Cooper and Shelly had been having an affair all along. Cooper wanted me to leave the marriage with nothing, but he couldn’t find a suitable reason. Plus, Harvey had recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, and Cooper felt Harvey was a burden—both expensive and exhausting to care for. So the two of them came up with this vicious plan. After I was sent to court, Cooper cried his heart out, accusing me to the judge of constantly beating and verbally abusing Harvey, saying I had repeatedly wished for Harvey to die. He successfully stirred up public sentiment, and thousands signed petitions demanding I pay with my life. The police also presented surveillance footage from our building in court. It clearly recorded me driving into the underground garage at 7 PM and taking the elevator to the tenth floor. Neighbors on the same floor claimed they heard me cursing and beating Harvey inside the apartment. Ten minutes later, there was a loud crash as Harvey fell from the balcony right on schedule and died on impact. With all this evidence, I was sentenced to death on the spot. And Cooper and Shelly not only got rid of Harvey, the big burden, and received a huge insurance payout, but also sent me to prison and seized all my assets. Reading these messages, my entire body went cold. So there had been two man-eating monsters lurking beside me all along. Although I didn’t know how they faked the scene or how they made it look like I cooperated so perfectly. But right now, I could only wait patiently.

Every second of pretending to be unconscious felt unbearably long, until the clock on the wall passed 7:10 PM. Only then did I quietly breathe a sigh of relief and slowly open my eyes. Just then, the hospital room door was gently pushed open. Seeing that I was awake, the doctor gave me a simple examination. Fortunately, my car’s safety features were solid, and my speed hadn’t been too high. I only suffered minor external injuries, and the CT scan of my head showed no problems. After a few days of rest, I’d be fine. After the doctor left, two uniformed traffic officers walked in, holding notebooks and pens. “How are you feeling? Can you cooperate with us for a simple inquiry to understand what happened during the accident?” I rubbed my still somewhat foggy head and said softly: “Thank you. I’m okay now, just still a bit dizzy.” I paused, pretending to recall with effort: “I was stopped at the intersection waiting for the red light when my phone suddenly rang. I instinctively reached for my phone, and then I accidentally hit the gas pedal. Somehow I just shot forward…” The officers carefully recorded everything I said. One of them said, “We’ve already examined the scene. Our preliminary judgment is that it was a single-vehicle accident. Fortunately, no other vehicles or people were involved. However, you may need to cover the cost of repairing the stone barrier.” “Also, your car’s front end was severely damaged. We’ve already contacted a tow truck to take it to an auto repair shop for inspection.” I nodded lightly, showing a bitter smile on my face. “Okay, okay. I should be responsible. Thank you for your trouble.” Although I lost some money and was covered in scrapes and bruises, it was worth it. There were traffic police at the crash scene, medical personnel, and so many onlookers. They had already left plenty of evidence for me. Then the officers returned my phone, which was shattered to pieces but could still barely turn on. After signing the accident report and paying the medical fees, I hurried out of the hospital. As I walked out the hospital doors, I glanced at my phone. It was almost 7:30 PM. I hailed a cab at the intersection. But when the taxi stopped at the entrance to our neighborhood and I opened the car door, my heart instantly sank to the bottom. A crowd had gathered downstairs from my building, voices discussing and sighing one after another. I pushed through the crowd and immediately saw Cooper kneeling on the ground. He still wore his work badge around his neck, his laptop bag beside him, clearly having just returned from the company. Cooper’s hair was disheveled, his face covered in tears and snot. He clutched a blood-covered figure tightly, crying heartbreakingly. “Mom! Mom, wake up! How could you just leave like this! I’m so sorry, Mom!” “It’s all my fault! I shouldn’t have left, or that bitch wouldn’t have pushed you off the building!” Seeing Harvey’s familiar face clearly made me feel like I’d fallen into an ice cellar. I staggered back a step, my head roaring. I clearly hadn’t gone home, hadn’t followed the original plot.

So why did Harvey still fall from the building? Just as I stood there in a daze, a shrill voice suddenly rang out. “Lester! It’s her!” That sentence was like a thunderclap, instantly breaking through the chaos at the scene. Everyone’s eyes turned toward me in unison. Before I could open my mouth to explain, the crowd surged toward me like a tide, instantly surrounding me so tightly I couldn’t move. “It’s you, you vicious woman! You killed Harvey on her birthday!” “How cold-blooded! Harvey was so old and had Alzheimer’s, how could you do this to her!” “I heard you’d been treating Harvey like a burden for a long time. What a snake!” “Hurry up and arrest her! Don’t let her get away!” Curses and accusations came at me non-stop, with some even shoving me. Then Cooper suddenly raised his head, his eyes bloodshot as he stared at me. He rushed over and grabbed my arm, his grip so tight it felt like he might crush my bones. “I knew you hated my mom, hated that she was a burden to you! But today was her birthday!” “She treated you like her own daughter. How could you be so heartless?” “I only left for a little while, and you pushed her from such a height. Aren’t you afraid of karma?” I struggled hard to break free from his hand and shouted at the crowd, “I didn’t push Harvey! I wasn’t even home! Cooper is slandering me!” “Slandering you?” Cooper looked like he’d heard the world’s biggest joke. “You still dare to lie! The neighbors heard everything. Around seven o’clock, you came home and verbally abused and beat my mom. Many people downstairs saw it!” The neighbors chimed in one after another. I stood there trembling all over. I clearly hadn’t been at home, so why would people insist they saw me? Just then, several police officers pushed through the crowd and walked in. “Who called the police?” Cooper immediately rushed over and grabbed the officer’s arm. “Officer, it was this woman who killed my mom! Please arrest her and bring my mom justice!” The officer calmed Cooper down, then after confirming that Harvey was indeed dead, the police walked toward me. I fought back my grievances and tears, trying to stay calm. “Officer, I didn’t kill anyone! Because I wasn’t even home at the time! I…” But before I could finish, I was interrupted by my neighbor Nicole. Nicole stood with her hands on her hips, speaking firmly to the police: “Officer, don’t listen to her lies! I live right across from her. I personally heard her beating and cursing, saying things like ‘you old thing won’t die.’ Poor Harvey kept crying and begging for mercy.” Another woman quickly stepped forward, nodding repeatedly. “Officer, I can testify too! I was downstairs at the time and heard a loud crash.” “I instinctively looked up and clearly saw a figure at the window. It was her!” “Wearing a beige coat. I recognize that coat—it’s the one she usually wears! I couldn’t be mistaken!” Seeing people backing him up, Cooper immediately pointed at me emotionally. “Officer, you heard them, right! She’s just making excuses! Arrest her now!” The surrounding crowd joined in, shouting to arrest me, the waves of voices growing louder and louder. The officer took out handcuffs from his pocket and said sternly, “Ma’am, please come with us to cooperate with our investigation.” Just as the cold handcuffs were about to touch my wrist. I suddenly broke free from the officer’s hand and let out a cold laugh. I quickly pulled something from my pocket and held it high above my head. “You say I was home pushing Harvey off the building after seven? Fine, then take a look at this!” As my words fell, everyone froze. The officer took it and examined it. Cooper also hurried over to look. The next second, his expression froze on his face as he looked at me in disbelief.

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Alpha Ethan’s fated mate Amber, who went abroad for treatment after being poisoned, has recovered and returned. Seeing the photo Ethan posted of them together, I comforted myself. We’re mates now. Ethan loves me now. Until I overheard his conversation with a friend. “Ethan, Amber has recovered and come back. Why haven’t you broken up with her yet? Don’t tell me you’ve actually fallen for that replacement?” Ethan’s voice was cold and mocking. “How could I? I’m only with her because her voice sounds like Amber’s. An Omega… If she’s obedient, maybe I’ll let her continue as my mistress. But the Luna position. She’ll have to give it back to Amber.” He didn’t just treat me as a substitute. He wanted to crush my dignity. But on the seventh day after I left, he finally remembered that I wasn’t some fragile Omega who could only depend on him. I was also the most gifted herbalist and healer in the pack. Chapter One Molly POV In my second year as Luna, I got pregnant. But on the very day I found out, Ethan’s former fated mate Amber came back. Then I saw the photo he’d just taken with Amber on his social media. The comments were overwhelmingly positive. “Amber looks even more beautiful than before! She really is the beta’s daughter!” “She used to be a journalist! She even interviewed the Luna Queen!” “She got her wolf at sixteen and she’s incredibly strong. She’s my role model.” “If she hadn’t been poisoned during that hunt and voluntarily left alpha Ethan, Molly would never have had a chance to be with him!” At first, I told myself not to worry about these rumors. My father was a werewolf warrior, my mother just an ordinary Omega. My wolf was also very weak. In the werewolf world that valued strength above all, everyone believed I wasn’t worthy of the powerful alpha Ethan. But that didn’t matter. As long as Ethan loved me, that was enough. Until I saw one comment that made me freeze in place. “Ethan has very high standards for women’s voices. Back then he liked Amber not just because they were fated mates, but because of her voice. His current mate’s voice sounds almost exactly like Amber’s.” My mind exploded. Ethan had this quirk. During intimate moments, he liked to turn off all the lights and have me call his name over and over. Sometimes he’d even give me news scripts to record, then play them on loop in his study. I’d never thought much of it. I’d even considered it an intimate ritual that belonged just to us. With trembling hands, I pulled up those recorded news scripts, only to see that every single one was written by “Amber.” Tears fell onto the screen one by one as my heart felt like it had been shoved into an ice pit. I rushed to Ethan’s study, wanting only to ask him what was going on. But just as I reached the door, I heard laughter coming through the crack. “Ethan, Amber has recovered and come back. Why haven’t you broken up with her yet? Don’t tell me you’ve actually fallen for that replacement?” His tone was indifferent, though it couldn’t hide that trace of affection. “You’re overthinking it. I’m only with her to give Amber peace of mind. To put on a show so she could go get treated.” I froze outside the door, my legs going weak. The people in the study continued laughing. “Amber was just afraid she’d drag you down. After all, the pain between fated mates can transfer. If her poison couldn’t be cured and she died, it would have a huge impact on you too. That’s why she forced you to Mark someone else, to sever the fated bond.” I knew about this practice. I’d read about it in books. When one half of a fated mate pair Marks someone else, it means their connection is forcibly severed. Even if one dies, it won’t affect the other. But if both become single again, fate will guide them back together. There won’t be a second chance mate. But the process of a fated mate Marking someone else is extremely painful. I never imagined Amber would be willing to go that far for Ethan. “But Molly does have a great body. After you two break up, what if I go after her? Unless you’d mind, of course.” After a brief silence came his familiar yet strange voice. “After all, she’s been with me all these years. If you’re serious, go ahead and pursue her. But if you’re just playing around, forget it. If Amber finds out, she’ll blame me.” Replacement? My mind felt like someone had struck it hard. I staggered backward, unable to listen anymore. So the happiness I thought I had was just a performance from start to finish. The only one who got too into character was me. He’d once fought bitterly with his parents over me. He’d stood in front of me to protect me when I was being bullied. As an alpha, he’d made me breakfast for five years. But all of it was just acting! How ridiculous. Back home, I rushed into the bathroom and soaked in the tub, trying to calm myself down. As I dried my hair, I comforted myself. Maybe he was just joking around with his friends. That’s what men do when they’re together, right? They like to brag. But that evening, he only sent one message: “Have to handle urgent pack business tonight. Go to bed early.” I sat on the couch all night. When dawn was just breaking, he finally came home. He looked relaxed, and when he saw me, he smiled. “My little sleepyhead, couldn’t sleep without me? Look, I bought your favorite egg tarts.” I didn’t move, didn’t speak. Just quietly watched him, smelling the strong scent of roses on him. I never used rose-scented perfume. They were together last night, and they managed to hide it from our mate bond? No. Maybe it was distance. They weren’t in the pack last night. That’s why he could bring back egg tarts from that bakery in town. Chapter Two Molly POV I stared at him, trying to find any trace of deception in those eyes. But those eyes were filled with nothing but tenderness and love. My frozen heart warmed slightly. Clinging to that last bit of hope I shouldn’t have had, I grabbed his hand and said softly, “I saw Amber today. She’s recovered?” Undisguised joy appeared on his face. “Yes, she’s recovered. There’s an excellent healer in alpha King’s pack who found records of that poisonous herb in the royal library and cured Amber.” I closed my eyes in pain, asking nothing more. “Congratulations… go take a shower.” “Okay.” He didn’t notice my pain at all, just kissed my forehead. Then stuffed an egg tart in my mouth and headed into the bathroom. I reflexively took a bite, and the rich cheese flavor instantly exploded in my mouth. I froze, quickly spitting it out. How could he not remember I’m allergic to cheese? When we first started dating, I accidentally ate cheese and was rushed to the hospital. When I woke up, the healer joked: “Try to comfort Ethan. He was so scared he nearly lost it.” After that, whenever we ate out, Ethan would remind the servers repeatedly: absolutely no cheese in the food. The memory still tasted sweet, but right now my hands and feet were turning red, rashes spreading, itching unbearably. I laughed bitterly, finding the medicine and about to swallow it when I suddenly remembered I was pregnant. I was an Omega, different from those powerful werewolves. I didn’t have such strong physical constitution. If I took the allergy medicine, I might miscarry. My fingers trembled as I slowly put the medicine bottle down. Just then, the bathroom door opened. “What’s wrong? Not feeling well?” He looked at me with concern. Before I could speak, his phone suddenly rang. After answering, the laziness on his face disappeared instantly, his tone becoming tense. “Protect her. I’m coming right now.” He hurriedly changed clothes and walked to the door, then seemed to remember something and looked back at me. “There’s an urgent pack matter. I need to go check it out.” Then he reminded me, “Remember to eat your breakfast.” I casually pulled down my sleeves and asked quietly, “What flavor are the egg tarts?” “Cheese. It’s really popular lately. I waited in line forever.” His tone carried a hint of impatience, as if annoyed that I was asking too many questions. I nodded, saying only, “Got it. Drive carefully.” Clutching his phone, he seemed to sense something wasn’t right. But before he could figure it out, the phone rang again and he left without looking back. I watched his departing figure, my fingers trembling slightly. Then I grabbed my mask, left the house, and followed him from a distance. The car drove to a werewolf bar. A figure in red threw herself into his arms. He immediately wrapped his arms around her waist. “Why didn’t you tell me you were going to a bar? What if you ran into trouble?” The woman, Amber, stood on tiptoe and gave him a light kiss on the lips. “Don’t worry, I won’t let anyone but you touch me.” I watched him push her into the car and lock the door. Then he cupped the back of her head and kissed her fiercely. That kiss was deep and possessive, as if he wanted to swallow her whole. Afterward, she shyly escaped from the car while he chased after her, his eyes full of affection. I leaned against the wall as pain swept through my lower abdomen, making it impossible to stand straight. The pain made me dry heave. Only after they separated and walked into the bar did I slowly recover. I took off the ring on my hand and casually tossed it into a storm drain. Then I turned and walked away with long strides. Chapter Three Molly POV That afternoon, I started running a fever. Half-awake and half-asleep, I felt that indescribable pain again. In my dream, I saw Ethan appear before my disheveled self. He asked me if I was willing to become his mate. I didn’t agree immediately, because my biological father and mother were fated mates, but after I was born, my father despised my mother for being just an ordinary Omega and abandoned her. I didn’t understand why alpha Ethan would choose me. We weren’t even fated mates. But later, his actions won me over. On the day of the Marking ceremony, I told him, “I will never betray you. But if one day you betray me first, I will leave without looking back.” Even though I was just an Omega, I swore I would never let anyone have the chance to humiliate my dignity. The dream ended. The fever made the allergic areas hot and itchy, like millions of ants crawling on my body. Suddenly, I felt a burning sensation down there, and I realized… The baby… Instinctively, I dialed Ethan’s number. The phone rang two or three times before a woman’s voice came through. I knew it was Amber. “Hello, if you have something to say, say it quickly. I just saw a kitten that got hit by a car. I don’t have time to chat with you.” A sharp pain shot through my abdomen. I couldn’t worry about much else and quickly said: “Please tell Ethan I might be having a miscarriage. Tell him to come home right away.” Silence on the other end, then her careless voice came through: “A miscarriage just proves this child doesn’t belong to you. Besides, with your inferior bloodline, the child wouldn’t be much use anyway. If it dies, it dies.” I clutched my stomach, wondering if I was hallucinating. “What kind of nonsense are you spouting? Give the phone to Ethan. I need to talk to him!” Amber answered carelessly: “Molly, the miscarriage proves this child doesn’t like you either. You should respect his choice.” Just as she was about to hang up, I heard Ethan’s voice in the background. I shouted in desperation, “Ethan!” But Ethan didn’t respond to me. I only heard his conversation with Amber. “Amber, what’s wrong? Are you not feeling well? Is it aftereffects?” Ethan asked urgently. “My heart hurts so much! Ethan, maybe you should go back and talk to Molly. If something really happens to her baby…” He listened quietly, then picked up the phone, his voice calm but cutting. “Molly, you’re infertile. How could you possibly be pregnant? Stop acting. And don’t be so dramatic in the future. Amber’s health is fragile. Scaring people like that could cause issues…” I couldn’t speak. The woman on the other end kept chattering, finally leaving me with this. “I’m too busy these days to come back. Don’t call me about such trivial matters.” The phone went to dial tone, but my heart kept sinking. This villa was built halfway up the mountain, with almost no one else around. Even the housekeeper and servants weren’t nearby at the moment. Because I couldn’t mind link any of them. After all, I was just an Omega. I couldn’t cover all pack members like an alpha could. I could only call my friend Chloe and ask her to rush over and take me to the pack hospital. After the procedure, I was unconscious for three days and nights before waking. Chloe said that after receiving my call, she rushed to the hospital, but it was too late. The doctor said if I’d arrived even ten minutes earlier, they could have saved the baby. Then Chloe went out to buy me food. I took out my phone to scroll through my feed. Less than a minute in, I saw a video Ethan had shared. The two-minute content showed Amber advocating for the care of stray animals and cherishing life. Below the video, Ethan commented that he fully supported her charitable work. I gently touched my stomach. My heart had gone numb with pain, leaving only faint irony. At Chloe’s insistence, I rested two more days before being discharged. When I returned home, Ethan still hadn’t come back. I didn’t care, just went to work as usual. It wasn’t until the second weekend evening that he finally came home. When he entered, I was searching for my healer certification. Ethan said sarcastically, “Look at you, you’re just fine, aren’t you?” Before I could explain, he grabbed clothes and went into the bathroom. Soon, a phone ringtone came from the bathroom. Even though he lowered his voice, I could still hear his conversation with Amber: “Yeah, don’t worry, she’s not pregnant. Probably just being petty. Okay, I’ll listen to you and stay home tonight. When I’m not there, don’t kick off your blanket when you sleep!” I laughed quietly, pretending not to hear, and kept myself busy. We were going to separate anyway. Let him think whatever he wanted. No explanation from me would matter. But since he was staying home tonight, I’d need to find an excuse to sleep in separate rooms. Sharing a bed would be rather disgusting. Just as I was thinking this, he walked into the bedroom and said, “Amber’s having some trouble…” I interrupted him. “Go check on her.” A flash of discomfort crossed his face, but finally he just said, “I’ll be right back.” He didn’t come back that night, and I slept dreamlessly. Chapter Four Molly POV Early the next morning, Ethan unexpectedly rushed back and insisted on taking me out. I was somewhat puzzled but didn’t refuse. The car had just turned a corner when we saw an old man collapsed on the ground, foaming at the mouth. I immediately told Ethan to stop the car and pushed open the door. I hadn’t taken two steps when Ethan suddenly called out to me. “Amber’s monitoring watch is sending an alert. There might be something wrong with her health. I need to go check on her. You wait here for the ambulance.” Both situations were life-threatening. I didn’t stop him. The old man’s condition was terrible. Without proper herbs to detoxify him, and without moonlight, many remedies couldn’t be used. I could only quickly identify the plants around me. Finding a few types of herbs that could be used for emergency detoxification, I photographed the situation, then mixed these herbs simply and fed them to the old man. Then I quickly mind linked a guard and had him come send the old man to the pack hospital. Fortunately, a guard wasn’t far from here, or I probably would have had to drag the old man myself. But it still took some time. After the old man was sent to the hospital, they issued a critical condition notice. I called the number saved as “Granddaughter” in his phone countless times, but no one answered. By the time the enforcement team arrived and asked me to sign papers for special procedures, the old man was already gone. The doctor wheeled the body out of the operating room. I stayed where I was, waiting for follow-up procedures, when an ominous feeling suddenly arose in my heart. Soon, the elevator door dinged open. Amber rushed out, and seeing the old man, immediately threw herself over, crying heartbreakingly. “Grandpa! What happened to you? I’m here. Please wake up!” I stood stunned for a few seconds, an absurd thought flashing through my mind. Could the world really have such coincidences? But before I could speak, she stood up, rushed over to me, and slapped me hard across the face. “Molly, it was you, wasn’t it? You dared to use poisonous herbs to murder my grandfather! You hate me. Fine. Come find me. What kind of skill is it to take revenge on an old man!” Fire flashed in my eyes, but I remained calm. “I’ve already told the enforcement team what happened. If you have questions, go ask them.” She glared at me, her voice trembling and hysterical. “If it wasn’t you, why won’t you let the real responsible person come forward? If it wasn’t you, why would you be so kind as to send my grandfather to the hospital?” I was amused by her logic. Just as I was about to show her the photos I’d taken on my phone, she suddenly lunged forward to grab it. In the chaos, she used too much force and fell with the phone. Ethan arrived at that exact moment, just in time to see Amber and me on the ground. Without hesitation, he rushed over and shoved me toward the wall. “Have you lost your mind!” My spine and the back of my head hit the wall almost simultaneously. The intense pain made my vision go black. Before I could recover, Amber had thrown herself into his arms, crying almost hysterically. “Ethan, Grandpa’s dead! I don’t have a grandfather anymore! She killed him… make her pay with her life!” I looked at him, watching him stay silent, watching the hesitation in his eyes. My heart grew colder bit by bit. I suddenly remembered when I earned my healer certification with excellent grades. A classmate who was jealous of me got people to corner me in an alley and force me to bark like a dog. They even wanted to break my hands. He found me in time and fought those people until he was covered in blood. “This fool flipped through a thick herbal medicine book over a thousand times to become a good healer. She can practically recite the contents backward. You want to use dirty tricks to shatter her dream? Think again.” In that moment, he was the brightest light in my world. But now, this light before my eyes was as cold as ice. “Molly,” he said, “go apologize to Grandpa and let the old man rest in peace.” Amber leaned against his chest, looked up at me, and showed me a provocative smile. I  closed my eyes and laughed coldly. “Whether I did anything wrong, the enforcement team will tell you. But Amber, you’re crying so miserably. Are you afraid your grandfather’s ghost will come find you tonight and ask why you didn’t answer his-” Before I could finish, a slap landed hard across my face. Then Ethan ordered the guards to forcibly drag me to the hospital bed and kicked me in the knee. Bang. I fell to the ground. A sharp pain shot through my knee as I stared at him, my voice hoarse. “Ethan, you know exactly what happened.” He froze, a trace of guilt flashing in his eyes. Then he bent down and whispered in my ear, “Amber’s health is poor. Grandpa’s death is too big a blow for her. If she can’t vent, she’ll get sick. Why don’t you just admit your mistake? It’s just the detention room. Nothing will happen.” I could barely believe my ears. Fury instantly blazed to its peak as I shoved him away. “Do you know what this means? If I admit I murdered him with poisonous herbs, I can never work as a healer again in this life! Ethan, how can you say this so easily?” Before I finished speaking, he pressed me back to the ground. The guards bound my hands behind my back and stuffed some cloth into my mouth. Ethan bent down, looked at me, and smiled with a gentleness that felt cruel. “Be good. It’s just a healer’s job. You don’t need to do it. From now on, I’ll take care of you.” Then he turned and walked to Amber’s side. He raised his hand, signaling the guards to proceed. Fists slammed into my face and body as my bones made cracking sounds. I wanted to protect my head, but my hands were tied. I could only curl up and let the fists and feet fall. I opened my eyes and saw Ethan’s face through the blur. Those eyes that once gave me peace now held only coldness. Amber pulled him away to “settle Grandpa’s body.” I slowly closed my eyes. Those fists and feet scattered the few remaining memories piece by piece. The man who became flustered with just one look from me. The man who couldn’t handle spicy food but was willing to eat Mexican food with me. The man who gave me the most bountiful spoils at the hunting festival. All of it was forcibly ripped from my mind. The pain was so intense I couldn’t catch my breath, and I completely blacked out. Ethan, so even your heartache has an expiration date. Loving you really hurts.

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