New Year’s Eve. Brandon, my boyfriend of three years, invited me home to meet his parents. At dinner, he drugged my wine. “Skylar, the gangsters…they’ll chop my hands off if I don’t pay up. I had no way out! I had to give you to him.” “Don’t blame me. Blame your luck. You look just like his crush.” “It’s win-win. I pay my debts, you get a wealthy life.” Drugged and dazed, I was delivered by his family to gates I knew too well. The home of my uncle, Victor Thorne. Victor had always doted on Mom and me. The year my father laid a hand on her, Victor had him shipped to a remote African mine before sunset. I could barely imagine what Brandon was about to face… The tranquilizer hadn’t fully worn off. I lay slumped in the backseat of the car, unable to lift even a finger. The voices of Brandon, Frank, and Carol Miller reached me as a muffled drone, distant and indistinct. Brandon and I had been together since college, straight through graduation. Ours was a stable relationship, one that had never faced any real turbulence. Just before the holidays, he’d looked so sincere, saying he wanted to take me home to meet his parents, to talk about marriage. Thinking I needed to make a good impression on his family, I’d spent days meticulously preparing. I bought a new cashmere coat, got my hair done, and brought two expensive bottles of wine and a stack of gift boxes. But after just half a glass of water Carol poured for me, my vision started to blur. “Skylar, don’t blame me,” Brandon said, his face a mask of feigned grievance. “I was truly backed into a corner, with no way out.” “Five million! How was I supposed to pay that back? They’ll really chop off my hands!” I wanted to curse him, but my tongue wouldn’t obey, only choked, incoherent sounds escaped my throat. “Don’t feel so wronged, either,” he continued to ramble. “Mr. Thorne’s place isn’t some bad situation. He just likes your type.” “You’ll live a life of luxury with him, isn’t that better than being with me? I’m doing this for both of our sakes, a win-win, get it?” Win-win? You win my ass. The car sped through the darkness, the scenery outside the window a blur. I struggled to focus my eyes, trying to make out our direction. Until the car slowly decelerated, finally pulling up to a massive, intricately carved iron gate. This place, this gate, this estate… My heart leaped. My hazy mind felt like it had been doused with ice water, clearing slightly in an instant. No way. It couldn’t be. Brandon and his mom dragged me out of the car, one on each side, practically pulling me across the front lawn of the estate. My cashmere coat was disheveled and torn, my heels were long gone. Two straight-backed men stood by the door, watching us approach with expressionless faces. “Gentlemen, please inform Mr. Thorne. We truly couldn’t raise the money, so we came up with a new way to settle the debt.” Frank Miller bent at the waist, fawning over the men in black suits at the door. “We’ve brought Mr. Thorne a New Year’s gift. He’s definitely going to like it.” One of the men shined a flashlight beam across my face. The light stung my eyes, making me squint. “Her?” His voice was flat. “Yes, yes, exactly! My son’s girlfriend,” Carol quickly chimed in, forcefully pulling my face straight. “See? Doesn’t she look exactly like the woman Mr. Thorne commemorates every year? We specifically found out about that.” “And she’s a dancer, very graceful. She’ll be attentive to his needs!” My stomach lurched. The man was silent for a few seconds, then gestured to a subordinate nearby. “Go inform him.” He turned back to us. “Whether it works out or not, I can’t say. Just come inside and wait.” “Thank you, sir! Thank you!” Brandon nodded profusely, bowing repeatedly, as he dragged me towards the main house. By the time I was pulled into the parlor on the first floor, my legs had given out. I collapsed onto the cold floor. “Mr. Thorne is with a guest. Wait here,” the man said, then left. As soon as the door closed, Brandon immediately crouched in front of me, a mix of anxiety and calculation on his face. “Skylar, help me out, just this once.” He grabbed my shoulders and shook me. “When Mr. Thorne comes, just say you came willingly.” “Please, I won’t look down on you. I promise I’ll treat you well afterward!” I stared at him, unable to make a sound. “Don’t you dare stay silent!” Carol also leaned in, her nails digging into my arm. “If the Millers go down, you won’t have it easy either! Brandon’s your boyfriend, you should help him!” “Mom, don’t scare her,” Brandon faked a gentle reprimand, then turned back to me, softening his tone. “Skylar, I know you’re angry, but I really have no choice. Five million! They’ll kill me…” The tranquilizer was slowly wearing off. I could feel my limbs regaining sensation, and my tongue could move again. I took a deep breath, finally choking out a raspy sentence: “Get lost. I won’t.”

“What did you say?” Brandon’s face instantly darkened. He grabbed a handful of my hair, forcing me to look up at him. “Skylar, I advise you to think carefully before you speak.” A sharp pain shot through my scalp, but I gritted my teeth. “I said, I won’t. This is a crime. I’m calling the police.” Smack! A stinging slap landed hard on my face. My vision went black, my ears rang, and I tasted blood. “You’re ungrateful!” Brandon snarled through gritted teeth. “What do you think you are? You’re just a dancer, it’s your good fortune to be able to pay off my debt!” Carol followed up with a kick. “Exactly! Who are you to act so pure? It’s an honor my son chose you!” “Not her face!” Frank warned from the side. “If you damage her face, we’re all screwed!” Brandon finally let go. I lay sprawled on the cold floor, gasping for air. “Skylar, I’m asking you one last time,” he crouched down, pinching my chin. “Are you going to cooperate or not?” I stared at him, enunciating each word. “Absolutely not.” “Fine. Very well,” Brandon sneered, standing up and walking towards me. “Aren’t you a dancer? Aren’t you supposed to fulfill your mom’s legacy?” He lifted his foot and stomped down hard on my calf. “Ah!” The excruciating pain made me scream. “If this leg breaks, what dance will you do then?” He ground his foot down harder. “I heard your mom’s biggest wish before she died was to see you on an international stage. What a shame…” Fear instantly consumed me. Mom was one of the nation’s top dancers, but she passed away due to illness at the peak of her career. I had trained tirelessly in dance since childhood, all to honor her legacy. “No,” my voice began to tremble. “Don’t touch my leg…” “Now you’re scared?” Carol scoffed from the side. “Weren’t you tough a moment ago?” Brandon took his foot off, then crouched down again. “Then be a good girl and behave later.” “As long as you clear my debt, I’ll still marry you. We’ll go back to how things were.” I closed my eyes, tears streaming down my face against my will. “That’s more like it,” Carol said, satisfied. “Go clean her up. She’s a mess, how can she be presented like this?” Brandon roughly dragged me off the floor, pulling me towards the private bathroom attached to the parlor. “I can do it myself,” I tried to struggle. “Shut up!” He shoved me into the bathroom. “Your makeup’s ruined, you look like a ghost.” He grabbed my hair, forcing my face under the faucet. The cold water made me shiver violently, my makeup washing off in streaks. Brandon grabbed the hand soap from the sink and smeared it directly onto my face. I choked, coughing. “Mmph…Stop!” “Clean her up properly. Mr. Thorne will want to see this face.” “She really does look like her. Damn. I only chased you because your face looks just like Mr. Thorne’s woman.” My heart sank completely. So that was it. Three years of a relationship, just a calculated setup from the start. Brandon rinsed the foam from my face, then roughly wiped it dry with a towel. Then he started ripping my clothes. “What are you doing!” I screamed in horror, clutching my chest. “These clothes are too conservative. You need something sexier.” He pulled a low-cut black dress from his bag. “Put it on.” “No!” “You won’t?” Brandon’s eyes turned cold. “Then don’t blame me for helping you.” He violently tore open the buttons of my cashmere coat. I shrieked and struggled, but he slapped me again with the back of his hand. “Stay still!” The bathroom door suddenly rattled. Carol’s voice came through. “Brandon, hurry! Mr. Thorne’s men are here!” Brandon froze, glaring at me viciously. “You’re lucky.” He dragged me out of the bathroom, pushing me back onto the parlor carpet. The door opened. Several men in black suits walked in. The one at the front, in his early thirties, had a scar on his face and cold, dangerous eyes. “Mr. Thorne will be here any minute,” the man with the scar, Jax, said, glancing at me. “Cleaned up?” “Cleaned up, perfectly clean!” Frank quickly forced a smile. “Jax, sir, take a look. Doesn’t she look exactly like her?” Jax took a few steps closer, crouching down to examine my face carefully. My heart pounded. Was this Jax, the new guy under my uncle? Victor had only mentioned him once, saying he’d only been with him for about six months, known for being ruthless, but still unfamiliar with family matters. I was doomed. He didn’t recognize me at all.

Jax stared at my face for a full thirty seconds, his expression shifting from scrutiny to something ancient and unsettling. “Uncanny. Damn uncanny,” he muttered. He reached out, his rough finger grazing my cheek. “She’s practically identical to the woman in the photos.” My body went rigid. I managed to squeeze out a sound. “Are you Jax? I’m…” Smack! Another slap, harder than Brandon’s. My head snapped to the side, blood oozing from the corner of my mouth. “Who told you my name?” Jax grabbed a handful of my hair, forcing me to look at him. “You’re just merchandise for debt, trying to pull rank on your grandpappy?” “No, I really am…” “Shut up!” He clamped a hand around my neck. “Say one more word, and I’ll rip out your tongue.” Suffocation gripped me. I clawed at his hand, but it was to no avail. The Millers stood frozen nearby, barely daring to breathe, fawning over Jax. “Jax, sir, what about… Mr. Thorne?” Frank tentatively asked. “Mr. Thorne is upstairs handling some business. He sent me down to check first.” Jax released me and stood up. “But I don’t think this girl is very cooperative.” He pulled out a cigarette, lit it, took a drag, then crouched down and flicked the ash onto my face. “It’s your good fortune that you look like someone Mr. Thorne admired, but don’t think you can get away with anything just because of that face.” He pinched my chin. “Mr. Thorne hates it when people try to exploit his personal connections. You’d better know your place.” I coughed violently, tears streaming down my face. “I really am… I’m Victor’s niece, please believe me…” “Still spewing nonsense!” Jax roared in fury, kicking me hard in the stomach. I curled up in pain, felt like my organs were shifting. “Do you really think I wouldn’t know if Mr. Thorne had any siblings? Where would a niece come from?” Jax sneered. “What lies won’t you spin just to climb the ladder?” He gestured to a subordinate. “Bring the liquor.” A subordinate immediately handed him a bottle of vodka. Jax twisted off the cap, grabbed my chin, and started pouring it down my throat. The harsh liquor burned its way down my throat. I choked, my face flushing scarlet, alcohol streaming from my mouth, down my neck and soaking my clothes. “Drink it! Finish it!” Jax’s expression was distorted. “If Mr. Thorne comes and you dare to throw it up, I’ll throw you into the deepest, darkest pits of our operations and let every one of the guys have their fill!” He only released me after half the bottle was gone. I lay on the floor, dry-heaving, my throat burning. My vocal cords felt shredded, unable to form a complete sound. Brandon looked uneasy. “Jax, sir, if Mr. Thorne comes and she can’t speak…” “Better if she can’t speak,” Jax glanced at him. “Save her from talking nonsense.” He crouched down again, grabbing my right hand. “Pretty fingers, huh?” I stared at him in horror. “What a shame.” He sneered, then suddenly twisted with force. Crack! “AH!” My bloodcurdling scream echoed through the entire parlor. My index finger bent at an unnatural angle. The excruciating pain made my vision go black. “That’s just one,” Jax said, his tone light. “If you don’t behave, I’ll break all ten of your fingers.” I convulsed in pain, tears and snot blurring my face. “Mr. Thorne is here!” A subordinate at the door suddenly announced. Jax immediately stood up, straightened his suit, and adopted a respectful expression. The Millers also quickly stood at attention, heads bowed, not daring to look around. The door opened. A tall figure walked in, dressed in a black coat, with cold and severe eyes, radiating an aura that screamed ‘keep your distance’. It was my uncle, Victor. He scanned the parlor, his brows immediately furrowing. “What’s going on? It’s a mess.” Jax quickly stepped forward. “Mr. Thorne, these people came to settle a debt, and they brought a woman.” “I told you, don’t bring just anyone here,” Victor’s voice was icy. “Clean it up.” He said, then turned to leave. No! Don’t go! I used all my strength to push myself up, but my legs failed and I fell back to the floor, still unable to make a sound. My uncle’s footsteps didn’t falter. In desperation, I tore off the necklace my mother left me, the one around my neck. Then, with my working left hand, I threw it hard at Victor’s feet. The metal struck the marble floor with a sharp clink. Victor’s footsteps halted. He looked down, his gaze moving from the necklace on the floor to my bruised, tear-streaked face. His pupils constricted sharply.

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There they were, in the bed again, caught red-handed. But this time, it was me lying there naked with a stranger. And for the first time, Jack Murray showed a reaction. It lasted a second. He quickly regained his composure, even tearing open a condom for me. Calm. Casual. “I said we’d have an open marriage, no strings attached. Looks like you finally listened.” Then, with a chilling smile, he handed a condom to the man on top of me. “Be careful. Don’t let her get pregnant.” As he walked away, he offered one last piece of advice. “I’m right next door. Have fun. Run out of ideas, just ask me for tips.” I watched him walk away without a glance back. This five-year marriage had to end. “Ms. Hayes, should we… continue?” The man looked at me, a hint of pity in his eyes. I stumbled from the bed, fumbling with my clothes, my heart a raw wound of humiliation and grief. I pulled out a wad of cash and handed it to him. “What happened tonight, it never leaves this room.” As I left the room, Jack was waiting in the hallway, his arm around his latest fling. He eyed me with a smirk that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Thought you finally grew a spine. Is that all you’ve got?” I froze, looking up at him. Jack chuckled. “Audrey Hayes, we have an understanding. Even if you did sleep with someone, I’d never make the pathetic scene you just did. Don’t worry. I’m the picture of understanding.” His words hit me like a physical blow, stealing my breath. He was right. He was understanding. In a situation like that, even if it was just an act, no man would react as casually as Jack had. No other man would dismiss it so lightly. He simply didn’t care. He didn’t care about me. So no matter what I did, it wouldn’t stir a single ripple in his heart. Between us, the one who always struggled with being “understanding” was me. That’s why five years ago, when I first found him in bed with someone else, my reaction was so drastically different from his. I smashed everything I could get my hands on, crying hysterically, like a total lunatic. But Jack? He remained utterly calm, just watching me quietly, before letting out a sigh. “Audrey, this is just an arranged marriage. Why are you making such a spectacle of yourself?” It felt like a bucket of ice water had been dumped over me, chilling my heart to its core. Jack would never understand how I felt then, just as he would never know how my heart soared to the heavens when I learned he was my arranged fiancé. Because of his words, I, his wife in name only, lost the right to even question his subsequent gossip and scandals. Facing one caught-in-the-act after another, I gradually transitioned from hysterical outbursts to a numb, resigned calm. Like now. I was still hurting, but I could finally accept the fact that our marriage was truly ending. I looked at Jack, gathered my composure, and, mimicking his smirk, curved my lips into a smile. “Poor acting, I know. My apologies.” Jack blinked, a flicker of confusion in his eyes. For the first time, he seemed genuinely unsure of me. But the woman beside him, Scarlett Reed, snickered. She leaned into him, her voice playful. “Jack, honey, how can you talk to Ms. Hayes like that?” “She went through all that trouble, stripping herself down and throwing herself at another man, just to get your attention, to make you jealous! You’re making her lose face!” She playfully pushed Jack toward me, poking his chest. “Go on, comfort her! Look, Ms. Hayes is about to cry.” Jack glanced at me, then offered a dismissive smile. “It’s just an arranged marriage. I have no obligation to comfort anyone.” “Everyone needs to manage their own emotions. If you don’t want to humiliate yourself further, don’t pull ridiculous stunts like this again.” He wrapped his arm around Scarlett’s slender waist once more. “I promised to spend tonight with you. I can’t go back on my word, can I?” Without another glance, he turned and led Scarlett into their room. The moment the door closed, Scarlett looked back at me, her eyes glinting with undisguised triumph and provocation. Soon after, muffled, intimate sounds began to emanate from behind the door. It was as if they were determined to make sure I heard every single sound, to break me with their forced display. They knew I hadn’t left, and I knew they were doing it on purpose. I don’t know how long I stood there, until my legs went completely numb. Then I shakily made my way home and called my lawyer. “Draft up a divorce agreement for me. Get it to me as soon as possible.” Since Jack kept insisting it was just an arranged marriage, then surely it wouldn’t matter if I just… found a new arrangement. After all, what difference did it make who I was arranged to marry?

Jack had been gone longer this time. He was a ghost for nearly half a month, but Scarlett’s Ins stories updated punctually every night. Auctions, galas, exclusive parties, even the private island where Jack and I had gone for our honeymoon-her presence was everywhere. Scarlett truly deserved her title as the one who’d been by Jack’s side the longest; she always knew exactly how to twist the knife. Everything she did felt less like showing off and more like a deliberate provocation. But unfortunately for her, she was going to be disappointed this time. Now that I’d decided to let go completely, I wasn’t going to waste any more emotion on Jack. Just as I closed my phone, ready to rest, a message from Scarlett popped up. “I’ve prepared a gift for you. Hope you like it.” Beneath it was a link to a trending story. The moment I clicked it open, it felt like I’d been stomped on. “Audrey Hayes, Heiress, Caught Cheating! Secret Rendezvous with Boy Toy!” Beneath the sensational headline were dozens of private photos from that night. I looked heartbroken, my eyes red from crying. But my suppressed grief and silent pain were completely twisted by the online mob, distorted into unspeakable filth. The comment section was a torrent of vile abuse. I scrolled through, trembling with rage. I was the victim in this marriage, yet the true betrayer walked away unscathed, while I became the slut publicly condemned by everyone. When I finally managed to calm down and contacted someone to take down the trending topic, they told me that someone had paid a high price to keep the story on the front page for an entire day and night. After hanging up, a wave of dread washed over me. Scarlett didn’t have that kind of power. The person backing her, the one who wanted to ruin my reputation, was Jack. I racked my brain but couldn’t understand why he hated me so much. Five years of marriage, even if it was just in name, the feelings I’d once held for him were real. My care and concern for him were genuine. Even if Jack had no feelings for me, he didn’t need to be this cruel, this spiteful. But soon enough, I got my answer. The next afternoon, Jack and I were both invited to a gala. Because I hadn’t slept all night, I had a minor incident on the way there, causing me to arrive a bit late. The banquet hall was loud, but I spotted Jack instantly. He was surrounded by a group of people, and draped bonelessly over him was, of course, Scarlett. I took a step forward, intending to approach, but then I overheard his conversation with his friends. “Jack, I saw the trending story. I can’t believe even you got cheated on! Your wife’s quite something!” “That’s what you get for always trying to steal my girls! Karma’s a bitch, huh?” Someone else joked, “Oh, come on! And you always boast about your conquests? You can’t even tell? Those pictures on the trending story clearly show it wasn’t the real deal! Your wife was obviously just putting on an act to win you back!” “But Jack, didn’t you go a bit too far this time? Keeping that story at number one, letting everyone insult and slander her? She’s still a woman. How’s she supposed to show her face in public after this?” Jack slowly picked up his glass, a mocking smile playing on his lips. “How else is she going to learn her lesson? I want to make sure she never dares to find another man again, not even to pretend.” The friend looked surprised. “That’s a double standard! You can play the field, but she can’t even have a fake fling? Are you saying your ‘open marriage, no interference’ rule only applies to others, not you?” Jack frowned, but said nothing. “You’re a cunning one, alright. You don’t fulfill your duties as a husband, but you demand she acts like a proper wife. And because of your ‘no interference’ rule, she can’t even get jealous or angry!” “As your buddy, I gotta say I’m jealous. Unlike me, my battle-axe of a wife went and caused a scene at my company last month. I was totally humiliated!” “Hey, how about this? I’ll go home later and make the same agreement with my wife, tell her we’re both free to do as we please, no interference. What do you think?” This time, Jack actually laughed. “No, don’t you dare say that. If you do, you’ll be signing your own divorce papers.” “My situation is different from yours. After all, Audrey… she’s in love with me.” His tone was a mix of smugness and teasing, but my blood instantly ran cold. So he knew I loved him.

Because I loved him, he felt free to demean me, to stomp all over my dignity, to let his endless string of mistresses walk all over me. Everything I had endured all these years, it was simply because he knew I loved him. How utterly ridiculous. Their conversation continued. “Holy crap! Jack, you’re an animal!” “But since your wife is so devoted to you, and you don’t intend to divorce her, why did you trick her into having an abortion when she was pregnant with your child?” At his words, I froze. He was right. I had been pregnant with Jack’s child. But at three months, there was an accident. The railing on the second-floor staircase suddenly became loose, and I fell. By the time I reached the hospital, the baby was gone. Not only that, the doctor announced on the spot that my body was damaged. Because my health was already fragile, it was highly unlikely I’d ever conceive again. Coincidentally, the person who performed the abortion was Scarlett. When I emerged from the operating room, Jack for the first time showed a glimmer of concern in his eyes. He walked over and held me, his voice unusually gentle. “It’s okay. The baby’s gone, but as long as you’re alright, that’s all that matters.” Back then, I was naive enough to think I’d finally touched his heart. Now, it was clear there was a hidden agenda. “The doctors said your wife’s condition was indeed critical, but with proper care, the baby might have been saved. But you? You kept it from her, sent her straight into surgery, and because of the forced abortion, she suffered permanent damage.” “I really don’t get you, Jack. Can you tell me why you did it?” Hearing this, Jack’s expression turned complex, a mix of annoyance and something else. He lit a cigarette, squinted, took a drag, and said irritably: “Why else? I wasn’t done living it up, I wasn’t ready to be a dad yet! “Besides, Audrey getting pregnant was just a way for her to get a hold over me. Our families only arranged this marriage for business. If a child interfered with the Murray Corp.’s crucial interests, it would be a huge loss, wouldn’t it?” “Her physical harm wasn’t my intention. I’ll compensate her later. And don’t ever bring this up again. If she finds out, she’ll probably throw a fit.” My body trembled uncontrollably. A tsunami of desperate emotions instantly consumed me. By the time I regained my senses, I had already walked directly in front of Jack. My sudden appearance silenced the entire room, leaving only the sound of breathing. Even Jack couldn’t maintain his composure. A flicker of panic crossed his eyes. He coughed, looking at me with a hint of guilt. “Since you’re here, come sit down.” I didn’t move, didn’t speak. The atmosphere became impossibly awkward. Seeing my silence, Jack’s face tightened, clearly losing face. He frowned. I knew this was his precursor to anger. I used to dread his temper, but now I simply and silently pulled the pre-drafted divorce agreement from my bag and placed it before him. “Jack, I don’t know when you’ll ever be ‘done playing,’ but I’m tired of playing along. Sign this divorce agreement, and you can play however you want. I won’t interfere, and I certainly won’t try to use a child to affect Murray Corp.’s crucial interests.” “We’re done, Jack.”

Jack stared intensely at the document, his face ashen. After a long moment, he looked at me with a cold laugh. “Are you threatening me?” I offered a bitter smile. “If that’s what you think, then yes.” He looked at me, his eyes narrowing dangerously, his voice a mix of threat and pressure. “I’m asking you one last time. Do you really want to divorce me?” I nodded without hesitation. Seeing my resolve, his friends exchanged glances, then tried to persuade me to reconsider. But my stance remained unwavering. Jack wasn’t used to being defied like this. He angrily scribbled his name on the divorce agreement, then glared at me, his voice venomous. “Audrey, you’re quite something. I dare you not to come back crying and begging me!” I ignored him, picked up the agreement, and walked away. I hadn’t gone far when their voices reached my ears again. This time, Jack’s friends were betting on how long it would take for me to return and grovel. Their chatter grew louder and more excited, until Jack finally chimed in. “Stop guessing. Three days, tops. She’ll be back, crying and begging me not to divorce her.” Hearing that, I curled my lips into a sneer. He was going to be disappointed this time. Not only would I not go back and beg him, but I was going to make sure he lost face too! My endless patience with him before was only because I loved him. But now, I had no reason to tolerate anything anymore. So, as soon as I got home, I immediately contacted the media. I extracted videos from our home surveillance showing Jack with various mistresses and uploaded them online. The most scandalous, without a doubt, was the footage of him and Scarlett. I reciprocated his methods, ensuring these stories remained trending for an entire day and night. Public opinion completely flipped. This time, the targets of ridicule and scorn were them. Jack called me incessantly during this time, but I ignored every single call. See? A knife only hurts when it cuts you. They deserved to feel the sting of public condemnation too. What I didn’t expect was a call from the hospital a few days later. “Ms. Hayes, it’s urgent! Your mother’s condition has suddenly worsened. She needs immediate surgery!” My mother had been battling illness for years. She’d just had surgery three months prior, and her health had finally started to improve. I couldn’t believe this was happening now. When I rushed to the hospital, the doctor explained the situation. “Ms. Hayes, the lesion has progressed. The procedure is extremely high-risk. Your mother’s former specialist, Dr. Henderson, left the country for a fellowship two weeks ago. At this point, only his protégé, Dr. Reed, might be able to handle it. It’s critical. You need to decide now.” Dr. Reed was Scarlett. The name hit me like a physical blow. But faced with my mother’s life, what was my pride? Before I could go looking for her, Scarlett found me first. Jack was standing beside her. Both of their faces were grim when they saw me. After I explained the situation, Scarlett said, “Ms. Hayes, that stunt you pulled online almost cost me my job. And now you’re asking for my help? Don’t you think you should apologize first?” I asked, “What do you want me to do?” Scarlett looked at me, a malicious glint in her eyes. “Unless you get down on your knees and beg me right now, I might consider it.” My eyes widened. I instinctively looked at Jack, who stood beside her. But Jack simply said, “When you ask for a favor, you need to show the right attitude. Whether your mother lives or dies is up to you.” At his words, any last shred of hope in my heart shattered. For my mother, I had no choice but to throw my pride onto the ground, to let them trample it. The moment my knees hit the floor, Scarlett’s undisguised jeers filled my ears. A while later, my mother was wheeled into surgery. After an agonizing wait, the light above the operating room finally went out. Scarlett emerged with two nurses. I rushed forward, desperate for news, but she shook her head. “I did my best, but it seems your mother’s fate was sealed. There was nothing more I could do.” But one of the nurses beside her murmured quietly, “Who says? If it weren’t for… if it weren’t for you losing focus during the surgery, the patient wouldn’t have…” She trailed off. My mind went blank. By the time I came back to myself, my palm had already connected with Scarlett’s face. “You did it on purpose! Scarlett! You did it on purpose, didn’t you!” A flicker of something like concern crossed Jack’s eyes when he saw my distress. He reached for me, ready to speak, but Scarlett’s sob made him pull back. “Audrey, no surgery is guaranteed. Scarlett is a doctor. Why are you making her out to be a villain?” “Your mother has been sick for years. This might be a relief for her. You should be thanking Scarlett, not attacking her.” In that moment, my heart turned to stone. I spent the next two weeks arranging my mother’s funeral. Then I cut all ties with that toxic place for good. As I boarded the plane, a breaking news alert flashed on my phone. “Hayes Corp and Murray Corp Alliance Terminated! Hayes and Maxwell Industries Rumored to Be Tying the Knot!” At the same time, Jack was ripped from sleep by the violent ringing of his phone!

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My best friend, Chloe, had always been obsessed with romantic dramas, convinced she’d marry a handsome, rich man one day. To my surprise, she actually hooked up with a billionaire. Their whirlwind romance led to a quick wedding. She called me after the wedding: “I’m all alone in this mansion, it’s so boring. Come live with me!” Her husband, Alex, also chimed in: “I’m too busy with work to keep Chloe company. Please, come stay with her.” I agreed. Excitedly, I dragged my suitcase to their mansion, a wide smile on my face as I addressed the butler: “I’m Chloe, your lady’s best friend! She invited me to move in!” The butler, Mr. Hayes, looked bewildered. “Chloe? Who’s that? Mr. Vance has always been single.” 1 My smile froze solid, shattering into a million pieces. “You’re very funny,” I forced a laugh. “Chloe! Alex Vance’s wife!” “I even shared a toast with you at their wedding. Don’t tell me you’re playing games.” Mr. Hayes stared at me, his face devoid of emotion. “I have no time for games. There’s no Chloe here. Only Mr. Vance and I live in this house. If you keep causing trouble, I’ll call the police.” With that, he moved to close the gate. “Hey! Don’t!” Panic flared in my chest. I grabbed the iron gate, fumbling for my phone with my free hand. “I have proof! How can you forget such a huge wedding? Are you losing your memory?” I quickly opened Ins, scrolling through my saved posts for the wedding live stream replay. I remembered taking screenshots and sending them to Chloe, tears of envy streaming down my face. But the moment I clicked the link, a pop-up appeared: [This content has been deleted or does not exist.] A frantic buzz filled my head. No way. I clicked on several news articles from my browser bookmarks, refusing to believe it. “Billionaire Spends a Billion to Marry a Cinderella”, “Chloe: The Girl Kissed by God.” Every single link, the moment I clicked it, was dead! “How… how could this be? It worked last night…” Mr. Hayes watched my every move with cold eyes. “Miss Miller, it’s illegal to spread fake news or manipulate photos. Are you that desperate to snag a rich guy?” “I’m not making it up!” I roared, my fingers trembling as I switched to SnapChat. “I have chat logs! Look! She just messaged me a minute ago!” On the screen, Chloe’s selfie avatar and our conversation box were crystal clear. [Babe, I just put on my face mask… Mr. Hayes will let you in…] “You wait! I’m calling her right now!” My voice cracked, almost a shriek. “When she comes down to get me, you’ll be out of a job tomorrow!” The next second, a cold, mechanical voice echoed in my ear: “We’re sorry, the number you have dialed is not in service. Please check the number and dial again…” I froze. Not in service? I glanced at my SnapChat screen again. She was just talking to me a second ago! A chilling dread slithered up my spine, coiling around my heart. SnapChat instant replies, but a dead phone line? What kind of messed-up situation was this? Mr. Hayes’s gaze was unwavering, without a hint of surprise. He looked at me with utter contempt, as if I were garbage. “Get lost. If you don’t leave now, I’ll have security throw you down the hill.” Bang! The courtyard gate slammed shut with a heavy thud. I stood under the scorching sun, but my entire body felt like it had plunged into an ice bath. What in the world was going on? Chloe was clearly in there, so why was Mr. Hayes denying it? Why had all the news articles vanished from the internet? Could it be… something happened to Chloe? The world of the super-rich is a deep, dark place. Was Alex keeping Chloe under house arrest, pretending to be single, and erasing every trace of her existence? A shiver ran down my spine at the thought, a tidal wave of fear and righteous fury crashing over me. No, I couldn’t leave! If I left, she’d truly be alone and helpless! I gritted my teeth until my jaw ached, then dragged my suitcase and sat right in the middle of the iron gate. I refused to believe Alex wouldn’t come out! Sure enough, less than ten minutes later, a black Maybach slowly approached. I recognized it – it was the very car Alex had driven to pick Chloe up for their wedding. A surge of reckless impulse coursed through me. I lunged forward, spreading my arms wide, blocking the front of the car! “Alex! Get out here! Where have you hidden Chloe?!” The driver’s face went white with shock. He was about to get out and yell at me. But the rear window slowly rolled down. It was none other than my best friend’s newlywed husband, Alex. I rushed to his window, shouting furiously. “Mr. Vance! Mr. Hayes says you’re single, and that there’s no such person as Chloe!” “We even FaceTimed when you and Chloe were vacationing in Hawaii half a month ago! What’s going on?!” Alex’s brow furrowed slightly, a flicker of confusion in his eyes. “Chloe? Hawaii?” I saw him about to play innocent and was ready to explode. But the next second, he gestured to Mr. Hayes to open the grand gate. “Since you’re here, come in and explain yourself. I, too, am quite curious to know… where exactly this ‘Mrs. Vance’ you speak of is.” 2 The moment the gate opened, I didn’t even wait for Alex to get out of the car. I dragged my suitcase and charged straight into the mansion. Mr. Hayes tried to block my path, but I shoved him aside with a force I didn’t know I possessed. “Don’t touch me!” I navigated through the living room like I owned the place, heading straight for the second floor. I knew the layout of this mansion intimately! On their wedding day, I’d been with Chloe in the master bedroom on the second floor. “Chloe! Come out!” I kicked the door open. I burst in, my gaze frantically sweeping the room. Nothing. No Chloe. Not even… a single trace of a woman living here. “How could this be…” Refusing to believe it, I tore open the walk-in closet door, almost ripping it off its hinges. “The closet! Yes! The walk-in closet!” I remembered it clearly! On their wedding day, behind this door were two entire walls filled with Hermes bags! I even remembered screaming with delight while holding a Himalayan Birkin, and Chloe had laughed, offering to get me one. Whoosh— The closet door swung open violently. My hand froze, suspended in the barren air. Empty. Only a few dark, custom-made suits hung there, stark and alone. No Hermes. No Chanel. “Impossible… This is impossible…” I sank to the floor, my hands frantically searching the wooden planks at the bottom of the closet, desperately trying to find even a single long strand of hair, or an earring. But there was nothing. The place was as clean as a display home. Alex leaned against the doorframe, his voice flat. “Had enough, Miss Miller?” I sat slumped on the floor, my mind a churning vortex of disbelief and terror. Was this really some kind of elaborate scam? Was the Alex that Chloe met a fake? But… this mansion was real! Could a con artist be that resourceful, renting a billionaire’s mansion just to put on a show? And if it was a scam, why was the real Alex still living here now that Chloe was gone? “I don’t believe it!” I scrambled to my feet, pointing at Alex. “You’re the imposter! You’ve hidden everything, haven’t you?” “I’m calling the police! I have video proof! You two were on your honeymoon in Hawaii just half a month ago!” Alex looked at me as if I were a wild animal, utterly beyond reason. He pulled out his phone and dialed 91

“Hello, police department? This is Alex.” “Someone has trespassed onto my private property. Please send someone over.” Ten minutes later, the police arrived. “Officers! I want to report a missing person! Chloe is gone! He definitely did something to her!” “I have proof! They were on their honeymoon in Hawaii just half a month ago!” The officers looked at me, then at Alex. Alex wore an expression of weary resignation. “Officer, I’ve been in the country for the past half-month, dealing with a corporate merger. I haven’t been to Hawaii at all.” “If you don’t believe me, you can check my travel records.” The officers immediately ran a check on their terminal. Two minutes later, an officer showed me the terminal screen. “Miss Miller, the system shows that Mr. Vance has no overseas travel records in the past three months.” Boom! A thunderclap ripped through my skull, shattering whatever remained of my sanity. No travel records? “That’s impossible! I clearly saw it… the waves, the beach…” The officer put away his terminal, his expression serious. “Miss Miller, filing a false police report is a crime. Considering you were genuinely desperate to help someone and perhaps misled, this will be a verbal warning.” “Please leave immediately, or we’ll have to charge you with disturbing the peace.” I stood frozen, my hands and feet icy cold. A monstrous wave of sheer terror engulfed me, stealing my breath. Alex stood nearby, his gaze as cold and detached as if he were looking at a bag of trash. “Mr. Hayes, escort our guest out.” “If she ever dares to step foot in the Vance mansion again, call the police immediately and have her arrested.” Mr. Hayes immediately stepped forward, roughly pushing my suitcase towards the door. “Miss Miller, if you please.” I gritted my teeth, shaking with fury. I refused to accept this! Everything was clearly real, so why was it suddenly me who was going crazy? I dragged my heavy suitcase, looking back every few steps. As I passed the trash can next to a grand decorative vase in the entryway, my suitcase wheel accidentally bumped the side of the bin. Clang. The trash can toppled over. A pile of crumpled paper balls rolled out. Mr. Hayes immediately frowned, scolding me. “Stop messing around! Just leave!” Just then, a crumpled, wrinkled receipt caught my eye. One look, and all the blood in my body instantly froze. It was a convenience store receipt. Item: Orange burst cigarettes. Time: Yesterday, 2:30 PM. Those were Chloe’s favorite cigarettes! 3 I discreetly hid the receipt and walked out of the mansion, trying to appear nonchalant. As soon as dawn broke, I called Ava, Chloe’s former colleague. “Ava, it’s Mia! Where’s Chloe? Did she contact you guys after the wedding?” There was a pause on the other end, then Ava’s voice rose in volume. “Mia, are you sick? Chloe doesn’t even have a boyfriend, what wedding are you talking about?” A cold dread seized my heart. “You didn’t see the wedding streamed live across social media last month? Alex!” “Are you delusional?” Ava impatiently cut me off. “She quit her job last month and moved back home to clear her head!” Before I could react, the call was disconnected. My hands trembling, I dialed my mom. “Mom! Something’s happened to Chloe! Alex is denying everything, saying he never got married! You have to come!” My mom was silent for five seconds. “Mia… what nonsense are you talking about?” “When did Chloe get married?” I was stunned. “Didn’t they send you the wedding money? Eight million dollars!” “What wedding money? Are you running a fever, child?” My mom’s voice was urgent. “Chloe told me last month she was going back home to unwind, and she sent me pictures! Where would she get a boyfriend?” “Don’t talk nonsense and ruin Chloe’s reputation!” Click. The phone was hung up again. I was completely flummoxed. Had they bought off my own mom too? I refused to believe it! I hailed a cab directly back to my mom’s house. The moment I walked in, I grabbed her. “Mom! Something’s happened to Chloe! Everyone in the world is lying to me!” I spilled everything that had happened in the past two days. My mom listened, then looked at me, her expression bewildered, and touched my forehead. “Mia, when did Chloe get married? How come I don’t know anything about it?” My brain imploded, a chaotic symphony of alarm bells. “Mom! Don’t joke with me!” “We watched the live stream together last month! You even praised Alex for being handsome!” My mom frowned. “Last month you were working late, and I was watching TV. When did we ever watch a live stream?” “No, I’m not wrong!” I pulled out my phone and shoved it in front of her. “Look! This is proof!” “Chloe shows off her life as a billionaire’s wife to me every day! Yesterday she even told me to hurry inside!” My mom glanced at the screen and sighed. “Mia, these are just those rich-guy fantasies you two used to play when you were little.” “Stop playing, you’ll really blow things out of proportion.” Make-believe? I stared intently at the screen. A tsunami of unanswered questions threatened to drag me under. If it was just make-believe, what about that wedding? If I was dreaming, how did I know the layout of Alex’s mansion’s bedrooms? What’s more, if Chloe and Alex hadn’t gotten together, I wouldn’t even know who he was! And most importantly, where was Chloe now? Suddenly, something clicked. There was one more place that could prove it! I rushed out, hailing a cab. “To the city’s financial district! ‘Everlasting Love’ Wedding Planners!” 4 Chloe’s wedding had been handled by Everlasting Love, the biggest wedding planning company in the city. I refused to believe such a huge company could just vanish into thin air! Ten minutes later, I stared blankly at the sealed door in front of me. [Everlasting Love Wedding Planners: Temporarily closed due to operational difficulties.] The date on the seal was exactly half a month ago. The day after Chloe’s wedding ended! I peered through the glass door. Inside, it was a mess, chairs overturned, documents scattered everywhere. Did they just skip town? The biggest wedding company in the city, which had just secured a billion-dollar deal from one of the country’s wealthiest men, went bankrupt and fled the very next day? I pulled out my phone and dialed the number I had for the owner. “We’re sorry, the number you have dialed is not in service…” Another disconnected number! An icy tendril of dread snaked up my spine, gripping my very soul. Everyone and everything related to that wedding was slowly disappearing. This only proved that something was terribly wrong. I wouldn’t give up! There had to be something that hadn’t been cleaned up yet! “The spa! Yes! The spa!” I remembered! Just a week before the wedding, Chloe had taken me to a high-end spa for a facial and massage. To show off, she’d directly charged a half-million dollar VIP membership card for me! “Mia, here, take this card. Come whenever you want, it’s on Alex’s secondary card anyway!” I immediately hailed a cab and rushed to that spa. “Can you check the balance on my membership card?” The receptionist typed a few keys on her computer. “Miss Miller, your VIP card balance is still four hundred ninety-eight thousand dollars.” A wild, desperate hope surged through me! Four hundred ninety-eight thousand! Where would I, an average office drone earning three thousand dollars a month, get half a million dollars to put on a card? “Quick! Pull up the top-up history for me! Who charged it?” The receptionist turned the screen towards me. “It says you charged it yourself.” I was stunned. “What do you mean I charged it myself? Chloe swiped that card! Alex’s secondary card!” The receptionist looked utterly bewildered. “Chloe? We don’t have a member named Chloe here.” “Impossible!” I shouted. “Check the surveillance footage! Chloe and I came here together that day!” The receptionist was startled by my outburst and quickly called the manager. The manager frowned, an impatient look on her face. “I apologize, Miss Miller, but surveillance footage involves the privacy of other clients and cannot be arbitrarily accessed.” “You won’t check it, huh?” I scoffed, pulling out my phone. “Then I’ll call the police! Suspicious financial activity involving a huge sum of money – surely the police have the right to check?” Twenty minutes later. The police arrived. And following behind them, was Alex. He still wore that same look of weary resignation. “Miss Miller, how much longer are you going to keep this up?” “Stop wasting time! Check the footage!” At the police’s request, the manager reluctantly pulled up the recording from that day. Everyone stared at the screen. On the screen, I walked in. Beside me… was no one. I pulled out a black card and handed it to the receptionist, saying something. But beside me, from beginning to end, there was no one. The entire surveillance room was eerily silent. The officers’ gazes at me changed, filled with both sympathy and wariness. Alex sighed, walking over as if to put a hand on my shoulder. “Miss Miller, you should go to the hospital. I’ll cover the costs.” I stood frozen, my entire body trembling. Was I really alone? Had I truly gone insane? Was all of this just my imagination? Just as the police were about to take me away. Something suddenly clicked in my mind. So that’s it! That’s how this all works! I snapped my head up, staring intently at Alex. “Alex, you can stop pretending. I know where Chloe is.”

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The moment my sister rushed to my ailing grandfather’s bedside, demanding to care for him before I could even move, I knew. She’d been reborn too. In my past life, my sister Seraphina and I both qualified for interviews at an Ivy League university. But on interview day, Grandpa Arthur suddenly took a turn for the worse. I chose to stay and care for him, missing my chance. Seraphina, though, went on to enroll successfully. As it turned out, Grandpa Arthur left his entire estate to me before passing away. I achieved financial freedom without ever having to struggle through college. Seraphina, on the other hand, had a miserable time in college. She constantly alienated her peers and even managed to anger a professor. Eventually, she took all her frustration out on me, shoving me off a rooftop. I died instantly. After my death, my fiancé Lucas helped her fabricate an alibi, claiming I’d been depressed and had jumped. They then forged my will and stole everything I owned. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day Grandpa Arthur fell gravely ill—the day I had to choose whether to stay and care for him.

“Grandpa, let me take care of you! I’m not going anywhere!” Seraphina darted past me and burst into Grandpa’s room. As she held his hand, vowing to care for him, then demanded he hand over the pocket watch that symbolized his inheritance, I knew. She’d been reborn too. Clutching the family pocket watch Grandpa handed her, Seraphina turned with a defiant smirk. “Sorry, Stella, the inheritance is mine now.” I just shrugged. “I wasn’t planning to fight you for it.” Seraphina clearly didn’t believe me. She scoffed, tucking the watch into her bag. “How could that be? You only stuck around Grandpa because…” She abruptly stopped herself. I knew where she was going with this. In my past life, I’d chosen to stay and care for Grandpa. Because of that choice, I missed the deadline and arrived too late for the interview. Seraphina got her acceptance letter from the Ivy League school. But Grandpa, in return, left everything to me. She enrolled in college; I inherited the fortune. But in college, everything fell apart for her. She crumbled under the pressure and pushed everyone away. In a violent rage, she pushed me off that rooftop. Seraphina smirked. “I’m not going to college. You love being a bookworm so much, Stella—you can have my spot.” I nodded toward Grandpa. Then, without hesitation, I turned and left for my interview. That night when I got back to my apartment, there was Lucas—my fiancé—with his arm around Seraphina’s shoulders. I must have been blind in my past life, only realizing on my deathbed they’d been in this together all along. When they saw me walk in, they didn’t even hesitate—their faces showed open defiance. Lucas looked at me with disgust. “Stella, the one I really love is Seraphina. I was only with you because your family had money.” “But now things are different. Seraphina’s about to inherit a fortune. We’ll never have to worry again.” “I won’t have to settle for someone as dull as you just for money anymore.” My fists tightened. So that was their game. My own sister and my fiancé. I’d always been so easygoing with them, never minded their little slights. Now I saw them for what they were—leeches, clinging to me and draining me dry. Since fate gave me a second chance, I’d make sure they paid back a thousandfold for everything they took from me in my past life! Seraphina scoffed. “Stella, I used to let you have your way because you were useful.” “But now I’m getting an inheritance. I’ll never worry about money again. What could you possibly offer that compares?” “You’ll be stuck as a struggling student forever, but Lucas and I? We’re set.” “We’re going to travel the world. That’s a life you’ll never even imagine.” They packed their bags and moved out of the apartment that same day. I watched their retreating backs and let out a cold laugh. How naive. Did they really think it would be that easy?

I aced my interview and got accepted to the Ivy League university. This was the best opportunity someone from my background could hope for. The university was far from home. After talking it over with my parents, I decided to rent a small apartment near campus. I went to a real estate agency, and the agent, Mr. Harrison, had just shown me several properties. Suddenly, a familiar voice boomed from the doorway. “Someone needs to help us right now! Show us your best apartments!” I turned to see Lucas strutting in with Seraphina on his arm, a cocky smirk on his face. When they saw me, they immediately sauntered over and sneered. “Stella, drop the act. You can’t actually afford a place here, can you?” “I checked. Even if you sold all your old stuff, you couldn’t come up with a down payment in a decent neighborhood.” At his words, Mr. Harrison’s previously eager demeanor instantly cooled. I shot back, “I can’t afford it, but you two can?” Seraphina lifted her chin with a smirk. “Of course. I’m getting a fifty million inheritance. I could buy several of these places cash.” Mr. Harrison’s eyes lit up, and he hurried over to them. “Ma’am, how can I assist you today?” Seraphina raised her chin. “I want that apartment over there.” Mr. Harrison’s eyes sparkled as he launched into his sales pitch. “Ma’am, you have excellent taste! This is our premium unit with the best location and views in the complex.” “It’s only three million—quite reasonable for someone in your position.” “Three million?!” Lucas and Seraphina froze, clearly shocked. They hadn’t realized apartments in good areas cost that much. Mr. Harrison added, “If it’s a bit steep, we do offer financing options.” Seraphina bristled at the suggestion, pride wounded. She lifted her chin defiantly. “Financing? I’m getting fifty million! I’ll pay cash!” Mr. Harrison’s enthusiasm grew even more hearing that. “If you’re interested, we just need a 10% deposit to hold it.” Lucas and Seraphina exchanged nervous glances. I frowned, losing patience. “I doubt you’ll ever see that fifty million. Are you just here wasting everyone’s time?” “If you can’t afford it, stop wasting our time and leave!” Lucas’s face turned red with anger. “Shut up! Seraphina *will* get that inheritance. The paperwork just isn’t done yet.” I waved them off. “Whatever. I’ll take this apartment then.” They both panicked when they heard that. Seraphina gritted her teeth and stepped forward. “I want this apartment! Just wait! I’ll get a loan and pay the deposit right now!”

Over the next few days, Seraphina and Lucas flooded their social media with travel photos from around the world. Every post was filled with luxury items. They even took out high-interest loans to buy a house and a fancy car. I watched their reckless spending with watching coldly from the sidelines， knowing such excess always leads to ruin. I just blocked them on everything. Three months into the semester, Grandpa took a turn for the worse. This time, there was no saving him. The day of the funeral, Seraphina posted in the family group chat. After the funeral, we’re having a small gathering at the house to thank everyone for coming. Please be there. She even messaged me directly. Stella, you have to come. Grandpa would want the whole family together. I simply replied, “Okay.” A lot of relatives wondered why she was having this gathering after the funeral. Only I knew why. She was desperate to flaunt her “victory” in front of everyone. After the funeral service, everyone gathered at the house. That’s when Seraphina and Lucas finally showed up—fashionably late, with Seraphina clinging to Lucas’s arm in a bright red dress that screamed “party” and clashed horribly with the somber mood. They immediately drew every eye in the room. They looked completely different—dripping with expensive clothes and jewelry that felt totally out of place. Seraphina started passing out expensive gifts to all the relatives and younger guests. “Family and friends, thank you all for coming to say goodbye to Grandpa today. Please stay for dinner—my treat!” Relatives stared at them like they were crazy. People started whispering about how inappropriate this all was. Seraphina pulled the pocket watch from her designer bag, waving it around for everyone to see—fake tears in her eyes but a huge smile on her face. “Before he passed… Grandpa gave me this. It means I get his whole inheritance—fifty million dollars!” The room went silent for a second, then everyone started talking at once. “Fifty million?” “Grandpa left all his money to Seraphina?” “Oh my goodness, that’s…” Finally, one of the older relatives spoke up. “Seraphina, your grandfather just passed. Has the lawyer even read the will yet? How do you know about this inheritance already?” Seraphina waved her hand dismissively. “Grandpa promised me directly. This watch is proof. The paperwork will be done soon, and the money will be in my account any day now. I’m just honoring his memory by showing him I can handle things.” Someone in the crowd muttered under my breath, “Wasn’t Lucas dating Stella? What’s he doing with Seraphina now?” Facing their confused and disgusted looks, Lucas just pulled Seraphina closer, not even fazed. “Everyone wants to get ahead in life. You all understand that, right?” “Stella might get into a good school, but she’ll just be some overeducated academic. Seraphina’s different.” “Besides, Seraphina and I are actually in love.” That comment made a lot of relatives frown. One relative spoke up. “But Stella got into an Ivy League school! That’s a real future!” Seraphina almost laughed out loud, shoulders shaking with amusement. “Ivy League? So what if she goes there? Will she ever make fifty million in her lifetime?” “These days, a fancy degree doesn’t mean anything. Just more studying and an uncertain future!” She then looked triumphantly at me in the corner. “Stella, even though you don’t deserve to be here, if you’re nice to me, maybe I’ll remember we’re family and help you out.”

The other relatives were shocked by her behavior at the funeral, faces red with embarrassment, but held back from saying anything out of respect for the occasion. Some of the more kiss-up distant relatives already started gathering around her. “Seraphina is so responsible. Grandpa made the right choice.” “Our family will have to rely on Seraphina from now on.” “Exactly! Don’t forget about us relatives when you’re rich!” Deep down, they knew Seraphina had a point. Fifty million was more than most people made in a lifetime. Some even started putting Stella down to butter Seraphina up. “Seraphina’s just being practical. Stella might graduate from an Ivy League, but she’ll still be working for someone else. She can’t compare.” I smiled faintly, standing quietly in the corner. The opportunities from a top university were worth more than any amount of money to someone with vision. Seraphina had crashed and burned in my past life because even with money, she couldn’t buy class—her insecurities always gave her away, making her a joke in high society. After everyone ate, Seraphina touched up her makeup, smoothed her expensive dress, and walked to the center of the living room like she owned the place. Meanwhile, I noticed about a dozen people with phones and cameras had quietly joined the crowd. Seraphina gave them a little nod. So she’d planned this whole spectacle for Grandpa’s funeral. Seraphina pulled out the pocket watch again. Facing the obvious livestream cameras, she put on a fake cry and spoke in a loud whisper: “To everyone watching, thank you for sharing this sad moment with me. I just lost my dear Grandpa Arthur, but he left me his love—and about fifty million dollars. Now I can honor his memory without struggling to get by.” “But look at my sister—all she does is study. She’ll be stuck in college, just another academic drone with no real future or dignity.” She gave me a pointed look as she said it. The livestream chat blew up immediately. I couldn’t read the comments, but they probably weren’t nice. Seraphina didn’t care. She suddenly pointed at me, speaking in a stuck-up tone. “Stella, Grandpa’s lawyer should be around organizing papers. Go get him. We’ll read the will right now—with all the relatives and viewers watching as witnesses.” I said nothing. Lucas stepped forward, looking annoyed. “Stella, are you deaf? Today’s about Seraphina. She’s honoring you by asking. With your status, you’re not even good enough to shine her shoes. Just run the errand—maybe she’ll throw you a bone later.” Some relatives couldn’t take it anymore. “Grandpa’s barely cold in his grave! What is this?” “Stealing her sister’s fiancé and showing off at a funeral…” Seeing I wouldn’t budge, Seraphina put on a sad-but-strong face for the cameras. “Stella, wake up. Grandpa left me everything. We’re in completely different leagues now. I’m giving you a chance by asking nicely.” I checked my watch and said calmly, “We’ll wait five more minutes.” Seraphina had no idea what I was planning. She kept up her camera-ready smile. “Fine. But waiting won’t change the fact that Grandpa left me his inheritance.” I smiled faintly. We’ll see about that. Just then, a sharply dressed middle-aged lawyer with a serious expression walked quickly in from outside. He addressed Seraphina, who was surrounded by people, in a deep, firm voice. “Ms. Seraphina, according to the will, your grandfather did *not* leave you his inheritance.”

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The bitter truth finally hit me when Chloe got pregnant: her heart had never belonged to me. She’d stayed by my side purely to keep tabs on me, to ensure I wouldn’t hurt the man she truly loved. Because she was someone who’d been reincarnated. She knew what a twisted, villainous man I’d been in her past life. But what she didn’t realize was that the soul in this body wasn’t from this world. And I wasn’t the evil man she thought I was. Holding the pregnancy test results, my hand gently caressing the tiny life growing inside my wife Chloe, I felt a peace I’d never known before. I’d lived in this world for thirteen years, and in this moment, it finally felt like I’d found a real home, a true connection. After I died, I’d been reborn into this novel world as Liam Miller – the villainous side character who shared my name and had committed countless atrocities. But I considered myself lucky. When I arrived, the story hadn’t fully started, and I hadn’t done anything to antagonize the main characters. In fact, since Adam was so outgoing, we’d become best friends, sharing everything with each other. I played matchmaker, encouraging him to pursue his true love, plotting and celebrating as he and Skylar fell deeply in love. I even stood beside him as best man when he married the woman of his dreams. In this world, my wife was my only family. So he was the first person I thought of, the first one I wanted to share this wonderful news with. I gently kissed Chloe’s lips. My wife, Chloe, was originally the gentle secondary female lead in the novel, always silently devoted to Adam. Maybe it was the butterfly effect of my presence, but she wasn’t Adam’s follower anymore. Instead, she poured all her attention and affection into me. After thirteen years of walking hand in hand, I truly felt loved, so I jumped into marriage with her without any regrets. Now our little family was about to welcome a new life, and I could barely contain my excitement. But thinking about her health, I still managed to keep my emotions in check.

I grabbed my phone and went to my study, eager to share this joy with my best friend. As I pulled open a drawer to put the pregnancy test results away, I caught sight of the worn edge of an old notebook tucked under some neat files. It looked completely out of place, like its owner had hastily abandoned it there. I instinctively picked it up. The cover had a common student-era starry night design, but it was old—frayed edges, crumpled pages, yellowed with age—clearly well-loved and frequently flipping through. We’d always been open with each other, so I naturally opened it up. On the flyleaf, large English cursive read: For My Forever. I smiled, warmth spreading through my chest. Could these be old love letters she’d written for me that I’d never seen? I took out the pregnancy test results, thinking I could carefully tuck them inside. Let this brand-new joy in my life blend with her cherished past. With a hint of anticipation and tenderness, I turned to the first page. Instantly, I froze— My everlasting morning star—Adam. Adam. My best friend. The main character of this story. Suddenly, all the blood rushed to my head before draining away just as quickly, leaving me ice-cold. My throat felt tight, making it hard to breathe. My fingers trembled uncontrollably, yet I kept flipping through the pages, one after another. With a stubbornness that bordered on self-torture, I read every single word. It wasn’t a diary—it was more like an unsent love letter, with one core message: Chloe loved Adam, a love she could never have. So Chloe was a reincarnator. So her heart had always belonged to Adam. So all the tenderness and attention she’d shown me these past years were just an act! She stayed by my side just to keep constant watch over me, to stop me from doing anything that might hurt the man she loved. The joy I’d felt for our child, which had just filled my heart, vanished without a trace, leaving only endless, bitter emptiness. For thirteen years, I’d never once thought of harming Adam. But in that moment, I distinctly felt jealous of him. Jealous that a fleeting act of kindness he might not even remember could leave such an indelible mark on a woman’s heart—driving her to gamble thirteen years of marriage, turning it into a cage, all just to protect him. A whirlwind of emotions churned inside me, pain and despair tangled together. I don’t know how long I stood there, frozen, but everything around me felt foreign and unreal.

Exhausted, I fell asleep on the couch, only to be jolted awake by faint rustling from the kitchen. I opened my eyes and saw Chloe standing by the water dispenser, getting a drink. Maybe sleep had lowered her guard, or maybe she just didn’t need to keep up her perfect act when she thought she was alone in the quiet of the night. Her gaze was slightly unfocused as she stared ahead, unconsciously murmuring: “Adam…” I stiffened, feeling like I’d been stabbed with a thousand icy needles. I stared intently at her, my nails digging deep into my palms. “Adam.” She repeated it softly again, clearer this time, with a dreamy tenderness and concern. Instinctively, I responded in the easy, teasing tone I thought Adam might use: “Chloe?” Chloe whirled around, the sleepiness in her eyes instantly replaced by a clear flicker of concern and tenderness—an expression that absolutely shouldn’t have been there right now. “Adam… Are you doing okay lately? Please, take care of yourself.” That short sentence felt like a red-hot iron searing into me, clamping down and nailing me back into that cage of deceit. I could barely breathe, and the room started to warp and spin before my eyes. I couldn’t stand to stay any longer. I practically stumbled, fleeing back into the cold shadows of the living room. The love I’d embraced so wholeheartedly, from start to finish, had been nothing but an absurd joke.

I didn’t sleep at all that night. All the heinous acts of the novel’s villain, Liam Miller, replayed frantically in my mind. Liam bullying and ostracizing Adam with his clique, Liam setting up business traps to sabotage Adam, Liam using his family influence to constantly throw obstacles in Adam’s path… Suddenly, the Liam Miller in my dream turned around, and it was a face identical to mine. That face was twisted with malice, a terrifying sneer etched across it, making even me feel horrified. Time flowed fast in dreams, and Adam and Skylar grew quickly before teaming up to retaliate against me. Chloe’s eyes, cold and indifferent, stared at me like I was some lifeless object. “Since you enjoy trampling others with your power, then taste what it feels like to crash from grace, to lose absolutely everything.” The dream shifted. I was framed, stuck with massive debts. The Miller family enterprise collapsed, and my parents, crushed by pressure and shame, fell ill and passed away one after another. And there I was, abandoned by everyone, riddled with poverty and illness, choking on my last lonely, painful breath. “No!” I shouted, startling myself awake! I looked up to meet Chloe’s concerned gaze, which overlapped with the brutal, vicious look from my dream, making me tremble with fright. Chloe was covering me with a blanket and looked completely confused. “Honey, what’s wrong? Why didn’t you sleep in bed? You’ll catch a cold on the couch! Are you mad at me for waking you up last night? I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.” I shook my head, overcome with exhaustion and fear, not wanting to say anything. There were no guest rooms in our house. Chloe had sworn she’d never upset me; even if we had disagreements, she’d communicate openly and never let arguments linger overnight. As a result, when I really needed space, I didn’t even have a room where I could hide alone. I was indeed being “watched” very closely by her. Chloe didn’t notice my odd behavior. She rubbed her temples, her voice tinged with weariness as she complained. “Honey, I think I might have caught a chill last night. My head hurts so much. Do we have any headache medicine?” “I don’t know.” I actually knew where the medicine cabinet was, but I didn’t want to move. Chloe came from a humble background, while I was born into privilege. She always insisted on achieving success through her own efforts, earning my father’s approval, proving she was worthy of me. Because of this, Chloe worked incredibly hard. In her early years, to close deals, she’d work tirelessly, networking and pulling all-nighters when stress hit. I deeply loved Chloe. As her husband, I’d always meticulously cared for her health, finding remedies and focusing on her well-being. If I hadn’t known her true feelings, I might still have been the considerate, devoted partner I’d always been. Yet in reality, my efforts were nothing but one-sided love. [Liam Miller uses his family background to harm Adam. I can’t let him have even the slightest chance to hurt Adam. I need to establish myself in the business world, gain enough power to stand against the Miller family. If they harm Adam like they did in the previous life, I’ll make the Miller Group pay a heavy price!] Chloe’s desperate efforts were simply to gain real power, to protect the man she truly cared about.

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After we broke up, I suddenly remembered all my pajamas were still at his place. I called Liam, asking him to send them over, but he told me to come get them myself. When I arrived at his door, he was only wrapped in a bath towel around his waist. Droplets of water from his hair trailed down his Adam’s apple and chest muscles. I was about to step inside when he suddenly pulled me into his arms. His bath towel fell to the floor, and I felt the hard press between his legs against my stomach. I couldn’t resist. We ended up having a wild night. The next morning, I woke up in his arms. We spoke almost simultaneously. “How about we start over?” I asked. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m getting married.” The morning light was a bit harsh, catching on Liam’s sculpted abs. My mind went blank. I thought I’d misheard him. “What did you say?” Liam looked calm. He leaned against the headboard, lit a cigarette. “All my friends are married. I’ve had my fun; it’s time to settle down.” Smoke billowed, making me cough uncontrollably. In the past, he would have immediately put out his cigarette and come to comfort me. But this time, Liam just casually grabbed some clothes off the floor and tossed them at me. “Get dressed. You should go.” “Oh, and take that half-box of condoms from the nightstand. I won’t be needing them anymore, anyway.” A soft, tender smile touched his lips, as if he’d just thought of something. “With any luck, I could be a dad by this time next year.” My heart felt a sharp, bitter pang. It was like being stabbed. I was about to say something when a knock suddenly sounded at the door. Liam glanced at his phone, muttering a curse under his breath. “Damn it, I forgot my fiancée, Chloe, is coming today.” He frantically put out his cigarette, rummaged through the closet for a white T-shirt, and pulled it on. “Stay in here and don’t make a sound.” I stood there, frozen. Watching his back as he turned and walked away without a backward glance to open the door. I sniffled, but my tears betrayed me, spilling down my cheeks. As if to force myself to give up hope. I inexplicably pulled the bedroom door open a crack. The girl at the door was elegant and spoke softly. When she and Liam were setting out breakfast, she’d blush even at a slight brush of hands. And Liam was no longer his usual arrogant jerk self. He spoke carefully, afraid of saying anything too harsh. It wasn’t until Chloe looked down, asking in a quiet voice, “I heard you had a girlfriend for three years.” Her voice grew softer. “What if she comes back for you someday? Will you leave me and get back together with her?” “After all…” “We’ve only known each other for less than a month, and you two had three years together.” “Who’s spreading that nonsense!” Liam’s face instantly darkened, his tone icy. “Is someone jealous that I found true love, deliberately telling you all that bullshit!” The next second, seeing Chloe’s teary eyes, he panicked. Liam sighed, rubbing his temples helplessly, then bent down and gently coaxed her. “Chloe, I’m not mad at you.” He let out a breath, as if suppressing his anger. “I didn’t mean to keep it from you.” “It’s just my ex, Stella, she was such a drama queen. Her temper was awful, like a firecracker, always exploding at the slightest touch.” “And, we broke up because she was unfaithful and cheated on me.” Chloe’s eyes widened, looking at him in disbelief. Seeing her reaction, Liam immediately added, “I just thought she was too embarrassing to mention to you.” “Think about it, why would I give up a perfect fiancée like you and go back to a rotten person like that? Have I lost my damn mind?” A few seconds of silence. Chloe let out a giggle, turning her head shyly. “I’m not as perfect as you say…” I softly closed the door. All the strength seemed to drain from my body. I sat on the cold floor, hugging my knees, letting the despair wash over me.

When Liam opened the door and walked in, I had cried myself to sleep. He didn’t even notice my state. He pulled out his phone, fiddled with it for a moment, and said lazily, “I transferred twenty dollars to you.” My eyes were swollen and sore, and my mind was still hazy. Then I heard him say casually, “Didn’t you run out of your streaming service membership? Get one yourself. I gave my account to Chloe.” “Don’t use such lame excuses to see me anymore. It’s getting boring.” I wanted to argue, but the lump in my throat choked my words. Liam stared at my red eyes, his gaze darkening slightly. “Crying?” He leaned closer, his warm breath fanning my face. The atmosphere became strangely unsettling. In that instant, all I could think about was how good he’d been to me for three years. In college, he was known as a playboy, but I was the only girlfriend he ever officially acknowledged. Though we’d broken up and gotten back together many times, he was never stingy with me and kept his distance from other women when we were together. His looks and family background were impeccable. Thinking of this, I was about to tentatively say, “Actually, I’m not completely against marriage.” “It was you who found the responsibility too much pressure, so I went along with you about not getting married.” Before the words could fully escape, a blinding flash of light hit my eyes. Liam’s beautiful, upturned eyes narrowed slightly, full of mockery. “First time I’ve seen you cry like this. Let me take a picture for old times’ sake.” He put away his phone, satisfied, and looked down at me, his voice laced with scorn. “Seriously, Stella. You didn’t shed a single tear when I broke my arm saving you in that car accident.” “So what are you crying for now?” Before I could answer, Liam reached out and, as he used to, habitually flicked my nose. “Don’t try to be like Chloe.” “When she cries, it’s elegant. You just look ridiculous.” “Go practice some more.” Looking at his arrogant and infuriating expression. I took a deep breath, swung my arm, and gave him a hard slap. Then, without another glance at him, I turned and slammed the door shut. Out of the hotel, I blocked him on all my social media and bought the earliest flight home. This Oceanview City, with Liam in it, was a place I never wanted to step foot in again.

During my time off. To keep myself from overthinking, I packed my schedule full. But I’d forgotten something. A university classmate’s wedding. Liam and I had already promised to be groomsman and bridesmaid. There was no choice. I had to brace myself and fly back to Oceanview City a day early, going to my friend’s house. My hand was just raised, ready to knock. Then I heard Liam’s lazy voice from inside: “Chloe’s a bit timid, so watch what you say later; don’t scare her.” Someone joked, “Are you and Stella really over for good?” “What happened this time?” Liam paused, then grunted a muffled “Yeah.” “It was exciting at first, but after a while, it was just… whatever.” “She was too controlling. Always trying to tell me what to do.” “No smoking, no drinking, no coming home late—no touching her without a condom, no matter how urgent.” The groom scoffed. “Then just marry her! I think she really liked you. She’d definitely say yes if you proposed.” My hand, poised to push the door open, froze in mid-air. Immediately after, I heard Liam say, word by word, “I just didn’t want to marry her, so I lied about being against marriage.” “Women like her are fine for fun, but for marriage, it has to be someone sweet and sensible like Chloe.” “You guys don’t even know, Chloe is incredibly compliant, she barely has a temper…” The latter half of his sentence stopped abruptly the moment I pushed the door open and our eyes met. Liam visibly flustered for a moment, but the next second he regained his composure, smiling as he greeted me, “You’re here.” Then he stood up, apologizing to everyone in the room, “It’s almost time. I need to check in, or my significant other will start worrying.” After he left, the atmosphere in the room became extremely awkward. Everyone joked and tried to change the subject. Only Caleb, Liam’s quietest friend, suddenly walked over and coldly dropped a line: “I told you two weren’t right for each other a long time ago.”

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When my fiancé Dean was accompanying me to try on wedding dresses, he suddenly said: “This mermaid dress looks better on Chloe. Her hips are perkier than yours, and her waist is slimmer.” I was furious. “You let your secretary wear my wedding dress?” Dean shrugged. “If you mind wearing a wedding dress that someone else has tried on, you don’t have to wear it. And if you mind marrying a man who’s slept with someone else, you can walk away too.” “You… you hooked up with her?” My lips trembled. He pulled out a cigarette and lit it. “A young, fresh woman actively throwing herself at me, how could I refuse? Besides, we’ve been together for too long, and honestly, I just don’t feel any desire for you anymore.” He took a long drag. “I didn’t want to lie to you.” Big, hot tears suddenly streamed down my face, hitting the floor with soft plops. Dean reached out to wipe them away. “Claire, when you buy roses, don’t you always pick the freshest, most delicate ones?” I was sobbing so hard I could barely breathe when his phone rang. It was Chloe. He didn’t answer, just watched me, unhurried. “So, are you still sure you want to marry me? Please hurry up and give me an answer, she’s waiting for me.” I violently slapped his hand away, grabbing a glass and throwing it at him in a fit of pure despair. “Get out!” He didn’t dodge. Blood welled from his temple. He bit down, his face darkening. “Fine, I’ll go. Anyway, I’ll always take care of you financially.” The slamming door reverberated, making my eardrums throb. I was alone in the dressing room. I tore off the wedding dress, ripping it to shreds like a madwoman. Fifteen years of our relationship, defeated by natural wrinkles? Staring at my reflection, I smashed the mirror in utter breakdown. Through the piercing pain, I saw glimpses of the past. We were abducted by these so-called “guardians,” with no memory of where we came from, and nowhere to go. I couldn’t steal, and I couldn’t beg for money. Our “guardian” decided to cripple me so I could earn more. Ten-year-old Dean rushed in, clutching a fruit knife. As the police led him away, he smiled at me: “Don’t be scared, Claire. I promised I’d protect you.” After he got out of juvie, he had no education, a record, but he did everything to ensure I had a good life. He took on any job, no matter how dirty or dangerous. He swallowed his pride and let others walk all over him. The hardest time was when he was transporting illicit goods and got two ribs broken, lying in the hospital, barely clinging to life. I cried, asking, “Is it worth it, all for me?” He squeezed my hand, cold sweat beading on his forehead. “Why wouldn’t it be worth it? You’re the most amazing person in the world.” It was cold, so incredibly cold. A kind store clerk, seeing my hysterical state, thoughtfully booked me a nearby hotel room. I wrapped myself in the duvet, swallowing a handful of pills. If it was a nightmare, I’d wake up and it would be over. But when I woke up, my phone was blowing up. Scandalous photos of Dean and his secretary getting intimate in a car had already gone viral across the internet. Dean’s call came immediately. His voice was lazy. “Claire, go talk to the media and get them to take the photos down. If you don’t know how, you can ask Mrs. Davies, she’s got experience. You’ll likely have to deal with these kinds of things a lot in the future.”

“You know how much I hate the media.” My hand shook as I held the phone. I knew Dean hated interviews, hated the media digging into his past. The first time he ever accepted an interview was when the media took candid photos of me and widely reported that I wasn’t good enough for him. Dean had even gathered dozens of online media outlets, smiling so gently into the camera. “My partner is the best partner in the world. Being even a little worthy of her is my luck.” He even punched a reporter who badmouthed me, not caring about his image. From then on, everyone in New York knew that the one person you couldn’t afford to offend was me. But just three years later, the same reporters were waiting to see me fall. I couldn’t take it anymore. When I got home, a strapless top and a man’s shirt were strewn across the living room, trailing one by one into the master bedroom. The sounds of a man and woman laughing playfully came from the wedding bed I had personally chosen. The door wasn’t closed. The girl arched her back in pleasure, looking up, and her eyes met mine. A wave of brutal emotion instantly tore through my mind. I leaned against the wall to keep from collapsing. Dean’s voice came from behind her. “You can go home now.” The girl didn’t move, looking at me curiously. “So, this is your wife? She does look pretty old, no wonder you’re not interested.” Dean gave her a faint glance. “I said, leave now.” The girl didn’t dare argue, pouting unhappily. “Fine, but I’ll be waiting patiently for you tonight!” The girl bounced up, ambiguously stroking Dean’s arm. “You have to promise me you won’t touch this old woman! You’re all mine.” Dean patted her bottom. “Alright, you’re all mine.” Dean watched her retreating back and chuckled. “Cute girl, right?” My fingernails dug deeply into my flesh. Maybe I couldn’t let go. Or maybe it was because I had no family, no friends; Dean had once been my entire world. I wanted to hold on to something, anything. “Dean, if you think we’re separating, you’re dreaming!” I caused a huge scene at the company, and as a founding shareholder, I easily made sure Chloe would never be able to hold her head up in this industry again. But what I didn’t expect was that when I returned from my business trip, my assistant had been replaced by the girl I had sponsored for seven years. I had saved her from human traffickers, paid for her education, and treated her like my own sister. She had once knelt before me, bumping her head on the ground, swearing to repay me for life. But when I cornered her in Dean’s office, she looked at me defiantly. “Claire, we just couldn’t resist.” I overturned his office desk, screaming at him like a lunatic. “Why are you doing this to me?!” Dean just looked at me indifferently. “So many people want to get into my bed; as long as they’re young and beautiful, I’ll take them.” I couldn’t stand it. I mobilized all my resources to boycott him, made a scene at that girl’s university, used every means to make his life miserable. Dean, however, just watched me squirm, even with a hint of indulgence. “Claire, your little tantrums are actually kind of cute.” But then he gave me a taste of his own medicine. He donated a building to a university abroad and sent that girl out of the country. Then, he colluded with other shareholders and ousted me from the board. The day I was kicked out of the company like a dog, surrounded by reporters, Dean was sending that girl off abroad. Making sure everyone knew his devotion had found a new home. Bold, passionate photos of the two of them abroad started flooding my phone. I became the laughingstock of all New York. In those photos, I also saw a necklace. Dean had given her the first gift he ever gave me. The necklace wasn’t expensive, only a few hundred dollars. But that was when we were squeezed into a leaky basement, sharing a single piece of toast because we were so broke. Life was so hard, yet on my eighteenth birthday, Dean still pushed himself to the limit to get me that birthday gift. “What everyone else has, my Claire deserves too.” “Claire, trust me. I’ll always love you, and I’ll make sure you have a good life.” I cried, begging him on the phone to give me back the necklace. This time, he finally answered. Through the receiver, he sighed with a hint of exasperation. “Claire, it’s just a few hundred-dollar trinket. My little mistress liked it, so I gave it to her. You wouldn’t do it anyway.” He was doing it on purpose. He knew exactly how to make me hurt. The last thread in my mind finally snapped. I plunged a utility knife into my arm.

Dean had to come back. “Claire, it’s not like you don’t have other options. Why are you putting yourself through this?” “If it’s that painful, then let’s just break up.” I lay on the hospital bed, lost in thought, remembering a time I was misdiagnosed with cancer. Dean had prayed for me for three days and three nights in a church. But he only cried the day he found out it was a misdiagnosis. “I almost thought I was going to lose you. I didn’t know how I would live without you.” My mental state was terrible, and Dean stayed by my side in the hospital for a while. But eventually, he couldn’t resist. Young bodies held a fatal attraction for him. He started again—influencers, minor celebrities, every woman caught in a scandal with him was younger and more delicate than the last. The youngest was even 18. But the last woman caught by the media was different. Her name was Brenda. An ordinary figure, plain looks, with wrinkles around her eyes that she couldn’t hide. Thirty-three, even a few years older than me. I threw a photo violently at his face. “Didn’t you say you liked young women? Explain yourself!” He picked up the photo, gently wiping away a speck of dust from her face. “She’s different. Her massage technique is good, and she’s very gentle.” My head buzzed, and I asked in disbelief. “Haven’t I done these things for you?” He often got headaches, so I had studied massage for two years. I burst into uncontrolled sobs, but Dean just looked at me coldly. “She’s a very gentle woman. Don’t try any of your tricks on her, or else…” Gradually, Dean stopped coming home at all. I would stake out places where he was likely to appear, just wanting him to come home. But Dean, fearing I might harm Brenda, obtained a restraining order from the police. Forbidding me from coming near them. He even spent a fortune, buying Brenda an astronomically priced diamond ring. I smashed the TV, my heart felt tightly wrapped in asphalt, aching so much I couldn’t breathe. He had proposed to me the moment we were old enough. But back then, starting our business was tough; we were deep in debt, and mice scurried through our apartment at night. I picked out a three-hundred-dollar plain silver ring. Happily, I let him put it on my finger. He clutched the ring, his eyes red for a long time. He said that when things got better, he’d give me the best things in the world to make up for it. But later, when things did get better, he could easily afford the best rings. And he put one on someone else’s hand. What finally crushed me was that Dean, who always claimed to enjoy his freedom, cut off all his other women. And proposed to Brenda with that very ring. “She’s older, she wants to settle down, enjoying freedom isn’t that important anymore.” I was completely shattered. I broke through the police’s barrier. A group of people held me back as I screamed hysterically at them. “Dean, just tell me, why *her*? Why can *she* have it?!” Dean shielded Brenda behind him and coldly glanced at me. “What are the police for? Take her away.” A surge of indignation ignited within me. I pulled out a utility knife and held it to my throat. Threatening to kill myself if he didn’t come with me. Dean actually laughed. “You didn’t die last time, did you? And you’re still using a knife.” My fragile composure broke again, and I struggled free from the police. Dean impatiently pushed me. “Stop making a scene! If you want to die, go do it at home.” I lost my balance and tumbled down the grand spiral staircase of the mansion. I was pregnant, though I didn’t know it then. The baby was gone.

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The new intern in the PR department, Chloe, posted a TikTok today using the company account. “First day on the job and my boss is totally into me. He’s such a shy type, probably too embarrassed to make a move, so I’m taking matters into my own hands! I’m going to ambush him with kisses, however many likes this video gets, and see how he reacts~” The video unexpectedly went viral, becoming the most-viewed clip the company had ever seen. Chloe burst into my office, ready to pounce and kiss me. I dodged her in a panic, snapping at her to leave. She just shot me a disdainful look. “Stop playing innocent! I know you like me. So many people are waiting for the follow-up, don’t act like you’re too good for this, or I’ll tell everyone you sexually harassed me!” I laughed, a humorless sound, at her audacity, then switched on the hidden camera on my chest. My big boss, Mr. Sterling, had given me this camera. It was meant for recording important meetings when he wasn’t around. Never thought it would come in handy today. Chloe saw my silence and mistook it for fear, a smug grin spreading across her face. She walked to my desk, leaning in close. “Mr. Alex, cut the good guy act!” “On my first day, I had stomach cramps, and who was it who specifically got me a hot drink and told me to rest, huh?” “If that’s not liking someone, what is?” Her words stirred a memory. On her first day, I’d seen her, a young woman new to the professional world, and felt a flicker of concern. It was a brief moment, no more than fifteen seconds. I hadn’t even said anything extra, let alone made any ambiguous gestures. Just how severe was her delusion to twist that into me being interested in her? I frowned, patiently trying to explain. “That was just normal colleague-to-colleague concern, nothing more. Besides, I’m already married.” “So what if you’re married?” Before I could finish, she cut me off, completely unapologetic. “Being married doesn’t stop you from liking me! Mr. Alex, I’m giving you a chance right now. Just be with me, divorce your ugly wife, and I’ll pretend nothing ever happened.” She spoke with such arrogance, as if she were doing me a favor. It made my stomach churn. I’d initially thought she was just a young girl new to the world, no need to make a big deal out of it. But now, it was clear I’d been too soft. “Who do you think you are? Get a reality check. You think I’d ever look twice at someone like you?” Chloe’s face instantly flushed crimson. She shrieked, rushing towards me, tearing at her own clothes wildly. “Since you’re not going to be reasonable, I guess I’ll have to use other methods!” The words were barely out before she pushed past me, screaming like a madwoman as she ran towards the door. “Help! Help me! Mr. Alex is trying to assault me!” Her voice instantly echoed through the entire office. My colleagues were already buzzing about my relationship with Chloe because of that viral short video. Now, it was pure chaos. A few female colleagues even took off their jackets and draped them over Chloe, asking curiously what happened. Chloe leaned into a colleague’s embrace, fake-sobbing a couple of times. “As soon as I walked into the office, Mr. Alex forced me to take off my clothes.” “He said if I didn’t listen to him, he wouldn’t let me pass my internship and would fire me. I refused, and he lunged at me, trying to kiss me. I fought him off and managed to escape…” She spun such a convincing tale that if it weren’t for the camera, even I would have believed her nonsense. The expressions of my colleagues instantly turned complicated. “Mr. Alex always seemed so decent, not the type to take advantage of people, right?” “You never know. Didn’t you notice Mr. Alex is usually nicer to female employees than male ones? So that’s what he was up to.”

“I’m telling you, I’ve seen Mr. Alex lurking around the women’s restroom several times, not sure what he was doing!” “Shouldn’t we call the police? We can’t just let him get away with this!” I wasn’t flustered. I slowly walked out of my office. “You’re saying I sexually harassed you?” “Well, I’m saying you sexually harassed me.” Chloe heard my voice and, feigning fear, shrank further into my colleague’s arms. “Why would a girl like me ruin my own reputation to frame you? Mr. Alex, isn’t it just because you liked me, and I rejected you, that you’re now bitter and falsely accusing me?” At her words, my colleagues’ eyes widened, looking at me. “Mr. Alex? Did you really confess to Chloe?” Chloe nodded, crying even harder. “Yes, just a few days after I started, he secretly approached me and told me he liked me. But I rejected him! I never imagined he would try to force himself on me because of that!” She grew more and more outlandish, twisting black into white. Too annoyed to argue further, I pulled out the camera and held it up for everyone to see. “Everything that just happened in my office is clearly recorded right here. You can all come and see for yourselves.” Suddenly, the air grew silent. Colleagues exchanged glances, their eyes full of curiosity. A few closer to me were already eager to step forward and view the footage. Chloe’s face instantly turned ashen, her eyes wide as she stared at the camera in my hand. In just three seconds, she lunged at the camera in my hand, smacking it, completely wrecking it. Then she clutched her head, letting out a piercing scream. “I have depression! Mr. Alex, stop pushing me! If you push me any further, I’ll die right here!” After shouting that, she turned and ran without looking back. My colleagues were smart; how could they not understand what was really going on? They exchanged glances and slowly dispersed. As if nothing had happened. I watched in a daze for a while as Chloe disappeared, before finally snapping back to reality. Honestly, her smooth string of moves had truly opened my eyes; I was momentarily speechless. But after this scene, she had thoroughly embarrassed herself. She definitely wouldn’t be coming to work tomorrow. That was probably for the best, a lesson learned, letting her know that not everything can be said carelessly. For now, the incident was over. I didn’t see Chloe again until it was time to leave work. Near closing time, Chloe’s team lead reported to me that Chloe had packed her things and left the company. I was getting ready to leave too. As soon as I got into my car, my phone rang. It was Mr. Sterling, the big boss. He asked me to go with him to entertain a client. I immediately called my wife, Sarah, telling her to go to bed early and not wait up for me. At dinner, I toasted glass after glass. The client was very pleased with me, and we got along great. The collaboration details were smoothly finalized. But I was pretty tipsy, my head heavy, and people started to blur before my eyes. By the time the dinner ended, it was very late. If I went home now, I’d definitely wake Sarah. She was pregnant, and I truly didn’t want to disturb her. So I went to the hotel next door to crash for the night. After entering the room, I collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep. I don’t know how much time passed, but I was woken by my phone. I groggily opened my eyes, my head throbbing. I pulled my phone from under the pillow and answered the call. “Hello?” My neighbor, Mrs. Henderson, sounded anxious on the other end, her voice mixed with a chaotic din of arguments.

“Mr. Alex! Where are you? Come home quickly! Something’s happened at your place!” I instantly woke up, bolting upright in bed. “Mrs. Henderson, what’s wrong? What happened at my place? Please tell me slowly!” Mrs. Henderson, frantic, blurted out a long string of words. “A girl showed up at your doorstep, claiming she’s your girlfriend! She’s arguing with Sarah right now! Hurry back!” At that moment, I was completely sober. I quickly got dressed and hailed a cab home. Rushing to my doorstep, I saw Sarah, surrounded by neighbors, and the person claiming to be my girlfriend. It was Chloe! Of course, it was her! My rage instantly boiled over. Yesterday, I’d been kind enough to let her off the hook! And today, she dared to come to my house to cause trouble? Chloe stood there, haughtily provoking Sarah. “Let me tell you! In this world, the unloved one is the third party! Alex doesn’t love you anymore! If you’re smart, pack your things and leave! And get rid of that thing in your belly too, don’t try to pin it on us!” Mrs. Henderson stood by Sarah, protectively shielding her. “Young lady, how can you say such things! The baby’s eight months along, almost due! Getting rid of it now could kill her! Besides, the young couple’s relationship is perfectly fine; *you’re* the one destroying someone else’s family!” Chloe completely ignored Mrs. Henderson, her eyes fixed on Sarah’s belly, filled with venom. “What does her life have to do with me?” “I’ll tell you the truth, Sarah! Alex and I have already slept together! He’s fantastic in bed, I almost couldn’t get out of it today, my back still aches!” Her shameless words made the surrounding neighbors look at her with disgust. After all, people usually saw wives confronting mistresses; who had ever seen a mistress proactively showing up at the door? Sarah, instead of getting angry, actually smiled. She looked calmly at Chloe, her voice laced with mockery. “You said you slept with Alex?” “Yeah! So what? You don’t believe me?” Chloe said, deliberately stepping closer. “He said he’s sick of you, you ugly woman! If it wasn’t for you being pregnant, he would have divorced you already.” The neighbors couldn’t help but feel indignant for Sarah. “This girl is too much! Spouting nonsense!” “Exactly! Alex and Sarah are such a great couple, how could he ever be interested in her?” “Sarah, don’t listen to her, she’s just trying to provoke you! You’re pregnant, don’t get worked up!” Sarah wasn’t at all provoked by Chloe’s words; she even looked Chloe up and down with amusement. “You’re lying! Alex would never sleep with you.” Seeing her provocation fail, Chloe, enraged, lunged to hit Sarah. “You dare not believe me!” I quickly pushed through the crowd and grabbed Chloe’s arm. Once Chloe realized what happened, she became even more brazen. She leaned into me suggestively: “Oh, you’re awake? Do you remember last night?” Last night? I frowned, my mind a blur. Last night I’d just collapsed into bed at the hotel; could something else have happened? Seeing my confused expression, Chloe feigned shyness and lowered her head. “Last night, after you drank, you called me and asked me to come over. As soon as I arrived at the hotel, you pulled me straight into your room…” She said, pulling out her phone from her pocket, finding a picture, and holding it up for everyone to see: “Look! This is proof!” In the photo, I was wearing clothes and sleeping soundly. Chloe, however, was lying naked beside me, a triumphant smile on her face, snuggled into my arms. It certainly looked like the two of us had slept together.

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The night I became CEO of Shaw Corporation, Richard Shaw’s heir, Edmund, stormed into my office. He grabbed my chin, his voice dripping with threats: “Don’t think that sleeping with my dad gives you the right to boss me around!” I shot back: “Maybe you’re just terrible at your job! What are you gonna do about it, coward?” He leaned in closer: “You think I won’t do anything?!” Before I could push him away, he bit my lip with his teeth. I struggled hard. My tight skirt tore open, exposing my bare chest. Edmund’s eyes turned bloodshot. He looked like a starving, feral wolf. He ripped my clothes off violently. Then he threw me onto the massive desk and kissed me savagely. I kept my voice low: “Edmund, stop! This is so childish!” “Is it?” His lips curved into a smirk. “Then let’s play some grown-up games!” Edmund unzipped his pants. His movements became even more aggressive. His large hands pinned my wrists down. His body weight pressed against me. I couldn’t move. I could only let him enter me. Even though it was late at night and the curtains were drawn tight, every nerve in my body fired intensely. Sweat dripped from my skin. In the silent night, the sound of our bodies colliding echoed loudly. He breathed heavily in my ear. My body gradually dropped its defenses, responding to wave after wave of heat. His touch, his kisses, his breath, the rhythm of his body, and his favorite positions… Everything felt too familiar. Edmund was my ex-boyfriend. We dated for a year. We’d done this countless times before—desperately claiming each other like this. But this time felt different. This time, he was more like a beast. I knew he was angry at me. I was the executive Richard Shaw had parachuted into the company. The moment I arrived at Shaw Corporation, I held major shares, became CEO, and had absolute authority. Rumors spread throughout the company that I was Richard’s mistress. Some even said Richard was going to completely abandon Edmund as his heir. The truth was, Richard had asked me to change Edmund. To ignite Edmund’s fighting spirit so he could deal with the wolves circling inside Shaw Corporation. I still remembered Richard’s absurd reason for convincing me. He said he’d never seen Edmund so obsessed with anyone—except me. I laughed bitterly. When we broke up, Edmund had been so decisive. But saving Edmund before I die, repaying Richard’s favor, and giving Shaw Corporation some hope? I was happy to do it. My thoughts snapped back. I looked at Edmund’s reddened eyes and closed mine. Right. He came here to take nude photos of me so I’d resign in shame. With a “click” from the camera, my heart skipped a beat. But strangely, Edmund didn’t take more pictures. Instead, he turned and left. I watched his back with some longing, but mostly disappointment. Facing the enemy who’d stolen most of Shaw Corporation’s shares, how could he be so soft-hearted?

The next day, as Shaw Corporation’s CEO, I attended a networking conference. In the women’s restroom, a woman with heavy makeup deliberately approached me holding a glass bottle. I ran out cautiously, but she chased after me relentlessly. She screamed while running: “You bitch! You stole my man! You deserve to die!” I rushed toward the crowded area. Unable to catch me, she opened the glass bottle and threw the liquid viciously in my direction. I dodged the first time. The liquid splashed on the floor. A conference attendee passed by, saw the bubbling liquid on the ground, smelled the strong odor, and screamed: “Acid… it’s acid! Ah!” I covered my head in terror, afraid that life-destroying substance would hit me next. Suddenly, a figure rushed out. He pulled off his coat and threw it over my head. Under the coat’s cover, I heard Edmund’s voice. He was talking to the attacker: “You don’t need to ruin yourself over a woman like her!” Ha. “A woman like her.” Ironic, wasn’t it? He saved me, yet he despised me and hated me. The woman with heavy makeup seemed to know Edmund. She shouted: “Why are you helping this slut?” Edmund sneered coldly: “Help? Nobody hates her more than I do!” Security personnel arrived and restrained the crazy woman. Afterward, I learned that this woman was the girlfriend of Dylan Garrett, the son of Shaw Corporation’s Director Garrett. Dylan had lied and told her I was his new girlfriend, which caused this psycho to attack me. It would destroy me and get the crazy woman arrested—killing two birds with one stone. Absolutely vicious! Makes sense. The moment I joined the company, I started collecting evidence against Director Garrett. Dylan must be desperate. But compared to Dylan, Edmund should hate me more. So… why did he save me? I soon got my answer…

Ding dong… ding dong… The doorbell rang so urgently it was annoying. I wrapped myself in a bathrobe and opened the door. Edmund threw a document at my feet: “That crazy woman misunderstood everything! Dylan didn’t even know she’d go after you. And because of her, you’re suspending all these people? That makes no sense!” “It’s a vacation. After all these years of hard work, they deserve a long break.” Edmund was too naive. He couldn’t see how Director Garrett was secretly colluding with those people, slowly devouring Shaw Corporation. Edmund pushed the door open and barged in. He backed me against the wall, eyes fierce: “You suspended so many people! The company will suffer huge losses!” Too noisy. He couldn’t keep his cool. He needed to be trained! I stared provocatively at Edmund’s opening and closing lips, teasing: “They’re gone. The sky won’t fall.” “You—” My finger pressed against Edmund’s lips. He seemed a bit restrained. His ears started turning slightly red. “Alright, you can leave now.” But Edmund pulled me back. During the struggle, Edmund accidentally noticed a circle of small red marks on my shoulder. His pupils widened. I instinctively pulled my bathrobe back to cover that red mark. “These marks are fresh. My dad’s still in the hospital, and you’re already cheating on him. You… shameless…” He couldn’t finish. Maybe when he learned his ex-girlfriend had become his father’s lover, something inside him had already snapped. Let him hate me. Both Richard and I wanted Edmund to become more ruthless! I continued teasing, whispering in Edmund’s ear: “That’s right. Your dad can’t satisfy me. Why don’t you, his son, satisfy me instead?” Edmund’s breathing suddenly quickened. Fury and desire surged in his eyes like a storm. He stopped talking and bit down hard on that red mark. Pain mixed with tingling pleasure. I moaned softly, my fingers threading through his hair. He roughly yanked my bathrobe tie open. The fabric slipped off my shoulders, exposing large areas of skin. He leaned down and kissed me, no longer hesitating. Our lips and tongues tangled. Our breathing grew more ragged. The air filled with scorching heat. His hardness pressed insistently between my legs through the thin fabric, rubbing back and forth. The heat was frightening. I couldn’t help moaning. My waist went soft. I deliberately pressed up, feeling him get harder and bigger. His Adam’s apple bobbed. He growled low, his palm sliding directly into my bathrobe, against my skin, moving down, over the small of my back, squeezing my ass, pressing me hard against him. I was already soaking wet between my legs. His fingers pressed against that sensitive spot through the drenched fabric. With just one press, I trembled and moaned. He panted harder. His cock thrust several times through the fabric like it wanted to break through. I bit his earlobe, my voice hoarse: “Look clearly. I’m your stepmother. Do you really want to do this with me?”

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My husband’s first love became pregnant after an assault. At the same time, I was also pregnant. On the day I delivered our son, Derek served me with divorce papers. “Seraphina can’t have a scandal. I’m marrying her!” I refused the divorce. Instead, I took my newborn son and went live, exposing everything. I ended Seraphina’s future with my own words. She ended up slitting her wrists. Derek gave her a quiet, dignified funeral. Then he stood back and let her fans hunt me and our child down. When I opened my eyes again, I was back in that hospital room, the divorce papers just placed in my hands. This time, I signed it right away. Because he was premature, my son, Leo, went straight into the NICU the moment he was born. Derek handed me the divorce papers right there. “You know Seraphina Hayes was a principal dancer. If another scandal breaks about her assault and child, her career will be ruined.” I had just come from surgery. Even a slight movement pulled at my stitches. I took the divorce papers. “I’ll divorce you, but I want compensation.” Derek breathed a sigh of relief. “Fine. Two million. Is that enough?” Derek was the heir to the Caldwell Group, yet he offered me only two million. I scoffed, knowing it was useless to argue further. I just nodded. With the papers signed, Derek was eager to find Seraphina. He didn’t even spare a thought for our child. Two days later, Leo was out of the NICU. I wrapped my baby in a soft blanket, ready to leave the hospital. Back at the mansion, I asked our housekeeper Mrs. Gable to turn up the AC, but no one answered. As I walked towards the nursery, holding Leo, I heard them whispering in the kitchen. “No shame, bringing back a child born from an affair. Mr. Caldwell was soft-hearted enough not to press charges, but instead of being grateful, she still wants a share of the family fortune!” My steps faltered. Under my thick loungewear, cold sweat drenched my back. “What are you talking about!” I pushed open the kitchen door. The staff looked up, their eyes full of disdain. One of them mumbled, “Who’s talking nonsense? Mr. Caldwell already made a statement. You cheated, and we can’t even talk about it?” I rushed back to my room, charged my phone, and opened Ins. The top trending topic was “Caldwell Heir Announces Divorce.” “Due to Ms. Anya Williams’s infidelity, Mr. Derek Caldwell has terminated their marriage. This statement is hereby issued.” My mind went blank. A sharp, violent throbbing started at my templesy. For Seraphina’s sake, Derek was willing to destroy my name completely! Just as I thought about defending myself online, my phone suddenly vibrated. It was Officer Davis, the detective helping me search for my birth parents. “Ms. Williams, we have a major breakthrough!” His voice was urgent. “You were taken from Evergreen City as a child. We’re now working with their police to cross-reference missing persons files. You need to come in for a DNA test immediately.”

My shattered heart suddenly found a flicker of hope. Since I was abducted at six and brought to Veridia City, I had never truly felt the warmth of a family. I thought marrying Derek would be a new beginning, but it turned out to be another calamity. But now, I might find my birth parents, and my child could have a family who truly loved her! After hanging up, I quickly packed a small bag and turned to the nursery to grab a few essentials for Leo. As my hand touched the doorknob, the front door of the mansion was suddenly flung open. “Anya, who said you could touch anything in there?” Derek frowned, his expression displeased. “I just wanted to get some change of clothes for Leo.” “Those are for Seraphina’s baby. If you need anything, buy it yourself.” Every single item in that nursery had been carefully chosen by me during my pregnancy. Now, he intended to give them all to Seraphina’s child. Even though that child bore no blood relation to him. I swallowed the bitterness in my heart, choosing not to argue at that moment. But Mrs. Gable suddenly grabbed me with a stern face and dragged me outside. “Mr. Caldwell ordered us to go to the rehabilitation center to take care of Ms. Hayes.” The pulling made my incision hurt, and I cried out, “I just gave birth! I need to rest!” Derek didn’t even look back. “Which means you have experience.” “Don’t whine. You’re strong, you don’t need rest.” He got into his car, and I was pushed into a minivan heading for the rehabilitation center. When we arrived, Seraphina was lounging in a recliner, surrounded by five or six caregivers. Seeing me, she feigned an attempt to stand. “Anya, you’re here! Please, sit down. Giving birth is hard work…” Derek gently pressed her back down, then shot me a glance. “She used to manage even with a fever, this is nothing. Anya, if you take good care of Seraphina, I’ll add another half a million. Pretty good deal, right?” Another half a million. It was indeed tempting. I bit my lip. “No. My baby is home alone with no one to watch him.” A flicker of impatience crossed his eyes, but Seraphina softly tugged his hand. “Derek, if Anya doesn’t want to take care of me, please don’t force her. I don’t want to be a burden to you.” Derek squeezed her hand, his gaze shifting to me with pure contempt. “Letting you care for Seraphina is an opportunity for you,” he said, his tone icy. “You came into this marriage with nothing. You’ve contributed nothing. If you can’t even manage this simple task, then understand this: taking proper care of her is the only worth you have left.” He habitually belittled me, completely ignoring my pale face. He waved Mrs. Gable back to take care of Leo. But Mrs. Gable always disrespected me; how could she genuinely look after my child? Derek ignored me, ordering me to feed Seraphina her nutritional meal. I looked back at the closed door, realizing I couldn’t leave for now. I dragged my weak body to prepare Seraphina’s meal. Just as I brought a spoonful of stew to her lips, she suddenly leaned back, crying out in pain. “Hot!” Derek snatched the bowl and threw it at my feet, the broth splashing on my pants. “What are you throwing a tantrum for?! You scalded Seraphina, you won’t eat today!” Seraphina nestled against his shoulder, her eyes brimming with tears. “Derek, don’t be angry, she didn’t mean it…” “We’ll finalize the divorce papers tomorrow!” I was left standing there, covered in stains, ignored by everyone.

The next day, Derek took me from the rehabilitation center to finalize the divorce. Stepping out of the registry office, he got straight into his car. “I need to go get Seraphina’s performance outfit custom-made. You can go back on your own.” His face was grim. “Anya, if you’re not at the rehabilitation center within forty minutes, you’ll face the consequences.” The car sped away, leaving me to flag down a taxi back to the mansion. As soon as I entered the front door, I heard a baby crying from the storage room in the backyard. That was where the gardening tools were kept! I rushed in and saw Leo carelessly placed on a cold stone slab. There was formula and diapers ready nearby, yet his little face was purple, and his cries were weak. He probably hadn’t eaten since yesterday! Nor had his diaper been changed! No time to confront Mrs. Gable, I picked up Leo, fed him, and changed his clothes. As I burped him, Leo gave me a blurry smile. My eyes welled up, and tears fell onto his tiny clothes. Seraphina’s child was cherished by everyone, while mine was forgotten, even struggling for basic needs. “Don’t be scared, Leo. Mommy will take you away.” Suddenly, there was a pounding on the door outside. As I opened it, Derek’s slap landed on my face. “Anya! How dare you bring shady people into my home!” I shielded Leo as Derek pushed me into the living room. Seraphina, wrapped in a shawl, followed him, surrounded by caregivers. The scene inside shocked me. Several unfamiliar men lay sprawled on the carpet, reeking of alcohol. The house was a mess, like it had just hosted a wild party. People were asleep in the bedrooms and study, and even three people lay in the master bed, their clothes disheveled. I frantically shook my head. “It wasn’t me!” But Mrs. Gable stepped forward, looking heartbroken. “Mr. Caldwell, a group of people broke in last night. They said Ms. Williams gave them the keycard and invited them to party. They complained the baby’s crying was too loud, so they moved him to the storage room…” I trembled, quickly trying to explain. “I don’t know them! I was at the rehab center all day yesterday. How could I have given anyone a keycard?” “That’s right… Anya was with me yesterday, Derek. Why don’t you ask these people?” Seraphina lightly tugged Derek’s sleeve. His stern expression softened slightly. He ordered someone to wake the nearest man. “Who let you in?!” The man, still drunk, slurred, “Some woman named Anya gave us a keycard, said the house was empty and invited us to party… Get another bottle!” In his swinging hand was my keycard. Still attached was the small, hand-stitched leather keychain I’d made myself! I instinctively touched my pocket. it was empty. “No, I lost my keycard. It wasn’t me!” “Still trying to lie?! If Seraphina hadn’t worried about you and insisted on coming back to stay, I wouldn’t have known you harbored such disgusting intentions!” “You clearly wanted to fool around with these people here!” Derek grew increasingly impatient, ordering Mrs. Gable to lock me in the storage room. Behind me, I heard Seraphina’s soft voice trying to mediate. “Derek, Anya was just being playful, don’t get so angry.” “She won’t learn her lesson without punishment! This house is defiled; we’re going to the downtown apartment!” The storage room door was locked. Through the window, I watched them drive away. Seraphina turned back in the crowd and shot me a triumphant smile. Late that night, after I’d finally managed to lull Leo to sleep, the lights abruptly cut out. Assuming the wiring in the storage room was old, I checked train tickets on my phone. A sharp click cut the silence. The lock turned. The door opened, and Seraphina stood there, etched in the cold moonlight. With no one else around, her eyes blazed with pure malice. “You’re divorced and still dare to ask for money? Anya, you have no shame!” I shoved Leo behind me, retreating until my back hit the wall. Trapped. Seraphina looked ready to end me. “Seraphina, I never did anything to you! Why set me up like this?” “Nothing? If it weren’t for you, I would be the one married to Derek!”

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