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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Ethan turned our love story into a movie and released it on twelve thousand screens nationwide. But he gave the role of the female lead, along with the title of wife, to a young woman who was five months pregnant. Turns out a man doesn’t need any warning signs to change his heart. Even though just twelve hours ago, he was still reminding me on video call to eat my meals on time. Now he was already in the spotlight, kissing another woman’s pregnant belly with deep affection, declaring to all the cameras in the room: “This film is dedicated to the love of my life.” But I’m the one who’s been his wife for five years. Serena’s POV The day before my fifth wedding anniversary with Ethan, I flew back from Africa after three connecting flights. I just wanted to surprise him, but I never expected the surprise would be mine. When I arrived at the cinema, the red carpet had already been rolled up. Crushed flower petals littered the ground. I entered through the side door with my invitation and was led by an usher to the last row. The lights in the theater had already dimmed. The screen lit up. The moment the title appeared, I saw the female lead’s face clearly. Very young, around twenty-two or twenty-three, with curved eyes and a dimple on her left cheek when she smiled. Exactly like me when I was twenty-two. I thought it was a coincidence. The movie opened with the male lead meeting the female lead in a library. She was carrying a stack of books, and he helped her pick them up. When that line came out, my fingers clenched tight. “I’ve read all of these books you chose.” That was the first thing Ethan ever said to me. Word for word. The scene cut to the coffee shop where we had our first date. That place had closed down long ago. For this film, Ethan had recreated it one-to-one in another location. The wall behind the counter with old photos hanging on it. Even the positions of the nails were exactly the same. The female lead spun around in the rain, her white dress twirling out. The male lead ran over and held an umbrella over her head. That was my twenty-third birthday. I sat in the last row. The entire movie ran for one hundred and eight minutes. I didn’t move once. When the end credits rolled, the whole theater erupted in applause. A spotlight came down. Ethan stood up from the first row, holding a young woman’s hand, and slowly walked onto the stage. The girl wore a light pink dress, her hand carefully cradling her belly. Her pregnancy bump was slightly visible. The host handed the microphone to Ethan. He took it, looked down at the girl with a tenderness I’d never seen in his eyes. “This film is dedicated to the love of my life.” The theater thundered with applause. Someone started screaming. People raised their phones. The girl leaned on his shoulder and cried. He lowered his head and kissed her forehead. I could hear my own heartbeat. Slow. Like it was about to stop. The last time Ethan personally directed a film was the year he was pursuing me. That film was only shown once at our college. He said he’d only show it to me for the rest of his life. Back then, he stood below my dorm building, holding a whole bouquet of white roses, and said, “Serena, I, Ethan, will only love you for the rest of my life. If you don’t say yes, I’ll stand here all night.” I watched him from the third-floor window. My heart melted completely. Later, this man started a company and was so busy he spent a hundred days a year flying around. But every anniversary, he always made me feel like he’d never forgotten. On stage, Ethan took a ring box from his suit pocket. He knelt down on one knee and opened it. From the last row, across thirty rows of heads, I could see the ring clearly. An emerald, surrounded by nine small diamonds. That was the ring that had been passed down three generations in Ethan’s family. His mother Victoria had held it for twenty years, saying she’d wait for the woman her son married to wear it. I’d been married five years and had never seen it once.

Serena’s POV The girl on stage nodded through her tears. The whole venue cheered. When the crowd dispersed, I was pushed into the lounge area. I leaned against the wall, my legs too weak to stand steady. A young woman in uniform carrying a tray passed by me, glanced at me, and stopped. “Miss, are you with the media? The media entrance is on the right.” “I’m…” My voice was hoarse. “I’m looking for Ethan.” The girl smiled politely. “Ethan is with Violet right now. If you need something, please schedule through his assistant first.” “Violet?” “Violet, Ethan’s fiancée.” The girl lowered her voice with a hint of pride. “She’s five months pregnant. She made a special appearance today. Ethan gave strict orders that no one disturb her.” I steadied myself against the wall and slowly smiled. Before I could say anything, light footsteps approached from behind. “You don’t look well. Are you feeling okay?” I turned around. The girl who had just accepted a proposal on stage stood in front of me, one hand protecting her belly, the other reaching toward me. When she smiled, her eyes curved, and a dimple appeared on her left cheek. “Do you need me to help you sit down? Ethan is really busy today. There were so many elders at the premiere who weren’t feeling well. I helped them all.” She leaned closer, her voice sickeningly sweet. “My name is Violet. I’m Ethan’s fiancée. Which media outlet are you from? How come I’ve never seen you before?” I looked at her. At this face that resembled mine at twenty-two by about thirty percent. At the emerald ring on her hand. At the slight curve of her belly. “Violet, don’t wander off. I’ve been looking for you forever.” A familiar voice came from behind. I turned my head. Across the moving crowd, my eyes collided with Ethan’s. The smile on Ethan’s face froze inch by inch. The bouquet of red roses in his hands dropped to the ground with a thud. “Serena?” Violet leaned against Ethan’s shoulder, peeking out from his embrace like a startled fawn, looking at me timidly. “Ethan, who is this person…” “An old employee from the company.” Ethan’s expression looked uncomfortable. He avoided my gaze. “My assistant is waiting for you in the lobby on the first floor. Go to the car first.” “Ethan, I-” “Be good.” He coaxed her in a low voice. Violet left with reluctant backward glances. As she passed by me, she slowed down half a step. That fragile, helpless demeanor instantly vanished without a trace. She lowered her voice and laughed softly: “You don’t look well. Ethan can be pretty blunt when he talks. Whatever he says, please don’t take it too much to heart.” She smiled smugly, stroking her slightly swollen belly, and walked away triumphantly. I stood frozen in place, watching her retreating figure, nausea churning in my stomach. Ethan didn’t take me to the VIP lounge. With a cold face, he clamped down on my wrist with force hard enough to leave red marks. He dragged me all the way out through the cinema’s most hidden side door and roughly shoved me into a black van parked by the roadside. The moment the car door closed, the sounds of several reporters’ camera shutters and shouts were completely cut off. The car drove south. Ten minutes later, it stopped at the far end of the third underground parking level of the cinema. It was pitch black here, without even a single security camera. He turned off the engine and flicked on the interior light with a “click.” The harsh white light hit our faces. “When did you get back to the country?” His tone was accusatory. “This afternoon.” “Why didn’t you tell me you changed your flight?” I turned my head, using the overhead light to look at this familiar yet strange face. I didn’t get angry. I just felt sad. I said word by word, “Ethan, let’s get divorced.”

Serena’s POV Ethan didn’t respond. Expressionless, he took a document from his suit pocket and slapped it down on the center console with a “smack,” pushing it in front of me. “Look at this first.” It was a confidentiality agreement. My hands trembled as I opened the first page. There weren’t many clauses inside, but each one pierced me. Prohibited from publicly revealing wife status for eighteen months, must not approach Violet, penalty for breach: ten million dollars. I turned to the last page. Ethan’s hastily signed name was already written clearly. I jerked my head up, eyes red-rimmed, looking at him. “You had this prepared?” “This film is my company’s biggest project in the past two years.” Ethan leaned back in his seat, as calm as if discussing a business deal. “The investor is Federal Pictures. The theater screening schedule is already set. Twelve thousand screens nationwide. The release date is the eighth of next month. Violet’s contract specifies she must be the lead. She’s tied to this role. If it comes out now that I’m married…” “You’re finished.” I coldly finished his sentence. “We’re finished.” He frowned, correcting me. “Serena, you and I. We’ve gotten to where we are today together. The day this company was registered, you came with me to the business registration office. Have you forgotten?” I stared hard at his face. I really had forgotten. That day I wore a gray trench coat. He’d excitedly picked me up and spun me around at the entrance, his eyes red as he said, “Serena, from now on we’re the boss and the boss’s wife. I’ll never let you down for the rest of my life.” But now, he was using this company built on our memories to force me to make way for the other woman. Looking at his shameless face now, I suddenly wondered. When exactly did he learn to be this cold-blooded and calculating? Ethan took out a pen and forcibly shoved it into my icy hand. “Sign it and I’ll take you home. After eighteen months, when Violet has the baby and the film comes down, we’ll talk about what comes next.” “What comes next?” My voice trembled. “Serena, let me finish.” He reached out to hold my hand. I jerked it back like I’d been electrocuted. Ethan paused, then patiently withdrew his hand. “I have to keep the child in Violet’s belly. But you’re my wife. I’ve never thought about changing that. After eighteen months, I’ll arrange for Violet and the child to go to Canada. She won’t get the title. I already made that clear to her.” “But she accepted your ring today.” “That was just pretend, for the film promotion.” Ethan said it without the slightest shame. I laughed bitterly in anger. I really found it funny. This man I’d been with for twelve years sat in front of me, telling me without a trace of guilt that even kneeling before another woman and presenting her with the family heirloom was all “acting.” He seemed to think this bullshit could soften my heart. “Ethan.” I grabbed that disgusting agreement and hurled it hard at his chest. “I won’t sign it. I’m contacting a lawyer tomorrow.” Ethan’s false mask finally couldn’t hold. His face turned completely dark. “Serena, you’re angry. Sign this and we’ll talk slowly.” “I won’t sign.” The car fell deathly silent for two seconds. Ethan’s hand suddenly lifted. I thought he was going to hit me. I instinctively closed my eyes. However, he didn’t slap me. He clamped down hard on the back of my neck and brutally pressed my face toward the agreement on the center console. Bang. My forehead slammed hard into the stiff cardboard. The sharp paper edge instantly sliced through the skin above my eyebrow. “Serena, you’re a public figure’s wife!” His voice pressed down viciously from above. “Do you think your divorce only affects you? Do you think the film waiting on screens nationwide is trivial? Do you think if you make a scene, you’re only affecting me?” One of my ears was pressed hard against the paper. Humiliation gnawed at my entire body like a poisonous snake. “Sign it.” He commanded.

Serena’s POV I didn’t speak. Pressed beneath him, my fingers slowly felt for the edge of the agreement. Then, with all my strength, with a “rip,” I tore that agreement in half right in front of him. Ethan froze in shock. Taking advantage of his stunned moment when his grip loosened, I shoved him away hard and stumbled out of the car, pushing the door open. My high heels clicked against the cold concrete floor of the underground garage. I’d only run two steps when my legs went weak. My knees buckled and I nearly fell. I gripped a cold concrete pillar beside me tightly, barely managing to stay upright. Blood from above my eyebrow ran down my cheek and into my eye. My vision was a blur of red. Behind me, the car door made a sound. Ethan started to chase after me. Just then, his phone rang. The screen displayed “Violet,” glaringly bright in the dark underground garage. Ethan looked at the screen, then at me bleeding while holding the pillar. Finally, he still answered the call. “Violet? What’s wrong?” A woman’s delicate crying came through the phone. Ethan’s brow furrowed tight. He made an affirming sound, then immediately lowered his voice, walking toward the driver’s seat while urgently soothing her. “I’m coming right now. Don’t cry, whatever you do don’t hurt the baby…” I leaned against that rough pillar, watching him coldly. He walked to the car door and looked back at me with a charitable glance. “Serena, go home first. I’ll come find you after I handle Violet’s situation. We’ll talk about the agreement later.” With that, he got in the car without hesitation. The engine roared. The black car drove out of the garage without looking back. The vast underground parking garage instantly held only me. The dim yellow light overhead buzzed. My phone vibrated. It was a text message from an unsaved number. “These five years, have you been wronged or not? Victoria.” Victoria was Ethan’s mother’s name. In our five years of marriage, because she didn’t like me, I rarely initiated contact with her. I stood alone by the pillar. Blood from my eyebrow dripped down along my nose, drop by drop hitting the back of my hand, blooming into patches of glaring red. I stared at that text message for a very long time. My finger trembling, I typed four words. “I want a divorce.” After deciding to divorce, I forced myself to sleep. At five in the morning, before dawn. The door was kicked with earth-shattering force. “Serena! Open the door!” It was Ethan’s voice. I’d just turned the lock open a crack when he violently shoved the door open from outside. The heavy wooden door slammed into my shoulder. I groaned in pain and staggered back two steps. “There’s a press conference at the company at ten. You’re coming with me.” “I’m not going.” I pressed my numb shoulder, my voice shaking. “I said you’re going.” He didn’t give me any chance to resist. He grabbed my arm. The force felt like it would crush my bones. He dragged me directly from the living room toward the door. I was forcibly pulled out the door barefoot, my feet scraping a red trail across the floor tiles. “Ethan, let go of me! I can walk by myself!” “Put on shoes.” Without a word, like dragging a lifeless object, he roughly shoved me into the elevator. The elevator wall reflected my disheveled image. I looked at Ethan’s hard, cold profile, my heart turning ice-cold. I’d been with this man for twelve years. Only today did I learn for the first time that when he got ruthless, there wasn’t a shred of humanity in his eyes. Company backstage dressing room. Ethan shoved me inside with one push and locked the door with a “bang.” The woman in front of the mirror immediately stood up from her chair. Violet wore a light pink dress, her belly slightly swollen. As soon as she saw me, tears instantly streamed down her face.

Serena’s POV Violet quickly walked over and tightly grabbed my wrist. “Serena.” I was startled by her sudden action and stepped back half a pace. “Serena, I’m begging you. Later when the reporters ask, just say you and Ethan divorced a long time ago. Say you and he are just business partners now.” Violet gripped my clothes desperately, crying so hard she couldn’t breathe. “I’m six months pregnant. The doctor said if I get upset again I’ll lose this baby. Please take pity on the child in my belly!” My whole body went cold. I looked down at her from above. She really could act. Last night at the premiere, when she leaned on Ethan’s shoulder crying, she had this same fragile, helpless appearance. “Let go.” I forced down my disgust. “I won’t let go unless you agree.” “You got pregnant yourself, Violet. Watch your tone.” As soon as the words left my mouth, Ethan pushed the door open and entered. His expression changed. He strode forward and pulled Violet up, sheltering her in his arms, then turned and walked over to me. He reached out to touch my face. I turned my head away in revulsion, dodging him. His hand froze in midair. After two seconds, it slowly lowered. His tone carried a trace of impatience. “Serena, it’s just one scene. After you perform it you can go home. I’ll tear up the agreement. We’ll talk slowly about divorce. You’ve walked with me to this point. This last hurdle. Help me this once.” I looked up at him in disbelief, my eyes instantly reddening. I’ve been married to him for five years. I suddenly felt it was utterly ridiculous. Walked with him to this point? When I married him five years ago, that was walking with him to this point. Three years ago when his company’s funding dried up, I mortgaged the last house my father left me to lend him money to get through it. That was walking with him to this point. Last year when I contracted malaria while filming in Tanzania and was hospitalized, he didn’t call once. He complained I had poor physical fitness. “Ethan.” I clenched my teeth hard, forcing back tears, saying word by word, “I won’t act.” The tenderness in Ethan’s eyes instantly dissipated. His face darkened enough to drip water. “Ethan!” Violet suddenly grabbed something from the makeup table. Before I could react, she’d already pressed a sharp makeup scissors against her own arm. “Violet, what are you doing!” Ethan’s face went white, his voice cracking. “If Serena doesn’t agree I won’t live anymore!” Violet screamed through her tears. “Ethan, you saw it. She’s trying to force me to death! She just can’t stand to see me doing well!” “Violet, put down the scissors.” “I’m not making a scene!” Violet’s wrist trembled. The scissor tip pierced the skin of her arm. Bright red blood instantly seeped out, dripping onto the light pink dress in shocking drops. “Violet!” Ethan lunged over like a madman and snatched away the scissors. Violet leaned back with the momentum. Her eyes rolled back and she went limp in his arms. “Violet, wake up! Violet!” An assistant outside heard the commotion and rushed in. Ethan scooped Violet up and rushed out. At the doorway, he suddenly turned back. I’ll never forget the way he looked at me. No trace of our twelve years together. No disappointment. Only bone-deep disgust, like looking at a mortal enemy. “Serena.” He spoke through clenched teeth, his gaze poisonous. “If anything happens to Violet, I, Ethan, will never forgive you for the rest of my life.” The door slammed shut with a “bang.”

Serena’s POV I stood frozen in place, cold from head to toe, even my breathing hurt my chest. Five years married to him, the last sweet thing he said to me was just last month. Smiling on a video call, saying when he finished this project, he’d take me to the Maldives. Turns out when a man wants to change his heart, he doesn’t even need to put on a transitional act. The dressing room door opened again. Victoria walked in and locked the door behind her. “Did you see everything?” My voice shook. “You knew all along…” “I knew since last night.” Victoria looked at me blandly. “Serena, you’ve been married five years. Ethan tells you to go somewhere and you go. Tells you not to have kids yet and you don’t. Why do you listen to him so much?” I couldn’t answer. “Because you thought he was worth it.” Victoria finished the sentence herself. “Now tell me, is he still worth it?” My eyes reddened instantly. “Ten o’clock sharp, the press conference starts. You go on stage and say you and Ethan have an ordinary business relationship. This afternoon I’ll have the divorce decree from the court delivered to you. I’ll give you what you want.” “Otherwise, I can’t be sure what Ethan might do.” Victoria walked to the door and looked back at me. “Your choice.” I stood there stunned. Of course I knew what kind of person Ethan was. He really was capable of anything. I already had my answer. For a smooth divorce, I chose to compromise. Soon, it was ten o’clock. I stood at the dressing room door, my fingers digging into my palms. I turned and walked in the opposite direction. Two security guards at the back door immediately blocked me. “Serena, Ethan said-” I lifted my foot and kicked hard at the left guard’s knee. Caught off guard, his knee buckled and he went down. The one on the right reached out to grab me. I dodged sideways and ran out without looking back. “Don’t run! Stop!” I didn’t look back. I ran out of the office building’s back alley and hailed a taxi. “Where to?” I froze for three seconds. He knew my mother’s house. He knew the apartment. He could find out about the film crew. He’d been to my friends’ houses. Twelve years. I had nowhere to hide. I gave the address of the rental apartment from our college days. Eleven years. I’d never canceled the lease. I paid the rent myself every month. Ethan didn’t know about this place. I casually opened social media and immediately saw Ethan’s new post. The photo showed him rushing Violet into the emergency room. Violet’s face was deathly pale, her arm wrapped in gauze. “Today I almost lost my child. I don’t want to respond to those old stories. Please stop hurting a pregnant mother.” Over ten thousand comments. “Ethan was crying for real!” “What’s wrong with that woman?” “I heard she drove Violet to self-harm!” My fingers trembled. In less than twelve hours, I’d gone from being his wife to the vicious ex-wife everyone online was condemning. I watched the street scenes flying past the car window and suddenly laughed. As I laughed, tears fell.

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I sat in the passenger seat and the driver told me I wasn’t cut out to be the lady of the house. My husband couldn’t get away from his meeting, so he sent the family driver to pick me up. I had just opened the passenger door and sat down when Jackson, the driver, frowned. “Ma’am, please sit in the back.” Thinking he meant well, I smiled and said, “It’s fine. There’s more space up front. I’m not picky.” To my surprise, he turned off the engine. “Not everyone is qualified to sit in this seat.” I froze. “It’s just a passenger seat. What’s the big deal?” Jackson glanced at me through the rearview mirror. “Mr. Smith’s former fiancée always sat here.” “She was gentle and considerate, never spent his money recklessly.” “Unlike some people. Married in for three years and can’t even produce a child.” I was so angry I laughed. I’d been married to Ethan Smith for three years. I bought the car, and I paid the driver’s salary. And here he was, taking my money while guarding the passenger seat for some woman I’d never even met.

I stared at Jackson. “What did you just say?” Jackson’s mouth turned down at the corners. “Ma’am, I was just speaking casually. Don’t be so sensitive.” I unbuckled my seatbelt. “You’re a driver. Since when do you get to tell me where to sit or comment on whether I have children?” Jackson said nothing. He rolled down the window and lit a cigarette. “I don’t like the smell of smoke. Put it out.” Jackson exhaled a puff of smoke. “Mr. Smith never minded these things. Miss Sullivan never made a fuss like you do when she rode in the car.” “Which Miss Sullivan?” “Susan Sullivan. Mr. Smith’s ex-girlfriend. If she hadn’t gone abroad, you wouldn’t have had your chance.” I pulled out my phone and called Ethan. “Vivian, did Jackson pick you up?” I looked at Jackson. “He did. But he says the passenger seat is reserved for your former fiancée and I’m not worthy of sitting there.” Ethan paused. “What former fiancée?” Jackson immediately turned around. “Mr. Smith, that’s not what I meant!” I put the call on speaker. Ethan’s voice turned cold. “Jackson, explain yourself clearly.” Jackson quickly changed his tone. “Mr. Smith, Mrs. Smith misunderstood. I was just worried the passenger seat wasn’t safe, so I asked her to sit in the back. As for Miss Sullivan, I only mentioned her in passing. Nothing more.” Ethan spoke up. “Vivian, don’t be upset. I’ll have Assistant Blaise come pick you up right away.” “No need.” I pushed open the car door. “I’ll take a cab myself.” “The meeting ends in ten minutes. I’ll come find you.” Jackson quickly got out of the car. “Ma’am, it’s blazing hot out here. Don’t throw a tantrum. If you leave on your own, Mr. Smith will think I bullied you.” “Didn’t you?” He choked on his words. He lowered his voice. “Ma’am, don’t be so difficult.” “I’ve been driving for the Smith family for eight years. The old master used me when he was alive.” “How many years have you been married in?” I nodded. “Fine.” “You don’t need to do this job today.” Jackson’s face darkened. “What do you mean?” “Starting now, you’re fired.” He let out a scoffing laugh. “Mr. Smith pays my salary.” “You think you can fire me just like that?” I waved my phone. “The salary comes from my personal account.” “I bought this car before I got married.” “Do you still think I’m not qualified?” Jackson’s expression changed. He laughed coldly. “Ma’am, don’t use money to push people around.” “Mr. Smith values loyalty. He won’t fire me just because of one word from you.” “If you make a scene like this, people will just say you can’t tolerate the Smith family’s old employees.” “Let them say it then.” I turned and walked toward the roadside. Jackson drove the car after me. “Ma’am, get in the car.” “If something happens to you in this heat, I can’t bear the responsibility when Mr. Smith blames me.” I ignored him. He suddenly swerved the car and stopped in front of me. I nearly crashed into the hood. “Jackson, what do you think you’re doing?” Jackson Hill’s face was stern. “Nothing much.” “Just asking Mrs. Smith to get in the car.” “Don’t make this difficult for me.” I took out my phone to call the police. Ethan’s call came through. Just as I pressed answer, Jackson got out of the car and grabbed my wrist. “Ma’am, that’s enough. A woman crying and making a scene on the street—aren’t you embarrassed?” I shook him off forcefully. “Touch me one more time and see what happens!” A black business car screeched to a halt at the roadside. Ethan got out and strode over quickly. Jackson immediately let go. “Mr. Smith, thank goodness you’re here.” “Mrs. Smith insisted on getting out of the car. I tried everything to persuade her.” “She even said she’d fire me.” “I was just afraid something would happen to her, so I stopped her.” Ethan walked to my side and held my wrist. There was a red mark where it had been grabbed. Ethan’s eyes turned completely cold. “Jackson.” “Who gave you permission to touch her?” Jackson panicked. “Mr. Smith, I really didn’t mean to.” “Mrs. Smith lost her temper. I was afraid she’d run off.” I pulled my hand back. “Ethan, I don’t want to see him again.” Ethan nodded. “Alright.” Jackson became anxious. “Mr. Smith!” “I’ve driven for the Smith family for eight years. Even if I haven’t achieved much, I’ve worked hard, haven’t I?” “Are you really going to fire me just because of a few words from Mrs. Smith?” “It’s not just a few words.” Ethan’s gaze was extremely heavy. “You crossed the line.” Jackson stared at me intently.

Early the next morning, property management called. “Ms. White, Mr. Hill brought a young woman to the underground garage.” “She says Mr. Smith approved it—they’re here to get something from your parking space.” I was instantly awake. “What young woman?” “She says her name is Sophia Hill, Mr. Hill’s niece. She claims Mr. Smith agreed to let her use your car.” “Tell them to wait.” I changed clothes and went downstairs. Level B2. Jackson was standing next to my Bentley. Next to him was a curly-haired girl in her early twenties. She was taking photos of the car with her phone. Jackson was all smiles. “Sophia, stand by the hood.” “You’ll be driving this car to and from work from now on. Take a couple photos to post on social media.” I walked up. “Who said this car is hers to drive?” Sophia looked me up and down. “You must be Mrs. Smith?” “My uncle told me Mr. Smith agreed to take care of me. I just got to Harbor City and it’s inconvenient.” I looked at Jackson. “You were already fired yesterday. How dare you bring someone here today?” Jackson looked uncomfortable. “Ma’am, don’t speak so absolutely.” “Mr. Smith called me last night and told me to rest for a few days.” “Ethan said that himself?” Jackson’s eyes darted away. “Mr. Smith is busy, he didn’t say it so directly.” “But I’ve worked for him for years. I understand what he means.” I took out my phone to make a call. Sophia stepped in front of me. “Is this really necessary?” “I’m borrowing the car for a few days, it’s not like I’m trying to kill you.” “A nice car sitting there doing nothing—what’s wrong with letting me drive it?” “Do you have a driver’s license?” Sophia rolled her eyes. “Obviously.” “I just haven’t gotten a license plate number yet.” I held out my hand. “Show me your license.” “What are you, taking a census?” Jackson stepped in front of her protectively. “Ma’am, Sophia just graduated. She’s thin-skinned. Don’t be so aggressive.” “She has an interview at Smith Corporation in a couple days.” “She’ll be working under Mr. Smith in the future. It’s not good for you to offend her now.” I stared at him. “Not only driving my car, but you want to get her into Smith Corporation?” Sophia sneered. “My uncle worked for the Smith family all these years. What’s wrong with him recommending someone for a job?” “Mr. Smith needs an assistant who knows how to take care of him.” “Does Ethan know you want to be his assistant?” Sophia tossed her hair. “He doesn’t know now, but he will eventually.” “Men can’t just look at the same woman their whole lives, you know.” Several car owners stopped in their tracks. Jackson’s voice immediately rose. “Ma’am, I know you look down on us poor relatives.” “Sophia just wants to borrow the car for an interview. There’s no need to humiliate her.” Sophia’s eyes reddened. “Uncle, I told you not to come.” “Rich wives like her could never respect people like us.” The property manager stepped forward. “Ms. White, should I ask them to leave?” “Please do.” Jackson stood in front of the car. “I’d like to see who dares move me.” “I used to manage this car. The keys are with me too.” He pulled out a spare key and pressed it. The car lights flashed. My face darkened. I had never given him this key. “Where did you get the key?” Jackson gripped the key tightly. “Mr. Smith gave it to me.” “Call the police.” Sophia screamed. “Who are you trying to scare!” “My uncle drove for your family. What’s wrong with having a key?” “Just because you’re rich doesn’t mean you can bully honest people!” The property manager took out his phone. Jackson suddenly fell backward. “Ow!” “My back!” “Ma’am, why did you push me!” Sophia rushed over, holding up her phone to record. “Everyone come look!” “A rich wife bullying people, she pushed my uncle down!” Jackson clutched his back and groaned. “My back’s been bad. If I’m paralyzed, Mrs. Smith will have to support me for life!”

Sophia held up her phone. “Don’t you dare leave!” “We need to get to the bottom of this today!” “I’m not planning to leave. I’m waiting for the police.” Jackson groaned even louder. “It hurts so much.” “Sophia, call an ambulance quick.” “If something happens to your uncle, you have to get justice for me.” Sophia burst into tears. “Uncle, don’t scare me.” She turned and shouted. “My uncle has worked like a dog for the Smith family for eight years, and you still bully him like this!” “Do rich people get to hit whoever they want?” “I didn’t touch him.” Sophia shoved the camera in my face. “Everyone listen to this—she still won’t admit it!” “My uncle is lying on the ground and she says she didn’t touch him!” Several aunties who regularly walked their dogs in the complex came over. Auntie Zoe in the purple jacket immediately called out. “Mr. Hill, what happened?” Jackson looked as if he’d seen his savior. “Zoe, I’m alright.” “Mrs. Smith fired me, wouldn’t let my niece borrow the car, and then she pushed me.” Auntie Zoe glared at me. “Young lady, you can’t be so excessive.” “Mr. Hill is so nice normally. He even helps us carry packages when it rains.” Another auntie chimed in. “He always says your Mrs. Smith has a bad temper. I didn’t believe it, but now I see it’s true.” I looked at Jackson. “Is this how you’ve been spreading rumors in the complex?” Jackson kept his head down. “I haven’t said anything bad about you.” “I occasionally chat with the neighbors and mention that you’re young and don’t know how to be considerate.” Auntie Zoe immediately backed him up. “And you still won’t admit it?” “Mr. Hill said you don’t even give him a cup of hot tea at home.” “You often make him buy things in the middle of the night.” “He’s getting on in years. How easy do you think it is for him?” “He’s a driver, not my father.” “I pay him. I didn’t hire him to retire on my dime.” The aunties instantly exploded. “How can you speak so harshly!” “No wonder Mr. Hill says you have no manners.” “That Miss Sullivan from before was so gentle and filial.” “You know Susan Sullivan?” Auntie Zoe pursed her lips. “Mr. Hill showed us photos.” “Now she’s the type who gets married and has children properly.” “Not like you, all flashy and dressed up. Anyone can tell you’re not the type to run a household.” Sophia turned the camera toward the aunties. “Aunties, speak up for justice.” “Hasn’t my uncle been dedicated and loyal to the Smith family?” Auntie Zoe nodded. “Of course. Mr. Hill is honest and upright. He’d never lie.” Sophia shouted at the phone. “Did everyone hear that?” “Even the neighbors know how Mrs. Smith usually mistreats old employees.” I realized what was happening. She was livestreaming. I reached out to block the camera. Sophia screamed. “She’s hitting someone!” “She’s going to hit me again!” The aunties immediately surrounded me. “Don’t get physical!” “We’re all watching!” I was trapped in the middle. The property manager tried to pull people away, but Auntie Zoe blocked him. “Property management can’t play favorites!” “Rich people bullying others, and you’re helping them too?” I called Ethan. No answer. Sophia smiled triumphantly. “Calling Mr. Smith to intimidate us?” “Men hate it when women make unreasonable scenes.” She lowered her voice. “Vivian White, don’t think you’re secure just because you married Mr. Smith.” “My uncle says Mr. Smith’s always had Susan in his heart.” “You’re just occupying a position.” “Your uncle said that?” Sophia’s expression flickered. Jackson immediately shouted. “Sophia, stop talking to her.” “Let the online viewers judge!” Sophia read the comments loudly. “Someone says rich people are disgusting.” “Someone else suggests investigating whether this woman was a homewrecker.” “Vivian White, do you dare say you didn’t steal Susan’s position?” The onlookers got even more excited. “She’s a mistress?” “No wonder she’s so arrogant.” “Stealing someone else’s man and then bullying old employees—truly shameless.” “I met Ethan when he was single. I didn’t interfere with anyone.” Jackson lay on the ground with a sinister smile. “Ma’am, don’t speak so absolutely.” “Mr. Smith gave you face by not bringing up certain things. You should know better.” The looks from everyone around me changed completely. Sophia seized the opportunity. “Did everyone hear that? Even the Smith family’s old employees are saying it! She used schemes to marry in!” “Jackson, I’m giving you one last chance. End the livestream, apologize, and hand over the keys. Otherwise I will sue you until you lose everything.” I said angrily.

Jackson sat up from the ground. “Ma’am, who are you trying to scare?” “Everyone here saw it.” “You pushed me. You’re abusing your power.” “You say you’ll sue me—where’s your evidence?” The support pillar happened to block the fixed surveillance camera. This was premeditated. The police arrived. Sophia’s livestream was still on. She cried pitifully. “Officers, you have to help us.” “My uncle wanted to get his own things back, and she pushed him down.” “She even threatened that we won’t be able to survive in Harbor City.” Jackson held his back, supported by two aunties. “I didn’t want to make a big deal out of this. A working person can’t afford to offend the Smith family.” “But she’s gone too far.” The police looked at me. “Is this accurate?” “No, it’s not.” I pointed at Jackson. “He was already fired yesterday. Today he came to my parking space with someone without permission.” “He has my spare car key and wanted to lend the car to his niece.” “I didn’t push him. He’s faking an injury.” Sophia yelled. “Lies!” “That key belonged to my uncle all along!” “I’m the car owner. How could the key be his?” Jackson quickly jumped in. “Mr. Smith asked me to keep it. I drive for the Smith family—it’s normal for me to have a key.” The police verified the electronic vehicle registration. “Do you have authorization from the owner?” Jackson stammered. “Mr. Smith authorized it.” “Do you have written proof?” “No.” Sophia quickly added. “Mr. Smith said it verbally.” I laughed coldly. “Then let’s wait for Ethan.” Footsteps came from the elevator. Ethan and Blaise walked over quickly. He pushed through the crowd and pulled me behind him. “Are you hurt?” I shook my head. Sophia’s eyes lit up as she hurried forward. “Mr. Smith, I’m Sophia Hill. My uncle often mentions you.” Ethan stared at Jackson. “Was I not clear enough yesterday?” Jackson’s face paled. “Mr. Smith, I know you were angry.” “I came today to get some things. I didn’t expect Mrs. Smith to push me.” Ethan’s voice was ice cold. “You’re certain she pushed you?” Jackson gritted his teeth. “Certain.” Sophia nodded along. “I saw it with my own eyes.” The aunties all chimed in. “We saw Mr. Hill lying on the ground too.” “This young woman is too aggressive. She even said she’d sue people until they lost everything.” Ethan glanced at them. Auntie Zoe muttered. “Having money doesn’t mean you can silence everyone. The people have eyes.” Ethan took a tablet from Blaise. “The underground garage surveillance has already been pulled.” Jackson’s eyelid twitched. Sophia tried to stand tall. “Pull it then.” “The pillar’s blocking it anyway. Who knows if it caught anything.” Ethan looked up. “How did you know the pillar was blocking it?” Sophia’s face went white. “I just saw it.” “So you already picked out the location?” Jackson cut her off sharply. “Shut up!” Ethan handed the tablet to the police. “The fixed camera really can’t capture everything.” Jackson relaxed. Ethan continued. “But the car has special surveillance. All sounds and images were recorded crystal clear.”

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I’d broken up with Ethan six times, and every single time it was because of Mara. To support this bankrupt heiress and her extravagant lifestyle, he’d always sneak behind my back to fight in illegal underground matches, trading his life for money. Every time I steeled myself to break things off, he’d kneel before me, eyes red, swearing it was the last time. Seeing him covered in bruises, I’d soften every single time. Today was supposed to be the day we met each other’s parents and set our wedding date. I sat in the private dining room, enduring judgmental looks from relatives, waiting from noon until dark. Ethan never showed up. It wasn’t until ten at night that I got a call from his buddy, Marcus. “Gianna, Ethan went to fight again. He’s in the emergency room right now, you need to—” I cut him off. “Let me guess. For Mara again?” Marcus stammered an explanation. “Mara had her eye on some limited edition bag…” Through the phone, I could hear chaos on his end, and faintly, Mara calling out Ethan’s name. Suddenly I felt so tired. This endless cycle of boundary-crossing and breaking up and getting back together—it was like torture with no end in sight. I closed my eyes and spoke calmly into the phone. “I’m not coming. Tell him we’re completely done this time.”

My mom looked at me and sighed with heartache. “Breaking up is for the best.” “Our family isn’t afraid of embarrassment. It’s better than you living in constant anxiety for the rest of your life.” I held back tears and nodded. “Mom, you and Dad should head home. Don’t worry about me.” “I just need to take care of a few things.” After seeing my parents off, I sat alone in the empty private room. My phone screen lit up. It was a video from Mara, just over ten seconds long. In the footage, Ethan lay in a hospital bed, face bruised and swollen, looking pathetic and weak. He forced the corner of his mouth into a smile. “Why are you crying?” “I told you I’d get you what I promised, didn’t I? When have I ever broken my word?” The video cut off abruptly. Right after, Mara sent a text message. [Ethan’s awake now, and he got me the bag too. Don’t be mad at him, and don’t worry, okay?] I didn’t reply. I just locked my screen. Half an hour later, I returned to the apartment Ethan and I rented together. I pulled my suitcase out from under the bed and started packing. When I opened the bottom drawer of the closet, my hand froze. There sat a cheap trophy Ethan had won from his underground fights. Looking at it, I suddenly felt dizzy with memories. I thought back to two years ago. The first time he snuck off to that underground fight club without telling me, I found out and completely broke down. I told him we were done. That night, it rained hard. Ethan, his body covered in injuries, blocked the entrance to my rental apartment and refused to leave no matter how much I tried to make him go. I told him coldly I’d never forgive him. He panicked so badly his eyes turned red, and then he actually passed out at my feet. I was terrified, shaking all over, holding his unconscious body and crying so hard I couldn’t breathe. I thought I was really going to lose him. That fear of losing the person I loved most made me surrender completely. Later came the second time, the third time… “Bzz bzz bzz—” My phone’s vibration pulled me out of the memory. It was Ethan calling. “Gianna, I bet I scared you. I’m fine, just some superficial wounds.” “Marcus is such a drama queen. The doctor said I just need to stay for observation for a couple days and I’ll be good.” “I’m sorry I couldn’t make it today. Your parents must be really upset, right?” I made a neutral sound of acknowledgment. Hearing that I wasn’t crying and making a scene like usual, he sounded relieved. “But hey, I want to discuss something with you.” “About our wedding—could we maybe push it back a couple years?” He paused, seeming to choose his words carefully. “Mara was just in my hospital room telling me all her old friends recently bought cars, and she wants one too.” “So I transferred her the money we’d been saving for the wedding.” When I didn’t respond, his tone became coaxing. “You know Mara’s family did so much for me. I’ve always treated her like a real sister.” “Her family went bankrupt. If I can help her, of course I have to…” He kept rambling on the other end about how deeply loyal and righteous he was. If this had been before, hearing those words would have made me scream myself hoarse demanding answers. What am I to you then? What about my youth and my dignity? But now, I didn’t even have the desire to argue. I spoke flatly. “You can do whatever you want.” On the other end, Ethan’s voice couldn’t hide his joy. “Gianna, I knew you were the best.” “You were so quiet just now, I thought you were going to break up with me again. You scared me to death.” I smiled slightly. “I won’t. I’ll never fight with you again.” Suddenly his tone turned serious. “Gianna, trust me, this is the last time I’ll ever fight.” “I’ll never let you suffer even the slightest grievance again. Even though we’re postponing the wedding, I swear I’ll give you the most spectacular wedding in the entire city and marry you with all the honor you deserve…”

I listened quietly. He’d said the same words too many times over these five years. The first time I heard them, I was moved to tears. But now my heart was like a dry well that couldn’t even produce an echo. Just as he was painting our future with passionate promises, I heard the hospital room door being pushed open on his end. Then came Mara’s excited voice. “Ethan! Marcus just brought my car back! It’s downstairs right now, and it’s super cool!” “Come on, come downstairs with me to see it, please?” Ethan’s heartfelt confession to me stopped abruptly, and his tone immediately switched to indulgent. “I just got stitches… Fine, fine, fine. Let me throw on some clothes and I’ll go with you. Stop pulling.” I didn’t keep listening. I hung up directly. Actually, Ethan and I weren’t always like this. When we first got together, Mara didn’t even exist in my world. It wasn’t until two years ago, when the Morrison family went bankrupt and Mara was forced to return from abroad. That’s when I learned Ethan was an orphan who’d grown up with the Morrison family’s support. In Ethan’s heart, Mara wasn’t just an ordinary sister—she was a benefactor he had to repay with his life. This debt of gratitude was like an insurmountable mountain, making our relationship a dead end from the start. I took a deep breath, picked up my phone, and called my university advisor. “Professor Wilson, that position you mentioned before—the one at the Iceland polar observation station—is it still available?” The professor’s voice was serious. “The position is still open.” “But I need to remind you again—it’s highly classified. Once you’re in, you can’t return home for at least three years. Are you willing to accept that?” I said firmly, “I’m willing.” The professor paused for two seconds and sighed. “You refused so adamantly before. Did you break up with that guy?” I made an affirmative sound, my eyes stinging slightly. “We broke up.” I was just pulling my suitcase out of the building when headlights swept over me. A brand-new car pulled up by the curb. The window rolled down. Mara’s eyes swept over my suitcase, and she smiled with raised eyebrows. “What, running away from home in the middle of the night?” I smiled back. “If I don’t leave, how will I make room for you?” Mara pushed open the car door and stepped out. “Don’t make it sound like I’m the other woman. That’s pretty funny.” “Ethan willingly gives me his money to spend. What can I do about it?” She paused deliberately. “Actually, you’re pretty pitiful. You know that?” “One time when Ethan was drunk, he told me that if I weren’t the high-and-mighty Morrison family heiress and he weren’t the poor kid they supported—” “If he hadn’t felt the class difference was too vast to dare reach for me, he never would have settled for someone else.” “So don’t really think of yourself as the main wife.” “If I actually wanted to compete with you, what chance would you have?” The night wind blew past, tousling my long hair. Hearing these words, I didn’t feel sad at all. I only felt how absurd these five years had been. I smiled faintly. “Then I wish you two a long and happy life together. May you be locked together forever.” My reaction made Mara freeze. It gave her the frustrating feeling of punching cotton. Seeing me about to leave, she grabbed the strap of my suitcase. “Wait, who said you could leave now?” “If you leave, Ethan’s still lying in the hospital. I’m not going to take care of him. You need to go look after him.” I looked at her hand gripping my suitcase. “Let go.” Not only did Mara not let go, she actually pulled out her phone and video-called Ethan. “Ethan… did I make Gianna mad again?” “I just wanted to show her the new car, but she’s pulling her suitcase and insisting on leaving. She won’t even go to the hospital to see you. I can’t stop her…”

On the screen, Ethan had gauze wrapped around his head, his face pale. After hearing Mara’s words, he didn’t ask why I was out on the street with a suitcase in the middle of the night. He didn’t ask if I was cold. He frowned, his tone helpless. “Gianna, what are you throwing a fit about now? We were just fine on the phone earlier.” “Don’t make things difficult for Mara. Just come to the hospital.” I stood in the night wind, about to turn and leave, when I suddenly remembered what Professor Wilson had told me. “The security clearance for the Iceland polar project is very strict. First thing tomorrow morning, you must bring your original passport and ID to the dean’s office to process everything.” All my important documents, including my passport, were with Ethan. Because today was supposed to be when we met each other’s parents and set our wedding date, with plans to go to the civil affairs bureau first thing tomorrow morning to register our marriage. Last night, I’d put all my documents together in his personal bag. That bag was sitting on the bedside table in his hospital emergency room. I looked at Ethan on the screen. “Okay.” “I’ll come to the hospital right now.” Half an hour later, I arrived on the third floor of the inpatient building. Just as I was about to push the door open, I heard Marcus’s voice inside. “Ethan, you really went too far this time.” “That was the down payment money for you and Gianna’s wedding, and you spent it all on a car for Mara?” “You stood up Gianna’s parents today. Aren’t you afraid Gianna will really be heartbroken this time and break up with you for good?” “We’ve all seen how good Gianna’s been to you these past five years.” My hand froze in midair. Through the crack in the door, Ethan was silent for two seconds, then his confident voice came through. “She won’t break up with me.” “Five years—with this many years of history between us, how could it end so easily?” “You know Gianna. She’s so soft-hearted. Every time we fight, as long as I apologize, she comes back on her own.” “I’ll wait a couple days until I’m discharged, buy her a gift and really make it up to her, and this whole thing will blow over.” Marcus sighed. “But Ethan, you’re giving Mara way too much, aren’t you?” “What woman could stand her husband taking care of another woman with no boundaries? What are you even thinking?” Ethan’s tone suddenly became serious. “How can you compare the two?” “Mara’s family went bankrupt. She has nothing left.” “I said I’d take care of her for life, so there’s no way I’m abandoning her. This is a debt I owe her. I have to repay it.” He paused, then softened his tone slightly. “Gianna’s understanding and reasonable. After we get married, I’ll be twice as good to her. Worst case, I’ll make it up to her in other ways.” “But with Mara, I can never let her go for the rest of my life. Gianna will get used to it eventually.” Just then, Mara’s pampered voice suddenly rang out from behind me. “Hey! What are you doing standing at the door?” The conversation in the hospital room stopped abruptly. Ethan in the bed jerked his head up. When he saw clearly that it was me standing outside the door, panic filled his face. “Gianna, when did you get here? Let me expl—” I cut him off. “No need to explain.” “Ethan, I’ve heard enough of your explanations. I’m sick of them.” Ethan’s face went white. “Gianna, stop making a scene, okay? What I just said to Marcus—we were just talking.” “And didn’t I already tell you? This is the last time. From now on I’ll definitely—” I pulled at the corner of my mouth. “The last time?” “How many times have you told me it’s the last time?” “You’ve been lying to me all along. You never planned to cut ties with her. You’ve just been testing me over and over, forcing me to slowly accept this twisted relationship between you two, right?” Ethan’s expression changed. His lips moved but he couldn’t come up with a rebuttal. My eyes felt swollen. “Ethan, every single time you went to those underground fights, I couldn’t close my eyes all night long!” “I sat there clutching my phone, terrified of getting a call from the hospital, terrified that one day you’d die in that octagon cage!” “But did you ever think about me? Even once, did you think about me waiting for you at home?” Ethan urgently raised his voice. “Nothing’s going to happen to me!” “I know what I’m doing. I always come back in one piece. Look, I’m fine, aren’t I?” I laughed once. “Fine?” “Then let me ask you, Ethan.” “Even if we get married, even if we have children someday—as long as Mara says the word, as long as she wants something, you’ll still go behind my back to those places and risk your life to earn money for her, won’t you?” Ethan fell silent, lowering his head, not daring to look at me. I looked away. “Give me that black bag on your bedside table.” Ethan froze. “What do you need the bag for? Gianna, what are you trying to do?” “Give it to me!” Seeing the situation, Marcus quickly turned and handed me the bag. I unzipped it, took out my ID and passport, and turned to leave. The next morning at nine o’clock, I stood punctually in Professor Wilson’s office. “You’re sure? Once you hand over these documents and the process starts, you can’t go back.” I said firmly, “I’m sure. I won’t regret it.” … Three days later. Ethan, with thick bandages on his head, pushed open the apartment door. He’d bought a bouquet of lisianthus from the flower shop downstairs, planning to apologize and humble himself like he had every other time. “Gianna, I’m discharged. I brought you…” The apartment was completely silent. No one answered. He frowned and changed his shoes, walking into the bedroom. “Still mad? I came straight here after discharge to make it up to you…” His voice stopped abruptly the moment he opened the closet door.

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In my rock climbing team, I’d always been paying out of my own pocket to get my friends the best equipment to keep everyone safe. Until a new member joined the team. “Twelve hundred for rock climbing gear? Are you robbing us, Elena?” Someone explained, “Twelve hundred isn’t bad, actually. This stuff goes for seven or eight thousand on the market.” “Elena owns a shop. She only charges us cost price.” Muniz continued, “Cost price? Don’t make me laugh. My family owns a shop too. I know exactly how much markup there is.” “Why don’t you all order from me instead? I’ll give you the real cost price—two hundred a set.” Everyone in the group chat was tempted. “Two hundred? That’s way too big a difference.” “Let’s have Muniz handle the equipment from now on.” “Elena, don’t be upset, but how much have you made off us all these years under the guise of friendship?” Made money? All these years, to help the team win, I’d been giving them 1-on-1 custom-made gear. The kind you couldn’t buy on the market even if you had money. I tapped my keyboard lightly and replied, “OK.” Two-hundred-dollar equipment—as long as they weren’t afraid of falling off the rock wall, it was fine by me.

Half a month before the rock climbing competition, my teammates sent me their latest body measurements. “Elena, we’re counting on you for the equipment!” Before I could respond, Muniz mentioned me. “Twelve hundred a set for equipment? Am I reading this right…” “That price… is way too outrageous.” I thought she found the price too low and was about to explain that for the team’s overall benefit, I didn’t mind taking a small loss. Instead, she sent a voice message, her tone particularly agitated. “This stuff costs less than two hundred to make. How can you have the nerve to charge everyone twelve hundred?” “Elena, even if you’re ripping off your friends, this is way too ruthless!” My typing fingers froze. Cost of two hundred? The cost of knockoffs on Amazon, maybe? My teammate Verna explained on my behalf. “Muniz, you just joined the scene, so you don’t understand. Good rock climbing equipment really is expensive.” “Elena owns a shop and only charges everyone cost price. This stuff would be at least seven thousand on the market.” Muniz replied: “I understand perfectly well. My family owns a shop too.” “Market price is one thing, but the markup is huge.” “When my family buys wholesale, even the best equipment only costs two hundred, but we can retail it for ten thousand.” The group fell silent for a moment. Verna spoke up again, but this time directed at me. “Elena, why don’t you explain to everyone…” “We understand you want to make money, but isn’t a six-times markup a bit… too excessive?” Other teammates chimed in as well. “I knew no one gets up early for nothing. No wonder Elena was always so enthusiastic.” “Elena, this is too much. Every time we thanked you for the low prices, were you secretly calling us idiots?” Muniz sent a hand-over-mouth emoji. “Oops, should I not have said anything? I’m ruining someone’s cash cow…” “But I really couldn’t help it. I can’t stand people who make money off their friends.” “I used to provide equipment for my old team too, but I charged the real cost price—two hundred a set.” “If you’re willing, I can give you all the same price.” The group got even more excited. “Muniz, you can really give it to us for two hundred? That’s such a savings!” “I won’t have to scrimp and save for equipment anymore.” “Ugh, all the money I saved by going hungry ended up enriching a capitalist.” Even the usually fair-minded captain, Johnson, came out and sent a message. “My fault for not properly researching the market and human nature. I let certain people rip everyone off.” Immediately after, Johnson private messaged me. “Elena, everyone’s pretty upset about this. Can you refund this round of payments?” “We want to get equipment from Muniz.” “It’s not that everyone doesn’t want to support you. It’s just that your price difference is too big.”

I replied with an “OK” and transferred back the seven thousand two hundred I’d collected today. People in the group were still complaining. “We got refunds for this round, but what about all the previous ones? We’ve ordered at least eight times, if not ten.” “She tearfully made a thousand bucks off each of us every time, right? That’s six thousand from the six of us!” “Ten times is sixty thousand. Tsk tsk. I bet we’ve been supporting her entire shop.” I silently exited WhatsApp without responding. There was no point. Even if I told them my cost price alone was over six thousand, so what? They’d just accuse me of bullshitting. I looked at each team member’s latest body measurements on my computer and called the factory. “Don’t make those six sets of custom equipment.” The technician, Nelson, let out an excited shriek. “You’ve finally come to your senses!” “Every time you custom-make stuff for them, and you only charge that little—it’s not even a fraction of the cost.” “Some people, even if you don’t make a cent off them, will still think you’re making a fortune.” “This is the right move!” After hanging up, I laughed at myself. When I first joined the team last year, my teammates’ eyes lit up when they saw my equipment. “Elena, your shoe soles are amazing. You can tell they have great grip just by looking!” “Wow, your rope is clearly lighter than mine, but how does it feel sturdier?” Johnson looked at his own equipment and sighed despondently. “My set still cost almost three thousand. Elena’s set must be over ten thousand, right?” “Forget it, can’t be jealous. My salary can barely sustain even this set.” After spending time with them, I was infected by their passion for rock climbing. So I volunteered that I could get them the same quality equipment I had, for only twelve hundred. I said I owned a shop and could get cost price. Actually, I was the founder of UP Company, the largest rock climbing equipment manufacturer. The first competition after they switched equipment, our team took first place. Before that, we couldn’t even make top three. From then on, every time we competed, advertisers even approached us. Everyone got paid while pursuing their hobby. To help everyone perform better, I asked for their body measurements and started making personalized custom gear for them. Custom gear couldn’t be mass-produced on assembly lines. It required technicians to supervise and adjust every detail. My factory price for one set was twelve thousand. The technician advised me not to subsidize like this. I said it was fine, we were all friends. I never expected the slap in the face to come so quickly. Johnson’s message came again. “Send our body measurements to Muniz right away. Don’t delay!” “OK.” I sent the team members’ data files to Muniz. Shortly after, she replied: “Elena, you really are quite the actress.” “Equipment comes in fixed sizes for each model. What do you need body measurements for?” “Making it all fancy to make scamming easier, is that it?”

I didn’t reply. Someone who dared sell equipment for less than two hundred dollars—explaining to her would be a waste of breath. Then the group messages started again. Muniz: [Elena wants your body measurements to put on a show and tearfully earn a thousand. Actually, this data is completely useless.] Verna: [We don’t really understand this stuff either. We just believed whatever she said.] Johnson: [If it weren’t for Muniz, who knows how long we would’ve kept getting scammed.] Diallo: [Thanks, Muniz. You just joined and you’re already so real with us, unlike certain people.] I muted the group chat notifications and pulled up a message on WhatsApp that I hadn’t replied to. It was from Pratt, the captain of another rock climbing team. They used to always place first, but ever since I joined Johnson’s team and provided equipment, Pratt’s team had been stuck in second place. Pratt had contacted me many times. “Elena, I’ve looked everywhere on the market and can’t find equipment like yours.” “Can you give me a purchasing channel? I won’t let you help for nothing.” Yesterday, he somehow found out that I was the CEO of UP. “Miss Elena, could you also make a few sets of that kind of equipment for us? Name your price!” I hadn’t replied. Special customization was time-consuming and labor-intensive. If I took their order, I wouldn’t be able to finish our team’s in time. Now, I opened Pratt’s chat window. “Nineteen hundred a set. Ordering?” Pratt replied instantly: “Seven sets!” Right after, a transfer notification came through. A hundred and forty thousand. The seven thousand two hundred I’d just refunded Johnson wasn’t even enough to cover the零头. In the team group, Johnson @ mentioned me. “Elena, why haven’t you paid Muniz to order equipment yet?” “The competition is coming up soon. Don’t delay things!” I replied: “I have my own equipment. I don’t need to order from her.” Muniz sent a wronged emoji. “Is Elena mad at me for taking your business?” “Even if you’re angry with me, you can’t affect the team. We’re a unit. It’ll look so uncoordinated if you’re wearing different equipment from everyone else.” Johnson sent a message: “If you’re only thinking about yourself and have zero team spirit, then quit the team.” Before I could say anything, Johnson kicked me out. I looked at the “You have been removed from the group chat” notification and gently locked my screen. It didn’t matter. I couldn’t possibly use two-hundred-dollar stuff for rock climbing just to fit in, could I? I valued my life. Pratt quickly compiled his team members’ body measurements and sent them to me. “Thank you. But won’t your teammates be angry?” “No, I just got kicked out of the team.” Right after I sent the message, Pratt pulled me into their rock climbing group. “Elena’s joining us! Everyone welcome her!” I sent a “?” Pratt said: “I was afraid you’d refuse, so I acted first.” I laughed. The group was buzzing with enthusiasm. “Elena, you’re finally here! Do you know how long we’ve envied your team’s equipment?” “I knew there was something special about Johnson’s equipment—it looked so comfortable, fit perfectly. Turns out it was custom-made!” “I went everywhere trying to find the same kind and couldn’t find it anywhere!” “How did they kick you out?” I said: “Because a new member is providing them with two-hundred-dollar equipment sets, and they think I’m a scam artist.”

Everyone couldn’t help but laugh. “Two hundred a set? And they dare use that?” “When I first started, I saw that kind of stuff. Those carabiners aren’t as sturdy as wire. Pure scams targeting beginners. Using that stuff for rock climbing—aren’t they afraid of falling to their deaths?” “We’re guaranteed to win this time. The sponsors should keep investing in us!” Ever since Johnson’s team started winning first place every time, all the advertisers who used to sponsor Pratt’s team had left. Rock climbing competitions had high viewership, and each advertising sponsorship was worth three hundred thousand. Over these years, Johnson had gone from a working-class guy who had to grit his teeth to buy three-thousand-dollar equipment to quitting his job and earning five figures a month from competitions alone. That’s why he was so eager to kick me out. Three hundred thousand—one less person meant he could get a bigger share. Before I knew it, competition day arrived. At the team assembly point, Johnson and the others were waiting for Muniz to deliver the equipment. I drove up to the assembly point with equipment loaded in my car. As soon as I opened the trunk, Johnson ran over to stop me. “What are you doing, Elena? Didn’t we say we don’t want your equipment? Are you still trying to force a sale?” “Aren’t you done making dirty money? You can’t sell your stuff without us, can you?” Verna frowned too. “Elena, your behavior is really ugly.” Diallo pursed his lips. “Still trying to make us your suckers, huh?” I said expressionlessly, “I’m here to compete. This equipment isn’t for you.” Johnson looked completely annoyed. “Compete? You’re not part of our team anymore!” “Our sponsorship and prize money have nothing to do with you!” “I’m going to tell the referee right now that you’re not a member of our team. Don’t even try it!” “Hurry up and take your stuff back home!” Pratt ran over with his team members and pushed Johnson aside. “Elena is our team member. It’s not your place to boss her around.” The team members helped me unload the equipment from the car and distributed the bags with their names on them. “Damn, this feels different!” “How is this helmet so light yet so sturdy?” “These shoes are so comfortable!” Johnson and the others looked embarrassed, but finally turned away with a sneer. “A bunch of idiots. Getting sold out and helping count the money.” Just then, Muniz’s car pulled up. She opened her trunk and called to everyone: “Come get your equipment!” Johnson and the others grabbed their gear while shooting us sideways glances. “Sigh, some suckers are going to be biting their teeth and crying when they see we bought our equipment for two hundred, right?” Diallo laughed out loud. “Captain, why are you provoking them? What if they cry so hard they can’t climb?” Verna covered her mouth. “No, they’ll lose the strength to climb from beating up Elena.” Diallo picked up the bag with her name on it. “So light and convenient, even lighter than our old equipment!” Johnson eagerly went to unzip it. Muniz raised her eyebrows smugly. “What I’m giving you is the best—” Before she could finish, Johnson’s incredulous voice rang out. “What the hell is this pile of crap!”

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