My husband Liam was a Special Forces captain. My best friend was a military doctor. They didn’t get along at first. I was the one who brought them together. Five months into my pregnancy, I found a heavy metal box at home. Inside, I found a stack of wills he’d written before every dangerous mission. As I opened them, a chilling dread washed over me. Seven hundred and thirty-two letters in total. Every single one started with, “My Dearest Chloe.” And every single one ended with, “I love you, Chloe.” Chloe. Not some stranger, but my best friend. I knelt amidst the scattered pages, my fingertips trembling so violently I couldn’t even grip a single sheet. Tears streamed down my face, blurring the words on the paper. “Chloe, make sure you have an extra slice of that apple pie from the west side tonight. You know the one you love.” “Chloe, I’m sorry to make you sad again.” “Chloe, after I die, please scatter my ashes under the old oak tree, so I can always watch over you.” The old oak tree. Our old oak tree. The devastating news of my parents’ deaths arrived when I was eight. I curled up in a corner of our home, crying until no sound came out. Liam and Chloe, one on each side, stubbornly held my hands and led me away from the house. We ran to the old oak tree on the back hill, the one that had stood there for who knows how many years. Tears still stained Chloe’s face, but she raised three fingers, pointing at the trunk, her voice choked but incredibly clear. “I swear, from now on, I’ll protect Alice for her mom and dad for the rest of my life! No one is allowed to bully her!” Liam immediately mimicked her, his face serious, his voice even louder. “Me too! I’ll protect Alice for the rest of my life! Even longer than you!” And they did. My world felt safe and bright because they were in it. My baby, sensing my turmoil, kicked uneasily within me. I instinctively clutched my belly, but my fingertips brushed against the scattered letters on the floor. My vision blurred again. I futilely tried to shove the letters back into the box. But my hands wouldn’t obey, just clawing at them aimlessly. Each letter felt like a burning ember, scalding my insides, making my stomach churn with agony. I don’t know how much time passed, but eventually, I leaned back against the wall, utterly drained, soaked in cold sweat. Footsteps drew closer from outside, accompanied by their familiar bickering. Chloe’s voice, bright and clear, carried her usual disdain for Liam. “Liam, slow down! You’re always so rushed. You nearly dropped the apple pie! Buying two wasn’t enough, you had to clear out the whole store?” Liam’s voice was deep, laced with his usual impatience. “What do you know? Alice’s cravings are unpredictable these days. What’s wrong with buying extra? What if she suddenly wants some?” The door opened. Chloe peeked her head in first. Seeing me on the floor, she rushed over, reaching out to help me up. “Why are you sitting on the floor? Pregnant women shouldn’t be sitting on the cold floor. Come on, up you go!” Liam also hurried over, feeling my forehead with one hand while steadying me with the other. “What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell somewhere?” I let them both help me up. Chloe was the first to notice my puffy, red eyes. She pressed urgently. “Why are your eyes so swollen? Did Liam upset you? Tell me. I’ll make him pay!” Liam shot her an irritated look. “Chloe, don’t be ridiculous. I adore my wife. I’d never hurt her!” He turned back to me, his hands cradling my face gently, eyes full of concern. “Honey, what is it?” “Who upset you?” “Or is it your stomach? I’ll take you to the hospital now.”

The concern in their eyes wasn’t fake in the slightest. Chloe’s eyes were even red-rimmed. But when Liam’s hand brushed my cheek, and he asked me so tenderly, I clearly saw a fleeting flicker of heartbreak and forced composure in Chloe’s eyes. I never noticed it before. Now, it was so glaringly obvious. The cold words from the letters crashed into my mind again. “Chloe, I’m going to propose to Alice tomorrow.” “I know this is selfish, and unfair to you. But Alice… she needs me more. She’s too lonely.” “And you, Chloe, you will always be the one I love most, my best comrade, the one I can trust with my life.” “If there’s a next life, I promise I’ll marry you.” At the end of the letter, there was a dark, irregular stain. Like the mark of dried tears. That must have been tears. I once believed marrying Liam was the greatest fortune of my life. I thought his kindness was genuine, born of love for me. I never imagined it was all just a cruel act of pity. How benevolent, yet how utterly ruthless. A strong, metallic tang rose in my throat, which I frantically swallowed down. I doubled over, dry-heaving violently. But nothing came up, only cold, sour bile burning my esophagus. My baby seemed startled, kicking even harder. A tearing, dull pain erupted from my lower abdomen, swiftly engulfing my entire body. “Alice!” “Honey!” Chaos. A blur of motion. Liam’s arms, holding me, were rigid as iron. Chloe’s sobbing voice drifted in and out. A warm dampness spread beneath me. The cold hallway of the military hospital, stark white lights flashing across my vision. I don’t know how long passed before the doctor removed his gloves. “I’m sorry, the fetal heartbeat has stopped. Sudden, severe intrauterine distress, leading to violent contractions… we couldn’t save the baby.” The baby. Couldn’t save. Those three words, so light and airy, yet they sucked the last shred of strength and warmth from my body. Chloe’s and Liam’s voices, broken with grief, echoed in my ears. “Honey, it’s okay… we’ll have a second, a third baby later.” “Yes, Alice, don’t be scared. Once you’ve recovered, you’ll have another one.” They sounded so pained, so genuine. I just lay there, my eyes open, my mind replaying not the words on the letters, but much older memories.

Back in high school, when I innocently started to realize my feelings for Liam had grown beyond friendship, I told Chloe everything, without reservation. Chloe froze for a second, then her face contorted with pure disdain. “Alice, why would you ever like him?” “He’s completely beneath you.” After that, Chloe couldn’t stand Liam even more, and they practically fell into a silent standoff. The day Liam and I officially became a couple, Chloe got into a fight with him. Her eyes were red from crying, but she refused to say anything. Later, Liam went to military academy, and Chloe went to medical school. They both joined the military, and Chloe became the squad’s medic. Because my body couldn’t adapt to the rigorous military environment. Chloe held my hand and said, “Alice, don’t worry, I’ll keep a close eye on Liam for you.” Then, when Liam proposed to me, Chloe cried uncontrollably at our wedding. She grabbed Liam’s collar, her voice choked but fierce. “Liam, if you ever dare to treat Alice badly, I’ll come after you first.” Liam, uncharacteristically, didn’t talk back. He just looked at her trembling lips, his eyes red, and whispered, “Okay.” From then on, Liam’s attitude towards her subtly shifted. When Chloe snapped at him, most of the time he just listened. Sometimes he would even indulge her whims, saying, “You’re always right.” The day I found out I was pregnant, Chloe cried again. That night, she drank a lot of wine, crying as she drank. She said, “Alice, I’m so happy for you. You’re going to be a mom…” “I probably won’t ever get married in this life. From now on, your child will be my child.” “Alice… I really envy you…” She was incoherent, but I just thought she was drunk. Later, Liam walked her home. He was gone for a long time. When he returned, his eyes were red-rimmed, and his lip was busted. He said it was too dark downstairs, and he accidentally ran into a wall. And Chloe was never one to cry easily. But it seemed that whenever it involved Liam and me, her tears flowed effortlessly. Once I asked her, “Chloe, all these years, have you really never liked anyone?” She suddenly looked up, quickly glanced at Liam, and smiled. “Yes, I have. I recently started liking a younger guy. I’ll bring him to meet you sometime.” As soon as Chloe said that, the glass in Liam’s hand clattered to the floor. And that younger guy? I never saw him again. So, everything, everything had been there all along. I just never saw, or didn’t want to see. Now, they knelt by my bedside, heartbroken beyond words. I looked at their two faces, drenched in tears, etched with pain. And suddenly, even breathing felt cold. Finally, I simply closed my eyes and said, “I’m tired.”

Late that night, Liam and Chloe left the room. I opened my eyes, got out of bed, and followed them. At the end of the hallway, Liam pulled Chloe into a comforting embrace, soothing her softly. “It’s okay, don’t be so sad.” His hand stroked her back with a practiced tenderness, full of raw concern. Chloe’s face was buried in his shoulder, her shoulders shaking subtly. “But… the baby…” Her voice was fragmented. “Alice… she loved that baby so much…” “If I hadn’t insisted you come with me to the west side to watch the sunrise today, to watch that movie, to buy those warm donuts from that artisanal bakery…” “It’s not your fault, this was an accident. No one wanted this.” Liam cut her off, pressing his chin into her hair. That intimate gesture made my stomach churn once more. Earlier that morning, Liam had said he had a small mission and Chloe needed to go with him. His tone was normal; he even tucked me in carefully, telling me to rest more. I’d seen the bloodshot veins in his eyes and just thought he was tired, worrying about his safety. How could I have doubted them? They were my husband and my most trusted best friend. My unwavering trust, how utterly laughable it seemed now. Chloe looked up, tear tracks glistening in the dim light. “Liam, I suddenly feel so guilty towards Alice. She’s your wife.” Liam looked at her, his eyes brimming with emotions so thick they almost spilled over. It was pain, tenderness, and torment-all tangled into a gaze reserved for one person, a gaze that had never, not once, settled on me with such profound intensity. “Chloe, don’t think like that,” his voice was hoarse. “I’m the one who’s sorry.” “As for Alice… I’ll take care of her.” A deeper pain and self-reproach flickered in Chloe’s eyes. She opened her mouth, then buried her face in his embrace once more. And I stood there, in the shadows. Watching my husband and my best friend. Comforting each other in their shared grief, on the very night I lost my child. It turned out the deepest pain wasn’t their deception. It was the unspoken, bone-deep connection and anguish between them. That shared, secret world that completely shut me out. I didn’t disturb them. I just slowly, step by step, retreated back to my hospital room. The next day, Chloe’s eyes were still swollen, but she’d already put on an expression of disdain. She picked apart Liam’s porridge for being too hot, and the side dishes for being too salty. Liam frowned, refuting her occasionally. But neither of them mentioned the baby. If it had been before, seeing them like this, I would have felt relieved, felt happy. But now, I leaned against the headboard, watching them in silence. Every deliberately averted gaze. Every unnatural pause. Every raised voice, meant to cover their guilt-ridden arguments. They were like countless tiny needles, piercing my heart. I grew silent. All day, I either stared blankly out the window or closed my eyes, pretending to sleep. Talking required strength. Dealing with them required energy. And all my strength and energy had drained away with the tiny life I would never meet.

On my birthday, they tried to cheer me up. They took me to that old restaurant, my favorite childhood spot. They ordered a table full of my favorite dishes. Liam sat beside me, blowing on a spoonful of soup to cool it for me, his actions still meticulously gentle. Chloe took two sips, then her face suddenly paled. She clapped a hand over her mouth, shot up, and rushed out. Liam practically sprang to his feet on instinct. A clear, undeniable panic flashed across his face. His steps were already directed towards the door, but then he stopped halfway. As if remembering something, he turned to look at me. “Alice,” his voice was a little dry, “I’ll go check on Chloe. You eat first.” In the past, I would have rushed to check on Chloe myself. But this time, I didn’t even look up, just gave a faint nod. My gaze settled on the bowl of chicken soup Chloe had been drinking. He immediately turned and walked out quickly. I sat quietly for a moment, then got up and followed him out. From the old restaurant’s back garden, I heard Chloe’s trembling voice. “Liam, I… I think… I’m pregnant…” “What do I do…” “How can I be pregnant with your child? You’re Alice’s husband, and I’m Alice’s best friend…” Liam reached out, gripping Chloe’s arm tightly, his voice low and strained. “Chloe, look at me. None of this is your fault.” “It’s all my fault.” “If I hadn’t been afraid of hurting Alice, if I hadn’t accepted her confession back then, none of this would have happened.” “Chloe, not being able to marry you is already the biggest regret of my life. Now you’re carrying my child…” “Let’s keep the baby.” “But… Alice just lost her baby…” Chloe’s voice broke into a desperate sob. “How can I…” “No, I can’t keep this baby!” Her voice suddenly became frantic and despairing. “Liam, I’ve thought a lot these past few days.” “You and Alice are married. There’s no possibility for you and me anymore.” “You’re right, Alice needs you more than I do… I’m going to apply for a transfer with my superiors.” “From now on… let’s not see each other again.” “Please, be good to Alice.” “No, Chloe,” Liam’s voice held an undeniable pain and resolve. “I can’t lose you again, and I certainly can’t lose our child.” Watching their entangled figures. Listening to this agonizing conversation. How absurd. I suddenly felt like I was the villain, the shadow who had stolen someone else’s happiness. My heart felt like it was clenched by an icy hand, then suddenly released. Leaving only a numb void. All the pain seemed to peak at that moment, then strangely subsided into a dead calm. I stepped out from behind the pillar. My footsteps startled them. They quickly pulled apart. I didn’t look at Chloe, just walked step by step towards them.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “346088”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn

After five years of marriage and two kids, I was left with C-section scars on my belly and loose skin. Predictably, my CEO husband cheated on me with his young secretary. Devastated and furious, I ran to my rich mom to cry my eyes out. She puffed on a cigarette, a dismissive look on her face. “He found a girlfriend, can’t you find a boyfriend? I’ve sponsored a dozen handsome college guys. Pick whichever one you like.” “Mom,” I stammered, “you want me to cheat?” My mom shook her head. “No, I’m teaching you to love yourself.” I was dropping my two kids off at school when I found out Brandon was cheating. Seeing the photos of him passionately kissing someone in an office on my phone, my hands trembled on the steering wheel. My older son, Leo, said, “Mom, please hurry, I’m going to be late.” He was so much like Brandon — polite, reserved, and not particularly dependent on me. I used to be so proud of that, thinking I’d raised a brilliant son. But now, looking at his calm, brown eyes, I felt a strange fear. I asked him, “Leo, if your dad and I separate, who would you choose?” Leo gave me an indifferent glance but said nothing. When we pulled up to the school, he slowly got out. He looked at me and said, “Mom, you don’t have a job, and you’ve fallen out with Grandma. So, if you two separate, I’ll choose Dad.” My younger son, Charlie, immediately echoed, “Me too, I want Dad!” I felt like I’d been plunged into an ice bath. After dropping Charlie off at kindergarten, I found an empty park before I dared to open the picture again. The message was from a strange woman. She wrote, “Mrs. Miller, you’re so kind, I didn’t want you to be kept in the dark. Mr. Miller is going on a business trip in a couple of days, and he even specifically booked a king-sized couple’s suite and flowers.” A king-sized couple’s suite, flowers. These were things Brandon only did for me when we were madly in love. Now, he was giving them to another woman. After thinking it over, I finally called my mom’s secretary. Half an hour later, Julia led me to my mom. I hadn’t seen her in five years. She was even more beautiful and formidable than before. She rolled her eyes. “You’re this old and still such a coward.” My eyes welled up, and my nose burned. “Yeah, I’m useless, that’s why my life turned out like this.” My mom didn’t care, continuing her taunts: “What else can you do besides act tough in front of me? You can’t even keep a man in line.” The more she spoke, the sadder I got, and the tears I’d held back all morning finally fell. “Yes, I’m useless, I’m a total failure, and I don’t know what to do when my husband cheats. Just yell at me, I don’t even want to live anymore.” My mom glanced at Julia. “You, record this. This pathetic display is perfect for the internet.” I instantly stopped crying, utterly incredulous. “Mom! How can you be like this?” My mom watched me for a moment, then walked over and sharply poked my head. “How did I give birth to such a wimp?” She was right; she was so powerful. After I was born, she found out my dad cheated, and she kicked him out without a second thought. She single-handedly grew a small electronics company into a publicly traded empire, shipping products to over a dozen countries. My mom, fierce as she was, had given birth to a wimp like me. From childhood, besides decent grades, I wasn’t like her in any way. I was also a hopeless romantic, a total love-struck idiot. Even though I knew Brandon was hard to pin down, I was so smitten by his looks that I practically begged to marry him. My mom glared at me for a while, then sighed. “He’s supporting a woman, why can’t you support a man? I have over a dozen sponsored college students. Which one do you like?” I couldn’t believe it. “Mom, you want me to cheat?” My mom shook her head. “No, I’m teaching you to love yourself.” I was a little dazed. My mom continued: “Relationships, male and female, are all about exchanging value.” “When you first got married, you were young, beautiful, and compliant, so he was willing to spoil you and put effort into you.” “But five years have passed, the novelty is gone, and you just stay home all day, like some frumpy old homebody.” “To Brandon, you have no commercial value and no emotional value. Tell me, what else could he want from you?” I mumbled, “But, but I gave him two children…” “Any normal woman can have kids! And you’re not a breeding machine.” My mom lit a cigarette, a faint, knowing smile playing on her lips. “Audrey, your grandparents raised you. I didn’t have time. I know they filled your head with a lot of old-fashioned ideas.”

I’d never done anything so rebellious. For a moment, I was still stunned. My mom sat at her massive office desk, tapping her index finger against the surface. “Audrey, choose: be a princess or a nanny. Remember, you only get one chance. Miss it, and I won’t help you again, and we won’t see each other.” She meant what she said. When I was hell-bent on marrying Brandon, she didn’t answer my calls for five years. She even went abroad and had a daughter twenty-five years younger than me. My mom made it clear she couldn’t entrust her vast empire to a fool like me. Her aura was incredibly powerful; I’d always been intimidated by her. If it weren’t absolutely necessary, I wouldn’t have swallowed my pride and come to her. I felt a bit guilty. “Mom, can I think about it?” She pointed to the office door. “You have 24 hours. After that, the offer’s off. Get out, I have a meeting.” On the way home, my mom’s words replayed in my head. She said the reason she didn’t want me to marry Brandon was because he was the youngest child in his family. People who are spoiled too much don’t cherish people’s feelings. And she’d secretly investigated; Brandon had been flirting with girls since middle school. I was just blinded by his good looks, utterly determined to marry him. I had to admit, my mom was truly prescient. As soon as I walked in, I noticed the house was quite lively. Brandon was already home and had brought someone with him. It was a young, beautiful woman in a white dress, with shoulder-length hair, stunningly gorgeous. She was curled up on my carefully chosen sofa, my two sons nestled on either side, while Brandon sat nearby, looking at documents. From my angle, they looked exactly like a family. But only I knew that the four of us hadn’t eaten together in a very, very long time. When Brandon finally had time off, he always stayed in his study. The kids didn’t like going out with me either. Now, Leo, who was usually quiet, was excitedly holding Chloe’s hand. “Aunt Chloe, you’re amazing, you actually beat the Demon King! My mom can’t even do that.” The girl named Chloe smiled, her eyes crinkling. “Of course not, I’m the star player on our school’s esports team.” Brandon handed her a glass of milk. “Alright, drink some milk first, you’ll get a stomachache later. Audrey will be back soon to cook. Her famous steak is delicious, you’ll definitely like it.” They spoke so casually, as if I wasn’t the lady of the house, but a hired cook. I looked at my sallow reflection in the mirror. Almost instinctively, I dropped the grocery bags on the floor and bolted. Twenty minutes later, I arrived at Vivian’s mansion. I rushed through the door, dropping to my knees with a thud. Loudly, I cried, “Mom, help me! I don’t want to be a tired, worn-out housewife anymore. I’ll listen to everything you say.” My mom walked over. “Starting tomorrow, go see Julia. She’ll help you.” Then she turned to hug Lily, my little sister. I wiped a tear and turned to leave. Back at the Miller house, Brandon and the boys didn’t realize I’d returned. Seeing the bags in my hand, Charlie cried that he was hungry. “Mommy, I want fried chicken wings! Leo wants shrimp.” Brandon and the boys had sensitive stomachs. We used to have a private chef, but after we got married, my in-laws said I stayed home all day and should learn how to take care of them. So, I started from scratch, learning to cook delicious, healthy meals tailored to their needs. I became a wife who perfectly catered to the Miller family, but I also became a complete nanny. I casually tossed the bags onto the table and turned to face them. “I’m a little tired today, so I won’t be cooking. Order takeout. Tomorrow, I’ll hire a chef. From now on, you can tell the chef directly what you want to eat.”

I started to head upstairs, but Brandon blocked me. “Audrey, what do you mean? We have a guest today, how can you make her eat takeout?” “Guest?” I slowly turned my head, looking at Chloe. “She’s just your company’s secretary. What, am I, your wife, supposed to personally wait on her?” Chloe immediately teared up. “I’m so sorry, Mrs. Miller, I’ve caused you trouble.” She picked up her bag, looking hurt. “I-I’ll leave right away. Please, don’t argue with Mr. Miller because of me.” Leo rushed forward first. “Mom, how can you be so rude? Aunt Chloe is my friend.” My younger son chimed in, “Yeah, Mom, you cook every day anyway. What’s wrong with making Aunt Chloe a meal? Dad married you so you could do these things, didn’t he?” Their righteous indignation made me feel like a complete joke. The slap from that afternoon started to sting again. My husband, whom I’d spent my youth with, and my children, whom I’d risked my life to bear, were all siding with someone else. I couldn’t help but let out a cold laugh. Audrey Foster, you are such a failure. Brandon, however, misunderstood, thinking I was throwing a tantrum. “Fine, if you won’t cook, then don’t. Come on, Chloe, I’ll take you out to eat.” Both sons clamored to go along. As they left, Leo deliberately took Chloe’s hand, flaunting their closeness in front of me. He usually disliked physical affection, even with me, he rarely let me hold his hand. Now, he was so eagerly trying to please Chloe; he really seemed to like her. I thought I’d be heartbroken. I instinctively touched my chest, but it felt hollow, filled only with an endless chill. After showering, I simply went to sleep. The next morning, no one knocked on my door to remind me to take the kids to school. I ended up sleeping until eleven. After waking, I took another shower, washed my hair, and checked my phone. Julia had booked a slew of appointments for me. Besides getting a haircut, buying clothes, and beauty treatments, there were over a dozen aesthetic procedures. When I got into the car, Julia looked at me as if she wanted to say something. “What’s wrong?” She gave an awkward laugh. “I just didn’t expect that there wasn’t a single dress in your closet.” I silently followed Julia. First, we went to the hair salon, where my messy hair was styled into loose waves. Then I bought dozens of new outfits. For the last appointment, Julia took me to the most reputable aesthetic center to consult about postpartum tightening and repair. Coming out of the doctor’s office, my face was flushed. “Julia, does it really have to be like this?” Julia was matter-of-fact. “This isn’t just a health issue. It’s about psychological and physiological satisfaction, and that’s extremely important.” To be honest, I had been bothered by leakage for a long time. And Brandon had even complained during sex. Over time, he stopped touching me. Sometimes when I initiated, he’d go hide in another room. Julia was right, sex was a very important thing.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “346087”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn

When I found out I was the billionaire’s illegitimate daughter, I raced over to meet my father, my heart pounding with excitement. But when I arrived at Thorne Manor, I discovered 98 other illegitimate daughters already lined up, waiting for their chance to meet him too. As it turned out, Mr. Thorne’s only son had passed away, and he was searching for an heir to his multi-billion-dollar empire. He’d gathered all his illegitimate daughters, hoping to find the strongest successor through a series of challenges. Feeling completely outmatched, I hung my head, ready to slip away quietly. Suddenly, I heard my late mother Eleanor’s voice speaking to me: “Scarlett, don’t go! I know how you can win this. Remember your arch-rival from the orphanage? Valerie? She’s one of them too! If you walk away now, that multi-billion-dollar fortune will all go to her!” I spun around, and sure enough, there was Valerie’s face staring back at me. Ten years ago, she’d locked me in that dusty, rat-infested storage room, stolen my shot at adoption, and condemned me to another decade of misery. The memory made anger burn in my chest. Alright, Mom. I’m listening. I’m not leaving. Mr. Thorne’s billions? They’re as good as mine!

My arch-rival Valerie recognized me right away: “Scarlett? Why aren’t you still stuck in that back alley? What are you doing at Mr. Thorne’s place? Don’t tell me you’re here to steal something? A street rat like you doesn’t belong here.” I clenched my fists, ready to fire back a retort. Mr. Thorne slowly descended the grand staircase, his gaze sweeping over all of us. “For years, I’ve failed as a father. I owe all of you an apology.” “So I’ve prepared $200,000 for each of you as compensation. Those who want it can register with Alfred, the butler, to collect.” The mansion erupted in excited murmurs: “Thank you, Father!” “I really needed this money! You’re the best, Dad!” Watching everyone swarm toward Alfred, Valerie scoffed from the sidelines: “A bunch of greedy fools. Do they honestly think they can compete with me for the inheritance?” After Valerie stole my adoption chance, she’d been living in luxury with a wealthy family. Two hundred grand was pocket change to her. But for me, who was used to eating stale bread every day, $200,000 could buy my freedom. Seeing me hesitate, tempted to join the money line, Mom quickly warned: “Scarlett, this is just the first test.” “Anyone who takes the $200,000 is short-sighted and gets disqualified immediately.” “Those who walk away from the money show they’ve got the ambition to compete in the real challenges.” I froze mid-step and sneaked a glance at Mr. Thorne. Sure enough, he was watching the line of daughters with a critical eye, shaking his head in disappointment. Just then, Alfred announced: “Those claiming the $200,000 must sign this inheritance waiver.” Without hesitation, I stepped out of the line. But the waiver didn’t stop most of them. Watching most of the daughters fixated on the quick $200,000 payout, eagerly signing the agreement, Mr. Thorne sighed, disappointment written across his face, and turned his gaze to the remaining few. When Mr. Thorne and I accidentally locked eyes, Mom’s voice echoed: “See? I wouldn’t lie to you.” “Just trust me and do as I say. I never got a cent from that deadbeat when I was alive, so you have to make me proud and fight for this.” The next moment, Mr. Thorne announced in a stern voice: “Twenty of you have chosen to forgo the $200,000. Please follow the guards upstairs.” Spotting me among them, Valerie looked stunned: “Scarlett, you’re an illegitimate daughter too? So we’re half-sisters?” I ignored her. Because right then, Mr. Thorne was announcing the first round challenge: “To be my heir, financial management and earning potential are essential.” “I’ll give each of you $100,000 in seed money. In one hour, the ten of you with the most remaining funds will move forward in the succession process.”

As soon as Mr. Thorne finished speaking, the other nineteen daughters pulled out their phones and jumped into action. “My mom’s an entrepreneur—I’ve been learning the ropes from her since I was a kid. I’ve got this!” “I have a PhD in finance. I know exactly how to grow this money!” They all started showing off their credentials. Some immediately opened stock trading apps. Others navigated to investment fund platforms. Some used the $100,000 as seed money to draft business proposals on the spot. Others capitalized on the moment by going live on TikTok: “I’m at the billionaire’s mansion, live from the heir selection! Follow for exclusive updates on this crazy family inheritance showdown!” But as I stared at the bank card the guard handed me, I felt completely helpless. I never even finished high school—the orphanage kicked me out to sell things on the streets to survive. These women were all educated, polished professionals. How could I possibly compete? Valerie noticed my panic and laughed mockingly: “Everyone else is hard at work, and you don’t even have a phone. You think you can compete for the inheritance?” Valerie didn’t just look down on me. She looked down on all the other illegitimate daughters too: “I graduated top of my class from business school. When it comes to making money, none of you stand a chance.” She then split her focus: buying stocks and drafting an investment proposal to present to Mr. Thorne in an hour. Mom encouraged me: “Scarlett, remember what they say: ‘Don’t fear the trust fund kids who spend money—fear the ones who think they can actually run a business.’” “Let them play their games. This round, you win by doing absolutely nothing.” “Even if you have to fake it, act like you’ve got everything under control!” She added: “You’ve been in the real world since you were a kid, facing all its hardships. When it comes to reading people, none of them can touch you.” “Now start watching your billionaire dad closely. You never know when that might come in handy.” Her words gave me new confidence. After a moment’s thought, I stepped back to a corner and began studying Mr. Thorne, trying to get a read on his personality and temperament. While the other daughters pulled out all the stops, my focus stayed solely on Mr. Thorne. My unusual calmness caught Mr. Thorne’s attention. He had Alfred come over to me: “Why aren’t you doing anything?” Following Mom’s advice, I answered without hesitation: “Protecting an empire is far harder than building one.” “With today’s economic uncertainty, I’d rather play it safe to protect the wealth you’ve worked so hard to build, Father.” No sooner had I spoken than someone screamed: “My stocks just crashed! This can’t be happening!” Another woman kicked over a chair: “Scammers! This investment firm is a total fraud—my money got converted to crypto and stolen!” “Who shut down my TikTok stream? I just paid for promotion!” In the middle of the chaos, I met Mr. Thorne’s gaze calmly. A faint glimmer appeared in his eyes, but he said nothing. An hour passed quickly. My strategy of doing nothing actually landed me in fifth place, advancing me to the next round. Mom! Thank you! I’m one step closer to that multi-billion-dollar fortune! Valerie, meanwhile, had earned $50,000 through her own efforts. Her written proposal also earned high praise from Mr. Thorne. Watching her advance in first place, the other daughters were green with envy. As we followed Alfred upstairs again, Valerie deliberately bumped into me: “Scarlett, you just got lucky. It’s not too late to quit and leave.” “Otherwise, once I become heir, I’ll make sure you regret it.” I gave her a cold stare, making a silent vow. Once I inherit those billions, she’ll pay for what she did to me as a kid! When we reached the luxurious dining room, Alfred surprisingly pulled out a chair for me: “Scarlett, please have a seat here.” I didn’t think much of it at first. But as I started toward the chair, I noticed Valerie smirking at me, like she was waiting for me to embarrass myself.

Mom immediately warned me: “Scarlett, that’s your father’s seat at the head of the table! You can’t sit there!” “They’re not actually going to eat—this is a test of dining etiquette.” My heart skipped a beat. I waved my hands at Alfred. “That’s my father’s seat at the head of the table. When will he be joining us?” Alfred gave me an approving smile. From the corner of my eye, I saw Valerie grind her teeth in frustration. I didn’t dare gloat, focusing intently on Mom’s instructions. With Mom’s help, I aced this round. When pouring wine for Mr. Thorne, my experience as a waitress let me serve without spilling a drop. During the meal, my utensils made no scraping sounds against the plate. After the meal, as Alfred led us downstairs, I noticed five fewer competitors. They’d been forced to sign inheritance waivers and left dejectedly with $200,000. Valerie jabbed my back, sneering: “Scarlett, don’t get too cocky. You’ll be out soon enough!” I wasn’t timid anymore. I shot back coldly: “Valerie, you’d better watch yourself. If I win, first thing I’ll do is lock you in that dusty, rat-infested storage room.” “Scarlett, you’re asking for it!” Valerie’s face turned red, and she raised her hand to slap me. Mr. Thorne suddenly stopped, his gaze sweeping across our faces: “Before we continue, I have a serious question for all of you.”

I immediately knew this was the next challenge. Everyone held their breath, waiting for Mr. Thorne’s question: “If my business faced a crisis that could only be fixed by marrying an infertile man in a permanent vegetative state, would you do it?” “Think carefully. This isn’t hypothetical—it’s a real possibility.” As soon as he finished, Valerie stepped forward first: “Of course I would! Any sacrifice for you, Father, is my duty!” “Of course! With my skills, I can not only save the company through marriage but use my husband’s family connections to take us to new heights!” Seeing her, others rushed to declare their loyalty: “As your daughter, Father, marriage is my duty and mission!” “A vegetative infertile man might be better—I could do IVF and the child would take my last name!” Suddenly, several daughters gathered around Mr. Thorne, creating a falsely warm scene. Mom, worried I might freeze up, reminded me: “Scarlett, don’t fall for his scare tactics. He’s testing your loyalty—just say you’re willing.” But seeing Mr. Thorne’s emotionless face and scrutinizing eyes, I hesitated. Mr. Thorne’s reaction was too strange. I stood frozen, trying to figure out the real meaning behind the question. Mom grew impatient: “Scarlett, what are you waiting for? Say you’re willing now!” “I dated your father for six months—I know him! He falls for flattery. Hurry up!” Mom was wrong. Mr. Thorne wouldn’t be that easily fooled. I remembered our previous eye contacts and his subtle expressions, my mind racing. As I stayed silent, all eyes turned to me. Mr. Thorne frowned, giving me a meaningful look: “Scarlett, is this question so hard to answer? Look at your sisters—they didn’t hesitate.” Valerie wore a smug, triumphant grin: “The country bumpkin’s never seen real life—she probably didn’t even understand the question.” Other daughters whispered, waiting for me to embarrass myself: “She showed off at dinner, but now her true colors are showing!” Mom panicked: “Scarlett, are you trying to drive me crazy? Say it now! Only by agreeing do you stand a chance at that fortune!” I took a deep breath and answered clearly: “I’m not willing.” Mr. Thorne’s expression instantly changed.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “345397”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn

Married for seven years, my doctor husband, Liam, had missed every single one of my birthdays and wedding anniversaries. The first year, his patient, Sophia, claimed she had a headache. He ditched me in Hawaii and flew back overnight. The second year, I put on some lace lingerie, hoping for an intimate night. He’d already unbuckled his belt and was tying me to the bed when Sophia’s call pulled him away again. Her reason? She couldn’t get a cab back to the hospital. After that, no matter the year, Sophia always seemed to have some trouble or another that required his attention. Finally, my heart turned to ice. I decided to file for divorce. But the day I moved out of Los Angeles, he frantically searched for me, like a madman. Today was my seventh birthday since marrying Liam. I threw a birthday party and invited all our friends. Liam promised he would definitely be there this time, as a make-up for all his past absences. But he did come, only he came with Sophia. He sat in the corner of the private room, massaging Sophia’s cramping foot, leaving me standing there awkwardly, alone. My friends shook their heads in dismay, feeling sorry for me. “Look at you, every year you hope he’ll spend your birthday with you, but does he ever truly care about you?” Everyone knew how much this day meant to me, how much I longed to truly celebrate it with him. But halfway through the party, Liam, who was supposed to be cutting the cake with me, left early again. I rushed after him, but he stopped me with a hand. “Sophia’s foot still hasn’t recovered from the cramp. I need to take her home.” “You handle the party tonight. Next time, next time I promise I won’t leave early.” With that, he forcibly pulled his hand away from mine and helped Sophia into his car. Seven years of marriage, and this was the seventh time he’d ruined my birthday because of Sophia. In the past, I would have yelled and screamed, demanding to know why he had to leave at such an important moment. But this time, I stood quietly, a gentle smile on my face. “It’s okay. Sophia’s health is certainly important.” Liam paused, seemingly surprised by my calm. “It’s best you think that way. Tomorrow, I’ll bring you a Tiramisu from your favorite place.” I hummed in agreement, watching him roll up the car window and speed away without a second glance. The moment he was gone, I dropped the smile from my lips. He forgot. I hate caffeine. I can’t stand overly sweet cakes. Tiramisu isn’t my favorite; it’s hers. He’d bought one for me once, trying to cheer me up. Not wanting to hurt his feelings, I forced myself to take a bite, almost gagging. Afterwards, I told him how much I hated coffee and anything too sweet. He’d pulled out his phone immediately, typed it into his notes, and promised he’d never forget. A year later, “never” was already over. The night wind chilled me to the bone, but my heart was already frozen solid. I scoffed, then went back inside. After announcing the party was over, I publicly tore my birthday dress to shreds. I knew this seven-year marriage should be shredded along with it. After all, the annual birthday gift my husband gave me was always the same: his blatant flirtation with another woman. By the end, my best friend, Stella Smith, stayed to comfort me. She watched me sitting dejectedly amidst the ruined party decorations and couldn’t help but speak again: “How about… you finally let go completely this time? Come back to Washington with me. There are more opportunities there. Leave this place, start fresh.” This wasn’t the first time she’d urged me to leave. I looked up, meeting Stella’s worried and indignant gaze. She was my med school roommate and my best friend, from a prominent medical family in Washington. Years ago, when I met Liam during my internship and, head over heels, followed him to Los Angeles, a city where I didn’t know a soul, only Stella vehemently objected, saying I’d regret it someday. Liam came from a small, ordinary town. He was extremely sensitive about his background and hated anyone mentioning family wealth. To spare his feelings, for seven years, I never told him about my true family situation—my parents were also professors at a prestigious medical school, and we were quite well-off. In his eyes, I was just a girl like him, who worked hard to make her way from a modest background. I always thought it wouldn’t be too late to tell him once we were established and our lives were getting better. With this mutual understanding and shared struggle, we grew from resident doctors to key members of our respective departments, winning the hospital’s annual Outstanding Physician Award for three consecutive years. We were considered the “power couple” by everyone. Our lives seemed to be steadily improving. I thought that when the right time came, he would understand everything. But that “right time” was always interrupted by Sophia’s endless “crises.” Lost in thought, I looked at the shredded fabric of my dress scattered on the floor and let out a bitter laugh. In the end, there was no need to say anything anymore. “Okay.” I heard my dry voice say. “Stella, I’ll go with you.” Stella’s eyes lit up. She practically lunged at me, grabbing my cold hands tightly: “You finally came to your senses! I’ll book the soonest flight for you. This crappy place, this crappy guy, we’re done! I’ll help you settle in back home. I’ve got you covered!”

After settling Stella, who was busy arranging my travel, I returned alone to our cold, silent apartment. The entire place was as desolate as ever. After fixing myself a quick meal, I opened Ins and saw Sophia had just posted an update. The picture showed her in a tight-fitting workout outfit, posing intimately with Liam. “Tricked Liam into coming to play basketball with me instead of celebrating Amelia’s birthday! He was a little mad, but I told him we’d go to my place for dinner later, and he cheered right up, hehe.” Seeing that message, I felt a wave of nausea. I knew he wouldn’t be coming home tonight, just like always. Luckily, I had already decided to divorce. I wouldn’t have to suffer in silence anymore. The next morning, I took my packed luggage to the hospital and formally submitted my resignation letter to Dr. Evans, the Department Head, and Human Resources. I started the handover of my work. Because I excelled in my field, Dr. Evans was still trying to persuade me to stay. As we were talking, Liam walked in with a patient’s chart. I glanced over and saw a hickey on his neck, and a perfume scent clinging to him, too strong for even hospital disinfectant to mask. It was clear he’d had a very enjoyable night. He used to hate it when I left marks on him, claiming it affected his rounds. So, even in our most passionate moments, I’d try my best to hold back, or just grip the bedsheets instead. It wasn’t that he didn’t want marks on him, it was just that they couldn’t be from me. As soon as he walked in, Dr. Evans sighed and spoke. “Perfect, you can talk some sense into your wife. She wants to resign. Did you two have a fight?” “It has nothing to do with him.” “You’re resigning?” Two voices spoke at once. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw his gaze fixed on me, his lips slightly pressed. “So, you were angry yesterday because I left early, weren’t you?” Dr. Evans, seeing the tension, discreetly left, giving us space. The moment the door closed, Liam stepped forward and questioned me. “I told you Sophia’s foot cramped, that’s why I took her home. Why are you so petty?” I tried to keep my voice calm, looking up and making up a lie. “I’m not angry. I’m resigning because I’m tired and want to take a vacation and rest.” He crossed his arms, frowning in confusion. “If you want a vacation, just take your annual leave. If you suddenly resign like this, people will think you have an issue with Sophia. How can she, a patient, receive treatment with peace of mind?” He forgot. I’d already burned through all my vacation days this year, spending them on every birthday and anniversary he’d ditched. But he only worried about Sophia’s treatment. My heart ached with sadness. I turned my gaze back to the hickey on his neck, saying nothing. He noticed and subconsciously covered his neck. “This is just an allergic reaction, don’t overthink it.” I was somewhat surprised. He wasn’t arguing with me; he was explaining. But it was such a pathetic excuse. The old me might have believed it. I nodded, still silent. Liam breathed a sigh of relief, apparently thinking my anger had passed, and smiled as he put an arm around my shoulder. “That’s better, can’t you try not to be so dramatic? As doctors, sometimes we need to put the patient’s needs first.” “And don’t bother resigning. Tonight, I’ll take you to that scenic restaurant on the hill, okay? As compensation.” I still didn’t speak. He took my silence as agreement. My intention to say a proper goodbye to him was suppressed. Now, I didn’t want to tell him I was going to Washington.

“Liam!” Sophia pushed the door open without knocking. Liam immediately jumped back from me. Sophia gave an apologetic smile. “Oops, sorry to interrupt you and Amelia, but I really couldn’t help it! I’m a little confused about this prescription…” Liam, without a backward glance, walked towards her, took the patient’s chart from her hand, and patiently asked her what she didn’t understand. Sophia deliberately pressed close to him. The two of them whispered together right in front of me, forming their own little bubble. Then Sophia linked arms with Liam and walked out. The moment she closed the door, she turned back and gave me a taunting smile. Thump. The empty office was filled only with the sound of my breathing. The next second, the necklace on my wrist fell, the chain broke, and the pendant shattered on the floor. Out of nowhere. It was the gift Liam gave me on our first wedding anniversary. He’d said then that he hoped our relationship, like the necklace, would be a lifetime of completeness. I stood in silence for a long time, then, ignoring the pain of the tiny cuts, I carefully gathered the fragments. Along with the last shred of my hesitation for us, I tossed them into the trash. After firmly telling Dr. Evans my decision to resign, I returned to my clinic to hand over my remaining work. My colleague, Ashley, who was taking over, was usually quite friendly with me and seemed genuinely sad to hear the news. “Amelia, are you really leaving?” “Then I’ll have to watch those two flirting in front of me every day!” Following her gaze, I saw Liam explaining a prescription to Sophia. Sophia seemed a bit unhappy, apparently having been gently scolded by Liam. To cheer her up, Liam magically produced a Cartier bracelet from somewhere. She immediately brightened up and put it on. Then, she met my eyes and stood up, flustered. “Amelia, Liam and I aren’t really anything. This isn’t anything special!” Her words immediately drew everyone’s attention to us, their eyes darting between her and me. In seven years of marriage, Liam had never given me anything expensive, and they all, like Liam, thought I came from an ordinary family and didn’t recognize designer brands. Everyone felt sorry for me. Even Ashley, standing next to me, was indignant. “You’re his wife! They’re treating you like an absolute fool!” I gently squeezed her hand, shaking my head repeatedly, signaling her not to get into a heated argument. Then I looked back at Sophia. “That bracelet is beautiful. It suits you well.” Sophia, not seeing me get angry, continued, somewhat unwillingly. “Amelia, it’s really nothing special, don’t be mad.” I just felt confused. Mad? There was no need. I had plenty of bracelets like that, though they were all back at my home in Washington. Liam stood up upon hearing my words, frowning as he scolded me. “Amelia, don’t be so unreasonable.” I sighed, shaking my head. “I’m really not angry. You two should stop making wild guesses about me.” My tone was calm. Liam seemed surprised, then scoffed. “You better not be.” He then pulled Sophia down to sit beside him. Ashley couldn’t help but ask me. “Are you really just going to let them off the hook?” I shrugged while organizing patient records. “Yeah, because as far as I’m concerned, I’ve already decided to divorce him.” Seven birthday parties, not one complete. I was tired of it.

After work, Liam, surprisingly, came to help me pack up my things. “Let’s go. I booked the scenic restaurant on the hill for eight o’clock. We can leave now and get there just in time.” Then his eyes fell on my bare wrist. He froze, asking anxiously, “Where’s the necklace I gave you?” “I was worried about breaking it, so I took it off and left it at home.” He visibly relaxed, smiling at me. “You used to wear it every day. Why are you suddenly keeping it safe?” Before I could come up with another lie, Sophia jogged over and stopped beside us. “Liam, I’m all ready!” Liam’s gaze immediately went to her. He nodded, signaling for her to wait in the car. I watched Sophia walk directly to the passenger seat and wait. In seven years of marriage, I had never once sat in his passenger seat. He said that seat was for the most important person, and I would only get to sit there after we celebrated every anniversary together. Meeting Sophia’s challenging gaze, I looked down, offering no response. My heart no longer held any ripples of emotion. At the restaurant, Liam and Sophia sat on the same side, ordering without asking for my opinion. I happily took a back seat, propping my head on my hand and gazing out the window at the view. After all, after tomorrow, I probably wouldn’t see this city again. When the dishes arrived, Liam, for once, peeled a whole bowl of shrimp for me and placed it in front of me. “The shrimp here is good.” I looked up, meeting his somewhat gentle smile. I hadn’t expected him to consider me at a time like this. Sophia couldn’t resist taking credit. “I recommended this place to Liam! Last time we came here, he ate three whole plates!” Liam’s cheeks flushed in embarrassment. “Why are you telling Amelia all this…” Sophia laughed, covering her mouth, and looked at me, pretending to be embarrassed. “Oh, sorry, Amelia. Don’t let this embarrassing story ruin Liam’s image in your mind, okay?” The two of them burst into laughter again right in front of me. I looked at the bowl of shrimp and suddenly lost my appetite. Forcing myself to take one bite, almost gagging, I pushed it back. “I don’t like it. You can have it.” Their playful banter stopped. Liam asked carefully, “Are you unhappy?” I shook my head. “No, the shrimp is just too fishy. I’m not used to it.” Just like you two. Stinks to high heaven. After dinner, Liam drove the ‘drunk’ Sophia home. It was I who closed the door behind them. Watching them leave, I immediately hailed a cab to the airport. On my phone, Liam was still planning how we’d celebrate my next birthday. Perhaps he felt some guilt; he proactively said he’d make sure my next birthday was celebrated properly. “Don’t worry, this time we’ll really celebrate well. No one will disturb us!” I replied expressionlessly. “Okay.” I knew it was impossible. This birthday would be ruined by him, just like all the others. As I was about to board, he sent another message. “Sophia drank too much and has a stomach ache. I won’t be coming home tonight. Take care of yourself at home.” I scoffed, already knowing. “It’s okay. You can stay at her place. I’ve already packed my bags and left. We won’t have any relationship anymore.” “Liam, goodbye for good.” After sending him that last message, I immediately blocked and deleted him. On the plane, I watched Los Angeles, still sparkling, grow smaller beneath me. And when Liam finally got home, he would find the divorce papers I left for him.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “345396”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn

The first year I signed Marcus Thorne, he insisted on handing over all his earnings from acting for me to manage. He said I was his most trusted agent, and he felt safe with me looking after his money. But at the after-party celebrating his big award win, Marcus publicly demanded that I hand over the funds I’d managed for him over the past five years for a full audit. “After taxes, that’s at least ten to twenty million a year. After five years, there should be tens of millions left, right?” he said. “I don’t want to always be limited by the company’s cut. I’ll use my own savings to start my independent studio.” “Part of it will be seed money, and the rest will be my advance on future profits.” I froze, completely stunned. “But the money in the account isn’t even close to that amount!” Marcus’s face instantly twisted. “Ashley Clark! You blew through tens of millions?!” His new girlfriend, Sienna Reed, immediately shrieked beside him, “Where did all that money go? Did you secretly spend it all?” Marcus started yelling, demanding to see the books. I immediately motioned for my assistant, Chloe, to prepare the projection files. Sienna, however, suddenly panicked, instinctively tugging at Marcus’s sleeve.

The after-party was buzzing, filled with industry bigwigs, media, and friends. Everything was going smoothly until a director laughed and said, “That’s why Ashley’s a super agent, right? She’s managed Marcus’s career perfectly for five years. Now he’s made it big, and he doesn’t have to worry about a thing.” I was a bit confused. What exactly had I “managed perfectly” for Marcus? Before I could figure it out, Sienna suddenly leaned into Marcus, her voice sickeningly sweet. “Marcus is just humble. He always says ‘enough is enough.’ But actually, he’s already planned out his personal studio, even set aside the startup funds!” My jaw almost dropped. Many people in the room shot admiring glances our way. Marcus looked thrilled. He immediately turned to me publicly and said, “Ashley, I handed over all my income for these five years for you to manage. After expenses, there should be tens of millions left, right?” “I don’t want to always be limited by the company’s cut. I’ll use my own savings to start my independent studio.” “Part of it will be seed money, and the rest will be my advance on future profits.” I didn’t know how to respond, but he kept talking. “Whatever the company owes me by contract, just settle it normally. Ashley, don’t think I’m being too calculating. This is the fairest plan I could come up with.” My partner, David, and other friends present genuinely believed Marcus had tens of millions stashed with me. Coupled with his “clear vision,” their eyes held even more approval. David even clapped me on the shoulder. “Marcus being so strategic is a good thing!” Murmurs of agreement filled the air. “Fantastic, a powerful partnership! Marcus has a limitless future, and Ashley’s contribution is undeniable.” I couldn’t stand the fake atmosphere anymore. I set my drink down. “Are you absolutely sure you have tens of millions saved with me?” The once lively room immediately quieted. Facing everyone’s gaze, Marcus paused, then straightened his back. “Of course! My fee for one movie is millions. Over five years, that’s tens of millions. After daily expenses, asking for most of it isn’t unreasonable, is it?” I actually laughed, but it was hollow. “Are you saying… your personal expenses for five years only amounted to a fraction of that? Marcus, think carefully before you speak.” A cold dread settled in my stomach as I finally pieced together the situation. If I foolishly agreed to this money in front of so many people today, I’d never be able to deny it later. Marcus, too lazy to even think, blurted out, “Of course! I live frugally. I spend most of my time on set. How much could I possibly spend?” My face hardened. “What if I told you the money in the account isn’t even close to that amount?” “How is that possible?! Ashley, you’re not funny right now.” Marcus tried hard to maintain his composure in front of the crowd, even as the first half of his sentence almost cracked. He managed to rein in his voice for the second half. Sienna, his girlfriend, stopped smiling and looked stunned. David, sensing something was off, frowned and asked me, “Ashley, what’s going on?” I pressed my lips together, then raised my voice to ensure everyone in the room could hear me. “Marcus’s movie fees were indeed paid into the company account on time, but to maintain his image and social standing, his annual wardrobe expenses, PR fees, and team costs alone run into millions…” Even before I finished, David immediately understood. “But he said his expenses were minimal. After those fixed costs, is there enough left for him to start his own studio?” Marcus’s face instantly fell. He was losing his cool, but still tried to speak in a calm tone. “Ashley, I know some expenses might be significant, but it can’t be that insufficient. Just tell me the truth, how much money do I actually have left with you?” I shrugged. “I told you. It’s nowhere near the amount you’re asking for.” Seeing I was serious, Marcus finally snapped. He shot to his feet. “Ashley! You actually made tens of millions disappear?!” He startled me, and I stood there, bewildered. The unreasonable, furious Marcus standing before me was unrecognizable. I couldn’t believe this was the artist I’d personally brought up, the one I’d worked with day in and day out for five years. Sienna also raised her voice, suddenly shrieking, “Where did all that money go? Did you spend it all yourself?!” The people present started whispering. “We watched Marcus rise to fame. He makes so much money a year, how could it not be enough?” “Tsk, tsk, looks like artist expenses are indeed significant. We’ll have to be more careful with collaborations in the future…” “Exactly. I thought Ashley was so capable, but she can’t even manage accounts properly…” David heard the nasty comments and his face turned grim. But they all knew my character and trusted that I wasn’t reckless. David leaned in and whispered, “Ashley, clear things up now. We don’t take advantage, and we certainly won’t be taken advantage of.” Sienna, with her sharp ears, immediately shot back with a sarcastic tone, “Not taking advantage? Tens of millions are gone! You’ve made enough profit off Marcus over these five years, haven’t you? How could you possibly lose out?” David was a dignified man and wouldn’t stoop to yelling matches. His face flushed with anger. “Ashley, even between partners, accounts should be clear. You understand that, right? Don’t give anyone ammunition for gossip! Since everyone from the industry is here today, let’s settle it face-to-face!” Settle it? Of course, we would. Everyone in the room was craning their necks, eager to watch the drama unfold. How could I disappoint them? I pointed to the designer suit Marcus was wearing. “The suit you have on costs hundreds of thousands. The watch on your wrist is over a million. You have at least a dozen similar outfits in your wardrobe and safe. Were these all brand sponsorships, or did you buy them yourself?” Immediately, hushed calculations began around the room. The conclusion was whispered: “Good heavens, those outfits alone are worth over ten million!” Marcus hadn’t expected me to bring that up. His confidence wavered, and Sienna looked stunned. After a long pause, Marcus finally managed to stammer, “Some were gifted by brands, some were for work! You’re not trying to pin those on me, are you? How could you even think of that!” I was so annoyed, I laughed out loud. “When did I ever say I was going to pin them on you?” At most, it was my own misjudgment. Then my gaze shifted to Sienna. The diamond necklace around her neck was the birthday gift Marcus had “given” her this year. I knew the price: a seven-figure sum. Before today, Marcus and I had a pretty good working relationship. While he might have gotten a bit full of himself after his success and was overly image-conscious, he didn’t have any major flaws and generally treated me with respect. Especially in career planning, we were very compatible and had the same goals. He earned a lot and spent lavishly. I never imagined his generosity was because he thought all the money was his own, so he spent it without a second thought, like it was a bottomless ATM. Once the glamorous facade was torn away, our five years together turned out to be so pathetic. Just to maintain his image and reputation, I sometimes even paid for those luxury items myself. Looking back now, how foolish of me! Noticing my gaze, Sienna immediately clutched her necklace, and Marcus stepped in front of her. “That’s also my gift to Sienna! It shouldn’t be included, right?” A wave of nausea washed over me. “I know. I didn’t plan to include everything. I just want to ask you one last time: Do you still want to keep going with this audit? Do you admit that there isn’t the tens of millions you’re looking for in the account?” Marcus roared, “Yes, calculate it! Why wouldn’t we? Even if these are my expenses, it’s only a few million. Those were for work! You say there’s not enough money, so where did it go? I want to see what else you can list!” I repeated “Good” three times, then gestured for Chloe to open the projector and connect my tablet. “These are some of the invoices the company paid for you. Top-tier acting and image training courses, totaling almost five million over five years.” “Exclusive styling team, annual media relations, and crisis management fees, a fixed two million per year, which is ten million over five years.” “The extra coordination fees paid to secure your role in ‘Night Walker,’ two million.” “The cost to quell public opinion and pay compensation after your DUI incident last year, one and a half million…” Marcus ground his teeth. “Fine, those count… Even if they’re almost twenty million, my income over these years is far more than that! What about the rest?” Just then, Sienna suddenly, nervously, and with a strange expression, tugged at Marcus’s sleeve. “Marcus! Stop calculating!” Both David and I noticed her unusual behavior. Marcus looked confused. “Sienna, what are you doing? Of course we have to clear this up! How can I start my studio if we don’t? You just said…” Sienna grabbed his arm, forcing a dry laugh as she looked at everyone. “We were just a bit impulsive earlier, and maybe spoke without thinking, but it’s such a large sum of money, we were just anxious. Please don’t mind us. Let’s discuss the specific details privately. Everyone, let’s drink and celebrate Marcus’s award first!” Marcus wasn’t listening. He pushed her hand away. “Sienna! What’s there to celebrate now? According to Ashley, I not only have no money but I’m in debt! How am I supposed to start a studio? If she doesn’t clear the accounts with me today, I’m not done with her!”

“Not done with me?” I immediately announced. “Even if the accounts are cleared, our management contract ends here. I’m afraid if we continue working together, I’ll be left with nothing but bones.” Smash! The whole room fell silent. Marcus had actually hurled his champagne glass, shattering it at my feet. “Ashley! That’s enough!” His face was contorted with rage. “Did you take all my money?! Otherwise, how could tens of millions just vanish?! I truly misjudged you!” His behavior was utterly disgraceful. David and my other partner snapped out of their shock. One shielded me, the other stepped forward to confront Marcus. Marcus, seeing David approach, impulsively pushed him. Seeing this, I rushed forward without thinking. “Marcus, what are you doing!” Sienna saw me coming and tried to grab me, but David stepped in to block her. The scene instantly descended into chaos. It only got worse. People from both sides initially tried to break it up, but the pushing intensified. The room was filled with murmurs and shouts of warning. Marcus even tried to lunge at me in the commotion. Just as things spiraled completely out of control, the hotel manager burst into the ballroom with security guards. “Ladies and gentlemen! Please calm down! Or we will call the police!” With the forceful intervention of security, the two sides were finally separated. Marcus spat on the ground, pushing back his sweat-soaked hair, revealing a small cut on his forehead from the broken glass. “Ashley, I don’t think we should let it get like this. We worked together for five years, how can we just end it? Right? How about this, the contract isn’t expired yet, is it? Just pay me out the remaining money at the lowest percentage. I won’t even ask for the breach of contract fee. Let’s part ways amicably.” Part ways amicably? He just nearly threw a glass at me! Now he tells me to part ways amicably? His calculations were written all over his face! I shot back at him, “No way. Everything will be handled according to the contract.” Seeing my resolve, he dropped the act and yelled, “Fine! Ashley, you want to play hardball! Then give me what’s mine right now, or I’ll make sure everyone knows what kind of person you really are!” I clutched my arm, where I’d been pushed, and calmly replied, “I’m sending you all the relevant account statements right now. Take a good look. Not only do you not have any ‘savings,’ but your actions constitute a breach of contract, and the company will pursue legal action against you. I’ll return your words: if this isn’t settled by contract, we’ll see each other in court. If you want to clear things up, let’s do it now. If you don’t understand anything, you can ask publicly.” With that, I directly displayed the relevant document pages from my tablet. Marcus was about to look when Sienna suddenly rushed forward and smashed the tablet to the floor. Marcus stared, stunned. “Sienna, what are you doing?!” Sienna, unable to come up with an excuse, clutched her head and swayed to the side. “Oh, my head is spinning, Marcus, quick, take me to the lounge…” Marcus took Sienna and left, but not before threatening me to “just wait.” Soon, the crowd dispersed, leaving only David and me. David sighed. “Ashley, let’s start legal proceedings now. Those two aren’t going to back down.” I nodded, knowing that the real trouble was just beginning.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “345395”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn

I was born bad. That’s what my family’s “psychic” black cat decided about me. Mom always said the cat could sense people’s true nature. Good hearts drew it close. Evil ones made it hiss and snarl. When Jasmine—the girl my parents took in—stole money from the house to tip male streamers on TikTok, the black cat would just roll over lazily, exposing its belly to her. But me? Even when I was just trying to feed it a small fish because it looked hungry, it would arch its back and screech at me, its claws leaving deep, bleeding gashes across my hands. At first, I tried to explain. But Mom would just shove me away: “Beasts have instincts. They don’t wrong innocent people! Maybe the pain will teach you something!” After countless scratches and insults, I started to believe it too. That I was rotten to the core. The day the hurricane made landfall, seawater flooded the streets. A heavy shelving unit collapsed and pinned my leg. I struggled, reaching out to Mom as she ran past: “Mom! Help me! My leg is trapped!” But that black cat just screeched at me like I was a demon. Mom glanced at me thrashing in the muddy water. Her eyes turned cold and vicious: “Playing victim to drag us down with you? You really are rotten to your core!” She picked up Jasmine and climbed onto the only life raft without looking back. As the icy seawater covered my nose and mouth, drowning me, I couldn’t help but think—Mom must be right. The cat was screaming, so I must not really be trapped. I must just be evil. I’m sorry, Mom. In my next life, I’ll be good.

When my soul left my body, I actually felt relief. The burning agony in my stomach and the suffocating feeling of cold water filling my lungs—both finally disappeared. I floated in mid-air, looking down at my own body. Nothing but skin and bones, crushed under a heavy metal shelving unit in the murky, muddy water. Strange. Even though I was dead, I could still “see” something at the location of my stomach—a dense mass of dark, ominous energy coiled there. So that black cat hadn’t been wrong after all. I really was bad. Rotten to the core. Even my soul carried filth. The hurricane lasted three days. On the fourth day, the water receded. I heard Mom and Jasmine coming home, laughing and chatting. “Mom, thank god you made that quick decision. We got to stay in that downtown hotel for three days and even bought the latest gaming console.” That was Jasmine’s voice, tinged with smugness. “Of course. When have I ever steered you wrong?” Mom’s tone dripped with affection. The door swung open. Seeing the mess and mud covering everything, Mom’s face instantly soured. She raised her voice, shouting into the empty house: “Aria! Where the hell are you?! Even the cat made it home before you!” A black cat gracefully stepped inside—Shadow, the “judge” who’d decided my fate. It avoided the trash on the floor and leaped lightly onto the only clean surface left: the top of a cabinet. I floated in front of Mom, my soul so weak it was nearly transparent. I opened my mouth and used every ounce of strength I had left to shout: “Mom, my stomach hurts so much. I’m right here…” Of course, she couldn’t hear me. She just waved her hand irritably, like she was swatting away an annoying mosquito. Just then, Shadow suddenly arched its back and let out a piercing shriek—directed at the spot where my body lay. Mom’s gaze immediately followed. She looked at the collapsed shelving and debris. Her face showed no concern for her missing daughter. Instead, she sneered coldly. “See? Even the cat can sense how unlucky this place is. That brat must have brought bad energy back home.” Jasmine chimed in gleefully: “Aria probably thought cleaning up was too much work and ran off again. She’s always been lazy.” Mom nodded approvingly. “Exactly. A bad seed like her has no conscience. We don’t need to worry about her.” “Starve her for a few days. She’ll crawl back on her own.” I watched them, their casual cruelty so natural. A bone-deep chill pierced my soul. Late that night, after they’d gone to sleep, I drifted back to my corpse and stared at that pale, swollen face. Memories flooded back—all those nights I’d been punished, forbidden from eating. I’d hidden in back alleys, fighting stray dogs for scraps in dumpsters. Spoiled buns. Moldy bread. Even rotten vegetable leaves covered in dirt. That’s when my stomach first started hurting—like a small knife scraping and burning inside me. I thought it was just hunger. It wasn’t. It was me. I was broken.

On the fifth day, the weather cleared. Once the sun came out, the smell inside the house became absolutely horrific. The heat and humidity accelerated decomposition. The stench mixed rotting flesh with the particular foulness of diseased organs. Mom finally couldn’t take it anymore and started cleaning the living room. She cleaned while cursing under her breath. “That damn Aria, who knows where she ran off to. Left the house looking like a garbage dump!” A small brown medicine bottle rolled across the floor and blocked her mop. It was my stomach medicine bottle. When the pain got unbearable, I’d secretly used money from collecting recyclables to buy it. Cheap stuff, but it helped a little. Mom read the label. Her face twisted with contempt. “More of her fake sick act!” She kicked the bottle away like it was trash, sending it rolling into a corner. The bottle disappeared into the mud. Gone forever. I wanted so badly to tell her: Mom, it really hurt. I wasn’t faking. But I could only watch helplessly. The putrid smell in the air grew stronger and stronger. Mom finally couldn’t hold it in. She covered her nose and gagged. “Did that slob Aria drag home garbage from the dumpsters?! Why does it stink so bad?!” She cursed while searching for the source of the smell. Jasmine emerged from her room, also covering her nose. That’s when she spotted something poking out from under the shelving through the mud. My swollen, purple fingers. Jasmine’s whole body jerked in fright, her face going deathly pale. But she quickly recovered. Calmly, she used her foot to kick a floating piece of dirty wood over, covering my hand perfectly. “Mom,” she whined, hugging Margaret’s arm, “This smell is disgusting. Let’s just go back to the hotel!” “When Aria gets back, make her scrub every inch of this floor on her knees!” Mom agreed immediately. “Good idea. Let’s go! Let her guard this garbage heap by herself!” Before leaving, Mom seemed to remember something. She went to the kitchen and locked all the crackers and bread from the cupboard into a metal box. Then she opened the fridge and dumped everything inside—all the leftovers, even half a carton of milk—straight into the trash. After finishing, she looked satisfied, like she’d gotten revenge. She dusted off her hands. “Want to sneak back and steal food? Not a chance!” I watched them throw away all that food, feeling nothing but numbness. Once upon a time, those things had been “delicacies” I’d searched dumpsters for hours to find. The door slammed shut. It didn’t just seal off that reeking space. It severed the last thread of possibility that they might ever treat me like a human being.

On the sixth day, the smell of death grew so strong that the entire building could smell it. The neighbors couldn’t stand it anymore. Someone finally called the police. Two officers knocked on our door. Mom opened it. When she saw the police, she froze for a moment, then quickly put on a pitiful expression. “Officers, what can I do for you?” “We received a report about a very strong odor coming from your home. There’s concern that something might be decomposing.” Mom’s heart jumped, but her face remained calm. She denied it flatly: “No, nothing like that. The hurricane just brought in some water. It’s a little musty, that’s all.” One officer frowned. “Is someone in your household missing?” Mom’s eyes flickered. She sighed and began her performance. “Don’t even get me started. My ungrateful daughter ran away from home.” She wiped at her completely dry eyes, her voice carrying just the right amount of grievance. “Officers, you don’t understand. My biological daughter has always been rebellious. This time she didn’t like the mess and just left without a word. She’s probably off with some boy!” “Biological daughter”—she said those words quickly, almost urgently, like she’d let something slip. I floated in the air, watching her coldly. She was lying again. But this time, she’d accidentally said something that was actually true. The officers were skeptical and tried to enter the house for an inspection. Mom blocked them desperately. “It’s such a mess inside. I can’t let you in! When she comes home, I’ll make sure to discipline her properly!” Eventually, the police left, fooled by her lies. The moment they were gone, Jasmine crept out of her room, her face full of panic. “Mom, the cat kept meowing just now. It says there’s bad energy here. What if Aria… brought something unclean home?” Jasmine’s words played right into Mom’s superstitions. She believed in this stuff completely. “You’re right!” Mom slapped her thigh. “That cursed girl must have picked up bad luck somewhere and brought it back here!” And so, a grand “purification ritual” began. Mom went out and bought loads of sage and incense, lighting them all over the house. Thick smoke instantly filled every room, choking anyone who tried to open their eyes. Jasmine “helpfully” went to my shabby closet and pulled out my only thick jacket. Dad had brought it back for me one New Year. It was cheap, from a street vendor, but I’d treasured it. Jasmine held up my jacket and said to Mom: “Mom, I read that burning her belongings will sever the dead’s attachment and scare the spirit away from coming home.” “Burn it! Burn it all!” Without hesitation, Mom threw the jacket into the burning basin. Flames licked at the fabric and quickly devoured it. Just then, Dad’s video call came through. On the screen was his impatient face. “How’s everything at home? Why is there so much smoke?” Mom was coughing from the thick smoke but forced a smile at the screen. “Everything’s fine. Just a little damp, so I’m burning some stuff.” Dad grunted, then asked casually: “Where’s Aria? Let me talk to her.” Mom glanced at Jasmine. Jasmine immediately understood, lowering her head to look hurt and innocent. Mom sighed and said into the phone: “Your wonderful daughter? She’s something else! Didn’t like the mess here, so she ran off with some guy. It’s been seven days and she hasn’t come home. Her phone’s off too!” “Forget about her! Better if she dies out there!” Dad went silent for a few seconds on the other end. Finally, he just said irritably, “Got it,” and hung up. From start to finish, he never asked another question. In the swirling smoke, I watched this couple—one lying, one indifferent. Together, they’d burned away the last trace of my existence.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “345394”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn

The new secretary at the office has the same name as me, but she’s ten years younger. During the company’s annual health check, the medical staff mixed up our ages and gave me her HIV-positive test results by mistake. When I found out it was a false alarm, I was relieved. I was still trying to figure out how to gently break the truth to the secretary when I accidentally caught her hooking up with my husband in his office. I stood outside Connor Blackwell’s office, the test report in my hand practically crumpling under my grip. A woman’s flirty voice drifted through the door. “Connor, be gentle. I’m carrying your baby, remember?” Connor held her close, his voice dripping with affection as he chuckled softly. “Don’t worry. The doctor said it’s fine to have sex during pregnancy.” “But…” “Relax. Once the baby’s born, I’m making you my wife.” My brain exploded. The woman kept up her act, her voice sickeningly sweet. “But what about Iris? She’s already 35. Poor thing.” My name is Iris Bennett. The company’s new secretary? Her name is Iris Bennett too. She’s ten years younger than me, fresh out of college, all dewy-eyed and perky. Connor let out a cold snort. “She can’t even give me a kid. If she wasn’t somewhat useful to the company all these years, I would’ve divorced her ages ago.” I leaned against the hallway wall, my entire body going cold. We’ve been married for ten years. I never got pregnant because Connor has low sperm count. To protect his fragile ego, I covered for him. I told everyone it was my problem, that we could try IVF. To have a baby, I endured round after round of fertility shots, suffering through every needle. Turns out, in his mind, I was just a hen that couldn’t lay eggs. The secretary giggled happily. “Connor, I saw this pregnancy mattress I really want. It’s like fifty thousand dollars…” “Buy it.” Connor agreed without hesitation. “I’ll transfer you a hundred grand. Use the rest for supplements. You’re carrying my child—I won’t let you suffer.” Just last night, I’d transferred a hundred thousand dollars to Connor. He said his mom had a heart attack and needed bypass surgery. All his money was tied up in projects, and he couldn’t liquidate fast enough. That hundred thousand was my money. My mom gave it to me before she died. She said it was a woman’s security, not to be touched unless absolutely necessary. I transferred it anyway. I thought it was saving a life. Turns out, it went to his mistress. I turned and left, my steps unsteady, my mind a chaotic mess. I thought back to three days ago, when the company organized its annual wellness screening. I arrived late. By the time I got there, all the test packets had been handed out. The nurse rummaged around for a while before finding mine. “Iris Bennett, right?” I glanced at it, ready to shove the report into my bag, when I noticed a line of small print at the bottom: [HIV preliminary screening: Positive. Recommend follow-up testing immediately.] I froze. My first thought was: impossible. Connor and I have been married ten years. Our sex life has been practically nonexistent. In the past six months, he barely touched me. And I’ve never been with anyone else. How could I have this disease? Then a nurse rushed over, flustered, saying they’d mixed up the reports. That’s when I realized—they’d accidentally swapped mine with another Iris in the company. She was the new secretary. Only 25 years old. I was still trying to figure out how to delicately suggest she get retested when I overheard the conversation in his office.

I didn’t go back to the office. Instead, I drove straight to the city’s CDC clinic. Registration. Blood draw. Testing. The doctor said post-exposure prophylaxis works best within 72 hours of high-risk contact. Taking it now? The effectiveness was uncertain. I picked up the medication and swallowed it with cold water. Whether it worked or not, I had to take it. As I walked out of the clinic, I spotted a familiar license plate. Connor’s black Audi. In the passenger seat, the secretary leaned against him, smiling sweetly. They were at the clinic too. I ducked behind a pillar and overheard the secretary asking in a sugary voice: “Connor, did you hear? Someone at the company tested positive for HIV.” Connor frowned. “Who told you that?” “Jake from HR told me secretly. He said they didn’t release the name to protect privacy.” The secretary lowered her voice. “Who do you think it is?” Connor scoffed. “Who cares? It’s got nothing to do with us. Just focus on the baby and stop worrying.” “But…” “No buts.” Connor pulled her closer. “That kind of dirty disease—only people who sleep around get it. Not like you who gave me her first time.” She nestled into his arms, blushing. “Then you better treat me right…” “Of course I will.” I stayed hidden behind the pillar, my nails digging into my palms. Her first time? If she’d only been with Connor, she wouldn’t have that disease. Just then, my phone buzzed. It was Marcus Reed, the headhunter. “Have you thought about it? We’re still holding the position for you. Fifty percent salary increase, plus equity incentives.” Marcus had been trying to recruit me for six months. I’d always turned him down. Because Connor built his company from the ground up, and I was his first employee. From a startup with three desks to a team of over fifty people—I’d given everything. I thought we’d be together forever. Now I see how stupid I was. “I’ve made up my mind.” My voice was calm. “I can start next week.” “Fantastic!” Marcus sounded thrilled. “I’ll send the offer letter right away.” I hung up and watched Connor’s car pull out of the clinic parking lot. The last bit of reluctance in my heart vanished completely. That evening, Connor came home early. For once. Takeout boxes sat on the table. He’d even lit candles. “You’re back?” He looked up at me, smiling warmly. “Long day?” I stood in the doorway, unmoving. “What’s wrong?” He walked over, reaching for my bag. I stepped back. His hand froze mid-air. “I’m not feeling well.” I said. “Might be coming down with something.” His eyes flickered, but he quickly smiled again. “Get some rest then. Oh, by the way, I’m going on a business trip next week. About a week.” I sneered inwardly. Going on a romantic getaway with the secretary , more like. I’d just seen her bragging about it on Instagram. “Okay.” I nodded. “I’m going on a trip too.” He blinked. “You’re traveling?” “Yeah. A project I need to close.” I kept my expression neutral. “Might be gone two weeks.” “That long?” He frowned, but quickly relaxed. “Alright. Stay safe.” Then he leaned closer. “It’s been a while since we… you know. How about tonight?” He smiled suggestively, his hand sliding to my waist. Every hair on my body stood on end. Not from desire. From disgust. “I can’t.” I pushed him away. “I’m sick. I don’t want you to catch it.” He looked annoyed. “It’s just a cold…” “What if it’s the flu?” I stared at him. “You can’t afford to get sick right now. The company needs you.” He finally backed off, looking sheepish. “Fine. Get some sleep.” I locked myself in the bathroom. Turned on the shower. My stomach churned. I scrubbed the places he’d touched, scrubbing until my skin turned red. Thank God he hadn’t touched me in the past six months. Otherwise, I’d be the one at the clinic getting blood drawn.

The next morning, I went to the office to submit my resignation letter. The HR manager looked shocked. “Ms. Bennett, why are you suddenly resigning? Does Connor know?” “I’ll tell him myself.” I slid the letter across the desk. “According to my contract, I have a one-month transition period.” “I… I need to check with Connor first.” “No need.” The office door swung open. The secretary strutted in wearing high heels, clutching a report in her hand. She looked at me, a smile on her lips but contempt in her eyes. “Iris is resigning?” She slapped the report on the desk. “Is it because of this?” I looked down. It was the mixed-up test report. On the last page, a line of small print had been circled in red pen: [HIV preliminary screening: Positive.] The HR manager gasped. Outside the office, a crowd had gathered, whispering: “Ms. Bennett has HIV?” “She always acted so proper…” “I literally ate lunch with her today. Could I get infected?” I looked up at the secretary . “This isn’t my test report.” “It’s not?” She raised an eyebrow. “But it clearly has your name on it.” “The nurse made a mistake. If you don’t believe me, call the clinic.” The secretary smiled. “Then why are you resigning? Is it because you got this dirty disease and you’re too ashamed to stay? Are you quitting to go get treatment?” Connor burst into the room. He saw the report on the desk. His face turned gray. “Iris!” He pointed at me, his voice shaking. “What the hell is this?!” I said nothing. The secretary clung to his arm, her voice soft. “Connor, don’t be upset. Maybe Iris went to a dirty public bathhouse or something…” “A bathhouse?” Connor shoved her aside, his eyes bloodshot as he glared at me. “This is a dirty disease! Only people who sleep around get it!” Silence fell over the room. Everyone stared at us. I looked at Connor. This man I’d loved for ten years. The disgust and fear in his eyes were so real, so piercing. “I didn’t sleep around.” I said. “Then how did you get this disease?!” He roared. “You think I’m an idiot?!” The secretary spoke softly. “Connor, I looked it up. Iris doesn’t have symptoms yet, so it must be early-stage infection. Maybe one or two months…” Connor froze, then visibly relaxed. “One month…” He muttered. “Thank God I haven’t touched you in months…” I laughed. “So,” I looked at Connor, “you actually believe I have HIV?” “The evidence is right here!” He jabbed at the report. “You still gonna deny it?!” “Then what if I told you,” I said slowly, “that I’m pregnant?” The office erupted. “Pregnant?!” “Ms. Bennett is pregnant?!” “Then the baby…” Connor’s face went completely dark. “Bullshit!” He screamed. “How long has it been since I touched you?! Whose asshole are you carrying?!” The secretary looked stunned, but quickly recovered. “Iris, even if you want to keep Connor, you can’t make up lies like this…” “I’m not lying.” I touched my stomach. “I just found out yesterday, I am pregnant.” “That night Connor got drunk…”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “345393”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn

Mom was a parenting influencer with a million followers. She preached about raising children with freedom and respect for their natural instincts, yet she demanded I score perfect grades. For every point less than 100%, she’d slap me once. If I scored 90%, I’d be locked in the basement for ten hours without food. To control me and my twin sister, Mom had “anti-laziness chips” implanted near our hearts. If I zoned out for even one minute, my heart would throb with excruciating pain. But when Bella binge-watched ten episodes of a TV series, Mom said she was just “balancing work and play.” Bella secretly erased my name from my perfect-score test and wrote hers instead. Mom flew into a rage. She stormed to school and slapped me ninety-nine times in front of my entire class. “You got a zero? How stupid can you be!” Dad was silent for a few seconds before saying, “Elena, your mom is doing this for your own good. Don’t blame her.” Everyone sided with Mom, accusing me of being ungrateful. I tried to explain, but the next thing I felt was the piercing electric shock. I looked at her with questioning eyes. What about Bella? Why does she get to do whatever she wants? My lips turned pale as I whispered, “Mom, I can’t take this anymore.” Mom looked down at me from above. “You scored a zero. You have no right to be lazy. Study now! No food until you finish.” Outside my bedroom, the house was lively. I couldn’t help thinking—maybe if I just rest for a moment, Mom won’t notice.

The chip had been activated long ago. Whenever I wasn’t actively studying, it would keep working, keep shocking me. “Mom, it hurts so much. In my next life, I don’t want to hurt like this anymore.” “Mom, I’m sorry. I’m just so tired.” The constant electric shocks made my body convulse on the bed. My arms were covered in bloody scratch marks. The door opened. Mom came in. Can I eat now? I’m so hungry! “Elena, why are you lying in bed again? Why haven’t you finished your math problems?” She grabbed my chin, her voice seething with anger. “When will you stop being so lazy? If you don’t get into college, what will happen to you? Who’s going to want you?” “Get up and write! Now!” “No food until you finish!” Mom must have forgotten I hadn’t eaten in a day and a night. Otherwise, why wouldn’t she let me eat? Bella called from the doorway. “Mom! The Christmas Eve special is about to start. Come watch TV!” “Mom, just forgive Elena. I’m sure she didn’t mean to get a zero.” Mom stood up, her voice filled with resentment. “I think she’s deliberately trying to make me die of anger.” “How did I give birth to such a useless daughter!” Years of mental control, combined with constant beatings and abuse. I couldn’t understand. We were both her biological daughters—why did my own mother treat me and my twin sister so differently? “Don’t worry about her. I’ll use the app to turn the chip up to maximum. Then we’ll see if she dares to slack off!” Dad hesitated outside the door. “Won’t that be too much for Elena to handle?” “It’s Christmas Eve. Let her rest for one day.” Mom shot him a look. “Elena’s spoiled because of you. She’ll never learn unless it hurts.” “This is the only way she’ll get into a good college.” Dad hesitated. “But…” Before he could finish, Mom cut him off. “Look, they both have the same chip. Why doesn’t Bella feel pain?” “It’s because Elena is too lazy. Not like Bella, who scores perfect grades.” Bella stood beside them, gently holding Mom’s arm. “Mom, don’t worry. I’d never slack off like Elena. You can turn on my chip if you don’t believe me.” Mom stroked her hand. “I believe you. That’s why you get perfect scores.” “You’re such a good girl, Bella. I’ll never activate your chip.” So Bella’s chip didn’t hurt—not because it didn’t work, but because Mom had never turned it on. The shocks grew stronger. Our handwriting on the test was so different, yet Mom never questioned it. Bella closed the door. “Elena, study hard. I’m going to watch the fireworks with Mom and Dad.” I want to go too. The fireworks filling the sky must be so beautiful. It hurts so much. The chip is reminding me not to slack off. But I’m not slacking off. I’m the one who got the perfect score. I forced myself to sit up but instantly collapsed from the shock. Mom, I’m not slacking off. I’ve been studying so hard. I’m just so tired, so exhausted. Just let me rest for a moment. Just one moment. But slowly, I stopped feeling the pain. With my last bit of strength, I dragged myself to the desk. I pulled out a crumpled notebook. Inside were all my memories with Mom. January 15th. Sunny. Mom checked the app and said I got distracted for two minutes in class. She locked me in the pitch-black basement for two hours. Mom gave me the free pumpkin cookies that came with her order. Mom really loves me. Bella ate snacks during class. Mom didn’t scold her—she took her out for dinner at a fancy restaurant instead. This time, I wasn’t just writing a diary entry. I wanted to write down the whole truth. “Mom, I really wasn’t slacking off or sleeping in. I woke up at 5 a.m. every school day, but Bella kept hiding my school ID so I couldn’t get into the building.” “Mom, the perfect-score test was mine. Bella lied. I know you don’t believe me, but I left you a letter. You’ll understand after you read it.” “Mom, tonight I wasn’t deliberately avoiding my homework. It’s because I’m dying. Can you forgive me?” By the time I finished writing the last word, the yellowed paper was soaked with my tears. The old pen fell to the floor and broke. Even though Mom gave me a used pen while Bella got a 14K gold one, I still treasured it. It was the only gift Mom ever gave me. But now I couldn’t pick it up. My heart was being shocked continuously by the chip, but I couldn’t feel the pain anymore. My expression froze as I watched myself float upward. So this is what dying feels like.

On Christmas Eve, the house was quiet inside, lively outside. I hid in Mom’s closet. It smelled like her. Past midnight, the door opened. It was Bella. “Mom, I want to sleep with you tonight.” Mom’s gentle voice responded. “Of course, sweetheart. Whatever you want.” “I’m always Mommy’s good girl.” Listening to their laughter, I couldn’t help remembering—for as long as I could remember, Mom had never hugged me, let alone let me sleep with her. I came out of the closet, instinctively wanting to heat up their milk. Every night before, I’d heat them each a glass of milk before they went to bed. It was ingrained in my bones. “Mom, the milk is the perfect temperature. Please don’t be angry. I promise I’ll only eat, sleep, and study from now on.” But my hand passed right through the cup. Mom frowned. “Elena! Don’t you know we’re about to go to sleep?” “Slacking off again? Why haven’t you come out to heat our milk?” I froze. Mom, I haven’t. Bella deliberately said, “Mom, Elena’s probably mad we didn’t take her to see the fireworks. She’s hiding in her room sulking.” Mom grabbed the baseball bat nearby. “At her age, throwing tantrums? I’ll beat her until she behaves!” Seeing the bat, I started trembling reflexively. If Mom finds out I’m dead, will she hit me less? I followed Mom as she floated toward my little storage room. It wasn’t big—just enough space for a 0.9-meter bed and a small desk. On the desk was a small lamp and mountains of test papers piled high. Click. The door swung open with a creak. Mom tried to turn on the light, but it had been broken for a while. In the faint glow from the fireworks outside, she could barely make out my shape lying in bed. The blanket covered my head. Mom was furious. She jabbed at me with the baseball bat. “All you do is sleep. How did I give birth to such a lazy daughter?” Tears streamed down my face. “Mom, I’m not sleeping. Just lift the blanket and you’ll see!” “Mom, I’m really not sleeping…” But she couldn’t hear me. Mom walked closer to the bed, step by step. Just as she was about to pull back the blanket— I held my breath. The next second. Mom opened the app controlling the chip. “The app shows you studied attentively for less than ten minutes. You spent the rest of the time slacking off.” Bella walked in, boasting. “Mom, I studied for eight hours today. Not like Elena.” “That’s wonderful. Don’t you dare turn out like Elena.” Mom said coldly, “The app just released a new punishment mode—hypothermia. Whenever Elena feels sleepy while studying, it’ll make her so cold she wakes up.” Dad hesitated. “It’s Christmas Eve. Don’t make her cold. Just let Elena sleep warm for one night.” Mom snapped, “Sleep? Absolutely not!” “Warmth kills the will to study. You’re the one who spoiled her.” “Look at the app—she can’t even focus for a full hour. She has zero self-control.” “I’m doing this for her own good.” “Stop coddling her. When she wakes up freezing in the middle of the night, she’ll realize her mistake.” She closed the door. The storage room plunged into darkness again. I crouched in the corner. So cold. Cold to the core. Mom, if you’d given me even a fraction of your love, you would’ve noticed I wasn’t even breathing. If I were sleeping, how could I not feel pain? Mom didn’t used to be like this. In winter, she’d ask if I wore enough layers. In summer, she’d remind me to drink water every day… But ever since that anti-laziness chip, everything changed. She only trusted the chip’s readings. She stopped believing anything I said.

The next day, the smell of frying bacon and chocolate muffins woke my spirit. This was my favorite breakfast. But I hadn’t had it in so long. Mom said people who scored zeros only deserved water. I knew Mom was using food to make me submit. But I was too exhausted to explain anymore. No matter what I said, no matter how I defended myself, Mom thought I was making excuses. Wait—I don’t need food anymore. Dad looked at his newspaper. “Why isn’t Elena up yet?” “Did the cold actually make her sick?” Mom slammed down her fork. “How is that possible? She’s probably just throwing another tantrum.” Bella ate her bacon and muffins with relish. Suddenly, her eyes lit up. She walked to my door and said loudly, “Elena, your teacher sent you a message. She said anyone who got a zero has to copy the entire textbook.” I looked at Bella. She was the one who had to copy the textbook. When no one answered from inside, Mom walked over. “Elena! Did you hear me? You’re not coming out until you finish copying.” Dad put down his newspaper and picked up a muffin. “At least let Elena eat something before she copies. Otherwise the kid won’t be able to handle it.” Dad walked closer to my room, step by step. My heart rose to my throat. If Dad opened the door, he’d definitely notice I wouldn’t wake up no matter how much he called. Seeing me motionless and curled up, he’d definitely pull back the blanket to check if I had a fever. Dad pushed open the door. Light streamed in. Mom was outside, muttering angrily. “Still lying there. So incredibly lazy…” Dad set down the muffin, suspicion rising. “Elena, why aren’t you up yet? Are you feeling sick?” “Are you still mad at your mom? She just wants you to improve. Don’t blame her.” Dad’s hand landed on my blanket. I held my breath instinctively. A second later, I realized—I didn’t need to breathe anymore. But just then, Dad’s phone rang. “What?” “Okay, I’ll be right there.” He rushed out of my room and grabbed his coat. “My coworker got in a car accident. I need to cover his shift. Take care of the girls.” Before Mom could respond, Dad was already out the door, his back barely visible. He was so close. Just a little closer and Dad would’ve discovered I was dead. Maybe then Mom wouldn’t blame me anymore. Mom stood in the doorway. “Elena, I’ve locked the door from the outside. Starting today, you’ll stay in your room and copy that textbook. You’ll come out when you’re done.” After locking it, Mom pocketed the key with satisfaction. I stared at the locked door—just like my heart. Dead. My spirit never made a sound. If she’d just looked at me once, asked me once, she would’ve realized I was dead. But Mom didn’t. She didn’t even step one foot into my room. Mom, if there’s a next life, please don’t be my mother.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “345392”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn

I just found out I was pregnant. Then I found out my husband was cheating. But everyone in my life told me to forgive him. My husband got on his knees and swore he’d never contact that woman again. I swallowed my disgust and decided to forgive him this once. But the trauma triggered severe depression and OCD. From that day on, my husband had to disinfect everything he touched. If he wanted to touch my arm, he had to wear gloves. Finally, when I complained about finding a single hair on the floor, he snapped. He ripped off his protective gear and exploded. “Enough! I cheated ONCE, and you’re going to punish me forever? You’re acting like a psycho!” He deliberately trashed the house. Smashed plates. Kicked over the garbage can. As I stood there looking at the mess, a sharp pain tore through my stomach. Blood began streaming down my legs. And I felt… relieved. “Derek, let’s get divorced.” 1 I couldn’t let it go. The betrayal cut too deep. Knowing that when I was just one month pregnant, he couldn’t keep it in his pants. He had to screw his secretary. The disgust wouldn’t go away. I tried. God, I tried. I tried to forget. Tried to listen to our families. Tried to be the forgiving wife. But I couldn’t. Derek shoved the door open, grabbed his coat, and stormed out. “I can’t do this anymore. I’m a person too. You want a divorce? Fine. Let’s divorce.” He couldn’t even look at me. Didn’t notice the blood pooling on the floor. The contractions at five months hit hard. I collapsed, barely managing to call 91

The tears wouldn’t stop. I never imagined we’d end up here. Hating each other. I remembered him when we were young. That confident smile. All our friends watching as he carried me to the wedding car. He promised forever. We kissed in that church like we meant it. But promises mean nothing. The paramedics lifted me onto the stretcher. They stared at all the blood. The EMT examined me, her face grim. “I’m sorry, but you’re losing a lot of blood. The baby… you need to prepare yourself.” The tears kept coming. My body screamed in pain, but my heart hurt worse. I remembered how excited I was when I first found out about the baby. I bought all those books. Did all that research. Tried so hard to be a good mom. But… I’m sorry. I have to choose myself first. I went through all the pain of labor anyway. Drenched in sweat. Lying there like a corpse while they delivered my dead baby. I cremated my child alone. The ashes were so small. Too small to even gather properly. Like he knew. Like he was helping me make the hardest choice of my life. I found him a beautiful place to rest. Derek didn’t call once during any of this. Even after the hospital contacted him following protocol, he chose to disappear. Maybe he was that angry. But what about me? All I had was my OCD. One single way to process the pain. Otherwise, I wanted to disappear too. So dirty… Why did you do this to me? After burying my baby, I went straight to a law firm. Asked for divorce papers. When I got back to the hospital for my follow-up, my parents,Richard and Helen called. 2 They didn’t ask if I was okay. They immediately defended Derek. “Honey, why are you fighting again? Marriage takes compromise. You can’t be so stubborn. Stop throwing around the word ‘divorce.’ It looks bad.” I was exhausted. No energy left to argue. I didn’t understand their obsession with keeping a dying marriage on life support. First they used the baby to guilt me. Now what excuse did they have? So I said it calmly. “I miscarried. The baby’s gone.” Long silence. Then they hung up. That afternoon, Derek’s parents,Thomas and Patricia showed up first since they lived closer. They stared at my flat stomach with disappointment, promising they’d talk sense into Derek. “That little punk. How could he take such poor care of you? And where the hell is he?” “Clara, don’t worry. We’ll teach that boy a lesson. We won’t let him back in the house until you’ve calmed down.” Same old script. Acting like they’re on my side while covering for their son. Like he could do anything and be forgiven. A wave of exhaustion washed over me. I wasn’t angry anymore. I just didn’t love him. Didn’t want anything to do with him. My voice came out cold and firm. “I want a divorce.” Their faces changed instantly. “Clara, don’t think like that. You two just need to work things out. If Derek messed up, we’ll make him change.” Patricia muttered under her breath. “Women can be too dramatic sometimes.” Dramatic? I grabbed my hospital gown, my voice ice-cold. “I’m getting divorced no matter what you say. Derek already agreed. If you have questions, ask him.” They didn’t believe me. Called Derek right there. Derek was still pissed. When he heard what I said, he ran with it. “Yeah, fine. Let’s divorce. I can’t take it anymore. You know how miserable my life is? I cheated, okay? But I changed. I fired the secretary. What more do you want?” “Should I die and go back in time to not cheat? I told you—I was drunk. Didn’t realize what I was doing. It happened. We need to move forward.” He hung up before they could tell him about the miscarriage. Just brushed past all my pain like it was nothing. Didn’t he think there’d be consequences when he was screwing her? Cheaters are trash. And he had the audacity to act like the victim? Five months. From early pregnancy until now. The hormone swings amplified everything. I couldn’t take medication for my depression because of the baby. He slept soundly while I cried between bouts of vomiting. Back pain. Swelling. Hair falling out in clumps. I was a balloon filled with darkness, wanting to die every single moment. Everyone took away my medication. For the baby. But what about me? I’m a person too. Who thought about me? What gave him the right to complain about suffering? About humiliation? About being the victim? My parents arrived next. Just like when they pressured me to get married, now they pressured me to stay married. “Listen to us. No divorce. Your father and I would never hurt you.” My successful son-in-law made her look good. Great job. High income. Her friends were so impressed. But I didn’t want it anymore. Looking at her face, I grabbed a cup and smashed it. “Enough! From now on, I’m responsible for my own life.” 3 When my parents realized they couldn’t control me, they gave me the silent treatment. Said if I divorced, they’d disown me. I ignored them. Once I felt better, I took the divorce papers to Derek’s office myself. As I walked toward his office, a familiar figure slipped inside ahead of me. That perfume. I froze. Miranda. Derek’s secretary. The one he supposedly fired. My heart clenched painfully. Another lie. Endless betrayals and lies. This was his idea of admitting fault and changing. I heard happy voices inside. They went silent the moment I opened the door. Miranda’s hand rested casually on Derek’s shoulder. Way too close for any professional relationship. Derek looked panicked, but he still pulled Miranda behind him protectively. “Clara, let me explain. It’s not what you think.” He expected me to act like before. To cry hysterically. To demand he choose. To make him cut contact. To make him swear he’d never do it again. To force him back to our marriage. To make a scene in front of everyone. But I was done with that. I felt stupid for ever acting that way. Cheating happens zero times or infinite times. There’s no in-between. I handed him the papers. “Sign these. Once you do, it’s final. Divorce papers. You already agreed.” Derek finally noticed my stomach. Once obviously swollen. Now flat. He stumbled backward. “Clara… the baby…” He thought his parents were exaggerating to make him come crawling back. That’s why he kept avoiding the hospital. He wanted to teach me a lesson. Wanted me to apologize. But seeing it with his own eyes, he couldn’t form words. “Clara, I’m sorry. I… I didn’t think you actually miscarried. I was so angry.” Miranda’s eyes turned red. She looked pitiful. “Clara, please don’t misunderstand. This is all my fault. Without this job, I can’t survive. I know I was wrong. There’s nothing between Derek and me anymore, I swear.” “That night was an accident. Now I have the lowest position in the company. Please, I’m begging you. Let me live.” She looked more and more pathetic. Like she might drop to her knees. A shelf behind her started to fall. Derek immediately stepped in front of me. But when he heard Miranda cry out, he pivoted and pulled her into his arms. He checked her frantically. “Are you okay? Did you get hurt?” I dodged out of the way. The bookshelf grazed my shoulder as it crashed down. Dust filled my mouth. My eyes burned. Instinct doesn’t lie. I never stood a chance. Derek never let her go. I looked down. A book had fallen open, revealing a used condom inside. The visceral disgust triggered my OCD hard. My stomach churned violently. I bent over, dry heaving helplessly. Only then did Derek remember I existed. He rushed over. “Clara, are you alright?” I screamed and shoved him away hard. “Don’t touch me! Get away from me!” No matter how strong I tried to be, the tears still came. So dirty. Everything was so dirty. I’d suffered so much, but no one stood up for me. No one spoke for me. Everyone told me to be understanding. To move forward. I ran to the bathroom and threw up until I couldn’t anymore. 4 I felt so awful I went back to the hospital. As I was about to leave, something happened at the entrance. My parents were there. They grabbed Miranda and slapped her hard. “You homewrecking slut! Bullying my daughter? How shameless are you, going after a married man?” People gathered around, all cursing at her. “Disgusting. And she looks so innocent too.” Turns out Derek had brought Miranda to the hospital for a tiny scratch on her foot. He didn’t expect to run into my parents. Miranda’s face went pale. Tears filled her eyes. Then she ran toward the roof. Eyes brimming with tears, red handprint on her face making her look fragile. Derek came rushing back from the pharmacy. He didn’t see anyone else. Not me. Just Miranda. He kept calling for her not to do anything stupid, just like he used to comfort me. “Miranda, I’m on your side. Don’t do anything rash. I’m here. I can fix anything.” Miranda sobbed about her feelings, looking broken and pitiful. “Derek, I’m sorry. I really do have feelings for you. I can’t control them. But I’ve kept them buried inside.” “I feel so ashamed. Don’t stop me. I’m sorry for ruining your marriage. I just hope Clara stops being mad at you.” My parents scoffed. “A mistress doesn’t get to threaten suicide.” For the first time ever, Derek disrespected my parents. He shouted at them. “Stop talking! You want to drive her to kill herself?” Derek comforted Miranda, promising her anything. Miranda bit her lip, staying quiet, but looked fearfully at my parents. To make Miranda happy, Derek turned on my parents. He told his assistant to destroy my parents’ company immediately. They were in a vulnerable transition period. Their cash flow was heavily tied to Derek’s company. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I rushed forward to stop him. “That’s my parents’ life’s work! Derek, have some humanity! They treated you like their own son!” Derek pushed me aside without hesitation. “Clara, stay out of this. Nothing matters more than someone’s life. If the company fails, I can rebuild it. Besides, Miranda is my employee. I can’t be that heartless to my staff.” I grabbed his collar and slapped him. “Derek, don’t be so full of yourself. You know what this will do to my parents. I’m telling you—no. We’re getting divorced.” Derek hesitated. “Clara, that’s not what I meant.” Thomas and Patricia arrived and tried to intervene. “Derek, don’t do this. We’re all family. You can’t destroy these relationships.” Miranda took another step toward the ledge. The wind made her sway, like she might fall. Derek didn’t hesitate anymore. “I need to calm Miranda down first. I’ll handle the rest.” My parents’ company immediately ran out of operating funds. Bankruptcy. Richard couldn’t take it. Heart attack. Collapsed. Helen broke down crying, mourning all they’d sacrificed. “I can’t believe I let you marry such a bastard!” I scrambled to get them to the hospital. I bit my lip so hard it bled. I yanked off the jade bracelet Derek gave me and smashed it to pieces. Derek held Miranda’s hand and slowly led her away from the edge. Ignoring everyone watching, he pulled her into his arms, relief written all over his face. I stood there coldly watching. Then called my lawyer. “Modify the agreement. I want Derek to leave with nothing.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “345391”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn

On Christmas Eve, my husband, a renowned chief surgeon, personally sealed away my son’s only chance at survival. My son, Leo, was bleeding internally and needed emergency surgery. Dr. James Vance, his father and a compatible RH-negative AB blood donor, was instead by the bedside of Serena, the woman he loved, simply because she had cut her finger. I stood outside in the snow, crying and pleading with him. “James, Leo really is your son. Please, just give him some blood!” He looked down at me coldly through the glass, not even glancing at the unconscious Leo. “Scarlett, I’ve seen the medical report. To extort money, you’d even fake that illegitimate child’s death?” Because he refused to believe me, Serena crushed Leo’s last dose of life-saving medication right before my eyes. I could only watch helplessly as my son stopped breathing in convulsive agony. Dr. James Vance, when you finally learn Leo was your biological son, will you regret it? Scarlett POV The night before Christmas Eve, fireworks burst outside my window while I coughed blood into my hands in the bathroom. My phone screen lit up, the top trending headline searing my eyes: “Dr. James Vance Rushes Across Town for Love, Protecting Serena Hayes’ Scratched Finger.” I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth, looked at my pale face in the mirror, and chuckled softly. “James, this is your last year with me.” In the empty mansion, a meticulously prepared holiday dinner slowly grew cold. The crystal chandelier cast a cold glow over the fine dinnerware. I had laid the table for three. One for me. One for James. And a small one for my secret-my son, Leo, hidden upstairs. This would be my last holiday after being diagnosed with advanced coagulation disorder. I wanted to leave my child and myself at least one warm memory. Even if that memory was a facade, painstakingly built with my last strength. A faint sound came from upstairs. I immediately suppressed all my emotions and hurried up. In the small room, Leo lay on the bed, his little face flushed with fever. “Mommy…” His voice was soft and weak, “Daddy… is he coming home today?” My heart twisted with agony. I leaned down and pressed my forehead against his. The scorching temperature made my heart race. “Yes, he will. Daddy will bring Leo a present after he’s done with work.” I whispered gently, feeding him the fever medicine. Leo was so good, he frowned his little face and swallowed the bitter medicine, his big, dark grape-like eyes full of anticipation. Just then, the front door opened downstairs. My heart lifted with a surge of hope, and I rushed down. James was back. He brought with him a biting coldness, and a strange perfume scent that didn’t belong in our home. It was Serena’s scent. I knew he only married me because he’d saved my life from a fire five years ago. That act of kindness, repeatedly emphasized by his mother, gradually became proof of my “scheming.” Since then, his gaze held nothing but scrutiny and disgust for me. I dared not let him know about Leo’s existence, fearing that for Serena’s rare genetic bone marrow disease, he would treat his own flesh and blood as a cruel “living donor.”

Scarlett POV “I’m just here to grab something.” James’s voice was as cold as his demeanor, utterly devoid of warmth. He didn’t even glance at the dinner on the table. “Serena cut her hand, I’m going to take care of it. I won’t be eating at home tonight.” His tone was flat, as if he were talking about something completely unrelated to him. But I knew, anything about Serena was always related to him. “Can’t you stay?” I instinctively grabbed his sleeve, a hint of desperation in my voice that even I hadn’t realized was there. “I… I don’t feel well.” His gaze finally landed on my face. There was no concern in his eyes, only scrutiny, impatience, and the disgust for my “greed and scheming” that his mother had repeatedly instilled in him. He mercilessly shook off my hand. “Scarlett, stop pretending to be sick for attention.” His words cut like an icy blade straight through my heart. “I saw your medical report last week. You are perfectly healthy. You could even donate blood.” James pulled a black card from his wallet and casually tossed it on the floor. The metal card clattered against the marble, a harsh, grating sound. “If you want money, just say so. Don’t use your body as an excuse.” With that, he turned and left, without a single backward glance. I stood frozen, watching the familiar taillights of his car disappear into the night, a bitter ache in my chest. I once thought that saving my life would at least earn me a shred of warmth. Now I understood, that was merely my delusion. My phone screen automatically lit up, a new entertainment notification popping up. The photo showed James carefully cradling Serena’s finger, his brow slightly furrowed, his expression focused and tender. The caption read: “Christmas Eve Romance! Dr. James Vance Bandages His Lover’s Wound, He’s So In Love With Her!” My heart clenched painfully. For me, it was coldness and humiliation. For Serena, it was devoted affection, held in the palm of his hand. “Mommy.” A soft, childish voice came from behind me. Leo had somehow stumbled downstairs. He saw my tears, and his little brow immediately furrowed. He pulled a slightly melted candy from his pajama pocket. He stood on tiptoes, trying to push the candy into my mouth. “Don’t cry, Mommy. Leo brought you a present.” The child’s innocence was like an even sharper knife, cutting my heart to shreds. A sudden, metallic taste surged up my throat. My vision blurred, nosebleed began to flow uncontrollably, and my body went limp, collapsing directly to the floor. In the last moment before losing consciousness, I heard Leo’s terrified scream. If I were to die like this, perhaps it would be a release. James, I’m free. But what about you?

Scarlett POV Cold. An icy, piercing chill radiated from the marble floor, threatening to freeze my blood. I didn’t know how long I’d been unconscious. I only knew that when I woke, the mansion was still empty. Only a dark red stain of dried blood on the floor reminded me of what had just happened. Leo had cried himself to sleep beside me, his little flushed face still streaked with tears. I propped up my weak body, carried the child to bed, and put a fever patch on him. Then I took out a syringe and a hemostatic agent from the medicine cabinet, skillfully found my vein, and inserted the needle. Long illness makes one a doctor. Someone unloved like me, for the sake of my child, could only desperately cling to life. Just as I pulled out the needle and pressed a cotton swab to the injection site, the mansion door was unlocked and pushed open. James was back. But he wasn’t alone. Behind him, Serena walked in, smiling innocently. “Scarlett, I’m so sorry.” Serena intimately hooked her arm through James’s, her posture very much like the lady of the house. “My house’s wiring suddenly broke, and I couldn’t find anyone to fix it on Christmas Eve. James was worried about me being alone in the dark, so he suggested I stay here for the night. You don’t mind, do you?” I wasn’t an idiot. She said “stay” but the triumph and provocation in her eyes were almost overflowing. Before I could speak, James commanded me, “You’ll sleep in the guest room tonight.” He pointed towards the master bedroom and told Serena, “Serena, you take the master bedroom. It gets good light, and you’re afraid of the dark.” How ironic. This was James and my marital home, and now, for another woman, he was openly kicking me out of our master bedroom. Just then, a small figure appeared at the top of the stairs. Leo had been woken up. He rubbed his eyes as he walked down. Seeing James, his eyes lit up, and he timidly called out, “Daddy…” James’s face instantly darkened. He frowned in disgust, looking at Leo as if he were trash. “Where did this bastard come from? He’s so loud.” The word “bastard” felt like three red-hot needles, stabbing straight into my eardrums. That was his biological son! His own flesh and blood, sharing his blood! I rushed over in a panic, shielding Leo tightly behind me, my heart pounding. “He…he’s a relative’s child. No one was home, so I’m watching him for a few days.” I couldn’t let him know Leo’s identity. Absolutely not. I knew James had been looking for a special bone marrow for Serena’s “genetic optimization therapy” to eradicate her genetic disease. And Leo’s various indicators perfectly matched Serena’s. If James knew, he would undoubtedly snatch the child away, using Leo as Serena’s “living donor”! Serena scrutinized Leo with interest, then suddenly walked forward, bent down, and put on a fake smile. “Oh, what a cute little boy.” I watched as she used her long nails to viciously pinch Leo’s arm. Before I could intervene, Leo, caught completely off guard, burst into tears from the sharp pain. Serena immediately straightened up, a hand pressed to her chest in feigned surprise. “What a temper this child has! I only wanted to touch him..” James’s patience completely ran out. He looked at me coldly, scolding sharply, “Control your child! Make him shut up! Otherwise, I’ll throw him out of here!” I could only frantically cover Leo’s mouth, carrying him back to his room upstairs. When I came back downstairs, I witnessed a scene that made my blood run cold. The small white pill bottle I’d left on the coffee table – a special, life-saving medicine for Leo that I’d pulled countless strings to get from abroad. Now, it was in the mouth of Serena’s poodle, Prince, being chewed like a toy. The bottle was bitten open, white pills scattered everywhere. The dog extended its tongue, licking them with relish. Serena giggled beside it, even taking out her phone to snap photos. “These calcium tablets taste good, don’t they? Look how much our dog loves them.” Calcium tablets? That was Leo’s life! “Don’t touch it!” I rushed over like a madwoman, trying to snatch the pills from the dog’s mouth. But James shoved me away. My lower back hit the sharp corner of the coffee table with a heavy thud, the sharp pain instantly making me double over, cold sweat breaking out. James looked down at me, his eyes full of contempt. “It’s just a bottle of calcium tablets, is that really necessary?” “I’ll have someone buy you a whole box tomorrow.” A whole box? He didn’t know this medicine was globally limited, priceless. He didn’t know his own son could die without it at any moment. He knew nothing. He only knew Serena had cut her finger, and Serena’s dog needed “calcium tablets.” And my child, his own child, was less to him than that dog.

Scarlett POV Ignoring the pain, I held a feverish Leo and hid in the cold storage room, wiping his body repeatedly with alcohol swabs, trying to cool him down with basic physical methods. The medicine was gone; this was all I could do. “Mommy…” Leo murmured in his sleep, his little hand clutching my shirt, “Am I… going to die?” A scalding tear fell onto the child’s equally scorching forehead. My heart shattered beyond repair. Just then, my phone rang. It was Mr. Davies, the Vance family’s housekeeper. James had sent someone to rush me to the Vance family’s grand estate for their Christmas gala. On the phone, Mr. Davies’ voice was cold, devoid of emotion. “Mr. Vance instructed that you must wear heavy makeup to cover your illness. Don’t look like you’re half-dead at the gala; it’s bad luck.” Bad luck. In front of his family, I wasn’t even allowed to show a hint of weakness or illness. I was merely a decoration, expected to be perpetually poised and radiant, to adorn the Vance family’s facade. I glanced down at Leo, who was breathing faintly in my arms, and had no choice. I had to go. Only by going could I receive the annual cash gift the Vance family gave to their wives. It was a considerable sum. With that money, I could buy medicine for Leo through underground channels. I hardened my heart, entrusted Leo to a trusted part-time nanny, and went to the gala alone. The Vance estate was brightly lit, filled with guests, clinking glasses, and laughter. Everyone wore polite smiles, exchanging insincere well wishes. I felt like a puppet, numbly following James, enduring countless gazes that scrutinized and evaluated me. Halfway through the gala, James, in front of everyone, took out a velvet box. He personally opened it, revealing a dazzling set of ruby jewelry. He didn’t look at me. Instead, he walked straight to Serena, who was seated nearby. He personally fastened the necklace around her neck. “This set of jewelry suits you perfectly.” Immediately, a chorus of envious praises erupted. “Mr. Vance truly holds a candle for Ms. Hayes. All these years, she’s still the only one in his heart.” “Yeah, the official Mrs. Vance looks pretty terrible right now.” The voices were not loud, but clear enough to pierce my ears. I stood there, like a clown publicly executed, enduring everyone’s mockery and pity. But the pain in my heart had long gone numb. Finally, it was time for the cash gifts to the younger generation. James walked up to me, a formal smile on his face, and slipped a thin envelope into my hand. The envelope was so light it felt weightless. My fingers trembled uncontrollably. I retreated to an empty corner and opened the envelope. There was no check, no bank card. Only a few crumpled bills and a pamphlet for birth control pills. That piece of paper felt like a resounding slap, hitting me hard across the face. Utter humiliation. He was using this method to tell me: He saved my life years ago, and I “schemed” my way into the Vance family. Now, everything he did was merely repaying the kindness I had “exploited.” He didn’t even want me to “scheme” for another child. He didn’t know. Three years ago, I had already given birth to his son. “Scarlett, don’t complain it’s too little.” Serena had approached me without me noticing, waving a high-value check, her smile bold and triumphant. “James is doing this for your own good, afraid you’ll waste money. After all, people like us who can help his career are simply worth more than those who are just kept at home.” Every word was a stab to the heart. Just then, my phone vibrated violently. It was the nanny calling. Her voice was choked with tears, almost frantic. “Ms. Reid! It’s terrible! Leo… he’s coughing up blood and has collapsed!” BOOM. My mind went instantly blank. I cared about nothing else; I turned and ran out. “Stop!” James grabbed my wrist, his eyes icy. “What game are you playing now? In this kind of setting, who are you performing for?” In his eyes, I was always just trying to get attention. “Let go of me!” My voice was shrill, completely off-key. “Leo is in trouble!” “How many times are you going to pull this stunt?” His face was full of mockery and disbelief. Guests around us looked over, whispering and pointing. I looked at his cold face, all explanations stuck in my throat. I knew. He wouldn’t believe me. The next second, I did something that shocked everyone. My legs gave out, and I fell to my knees in front of him, in full view of everyone. The cold, hard floor dug painfully into my knees. I didn’t care about anything else. I bowed my head towards him, slamming my forehead hard against the ground. The sound of my forehead hitting the floor was dull and desperate. “Please, let me go.” My voice was hoarse, tinged with blood. “After this…I’ll do anything you ask.” My dignity. My pride. In that moment, I ground them to dust with my own hands. I wanted nothing. I only wanted my Leo to live.

Scarlett POV I don’t know how I stumbled out of the Vance family’s estate. I sped through countless intersections, driving my car like a trapped beast trying to break free from its cage, rushing to the hospital. The emergency room lights were stark and blinding. Leo’s tiny body lay on the hospital bed, hooked up to various tubes, the cardiac monitor beeping faintly and rapidly. “Oh, God…” I knelt on the cold floor, hands clasped, praying to whatever divine power might be listening. “Please, please don’t take him away… take my life instead, I beg you…” The ER doctor walked over with the test results, his expression grave. “The patient’s condition is critical. He’s lost too much blood and needs an immediate transfusion. But he has an extremely rare RH-negative AB blood type. Our hospital’s blood bank is completely depleted, and neighboring blood banks are also running low.” Running low. Those two words hit me like a sledgehammer, shattering my last shred of hope. The doctor hesitated, then added, “To my knowledge, the only place in the entire city that might have this blood type in reserve is Dr. Vance’s private blood bank. He keeps it for special situations.” James. Again, James. Fate, like a wicked joke, pinned me down and crushed me repeatedly. I trembling took out my phone, dialing the number I knew by heart, over and over. “Sorry, the subscriber you dialed is busy, please try again later…” “Sorry, the subscriber you dialed is busy…” The cold, robotic voice pushed me deeper into the abyss, time and time again. I didn’t give up. Over a dozen times. Dozens of times. Finally, the call connected. But the voice on the other end was a soft, feminine one. It was Serena. “Hello? Oh, it’s you? James’s in the shower, so he can’t answer right now. Is something wrong? You can tell me, I’ll pass it on.” Her deliberately intimate tone was like a poisoned knife, dealing another cruel blow to my already bleeding heart. I hung up directly and rushed out of the hospital. Guided by memory, I sped to James’s usual private club. I kicked open the VIP lounge door. The room was softly lit. James, wearing a bathrobe, his hair still dripping wet, was holding a brochure, quietly explaining something to Serena. Serena leaned against him, pointing at pictures in the brochure, laughing easily and happily. They were choosing beauty treatments. How utterly ironic. My son was teetering between life and death at the hospital. And here he was, with another woman, discussing how to make herself more perfect. “James!” My voice was hoarse, almost unrecognizable. “The hospital! Leo is dying at the hospital! He needs a blood transfusion! I’m begging you, release the blood from your private blood bank for him!” I rushed to grab him, but I was blocked by the people beside him. James slowly looked up at me. His eyes were cold and distant, as if he were looking at an unreasonable lunatic. “For that child?” After hearing my words, his tone was flat, even tinged with cold mockery. He stood up, slowly adjusting the lapel of his bathrobe. “Unfortunately, that batch of blood is already earmarked.” “Serena is having a laser scar removal surgery tomorrow; we need to have blood ready to ensure everything goes perfectly.” I couldn’t believe my ears. “Scar removal? She’s just having scar removal! My child will die! That’s a human life!” A clear look of impatience finally appeared on his face. He walked up to me, looking down at me. His voice was as cold as a lifeless winter wind. “The scar on her arm was from saving me years ago.” “In my world, any surgery for her is the highest priority, with no risks allowed.” He paused for a moment, then, with an eerily calm tone, spoke the most cruel words. “As for that child’s life or death, it has nothing to do with me.” Nothing to do with me… My mind went blank with a loud ringing sound. I broke free and lunged at him like a madwoman, trying to snatch the access card for the blood bank from his pocket. But he easily dodged me. I was once again pinned firmly to the cold floor. “Stop acting crazy.” He spat out those three cold words, his tone filled with disgust. I lay on the floor, looking at his hands. Looking at his familiar yet alien face. Suddenly, I laughed. Laughed until tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. I looked up, my vision filled with a deadly silence. “James.” I spoke each word distinctly. “You will regret this.” “You will definitely regret this.” “Until the end of your life, you will regret everything you’ve done today, to the point of unbearable pain.”

Scarlett POV At the end of despair, there is madness. I was thrown out of the club by bodyguards, like a piece of trash carelessly discarded. I picked myself up from the muddy ground, neither crying nor looking for James again. I hid in an empty public restroom stall, pulling out an old-looking, but military-grade encrypted phone from my inner pocket. This was my past, buried for five years. My identity as “Nyx,” a top medical investor within the covert network. I pressed the power button. The screen lit up, revealing a blood-red phoenix emblem. I dialed the number I hadn’t called in five years. The call was answered almost instantly. “Boss.” “It’s me.” I spoke. “Activate S-class clearance. I need the freshest RH-negative AB blood, airlifted to Central Hospital in half an hour, no matter the cost.” “Boss! Once S-class clearance is activated, your location will be forcefully exposed! The people who hunted you down years ago will come looking!” “I know.” My gaze passed over the stall door, looking towards the hospital. “For Leo, I have to take this gamble.” Half an hour later. A black specialized medical helicopter, ignoring city no-fly zone regulations, landed on the roof helipad of Central Hospital with a tremendous roar. A silver combination lock box was swiftly rushed to the emergency room. The moment the blood plasma entered Leo’s body, the nearly flatlining line on the monitor finally began to fluctuate. Leo was temporarily out of danger. I sat by the bedside, holding the child’s cold little hand, looking at his peaceful sleeping face. The tension that had held me for hours finally broke, and tears silently streamed down my face. Just then, the hospital room door was violently pushed open. James appeared in the doorway. His gaze fell on the blood bag above the bed, then swept to the still dissipating propeller wash outside the window. “How did you manage to mobilize a military-grade helicopter to deliver blood?” He walked in, approaching me step by step. “Who exactly are you?” I quickly wiped away my tears, forcing a smile. “I sold a kidney.” I said it lightly. He paused for a moment. Then he sneered. “For an illegitimate child, you truly will do anything.” I was long numb to such words. He didn’t press further about the blood’s origin. Today, he was here for something else. “Serena’s surgery plan has changed. It requires highly active cell tissue as a culture medium.” “Your bone marrow, it’s a match.” I understood. Serena again. Again, something to be taken from me to fill her needs. “Tomorrow morning, come with me to the operating room for a bone marrow biopsy.” His tone was a command. “I refuse.” I didn’t hesitate. James sneered, his gaze falling on Leo in the hospital bed. “Have you forgotten, this hospital is a Vance family property.” “With a single word from me, I can have that illegitimate child, along with all this equipment, cleared out.” He always used this trick. Using my son’s life to force me to yield. My body trembled uncontrollably. Looking at his familiar yet alien face, the last shred of anything I held inside me completely extinguished. For Leo to continue receiving treatment here, I had no other choice. “Fine. I agree.” Let this be the last time. To repay the debt from when he pulled me from the fire years ago. From now on, we would owe each other nothing. Our lives would run separate courses. James turned and left. He didn’t see the thin surgical blade I had hidden in my sleeve, already clenched in my hand the moment I agreed. Nor did he notice the black sniper scope fixed on the roof across from the hospital, aimed directly at this window. A shadow flickered past outside. My enemies had found me.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “345390”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn