My husband Derek’s online shopping orders suddenly included a baby stroller. But we don’t have any children. When I asked him why he bought a stroller, he said it was a gift for a coworker’s baby. I believed him. But the next day, I found that same stroller in an Instagram post from Lily Carter, a student I’d been sponsoring. “Our baby is already four months along. Your daddy has already prepared the stroller for you.” The photo showed a hand wearing a diamond ring resting on the stroller handle. That ring looked exactly like Derek’s custom-made wedding ring. I checked Derek’s bank statements and discovered he’d transferred three hundred thousand dollars to Lily not long ago. I didn’t cry or make a scene. I turned around and called my father: “Dad, Derek not only cheated on me, he even has a child. I’m going to leave him with nothing.” My father quickly responded: “That bastard! Don’t worry, sweetheart. I’ll contact a lawyer right away. He dares to treat you like this? We’ll make him pay!” I forced down my disgust and continued scrolling through Lily’s Instagram. One month ago: “We finalized our house today! The neighborhood is amazing! Thank you to my special someone for giving us this warm home.” The photo showed a property deed. This was the house Derek had bought with my money, claiming it was an investment. He’d turned around and given it to his mistress. The thought of him using my money to support his mistress and illegitimate child made me sick. Two months ago: “My love says he loves me and baby the most, and will give us the best life. Tonight’s steak was incredible!” The photo showed an upscale restaurant with premium steaks on the table—the kind I couldn’t even bring myself to order. I remembered that day. I’d suggested celebrating my promotion at that restaurant, but Derek had frowned and said it was too expensive. We’d ended up eating takeout at home instead. Four months ago: “I’m pregnant! Baby, your daddy is so happy he’s acting like a fool!” The photo showed her and Derek with their fingers interlaced over her belly. Each photo cut into my heart like a knife. Derek sat on the couch scrolling through his phone. I wondered if he was chatting with Lily right then. Looking at his hypocritical face, the love in my heart completely transformed into hatred. Derek, you think you can get away with this? I’m Victoria Hayes, and I don’t take this kind of treatment lying down. I walked into the study and opened my laptop. As the heir to SGA Group, I had plenty of ways to make him regret this. I first had someone investigate Lily. Lily was a student I’d sponsored through college. She’d even visited our home twice. I’d welcomed her warmly back then. And now both of them had betrayed me. On the surface, she and Derek barely knew each other. Who would have thought they’d been hiding a child behind my back! Our last contact was six months ago when she told me she’d graduated and landed a job at a good company. Through my investigation, I discovered she’d joined Derek’s company. What infuriated me was that neither Derek nor Lily had ever mentioned this to me. They must have started their affair even earlier to be hiding this guilty secret! These two! The next morning, Derek gently woke me as usual. “Victoria, breakfast is ready.” He kissed my forehead. “I have an important client meeting today. I might be home late.” I forced a smile. “Okay, your work comes first.” A flicker of something crossed his eyes—probably surprise that I was being so agreeable. “Victoria, I’ll probably be busy the next few days. Don’t read too much into it.”

“I understand.” I nodded obediently, sneering inside. Busy accompanying Lily to prenatal checkups, right? After Derek left, I immediately drove to his company. As a business partner, I had legitimate reasons to be there. I went straight to Derek’s department. He was in the conference room. Through the glass window, I saw him focused in discussion with colleagues, the picture of a dedicated professional. Who would have guessed this seemingly upstanding man was doing such things behind the scenes? I turned around and saw Lily standing not far away holding coffee. She wore the company uniform with her hair in a ponytail, looking pure and innocent. I walked over, feigning surprise: “Lily? You work here?” Lily clearly hadn’t expected to run into me. Her expression changed and the coffee cup in her hand wobbled. “Y-yes, I just started recently.” “How wonderful.” I smiled and approached her. “You should have told me. We could look out for each other.” “I didn’t want to bother you…” Her voice grew quieter as she lowered her head. I could feel her nervousness. She didn’t dare meet my eyes, her fingers unconsciously twisting together. “How could it be a bother?” I deliberately patted her shoulder. “By the way, how have you been? I haven’t heard from you in ages.” “Pretty good, everything’s fine…” she answered vaguely. At that moment, Derek emerged from the conference room. Seeing us standing together, his face instantly froze. “What are you doing here?” He quickly walked over, subtly positioning himself between Lily and me. “I came to see your work environment.” I smiled and linked my arm through his. “And to see Lily. You didn’t even tell me she works here.” Derek forced a smile. “I only found out recently myself. Haven’t had a chance to tell you yet.” “I see.” I nodded, not exposing his lie. At lunch, I made a show of asking if work pressure had been too much lately and whether he felt unwell. As he ate the food I served him, he said emotionally, “You care about me the most, Victoria. I’m so lucky to have you.” Watching his fake performance, I nearly threw up. “By the way,” I said as if suddenly remembering, “my friend mentioned a nice property development. Should we look at houses too?” Derek’s chopsticks paused. “Look at houses? Our current place is fine, isn’t it?” “But that place is too small. If we have children later, there won’t be enough room.” I tested him. His expression clearly changed. “Children aren’t urgent. We’re under enough financial pressure as it is.” Ha. When buying a house for Lily, he didn’t mention financial pressure. “True, let’s wait then.” I agreed on the surface while seeing his ugly nature crystal clear. That afternoon, I used the restroom as an excuse to deliberately pass by Lily’s workstation. She was chatting with a colleague. I heard her say, “The doctor said the baby is very healthy. Already four months along.” “You’re so lucky. Your boyfriend treats you so well—bought you a house and takes such good care of you,” the colleague said enviously. “I know. He said once the baby is born, he’ll marry me.” Lily’s face glowed with happiness. Marriage? I laughed coldly. He was still married to me and already planning to marry someone else? Then Lily noticed me. Her face went white. “Victoria.” She stammered as she stood up. I walked over with a gentle smile. “I just found out you’re pregnant? Congratulations.” She instinctively protected her belly. “Thank you.” “But you haven’t mentioned your boyfriend. How does he treat you?” I continued. “Very well,” she said, not daring to meet my eyes. “That’s good. Young people should cherish what they have. Don’t let yourselves be deceived.” I looked at her meaningfully, then turned to leave.

Walking out of the office building, I took a deep breath. Lily, you think hiding in the shadows means I can’t touch you? I’ll show you what a wife is capable of! Derek came home very late that evening, reeking of women’s perfume. “Client entertainment. Had a few drinks.” He burped. “I’ll take a shower first.” While he showered, I went through his phone. Lily: “Darling, the checkup went great. The doctor said the baby is very healthy!” Derek’s reply: “That’s wonderful! My precious! I’ll take you shopping for baby supplies tomorrow.” “You’re so good to me, darling. I love you!” “I love you and our baby too. Once he’s born, we’ll be a real family.” Reading these messages made me nauseous. They had everything planned out, just waiting for me, the wife, to disappear. Dream on! I put the phone back where I found it and plastered an innocent smile on my face. When Derek came out of the shower, I went up to massage his shoulders. “You’ve been working so hard. There really have been a lot of client dinners lately.” He enjoyed my service, a flash of smugness in his eyes. “It’s all for our future.” “By the way,” I mentioned casually, “I ran into Lily at your office today. The student I used to sponsor, remember? She seems to be pregnant. So young and already having a baby.” Derek’s body visibly stiffened. “Is that so? I hadn’t noticed.” “She looked pretty far along. Probably four months or so.” I continued probing. “Young people these days don’t know how to protect themselves.” He fumbled for something to say. I sneered internally while maintaining a concerned expression. “I hope her boyfriend is responsible. Otherwise, it would be too pitiful.” “He probably will be.” Derek was already sweating. The next day, I had my private investigator continue tracking their movements. Sure enough, Derek took Lily to an upscale baby boutique where they intimately selected baby items. In the photos, Derek had one arm around Lily’s waist and his other hand on her belly, his gaze tender in a way that reminded me of how he’d looked at me when we first married. Even worse, they went to a jewelry store and picked out a two-hundred-thousand-dollar diamond ring for Lily. I saved all these photos as evidence for the divorce. That afternoon, using shopping as an excuse, I went to the mall where Lily frequently appeared. I soon spotted her at a café chatting with a friend. I sat in a corner not far away and listened to their conversation. “Lily, are you sure about this? He’s a married man,” her friend said worriedly. “What does it matter? He doesn’t love his wife. He only stays married because her family has money,” Lily said dismissively. “He said once I have his son, he’ll find an excuse to divorce her.” “But what if he’s lying to you?” “He won’t. Look how good he is to me.” Lily showed off her hand. “This ring cost two hundred thousand. He bought me a house too. If he weren’t serious, would he spend this much money?” Her friend still seemed concerned. “But if his wife finds out…” “So what if she does?” Lily smugly touched her belly. “I have his son. That’s my trump card. Men all want their own bloodline. He won’t abandon us.” “Besides, that woman—three years of marriage and still no kids. I got pregnant right away with a boy. Who do you think he’ll choose?” Hearing this, I nearly lost control on the spot. Twenty-eight years old made me an old woman in her eyes? I forced down my rage and kept listening. “He promised me that once the baby is born, he’ll make our relationship public and let me be his wife.” Lily looked dreamy. “Then I won’t have to answer to anyone anymore.” “Does this Victoria know yet?” “Probably not. Derek puts on such a good act at home, never slipping up. She still thinks I’m just the student she sponsors. How would she guess I’m pregnant with her husband’s child?” Lily laughed smugly. “Even if she knew, so what? I have a son and she doesn’t. I’m the winner.” Enough! I couldn’t stand to listen anymore. I got up and left the café. Outside, I called my father. “Dad, we can make our move.”

“Are you certain about this? Once we start, there’s no turning back,” my father said seriously. “I’m certain.” I said through gritted teeth. “They’ve gone too far. I need to show them the consequences of betraying me!” “Alright, you have my support. We’ll begin tomorrow.” After hanging up, I watched the setting sun, the fire of revenge burning fiercely in my heart. The third day was a weekend. Derek said he was meeting a client, but he was really going to accompany Lily. I pretended to believe his lie and saw him off as he drove away. Then, in my capacity as CEO of SGA Group, I called an emergency board meeting. “Everyone, I have an announcement to make.” I stood at the conference table, my voice calm and forceful. “Effective immediately, all collaborative projects between SGA Group and Horizon Tech are terminated.” The board members exchanged glances. Horizon Tech was Derek’s company. “Victoria, why? Horizon Tech has been an important partner,” a board member asked, confused. “Because their CEO, Derek Hayes, has engaged in seriously inappropriate personal conduct that violates business ethics,” I said coldly. “It conflicts with our company’s values.” “But terminating the partnership so abruptly will incur penalty fees.” “I’ll cover the penalties,” I said without hesitation. “This is a matter of principle. No compromise.” After the meeting, I immediately contacted Derek’s company’s other major clients. Leveraging SGA Group’s influence and my personal connections, I quickly made them concerned about Derek’s company too. By afternoon, Derek’s phone was flooded with calls from clients. I leisurely sipped tea at home, listening to him anxiously take calls on the balcony. “Sally, why suddenly terminate the partnership? We’ve been working together so well…” “David, is there some misunderstanding? We can negotiate the price…” “John, please reconsider. Our company can’t survive without this project…” Watching him in a panic brought me satisfaction. Derek came home that evening looking dejected and worried. “I ran into some work problems today.” He tried to appear strong in front of me. “What happened?” I asked with concern, sneering internally. “Several major clients suddenly want to terminate partnerships. I don’t know why.” He rubbed his temples in distress. “Could competitors be sabotaging you behind the scenes?” I pretended to analyze. “Possibly…” His eyes flashed with suspicion. “Several companies have been trying to steal our business lately.” I secretly gloated. He still didn’t know the real enemy was right beside him. “Don’t overthink it. We’ll deal with problems as they come.” I gently comforted him. “Worst case, my family can help out.” Derek looked at me gratefully. “I’m so lucky to have you. Without you, I wouldn’t know what to do.” Hypocrite! If I was so great, why did you betray me? But soon he wouldn’t be saying that anymore.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “353794”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #重生Reborn

My sister and I both fell down the stairs at the same time. Pregnant, I hemorrhaged and miscarried, my life hanging by a thread. But my husband, Ethan, the hospital director, summoned all the doctors to Clara’s room to conduct a full-body examination on her—she’d only fractured a bone. I begged Ethan to save me, but he just snapped at me impatiently, “Can you stop making a scene at a time like this? Do you know Clara’s leg is broken?!” In the end, I died in a corner where no one noticed. But after learning of my death, Ethan—who had hated me the most—lost his mind. In the last three minutes before my death, my soul drifted to Ethan’s side. At that moment, he sat beside Clara’s hospital bed, his face full of worry as he murmured, “Clara, don’t scare me. Wake up soon.” My brother, Marcus, looked furious. “If that bastard Autumn hadn’t failed to protect her, how would Clara have ended up like this? Just wait until I get my hands on her!” I stood nearby watching, bitterness welling up in my heart. Marcus, you don’t need to lift a finger. I’m already dead. Dead from your indifference. The doctors formed a circle around Clara’s bed. After confirming she only had a fracture and nothing serious, one of the older doctors finally dared to mention me, asking cautiously, “Director, are you really not going to check on Autumn? She fell down the stairs, hemorrhaged from a miscarriage, and her condition seems extremely critical. She urgently needs emergency treatment.” The concern on Ethan’s face instantly turned to disgust as he shouted, “What trick is she playing now? Is she faking it? She hurt Clara like this and still doesn’t get it!” I stared at him blankly, my dead heart suddenly stabbing with pain. I was his wife, carrying his child, and he truly didn’t care about me at all? Suddenly, Ethan picked up his phone and called me. A nurse had just brought the phone to my ear when what I heard wasn’t the concern I’d hoped for, but the same old scolding: “Autumn, when are you going to get over here and apologize to your sister?” I finally felt my heart turn cold, no longer harboring any expectations. That’s right—he didn’t care about me at all. Come to think of it, when I was first brought into the hospital, I begged him to save me. All he said was, “Can you stop making a scene at a time like this? Do you know Clara’s leg is broken?!” Then he turned and left without looking back, taking all the doctors to look after Clara. Where would he find the heart to love me? The nurse couldn’t stand it anymore and took the phone. “Director, Autumn really can’t hold on much longer.” But Ethan, convinced I was making a scene, laughed coldly. “What, how much did she pay you to help her put on this act? I never thought she’d have this kind of skill!” As soon as he finished speaking, Clara, who’d been pretending to be unconscious for so long, finally woke up, putting on a weak voice. “Marcus, Ethan, how is my sister?” Looking at the “sweet and understanding” Clara on the hospital bed, Ethan’s expression became even more disgusted. “Autumn, can’t you be sensible like her? You hurt her this badly and she’s still worried about you. If you don’t get over here and apologize within three minutes, don’t bother coming to see me again!” Ethan hung up, his chest heaving with anger. Marcus stood beside him, looking displeased. “Why call her over? Haven’t you caused Clara enough misery already?” Clara couldn’t hide the smugness on her face. She lowered her head silently, putting on an expression full of guilt as she looked at Marcus and Ethan. “Marcus, Ethan, don’t be angry. My sister has always resented me for getting the house our parents left behind. It’s only natural she blames me.” I found it laughable. Even with me dead, Clara was still driving wedges between people. But Marcus and Ethan would never see through it. In their eyes, Clara would always be the more obedient and well-behaved child compared to me. It would never occur to them that during that shopping trip, it was their beloved Clara who pushed me down the stairs with her own hands. Sure enough, Ethan’s face immediately turned cold. “She’d do something this vicious over a house? Her heart’s rotten through and through!” Clara said sweetly, “Ethan, don’t be angry. Maybe my sister just hasn’t thought things through yet. She didn’t mean to fight with me over it…” Ethan’s expression softened instantly. “Clara, you’re just too kind. That’s why your sister bullies you like this.” That was Clara—always knowing exactly what to say to please them. I knew that even if I stood right in front of them and told them about all of Clara’s vicious behavior over the years, they would just slap me hard across the face and say I was talking nonsense, jealous of my sister. Over the years, I’d gotten used to it. While they were talking, my younger brother Ryan came rushing in, anxiously checking on Clara’s injuries. As soon as he learned his youngest sister had been hurt, he immediately caught a flight from out of state and rushed back without stopping. Like Marcus and Ethan, his eyes were only on Clara. After confirming Clara was unharmed, Ryan finally breathed a sigh of relief, his face full of anger. “I said it all along—Autumn is the jinx of our family. For a house, she’d even try to kill her own sister!” Clara took the opportunity to act coy. “Don’t be angry. Even if my sister pushed me down the stairs, I’m sure she didn’t mean it!”

Hearing this, the whole family exploded! Marcus slammed the table. “What? She’s the one who pushed you down the stairs?!” Ethan ground his teeth in fury. “That vicious creature—I’ll never let this go!” Ryan’s eyes were even more vicious, as if he wanted to tear me to pieces. Clara’s heart jumped, as if afraid things would get out of hand and be exposed. She quickly said, “Don’t be mad at my sister, okay? Maybe I remembered wrong. No matter what, she’s still my sister. She wouldn’t do something like this!” Ryan gently patted her shoulder. “You’re just too innocent. You have no idea how evil people can be. We’re so lucky to have a sister like you. Let’s not talk about that disaster anymore. Just focus on recovering.” The setting sun’s rays fell on Clara’s hospital bed. Watching them together like this, an indescribable bitterness surged through me. In that instant, I felt even my soul seemed so out of place. As if I wasn’t their family member, just a stray dog. I wanted to escape, but my soul was tightly bound to Ethan’s side. I couldn’t make a sound either, could only let them humiliate me. A few days later, under the family’s attentive care, Clara was discharged. Ethan busied himself packing things. Marcus drove the car to the hospital entrance early, afraid she’d have to walk even one extra step. Ryan wouldn’t even let her put on her own shoes. On the way home, Ethan grumbled irritably, “Autumn’s really not worth anything. Her sister’s being discharged and she hasn’t come to visit even once, let alone apologize. Just wait till I get home—I’ll teach her a lesson!” Marcus glanced at him. “I told you, keeping her at home is just asking for trouble. Something was bound to happen eventually.” Hearing the word “lesson,” my emotions were complicated. A flood of memories rushed into my mind. Marcus’s hatred for me began with that car accident. I was sixteen that year. Our family of five was on a road trip. I got carsick and felt terrible, so Dad pulled the car over temporarily. He and Mom both got out to buy me medicine. That’s when an out-of-control truck crashed into us from behind. Dad and Mom used their bodies to shield me. I survived. They died. From that day on, Marcus believed I had killed our parents. As the only adult, he controlled our parents’ inheritance. My sister, being “the youngest and most pitiful,” received all his compensation and affection. And I became the most superfluous person in this family. On my eighteenth birthday, I hid the last intact family photo of Mom and Dad under my pillow. Clara discovered it. She tore the photo to shreds right in front of me. I lunged forward like a madwoman to grab those pieces, and pushed her. She sat on the floor, stunned for a second, then burst into tears. When Marcus burst in, he saw exactly that scene. “Autumn!” He grabbed my hair and dragged me to the living room, throwing me hard onto the floor. “Killing Mom and Dad wasn’t enough? Now you want to hurt your sister too?” He beat me while shouting, “You jinx! Why didn’t you die with Mom and Dad? Are you alive just to keep hurting people?” My younger brother Ryan stood in the doorway, glanced once, said nothing, and walked away. From that day on, I never dared treasure anything again, never dared have emotions, never dared approach my sister. I became a shadow in this house, a transparent person who should have disappeared long ago. Until now, when they’d left me in that cold emergency room.

As soon as they got home, Clara lay down on the sofa. The moment she said she was hungry, Ryan couldn’t wait to pull out his phone to order her favorite takeout. Usually so careless, he carefully studied the reviews of various restaurants on the food delivery app, afraid of letting Clara eat something that didn’t suit her taste. Marcus pulled out a latest model luxury brand handbag, saying it was a discharge gift for her, celebrating her safe return. Ethan cleaned Clara’s room inside and out, placing aromatherapy and calming essential oils, saying it would help her relax and rest better. Clara just lay comfortably on the sofa playing with her phone, yet she held the whole family’s heart. And me—my soul that had returned with them—only felt this all-too-familiar place was bone-chillingly cold. Suddenly, the doorbell rang. I saw a figure I knew all too well—my childhood friend, Derek. He’d just returned from abroad. As soon as he entered, he expressed concern for Clara’s health. “I heard Clara was being discharged today, so I specially bought some things to visit her.” Clara immediately put down her phone, acting shy. “Sorry you had to make a special trip. I’m fine now.” Derek gave her a warm smile. That face that had always been sunny and cheerful in my memory now seemed inexplicably strange to me. Suddenly, he changed the subject. “Where’s Autumn?” If he hadn’t mentioned me, the whole family probably would have forgotten my existence. Hearing my name, Ethan’s face darkened. “Why bring up that disaster? I said a few words to her and she didn’t even come home. But that’s fine—since she likes being out there so much, she should just never come back. Die out there. At least then home would be peaceful, instead of her constantly stirring up trouble!” Derek quickly nodded. “Good that she’s not coming back. At least she won’t disturb Clara’s rest.” Ryan came out carrying water, teasing, “So, are you leaving the country again this time? Clara, you’d better pay more attention, or someone else might snatch him away.” Derek lowered his head slightly. “I originally planned to visit Clara today, and also… clarify some things with Autumn.” An indescribable sourness churned from my heart to my throat. I laughed bitterly at myself, turned around, and didn’t want to look anymore. Not being loved—I’d gotten used to it long ago. After dinner, Ethan became somewhat irritable for some reason. He returned to the bedroom alone, searching for something on his phone. I walked over and glanced—he was looking for my phone number. Then he repeatedly called me, but no one ever answered. After a while, Ethan threw his phone hard on the ground. “Still dare not answer my calls? Think anyone actually cares about you?” I really wanted to tell him I was dead—how could anyone possibly answer the phone? But then he called that hospital nurse. “What trick is Autumn telling you she wants to pull? Tell her for me not to refuse what’s good for her. Get back here right now and apologize to her sister, and I’ll still allow her to come home!” The other end of the line was silent for a few seconds. “Director, Autumn died a week ago. She fell down the stairs that day, hemorrhaged from a miscarriage and urgently needed emergency treatment, but all the doctors had been summoned by you to Clara’s room. There were no doctors available to treat her…” Hearing these words, Ethan’s pupils dilated in shock. He froze in place. He refused to believe it, recalling the scene from that day, frowning confidently. “That’s impossible. She and Clara went together. Clara’s already been discharged—how could she be hurt that badly?” “Don’t think I can’t see through this little trick. Isn’t she just trying to make me care about her by causing trouble?” “I’m warning both of you—stop this endless scheming together! Or you’ll both regret it!” Seeing that Ethan refused to believe it no matter what, the nurse sighed softly and said helplessly, “Director, I’m really not lying to you. If you don’t believe me, go to the morgue and see for yourself.”

Ethan became somewhat nervous, pacing back and forth in the room, his footsteps heavy and urgent. “You liars, ganging up to deceive me—you really don’t know your place!” Without waiting for the nurse to say anything more, he angrily hung up the phone. Seeming to have heard Ethan’s outburst, Marcus opened the door. “Derek’s still here. What are you shouting about in your room?” Ethan clutched his phone to his chest with both hands, looking helplessly at Marcus. “The nurse from the hospital just said Autumn is dead. It can’t be true, can it?” Marcus rolled his eyes dismissively. “How are you so gullible too? If she was really hurt that badly, someone as scheming as her would have dragged Clara down with her. How could Clara still be standing here perfectly fine?” Derek also came over to comfort Ethan. “That’s right. Autumn… she’s got nine lives. She’s not that easy to kill.” Ryan said dismissively while playing on his phone, “Wouldn’t it be better if that annoying pest died? What’s there to worry about?” Although I’d long known everyone favored my sister, I never imagined I’d be so worthless in their eyes. After all these years, even if they didn’t like me, they should have understood me somewhat. With my personality, how could I possibly do something so despicable, or joke about my own life and death for attention? Under everyone’s “reassuring” words, Ethan straightened his back and resumed his usual arrogant manner. “First thing tomorrow morning I’m going to the hospital to expose them! If Autumn’s not in the morgue, I’ll break her legs! And that nurse—I’ll fire her too!” Light rain suddenly began pattering outside the window. Their casual words were like loud slaps across my face, but I couldn’t make a sound from the pain. By now, I clearly understood—everyone had been hoping for my death all along. Early the next morning, Ethan rushed to the hospital without even eating breakfast. Marcus, worried, went with him. On the way there, Ethan was still complaining to Marcus about having to make another wasted trip. But when they arrived at the hospital morgue and saw my corpse, Ethan staggered back in horror, stumbling to crouch against the wall, hugging himself tightly. “How could this be? How did this happen? That day I clearly saw she wasn’t badly hurt. Her mental state was clearly fine too…” I indeed didn’t look badly hurt, just some scrapes and bruises on my body. But it was because my abdomen had been struck during the fall, causing hemorrhaging and miscarriage, urgently requiring surgery to stop the bleeding. The reason my mental state seemed fine was because I was losing so much blood I was nearly gone—my adrenaline had peaked. As hospital director, Ethan would have noticed with just a little care. But unfortunately, he only cared about Clara. From beginning to end, he never looked at me even once. Marcus also reached out to touch my face. Perhaps because my death was too gruesome, his outstretched hand stopped in midair. After learning the news, Clara and Ryan rushed over. Seeing Ethan and Marcus looking devastated, Clara realized something was wrong. As soon as she entered, she rushed to my bedside and knelt on the floor, shouting, “How could you be so foolish! Just because I got the house Mom and Dad left behind, you resented me that much? To get revenge on me, you got yourself killed!” After crying dramatically, Clara crouched on the floor pretending to blame herself. “I’m sorry. It’s all my fault. If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t be like this…” Then she started slapping herself hard in the face. Seeing this, Ethan, Marcus, and Ryan couldn’t care about being sad anymore and quickly pulled Clara away. Ethan held her tightly. “It’s okay. It’s not your fault. It’s not your fault. Her own greed killed her. This is all her own doing!” At the mention of that house, I froze for a moment, my thoughts pulled back to a year ago. I was four years older than Clara. After Mom and Dad died, they left behind a house in a very good location. I had just found out I was pregnant then, full of joy planning for the future. I discussed with Marcus about transferring the house to my future child. But the good-for-nothing Clara heard about it and threw a fit, saying Mom and Dad’s things were hers too, and she wanted it. Marcus knew perfectly well she didn’t even have a boyfriend and had no use for it, but still agreed to appease her. For this, Marcus specifically talked to me, spending the whole evening saying how difficult my sister had it. “Autumn, look—you’re pregnant now, you have Ethan taking care of you. Clara is still alone, and she’s so young… Why don’t we give her this house first? It’ll be a safety net for her. You still have your whole lives ahead of you.” I put down my water glass and fiercely objected for the first time. “This house is what Mom and Dad left for all of us to share, and isn’t it most appropriate to give it to my child now? If we give it to Clara, she’ll probably just sell it and squander the money!” Seeing me actually dare to argue back, Marcus slammed down his cup. “Autumn! We’ve supported you plenty over the years! Can’t you just give in to your sister? She’s simple-minded—what if she gets scammed later? Having a house is always good!” “She’s simple-minded?” I almost laughed coldly. “Can’t you see that she—” “Enough!” Marcus cut me off sternly. “I still have authority in this house! The house goes to Clara first. That’s final! If you keep making trouble, don’t call me your brother anymore!” Perhaps because I still cared about that pitiful bit of family affection, or perhaps seeing Marcus’s exhausted yet firm expression, I ultimately compromised. I heard my numb voice say, “Stop being angry. The house… just give it to her.” But now I somewhat regretted that softness. If I had insisted on fighting for what my child deserved, perhaps I would have seen through their true faces earlier and wouldn’t have ended up like this today. A few days later, out of guilt, Ethan held a fairly decent funeral for me.

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After my company went bankrupt, my wife, who used to love me dearly, completely changed. She blamed me constantly, saying I was useless, and kept demanding a divorce. “Marcus Shaw, I’ve been with you all these years. Can’t you just let me go?” Her mother, Helen, looked at me too. “Marcus, I know you love Rachel. But since you’ve gone bankrupt, you can’t drag her down with you. Just divorce her!” Her brother Tyler even pulled out divorce papers and forced me to sign. “The house and savings go to Rachel. You keep your failing company! Sign it now!” I said nothing. I signed silently, packed my things, and left the house. They had no idea that while the company was barely breaking even, I’d already secured investment. We even had new research breakthroughs ready. “Rachel, do we really have to get divorced? What if my company turns around soon?” I looked at Rachel and asked. But Rachel just sneered at me. “Marcus, don’t think I don’t know what’s going on!” “You know exactly what state your company is in!” “Do you know how much you’ve sold off just to pay employee salaries?” “If I stay with you, I won’t just end up with nothing—I’ll have to share your debts!” Looking at me, Rachel said flatly, “Marcus, there’s nothing more to say. Let’s divorce!” “I already wrote up the agreement. Cash and the house are mine. That failing company is yours!” I looked at Rachel, disappointment filling my eyes. Years ago, to give Rachel a good life, I worked day and night. Even during my company’s glory days, her mother and brother took plenty of money from me. And now, the moment my company hit a rough patch, Rachel couldn’t wait to split everything with me. In that moment, I smiled slightly. “Fine!” I didn’t say anything else. After all, once Rachel said those words, there was nothing left to discuss. All I wanted now was to cut ties with Rachel completely. When I signed the divorce papers, their whole family lit up with joy. Tyler was even more direct—he made us take the agreement straight to city hall and finalize the divorce. Holding my divorce papers, I hadn’t even had time to speak when I heard Helen say to Rachel, “Rachel, you should’ve left Marcus ages ago!” “Remember Derek? He’s back from overseas and says he still really likes you. Now that you’re divorced from Marcus, you should get in touch with him!” “Derek isn’t some loser like Marcus. He runs his own company now and has real money!” Then she looked at me. “Marcus, you and Rachel have nothing to do with each other anymore!” “When you go bankrupt, don’t you dare come crawling to our family!” Hearing this family’s words, I laughed bitterly. “Don’t worry. But if my company does turn around, please don’t come looking for me either!” As soon as I said that, Tyler spoke up first. “Marcus, what are you dreaming about?” “You’re already like this, and you still think you can make a comeback? Let me tell you, it’s impossible!” I said nothing. I just smiled, took my divorce papers and certificate, and walked away quickly.

Coming out of city hall, I unexpectedly saw a man holding a bouquet. When he saw Rachel, he rushed right up to her. “Rachel, I’m back. I know you got divorced today. I don’t mind that you were married!” The man said this, and Rachel’s face turned shy. Watching Rachel’s expression, my heart grew colder. I never imagined that the woman who always said she loved me more than life itself would be so decisive the moment my company hit trouble. Right after the divorce, she immediately threw herself into another man’s arms. In that moment, I felt nothing but ridicule. After thinking it over, I decided to ignore this family. After all, I still had plenty of things to do. When I got back to the company, my secretary rushed over immediately. “The other company sent people. They said we can sign the contract today!” Hearing my secretary’s words, I smiled. Originally, I went home to tell Rachel this good news. But I never expected to be met with such cold treatment from her whole family. Now, I’d actually shaken off Rachel and her family. The signing ceremony went extremely smoothly. After learning about our research results, they transferred the money on the spot. They also announced that once our new product was manufactured, they’d help our company go public. After the investors left, I threw myself back into work. Just then, I unexpectedly received a text from my bank. Ten thousand dollars had been charged to my card for a handbag purchase. I knew Rachel had done this. “Contact the bank and cancel all my supplementary cards!” I told my secretary. Since I was already divorced from Rachel, naturally I couldn’t let her keep using my money. What’s more, when we divorced, she’d already taken all the cash from the house—over a million dollars. Now she was still using my card to shop! The secretary immediately called the bank and had all my supplementary cards canceled. Naturally, I didn’t dwell on this matter and focused entirely on the project. But I didn’t expect that just ten minutes later, Rachel would call me frantically. “Marcus, you canceled my card?” On the other end, Rachel’s voice came through. “Yes,” I nodded. “How dare you cancel my card?” On the other end, Rachel immediately accused me angrily. “We’re already divorced. It’s not appropriate for you to keep using my supplementary card, is it?” I asked back. Hearing this, Rachel fell silent. “Marcus, transfer me more money. I’m out of cash!” Hearing this, I laughed bitterly. We just got divorced, and I gave her over a million in savings. Now I barely had anything left in my own account. How could she be out of money? “Miss Rachel, we just got divorced, and all my money is in your hands!” “Right now, you have way more money than I do!” I said coldly. “Marcus, I gave my money to my mom. I’m broke now! Just because we’re divorced, is this how you treat me?”

Hearing Rachel’s words, I laughed bitterly. “You’re the one who wanted the divorce. What’s more, you know exactly how much money you took from me!” “I don’t have much left in my account. Don’t you think what you’re doing is excessive?” I said coldly. She knew perfectly well I barely had any money left, yet she could still say these things. In this moment, all I felt toward Rachel was disgust. “Marcus, how can you be like this! Your company’s going bankrupt anyway. What do you need that little bit of money for?” On the other end, Rachel’s voice was full of anger. Hearing this, I laughed bitterly. Did she really think that just because my company was going bankrupt, I wouldn’t need money? “Marcus, you’re so disappointing!” Seeing I wasn’t responding, Rachel angrily hung up. Right now, I just shook my head. I was too lazy to keep dealing with Rachel. After all, I was very busy. There was too much going on at the company. With the funding secured, all the R&D departments were working. Soon, our research results came through. When the investors found out, they added even more investment and told us to manufacture the products as quickly as possible. Now the company wasn’t short on funds at all. Soon our product launched and became an instant hit. The company’s market value kept climbing, and the investors even told me to go public as soon as possible. After the company started turning a profit, the first thing I did was give all employees a six-month bonus. I knew that if they hadn’t stayed with me, working overtime constantly, my company might have truly collapsed. We’d never have achieved these results. Now I even used my money to buy myself a new villa. That day, I opened my phone and unexpectedly saw Rachel had posted on social media. In the post was a photo of Rachel and Derek together, both smiling sweetly, holding hands. Rachel even wrote: “Leave the wrong person, meet true love!” Looking at Rachel’s post, I smiled and even liked it. After all, she was right. Leaving the wrong person did make life better. Half an hour later, Rachel called. On the other end, Rachel’s voice was slightly cold. “Marcus, why did you like my post?” “Your company’s about to go bankrupt, right? Marcus, don’t think I’ll feel sorry for you!” On the other end, Rachel’s voice was extremely cold. “Let me tell you, Derek and I truly love each other. We’re going to be happy together. As for you, after you go bankrupt, just hide away and don’t come looking for our family!” “Don’t worry, even if I go bankrupt, I’d never look for you again. But from now on, please don’t bother me either!” I smiled and hung up. Rachel had no idea how well I was doing now. As for Rachel, she had nothing to do with me anymore. After hanging up on Rachel, I was about to rest when my secretary sent me a message. “Remember to attend tomorrow’s banquet!” I immediately replied. Tomorrow’s banquet was a gathering of the city’s business community. Many people wanted to discuss partnerships with me. After all, I was quite famous in the city now.

That evening, my secretary picked me up and we headed straight to the venue. What I didn’t expect was that as soon as we arrived, she pointed to a figure in the distance. “That’s Rachel over there!” After all, Rachel and I had just divorced recently, and many people at the company knew Rachel. Following my secretary’s direction, sure enough, I saw Rachel. Rachel was holding Derek’s arm. They were standing at the venue entrance and happened to see me too. When she saw me, Rachel’s expression immediately darkened. “Marcus, what are you doing!” “Why did you follow me here!” “I already told you clearly—I have nothing to do with you!” Looking at Rachel, I shook my head. I was too lazy to deal with her now. “I came here to attend the banquet. You’ve misunderstood!” After saying that, I prepared to leave, but Rachel grabbed me relentlessly. “Marcus, your failing company is about to collapse. What are you doing here?” “Marcus, don’t think I don’t know—you just came here to scam people!” “Leave now!” Rachel pointed at me, speaking rapidly. Looking at Rachel, I shook my head. “Whether I’m here to scam people or not really has nothing to do with you!” After saying that, I prepared to leave, but Rachel wouldn’t let it go and blocked me directly. “Marcus, I can’t let you scam people!” “Besides, you’re my ex-husband. Who knows if you scam someone, it might affect me!” Looking at Rachel, I laughed bitterly. I knew Rachel was just afraid I might make a comeback. She just didn’t know I’d already made my comeback. I looked at Rachel coldly. “No matter what, you and I have nothing to do with each other anymore. So please stop bothering me!” After saying that, I pulled my hand away and prepared to enter the venue. But just as I was about to enter, Derek blocked me. “Marcus, not just anyone can go in here!” “You need an invitation! You don’t even have an invitation. You think you can just walk in?” He looked at me with contempt. Looking at these two, I shook my head helplessly. I didn’t expect to run into them here, or to be blocked so relentlessly. Just then, several executives entered from outside. Seeing me, they rushed right over. “Why are you still at the entrance? Everyone’s waiting for you!” Several executives were about to pull me inside, but Rachel and Derek panicked. “Everyone, he’s a fraud!” Rachel quickly spoke up. “Don’t let him deceive you!” “His company’s about to go bankrupt!” Hearing Rachel’s words, I could only sneer. I never imagined that after the divorce, the first person who wanted me dead would be my ex-wife. But the executives were all stunned. “How could his company go bankrupt? His company’s about to go public!” “What?” As soon as they said that, Rachel froze. When she turned to look at me, anger filled her face. “Marcus, why didn’t you tell me something this important?”

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My fiancée, Julia Hartwell, got promoted to Vice President and threw a party to celebrate. I was holding a custom pink diamond ring, planning to surprise her with a proposal. But outside the door, I overheard her telling her friends: “I’m making a million dollars a year now. Xavier is nowhere near my league anymore. He’s just a dog I keep around.” Her newly hired assistant, Derek Stone, wrapped his arm around her waist and said: “Being your dog is an honor for him. He has no idea how many men are lining up for the chance!” She laughed in Derek’s arms, her body shaking with amusement. I smiled bitterly and tossed away the pink diamond ring, sending my father a message: “Dad, I agree to the arranged marriage. Fire Julia immediately!” Then I called the wedding planning company: “Hello, for the wedding in ten days—the bride’s name needs to change. I’m getting a new bride.” “Yes, we’ll discuss the details when we meet.” After I hung up, the party had ended and Julia was just coming out of the bathroom. Her hair was half-dry, wrapped in a bathrobe with moisture clinging to her skin. Normally her showers took half an hour, but today she’d been in there for a full hour. She frowned at me: “Who were you just calling?” I told her honestly—someone from the wedding company. Julia relaxed. “The wedding isn’t for another ten days. You don’t need to be so meticulous.” She probably thought I was calling to go over details with the wedding planners. After all, during our five years together, I’d personally planned every holiday and anniversary down to the smallest detail, just to make her happy. “Mm.” Indeed, I didn’t need to be—especially since the person I was marrying was even more meticulous than me. At that thought, I smiled bitterly. Julia impatiently ran her fingers through her hair. “My hair’s still wet!” Before, I would always patiently blow-dry her hair after every shower. But now, I didn’t want to. “Sorry, I still have things to do. Dry it yourself.” Julia froze, her voice turning sharp: “What could a house husband possibly have to do?!” “Your main job is taking care of me! Those were your own words. Have you forgotten?” A fine, dense pain spread through my chest. Five years ago, I had said I would take good care of her. But now, I didn’t want to anymore. “I don’t want to take care of you anymore, Julia.” With that, I grabbed my jacket and left without looking back. When I got home, I fell to my knees before my parents in remorse. “Mom, Dad, I was wrong! I agree to the arranged marriage. Same wedding date, different bride!” My parents exchanged surprised glances and quickly asked what happened. To be with Julia, I’d broken with them and moved out five years ago. A few months ago, when they found out I was going to marry Julia, they finally couldn’t stand by anymore. They came to me and said they’d found a suitable match for an arranged marriage—the daughter of the Sinclair Corporation, who was also my childhood playmate. By any measure, she was better than Julia. I refused them, saying my true love was Julia. As it turned out, Julia slapped me hard in the face and broke my heart. “Xavier, do you really agree to the arranged marriage? Don’t you want to meet her first?” My mother helped me up, her heart aching for me. “No need. I trust your choice.” At least I wouldn’t be hurt so badly by love again. Late at night, Julia called. “Xavier, I didn’t dry my hair in time and now I have a cold. Can you buy me medicine and bring it home?” On the other end, her voice was soft and sweet—clearly giving me a way out. Every time we fought, as long as she spoke gently and played the victim, I would always soften. But not this time. “Don’t you have an assistant? Just have him bring you medicine. I’m busy. Gotta go.” Julia’s voice shot up, shrill and angry: “What’s your problem? Why are you bringing him up out of nowhere?! You’re my husband—of course you should be the one taking care of me!” I said nothing. During our five years together, Julia had always been imperious with me like this. She trampled on my sincere feelings, constantly giving other men opportunities. Too bad I was too foolish. Blinded by love, I stubbornly believed she just had a bad temper, but that deep down she always loved me. Until I saw with my own eyes how she compared me to Derek, saying I was boring and he was exciting. That’s when I finally understood—she only loved herself. “Like I said, I’m busy. Figure it out yourself.” I hung up. My parents breathed a sigh of relief. The next morning, I went home to pack my things. Opening the door, I saw Julia lying on the couch, looking at me with an aggrieved expression. “You’re finally willing to come back.” Her face was pale, clutching her stomach as she spoke resentfully. I sighed. Seemed like she’d gotten herself pretty worked up yesterday. She had stomach problems—whenever her emotions fluctuated too much, her stomach would hurt. Though I was determined to leave, seeing her like this made me feel somewhat guilty. I pulled out the medicine box, found some cold medicine, and poured her a fresh glass of water. “There’s medicine in the box. You didn’t even think to get it yourself.” She took the medicine, but before she could speak, a male voice rang out. “Julia, should I put sugar in the porridge?” Derek, wearing an apron, walked out of the kitchen. The moment he saw me, he froze, then smiled: “Xavier, you’re here?” Like he was the man of the house greeting a guest. The next second, realizing he’d said the wrong thing, he quickly corrected himself: “Oh, you’re back, Xavier. Julia’s been running a fever and her stomach’s been hurting. She said you were busy, so she had to call me to bring medicine.” Only then did I notice a paper medicine bag on the coffee table. I couldn’t help but smile. Looks like I’d worried for nothing again. Julia tilted her head back and swallowed the pills, then gulped down several mouthfuls of the water I’d poured. “Honey, your medicine still works best.” “Don’t be mad. I waited for you all last night. This morning I was feeling so awful I had to call my assistant over.” She rested her head on my shoulder, speaking weakly: “The moment I saw you, I felt so much better.” “Derek, you can head back to work now.” She raised her hand to dismiss Derek. After he left, Julia took my hand and said earnestly: “Honey, yesterday was my fault. I shouldn’t have spoken to you like that.” “Will you forgive me?” She rarely called me “honey.” This was also the first time she’d chosen me in front of Derek. So she did know how to make me feel secure. She just never wanted to before. Now it was too late. I gently pulled my hand away and stood up: “Just rest. Don’t overthink things.” In the kitchen, I looked at the two sets of bowls and chopsticks in the sink. My heart sank to the bottom. Derek had been here last night. Once again, Julia had lied to me.

I pulled out my phone and looked at Derek’s post from last night. Still set to be visible only to me. [Boss works so hard, working late and getting sick before her wedding. Brought her medicine and a late-night snack.] The picture showed him making a peace sign next to Julia’s sleeping face. Since he wanted to move up so badly, I’d just let him have her. I went to the wedding company to discuss the details of changing brides. I’d handled all the wedding arrangements—Julia hadn’t shown her face once, so it was easy to finalize everything. Back home, looking at our wedding photos in the living room, I found them grating. I took them down, along with all our photos together over the years, and packed everything in boxes to throw away. A pink card fell out of the album. It read: [Julia will always love Xavier Knight]. She’d written it five years ago when she confessed her feelings to me. Over five years, I’d compromised again and again for love, becoming someone unlike myself, only to be met with disdain. I crumpled the card into a ball and tossed it in the trash. “What are you doing?” Julia’s voice came from behind me. I looked up at the clock—it was already 7 PM. Right when Julia got off work. Today she hadn’t worked late or had any social obligations. She’d come straight home. I was a bit surprised and quietly closed the box. “Just sorting through some trash.” She looked around, seeming to notice something missing from the living room. “Where’s our wedding photo?” “The frame broke. Took it to get fixed.” I answered casually without looking up. “Oh.” Julia didn’t ask more questions. She held up a box. “Stop working for now. I brought you shrimp. Come eat.” Seeing I didn’t move, Julia frowned: “What’s wrong?” “I’m allergic to shrimp.” She knew that. But she’d forgotten. Julia’s expression froze, guilt flashing across her face. “Sorry, I forgot. Let me go buy you something else!” She grabbed the box and headed out again. I took out my phone and, unsurprisingly, saw Derek’s post. [Boss brought me a love dinner—my favorite shrimp!] I see. It was just that Derek loved shrimp, and she’d brought me some on the side. I smiled and continued packing. Julia said: “You don’t need to rush with the packing. After we get married, we’ll move to the new house together. I’ll help you organize then.” “Mm. I just want to throw out some useless stuff ahead of time.” I replied perfunctorily. Seeing my lack of enthusiasm, Julia took the initiative: “You always said you wanted to see the Northern Lights in Iceland, right? For our honeymoon, I requested a month off. I’ll go with you.” If this were before, hearing her say this would have made me excitedly spin her around. But now, I knew we wouldn’t be going together. She held my face and kissed me, but her phone rang. With just one glance, her expression changed. “Honey, something came up at the company. I need to go back and work late.” I nodded and got up to carry the boxes out. “Let me take out the trash.” Julia eagerly took them from me and left. Actually, if she’d just opened them and looked, she would have seen that the “trash” I was throwing away was our wedding photo, our couple’s albums, and the confession card she’d written by hand. Unfortunately, she never noticed.

Late at night, I came across Derek’s post. [Got diarrhea from working late, but luckily my boss took care of me. So blessed!] The picture showed Julia’s bare arm as she held out medicine and water. Looked like the shrimp soup dumplings were to blame. Good thing I didn’t eat any. I met up with some old friends and had a good drinking session with them. Before, Julia wouldn’t let me drink and didn’t like me having my own social life. Now, I was finally free. I woke up from my hangover the next afternoon. When Julia came in, she automatically said: “Worked too late last night, so I slept at the office.” She tiredly took off her jacket, then sniffed and frowned. “Where’s that smell of alcohol coming from?” “Had too much with friends yesterday. Opening the windows should help.” She frowned in displeasure but, after looking at my expression, ultimately said nothing. Right—she could spend the whole night taking care of her assistant and lie to me. What right did she have to control me? Glancing at the bright red “4” on the countdown calendar on the table, she seemed to remember something. “Oh right, your birthday’s in two days. Is there anything you want?” With her reminder, I remembered my birthday was coming up. “No need. I don’t want to celebrate my birthday.” I used her own words to answer her coolly. On her birthday, I’d made a whole table of food waiting for her, only to be scolded: “My work is very busy, and I don’t want to celebrate my birthday. You don’t need to wait for me.” Later, I discovered on Derek’s Instagram that Julia had closed her eyes to make a wish over a cake. Turned out, she didn’t not want to celebrate her birthday—she just didn’t want to celebrate with me. That day we had a huge fight. I yelled asking her who she was thinking of when she made her wish. She said I was petty, that her colleagues had insisted on celebrating and she couldn’t refuse. Seeming to remember this, guilt flashed in Julia’s eyes. “That won’t do. This is your last birthday before the wedding. I need to celebrate it properly with you!” She wrapped her arm around my shoulder and gently kissed my cheek. “Huh? How come you’re not wearing the watch I gave you last year?” That watch had been thrown in the trash the moment she walked out yesterday. “Put it away for safekeeping.” I said flatly. Julia just said “oh” and didn’t ask further. She’d stayed up all night taking care of Derek, then worked all day. She was exhausted. She took a shower and went to bed early. Three more days, and I’d be completely free of Julia. I called the wedding company and had them go meet the new bride at her address, to take her measurements and pick out a wedding dress. My parents also called to urge me to meet her beforehand. “It’s not like we’ve never met. We can see each other at the wedding.” “See who?” Julia had overheard my conversation. “My parents. They said they wanted to see you before the wedding. I declined for you.” I replied coolly. Julia was a bit unhappy. “Come to think of it, in five years I still haven’t met them. Why are you declining for me?” The daughter-in-law they want to see isn’t you. I opened my mouth but ultimately didn’t bother saying it. Julia opened the closet and exclaimed in surprise: “Why are all your clothes gone?” “I packed them away. It’ll be easier to move them directly to the new house later.” I answered flatly. After Julia took out her jacket, she turned and hugged me. “I requested tomorrow off. I’ll stay home and celebrate your birthday with you!” This was one of the few times she’d taken the initiative to be considerate. “Okay.” Fine. Five years ago, we got together on my birthday. Let it end on this day too. Julia went shopping for groceries with me, then got called away by a phone call. No need to guess—the only person who could call her away at a time like this was Derek. I didn’t expose her, but went home alone and started cooking. She said she’d definitely be back within two hours. But by the time I’d finished making a whole table of food and eaten my share, she still hadn’t come back. I wiped my mouth and stood up, calling my parents. “Let’s go. I’ll come with you to see the wedding venue.” When I arrived at the reserved wedding hotel, I unexpectedly saw Julia. Behind her was Derek, dressed in a full suit. The two were chatting and laughing, looking every bit like a couple. “Don’t misunderstand, honey. I’m here to help Derek out. The girl he was set up with on a blind date won’t leave him alone, so I’m pretending to be his sister to chase her away…” I nodded. “Running into harassment and stalking is indeed troublesome. As his boss, you should protect your subordinate.” Seeing I wasn’t making a scene or misunderstanding, Julia breathed a sigh of relief. “I’ll go up with him first. Let’s meet downstairs in a bit.” Derek forced a smile and thanked me, then was the first to enter the elevator. The tie he was wearing was from my favorite brand. It was also the one Julia had put in her bag this morning. It should have been my birthday present. Julia hesitated, but finally followed him into the elevator. As the elevator doors closed, I seemed to see my former self in Derek. Back then, Julia had been just as attentive to me. If anyone dared show interest in me, she’d get incredibly anxious. I toured the venue with my parents, and after seeing them off, Julia still hadn’t come down. Thinking of how she’d said “see you in a bit,” I sent her a text. [Done yet? When are you coming back?] She quickly sent back a voice message. When I played it, it was Derek’s voice. “Xavier, you should head back first. Julia got into a bit of a scuffle with that woman and got her clothes splashed. She’s in the shower now. I’ll have her call you back later!” Hearing the sound of running water in the background, I decisively took a taxi home. “Xavier, don’t be mad. This is all my fault. I didn’t expect that woman wouldn’t believe Julia and I are siblings, and even got physical with her…” Derek’s voice couldn’t hide his smugness. I ignored him. After a long while, Julia called to scold me. “I already explained everything to you. Why are you still dwelling on it?” “Derek came to this city alone to make it. It’s not easy. I’m his boss—what’s wrong with helping him out?” I could hear Derek’s aggrieved sobbing through the phone. I took a deep breath, no longer interested in engaging with his manipulative games. “Mm. I understand. You go ahead and stay busy.” I hung up, cleared out all my belongings, and left.

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At our family dinner, I joyfully announced my pregnancy. My mom immediately proposed to my husband: “Jackson, let me find you a young, sexy nanny. Claire’s lazy by nature and now that she’s pregnant, she’ll be even less willing to do anything. A little nanny could handle the housework and take care of your sexual needs too!” My husband nearly choked on my mom’s words. I angrily slammed down my folks: “Mom, what kind of joke is that!” My mom glared at me: “I’m not joking. When I was pregnant with you, your dad was sleeping around. All men cheat, so why should your husband be any different!” A wave of anger surged through me. Just because her husband cheated, mine had to cheat too? Jackson sat there squirming. He nervously wiped the sweat from his forehead, then grabbed my hand. “Mom, please don’t test me like this. I promise I’ll never do anything to hurt Claire!” My mom’s smile froze on her face. Jealousy spread rapidly from the depths of her eyes. “My foolish child, Claire has already done things to hurt you. Why should you be faithful to her!” My eyes widened. I could barely believe my ears. “Mom, what are you talking about? I’ve never done anything to hurt Jackson!” My mom glared at me triumphantly. As if she’d been prepared for this, she pulled a crumpled piece of homework paper from her bag. She handed the paper to Jackson, lowering her voice: “This is a love letter Claire wrote to a boy in high school. I confiscated it after I found it, and I made a hundred copies and posted them all over their school.” “Writing love letters to men at eighteen—I could never do something so slutty. You know what this means? It means Claire wasn’t a virgin mentally. She was already a damaged good when she got with you.” My mom sneered. Her expression was nothing but contempt. I clenched my fists, letting my nails dig into my palms. My nails scraped blood from the flesh, burning hot, but I didn’t feel any pain. Those painful memories had already drowned me… Growing up, “I never had that, so why should you?” was my mom’s constant refrain. “I never wore a bra when I was young—why should you! Just wrap yourself in a piece of cloth.” “I won’t buy you sanitary pads. Nobody bought them for me when I was young—why should you use ones I buy? Figure it out yourself!” I had no new clothes, no bra, not even sanitary pads. When I was eighteen, a thoughtful boy in my class noticed my situation. Blushing, he gave me a bunch of feminine products. He quietly told me that if I ever had difficulties, I should come to him. I was so touched. I wrote him a thank-you note. But my mom insisted it was a love letter. She said I was shameless, that the boy bought me sanitary pads because I’d slept with him. My mom dragged me to a clinic for a virginity test. After getting the result that my hymen was intact, she looked dazed—even disappointed. But quickly, my mom changed her story: “So what if you’re physically a virgin? You wrote love letters to a man at eighteen—you’re not a virgin mentally! You’re worthless trash who’ll never deserve a good man.” “I was pure when I married your bastard father. You’re damaged goods, so you only deserve to marry trash in this life!” My mom took my thank-you note and rewrote it into an explicit, seductive love letter. She posted a hundred copies around the school for everyone to see. After that, the boy avoided me like I was dangerous. My classmates mocked and despised me. I had no friends. Even the teacher who’d believed in me most began treating me with disgust. Later, I got into a top university. My career got better and better. I earned more and more. My mom even apologized for what she’d done. She said she was just afraid I’d date too early in high school and ruin my future, ruin my life. I thought she’d finally changed. But now, she was bringing up old wounds again, slandering me in front of my husband!

Jackson looked confused as he finished reading the letter, then stared at my mom like she was insane: “Mom, whether this thing is real or fake, it’s ancient history.” “I don’t care about the past. I only care about the future.” “I’m happy with Claire. Don’t worry—I’ll never betray her.” Jackson squeezed my hand tight. Where my fingers had been ice-cold, his warmth gradually spread through them. Most of my anger melted away. Ever since the love letter incident, my mom kept telling me I didn’t deserve a good man. After I started working, she set me up on blind dates. A limping pauper, a thug fresh out of prison, a middle-aged man divorced three times… My mom always said since she couldn’t marry a good man, I deserved even less. But Jackson had held my hand firmly from the very beginning. Jackson’s considerate response made my mom furious. No matter what nonsense she spouted, Jackson took my side. She turned her attention back to me. “Claire, how many months along are you?” I answered cautiously: “Almost four months.” My mom smiled with relief. “Four months… heh, you should start getting stretch marks soon.” “Claire, you’re finally going to get stretch marks. When I was pregnant with you, I got a belly full of stretch marks. Your dad was so disgusted he cheated. Once you get stretch marks, Jackson will definitely do the same…” Watching the satisfaction in my mom’s smile, I shivered. A desolate sadness welled up inside me. We were mother and daughter, not enemies. Why was my mom so eager to see me get stretch marks, so desperate to watch my husband cheat? Shouldn’t a mother want her daughter to be happy? Thinking about how ugly I’d be after pregnancy, my mom couldn’t hide her excitement. She went on and on, her face animated: “Stretch marks are nothing—that’s the least of it.” “You’ll also get fat, get spots, become too ugly to look at. After giving birth, you’ll leak urine, you’ll be loose. Jackson will find touching you disgusting, and then naturally he’ll cheat.” “I suffered through all that pain—why shouldn’t you experience it too?” Even good-tempered Jackson was angered by my mom now. He glared at her unhappily: “Mom, that won’t happen.” “I’ve booked Claire a hundred-thousand-dollar postpartum care center, and I’ve hired a top-tier maternity nurse. With professional help for Claire’s recovery, she won’t become what you’re describing.” “Besides, even if Claire did become like you said, I’d only feel heartbroken and guilty. How could I cheat?” My mom’s mouth fell open, her eyes going blank. I thought she was going to make a scene. Going to complain that she never got to stay at a postpartum center when she was young, so why should I? But she didn’t. My mom just kept piling food onto Jackson’s plate in a daze, muttering “eat more, eat more.” In her eyes, there was jealousy, but more than that, there was loss and pain. My heart suddenly dropped with a sharp pang. No matter what, my mom had raised me alone. Her jealousy was real, but her love didn’t seem fake either. She was old now. Jackson and I could be patient with her as much as possible. The New Year’s dinner ended in a strange atmosphere. Soon, I reached my second trimester. Jackson took me to tour the postpartum center, only to receive a notification from the staff. “Ms. Brooks, the deluxe suite has been canceled by your mother.” “If you have questions, you should discuss it with her.” My heart instantly plummeted. I rushed home to confront her. As soon as I walked in, I was blinded by the gleaming gold bracelet on my mom’s wrist. I didn’t need to think twice to know where the money came from. I got even angrier, grabbing her hand to demand answers: “When I got married, you said you never had wedding jewelry yourself, so why should I? I felt bad for you, so I gave you all my wedding gold without a word.” “Mom, if you wanted to buy gold, you could’ve just told me! I would’ve bought it for you. Why did you cancel my postpartum center!”

The moment she heard “postpartum center,” my mom’s eyes turned red. She glared at me through gritted teeth, a bone-chilling hatred rising from the depths of her eyes. She slapped me hard across the face: “You still have the nerve to ask!” “I never got to stay at a postpartum center when I had you—why should you get to?” I covered my face, stunned. That phrase again. I felt wronged and helpless. Why? Why couldn’t my mom stand to see me doing even slightly better than her… Would a mother really be jealous of her daughter to this extent? In the moment I was lost in thought, my mom suddenly rushed over and frantically lifted my shirt. Her eyes flashed with excited light, full of anticipation: “Over five months now—you must have stretch marks by now. Let me see how disgusting your stretch marks are!” The moment she saw my smooth belly, my mom’s smile froze on her face. She rubbed her eyes, staring in disbelief again and again. Finally, she reluctantly confirmed that my belly was smooth—there were no stretch marks at all. She lifted her own shirt crying, pointing at the dark, cracked marks on her skin, glaring at me with hatred: “To give birth to you, I became this ugly. Your dad was so disgusted he cheated.” “I got stretch marks—why shouldn’t you!” My mom roared. Beyond anger, I felt a pang of sympathy. Her life really had been bitter. Maybe that bitter life had twisted her into what she was now. I trembled as I opened my arms, wanting to hug my mom, wanting to repair our mother-daughter relationship. “Mom, everyone’s body is different.” “Let me take you to get treatments, okay?” My mom also opened her arms. I thought she would hug me, accept my goodwill. But I was wrong. The next second, my mom’s nails clawed madly at the skin of my belly. She was vicious, scratching deep with each stroke. “Bullshit about different bodies! I know you secretly spent money on maintenance to show me up!” “I won’t let you have your way. I’m your mother—I have stretch marks, so you have to have them too!” I was drenched in cold sweat, nearly fainting from the pain. Looking down, I saw the flesh on my belly had been torn open by her nails. Lines like centipedes, winding and ugly, oozing blood. They actually looked like stretch marks now. To make me like her, my mom had actually scratched a pattern of stretch marks into my skin with her nails… Enough. Enough. They were already deep enough, ugly enough. But my mom seemed unsatisfied, continuing to dig her nails viciously into my flesh. I cried out for help in sad desperation: “Jackson, save me!” Jackson burst in, shocked by the scene before him. He ran toward me. I couldn’t hear what they said. I clutched my blood-drenched belly and passed out. At the hospital, Jackson held my hand in fear: “Your mom is terrifying. I’m looking into reliable psychiatric hospitals. From now on, let’s have as little to do with her as possible.” I nodded in agreement. When we returned home from the hospital, I found my mom there too. I suddenly regretted giving her a spare key to our house. Seeing my hospital gown, my mom rolled her eyes at me unhappily: “I never went to the hospital when I gave birth. You lost a little blood—why did you need to go to the hospital?” “Jackson, you need to control her. Going to the hospital wastes money. So delicate!” My heart, already torn to shreds by her, ached fiercely again. The doorbell suddenly rang. My mom happily went to answer it. She came in intimately linking arms with a young woman. The girl was young and pretty, wearing a revealing maid outfit, her bottom barely covered by black stockings. Jackson and I exchanged glances, both confused. My mom pushed the girl next to Jackson like she was showing off a treasure, giggling: “Jackson, this is Sienna. I hired her as your nanny. She’s got a great body and she’s capable—isn’t she so much better than your wife?”

Sienna shyly lowered her head, biting her lip with a smile. I stared at them coldly, my heart colder than if it had fallen into an ice pit. Here we go again. Just because my dad cheated during her pregnancy, she absolutely had to make Jackson cheat too. Before I could get angry, Jackson was already chasing them out with a dark expression: “Dressed like that—does she look like someone who can work?” “Mom, I’ll find Claire a professional housekeeper. As for this ‘lady,’ you’d better take her and leave now.” With that, Jackson pushed them both toward the door. But my mom was determined. She pressed against the doorframe, refusing to leave. She gave Jackson a sly smile: “Sienna is very capable! You have to give her a one-day trial. If she really doesn’t work out, I’ll take her away. But you can’t judge her by her appearance and take away a young girl’s job opportunity!” Sienna also blinked her big watery eyes, begging pitifully: “If I can’t find work, my family will sell me to an old man. Please, just give me one chance!” The two of them gave me such a headache. Fine. One day—what harm could they do? If they didn’t leave tomorrow, I’d just call the police. After I gave my reluctant consent, my mom and Sienna exchanged glances and smiled. They smiled brightly, but it made my skin crawl. The next morning, I woke to find the space beside me empty. I called Jackson’s name but got no response, until… until I found the guest bedroom. Jackson and Sienna were lying naked in the same bed, both flushed. I didn’t need to close my eyes to guess what had happened. Enormous pain flooded my heart. I screamed and smashed the teacup on the table. My mom walked in. She looked at me triumphantly, as if some great joy had occurred. “Your dad cheated during pregnancy—why shouldn’t your husband?” “Hmph. I married trash in this life—why should you get to marry someone as good as Jackson? Well, now it’s done. Sienna is young and beautiful, Jackson is handsome and rich. They’re perfect for each other.” My mom grabbed my arm: “Come on, don’t embarrass yourself here and disturb the lovebirds.” “Let’s go get rid of that baby, and I’ll introduce you to a man who’s really right for you. I think Brutus would be perfect.” I swallowed hard, like I was swallowing razor blades. Brutus—in his forties, half-paralyzed. Even like that, he loved to drink and beat his wife. Scum among scum. I thought my mom was just jealous of me. This wasn’t jealousy—she hated me! She was unhappy when I was doing well. She was only happy when I was miserable. Looking up, I spotted the powerful aphrodisiac on the corner of the table. My heart clenched sharply. To make my husband cheat too, my mom would stop at nothing. I shook off my mom’s arm forcefully, also shaking off the last shred of family affection. Unlocking my phone, I dialed the police: “Hello, I need to report a crime. Someone is suspected of assault and poisoning. The address is…”

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At the company’s jewelry launch event, my boyfriend Quinn—the CEO—had planned to propose to me in front of everyone after seven years of secret dating. But when he pulled out the engagement ring, his assistant Jenna suddenly stepped onto the stage, smiling sweetly as she leaned into his shoulder: “Proposing already? Aren’t you spoiling me a little too much?” The audience erupted in cheers, commenting on what a perfect couple they made. Quinn didn’t deny it. Instead, he slid the ring onto Jenna’s finger and even claimed credit for my new jewelry collection, saying it was all Jenna’s work. I didn’t cry or cause a scene. I simply took off my “Chief Designer” nameplate and set it in front of Jenna. “Consider this position my wedding gift to you two.” What Quinn didn’t realize was that I held all the patents, and clients only trusted my name. He had just thrown away his only shot at turning the company around—with his own hands. Gasps rippled through the crowd as I handed Jenna my nameplate. After all, I’d poured my heart and soul into this collection for years—collapsing from low blood sugar in the design studio more than once. But soon the room erupted in applause. Colleagues praised my “graciousness,” calling me a true professional for stepping aside after all these years with Quinn. Only Quinn stood frozen on stage, his expression unreadable as he stared at me with lips pressed tight. Watching his awkward reaction, I almost laughed. Quinn had always insisted he didn’t want his personal life in the spotlight, so we kept our relationship under wraps for seven years. I’d begged to go public countless times, but he’d always refused. When I finally got him to agree to this proposal, Jenna had to crash the moment. Now, whether he still planned to propose or not didn’t matter—I wanted nothing to do with it. “Well, if there’s nothing else, I’ll head out. Enjoy the rest of your evening, everyone.” Without waiting for Quinn’s response, I walked straight out of the banquet hall. The launch was a hit because my designs had generated massive buzz—high-end clients were already lining up to place orders. I held the patents for the collection’s core designs, and every late night I’d pulled at the office had led to this moment. But after this betrayal? There was no way I was sticking around to clean up his mess. Before I knew it, I was in the elevator heading down to the parking garage. I slid into my car, and there on the passenger seat sat a huge bouquet of red roses. Today was supposed to be our day. I’d bought the roses and even made dinner reservations, I was so excited. What a joke. After all that anticipation, he chose to play hero for Jenna instead. My expression hardened. I was about to start the car when Jenna suddenly appeared in my headlights. She twirled my nameplate between her fingers, a triumphant glint in her eyes, and simpered: “You know, Harper? Quinn was gonna propose to you today. But all it took was one little conversation to change his mind.” “Don’t tell me that hurt your feelings?” She raised an eyebrow, her face twisted with malice. Her smug little grin almost made me laugh out loud. Back in the day, her little digs used to get under my skin—making Quinn think I was the unreasonable one, sparking fights that went nowhere. But now? I couldn’t care less about her games. Sure enough, the click of dress shoes echoed across the concrete. Jenna’s expression did a complete 180. Clutching my nameplate, she started pounding on my car window: “Harper, please don’t be upset! Quinn didn’t give me your job because he favors me—I begged to learn from you! If it bothers you that much, I’ll step down right now.” “A position like Chief Designer needs someone with your experience! I could never fill your shoes!” Her voice quivered like I’d just yelled at her, carefully pushing the nameplate toward me. Quinn picked up speed, flinging his suit jacket onto my windshield. Thud. He barked: Harper! When someone’s talking to you, you roll down the window! You could’ve hit her! Have you lost all your manners?” I couldn’t help but snort. I rolled down the window, ready to tell them both the job was all hers. But Jenna—thinking I was about to take back the nameplate—panicked. Her fingers fumbled with the ribbon, yanking it away. Next thing I knew, she doubled over, clutching her stomach, face white as a sheet, muttering something about her period cramps. What a performance. And of course, he fell for it hook, line, and sinker. Quinn forgot all about yelling at me. He rushed to prop Jenna up, digging a heating pad out of her purse like it was a lifeline. He turned to me, flustered and frantic: “Harper, are you just going to sit there? Drive us to a hotel so Jenna can lie down!” I rolled my eyes and tried to pull away. But Quinn planted himself in front of my car, jaw set—like he’d rather get run over than let me leave. Unbelievable. I’d curled up in the office bathroom with cramps before, and Quinn didn’t spare a second glance—just told me to “tough it out.” Now Jenna fakes a stomachache, and Mr. Cool-as-a-Cucumber CEO turns into a panic-stricken mess—like his own safety doesn’t even matter. I sighed and drove them to the nearest hotel—reluctantly. In the hotel room, Jenna claimed she felt better, and Quinn let out this huge sigh of relief—like she’d just survived a heart attack. I couldn’t watch their little show anymore. I turned to go. But Quinn chased me into the hallway, grabbing my arm. I tensed up, ready for another lecture about “being nice to Jenna.” Instead, he hung the nameplate around my neck and even smoothed out my dress like nothing had happened. He softened his voice: “Harper, you know Jenna—she’s always joking around. We’ll do the proposal another time, okay? Just be patient.” “That Chief Designer title isn’t something to throw around. Don’t be dramatic. I’ll let this little outburst slide.” I hummed noncommittally. Quinn studied me for a long minute, then reluctantly held out a crumpled box—like he was doing me a favor. “Look, Harper. I saw those flowers in your car. They’re nice. Why don’t you put them in a vase when you get home? Actually… I got you something too.” Classic Quinn move—hurt me, then try to buy me off with a trinket. The box looked familiar. I remembered Jenna posting about something similar on Instagram half a month ago. She’d “accidentally” ruined a scarf he gave her, crying about it online like it was the end of the world. Quinn commented that he’d replace it right away. I took the box and flipped it open. Inside was a cheap scarf—fuzzy pills already forming on the edges. The price tag was still stuck to it. He splurged on designer scarves for Jenna, but I got stuck with this dollar-store garbage. I didn’t even bother calling him out. I just said: “Got it. I’m leaving now.” As I rounded the hallway corner, I spotted a trash can and dropped the box in without a second thought. Then I pulled out my phone and called the luxury brand that had been courting me: “I’ll take the job.”

They were a global powerhouse—had been trying to poach me for years. But I’d always said no. I wanted to build something with Quinn—our dream. The HR rep gushed about their benefits package, salary, and how excited they were to have someone with my talent. By the time we hung up, I was pulling into my driveway. Staring at the hour-long call log, I tightened my grip on the phone. Years ago, I’d turned down that dream job to build this company from the ground up with Quinn. I’d worked myself to the bone—stressing over deadlines, running on fumes, burning out. We’d gone from rags to riches together… but somewhere along the way, he’d checked out. From now on, I was done sacrificing for someone else’s dream. I texted our brand partners to let them know about the design lead change. They’d signed those big contracts because of me—invested in my vision, not some random assistant. They deserved to know the truth before Jenna ran the company into the ground. Then I booked a flight for tomorrow and started packing. Digging through the back of my closet, I knocked over a photo album hidden under a coat. A picture of Quinn and me fell out. Eight years old—our first year together. We looked so young, so hopeful, just shyly leaning into each other. I picked up the album and flipped through the pages. Funny—Quinn was the one who insisted we take all these photos. “To remember where we came from,” he said. “So I can always make it up to you.” We’d been through so much together. Crammed into that tiny apartment, sharing popcorn and old movies. Silly fights over holiday plans, both trying to let the other have their way. Back then, those struggles felt like happiness. They kept me going. Slowly, the photos changed—nicer clothes, fancier backdrops… but fewer and fewer pictures of us together. From daily snapshots to monthly, then yearly. Once Jenna showed up? No new photos at all. Our conversations dwindled to work updates and nothing else. He stopped noticing when I skipped meals, when late nights made me sick, when I got hurt scouting locations for inspiration. But Jenna? He dropped everything to take her to dinner when she “felt off.” Spoiled her like she was fragile, like he owed her something. I confronted him once, asked why the double standard. He looked at me like I was being ridiculous. “We’ve both been through tough stuff,” he said. “I expected you to be more mature than this—not act like Jenna.” He said he loved Jenna’s “innocence,” didn’t want her to “suffer like we did.” I stared at the album—once our most precious possession—and suddenly it felt like garbage. I tossed it in the trash without a second thought. I went back to packing when my phone rang. It was the fancy restaurant I’d made reservations at: “You’re 30 minutes late for your reservation. If you don’t arrive in 10 minutes, we’ll have to give your table away.” I hate Western food, but Quinn swears by it—thinks it’s “classy.” He took me to one for our first date, so I’d made tonight’s reservation there. I’d booked this fancy spot for our post-proposal celebration—his favorite steakhouse—but he’d blown me off for her. I kept my voice steady: “Cancel it. Give the table to someone else.” Quinn texted me right after I hung up: “Stuck at work. Can’t make dinner tonight.” Something about that text felt off. Quinn never bothered with excuses before—just stood me up and didn’t care. Then it hit me. Jenna had just posted on Instagram. There was Quinn, cutting steak in the exact restaurant I’d reserved. Caption: “My hero ❤️ Quinn makes the best steak ever!” How convenient. So *they* were the “other guests” the manager mentioned. I didn’t bother asking him why he lied. No anger, no sadness—nothing. I just felt… numb. All I wanted was to sleep. I washed up and crashed—first real sleep I’d had in years. But the bedroom light suddenly flipped on at some ungodly hour, jolting me awake. I squinted against the brightness—and there was Quinn, standing over my bed. His eyes were wide, like he couldn’t believe what he was seeing: “Harper… you’re actually sleeping?”

I rubbed my eyes and checked my phone. 3 AM. He actually came home? This late? Normally, when Jenna so much as sniffles, Quinn spends the night playing nurse—afraid she might keel over or something. Now he stood there scowling, like I’d personally offended him: “Harper, I’m exhausted after working late, and you didn’t even text? Didn’t wait up? Seriously?” *I’m* the problem here? I bit back an eye roll. When I used to call to check on him, he accused me of being ‘controlling.’ When I stayed up with dinner waiting, he said I was ‘too clingy.’ Now I’m giving him space, and he’s still mad. I grunted noncommittally and reached to turn off the light. Quinn flopped onto the bed, practically draped over me like a dead weight: “Harper, I’m beat. Can’t you run me a bath?” Jenna’s perfume hit my nose—cloying, sickly sweet. Gross. I used to wait on him hand and foot without him asking. Now? He just sounded entitled. I pushed him off me. I scowled, voice sharp with sleep: “I’m tired. Do it yourself.” Quinn froze, like he couldn’t process that I’d actually pushed back. After a long pause, his knuckles whitened around his belt buckle as he ground out: “Harper, I miss one dinner and suddenly you’re giving me the cold shoulder? Real mature.” “You think I even wanted to come home tonight?” He stormed out, slamming the door so hard the walls shook. I heard him grab his keys and peel out of the driveway. Once upon a time, I would’ve chased after him—begged him to stay. Now I just flipped off the light and rolled over. I slept in the next morning—no alarms, no stress. Felt amazing. I was about to make coffee when I froze—Quinn was home. Normally, after a fight, he’d be at the office by dawn—no need for me to play peacemaker. He was perched on the couch, gift box on his lap, fussing with a bow. He looked up when I walked in. Quinn jumped up, grabbed my wrist, and held a necklace from the box against my neck. The metal was icy against my skin. He adjusted the pendant, nodding like he was approving a design: “Perfect. Not too flashy, just right.” I recognized it from Vogue—this season’s must-have, price tag in the five figures. Before I could pull away, he snatched it back and polished the pendant with a tissue. As he tucked it back in the box, he mumbled: “Good thing your neck’s as skinny as Jenna’s. If it fits you, it’ll look great on her.” I almost laughed. Right—Jenna’s the necklace girl. Why would he waste this on me? Quinn grabbed his jacket, scooped up the box, and headed for the door. I stepped in front of him: “Quinn, we’re done.”

Quinn froze, then slammed the box down on the entryway table. He scoffed: “Really, Harper? The breakup threat again? You can do better than that.” “You think because you designed one popular collection, you’re untouchable?” “I don’t have time for your games.” I kept my voice steady: “This isn’t a game. I’m letting you go. Now you can make Jenna your official girlfriend.” Quinn’s scowl deepened. He jabbed a finger at me: “Still in denial about being jealous? Cut the breakup threats, Harper. They’re getting old.” “Jenna just… reminds me of simpler times. I value her work ethic. It’s not what you think.” “I was gonna propose. But you’re making this impossible.” He didn’t wait for a response—just stomped out, slamming the door behind him. Predictable. I pulled up my email and hit send on the resignation letter I’d drafted. HR called an hour later, asking me to come in and finalize paperwork. The second I walked in, I heard the office chatter: “Jenna! Is that the new Cartier necklace? Quinn really splurged on you!” “You two are goals! With you heading design, we’re gonna kill it this season!” Jenna flipped her hair back, practically preening with the diamond pendant on display. She spotted me and rushed over, grabbing my hand like we were besties: “Harper! Perfect timing! Quinn’s treating everyone to coffee to celebrate me taking over design. What’ll you have?” I pulled my hand away. Before I could speak, Quinn stepped in front of her, arms crossed like a bodyguard. “Nice of you to finally show up. Think you deserve a coffee after this stunt?” “HR’s already reviewing your attendance. And honestly? A Chief Designer who can’t even be on time? You’re off the upcoming collections.” “Start with intern-level work. Maybe learn some professionalism.” Jenna gasped, clutching his arm: “Quinn, don’t be too hard on her! She did work on the collection… a little. Maybe she just needs more guidance?” Quinn sneered, looking me up and down like I was dirt on his shoe: “Please. You’re ten times more talented. She’s just bitter she can’t keep up.” “Jenna, you’re officially Chief Designer. The collections are yours now.” Jenna’s eyes lit up, but she put on a shy act: “Quinn, are you sure? I’m still learning… maybe I’m not ready?” The office rats jumped on the bandwagon: “Totally! Harper’s been slacking—left on time yesterday and showed up late today. She needs a reality check!” “Jenna’s got real talent. Seniority doesn’t mean squat if you can’t deliver.” Quinn smirked, playing along: “Prove yourself, and maybe I’ll let you keep your job…” I tuned out their little performance. I cut him off, tone flat: “I’m here to process my resignation, actually.” Quinn went rigid. “What?” HR scurried over and whispered in his ear. Quinn’s face turned crimson. “Harper, are you serious right now?” “First the breakup, now this? Do you realize we’re about to hit the luxury market? This company’s going places!” “Everyone here’s getting a bonus when we launch. People would kill for this job!” I met his gaze evenly: “Approve the resignation, Quinn. Or I’ll have my lawyer handle it.” The room went silent. Quinn’s hands balled into fists, knuckles white. “You’ll regret this.” “Fine! Go! I’ll sign it myself! Jenna’s your replacement—effective immediately!” He snatched the papers from HR, pen hovering—eyes glued to my face, waiting for me to beg. When I didn’t flinch, he doubled down: “Jenna’s getting a promotion, a raise, and a company car! That’s what top talent deserves!” I laughed out loud. Cute. He thought flaunting Jenna would make me jealous. What he didn’t know? The investors were already downstairs—here to discuss breach of contract. Quinn’s jaw tightened. “What’s so funny?” I shrugged. “Ask them.” I stepped aside with a smirk. The investors’ lawyer strode in. He didn’t waste time: “Mr. Archer, replacing the lead designer violates our contract. We’re pulling all orders and terminating the partnership.”

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Today marked my first day as a newlywed. I headed to my husband Frederick Chris Corporation to drop off his lunch—he’s the CEO there. The second I pushed open the CEO’s office door, I froze. A woman in my silk pajamas was sprawled across the executive chair. “Who let you in? What do you think you’re doing?” She kicked her feet carelessly, voice oozing with disdain. I opened my mouth to respond when an assistant beside me grabbed my arm, whispering frantically: “That’s Jade Evans. Mr. Chris personally told us to look after her. If you upset her, we could both be fired today!” I set the lunchbox down and calmly dialed my assistant: “Tell Frederick to bring divorce papers and get here right away.” My first day as a newlywed dawned uneventfully. With the afternoon free, I decided to make lunch and surprise my husband at the office. I stood outside his office, hand raised to knock. The door swung open, revealing a woman in silk pajamas with a men’s suit jacket slung over her shoulders. “Who are you? What are you doing here?” She sized me up, tone turning aggressive. I held up the lunchbox, voice steady: “I’m bringing Frederick his lunch. And you are?” Those two words—”his lunch”—seemed to set her off. She blocked the doorway, voice sharp: “You’re delivering food? Since when does anyone just wander up to this floor?” She gestured to the suit jacket on her shoulders—obviously Frederick’s. “Listen, I’ve seen your type before. Look at me, then look in the mirror. What makes you think you’re good enough for Frederick? Drop the food and get out.” A nearby assistant paled. She rushed over, lowering her voice to explain: “I’m so sorry! She’s new here and doesn’t know protocol. Please don’t take offense! I’ll get her to leave right away.” As she spoke, the assistant gave me meaningful glances, clearly urging me to leave quickly. Jade let out a cold laugh, spinning around to slam the office door shut behind her. The assistant hurried to whisper: “Her name’s Jade Evans. She’s someone Frederick’s really taken with. Don’t cross her—one word from her could get both of us fired.” I was taken aback, but staring at that closed door and the lunchbox in my hand, I pushed down the emotions swirling inside me. I needed to stay calm. To get answers, I decided to wait. This might be the perfect chance to see the truth for myself.

Before long, Jade’s voice called from inside the office. “Hey you, new girl—get in here.” I stepped inside. She was touching up her makeup in the mirror, not even glancing my way: “Why are you standing all the way over there? Come here and rub my shoulders. They’re killing me.” I walked over and placed my hands on her shoulders. “What, you didn’t eat today? Put some muscle into it!” she snapped immediately. I barely increased the pressure when— “Ow! Are you trying to hurt me?!” She swatted violently at my hands, knocking over the freshly poured hot coffee beside her. Most of the scalding liquid splashed onto my hands and clothes. “Useless! Can’t even do one simple thing right! Get out of my sight!” She dabbed at imaginary coffee stains on her fingers with a tissue, voice dripping with disdain. My hands throbbed with searing pain. Just then, the assistant rushed in, positioning herself protectively in front of me and forcing a smile at Jade: “Miss Evans, please don’t be upset! She’s new and still learning the ropes. I’m so sorry on her behalf! It’s not worth getting worked up over—if you get stressed, Mr. Chris will be upset with us, and we can’t afford that.” As she spoke, the assistant discreetly tugged my arm, whispering: “Go now. Don’t argue with her here—it won’t help.” Seeing the assistant’s subservient attitude, Jade’s expression softened slightly. She capped her lipstick slowly: “Hmph, at least someone here knows their place. Fine, I want to check on the launch event setup. Show me the way.” Check on the launch event? The assistant looked uneasy: “They’re still setting up the venue. It’s pretty chaotic right now… Maybe it’s better to wait until later?” “Better to wait?” Jade raised an eyebrow. “I decide what’s better. Frederick said I could oversee company matters whenever I want.” She clicked toward the door in her heels. As she passed me, she paused, eyes sweeping over my coffee-stained clothes and red hands. A cruel smile twisted her lips: “Some people really think bringing a meal makes them Cinderella. Frederick Chris ‘s name isn’t something you can just latch onto. Smart girls know when to disappear.” With that, she sashayed off.

By the time I gathered my thoughts, Jade had already swaggered into the launch event setup area. “Oh my God, what is this mess? So boring and lifeless!” She flicked a finger disdainfully at an adjusting light, shoving it roughly aside. Then she pulled a crumpled design sketch from her Hermès bag and slammed it onto the control panel: “Clearly you’ve never seen real style. Whatever, I’m feeling generous today. Change the whole color scheme to pink-purple and swap all these lights for rotating disco balls. Now that’s chic!” As she spoke, she tried to snatch the walkie-talkie from the event director’s hand, ready to start barking orders. “Jade! That’s not happening!” The event director finally snapped, stepping in front of her with urgency: “Every detail of this launch was finalized months ago. We can’t just make random changes! This affects the company’s professional reputation!” “Rules? Reputation?” Jade laughed like she’d heard the most ridiculous thing. “You think your boring little plans are better than my eye? Do you have any idea how much buzz my changes would generate?” “Move out of my way!” The event director stood firm: “Jade, this is about professionalism! If this launch fails, none of us can fix it! Please don’t put us in this impossible position!” Jade’s face darkened when the director kept standing up to her. She pulled out her phone and started a video call. “Frederick, look! Your employees are being so rude! I’m just trying to help with the launch and they’re being impossible! They even yelled at me!” Frederick’s voice came through the phone, soft and reassuring: “Calm down, baby. Put the person in charge on.” Jade smirked and thrust the phone at the event director. Frederick’s tone turned icy instantly: “Everyone involved apologize to Jade right now! Otherwise, you’ll all be written up for gross insubordination. This month’s pay and bonuses are gone! I don’t repeat myself!” The event director’s lips trembled. Staff nearby went pale, exchanging desperate looks. Frederick clearly didn’t like the silence—his voice turned even colder: “Well? Do I need to say it again?” The camera suddenly jostled. Jade actually turned the camera toward Frederick, wanting us to see where he was. The screen showed a private room in a fancy club. Frederick sat with several older men—definitely a business dinner. Frederick was in the head seat. When he saw Jade pouting, he shook his head like he was amused, not annoyed at being interrupted. His eyes were full of doting. “Frederick…” Jade didn’t care he was in the middle of business—she started fake-sobbing into the camera. “Look at them—ganging up on me! I just wanted to make the launch better and they’re all being so mean! They’re totally ruining my ideas! You have to help me!” As she talked, she forced out a few tears for the camera. That sad little act was nothing like her earlier bossy attitude. Frederick’s expression immediately soured. He didn’t ask what actually happened—all his focus went to Jade on screen. “Okay, okay, don’t cry. You’ll ruin your makeup. What’s got you so upset? I’m here—no one’s gonna mess with you!” He cooed at her, then looked up at us with ice in his voice: “Is everyone here deaf?” “I said do exactly what Jade tells you! And apologize!” If I don’t see you cooperate in three seconds…” Before he could finish, I stepped right in front of the camera. “Frederick, you really want me to apologize?”

“Lydia?” Frederick sounded shocked. The surprise on his face quickly turned to irritation. He didn’t even notice my messy clothes, just rubbed his temples like I was a headache: “Lydia, what are you doing there?” “Aren’t you supposed to be home enjoying your day off?” I met his eyes steadily. “What do you think?” Frederick glanced at the event director and staff behind me, lowering his voice: “Quit causing problems. Just do what Jade says and apologize. We’ll talk about this when I get home tonight.” Those words made everyone freeze—not just me, but the staff too. Jade puffed up with pride, adding fuel to the fire: “Frederick, she was so mean earlier! The director only talked back because she told him to!” Frederick immediately cooed at Jade through the screen: “Jade’s harmless, she was just trying to help.” “Just apologize. Don’t make this harder than it has to be.” I looked at him and laughed. “Frederick, you want me to apologize? Seems you’ve forgotten who you’re married to. Be here in five minutes, or I’ll make you and your company regret it.” I didn’t wait for his response. I ended the call. Without hesitation, I pulled out my phone. I called my assistant. “Bring my marriage certificate to Frederick’s office. And have our lawyer draw up divorce papers immediately.”

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The company landed a major client and was throwing a banquet to celebrate. My fiancé, Liam, took me to his friend’s boutique to pick out a gown. “Yvette’s a renowned designer. Just listen to what she suggests.” But when I tried on the dress, I discovered it looked absolutely hideous. The waist was bulky and unflattering, and half my ass was exposed. Just as I was about to protest, Liam looked at me with disgust: “You really do look terrible in everything! Let Yvette go in your place as my fiancée to the banquet instead.” At his words, Yvette immediately pulled out a gown she’d prepared in advance and slipped it on. I watched them walk out hand in hand, all lovey-dovey, and the realization hit me like a ton of bricks. They’d been hooking up behind my back all along. Too bad Liam had no idea—he only landed this deal because I was the client’s daughter. I tore off the rag of a dress and dialed my phone. “Dad, cancel the deal we just signed with Liam.” “All right, take a look and see if you like it.” I opened my eyes at the sound of the voice, only to be startled by my own reflection in the mirror. The elegant, haute couture gown had been transformed into tattered rags. The waist had been deliberately taken in so tight it created rolls of flesh, making me look like a trussed-up slab of pork belly. The fabric on the back had vanished entirely, leaving most of my rear exposed to the cold air. Most insulting of all were the “artistic” cutouts across the chest, perfectly positioned to display both the edges of my bra and my excess flesh in all their glory. “Yvette!” I grabbed at the precarious fabric, trying to keep it from falling. “You did this on purpose?” The dressing room spotlights suddenly blazed to life, illuminating my humiliation in merciless detail. Yvette covered her mouth and took a step back. “Miss Laurel, how can you say that? It’s just that your figure… needs some adjustments in certain areas.” Her gaze swept pointedly over my waistline. That’s when I noticed she was holding up her phone, the camera pointed straight at me. Blood rushed to my head. I lunged forward and snatched the phone from her hands. The screen clearly showed a video recording interface. “Liam, look,” came Yvette’s deliberately lowered voice from the video, “I told you she couldn’t pull off your taste…” The dressing room door suddenly swung open. Liam stood in the doorway, one hand in his pocket. His gaze raked over me like a scanner before landing on my hand gripping Yvette’s wrist. “Had enough of your tantrum?” He loosened his tie, his Adam’s apple bobbing with disgust. “Yvette’s a featured designer at Paris Fashion Week. What are you?” Yvette seized the opportunity to wrench free from my grip and scurried behind Liam like a frightened rabbit. “Don’t be angry, Liam,” she said, her fingertips lightly tugging at his sleeve. “Miss Laurel probably just isn’t used to haute couture…” My eyes reddened with hurt and anger. “Liam, she deliberately cut up the dress like this, and she was secretly recording me…” “Enough!” Liam cut me off sharply, his eyes cold as ice. “Yvette’s been my friend since childhood. You really think she’d do something like that?” Yvette’s eyes glistened with moisture. “Miss Laurel, I know you have issues with my relationship with Liam, but you can’t slander me like this…” I clutched the ruined fabric, my nails digging into my palms. “Then how do you explain this? You cut my dress to pieces!” Liam frowned impatiently. “Stop making a scene! Laurel, there’s no way you can attend the celebration banquet looking like this. Just don’t come tonight.” “What?” I looked up in disbelief. His gaze shifted to Yvette, his tone self-righteous: “Yvette attends high-end events all the time. She has way more experience than you. Tonight’s banquet is crucial—the client’s CEO will be there. We can’t afford any mistakes. I think she should go instead.” Before I could respond, Yvette let out a cheerful squeal. “Liam, what perfect timing—I just happen to have brought a backup dress.” She reached into the wardrobe and pulled out a champagne-colored mermaid gown. One she’d clearly prepared in advance. Liam’s gaze lingered on her for a few seconds, the corner of his mouth turning up slightly. “I’d appreciate you coming with me tonight.” A chill ran through my entire body as understanding finally dawned. “You planned this all along, didn’t you?”

Yvette pretended to look innocent as she nestled into the man’s embrace. “Liam, she’s misunderstanding me again~” Liam looked me up and down with disgust. “Look at yourself right now—you look like a streetwalker. How could you possibly go?” Yvette leaned against him, covering her mouth as she laughed softly: “Don’t say that, Liam. I think Miss Laurel’s current look really suits her personality.” I gripped the torn fabric tightly, forcing down the humiliation. “Liam, you two can go, but at least give me something decent to wear.” “Why should I?” Liam sneered. “Do you even deserve nice clothes?” He wrapped his arm tighter around Yvette’s waist. “Look at Yvette—now that’s the kind of figure that deserves haute couture. As for you…” “You’re nothing but a joke.” Yvette suddenly pulled something from her bag that looked like a filthy dishrag of an apron. “Oh my, I happen to have this ‘outfit’ here. If Miss Laurel doesn’t mind…” She held it out with feigned thoughtfulness, malice glinting in her eyes. “It really matches your current look.” The grimy apron even had a few drops of foul-smelling yellow liquid on the hem. Seeing me frown, Yvette’s smile grew wider. “What are you standing there for? Didn’t you say you wanted clothes?” I looked at Liam in disbelief, my heart sinking to the ocean floor. Once upon a time, I had dulled my own edges as the Laurel family heiress for Liam’s sake, learning to be the “gentle and refined” fiancée he claimed to want. He said I was too shrewd, so I hid my business acumen and only smiled without speaking when accompanying him to events. He said he liked docile women, so I became his subordinate, paving the way for his climb to success. I thought he appreciated my compliance. I thought his feelings for me were real. But it turned out that in his eyes, I was nothing more than a gullible fool! I swallowed my rage and picked up the apron, barely covering myself with it. “Don’t forget, Liam—this project only succeeded because of me.” A flash of awkwardness crossed his face, but it instantly transformed into contempt. “Because of you?” He grabbed my chin, forcing me to look up, his eyes full of mockery. “Someone like you thinks you deserve credit?” Yvette helpfully handed him a glass of ice water, which Liam took and poured directly over my head. The ice water ran down my hair and into my collar. I couldn’t control the shiver that ran through me. “Who knows if you didn’t just sleep with the client?” He leaned close to my ear, but his voice was loud enough for the entire room to hear. “After all, with a body like yours…” His fingers traced maliciously along my exposed waistline. “That’s about all you’re good for.” Yvette covered her mouth, laughing until she nearly doubled over. “Liam, you’re so bad~” “Though with her shameless appearance right now, it really is quite possible…” I wiped the water from my face and suddenly laughed. “Liam, since you think so little of me, let’s break off our engagement.” He froze for a moment, then smiled as if he’d heard the funniest joke, his lips curling into a mocking arc. “Fine. But don’t you dare regret it.” He gave me a contemptuous glance. “Don’t come crying back to me later.” Yvette immediately linked her arm through his, triumphantly tilting up her chin: “Miss Laurel, you’d better think carefully. A man like Liam isn’t someone just anyone can aspire to.” I looked down, adjusting the remnants of fabric on my body, my voice calm: “Don’t worry. I won’t regret it.” Liam scoffed, pulling Yvette closer by the waist and turning toward the door. “Good.” He tossed the words over his shoulder without looking back: “I’m taking Yvette to the celebration banquet. This project is extremely important. Someone as low-class as you would only embarrass yourself there.” The door slammed shut heavily. I stood there for a moment, then slowly pulled out my phone and called my father. “Dad, I’ve broken off my engagement with Liam.” There was a moment of silence on the other end, then my father’s deep voice came through: “He initiated it?” “No, I did.” I smiled softly. “Though he agreed quite readily.” My father’s voice turned cold: “Does he know about the contract?” “He has no idea.” I stroked the dress that had been cut to shreds, my eyes ice-cold. “Good.” My father’s voice carried anger. “In that case, the partnership is void, effective immediately.”

I found a hotel to shower in and finally got that disgusting outfit off, changing into clean clothes. But just as I was about to leave the hotel, I was suddenly grabbed by a group of men in black who covered my mouth and dragged me into a van. When I woke up, everything was spinning. Once my vision finally focused, I saw Liam and Yvette standing over me. “You’re awake?” Liam stood with one hand in his pocket. “The celebration banquet is about to start. I can’t have you going there to cause trouble.” That’s when I realized I was tied to a chair, my wrists bound with rough rope that had already left bloody marks. Yvette was holding my phone, waving it tauntingly: “Liam was worried you’d make a scene at the banquet~” “This is illegal detention!” I struggled violently, the chair legs scraping against the floor with a harsh screech. “Liam, have you lost your mind? Kidnapping your fiancée over a banquet?” Liam suddenly leaned down and grabbed my chin, his grip so tight it felt like he might crush the bone: “Fiancée?” He sneered. “Didn’t you just say you wanted to break off the engagement?” Yvette covered her mouth and laughed. “Too late for regrets now, Miss Laurel~” I jerked my head to the side and bit down hard on her finger. She screamed and yanked her hand back, throwing herself against Liam. “Liam, look what she did!” Liam slapped me across the face. The burning pain made my vision go black. “Bitch!” He grabbed my hair, forcing me to look up. “After the banquet’s over, I’ll deal with you.” Yvette rubbed her reddened finger, suddenly putting on a troubled expression. “Liam, if we leave her tied up here, what if she escapes?” Liam’s brow furrowed, then he suddenly sneered. “Then we’ll make sure she doesn’t dare run!” “Strip her!” I looked at them in horror as they approached: “What are you doing?” Yvette smiled knowingly and ripped open my collar. “Taking some ‘artistic photos’ of you, of course~” “No!” I struggled desperately, the chair crashing to the floor. Liam planted his foot on my waist. The pain made me arch my back. “Stay still.” He crouched down, holding his phone camera almost against my face. “Smile, Miss Laurel.” The camera flash went off repeatedly. I squeezed my eyes shut in despair. Yvette directed him from the side: “Liam, get a few close-ups. Yes, that angle…” Just then, urgent knocking came from outside the door. “Mr. Rivers? The banquet’s about to start. The chairman is looking for you.” Liam responded impatiently and pocketed his phone: “You’re lucky.” He dragged Yvette toward the door, but not before issuing a final threat: “If you dare show up tonight and cause trouble, these photos will be all over the internet immediately.”

The door slammed shut. I heard the lock click. I wriggled painfully, trying to loosen the ropes. My wrists were already bleeding, but the rope showed no sign of giving. Time crawled by. I could hear music and laughter from the banquet hall. Thinking of Liam parading around with Yvette as his fiancée in front of everyone, I was nearly consumed by rage and humiliation. Suddenly, there was a slight sound at the window. I turned my head in alarm to see a dark figure nimbly climb through. “Who?!” My voice shook. The shadow quickly approached. In the moonlight, I recognized Frederick, my father’s most trusted bodyguard. “Miss, the chairman sent me to get you.” He swiftly cut through the ropes and helped me to my feet. “The chairman says the contract has been voided. We won’t be sending anyone to tonight’s banquet. Let me take you home to rest.” I looked toward the brightly lit banquet hall outside the window, all song and dance and celebration. “No. I’m going to the banquet.” Frederick frowned: “Miss, in your condition…” “Contact my father.” I cut him off. “Tell him I want to appear as the client representative.” Half an hour later, I stood in the shadows by the banquet hall’s side entrance. My father sent a message: [Everything’s arranged. Do whatever you want.] Inside the banquet hall, Liam stood on stage in a sharp suit, wearing a confident smile. “Thank you all for coming to tonight’s celebration.” He surveyed the room, his tone smug. “I’m honored to have led the partnership with Stellar Group.” Thunderous applause erupted. Yvette sat at the head table in that champagne mermaid gown, looking every bit the lady of the house, shooting triumphant glances at those around her. Liam raised his hand for silence and continued: “Next, let us welcome…” He paused deliberately, his eyes sweeping the room. “The chairman of Stellar Group!” The room fell instantly silent, all eyes focused on the entrance. Liam’s face wore an obsequious smile. He even bowed slightly in a welcoming gesture. But the door didn’t open as he’d expected. One second, two seconds… The room descended into awkward silence. Sweat beaded on Liam’s forehead as he repeated with a forced smile: “Let us welcome Chairman Laurel of Stellar Group!” Still no response. The audience began to whisper. Yvette stood up uneasily. Just then, all the lights in the banquet hall suddenly went out, leaving only a single spotlight trained on the side entrance. The door slowly opened. I stepped forward in my heels, walking into the spotlight. Under the astonished gazes of the crowd, I smiled lightly. “As the daughter of Stellar Group’s chairman, I’m here to announce that Stellar Group is terminating our partnership with Horizon Tech, effective immediately. The signed contract is now void!”

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At the company banquet, the beautiful intern Serena Coleman flirted with my husband, begging to see the hearing aid on my ear. My husband yanked off my hearing aid and handed it to her with a smile. Serena examined it with disgust for a moment, then carelessly tossed it on the floor. I frantically reached down to pick it up, but she “accidentally” stepped on it, sending sharp pain through my fingers. After putting it back on, I angrily shoved Serena, only to receive a slap across my face from my husband. “Aurora, tonight’s banquet is for Serena. Stop making a scene!” I froze for a moment, then removed the hearing aid from my ear, threw it in the trash, and turned to leave. This hearing aid was the most precious gift my husband had ever given me. But now, I wanted neither him nor the broken hearing aid. Under everyone’s watchful eyes, I removed my hearing aid and decisively threw it in the trash. I smiled calmly at everyone. “You all enjoy. I’ll head out first.” Then I turned and left. My ears plunged back into silence. I couldn’t hear any sounds, as if I’d been pushed into an isolated world. I saw the anger on my husband Ethan Rivers’s face, but I didn’t care anymore. Walking out of the private room, I sent a message to my best friend Maya Smith. [I’m resigning in the next couple days to join you. I’ll come work at your company.] She replied almost instantly, her words radiating excitement. [Yes! Once you’re here, we can develop software together. We’ll have an amazing future!] Maya didn’t ask many questions, and I was grateful for that. In college, Maya and I both majored in computer science. Although we were girls, we both had a deep passion for coding and software development. We’d teamed up multiple times for competitions and won various awards. After graduation, she chose to start a business in another city, while I stayed to marry Ethan Rivers and work at his family’s tech company. Maya’s career took off quickly, while mine remained stagnant at the company. She’d often say regretfully that my talent was being wasted, offering multiple times for me to join her, but I’d politely declined each time to stay near Ethan. But now, Ethan had changed too much for the sake of a new intern. There was no point in staying anymore. When I got home, I took out my spare hearing aid and put it on. My phone chimed. Serena had sent me a video. I opened it. The lighting was dim—it was shot at a bar. Ethan had found a band to sing for Serena. “Serena is exceptionally talented. Let me sing a song for her first!” Then he sang along with the accompaniment, performing the song “Mischief.” My heart seized suddenly. I remembered what he’d once told me: “Aurora, this is a song I learned for you. I’ll only ever sing it for you.” But now, he was singing it publicly for Serena. Ethan had broken the promise he’d made to me. I closed the video with a bitter smile. Looking around the room, the coldness felt desolate. I opened my closet and began packing my things simply. Ethan didn’t come home until nearly one in the morning. Seeing me sitting calmly on the couch watching TV, his face filled with anger. “I already sent you a message. Why didn’t you come down to meet me?” In the past, whenever Ethan came home late from social engagements, I would always go downstairs early to wait, making sure we could see each other the moment he entered the complex. But this time, I didn’t want to eagerly rush toward him anymore. I picked up my phone. In my chat with Ethan, the screen was filled with green bubbles—my messages. His responses were sparse. The latest message was from him. Just four simple, cold words: [Heading back soon.] I looked at Ethan, my tone flat. “I forgot to check my messages.” Ethan strode toward me, his scolding raining down. “Aurora, what exactly are you trying to pull! Serena is younger than you—can’t you cut her some slack! She just accidentally stepped on your hearing aid, and you had to make a scene and ruin the whole atmosphere! Don’t you have any sense of maturity!” I listened quietly to Ethan’s accusations without any reaction. But my gaze unconsciously fell on his neck. There were suggestive red marks there. Noticing my gaze, Ethan froze for a moment, then unnaturally pulled his collar up to cover the marks. But his tone remained harsh. “That slap was a lesson. Don’t do this again next time! Serena is young—you need to be more understanding!” I nodded without arguing. “Got it. I’m a bit tired. I’m going to rest first.” Then I stood up and walked into the bedroom. Ethan’s face darkened. Behind me, he let out a cold “hmph.” I lay on the bed and closed my eyes, but my thoughts wouldn’t settle. —”Just accidentally stepped on your hearing aid.”

Ethan blamed me for being petty. But the hearing aid that was stepped on was the gift he gave me when we first got together. I’d always treasured it carefully, protecting it like something precious. After all this time, even though it was somewhat old, it worked perfectly fine. Back then, his face had been warm with a gentle smile as he carefully took out the hearing aid and put it on me. In an instant, the world became clear. I heard his crisp voice clearly. “Aurora White, I like you!” It was the most beautiful sound I’d ever heard in the world. But after Serena stepped on the hearing aid, Ethan brushed it off with just a few words to excuse her. He seemed to have forgotten the profound significance that hearing aid held in my heart. In the living room, Ethan was laughing heartily, saying something. Serena sent me another message—a screenshot of her chat with Ethan. They were chatting enthusiastically. Ethan had sent an affectionate “good night.” [Aurora, you and Ethan should rest early too! I won’t disturb you anymore.] Serena’s words were full of provocation. I closed my eyes and stopped looking. After washing up, Ethan went into another bedroom. Ever since Serena joined the company and they’d grown close, he’d stopped wanting to sleep in the same bed as me. My love for Ethan seemed to be slowly fading away. The next morning after getting up, I wrote a resignation letter. Then I went to the best law firm in the city and had a lawyer draft divorce papers for me. Only then did I go to the company to continue handling my work. Ethan was at Serena’s workstation, their heads close together, intimately discussing something. Strange—looking at this scene now, my heart barely rippled. Serena’s sharp eyes spotted me and greeted me. “Aurora, you came in pretty late today. You look terrible—didn’t sleep well last night?” Her eyes held provocation and smugness as she moved even closer to Ethan. “She’s been at the company so long she doesn’t even follow the rules anymore. If this continues, she won’t be able to stay here much longer.” Before I could respond, Ethan frowned and turned his gaze to me, immediately criticizing. I smiled faintly, looking at the two of them, and spoke calmly. “I’ll be more careful in the future. Thanks for the reminder, Mr. Rivers.” Hearing my response, Ethan’s expression instantly darkened. I rarely called him Mr. Rivers, but now when communicating, I was polite and distant. Without paying them any more attention, I sat down at my workstation and threw myself into work. The portion of work I was responsible for was almost complete. Even though I was about to resign, my sense of responsibility demanded I finish the job. At noon when I went downstairs for lunch, Ethan had driven his car to the front of the company. Serena cheerfully climbed into the passenger seat. Seeing me walk past, Serena called out to me. “Aurora, Ethan and I are going to an Italian restaurant for lunch. Come with us!” Though she said this, her face showed no intention of giving up the passenger seat. I shook my head and smiled at them. “I’m not used to Italian food. You two go ahead.” With that, I walked away without looking back. Ethan’s voice came faintly from behind. “She’s been so temperamental lately. Just ignore her. Let’s go eat!” I curved my lips slightly and pushed them out of my mind. During lunch, I casually scrolled through social media. I saw a post Serena had made. [Knowing I love photography, my boss gave me a camera I’ve wanted forever! Angel boss—I want to work for him my whole life!] I raised an eyebrow at the picture. On the table was an exquisite vintage camera, with Italian food clearly visible in the background. And on the camera lens was a freshly taken photo of Serena and Ethan together. Both were smiling with their eyes crinkling, looking extremely intimate. When Ethan and I first got together, I’d suddenly become obsessed with photography, wandering around taking pictures with my grandmother’s old camera every day. Ethan had given me a high-end camera and even volunteered to be my model, patiently accompanying me on photo shoots. We’d taken many pictures together, recording happy times. But after Serena appeared, Ethan’s attitude toward me began to drift. When I’d take out my camera wanting to take pictures together, he’d frown and dodge my lens. He said he didn’t really like being photographed and told me not to be so childish. But now, he’d given a camera to Serena, who also loved photography, and even left a photo with her. I shook my head and closed my phone, feeling a dull ache in my heart. After work, I returned home to find the custom dress Ethan had ordered for me had been delivered.

Ethan always said I was the most beautiful princess in his heart. Seeing me in new clothes, his eyes would always light up as he stared at me, lavishing me with praise. Then he’d gently pull me into his arms and leave a kiss on my lips. Ethan said I looked good in formal dresses, so he ordered new dresses from high-end boutiques every quarter and had them delivered to our home. Thinking of this, my heart stirred slightly. I tried on the dress, only to discover in surprise that it didn’t fit. Ethan knew my height, weight, and all my measurements, and after ordering clothes for so long, the boutique shouldn’t have gotten it wrong. I took off the dress, put it in the bag, and returned it to the boutique. Unexpectedly, I ran into Ethan and Serena there. “Serena, this dress looks wonderful on you. We can wrap it up. I’ve opened an account for you—you can come browse often from now on. All expenses will be charged to my account!” Ethan’s gentle voice drifted over. I glanced in their direction. Serena wore this season’s new dress, her hair cascading over her shoulders like seaweed, her skin like snow, her smile radiant. She looked vibrant and beautiful. And Ethan’s eyes sparkled with admiration as he pulled her into his embrace. The two smiled at each other, the atmosphere intimate. “Miss White, why are you here…” A store clerk recognized me and exclaimed. Her voice was neither loud nor soft—both Ethan and Serena heard. They quickly separated and turned to look at me. Anger rapidly flooded Ethan’s face. He strode toward me, loudly questioning me. “Aurora, what are you doing here! Are you following me?” I looked at him calmly, then at Serena standing behind him. Serena’s height, waist, and shoulder measurements… I let out a light laugh. So they’d mixed up my measurements with Serena’s, which was why the dress in my hands didn’t fit. “I wasn’t following you. The dress you ordered arrived, but it’s not my size. I came to return it.” I held up the garment bag in Ethan’s view and waved it. “I have other things to do, so I’ll be going. I won’t disturb you two.” I turned to leave. Various complex expressions crossed Ethan’s face, his deep eyes glaring at me angrily. “Aurora, don’t go too far! Serena and I have nothing going on. Don’t project your filthy thoughts onto us!” I smiled indifferently. “I’m not thinking anything. You don’t need to be angry.” With that, I turned and left decisively. I felt like I’d made progress—seeing Ethan and Serena’s intimate interactions, my heart didn’t hurt as much. That evening when Ethan came home, after showering, he surprisingly walked into my room. He carried the familiar scent of my body wash. Ethan climbed into bed and embraced me from behind. His body heat transferred through my pajamas to my back, making me tremble slightly. “Aurora, about the past few days—don’t misunderstand… Serena and I really have nothing going on. She’s exceptionally capable at work. I’m just nurturing a talented employee. I’ve been cold to you lately. We haven’t… Aurora, I’ve missed you.” Ethan’s voice was low, his tone carrying a hint of seductive allure. His hand caressed me. To say I no longer loved Ethan would be a lie. In my long, gray youth marked by hearing loss, he was the only bright spot. He gave me endless warmth and love. The ten years with him were invaluable to my heart. My nose stung, and the long-missed intimacy made the grievances in my heart surge forth. I nestled into his embrace as we tangled together. His kisses fell densely, taking away the tears seeping from my eyes. Just as Ethan reached to remove my hearing aid and move further, his phone rang at the worst possible moment. I had a bad feeling. He picked up the call, exchanged a few brief words, then abruptly pushed me away and sat up anxiously. “Aurora, Serena seems to have a fever. She’s feeling really unwell. I’m going to check on her!” Ethan hurriedly put on his shoes and rushed out without giving me another glance. I heard the sound of the door opening and closing, then everything returned to silence. I sat desolately on the bed, feeling Ethan’s lingering scent in the air slowly fade away. My phone chimed. Serena had sent a message. [Aurora, I’m not feeling well. I asked Ethan to come check on me. Don’t be mad, okay!] I stared at my phone expressionlessly and smiled silently. Serena—she’d won. Ethan didn’t return until the next morning.

He apologized to me, but I just nodded calmly, not taking it to heart. I packed up all my belongings and booked a flight for the next day to the city where Maya lived. Then I went to the company to complete the final parts of my project and submitted my resignation letter. I took a cab to the cemetery and sat quietly at my grandmother’s grave for the entire afternoon. About to leave this city, my heart was surprisingly calm without a trace of reluctance. Perhaps I’d been hurt enough that my heart had gone numb. I leaned against the tombstone, chatting with my grandmother on and off, watching the clouds roll by in the sky. Only when the sky had completely darkened did I finally head home. When I opened the door, the house was unexpectedly lively. Balloons decorated everywhere, flowers and gifts scattered about, with “Happy Birthday” hanging on the wall. I couldn’t help feeling confused. “Aurora, you’re back! Today’s my birthday. Ethan said the house is big and perfect for hosting my birthday party!” Serena appeared with a beaming smile, smiling at me while her eyes fell on the dining table. I followed her gaze. The table was already laden with delicacies. “Ethan said he wanted to show off his cooking skills for me. Those are all dishes he made. Ethan is not only handsome but can cook amazingly too. Aurora, I really envy you!” Though Serena spoke of envy, her words were full of smugness about how Ethan had been busy for her sake. I forced a smile. Ethan rarely cooked, but for Serena he could go to such lengths. Whatever. It had nothing to do with me. I glanced at Serena indifferently, uninterested in her provocation, and turned to enter my room. But my gaze fell on a corner of the room, and my movements froze. Noticing my reaction, Serena laughed unabashedly in my ear. “Oh, that? I accidentally knocked it off while decorating the room. Ethan said it’s fine—he’ll clean it up and throw it away later. Aurora, I’m so clumsy. Don’t mind it, okay!” On the floor was my grandmother’s carefully framed portrait, now shattered into pieces. On my grandmother’s smiling face in the photo, there were still faintly visible black footprints! Hearing the complete indifference in her words, fury ignited in me. I couldn’t hold back anymore and turned to slap Serena hard across the face. My mind went blank, completely controlled by rage. An imperceptible smile appeared at the corner of Serena’s mouth before she began shouting loudly. “Aurora, what are you doing! Stop it!” Ethan rushed out from the kitchen and angrily slapped me across the face, roughly pushing me away before helping Serena up. My eyes reddened as I looked at the two of them. “It’s just a photo—don’t make such a big deal out of it! You’ve hurt Serena! You’re deaf, so you can’t stand seeing healthy people? What kind of person are you!” Ethan roared at me furiously, supporting Serena whose cheek was severely swollen, and walked out of the house. My nose stung and my heart seized sharply. So in his eyes, I was a deaf person who couldn’t stand others being healthy… With trembling hands, I carefully picked up my grandmother’s portrait, wiped the dirt from it with my sleeve, and placed it in my suitcase. Ethan didn’t come home all night. I didn’t sleep all night either. Before leaving, I took one last look at the house, placed the divorce papers on the table, and resolutely walked out with my luggage.

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“I was injured in combat and lost my ability to have children. Whose baby is in your belly?” At the party, my military officer husband Marcus stood before everyone and slammed a disability report in my face. I smiled and glanced at the woman standing behind him. Everything became clear. To marry his dead comrade’s wife, he was willing to falsely accuse me. “Marcus, remember what you said today. This child has absolutely nothing to do with you.” I tore up that report in front of everyone and left the banquet. Seven years later, Marcus came looking for me, wanting to take away my genius son. My son said coldly: “You lost your fertility a long time ago. How could you possibly father someone as amazing as me?” The meeting room was so quiet you could hear the sycamore leaves falling outside the window. The few old subordinates who came with Marcus all lowered their heads, pretending to review the documents in their hands. Marcus slammed the contract on the table, then suddenly reached out and grabbed Andy’s thin wrist, dragging him toward the door without a word. Just then, a calloused hand gripped Marcus’s wrist in a vise-like hold. I used all my strength, my nails digging deep into the skin of his wrist. Marcus looked up and met my eyes. The subordinates behind him also raised their heads. Time seemed to freeze. I saw something crack in Marcus’s eyes, followed by shock, then a look of almost absurd scrutiny. “Laura…Parker?” The people behind him gasped. “Laura Parker? The Colonel’s wife who cheated seven years ago?” “Didn’t she disappear at the train station? How could she…?” I knew what shocked them. When I left this place seven years ago, all I had was a train ticket. Later, news spread that a pregnant young woman had disappeared at the train station. Everyone thought it was me. Including Marcus. “Laura? You’re alive? How dare you show your face here?” I ignored him. Taking advantage of his momentarily loosened grip, I pulled Andy back to my side. There was already a red ring around Andy’s wrist. I crouched down and gently rubbed the glaring red mark. “Does it hurt?” Andy shook his head, but his eyes remained fixed on Marcus. Only then did I straighten up. My tone must have been calm—at least I couldn’t hear any emotion in it. “You must have mistaken me for someone else. I’m Victoria Reed, Chief Technical Engineer of Deep Blue Marine Salvage Company.” “Victoria Reed?” The soldier behind Marcus unconsciously repeated the name. “Yes.” Before I could finish, the meeting room door was pushed open again. When Vivian rushed in, her forehead was beaded with sweat, as if she’d hurried over. She first glanced at Marcus, then her gaze swept over me, her pupils contracting ever so slightly. “Laura?” She stepped forward, trying to take my hand, but I sidestepped to avoid her. Her hand froze in mid-air, then she quickly smiled again. “It really is you! Where have you been all these years? We were all so worried…” Her eyes reddened as she spoke, her acting skills more refined than seven years ago. “You left so suddenly back then. We thought…thought you couldn’t handle it anymore. When we heard about the train station incident, Marcus was so upset he couldn’t sleep for days. It’s good that you’re back now. No matter what, it’s good that you’re alive…” Her words were clever, each one reminding everyone present. That I was once a despicable woman, a wife who embarrassed her husband, a burden who worried everyone. The disgust in Marcus’s eyes deepened. “Laura, I don’t care what you call yourself now. Take that child and leave.” I glanced at Marcus and Vivian standing close together, then looked at the secretary who’d been standing by the door, not daring to make a sound. “Make an announcement.” My voice wasn’t loud, but everyone in the meeting room could hear clearly. “Deep Blue Company is willing to cooperate with the military, but there’s one condition—the cooperation representative must be changed. When you change representatives, we’ll start negotiations.” “Laura!” Marcus’s face turned ashen. He took a menacing step forward, his presence intimidating. “Do you know what kind of situation this is? How dare you make a scene here?! Take this bast—” “The ones who should leave are you.” I calmly cut off his crude insult, took Andy’s hand, and walked back to my desk step by step. The leather chair was wide and solid. I sat down calmly and met his furious gaze. “Since you’re seeking technical cooperation, the military should at least send someone…” I tilted my head slightly. “Someone clear-headed who understands basic courtesy. Don’t you agree, Colonel?” My assistant was so scared she barely dared to breathe, looking from Marcus to me, completely at a loss. “Show them out.” I said. Andy stayed in the office waiting for me until after work. I took his hand and walked out of the office. As we reached the first-floor lobby, two figures emerged from the shadows on the side. Marcus stood there, his military jacket draped over his arm. Vivian followed behind him. They blocked the path between the glass doors and us. Behind them, the sky was gradually darkening and streetlights were beginning to flicker on. “Laura, you have two choices. Either let that child come with me for a blood comparison. Until the results come out, neither of you is going anywhere.” “Or, I don’t mind making you, your man, and this bastard truly disappear this time.”

Marcus’s last words were like a knife mixed with coarse sand, scraping viciously across the tenderest part of my heart. Vivian stood slightly behind him to the side, her fingers unconsciously twisting the strap of her purse. Her voice came out soft and gentle, like a feather, yet carrying a chill that could drill into your bones. “Laura, even if you won’t think of yourself, you should consider the child.” She moved forward half a step, her gaze sweeping “pityingly” over Andy, whom I was protecting behind me. “This town isn’t that big or that small. Later when the child goes to school, gets a job—everything requires background checks. If his file notes that his mother has…issues.” She deliberately paused, observing my expression, her voice dropping lower but ensuring all three of us could hear clearly. “Then the child’s whole life will be ruined. He won’t be able to hold his head up anywhere.” “Even though…” Her eyelids lowered slightly, revealing just the right amount of difficulty and “kindness.” “Even though back then, the injury…the doctor said there might be a slim chance, but after all these years, who can say for sure? Laura, I know raising a child alone isn’t easy, but no matter how hard it is, you can’t gamble with the child’s future out of spite. For the child’s sake, you should just…” A crisp, resounding slap suddenly cut off her unfinished “advice.” I used all my strength. My palm stung and went numb. Vivian was struck so hard her whole body tilted to one side. Her carefully styled hair came loose, a few strands falling messily. They clung to her cheek, which instantly swelled and reddened. She covered her face, staring at me in disbelief. Tears quickly filled her eyes, ready to fall but not quite falling, suspended on her long lashes, making her look even more pitiable. The next second, a heavier force came whistling back at my face. My vision went dark, my ears rang, and my mouth instantly filled with the metallic taste of blood. My cheek burned with pain. The force made me stagger backward. My back slammed heavily into the cold, rough wall before I could barely steady myself. Bits of plaster fell onto my shoulders. Marcus stood in front of Vivian like an impenetrable wall. He shook out his hand as if he’d just touched something unclean. The look he gave me was one of undisguised disgust and cold disappointment. “Laura!” His voice was very low, but each word hit the ground with force. “You dare hit someone after what you did? What did Vivian say that was wrong? Who is she doing this for?!” Again. No matter when, no matter where, no matter what the truth was, he was always like this, unhesitatingly standing on Vivian’s side. Seven years ago at the conference, on the hospital steps, and now still the same. Even though Vivian nearly killed me and my unborn child, in his eyes, she would always be that sister who needed protection, fragile and innocent. And I would forever be the one with deep schemes, beyond reason. “Mom!” Andy charged out from beside me like an enraged little leopard, his small fists clenched, ready to strike Marcus. “Bad man! You hit my mom!” “Andy! Come back!” I ignored the burning pain on my face and pulled him tightly back into my arms, shielding him completely with my body. The child’s body trembled with anger in my embrace. I could feel his rapid breathing and the tears he was holding back. I couldn’t let him strike. Absolutely not. He was so young. He couldn’t be drawn into the adults’ filthy struggle. I looked up, past Marcus’s shoulder as he protected Vivian, at that face that was once familiar but now utterly strange. The dim corridor light carved cold, hard lines across his face. “Colonel Marcus.” I spoke, my voice somewhat hoarse. “Whether you were actually injured back then, how severe the injury was—you know better than anyone. Why pretend to be confused and insist on forcing this dirty accusation onto me and my child?” His eyes flickered violently, his jaw tightening further, but he didn’t immediately refute. I slowly straightened up and released Andy, taking his hand. The child’s hand was small and cold. I squeezed it hard, trying to transmit some warmth to him. “Don’t you want a blood comparison?” I met his scrutinizing gaze, my tone so calm even I found it strange. “Fine. Tomorrow morning at nine, at the hospital lab entrance. Don’t be late.” After speaking, without looking at his suddenly complicated expression, I picked up Andy. Step by step, I walked out of that suffocating, dim corridor. I pushed open the heavy door. The bitter cold of the winter night hit my face. Like a sobering slap, it dispersed the lingering burning sensation on my face and the metallic churning in my chest. I carried Andy toward the half-old green jeep parked by the courtyard wall. After settling him in the back seat and wrapping him in the small blanket we kept in the car, I sat in the driver’s seat. I didn’t start the car immediately. I fumbled for my phone from the canvas bag in the passenger seat. “It’s me.” “If what I asked for is ready, send it to me the fastest way possible.”

Five days later, the auditorium. Voices buzzed. The air was filled with the mixed scent of tea and cigarettes. I sat in a seat by the aisle. Andy sat quietly beside me, flipping through a book about ships. Just then, Marcus sat down next to me with Vivian. He lowered his voice. “Laura, the test results are out. If you don’t want this report to get out, cooperate with me on the salvage mission.” “And apologize to Vivian. Otherwise, you wouldn’t want your child to have a shameful mother, would you?” I closed the album in my hands, my tone casual. “I’ll certainly cooperate on the salvage mission, but not with you.” “As for apologizing…my way of apologizing is another slap. I wonder if she can handle it?” Marcus looked at me with a dark gaze. “So you don’t care about your son’s future?” I blinked, a thought occurring to me, and changed tactics. “I can agree to your conditions. After the meeting ends, burn the report. My child and I will have nothing to do with you, Marcus, from now on.” Marcus’s gaze was mocking. He gave a cold laugh. “Ha, now you realize this report can’t see the light of day?” “As long as you do these two things, I’ll naturally destroy it.” Halfway through the meeting, the moderator announced. “Now, let’s have Colonel Marcus speak!” Amid applause, Marcus walked steadily to the podium. He adjusted the microphone, his gaze sweeping across the audience before finally settling on me. “Today should be a happy occasion, but I must speak of something painful here.” His voice carried through the amplifier throughout the entire auditorium. The previously noisy venue immediately quieted down. My heart sank. Marcus took out a tan file folder from his briefcase and held it up high. “This is a paternity test between me and the child my ex-wife was carrying seven years ago.” “As a soldier, I shouldn’t discuss private matters on such an occasion. But when personal issues affect the military’s image and the integrity of technical cooperation, I must stand up and clarify!” “Today, I’m going to prove my innocence in front of everyone here.” He made as if to open the folder. Just then, the projector at the back of the auditorium suddenly lit up…

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