Our family carries a generational curse. The more one person gives in a marriage, the more the other will pay back tenfold after divorce. So, when Julian Hayes brought his pregnant secretary home on our ninth wedding anniversary, I didn’t cry or make a scene. Instead, I greeted him with a radiant smile. Julian casually instructed me: “Serena has a delicate palate; no repeating meals for her, ever again.” “She’s easily scared and needs company when she sleeps. Pack your things, move into the guest room.” At his words, everyone burst into laughter. “Mrs. Hayes? More like the CEO’s mistress’s nanny!” I lowered my head, desperately trying to suppress the triumphant smirk that threatened to lift my lips. They had no idea. The deeper Julian wounded me now, the more devastatingly the curse would rebound on him after the divorce. I couldn’t wait to see the look on his face then. In our nine years of marriage, I never once mentioned the curse to Julian. When we first got married, we were madly in love. I firmly believed he would never betray me. And I truly believed we would never divorce. Until I caught him cheating. The first time I discovered his infidelity, I asked for a divorce. But he locked me in the master bedroom of our villa for five days and four nights, exhausting three entire bottles of something. He explained, his face a mask of helplessness, “Claire, people in our social circle sometimes need a change of pace.” My friends also tried to convince me, claiming it was an unspoken rule in elite circles. No matter how deeply a couple loved each other, the wife had to silently accept her husband having a kept woman outside. They said the others were just temporary toys, and Julian’s true heart still belonged to me. But then Serena Stone appeared, and I knew he was genuinely in love. The first time I truly realized it was on my birthday. Julian shamelessly brought Serena along to the ski resort. Serena cooed at Julian, whining that the snowstorm was too heavy and she wanted my goggles. I refused to give them to her. “Does Mr. Hayes not even have enough money to buy his little mistress a pair of goggles? Why does she have to steal mine?” Serena burst into tears the moment she heard that. Julian instantly panicked. To soothe her, he ordered his men to strip me bare and abandoned me on the mountainside. After six hours in the snow, when rescue finally arrived, I felt utterly numb, dead inside. Later, when Serena found out she was pregnant and simply mentioned wanting my peace-and-luck bangle, Julian immediately demanded I hand it over. But he knew perfectly well that the bangle was a precious relic from my deceased parents. Meeting my reddened eyes, he was coldly indifferent: “Name your price.” What was nine years of a humiliating marriage, one that dragged me through the mud, truly worth? I couldn’t be bothered to calculate. I removed the peace-and-luck bangle and placed it on Serena’s wrist. I said to Serena: “May your baby be safe and sound.” Hearing my ‘blessing,’ Julian, for once, unexpectedly offered me an olive branch: “Claire, if you just behave, my child will be your child.” No sooner had he finished speaking than the bangle on Serena’s wrist suddenly slipped off and shattered. Seeing Serena’s leg cut, Julian scooped her up like a princess. He barked orders at Mr. Thompson to call the family doctor. I turned to leave, but he gripped my wrist with a cold glare: “Apologize.” “What—” Before I could finish, he dragged me to my knees at Serena’s feet. My knees scraped against the fragments of the bangle, staining the pristine white floor crimson with my blood. Seeing the bloodstains, Julian’s eyes flickered with disgust, and he released me. “You deliberately broke Serena’s bangle and caused her injury. Don’t you think you should apologize to her?” After marrying Julian, the words “I’m sorry” had become my mantra. The soup was too bland, I’m sorry. Worried he was drunk and unwell, I bothered him with a text message, I’m sorry. Accidentally seeing Serena’s text inviting him to a hotel, thus ‘invading his privacy’—my sincerest apologies… Biting the inside of my cheek until I tasted blood, I resignedly straightened up. After bowing a full 180 degrees to Serena and apologizing three times, I looked at Julian with an empty gaze. I asked softly: “Is that enough?” Staring at the blood at the corner of my mouth, his chest visibly heaved for a moment: “Claire, Grandfather Hayes, your biggest protector, isn’t here to save you. Who are you putting on this pathetic, disgusting act for?” Before I could reply, the family doctor rushed in. Shoving me out of his way, Julian led the doctor straight to Serena.

While his eyes were filled with nothing but Serena, I quickly walked out the front door, desperate to leave. However, before the iron gate could open, two bodyguards suddenly appeared, forcibly taking me back to the villa. In the study, Julian had me bound securely. He ordered someone to pierce my arm with a needle as thick as a child’s arm. Through the half-open door, I heard the doctor say to Julian: “Mr. Hayes, while both your wife and Ms. Stone have RH-negative blood, a rare type, Mrs. Hayes has a history of heart disease since childhood. Forcibly drawing blood could trigger acute shock. I think it would be better to go to the hospital first, and then proceed with a transfusion for Ms. Stone’s anemia…” “Don’t bother trying to persuade me.” Julian said coldly: “Your only task is to ensure Serena’s health. As for the rest, I know what I’m doing.” Hearing Julian’s approaching footsteps, I slowly closed my eyes. “Does it hurt much?” His voice was uncharacteristically comforting: “Just bear with it a little longer. It’ll be over soon.” I turned my head away, unwilling to waste my breath on him. After extracting 800 milliliters of blood, my lips had turned purple. At that moment, Serena, lying in the master bedroom, suddenly coughed. Hearing the sound, Julian immediately stopped the doctor from pulling out the needle, demanding he draw double the amount of blood. The doctor, sweating profusely, informed Julian that if they continued, I would likely die. After a two-second hesitation, Julian merely said: “Serena is pregnant; the pregnant woman comes first in everything.” “But…” I cut off the doctor’s protest: “Draw it. Just let me leave once you’re done.” Looking at my bloodless face, Julian’s eyes filled with cold fury, and he opened his mouth to speak. He was about to demand if I was done throwing a tantrum. Was I really going to run away from home over such a minor issue? Serena’s sweet, whiny voice chimed in: “Julian, honey~” And instantly, he was drawn away. After that, I collapsed from blood loss and was hospitalized. I didn’t realize then that, a month later, I would be back in the hospital again.

It started one evening when Serena suddenly blocked my bedroom door. She held a black bottle in her hand, eyeing me up and down with disdain: “Claire, I didn’t think you could endure so much. I’ve brazenly taken over your life and made you the laughingstock of the entire elite circle, yet you’re still stubbornly clinging to the Hayes family, refusing to leave.” “Then again, your grandmother died last month, didn’t she? Without that powerful protector, you’d be clinging to Julian like a drowning person to a life raft, wouldn’t you?” At this, Serena suddenly remembered something amusing: “Claire, remember that day you were crying and begging Julian to fly you by helicopter to the hospital to see your grandmother one last time? Do you know why he refused? Because, darling, he’d promised to take me to the beach to watch the sunset that day. Look, this kissing photo on my phone screen? That’s when we took it.” *Smash!* I knocked Serena’s phone from her hand, my patience snapping, and gripped her neck. The bottle in Serena’s hand slipped, and I immediately caught a strong whiff of gasoline. In the struggle, a flustered Serena accidentally ignited the gasoline on the floor. Thick smoke billowed, and flames raged. Having just been discharged from the hospital, I quickly became weak from the smoke, collapsing to the ground. That’s when I heard Julian’s voice: “Claire!” Followed by the maids’ frantic shouts of protest: “Sir, it’s too dangerous inside, you can’t go in yet! Wait for security to bring the fire extinguisher before—” “Get out of my way! Claire is still in there!” He, after all, disregarded the danger and rushed into the burning house. He just didn’t expect Serena to be in there too. “Julian, darling, help—”

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The first time Julian cheated, he dragged his mistress, Celeste, in front of me, his eyes blazing, and told me to do whatever I wanted with her. Loved him with a ferocity that bordered on madness, I chose to forgive his “accidental” mistake. The second time he cheated, I sent the woman overseas, ordering her never to return. The night of our engagement party, Julian choked me, pressing a dagger against my lower abdomen. His eyes were wild as he demanded, “Where is Celeste? Do you know she’s pregnant?” “I couldn’t control my own primal urges; if you want to be mad, be mad at me. Celeste is just a young girl, she shouldn’t have to suffer for this. I’m begging you, just let the baby be born safely, and I swear I’ll never see her again.” “You’re scared of childbirth, right? So let’s just claim the one Celeste is carrying as ours, okay? Don’t worry, the child will see *you* as its mother, that’s my solemn vow to you.” The knife tip pierced my skin, a warm trickle of blood blooming on my stomach. I smiled at him, and told him exactly where Celeste was. The door slammed shut. Trembling, I pulled out my phone and dialed that familiar number. “You were right this time. Can you still help me out?” On the other end, Liam cursed under his breath, his voice laced with exasperation. “Why didn’t you say so sooner? I’m already out of the country, how am I supposed to help you now?” “Audrey, I swear, you’re brilliant, but falling for the same guy’s tricks *twice*? Did you just completely abandon all common sense when it came to love?” Pressing hard on the wound in my abdomen, my voice grew increasingly bitter. “I’m sorry. I owe you this time. I’ll give you thirty percent of the profits on our next joint project. Is that enough?” Liam immediately perked up, his interest piqued. “Send me the time, send me the location. I’ll be there, guaranteed.” “And next time you have a ‘collaboration’ like this, remember to call me! You’ll get your money’s worth, I promise.” I sent the full wedding plan to Liam. He swiftly replied with an ‘OK’ emoji. Our once-perfect bridal suite lay in ruins, smashed by Julian, a mirror image of my heart. After tending to my wounds alone, I stumbled out of the villa. I had just checked into the hotel when Julian’s call came through again. The hum of the airplane was loud, but I still caught the suppressed fury in his voice. “Audrey, I’m on a flight overseas right now, I can’t be with you tonight. Get some rest. I’m sorry, I was just too emotional earlier, I never meant to hurt you.” “Is your injury serious? Should I send my private doctor over to check on you right now—” “No need.” I cut him off, my voice chilling. Julian’s tone instantly darkened. “Audrey, didn’t I tell you? What happened between Celeste and me was an accident. I was drugged and mistook her for you. Now that it’s happened, I have to take responsibility. Do you really expect a Julian family child to be born abroad?” “You forgave me once before, didn’t you? Why are you being so dramatic this time? Our wedding is in a week, just calm down tonight.” Staring at my SnapChat conversation with Liam, I said icily, “No need. I won’t be marrying you.” “Julian, I told you, I don’t tolerate infidelity.” Just as I was about to hang up, he exploded. “Not marrying me? What kind of joke is that? The engagement party is over, the whole world knows the Julian and Peterson families are uniting. And now you say this? Are you trying to blackmail me with our alliance?” “Audrey, we grew up together, you know who I am. If I hadn’t been set up, I would never betray you!” “They say third time’s the charm, but I’ve only messed up *twice*! After the baby’s born, I swear Celeste will vanish from your life forever. Isn’t that enough?” Tears welled up, and a bitter smile touched my lips. “So what? You want me to wake up every day to a child you had with another woman, a daily reminder of your mistakes?” “Julian, I can’t do it. I’m sorry.” With that, his furious roar echoed through the phone: “Fine. Remember what you said. Let’s see if you regret it!” “What man of my standing *doesn’t* have affairs? I’ve given you Celeste to deal with however you see fit – what more do you want from me? If you can’t handle it, then leave! I’m done arguing about this!”

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For ten years, Julian built his empire on my back. And for ten years, he loathed my very existence. After my death, he seized my family’s company and married his childhood sweetheart. On their wedding day, Ryder, my childhood sweetheart who later became my arch-nemesis, detonated the venue. Before the flames consumed everything, Ryder smiled and said: “She’s dead. You two get to waltz into success? No such luck in this world.” When I opened my eyes again, I was back ten years ago. The day I dragged Julian to meet Ryder and break off our engagement. He looked at me with an indifferent expression: “Are you sure? You really want to break our engagement for *him*?” “Aria, I never go back on my word.” “Are you sure you want to break our engagement for that… *thing*?” The familiar, cool male voice echoed in my ears. I was still lost in the aftershocks of that explosion. The overwhelming, fiery red light felt like it could even scorch my soul, floating suspended in the air. Ryder, a gun in hand, stood amidst the flames, pulling the trigger. He flashed a smile at a shocked and furious Julian: “She’s dead. You two get to waltz into success? No such luck in this world.” … In that moment, the invisible shackles on me suddenly vanished. Something new clicked in my mind. Turns out, in my previous life, I was the toxic second lead in some twisted ‘redemption’ story. I fixated on Julian, then a struggling student. I leveraged his mother’s medical bills, twisting his arm into accepting my “sponsorship” and, by extension, me. Julian believed I had humiliated him with my money, and he hated me for years because of it. After we married, he plotted to seize my family’s company, all while carrying on a secret affair with his childhood sweetheart. Later, he slowly drove me insane, sent me to a mental hospital, and watched me fall to my death. Then, he reinvented himself as a newly minted mogul and married his childhood sweetheart.

I finally understood. Ryder and I were inseparable, practically joined at the hip since we were kids. So how, in my previous life, did I suddenly lose my mind and fall for Julian the moment he appeared? Snapping back to reality, my gaze swept around the room. I saw the parents from both families, each with their own complex expressions. And then there was Ryder, sitting on the sofa, his features sharp and cold, looking up at me slightly. It suddenly clicked. In my previous life, this was the day I completely broke off with Ryder. Our families, the Montgomerys and the Fosters, were old friends. Today was supposed to be one of our regular get-togethers. But I was late, and I brought Julian with me. I opened my mouth, demanding to end my engagement with Ryder: “I’ve never liked you. Besides, I already have a boyfriend.” “So, you’re here to break off our engagement, for *that*?” Ryder adjusted the gold frames of his glasses. His gaze landed on Julian beside me, openly disdainful. Julian straightened his back, retaliating: “What are you so proud of? You’re just a little better off than me, thanks to your family.” “A little better?” Ryder curled his lip, a mocking smile twisting his features. “You’d do well to remember, if Aria hadn’t brought you, you wouldn’t even have the right to stand here and speak to me.”

That jab sliced right through Julian’s already fragile ego. In my previous life, I watched his eyes sting with humiliation, and my heart just *ached* for him. I immediately stepped in front of him, lashing out at Ryder, my words venomous and unthinking. I called him deluded, clinging. “Don’t think I don’t know. That guy in high school who wrote me a love letter mysteriously got his leg broken in a car accident, you did it, didn’t you?” “Ryder, you’re disgusting. I can’t even look at you.” “Besides your family name, what exactly makes you better than Julian?” I spewed so many nasty things, but Ryder didn’t say a word in response. He just sat there, still and silent, like a statue carved from ice. After a long silence, he pressed a hand to his glasses and calmly said: “Fine. I agree to break the engagement.” … Julian turned to me, his voice icy: “Miss Montgomery, did you bring me here just to be humiliated?” I dug my nails into my palm, forcing my mind out of the chaos of rebirth. Hearing his words, I suddenly chuckled: “Humiliated? Ryder was just stating facts.” “You’re just a plaything, Julian. He wouldn’t waste his breath on you. You’re seriously overestimating yourself.” The living room fell silent. Everyone stared at me, bewildered. Two steps away, on the sofa, Ryder’s head snapped up. Behind his glasses, his eyes, as clear and fragile as polished glass, held unconcealed astonishment. “What did you say?” Julian’s expression turned utterly mortified. “I said, you didn’t actually think you were better than my fiancé in any way, did you?” “He’s always ignoring me during business deals, and I get annoyed, so I just used you to get under his skin.” I dropped his hand, recoiling as if he were something repulsive. I issued my dismissal, “Now, get out.” Julian stared at me, disbelief etched on his face. But our butler, who had quickly caught on, promptly escorted him out. Before leaving, he spat a threat: “Aria Montgomery, I’m not some toy you can pick up and put down whenever you like.” “Next time, even if you beg on your knees, I won’t take you back.”

His confidence was… hilarious. I almost choked. But I had no time for Julian. I scurried over to Ryder, dropping to my knees beside him. It was only much later, in my previous life, after we broke off the engagement, that I learned Ryder had been admitted to the hospital that very night. He’d been sitting on the sofa the whole time, not getting up, because his stomach issues had flared up while he was away on a business trip. But he’d pushed himself to rush back, despite the pain, because he really wanted to see me. And the first thing I did when I saw him was demand to end our engagement. I was such an idiot. Our eyes met, and a flicker of understanding, then mocking amusement, crossed Ryder’s face. He scoffed, “Trying to make your boyfriend jealous again?” I couldn’t blame Ryder for thinking that. In my previous life, I *had* pulled stupid stunts, using Ryder to provoke Julian and prove Julian cared about me. Now, I could only soften my voice and play dumb: “Boyfriend? What boyfriend? Ryder, I only have you as my fiancé.” He looked down at me. “I don’t feel well. Could you come with me to the hospital first?” Ryder suddenly frowned: “What’s wrong? Are your period cramps acting up again?” I blurted out without thinking: “…Yeah, period cramps.” He tilted his head, looking at me. “Today isn’t your usual cycle.” Julian and I had been giving each other the silent treatment for ages. I hadn’t expected him to still remember my period cycle. My heart swelled with a sudden rush of bittersweet emotion. “Um… well, it just came early, you know?” I gently tugged on his sleeve, giving it a little shake. “I need a pain shot. Will you come with me, please?” Ryder didn’t say anything, lost in thought for a moment. Then he calmly agreed: “Alright.”

Once we were in the car, I called the driver and didn’t let Ryder drive. He didn’t argue, just sat beside me in the back seat. But there was still a person’s width between us. I asked softly, “Ryder, are you angry with me?” He curved his lips ever so slightly. A self-deprecating chuckle, “How could I dare.” Those four words sent an overwhelming wave of guilt washing over me. In my previous life, controlled by the story’s influence, my parents couldn’t stop me and watched as I married Julian. I tirelessly propped up his company with my family’s wealth, never complaining. Because Ryder always competed with Julian, always poaching his projects. I came to see him as my arch-nemesis. In those ten years of my previous life, the few times we met, I was always cold and dismissive, never giving him a kind look. “Ryder.” I sniffed, my voice thick, suddenly saying, “It’s been two months. Did you miss me?” Ryder glanced at me. He didn’t say anything. I felt a bit awkward, so I tried to make small talk: “You didn’t even bring me a gift this time.” “Last time I did. You said my things were dirty and threw them away.” He finished coldly, then turned his head away, closing his eyes. A clear sign he was reluctant to engage with me further. The last time Ryder returned from abroad, he brought me a box of rubies. As he handed them to me, he’d casually said, “Make some little trinkets. Don’t spend all your time with low-class trash.” Both the rubies themselves and Ryder’s words had pricked Julian’s male pride. So, to make Julian happy, I had immediately thrown the box of gems back at Ryder. “I don’t want your dirty stuff!” … Thinking about it, I closed my eyes in despair. In my mind, I cursed the original plot for being so unbelievably stupid, it felt like it was scribbled by someone with a serious head injury. In reality, I could only slowly, tentatively, inch closer to Ryder. I turned my body, pressing against him, resting my chin on his shoulder, and whispered, “Actually, Ryder, I have something to tell you…” My warm breath feathered against his ear, stirring the loose strands of hair by his ear. Ryder suddenly opened his eyes, reached up, and gently but firmly pulled me away by the back of my neck. “Whatever game you and Julian are playing today, I’m not interested. Don’t waste your breath.” He frowned, then paused slightly. “And stop moving around if you don’t feel well.” Ryder’s face was stern and cold when he scolded me. But I, quick-eyed, noticed his earlobes and the curve of his neck were flushed a deep crimson. He’d even shifted into a slightly awkward position. “Ryder.” I tested the waters, calling his name. “You wouldn’t… you aren’t…” “Just sit still.” He lowered his lashes, concealing the tumultuous undercurrent of desire in his eyes, his voice a little hoarse. “My business is not yours to worry about.”

By the time the car stopped outside the hospital, the icy, tense atmosphere between Ryder and me had eased considerably. Thinking of his stomach pain, I made an excuse, wanting him to help me, and linked my arm through his. But then, a sweet voice, edged with furious indignation, suddenly cut through the air beside us: “Aria Montgomery!” I turned to see Chloe, Julian’s childhood sweetheart, storming up to me, glaring angrily. “You did this on purpose, didn’t you? You deliberately had Mrs. Davis’s medication cut off just to force Julian to bow to you!” She glanced behind me, and her eyes welled up instantly. “You said before, if I disappeared, you’d ask that renowned oncology specialist to take on Mrs. Davis’s case. Are you going back on your word now?” “Chloe.” Julian quickly walked past me, pulled Chloe behind him, shielding her. Then, he lowered his gaze, speaking in a hushed, almost groveling tone. “Aria, it’s all my fault. I’m not angry about what you did to me today, just don’t make things difficult for Chloe and my mom.” “From now on, I’ll do whatever you say.” It suddenly hit me. In my previous life, that specialist who treated Julian’s mom? I’d arranged it through the Foster family connections. “No…” I hadn’t even had a chance to speak. My arm suddenly felt empty. Ryder pulled his arm free from mine, his eyes lowered, a mocking, cold, bone-deep frost in his gaze. “So this is why you suddenly wanted me to bring you to the hospital.” “Aria, this is what you wanted to tell me, isn’t it?”

That sharp, cold look Ryder would get, yet fragile as shattered glass, was all too familiar to me. In my previous life, every time I clashed with him for Julian’s sake, he would look at me exactly like that. Back then, bound by the original plot, my mind was solely focused on Julian. I only found Ryder’s dramatic airs incredibly annoying. Now, my heart ached, and I instinctively retorted: “No, it’s not.” But he didn’t look at me again, only at Julian, his voice chillingly cold: “If you look down on me so much, then show some real capability. You’re not embarrassed, dragging my fiancée into this charade just to get treatment for your own mother?” Julian gritted his teeth, a flicker of humiliation in his eyes. “You, Foster, don’t think you’re so great.” He clenched his fist, his voice cold, “One day, you’ll pay for what you said today.” Ryder ignored him and walked away without looking back. I was about to chase after him when Julian grabbed me: “…Aria.” He looked at me, his eyes slightly downcast, his voice a little hoarse, “Aria, it’s all my fault, don’t be angry anymore.” When his chilling fingers closed around my wrist, I thought of everything in my previous life and felt like a cold, venomous snake had coiled around me. “Don’t touch me! You’re disgusting!” Thrown off guard by my sudden rejection, Julian looked utterly stunned. Clearly, he couldn’t believe it. After all, in the past, no matter how angry I was, as long as he softened his tone even slightly, I would give in without question. “Aria…” He was about to say something else, but I forcefully cut him off: “Since you’ve always felt my money was an insult, then transfer the eighty thousand dollars I spent on your mother’s medical treatment to my account within three days.” “Let me see just how much backbone you really have.”

I practically sprinted in my heels, finally catching up to Ryder at the hospital entrance. “Ryder!” I tugged on his sleeve, panting. Before I could even speak, he turned his head. “Aria, we do have a history.” “But that doesn’t mean you can leverage it to make me endlessly compromise for your boyfriend.” He finished coldly, trying to pull his sleeve back, but I held on tight: “It has nothing to do with him!” “Okay, I admit, I didn’t come to the hospital because of period cramps. I wanted to bring you here—your stomach issues flared up again, didn’t they?” “Ryder, don’t think I don’t know, you never eat properly when you’re on business trips!” He looked at me, a hint of surprise in his eyes, his gaze slowly scanning my face. As if trying to discern the truth from my expression. Seeing his expression soften slightly, I quickly pressed my advantage. I dragged him, practically pulling him into the examination room. The doctor, looking at his test results, frowned deeply: “Chronic gastritis requires special attention to diet. Especially when you don’t feel well, don’t just tough it out. Come to the hospital as soon as possible.” “You’ll need an IV drip for two days.”

Sunlight streamed through the glass window, illuminating the room. Once only Ryder and I were left in the ward, the air suddenly grew quiet. I ordered some porridge for delivery. When it arrived, I blew on each spoonful to cool it before feeding it to him. Ryder’s eyelashes were lowered, lost in thought. “The doctor said you need to eat something, or your stomach will feel worse when you get the IV.” I reminded him, and he finally looked up at me. His eyes, catching the sunlight, reflected a shimmering light. “…Okay.” He responded softly, finally opening his mouth. After he’d eaten half a bowl of porridge, Ryder motioned for me to put the bowl down. “My phone.” I handed him my phone, puzzled, and watched him key in a string of numbers. “What’s this?” “Director Harrison’s number. The oncology specialist you were so keen on hiring.” I looked up sharply, seeing Ryder’s slightly pale face and a faint, bitter smile on his lips. I suddenly understood. Even now, he thought I had an ulterior motive. “You brought me to the hospital; I’m giving you what you want. We’re even.” “I don’t want next time, when you come to beg me for his sake again, for you to bring this up and say you felt disgusted just watching me eat my porridge.” “Aria… I’m human too.” The sunlight slanted in, painting a rare fragility across his sharp features. My chest tightened painfully, and I couldn’t speak. I remembered the incident Ryder was referring to. Three months ago, Julian’s studio wanted a project, and Ryder was the client’s decision-maker. So I pestered him relentlessly, cooked him a meal, and even brought him gifts. Just as Ryder was looking pleased, I asked him, “Could you just… ease up a little and give that project to Julian’s team?” The smile on Ryder’s lips vanished instantly. He put down his chopsticks and looked at me: “So, you came to see me today, still for your boyfriend?” “Julian really is capable!” I tried to argue, but his voice, cold and firm, cut me off. “Capable people don’t need to go through the back door to secure projects.” “Go home. I’ve already reviewed the proposal and made my decision.” “I won’t choose him.” Ryder stood up, pulled out his chair, and practically threw me out. I lost my temper, pointing at him and yelling: “If it weren’t for Julian, I wouldn’t even want to see you!” “Just watching you eat my food makes me sick to my stomach!”

Through my blurry vision, a hand suddenly reached out, wiping away the wetness from my eyes. Only then did I realize I was crying. Ryder withdrew his hand, saying faintly, “Don’t feel wronged. After today, I won’t look for you again.” “Aria, we’re even.” I had a track record, so it was normal for him not to trust me. While trying to convince myself, I forced back my tears and looked at Ryder earnestly: “I’m sorry.” He paused, surprised: “Matters of the heart can’t be forced. No need to apologize.” “When we get back from the hospital today, I’ll explain everything to your parents. We’ll break—” His words were cut off by my sudden kiss. Ryder’s eyes snapped open, staring at me in disbelief. I awkwardly pressed my lips against his for a moment, then pulled back slightly, panting softly, tugging at his collar. “Don’t… don’t say break off the engagement.” I steadied myself and continued, “Ryder, whether you believe it or not, all those things with Julian before? I didn’t want to do them.” “I brought you to the hospital simply because I saw how pale you looked and was worried about you.” He looked down at me, the tumultuous emotions in his eyes obscured by his long lashes: “Is this your new tactic?” I suppressed the bitterness in my heart: “My life, our shared history—we’ve known each other for as long as I’ve been alive. So you have to believe me.” “If you don’t believe me—” “I’ll kiss you again.” I said, leaning in again. But Ryder pressed against my forehead, stopping me in time. His breath was incredibly close, his voice a little hoarse: “Aria, do you know what you’re doing right now?” I answered, “Yes, I know. I’m doing what we did when we were eighteen.” That sentence was like a fuse, igniting everything. Instantly burning away all reason between Ryder and me.

The night after graduation, my family held a special dinner to celebrate. I drank a few glasses of champagne and, feeling tipsy, dragged Ryder into my room. I asked him, “What does kissing feel like?” “…” He looked at me calmly, “Aria, you’re drunk.” I got a little upset: “Don’t change the subject! If you don’t tell me, I’ll go find some other—mph!” Before I could finish, Ryder suddenly gripped my chin, leaning in to kiss me. A faint scent of lemongrass wafted from him. It was probably the cologne I’d given him for his birthday that year. His lips and tongue, and the pad of his thumb pressing against my neck, were searing hot. My head was spinning, and soon I could only cling to his shirtfront, forced to endure the overwhelming heat that followed. Ryder’s voice was laced with a dark, surging desire: “…That’s what kissing feels like.” “Want to go deeper, Aria?”

Back then, we were so good, so incredibly close. I always thought I’d marry Ryder after college. But after I started university, the moment I saw Julian. I was possessed, as if by a ghost, and dragged into the whirlpool of the original plot.

“He’s just lying in a hospital bed, how did the IV drip get dislodged?” The nurse came to re-insert Ryder’s IV, then, still worried, reminded him, “No more moving around, okay? You only have one more bag left.” Ryder nodded calmly. It was me, sitting beside him, who rubbed my burning ears. After the nurse left, I apologized softly: “…I’m sorry.” I’d been so caught up in the kiss that I’d pressed on Ryder’s arm, dislodging the IV needle. Blood had stained the entire adhesive patch red. He glanced at me: “No need to apologize.” “So, do you believe me now?” “Depends on your performance.” Despite his words, his tone had already softened slightly. Near the end of the month, Ryder went to a neighboring city for a business trip. Even though I was back at university for classes, I made sure to text him whenever I could. I was actively proving to him that he was the only one in my heart. Ryder’s birthday was approaching. That afternoon, I wanted to go to the mall to pick out a gift for him. Suddenly, I saw a familiar figure in the distance. It was Julian. Because of the harsh words exchanged at the hospital that day, he hadn’t contacted me in days. I was actually happy about the reprieve. But now, during what should have been a busy time at his studio, he was walking into a garden restaurant with a young man. My heart tightened, and I hurried forward a few steps. The moment I entered, the man happened to look up. It was like a lightning bolt struck me, and I froze. This man… wasn’t he Marcus, the one who, in my previous life, had partnered with Julian to ruin Ryder and the Montgomery family?

I secretly followed them, hiding behind some greenery, and overheard their conversation. “Ryder’s already in Seaside City. Looks like he hasn’t discovered the project is problematic.” “Project?” Julian scoffed, his voice chilling, “I want more than just his company. I want his life.” … In my previous life, I often found it strange. Ryder, born into the Foster family, was the most brilliant child of his generation. He earned his MBA from a top business school at twenty, then returned home to take over the family company. How could such a Ryder repeatedly lose to Julian, eventually having most of his family’s company swallowed? Was it just because Julian had a protagonist’s halo? Or did he possess some special information? What was this Seaside City project they were talking about? Countless questions swirled in my mind. I desperately wanted to ask Ryder, but I was afraid that an early confrontation with Julian might accelerate the original plot, pushing Ryder towards his fated end. After much thought, I decided to start with Julian, to gather information. To prevent Ryder from falling into danger under the influence of the original plot.

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That year, when I was at my absolute lowest, I pretended to be my sister to care for her blind fiancé, all for half a million dollars to save my family. The day he regained his sight, I disappeared without a trace. We met again at a business interview. I was just an unknown intern reporter. He had reclaimed his identity as Liam Sterling, the powerful young scion of the Sterling Group. He was being interviewed: “We hear that during your illness, you were incredibly fortunate to have Ms. Serena, your fiancée, by your side through thick and thin. Are wedding bells ringing soon for you two?” His lips curved ever so slightly. He raised his hand, revealing a ring. “Yes. She and I… we’re getting engaged.” But his gaze, almost imperceptibly, drifted past his glasses, landing on me in the corner. Before the interview began, the room buzzed with chatter. “The young master we’re interviewing today, he’s the actual head of the entire Sterling Group.” “I heard five years ago he went blind and was even kicked out of the family. If his fiancée hadn’t stayed by him, he probably wouldn’t be alive today.” “Shh, keep your voice down—” I sat there, forcing a faint smile. My nails, though, dug deep into my palms. Suddenly, Mike, my senior colleague, turned to me. “Anya, could you get me some water? My throat’s dry.” As I walked to the water cooler near the door, the main entrance suddenly swung open. A familiar silhouette crashed into my vision, and my mind went utterly blank. In three years, Liam Sterling had changed almost completely. His once slightly slender, boyish frame had grown tall and imposing, and the lines of his face were sharper, more defined. Those eyes, once misty and unfocused, now held an icy stillness. “Excuse me.” He spoke flatly, his gaze sweeping over me through his glasses, like I was a stranger. No pause whatsoever. He walked onto the stage, surrounded by several bodyguards. As he passed, he left behind a cool, woody scent. I stood frozen, taking a few seconds to process. The two years I spent by his side were Liam Sterling’s most desperate. He had been cast out of the Sterling family, his eyes blinded in a car accident. Of course, he didn’t know what I looked like. …Maybe that was for the best. By the time I returned with the water glass, the interview had already begun. Liam Sterling sat on stage, fingers intertwined, resting against his chin, observing the room with composed confidence. He was answering business questions. Suddenly, the side door near the stage opened. Serena walked in, smiling as she complained to Liam Sterling. “Sorry, Liam.” “Something came up on set, so I’m a little late.” She held up the hem of her opulent champagne-colored dress and took a seat beside Liam Sterling. The entire room fell silent for a moment, then the atmosphere immediately grew warm and buzzing with implied romance. Mike, holding his water glass, glanced at me, as if he’d discovered something new. “Anya, don’t tell me, but you and Serena, you actually look quite alike.” I pursed my lips, managing a forced smile. “She’s a celebrity. You’re being too kind, Mike.” Of course we looked alike. Because she and I, we were sisters.

“We hear that during your illness, you were incredibly fortunate to have Ms. Serena, your fiancée, by your side through thick and thin. Are wedding bells ringing soon for you two?” My throat suddenly tightened as I watched Liam Sterling on stage. He curved his lips, then raised his left hand, revealing his ring finger. On it, a simple silver ring. …It was the one I’d bought from a side job, back then, just to cheer him up. The distinguished young scion of the Sterling family, wearing such an inexpensive ring, it looked out of place. But he seemed oblivious, his fingertip gently tracing the surface. “Yes. She and I… we’re getting engaged.” He said, his gaze sweeping across the audience. Almost imperceptibly, it landed on me in the corner. Only for a fleeting few seconds before he pulled it back. The microphone was handed to Serena again. “Ms. Serena, we hear you’re currently filming Director Miller’s new movie. He rarely works with new actors. Is Mr. Sterling a factor in this?” She admitted with a charming smile, “Of course.” “I’ve always been confident in my professional abilities, but I won’t deny that Liam has truly done so much for me.” “And I completely deserve this special treatment.” Her poised and confident attitude earned her widespread admiration. Someone asked, “Could you share the story of how you and Mr. Sterling supported each other during your lowest point?” Serena’s smile faltered for a moment. In the eerie silence, time seemed to slow down. After a long pause, Liam Sterling let out a soft chuckle, taking the microphone. “There’s nothing much to tell.” “The memories she and I share, it’s enough for just the two of us to know.” My eyes suddenly stung, and I tightened my grip on my pen, lowering my head in a scramble. If I just closed my eyes, I’d be taken back. Liam Sterling, in his younger days, had been rebellious and difficult, offending many people. After he fell from grace, some people deliberately came seeking him out for trouble. To protect him, I was pushed down a flight of steps, falling, covered in blood. The bullies were startled and ran off. I gritted my teeth, stood up, and pretended nothing had happened, walking back to his side. “Let’s go, home.” But Liam Sterling suddenly grabbed my hand. “You’re hurt. We’re going to the hospital.” “I’m not…” “I smell blood!” His voice suddenly rose, tears rolling down from his misty, unfocused eyes, like stars covered in dust. His not-yet-broad shoulders pulled me into a tight embrace. But the name he uttered was my sister’s: “Serena.” “When I recover, I’ll give you the grandest wedding in the world.”

After the interview, the sky turned gloomy. A fine curtain of rain fell outside the venue. Mike patted his pocket and started bossing me around again. “Anya, I left the memory card inside. Go back and get it.” I trotted across the damp ground, making my way back. The elevator display flashed to one. The next second, the doors opened. I ran straight into the two people inside. Serena was slightly tilted her head, chatting with Liam Sterling about trivial things from the film set. Though his expression was indifferent, he listened patiently. Their posture was intimately close. Seeing me, Serena’s expression instantly turned incredibly nasty. “…Sorry.” I mumbled an apology, then turned around, intending to take the stairs. But Liam Sterling spoke from behind me. “Stop.” I froze in place. “Aren’t you using the elevator? Go on up.” I slowly turned around, deliberately lowering my voice. “Thank you, Mr. Sterling.” He said he wanted me to use the elevator, but he didn’t move, just stared at me. “Are you also a reporter for today’s interview? How come I didn’t hear any questions from you?” I lowered my eyes. “Mr. Sterling, I just graduated and returned to the country. I’m an intern reporter, so I don’t have the privilege to ask questions.” “I see.” He responded flatly, lost in thought. Serena, standing beside him, shot me a venomous glare and spoke. “Let’s go, Liam. We still have to meet with Director Miller and the others tonight.” Liam Sterling finally looked away. “Let’s go.”

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The day I officially resigned from Julian Thorne’s company, I bought a bouquet of white roses to take home. “If you take good care of it, this white rose can last at least seven days,” the florist said. Before I left, I placed it in a vase by the door, a final farewell. But even as the white rose withered and rotted, the person I wished to say goodbye to never arrived. … “Assistant Vance, the CEO has signed the resignation application. It’s just… he doesn’t seem to have noticed that you’re the one resigning.” My expression remained calm as I listened to the HR manager’s hesitant voice. Last night, for the first time in the seven years Julian and I had lived together, I found another woman’s stockings in our home. I thought I would confront Julian hysterically, demanding to know why he kept cheating, why he kept trampling on my heart. But I didn’t. I was surprisingly calm. I’ve had a crush on Julian since I was fourteen, a secret love at first sight that has now spanned fifteen whole years. This love, which I once thought was indestructible, had finally reached its end. At that moment, I simply picked up the stockings, tossed them into the trash, and calmly told Julian, “I’m resigning.” All I got in return was his dismissive smile. “You’d actually give it up? Fine. If you want to resign, follow the proper procedure.” I nodded, then left without a moment of hesitation. That very night, I drafted my resignation letter at a hotel and sent it to HR. My thoughts snapped back to the present. The HR manager’s voice grew even more hesitant. “Assistant Vance, are you really leaving?” “Yes. Please arrange for the new assistant to take over from me as soon as possible.” After I spoke, I left the HR department. I had just returned to my office when Julian called me into his. Julian was looking down at a report, his expression perfectly normal as he instructed, “Reschedule this afternoon’s meeting for tomorrow. Go home and get my new suit. I need it for a dinner party tonight.” I instinctively said, “Okay,” and watched as Julian waved me off without even looking at me. He still hadn’t realized he’d approved my resignation. I glanced at him, but didn’t bring it up again, and walked out. After arranging his schedule, I returned to his family home, Julian’s place, and quickly found the suit he wanted among a pile of others. I had performed such tedious tasks for seven years without a single complaint. From managing the biggest company deals to the smallest office errands, I also took care of his family’s endless drama. That included dropping his nephew off at school for his mom, settling my maternal cousin, Leo’s, gambling debts, and even searching for his niece, Ava, when she’d run away in the middle of the night… I was like a free, round-the-clock crisis manager. Anyone with a mess to clean up would just ring me. But all that was about to end. Just thirty more days, and I’d be completely free, saying a final goodbye to Julian and his dreadful relatives. I rushed the suit back to the company, then quickly touched up my makeup. At precisely seven o’clock, I appeared by Julian’s car. On the way to the dinner party, I kept looking out the window. Outside, neon lights twinkled, and at this moment, they indeed caught my attention more than Julian did. “I bought you a Chanel bag. I’ve already had it sent home.” Julian suddenly spoke. “Don’t look so sulky. People at the dinner party aren’t there to see your sour face.” I paused, knowing this was his way of offering an olive branch, and obediently said, “Got it.” Seeing his expression slightly ease, I added, “I’ve been a little tired lately. I’ll only stay until ten tonight, then I’m going home.” Julian gave a noncommittal hum, as if he heard me, or perhaps not. I silently turned my head away, saying nothing more. At the dinner party, Julian left me to my own devices, going off to meet industry seniors. I was happy for the peace, standing in a corner, but someone, restless and full of mischief, still sought me out. “Stella? Why are you standing here all alone? Aren’t you going to stick with Mr. Thorne? What if he forgets you at the party again, like last time?” Veronica covered her mouth, giggling. “But then again, you’ve got thick skin, otherwise you wouldn’t have been clinging to Mr. Thorne all this time.” I fell silent for a moment. The woman before me had a brief, fleeting fling with Julian, and her jealousy blazed with undisguised malice. “Instead of wasting your breath talking to me, why don’t you focus on figuring out how to push other women aside and climb your way up?” I said, looking in Julian’s direction. I saw Julian, holding a glass of wine, chatting amiably with a new, young woman. They were lost in laughter, a clear flirtation sparking between them. Such scenes had happened countless times; I was utterly numb to them now. I raised my wrist, watching the seconds tick by. At ten o’clock sharp, I set down my glass, gave Julian one last glance from afar, and turned to leave without hesitation. I had waited long enough; it was high time I left. I returned home, showered, and it was almost midnight. Julian still hadn’t come home. I didn’t message him to ask where he was; I just fell asleep. In the past, when Julian didn’t come back, I would lie awake all night, wondering whose arms he was in. For the first time, on a night without Julian beside me, I slept soundly. The next morning, I was still deep in sleep. *Bang!* The bedroom door was violently pushed open, followed by a shrill, accusing voice. “Why are you still sleeping? Where’s my son? Why isn’t he home?” I jumped, seeing it was Mrs. Harrington, Julian’s mother. “Don’t you know your own son’s habits? How often does he even sleep at home in a week?” I pulled a shirt on, saying coldly, “Please step outside. I need to get dressed.” Mrs. Harrington scoffed, turning and walking out. A wave of frustration washed over me, but I could only helplessly get up and head to the bathroom. When I emerged, I saw Julian, who hadn’t come home all night, now sitting on the sofa. I merely glanced at him before calmly taking a seat on the opposite sofa. Mrs. Harrington was still complaining beside Julian. “I can’t control this girlfriend of yours anymore. I tried to wake her up, and she snapped at me. Not an ounce of politeness, just what you’d expect from a divorced family with no proper upbringing. If she were to marry into the family someday…” “Mom!”

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My husband Aaron Greene is every New York woman’s dream catch, but he’s my nightmare. Just because I, Kayla Wright, was the one he couldn’t have in his youth, he forcibly trapped me by his side. My fiancé had his arm broken by Aaron, was saddled with massive debt, and lost his job. When I refused to submit, he went after my family. Aaron wields enormous power in New York—anyone who crosses him meets a bad end. I was forced to marry him. He warned me viciously: “Kayla, no one can take you away from me. You’ll belong to me for the rest of your life!” He got my body, but he could never have my heart. To provoke my jealousy as his wife, he deliberately kept mistresses on the side. When his mistress Tessa Fowler kicked down my door with her crew, I had just finished taking a pregnancy test. She screamed at me: “You homewrecker, dressed so provocatively in broad daylight—no wonder you could seduce Aaron. Today I’ll make you pay for stealing my man!” She beat me black and blue, forced me to kneel and bark like a dog, ripped out all my hair, and kicked away my child with one brutal blow. Then she dragged me before Aaron, seeking praise like a dog: “Darling, this bitch was trying to blackmail you with a baby. But I’ve taught her a good lesson for you—aren’t you proud of me?” Aaron had harbored feelings for me for ten years. If he hadn’t later become one of New York’s most powerful figures and forced me to marry him, I wouldn’t even remember having such a classmate. But no matter how rich and powerful he was, I couldn’t feel an ounce of affection for him. Frustrated by my rejection, he sought other women outside, claiming it was revenge against me. He had stayed celibate for years, yet suddenly changed after marrying me, becoming a serial philanderer—how ridiculous. As New York’s most notorious bachelor, Aaron’s scandals constantly dominated the trending topics. Sitting on the toilet scrolling through my phone, I saw he’d gone to the mountaintop villa with Tessa again. Counting the time, Tessa had been by his side for over half a year now. This was unusual—I genuinely hoped she could last even longer. But thinking about the pregnancy test result and my overdue period, an ominous feeling crept over me. I consoled myself that the test must have been expired and ordered a new one online. Soon after, urgent knocking came from outside. I checked my phone—the delivery guy was still far away, so I ignored the knocking. This was the first apartment I’d bought after graduation. Aaron had only agreed to let me live here after I insisted. He still held the only spare key. But the knocking grew more frantic, as if they’d break down the door if I didn’t answer. I vaguely heard them shouting something about “beating up the mistress.” “Maybe they’ve got the wrong place?” I thought, opening the door. “Who are you looking for? This is—” Before I could finish, a slap flew across my face. I couldn’t dodge in time, and the woman’s long nails left a bloody scratch on my cheek. She said: “I’m looking for you, you shameless slut! How dare you seduce my man.” She grabbed my shoulders and shoved hard, pushing me inside. The people behind her immediately shut the door. I fell to the floor and finally saw clearly—it was Tessa, who’d been trending lately for her intimate moments with Aaron. She surveyed my home from top to bottom: “Looks like Aaron doesn’t think much of you after all! Making you live in a place like this—he won’t even buy you a villa. And look at this shabby furniture—just standing here lowers my standards.” Her friend Evelyn Moore dramatically covered her nose with disgust: “Exactly, Tessa. If I weren’t here with you, I’d never set foot in a place like this. I don’t know how Aaron can stand sleeping on such a hard bed.” Tessa went into the bedroom and ransacked my belongings: “Not even one decent piece of jewelry—are you only after Aaron’s body and nothing else? What a devoted little mistress you are!” Under her lead, the others joined in mocking me. What they didn’t know was that Aaron had once said he’d give me his life if I wanted it. Houses, jewelry—I simply didn’t care for such things. The pain in my tailbone finally eased a bit. Lying on the floor, I let out a cold laugh: “If you want to stay by Aaron’s side a little longer, you’d better leave now. I can pretend nothing happened.” I’d consider these minor injuries my thank-you gift for her services to Aaron. Perhaps my calm, lady-of-the-house tone was too grating, because Tessa roared: “Who the hell do you think you are? What’s with that high-and-mighty attitude? Who gave you the nerve to talk like that? Even Aaron doesn’t treat me this way, and you’re just a mistress who doesn’t know her place!” As she spoke, Tessa grabbed my hair and dragged me toward the kitchen.

Tessa turned on the kitchen faucet and shoved my head under the running water. Her accomplices pinned my hands down while the icy stream flooded my mouth and nose, choking me until I could barely breathe. “Are you awake now?” Tessa snarled. “You damn b*tch, how dare you threaten me?” The water made me cough up tears, and the burning in my nostrils made me want to vomit. Seeing my condition, Tessa released her grip as if she’d touched something filthy. Without support, I collapsed and my head struck the hard marble countertop with a sickening thud. The sharp pain jolted me awake, but my body was already exhausted from struggling. I slumped against the cabinet and slid to the floor, my nightgown soaked through. Feeling the naked stares from Tessa’s men, every hair on my body stood on end. “Tessa, I’m warning you to stop this madness,” I said. “I’m Aaron’s wife!” At those words, Tessa looked shocked, and even her crew froze in disbelief. I thought revealing my identity would intimidate them and end their assault. But after a few seconds of silence, Tessa burst into laughter. She looked me up and down mockingly. “You? If you’re Aaron’s wife, then I’m the President!” The others joined in with raucous laughter. “Tessa, did you drown her brain too? She’s actually trying to sell us that lie.” “She thinks pretending to be Mr. Greene’s wife will save her? Dream on!” “You think she’s desperate? If she really was Mr. Greene’s wife, how come I’ve never heard of her? Mr. Greene has never mentioned being married.” “This homewrecker thinks she can challenge Tessa’s position? Have you seen the news lately?” Evelyn even stepped forward and patted my face condescendingly. These people were absolutely clueless. I spat directly at her, hitting that heavily made-up face dead-on. The saliva mixed with her makeup in a particularly revolting way. Evelyn shrieked and frantically searched for tissues. “Tessa, this mistress has gone too far! Aren’t you going to do something? What about my face?” A cruel smile spread across Tessa’s lips. “I didn’t expect you to be so defiant. Don’t worry, Evelyn, I’ll make sure she learns her lesson. Drag her out!” They roughly hauled me to the living room like a rag doll. The soaked silk nightgown clung to my body, outlining every curve. I curled up in a ball, desperately trying to protect myself and keep the fabric from slipping. Wet strands of hair stuck to my face, my eyes were red from the water, and tears welled up. Even disheveled, I couldn’t hide my vulnerable state. “Still trying to seduce men even in this condition?” Tessa sneered. “That face of yours is truly disgusting!” She grabbed my chin, her nails scraping across my cheek as she spoke viciously: “What do you think? If we ruin her face and defile her, would Aaron still want her?” She laughed softly, like a demon from hell. No wonder she’d lasted so long by Aaron’s side—birds of a feather flock together. “Let me see where to start,” Tessa mused. “How about from the top? Give you a complete makeover.” Her gaze fell on my waist-length hair. I almost questioned her intelligence. As one of Aaron’s many girlfriends, hadn’t Tessa noticed they all had short hair? Aaron loved my long hair most of all—he’d spent millions maintaining it. He said my long hair gave me the most charming, youthful appeal. He wouldn’t even allow other women around him to have long hair, afraid it would taint his ideal of beauty. Evelyn was already rummaging through drawers looking for scissors. I quickly intervened: “Stop! I’m telling you, Aaron treasures my hair above all else! If you dare touch it, you won’t be able to handle the consequences!”

Tessa stopped Evelyn’s movement, but reached out to grab my hair and shake it back and forth. “Ridiculous, even your body can be touched, let alone your hair. Evelyn, don’t bother with the scissors—just pull it out with your hands. Using scissors would be too easy on her.” Following orders, Evelyn excitedly approached me. “Pulling it out strand by strand is too slow. You guys come help.” Seeing Evelyn moving too slowly, Tessa decided to take matters into her own hands and called over two bodyguards to assist. She stuffed a cloth in my mouth and grabbed half of my hair, tearing at it viciously. The moment my hair was ripped out by the roots, excruciating pain washed over me, and I nearly passed out on the spot. “This is too much work. Let’s just cut off the remaining half with scissors.” Tessa clapped her hands, her cheeks flushed red from exertion. “This way, even when her hair grows back, it’ll only grow on half her head. Hahaha!” Seeing me lose consciousness, Tessa kicked my body with her foot. “She passed out so easily—how boring. She’s probably faking it, isn’t she? Go get some ice water.” She stared intently at my face while ordering Evelyn. Without hesitation, Evelyn poured an entire bucket of ice water over me from head to toe. August was already unbearably hot, and the sudden cold forced me to open my eyes. Evelyn said, “Tessa, look, she’s awake! She really was faking it—you’re so smart! Kayla, these little tricks of yours might fool men, but Tessa won’t fall for them.” Evelyn continued cutting my hair while flattering Tessa. If my nightgown had been revealing before, now that I was soaked through, I was practically exposed. Wracked with pain, I had exhausted all my strength just trying to cover the vital parts of my body, let alone resist. Tessa sat on the sofa with her legs crossed, her tone casual: “Oh my, your clothes are all wet. If you catch a cold, Aaron will definitely be heartbroken. Let us help you change into some dry clothes!” She smiled, but I felt unprecedented terror. Though Aaron would force himself on me, he had never humiliated me like this. Evelyn was already reaching for my neckline, and I trembled like a leaf. The watching men’s eyes grew increasingly greedy as they rubbed their hands together excitedly. I said, “Stop! Tessa, this is my final warning—if you dare touch me again, Aaron will never forgive you!” Anger and humiliation surged through me as I practically squeezed these words through gritted teeth. If Aaron hadn’t insisted on marrying me, if he hadn’t been involved with other women outside, how would I have ended up in such a situation? Was this what he called loving me? Letting his mistress openly torture and humiliate me—was this his purpose in keeping me trapped? Catching sight of the scissors nearby, I quickly grabbed them. Driven by extreme emotion, I burst forth with surprising strength and pulled Evelyn to the ground. With the scissors at her throat, I spoke coldly: “Tessa, if you want to cause a death, go ahead and try.” My gaze was sharp, my voice ice-cold without a trace of warmth. Before Tessa could speak, Evelyn was already sobbing in terror: “Don’t do anything rash! I apologize to you. Tessa, think of something! I’m not married yet—I don’t want to die… wah~” The others also began pleading for mercy. But Tessa turned a deaf ear and instead walked toward me step by step: “Fine, then kill her right now. Let’s see if you have the guts.” I hadn’t expected her to be so ruthless. Hearing her words, Evelyn struggled even more violently: “Tessa, I’ve done so much for you, and this is how you treat me…” I hadn’t actually planned to kill anyone, and in a moment of hesitation, Evelyn broke free. The scissors were instantly snatched away, and I was once again pinned firmly to the ground. Just as Tessa was about to explode, a knock came at the door.

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Christmas 1980, my husband Axel Nielsen had just been promoted to Major when he died in the line of duty. I, Maeve Bradley, suffered a miscarriage from the shock and fainted on the spot. By the time I woke up, he had already been buried. I was taken in for questioning, only to learn that Axel’s command error had led to the complete annihilation of his entire squad. Enraged family members stormed into the hospital, beating me until I miscarried. I lost an eye, became lame in one leg, and was saddled with enormous debt. I was thrown out of my home, left to wander the streets, barely surviving on odd jobs and begging. Years later, while selling handmade flowers on the street, I saw Axel—supposedly dead—picking out jewelry for his first love, Elsie Howard. When I confronted him, he kicked me to the ground, calling me despicable and accusing me of trying to seduce him. Elsie also spoke with disgust: “Who knows what filthy disease this beggar has caught. Stay away from us.” The two of them pushed me into the road, where I was crushed to a bloody pulp under the wheels. When I opened my eyes again, I was holding Axel’s corpse, personally nailing him into an iron coffin and sinking him to the bottom of the water, letting him suffocate to death! When I arrived at the hospital, Axel was already covered with a white sheet. “Maeve, you’re still carrying a child. You shouldn’t look.” The man beside me stopped me—he was Axel’s superior and Elsie’s father, Robert Howard. In my previous life, he had used the excuse of protecting me from shock to prevent me from seeing Axel’s body. With an unstable pregnancy and emotional collapse, I fainted on the spot. When I woke up, I was only told that Axel had been buried and the cause of his death. He had just been promoted to Major, but due to a command error, the entire squad he led was wiped out. The victims’ families stormed into the hospital to vent their anger. Unable to find Axel to settle accounts with, they turned their fury on me. They dragged me from my hospital bed, grabbed me by the hair, and pulled me to the courtyard, publicly cursing me as a murderer. They broke my leg, blinded one of my eyes, and I lost the baby too. The hospital threw me out. When I returned home, the door was already covered with curses written in red paint. Neighbors pointed and whispered, calling me the wife of a murderer, saying I should have died with Axel. Worse still, I had to pay one million dollars in compensation to the victims’ families. They confiscated all my assets, forcing me to borrow money everywhere, saddling me with massive debt while I could only beg and work odd jobs to pay it back. On the verge of a mental breakdown, I fled home in the middle of the night. Without work or income, I could only huddle under bridges, barely surviving on odd jobs and begging. Later I realized that Axel’s death was a scam they had orchestrated from beginning to end. He wanted to be with Elsie but was afraid of taking responsibility, so he simply faked his death to escape, pushing all the blame onto me. Poor me and those innocent soldiers who died—we all became his stepping stones. At this thought, a chill ran through my heart. I said: “Mr. Howard, please let me see Axel one last time. I failed as a wife, unable to take proper care of him. Now that he’s left us orphaned and widowed, at least let me let the child see his father!” At this moment, the official reprimand regarding Axel hadn’t been issued yet—I still had a chance to save myself. I squeezed out a few tears, my face deathly pale, my lips completely bloodless, looking utterly pitiful. People in the hallway shook their heads and sighed at the sight. “How tragic, she’s still carrying a child and already widowed.” “Yes, they’re husband and wife. Not letting her see him one last time is too heartless.” Robert had always been authoritative in the military and had never seen me plead so desperately. Just then, a figure in a white coat approached—it was Elsie. She affectionately took my arm: “Maeve, don’t look. Don’t frighten the baby!” She wanted to use the child to scare me off, to make me back down. In my previous life, it was precisely these words that made me lose emotional control and faint. But now, far from being afraid, I felt somewhat excited. Axel, you want to die? Then I’ll grant your wish. I forced the corners of my mouth up into a smile more hideous than crying and gently pushed away Elsie’s hand. Going all in, I suddenly yanked away the white sheet covering Axel’s body.

To my shock, beneath the white sheet lay Axel’s body, covered in wounds. Elsie immediately reacted, snatching the sheet from my hands and carefully covering the corpse again, eyeing me warily. “Maeve, what are you doing? Axel is dead—just let him rest in peace!” Her voice was panicked, as if she thought I’d noticed something suspicious. The next second, I threw myself onto Axel’s body, sobbing uncontrollably. “You heartless bastard, how could you bear to leave us behind! “The baby hasn’t even met his father, and you’re already gone! How are we supposed to survive as orphans and widows?” I wept hysterically, crying while pounding on Axel’s body, each blow landing on his wounds. I hadn’t expected him to be so ruthless—willing to hurt himself this badly just for the act. Elsie tried to stop me with concern: “Maeve, don’t do this! Don’t hurt Axel!” I ignored her, quietly observing Axel’s reaction. He remained completely still. Elsie must have done something to him. Robert approached with a cold expression, stepping between Axel and me. “Maeve, I know you’re grieving, but Axel died in the line of duty. What you’re doing is disrespectful to him!” He spoke with righteous indignation, as if he were truly a man of justice. Watching him, I couldn’t help but sneer inwardly. Elsie said, “You should go back and rest. Your body can’t handle any more stress right now. We’ll take care of Axel’s funeral arrangements.” I rolled my eyes internally while maintaining a grief-stricken expression. I walked over to the nearby phone and dialed the crematorium. “This is the military hospital. We have a body that needs cremation. Please send someone over as soon as possible.” Upon hearing this, Elsie cried out in alarm: “What did you say? You want to cremate Axel?” Robert’s face darkened too. “Maeve, are you overwhelmed by grief? Axel is a hero—instead of giving him a proper burial, you want to cremate him?” I sighed, my voice sorrowful yet righteously determined. “Of course I care about him. Precisely because he gave his life for our country, I want to respond to national policy and have Axel cremated, setting an example for others.” Soon after, the crematorium staff arrived. I immediately went to meet them. “I’m the deceased’s family member. My husband just passed away, and I’m pregnant, so it’s really inconvenient for me. I hope we can complete the cremation procedures quickly.” The worker pulled out a registration book. I had already prepared all the necessary documents and handed them over in one go, leaving Elsie and Robert anxiously standing aside. Elsie said, “Please reconsider. Axel was always traditional—I’m sure he wouldn’t want to be cremated.” I gave her a meaningful look. “Axel is just your father’s subordinate. How do you seem to know him better than I do?” Elsie was momentarily speechless, and both of them were at a loss for what to do. I signed the cremation consent form without hesitation. Just as the workers were about to take the body away, a deep voice rang out. “I’d like to see who dares touch my son!” Elsie immediately gained confidence—it was Axel’s father, Wyatt Nielsen. Elsie quickly said, “Mr. Nielsen, please save Axel!” Wyatt glanced at Axel on the bed, breathed a sigh of relief, then glared at me viciously. “You poisonous woman! It wasn’t enough to kill my son—now you want to cremate him too!” He waved his cane, driving away the crematorium staff. “You people, doing such unconscionable things—aren’t you afraid of divine retribution?” Though the workers were displeased, they didn’t dare conflict with an elderly man and left angrily. I didn’t try to stop them. Because I never intended to actually cremate him. I wanted him to experience a more painful death, never to find peace in eternity.

The funeral home staff were all professionals—they’d discover someone was still alive the moment they examined the body, and that would spell trouble. Wyatt put on his patriarchal act, pointing his finger right at my nose as he exploded: “You heartless woman! Your husband is dead, and instead of giving him a proper burial, you want to leave him without a complete corpse. What the hell are you thinking?” I lowered my head, wiping away tears pitifully: “You’ve misunderstood me. I’m just following national policy.” Seeing me talk back only made him angrier. He raised his voice to a shout: “What are you pretending for? If you’re so noble, why don’t you burn yourself to death? Everyone come look at this shameless woman who wants to cremate her own husband—is she planning to burn me to ashes too?” The three of them blocked my path tightly, looking like they had everything under control. Robert said, “Maeve, you must be exhausted. You should go home and rest.” Elsie chimed in: “Exactly, Maeve. We’ve got this covered, and if you’re worried, Mr. Wyatt Nielsen is here too!” They clearly wanted to get rid of me so they could tamper with Axel’s “corpse.” Suddenly, several people in military uniforms walked through the hospital entrance. They saluted Robert first, then said in an official tone: “We’ve received a report that Axel was negligent in his duties, causing serious negligence. Please cooperate with our investigation.” Seeing their stunned expressions, I couldn’t help but smirk. In my previous life, they deliberately pinned the blame on me, making my life a living hell. I was simply doing what they had done, just ahead of schedule. Robert tried to stay composed, attempting one last struggle using his position. But these people carried an inspection warrant signed by Colonel Caleb Watson, and even Robert had no choice but to comply. The leader glanced at the warrant: “We need Axel’s family members to come along and cooperate with the investigation as well.” Wyatt immediately pushed me forward: “I’m just an old man on death’s door—I’m not going. She’s Axel’s wife, so let her handle whatever needs handling!” I let tears fall pitifully: “I know you don’t like me, but I’m pregnant right now and can’t handle this kind of stress.” The man looked at my belly, then turned to the red-faced Wyatt and took him away without another word. Elsie could only worry helplessly: “Maeve, you’re not going to send Axel for cremation again, are you?” I shook my head: “Of course not! Wyatt would scold me if he found out.” Only then did Elsie nod with relief: “That’s right. I’ll go make arrangements right away to get Axel buried as soon as possible.” She was actually afraid that if the “corpse” stayed out too long, Axel wouldn’t be able to hold on. I pretended to agree, nodding: “Alright, thank you so much.” The moment Elsie left, the people I’d called arrived. They efficiently lifted Axel onto the vehicle, and I climbed in after them: “Let’s go.” I looked at Axel lying on the stretcher, my heart racing with excitement. He used to care for me so tenderly, personally driving me to and from work. Even when he had to leave for the base before dawn, he’d still prepare breakfast for me. He’d even made a will in front of me, saying that if anything happened to him, all his assets would go to me. It was his thoughtfulness that moved me to accept his marriage proposal. But I never imagined that those gentle memories that once made my heart flutter would now feel like poison when I recalled them. It turned out everything he did was to make me lower my guard, to trust him completely, and step by step walk into the trap he’d set with his own hands. Suddenly, Axel’s fingers twitched. His eyelids trembled slightly—a sign he was about to wake up.

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My cousin Maria Cook needed to sacrifice 100 Orcs to activate her bloodline power. The last Orc she chose was the lark I had previously rescued. I refused Maria’s request, and we almost came to blows. Maria couldn’t beat me, so she had to choose another Orc instead. However, during the family’s Orcish Power training, the lark refused to share his Orcish Power with me. He even ambushed me while I was fighting a beast, causing us both to perish. Only then did I realize that the lark actually hated me for choosing him in the first place. After being reborn, I decided to personally deliver the lark to Maria and choose another Orc instead. ***** John Smith was a lark with an injured throat, his voice hoarse and unpleasant. In that stinking, filthy, virus-ridden Orcish Bazaar, no one wanted him. I brought John back and spent a lot of money on precious medicine to heal his throat. Maria came to me asking for John. To protect John, I almost got into a fight with Maria. John was very timid and easily startled. He always showed resistance and nervousness to my touch, cowering in corners and trembling all over. So I felt sorry for him and stopped touching him. Every time I gave him medicine, I would place it far away from him. The family’s Orcish Power training had a rule: anyone with an Orc had to participate in combat. I asked John to share his Orcish Power with me. As long as an Orc shared their Orcish Power with me, that force could combine with the spiritual power in my body, and my abilities would increase by one level. However, John deliberately ignored me and acted very nervous. So I stopped pressuring him. Even without Orcish Power’s help, I could still protect both of us. After entering the Artificial Forest, John and I got separated from the others and encountered a powerful beast. Not only did John refuse to help, but at the most critical moment, he gathered his Orcish Power and struck me from behind. I looked at him with questioning and shocked eyes. John’s gaze was full of malice. He said: “If it weren’t for you, I would have become Maria’s Orc long ago. Someone with her powerful bloodline deserves to be my master. Someone with her beauty deserves my affection. Now she has a better choice. This is all your fault.” After saying that, he turned and walked away. Only then did I realize he hated me for not giving him to Maria in the first place. That strike of his wasn’t enough to kill me immediately, but it greatly weakened my ability to fight the beast. I had to fight the beast while injured. For some reason, the beast suddenly went berserk, desperately trying to kill me. In the end, we both perished together. After death, my soul floated into the air, and I witnessed John blocking another beast’s attack for Maria and giving her all his Orcish Power. Only those who had signed contracts with Orcs could share Orcish Power with them. For those who hadn’t signed contracts with Orcs, the Orcs could only “gift” their power away. John was actually willing to go that far for Maria. Later, when Maria accidentally suffered a minor injury, John took her hand and began to sing. He truly was a lark—his singing was particularly beautiful and could purify all negative emotions. But he had never sung for me. He hadn’t even told me his throat had healed. My weightless soul trembled with anger. ***** The scenery outside the window flew backward rapidly, and the road ahead grew steeper. “Miss, we’re almost at the Orcish Bazaar,” the driver said in his honest voice. My mind was in chaos for a long time before I finally confirmed that I had been reborn. At this time in my previous life, I was heading to the Orcish Bazaar to choose my first Orc, and I had chosen John, who looked so pitiful. Perhaps even heaven couldn’t stand my fate, which is why I was reborn at this moment. I had the driver stop the car and called Maria. After a few rings, Maria’s impatient voice came through, telling me to speak quickly if I had something to say. “Maria, are you going to the Orcish Bazaar? Don’t you still need one last Orc?” I tried to control my tone and spoke calmly. Maria’s voice grew louder, full of disdain: “What good Orcs could there be in a place like the Orcish Bazaar? Only you would go to such a place.” I said with certainty: “There’s something good there today. My information is absolutely accurate.” Silence fell on the other end of the line. Maria was a Chaos Bloodline holder, something that appeared maybe once in a hundred years in the Orcish Disciplinarian Clan. This bloodline was very powerful, but she had to sacrifice 100 Orcs with sufficient Orcish Power to activate it. Otherwise, no matter how strong the bloodline was, it would be useless. The family was unwilling to give up this opportunity and had successively sent Maria 99 Orcs. These Orcs all eventually became “nutrients” to activate her bloodline. By her eighteenth year, Maria finally needed just one last Orc. Orcs with powerful Orcish Power were already hard to find. Especially after the family had already sent Maria 99 of them, such Orcs became even rarer. To find the last Orc, Maria had been searching for a year. Sure enough, before long, Maria said coldly: “I’m coming over right now. You better not be lying to me.” The Orcish Bazaar was an unofficial Orc trading market. It was stinking and filthy, dark and damp. If you were unlucky, you might even encounter virus-carrying Orcs. Even Orcs who were healthy when they first arrived would become sickly after staying here for a while. Maria waved her hand in front of her nose to dispel the foul air. She said with disgust: “Where’s this good thing you mentioned?” I pointed accurately toward John’s location.

A delicate young man was trapped in a massive iron cage. He wore loose white clothing that exposed his arms and legs, curled up in the corner of the cage, looking in terrible condition. Sensing someone watching him, he lifted his head in confusion. When he saw Maria, he almost immediately sensed the thick bloodline power emanating from her. Maria frowned with disgust and said, “That frail-looking guy? I can’t sense any Orcish Power from him at all.” “He’s hiding his power,” I said with a smile. “Go take a closer look.” Maria rolled her eyes at me, then impatiently stepped on the only small patch of clean ground and walked over. Seeing Maria approach, John’s face lit up with joy. He stared at Maria without blinking, his eyes filled with longing and submission. It turned out John had taken a liking to Maria the moment he laid eyes on her. I was truly blind in my past life—I couldn’t even see something so obvious. When Maria reached the cage door, John immediately and eagerly released his Orcish Power, wanting to prove his usefulness. The fluctuation of this Orcish Power was identical to when he slapped me in the Artificial Forest in his previous life. Maria’s previously cold face broke into a delighted smile. She thought to herself: “I’ve finally found the last qualified sacrifice.” Watching the two of them, I sneered inwardly. After making eye contact with me, John immediately shrank back and quietly touched his finger. So he had been reborn too! In the past, when he pretended to be nervous and scared in front of me, this was exactly his reaction. As for touching his finger—I had given him a very rare Dimensional Storage Ring back then. He’d developed this habit ever since. I took a symbolic walk around the Orcish Bazaar. In this life, I had no intention of choosing an Orc again. The lesson of betrayal from my past life was more than enough. I walked to the end of the Orcish Bazaar and turned back. Just then, a pair of bloody hands grabbed my pant leg. I looked down to see who it was. I found a male Orc whose entire body was severely beaten and wounded. He was well-built, his back covered with crisscrossing whip marks, and even one of the dog ears on his head was missing a small piece. Another man pretending to be pitiful to gain sympathy. This time, I wouldn’t fall for it again. I yanked my pant leg free and said, “Sorry. I don’t keep Orcs.” The male Orc looked up at me, his eyes filled with the desperate desire to survive. He said, “I can form a Death Pact with you.” I stopped in my tracks and stared straight at him, somewhat shocked. In my twenty years of life, I had never seen an Orc voluntarily request a Death Pact. Most Orcs were forced into Death Pacts. Some would even choose to self-destruct on the spot rather than form one. Because Death Pacts were particularly disadvantageous to Orcs. Whatever the master commanded, the Orc had to do—including degrading acts, even dying. “Fine.” I heard myself answer. The price for buying this canine Orc wasn’t expensive—it was even less than John’s price. The male Orc immediately grabbed my hand and transferred all his Orcish Power to me. Then my mind received his request to form a Death Pact. I agreed to the request. After completing this process, the already weak male Orc looked even more frail. His forehead was covered in sweat. The white ears on his head drooped backward, slightly downcast. Then he said, “My name is Leo Perez. You can call me by this name, or give me a new one.” After forming the Death Pact, Leo and I could communicate telepathically. That modest but obedient Orcish Power flowed through my body, merging with my Inner Energy. My mood suddenly improved dramatically. I smiled and said, “You don’t need a new name. Your original name is perfect. Let’s go home.” Leo froze for a moment, then ran back toward the cage that had held him. Soon, he returned carrying an iron chain as thick as a wrist, trying to hand it to me. He said, “Dog chain.” Looking at the bloodstains on the chain, I frowned and said, “Not necessary.” I suddenly thought of something and asked him, “How long have you been here?” “I’ve experienced fifteen openings of the Orcish Bazaar,” Leo said, his ears drooping even lower. Fifteen times? The Orcish Bazaar opened once every two months. That meant Leo had been here for over two and a half years. No wonder he always spoke so slowly when talking to people. As I prepared to leave with Leo, John shifted his gaze from Maria to me for the first time. A strange light flashed in his eyes, and his delicate face twisted momentarily. But by the time I looked over, he had already returned to his usual appearance. Maria mocked me, saying, “Look at you! Even if you need an Orc, you can’t be this careless. This Orc looks like he’s about to die. How about I give you one of the Orcs nobody else wants?” Hearing Maria say this, Leo’s previously listless expression immediately perked up. He bared his sharp canine teeth at Maria. Maria said disdainfully, “You’re quite protective of your master.” I didn’t get angry at Maria’s words; my expression remained calm. I said, “I only need loyalty from an Orc. After all, I’m not like certain people who can only survive by relying on Orcs—without them, they’re nothing.” My words provoked reactions from both of them. John’s face instantly turned pale, while Maria looked at me with eyes full of jealousy and resentment.

Although I’m a direct member of the Orcish Disciplinarian Clan, my talent is the Golden Crow Bloodline. This bloodline allows my Inner Energy to improve at an exceptionally fast rate. This is also an extremely rare talent, and it doesn’t involve spilling innocent blood. In any other family, I would definitely be supported by the clan members as the heir. But in the Orcish Disciplinarian Clan, the situation is different. My parents often sigh and tell me they can’t help me, and even the entire family can’t help me. I wasn’t even two years old when Maria was born, and she came with the Chaos Bloodline. Some people in the family deliberately want Maria to be the heir. Another faction believes that although Maria’s bloodline is strong, it’s too brutal and too bloody. They think I should be the heir instead. My talent for taming Orcs isn’t particularly strong, but my Orcish Power can combine with my Inner Energy. This kind of strength wouldn’t be inferior to any of the clan leaders throughout our family’s history. Those opposing Maria as heir also say: “The core ability of the Orcish Disciplinarian Clan leader is Inner Energy. We can’t let other families laugh at us!” So these two factions keep fighting, neither willing to submit to the other. The position of heir remains undecided. This is also why Maria is so desperate to find the last Orc with qualified Orcish Power. As long as she devours this Orc and fully activates her bloodline, those in the family who oppose her will naturally submit to her overwhelming power. However, whether Maria activates her bloodline or not, I’m not worried. Everyone calls the Golden Crow Bloodline the Solar Bloodline. This bloodline has always been righteous and upright, never fearing any evil. If anything evil dares to appear, I can crush it directly and throw it into the fire to burn. At night when it’s time to sleep, Leo just wraps himself in a blanket and sleeps on the floor of my room. I told him to go sleep in the room I arranged for him, but he refused. I had no choice but to go along with him. That night, I had a dream about my previous life. I dreamed that I drove a knife deep into the head of a ten-foot-tall beast, splitting its skull open. But at the same instant, the beast’s fangs also bit into the artery in my neck. In the end, both the beast and I died together in the quiet Artificial Forest. The beast’s gaping bloody mouth and the pain of being bitten felt terrifyingly real in the dream. I jolted awake, my chest still heaving. The room was dimly lit and very quiet. Combined with the black smog outside the window, this oppressive feeling weighed on my heart, making it hard to breathe. I turned over and met Leo’s bright, sparkling eyes. He was looking at me with concern. He had been watching over me the whole time. The excitement and fear in my heart calmed down considerably, and I gave him a reassuring smile. At that moment, I inexplicably thought of John. When he first came to my side, he had to sleep on the softest bed, with heavy curtains surrounding it for enough privacy. Even I couldn’t enter his room casually. Otherwise, he would get angry, turn pale with nervousness, and refuse to let me talk to him. Thinking about tomorrow’s family meeting, I quickly fell asleep again. The next morning when I woke up, Leo brought me water and breakfast, then silently went to guard the door. I asked him to come over and eat with me. When he walked over, the long white furry tail behind him wagged vigorously many times. I was afraid he might wag his tail off. Leo sat across from me, eating his meal in big bites, clearly enjoying it. He really is different from that ungrateful person John. John never cared whether I had eaten my three meals. Once, my family’s chef made him eggs, and he got so angry that he smashed everything in his room, accusing me of not caring about him or respecting him, otherwise how could I give him eggs to eat. I coaxed him for two days before he calmed down. I couldn’t help but smile as I touched Leo’s ears and asked him: “Later, I’ll take you to the meeting room with me. Do you want to go?” During this time, I found Vitality-Regaining Elixir for Leo. So he’s no longer covered in wounds like when he first arrived. His body has recovered somewhat, and his delicate face has become much smoother. However, his speech still isn’t very fluent. He said: “I want to.” When I saw John again, I noticed he didn’t look very good, his clothes wrinkled and unkempt, as if he hadn’t been taking care of himself. In my previous life, I gave him the best food and clothes, keeping his skin incredibly tender. He even had dedicated caretakers around him. The current him is vastly different from my previous life. I didn’t show anything on the surface, but I was secretly pleased inside. Someone asked Maria about John’s situation. Maria smiled disdainfully and said: “He keeps hinting that I should heal his throat. I don’t have that kind of time. I need to practice my Orc taming skills, unlike my cousin who’s so idle, making lots of Vitality-Regaining Elixir for her Orc.” If a nightingale can’t recover its voice, its spirit will deteriorate, eventually becoming depressed and losing even the motivation to preen its feathers. The surrounding people and Orcs cast strange looks at John, whispering unpleasant comments. They said he was a nightingale with an ugly voice who wasn’t even liked by his master. John’s body trembled, and his lips turned pale. He stood there, looking up at me with eyes full of stubbornness and pride. At this moment, he seemed to be waiting for me to defend him against those speaking ill of him, just like in my previous life.

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I became paralyzed from the waist down due to a car accident. During my treatment, my attending physician Michael Green pursued me, and I agreed to be with him. We’ve been together for two Christmases now. Just as I was considering whether to have a long-term relationship with him, I overheard his conversation with friends. Michael said: “I know wealthy disabled women are the easiest to fool. Say a few sweet words and they’ll believe anything. Once she helps me get my private hospital up and running, I’ll break up with her. Who wants to be with a cripple? I’ve been disgusted by her for ages.” Looking back on these two Christmases of sweet moments, I have to admit his acting skills are pretty good. My assistant Alice Baker asked if I wanted to cancel the wedding plans. I touched my belly and said calmly: “No need.” ***** At the Mitchell mansion, I was watching a video Alice had just sent me. In the video, Michael was at a bar hanging out with friends. He never drank in front of me, but in the video he was ordering and opening bottles with practiced ease, clearly not his first time. Michael threw his jacket onto the booth sofa, loosened his tie, and propped his feet up on the table in front of him. His lazy, indulgent demeanor was completely different from the gentle, polite image he maintained in front of me. Someone laughed and said: “Dr. Green, you finally agreed to come out and party. Are you really planning to take care of that cripple for the rest of your life?” Michael raised his glass and took a sip: “For life? These two Christmases have already made me sick. If it weren’t for the money, I wouldn’t bother taking care of her. My private hospital opens in three days, and I’ll consider that thirty million in startup funds compensation for my emotional distress.” Another friend filled his glass and joked: “What distress? Athena lets you live in a mansion, drive luxury cars, transfers money to you monthly, and even funded your hospital. All you have to do is check on her during her regular appointments.” Athena Mitchell is my name. Michael looked disgusted, as if remembering something particularly revolting: “Do you know that high-level paraplegic patients are prone to bedsores? When the nurses helped her turn over, she just lay there like a dead fish. When I kissed her, I had to pretend I didn’t see the catheter bag. Even now, every time I kiss her, I can smell that urine odor.” His friend patted his shoulder and said, whether sincerely or not: “Dr. Green, you’ve really suffered through this. But Athena is still beautiful, and at 28 she’s already an investment queen. Aren’t you worried about losing her at all?” Michael leaned back in his chair confidently: “Rich disabled women like her are the most desperate for love, and she’s completely devoted to me. She even suggested having a baby together recently. Once the hospital opens, I’ll break up with her. Whoever wants to take care of her can have her.” After the video finished, Alice asked respectfully: “Miss Mitchell, should we cancel the wedding plans?” I played with my diamond ring and said calmly: “No need. Just find someone else. There are plenty of men in this world.” Alice immediately handed me a tablet filled with profiles of excellent unmarried men. I scrolled through for a while, then pointed to one photo: “Let’s go with him. I’ll try him out for a few days first.” After all, I’m just paying for someone to keep me from being bored. If someone doesn’t know their place, I’ll simply replace them. After receiving her assignment, Alice went to handle it immediately. Alone in my room, I reflected on the video and conversation, thinking Michael wasn’t professional enough in his work. When he first pursued me, Michael had held my legs and said: “Let me be your legs forever, to carry you wherever you want to go.” When I was exhausted and sweating during rehabilitation training, he would quietly stay with me and encourage me, saying I could depend on him. Good thing I never believed those lies. I was lucky to survive the hospital at all, so I know without looking in a mirror that I’m not attractive now. I was irritable back then, and Michael approached me voluntarily. He could help treat and care for me, and keep me company, so I accepted him. Mainly because Michael was good-looking. After I was discharged, Michael moved into my mansion to live with me, voluntarily taking on the job of caring for me – washing clothes, cooking, driving, booking flights, packing luggage. Basically anything related to taking care of me, he did. Actually, there were already people specifically hired for these tasks. Since he wanted to do them, I let him. I had Alice calculate his salary based on market rates for housekeeping, cooking, driving, and personal assistance, and paid him accordingly. It wasn’t much money – only a hundred thousand dollars a month. This also included fees for “male companionship services.” But he wasn’t very good in that department, so I deducted part of his pay. Michael thought we were in a romantic relationship. But in reality, we were just employer and employee.

If Michael were professional enough to maintain his act well—whether in front of other people or in front of me—he could keep this high-paying job for life. The man in that photo earlier really caught my interest. And Alice told me this person had submitted his resume three times, repeatedly stating he’d accept half the salary. His monthly salary is only $50,000, which is quite a bargain. When Michael returned, I couldn’t smell any alcohol on him, and he had changed his clothes. As soon as he walked in, he hugged and kissed me, his voice full of apology: “I’m sorry, I had surgery tonight and kept you waiting.” I have to admit, Michael’s acting skills aren’t bad. Looking at his affectionate eyes and sincere tone, if I hadn’t seen that video, I really would have continued our long-term arrangement. Seeing the baby product descriptions displayed on my laptop, a flash of disgust crossed Michael’s eyes. But he said: “Athena, I know you want a baby. But pregnancy would be too much of a burden on your body—I don’t want to lose you.” I only replied coldly: “Oh.” Then ignored him completely. After all, he’s an employee who’s about to be fired—not worth wasting words on. Michael kissed me again and said gently: “It’s okay if we don’t have a baby. Having you as my ‘baby’ is enough for me. I’ll go run you a bath and carry you in for a soak in a bit.” With that, Michael went upstairs. I texted Alice: [Schedule my prenatal appointment for tomorrow.] My period is already late, so I might be pregnant, but it’s better to get checked at the hospital. Thinking that tomorrow I might see the test results for my baby made me feel great. So when facing Michael, I even had a few more smiles. As usual, after Michael applied body lotion, he massaged my legs. Since he used to be my attending physician, his massage technique is quite professional. Over these past two years, my leg muscles haven’t atrophied too severely, and my skin has been kept smooth and supple. If you ignore the fact that he’s constantly checking his phone, he’s a decent caregiver. After Michael carried me to bed, he kissed my forehead: “You sleep first. I need to handle some paperwork and I’ll be back soon.” At the desk in his study, Michael was on the phone: “Sarah, don’t worry, I won’t let Athena get pregnant with my child. Only you can bear my children. She’s just a disabled person—how can she compare to you? You’re the only one I love.” Sarah Phillips is his stepsister. By the time Michael returned to the bedroom, I was already asleep. Early the next morning, Alice came to take me to the hospital for my prenatal checkup. When we left, Michael was still sleeping. After he woke up, he discovered the marriage registration appointment form I had forgotten to put away. As a hospital investor, I used the hospital’s special access for my prenatal checkup. Aside from the director Gabriel Morris and the doctor performing my checkup, no one knew I was pregnant. Looking at the pea-sized little baby on the test report, the more I looked, the more I loved it. Alice said: “Ms. Mitchell, the person you want to interview has arrived. He’s downstairs.” I was a bit surprised: “So soon?” Alice replied: “He also works at this hospital—just transferred here.” When I looked at this person’s resume on my tablet yesterday, I only knew he was a doctor. I didn’t expect to meet him at this hospital. I carefully put away the prenatal report and said to Alice: “Then let’s go down and meet him.” Alice pushed my wheelchair into the elevator. As soon as the elevator doors opened, I saw a tall, upright figure. He was wearing scrubs, and upon seeing me, he broke into a brilliant smile and proactively greeted me: “Ms. Mitchell, hello. I’m Charles Morris, your new Life Assistant.” Alice pushed me into the private room, gesturing for Charles to follow. After closing the door, I asked Charles: “Since you’re already a doctor, why do you want to be my Life Assistant?” Charles was very direct: “Ms. Mitchell is both wealthy and beautiful—who wouldn’t want to skip twenty years of struggle? Whatever Michael can do, I can do, and I’ll do it better.” I was very satisfied with Charles. Compared to Michael using deep affection to mask his desire for money, I much prefer this straightforward transactional relationship. Charles introduced his background in great detail, not even leaving out which kindergarten he attended. I handed him a contract: “I’ll try you out for a month first. If you qualify, we can work together long-term.” Charles didn’t even read the contract contents—he cheerfully signed his name right at the signature line. After I put away the contract, I asked him: “Aren’t you afraid I’m deceiving you?” Charles laughed heartily: “Ms. Mitchell, you’re the famous Investment Queen. I trust your character. Besides, I’m just an ordinary doctor—there’s nothing worth deceiving me about.” I smiled and had him take Alice’s place, pushing my wheelchair out. While I was interviewing Charles, Michael called me several times, which I hung up on directly. Just as we stepped outside, I ran into Michael.

Michael had already changed into his doctor’s white coat. He glanced at Charles, who was pushing the wheelchair, without much concern, then frowned at me and said, “Athena, what are you doing at the hospital? Why didn’t you answer my calls?” I replied coolly, “I was busy.” Michael seemed to think of something and sighed, “Athena, you’re too clingy, and it puts me in a difficult position. I need some personal space too.” Just as I was about to speak, Charles cut in, “Then you can move out of Ms. Mitchell’s house. That way you’ll have complete freedom.” Only then did Michael look at Charles and ask, “Who are you? What gives you the right to speak here?” Charles didn’t back down, “I’m your competition, and I’m here to replace you.” Michael’s expression instantly darkened, “Athena, I know you’re angry because I don’t support your pregnancy, but there’s no need to hire some male nurse just to spite me.” Charles was about to say something, but I raised my hand to stop him. Since the new guy had arrived, there was no need to keep the old one around. I said calmly to Michael, “I’ve already had someone pack up your things. You need to move out today.” Michael’s face turned ugly, his voice filled with anger, “Athena, don’t talk to me like that. I’ve already seen your marriage application. Given how much you love me, I can marry you, but don’t expect to have children.” That’s when I remembered I’d forgotten to put away the marriage registration form. I gently touched my belly and said cheerfully, “I already have a child. You can go now.” Michael stared at me in disbelief and shouted, “Impossible! How could you be pregnant?” Then his expression changed again, as if he’d figured me out, “Athena, I never thought you were that kind of woman. You actually tampered with the condoms, didn’t you? You just want to use a baby to force me into marriage. Let me tell you the truth – what I feel for you is more like a doctor’s sympathy for a patient. Given that you invested money to help me open this clinic, I won’t hold it against you. I don’t like children, so you have to get rid of this baby.” I had originally just wanted to end our relationship peacefully. After all, we used to be employer and employee – there was no need to make things ugly. But Michael had gone too far and crossed my line. I said with a stern expression, “Who are you? What right do you have to interfere with my child?” Michael replied self-righteously, “I’m your boyfriend, the father of your child. Of course I have the right!” I laughed coldly, “You were never my boyfriend. Stop flattering yourself.” By now, quite a crowd had gathered around us. Michael was furious at my words, his face turning red. As the youngest and most capable doctor in the hospital, he couldn’t stand people gossiping about him. Michael pointed at me and cursed, “Who do you think you are? You’re nothing but a cripple. If you hadn’t paid me, you never would have gotten a taste of a man. A child? That place of yours has probably grown cobwebs by now! Women who chase after men are the most pathetic!” Michael was about to continue his tirade when Charles punched him in the face. He followed up with several more punches, beating Michael until he screamed. I quickly intervened, “Don’t kill him.” Charles said, “I’m a professional. I know exactly where to hit for maximum pain without killing anyone.” That’s when I remembered Charles was also a doctor. I breathed a sigh of relief, “Good.” After Michael caught his breath a bit, he looked at Charles and me with both fear and rage, gritting his teeth as he said, “Athena, you’re actually cheating on me. This man is your lover, isn’t he? You slut!” I had Alice hold back Charles, who wanted to keep beating Michael, then said emotionlessly, “We only had an employer-employee relationship. You were a ‘male service provider’ and nanny I hired, and I was the one paying you. Cheating? You didn’t actually think we were dating, did you?” Alice stood beside me and added professionally, “Ms. Mitchell is an investor who never makes losing deals. The money she transferred to you each month was simply payment for your services.” Michael’s face looked terrible – he felt thoroughly humiliated. As if suddenly remembering something, he regained his confidence, “You’re already pregnant with my child. As long as you beg me and give me another 50 million dollars as an apology fee, I might take pity on you and marry you.”

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I was squatting by the roadside eating barbecue when I ran into Luke Evans, Jacob Thomas’s friend. Luke looked me up and down several times, then said with a contemptuous tone: “Olivia Murphy, is this the kind of life you left Jacob for? Let me give you some friendly advice—stop fooling around. Jacob knows you’re back in the country and specifically sent me to notify you. In seven days at the Prime Hotel, he’s going to throw you a make-up engagement party. He wants you to stop being stubborn.” Five years ago, Jacob abandoned me at our engagement party because of a phone call from his childhood sweetheart Ava Harris, leaving me to face all the guests alone. He had said: “Ava is sick, I need to take her to the hospital right now. You handle things here first, then wait for me to come back.” Watching Jacob leave without hesitation, I held back my tears and turned the engagement party into a farewell party on the spot. After that, I accepted my company’s overseas assignment and left the United States. I never expected to run into an acquaintance right after returning to America, and he actually thought I still had feelings for Jacob. So I turned around and picked up my son Levi Thomas, who had been squatting behind me eating barbecue skewers. Then I said calmly: “Levi, someone wants to be your stepfather. What do you think?” ***** Luke’s eyes widened in surprise: “This is your son?” Then he sneered: “Olivia, is this your new trick? Just grabbing some random kid and claiming he’s your son.” Looking at Luke, I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. I said disdainfully: “Luke, did you leave your brain at home or are you blind? Can’t you see how much this child looks like me? If he’s not my son, is he yours? What? You guys still expect me to be pining for Jacob? After the disgusting thing he did five years ago, how could I possibly still be thinking about him?” Mentioning what happened five years ago, Luke was obviously feeling guilty. He defended: “That was different, Ava was sick at the time, Jacob was just taking her to the hospital.” Seeing Luke’s discomfort, I said coldly: “She couldn’t call 911? Or did everyone else in the world die, leaving only Jacob to take her to the hospital? Luke, we both know what Ava was thinking. I’m not a tool for you guys to play your ambiguous games with.” Seeing that I was about to leave, Luke hurriedly blocked my way: “Olivia, you used to love Jacob so much, you put up with so many things for him. What’s one more time?” I threw away the barbecue in my hand and scooped up Levi: “You said it yourself—that was ‘used to.’ I’m someone who hates dwelling on the past.” With that, I ignored Luke completely and left with Levi in my arms. It wasn’t until we got in the car that Levi tugged at my hand and asked curiously: “Mom, is the Jacob you were talking about the person Dad hates most?” I laughed contemptuously and pinched his cheek: “He doesn’t deserve to be the person your dad hates most. Levi, don’t make wild guesses. He has nothing to do with me.” If this were before, I definitely couldn’t have said “Jacob has nothing to do with me.” I was born into the Murphy family, but my father Adrian Murphy was a playboy, and my mother Hannah Murphy died early. As the least favored daughter in the family, no matter how excellent I was, my only value was to consolidate family interests through marriage. Everything changed when I accidentally saved Jacob. Jacob appeared by my side openly under the guise of “repaying a debt,” helping me intimidate everyone who wanted to use me, including Adrian. Under pressure from Jacob, the Murphy family didn’t dare make demands of me anymore. I could finally study according to my own wishes and pursue my interest in finance. Jacob was also particularly doting on me. To get me to agree to his confession, he covered the entire lawn of the University of Washington with flowers. He had said: “Olivia, be my girlfriend. In this lifetime, I’ll definitely make you the happiest woman in the world.” I was moved by him and agreed to his confession, naively thinking we would live happily ever after like in fairy tales. Until Ava returned to America, Jacob began breaking promises to me, repeatedly neglecting me and fighting with me. Later our relationship got worse and worse. Jacob took the initiative to make peace: “Olivia, let’s get engaged. I’ll prove with actions that you’re the only one I love.” I believed Jacob’s words and carefully prepared for our engagement party. But I never could have imagined that on the day of the engagement party, Jacob would publicly abandon me because of a phone call from Ava, making me the object of everyone’s ridicule. It was precisely because of this incident that I had to go abroad. I never expected that after five years, Jacob would still think I’d be waiting for him.

The car quickly arrived at the Murphy villa’s entrance. I had been away from here for five years, and everything seemed unchanged from before. As soon as Levi and I walked into the living room, the two people in front of me made me freeze instantly. It was Jacob and Ava. I asked them, “What are you doing here?” Sensing my hostile tone, Adrian immediately scolded me loudly, “You ungrateful daughter! What kind of talk is that? “Miss Harris is naturally here to accompany Mr. Jacob Thomas to discuss the engagement party arrangements. “What do you mean by bringing some child back here out of nowhere?” Ava beside him couldn’t help but sneer. She said, “What else could Olivia be doing? “Nothing more than knowing Jacob is willing to get engaged to her, so she’s got some confidence now. “She’s deliberately bringing a child here just to upset Jacob.” Hearing “engagement party” again, I couldn’t help but look at Adrian. I said angrily, “Adrian, have you lost your mind? “You used my mother’s belongings to trick me into coming back to the country just to make me get engaged to this bastard again? “Wasn’t the humiliation from five years ago enough? Do you want to go through it again?” Hearing my words, Adrian’s face instantly stiffened. Jacob stood up, looking at me with some joy in his eyes. Then, controlling his emotions, he explained, “Olivia, I know I was wrong back then. “But I’ve already explained it to you. I only left for a moment. “If you hadn’t suddenly fled to America back then, how would this engagement party have been delayed until now?” I didn’t want to listen to Jacob’s lies, so I directly took Levi’s hand. I said, “Jacob, I’m not in the mood to play these games with you. “I thought Luke had already told you about my situation. Since he didn’t, I’ll tell you myself. “I’ve been married for several years now, and my child is no longer small. “As for that engagement party, you can have it with whoever you want, just don’t involve me.” Adrian’s face turned ugly, clearly not expecting me to have secretly married and had a child. He clutched his chest in anger and cursed me loudly, “You rebellious daughter! “How could the Murphy family produce such a shameless person like you!” I sneered, looking at Adrian mockingly, “Speaking of shameless, who could compare to you? “When you were young, you relied on my mother to develop your career, and now that you’re old, you’re selling your daughter to maintain your wealthy lifestyle. “Adrian, without women, you’re nothing but trash. “If you dare use my mother’s belongings to deceive me again, don’t blame me for showing no mercy.” After saying this, I didn’t want to entangle with them anymore and pulled Levi, preparing to leave. Just as I was about to walk out of the living room, Jacob suddenly said, “Adrian didn’t lie to you. It’s just that your mother’s belongings are in my hands. “I can give you the belongings, but the condition is that you obediently get engaged to me.” I could no longer contain the anger in my heart and rushed over, slapping Jacob hard across the face. I said, “Jacob, can’t you understand human speech? “I’m already married and have a child! “Do you, like Luke, also think this child isn’t my biological son?” Jacob stared at me, his eyes full of urgency and passion that I couldn’t understand. He said, “But he has the surname Thomas. “I’ve already investigated. His name is Levi Thomas. “Olivia, you, like me, have never let go of me, right?” Hearing such ridiculous words, I was almost amused by my anger. I said coldly, “Jacob, what exactly are you thinking? “Levi has the surname Thomas because his biological father’s surname is Thomas. “This has nothing to do with you. “My husband and I love each other very much. We came back to America this time to indeed hold another wedding ceremony here. “Please don’t think I have any feelings for you.” I could see that Jacob wouldn’t return Hannah’s belongings to me, so I didn’t want to entangle with him anymore and prepared to leave. But just as I turned around, someone struck me hard on the back of my neck. In the last moment before my consciousness became blurred, I saw Levi running toward me anxiously.

When I woke up again, I found myself in a completely unfamiliar room. Seeing that I was awake, Levi immediately threw himself onto me. He said, “Mom, you’re finally awake! I was so scared just now!” Looking at Levi’s tear-stained face, I quickly pulled him into my arms to comfort him. I said, “It’s okay, I’m here. Did they do anything to you?” Levi shook his head. He frowned and said, “That bad guy asked me some questions, but I didn’t tell him anything. I just said my dad loves my mom very much, and my mom loves my dad too. I also told him to let us go quickly. Mom, I miss Dad.” Seeing Levi’s pitiful expression, I held him tighter. I said, “We can’t go back just yet. Your sister Nora’s surgery isn’t finished, and your dad still has some things to handle. Once everything is taken care of, Dad will come find us.” My daughter Nora Thomas was seriously ill, and my husband Leonardo Thomas’s company had recently been infiltrated by a mole. He must be incredibly busy. If he knew Levi and I had been kidnapped and became frantic, it would be terrible if someone else took advantage of his vulnerability. As we were talking, the door suddenly burst open. I instinctively gripped Levi’s hand tighter, but the person who entered wasn’t Jacob. Ava looked me up and down. After a long moment, she finally said, “Olivia, you’re like a ghost that just won’t go away. Since you already went abroad five Christmases ago, why did you come back now?” Looking at Ava’s resentful face, I said sarcastically, “Who would have thought? After five whole Christmases, Jacob still won’t marry you? Ava, you’re still just as useless.” Hearing my words, Ava immediately became furious. She said, “Olivia, what are you so smug about? Five Christmases ago, I was able to stop your engagement. Five Christmases later, I can do it again. Don’t even think about marrying Jacob!” Seeing Ava’s confident expression, I couldn’t help but feel impatient. I said, “Then please hurry up. I’m a married woman now. Do you really think I care about Jacob?” Ava was infuriated by my words and raised her hand to slap me. At that critical moment, Jacob suddenly appeared. He shouted at Ava, “Ava, what are you doing?” Hearing Jacob’s voice, Ava quickly pulled her hand back. Then she put on a pitiful expression and said, “Jacob, it’s all Olivia’s fault! I was trying to persuade her to properly get engaged to you, but she said her husband is a thousand times, ten thousand times better than you. She was putting you down, so I wanted to teach her a lesson.” In the past, I’d heard this kind of talk countless times. Back then, I would desperately try to defend myself. But now, I actually hoped Ava would say something even more outrageous, preferably something that would anger Jacob enough to give up his ridiculous idea of getting engaged to me. I looked at Jacob and said without hesitation, “She’s right. Also, you’d better keep her away from me, or I’ll hurt her.” Unexpectedly, although Jacob was clearly angry, he didn’t explode. He said to Ava, “Ava, this is between Olivia and me. Since Olivia doesn’t like you, don’t come here anymore.” Ava wanted to argue back, but under Jacob’s gaze, she left in suppressed anger. After Ava left, Jacob took a deep breath. He said, “Olivia, I know you said those things on purpose just now. You’re not that kind of person.” I repeated the phrase “that kind of person.” Then I tilted my head and asked him, “Jacob, aren’t these all the things you used to say about me? You said I was vicious, had a dirty mind, was petty, and that I didn’t understand the pure friendship between you two. Isn’t Ava kind, generous, and considerate? How did you forget all that now? I don’t understand—if she’s so wonderful, why don’t you marry her? Why do you insist on pestering me, a married woman? If you still don’t believe Levi is my biological child, you can get a paternity test done.” Before I could finish speaking, Jacob suddenly rushed over and grabbed me by the throat.

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