The QR code suddenly appeared on my wife’s neck. My curiosity got the better of me, and I couldn’t resist scanning it. What popped up was a 30GB file, packed with information on men from dozens of countries around the globe. My wife, Kelly, was a flight attendant, constantly traveling to different nations. Who were these men? I had a chilling feeling there was a dark secret hidden on her flights. So, when my company sent me on a business trip, I didn’t hesitate. I booked a first-class ticket on Kelly’s next flight. I pulled on a hat and a mask, making sure she wouldn’t recognize me. I planned to surprise her. My wife, Kelly, was a flight attendant with a stunning face and an almost perfect figure. Kelly and I had known each other for five years and been married for three. But our time alone, just the two of us, was incredibly rare. Kelly said she loved the feeling of flying. So, after we got married, I gave her plenty of freedom. We only saw each other on her two days off each week. As soon as I passed security, I put on my hat and mask, fully disguised, ready to give Kelly a surprise. Stepping onto the plane, my eyes immediately found Kelly. Even among a group of flight attendants, she still shone the brightest. She led me to my seat. Strangely, I noticed there weren’t many people in first class. Besides me, there was just an Italian man and two Frenchmen. And they all had an iced Americano in front of them. “Sir, what would you like to drink?” “I’ll take an iced Americano.” I deliberately lowered my voice. But for some reason, I distinctly felt Kelly brighten up. “Please wait a moment, it’ll be right here.” There were three flight attendants in first class. Besides Kelly, the other two were also quite attractive. Just as I was changing into slippers, a figure suddenly stumbled towards me. My hands shot out instinctively. A soft body fell into my arms. It was Kelly’s colleague. I quickly helped her up. “Are you okay?” “Thank you, sir. I was just clumsy. Do you need any other service?” “No, thank you.” My attention was completely fixed on Kelly at that moment. She swayed her hips, bringing over an iced Americano. But her eyes held a hint of anger. Crap, did I blow my cover? Then I realized her anger wasn’t aimed at me, but at the flight attendant who had just stumbled. “Moira, watch it next time. If you upset a customer again, I’ll have you reassigned to economy.” “I’m so sorry, Chief. My fault, please don’t do that.” Kelly had that much power? I was stunned. I never knew Kelly was a Chief Flight Attendant. “Then you’ll just have to ask this gentleman to forgive your mistake.” As she spoke, Kelly turned her gaze to me, handing the iced Americano to Moira. Moira’s face flushed. She half-knelt, her eyes darting away as she offered the iced Americano with both hands. “Sir, would you be willing to forgive me?” “It’s no big deal, of course, I’ll forgive you.” Taking the iced Americano, I took a big gulp, afraid of revealing myself, then closed my eyes and pretended to rest. Moira sighed in relief and followed behind Kelly. It wasn’t until the plane took off that I truly understood what that iced Americano meant!

“This flight will be ten hours, arriving at our destination at 8 PM.” As soon as Kelly’s announcement ended, the two Frenchmen stood up. Another flight attendant immediately approached them, saying in fluent English: “Gentlemen, the restroom is this way.” About half an hour later, the Italian man also stood up. This time, Kelly was the one to approach him. “Sir, the restroom is this way.” I had a strange feeling. People usually get up on a plane to use the bathroom. But typically, there are only two restrooms at the front of the plane. Could this plane have three? Another ten minutes passed. No one had returned. My confusion deepened. Was everyone having stomach issues as soon as they boarded? Just then, Moira suddenly walked over and knelt beside me. “Sir, please follow me to the restroom.” “Huh? I don’t need to go right now.” I paused, then asked, curious: “How many restrooms do you have on this plane?” Moira’s face turned red as she replied: “There are six in total. Four in first class, two of which are in the back.” That many? I was surprised. Maybe I just hadn’t flown many international flights like this. Half an hour later, the two Frenchmen finally returned. Their faces wore satisfied expressions. I couldn’t help but look at them with disdain. First class really did attract all sorts of weirdos. Just then, I felt a slight urge to pee. As soon as I stood up, Moira walked over. “Sir, the restroom is this way.” Wow, the service in first class was something else. I smiled and followed her to the restroom. Just as I was about to open the door, I heard some… *indecent* sounds coming from inside. My hand froze in mid-air. Who the hell was doing *that*? On a plane? Doing *that*? I frowned, turning on the faucet to wash my hands. The next second, the door opened. The Italian man walked out, adjusting his pants. “Your service was excellent. I’ll ask for you again next time.” “Thank you, sir.” Hearing his voice, I turned my head in disbelief. Kelly emerged right behind the Italian man. Her face was glistening with sweat, her makeup slightly smudged. Her uniform was also a bit wrinkled. Kelly’s black stockings were gone, but she seemed completely unaware. Instead, she snapped at Moira, who was standing behind me. “What are you waiting for? Are you just going to make the customer wait?” Moira shivered, grabbed my arm, and practically dragged me into the restroom. “Sir, I… I’m not very experienced with this. Perhaps you could take the lead?” My mind was reeling with a million thoughts; I barely heard Moira. “Then, sir, let me help you with your pants…” As she spoke, she reached out to unbuckle my belt. That snapped me back to reality. I pushed her away. “Is this what your ‘service’ means?” Moira’s face went pale, and she immediately dropped to her knees. “I’m so sorry, sir, I…” Before she could finish, I cut her off: “I’m not blaming you. Just tell me, what exactly *is* your service?” Moira secretly glanced up at me. “Sir, didn’t you order an iced Americano?” “What does that mean?” “An iced Americano means you get a flight attendant’s full, unconditional service.” My mind buzzed. The last shred of my illusions shattered. My breathing became shallow. I turned, ready to storm out. Moira desperately clung to me. “Sir, please! If you go out like this, the Chief will definitely think I provided poor service, and I’ll be reassigned. Please, please help me. Just let me serve you this once!” I turned back, staring at her coldly. “This is a crime, you know that?” Before Moira could answer, there was a sudden knock on the door. Then, Kelly’s voice came from outside. “Sir, Moira isn’t very skilled. I need to come in and guide her. May I open the door?”

“No, thank you. I’m not interested.” After a long silence, I heard Kelly’s footsteps receding. Moira’s eyes were filled with gratitude. “Sir, just let me serve you this once. Otherwise, I really can’t explain it, and I…” “If you don’t want to get reported, listen to me, understand?” I raised an eyebrow, pulled a pen from Moira’s chest pocket, took her hand, and wrote down a string of numbers. “I don’t like dealing with things at high altitudes. Contact me after we land.” With that, I pushed open the door and walked out. Back at my seat, a few of the foreign men looked at me with disdain. I ignored them, my gaze falling on Kelly, who sat quietly, resting. Why was she doing this behind my back? I wasn’t a billionaire, but I was worth millions. I could more than provide for her. Yet, after we married, she insisted on returning to work, and I didn’t force her otherwise. Who knew *this* was the kind of work she was doing! A mix of emotions swirled within me. If I divorced Kelly now, I’d lose half my assets and become the laughingstock of everyone. My mind raced. It would be hard to get solid evidence on the plane. And if I exposed myself and Kelly caught on, finding evidence would be even harder. So, I needed an inside helper. Moira, just now, was the perfect candidate. Now, I just needed to make sure I wasn’t discovered during this time. Soon, it was 8 PM. The plane was about to land. I slowly opened my eyes. Beneath my calm gaze was boundless rage. In just ten short hours. Kelly had gone with those three foreign men four times! Once, all four of them went together. I couldn’t even imagine what happened in there. All I knew was that when Kelly came out, Moira had to help her walk. At this point, I felt no affection for her. Only disgust and hatred. After we disembarked, as I waited for a car outside the airport. Kelly’s voice suddenly came from behind me. “Honey, how did you get here?” My body stiffened. She recognized me? I turned, ready to make an excuse to bluff my way through. But then I saw Kelly rush into the Italian man’s arms. And they kissed without inhibition. “Honey, I’ve been on my feet for ten hours today, my feet are so sore. Can you carry me to the car?” Next to the nearly two-meter-tall Italian man, Kelly looked incredibly petite. The Italian man fell for it completely. He scooped her up and carried her to a parked SUV. Through the car window, I could already see the Italian man’s hand disappearing into Kelly’s clothes. Hah. This was the wife I once cherished as my most precious treasure. If not for this trip, I probably would have died without knowing she was such a master of time management. She had me in one country, an Italian “husband” abroad, and even spent her flight time orbiting different men. How many more were there that I didn’t know about? My breathing became shallow. Just then, a bottle of water appeared before me. “Sir, have some water.” Moira was pulling a small carry-on bag. “Kelly only offers ‘service’ on the plane. Your hopes will probably be dashed.” “How did you know I was watching her?” Moira smiled. “Your eyes haven’t left Kelly since we boarded. Besides, almost everyone who orders an iced Americano in first class on *this* route is here for Kelly.” “She’s beautiful, and her ‘service’ skills are great. What man wouldn’t like that?” I took a deep breath and put my arm around Moira’s shoulder. “Where’s the nearest hotel?”

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The real Hayes daughter was back. Scarlett’s contract marriage was finally over. She had intended a graceful exit. Instead, she watched Asher Sterling, the man she had loved for ten years, hold another woman. His voice was cold and mocking. “You were merely a tool for our corporate alliance. Never fool yourself into thinking I could have feelings for you.” Asher permitted Blair to humiliate Scarlett. He allowed her, still feverish, to be forced into ice water. He left her in a burning ballroom, indifferent to her survival. It was only when Asher personally handed Scarlett over to a group of predatory men that her heart finally died. She disappeared into a quiet coastal town, changed her name, and vanished from his world. When Asher realized the woman beside him was not the same, he finally lost control and descended into a frantic search. But when he finally found her, all he saw was Scarlett standing beside another man. Her gaze was calm. She did not look back. As Asher’s wife for thirty-three months, Scarlett got the call. “The real Miss Hayes has fully recovered. heiress has recovered. She returns in fourteen days to reclaim her position. You will ensure a seamless transition. The agreed fifty million will be transferred to your account in full.” The call ended, leaving Scarlett’s hand trembling slightly. She could actually leave the Sterling mansion ahead of schedule. Three years ago, the powerful Hayes and Sterling corporations formed a high-stakes alliance, and their marriage was the talk of the town. At the crucial moment, the Hayes heiress suddenly suddenly fell gravely ill. The Hayes family moved quickly to suppress the news and tracked Scarlett down to a small foster home where she was volunteering. “This collaboration between our two families is vital. If you didn’t look so much like my daughter, do you think an opportunity like this would ever fall to you?” Mrs. Hayes scoffed, her eyes brimming with disdain. “A three-year contract. Once the time is up, you take the money and leave.” Scarlett never wanted to get entangled in this mess, but she had no choice. The night before the wedding, Scarlett stayed up, committing every detail of Asher’s preferences to memory. Afterward, she devoted herself to pleasing him and preserving the fragile alliance between their families. Knowing he often skipped meals while working, she sourced the freshest ingredients herself, preparing and delivering new dishes to his office each day. Aware of his late business dinners, she would wait for hours in the cold outside the restaurant, ready to drive him home the moment he appeared. Everyone said she was madly in love with Asher. He heard it all, yet his expression remained as cold as ice. Then Blair appeared. Rumor had it she championed charity worldwide, ate only vegetarian food, and exuded a gentle, angelic glow. Asher was utterly captivated by this glow. Overnight, it was as if Blair had stolen his soul. From then on, he had eyes only for her. He diverted substantial company funds into Blair’s pet charity projects. He even postponed critical board meetings, ignoring all opposition, just to drive her around the city in his luxury car, rescuing stray cats. To ensure Blair slept soundly, Asher did not return home for three solid months. Whispers began circulating within their circle: Blair was the real Mrs. Sterling. But Scarlett didn’t care. She just wanted to endure these two weeks. Then she would take her money and start a new life. … No sooner had the Hayes’ call ended than another incoming call flashed on her screen. Scarlett’s finger paused, but she answered it anyway. “Send some supper to the office. Cook it yourself.” Asher’s voice was detached, his command habitual. Scarlett, clutching a thermometer, steadied herself. “But we’re out of ingredients at home. How about I order from that place you love…” “If you’re out, go buy some.” Asher cut her off coldly, his tone leaving no room for argument. “Blair’s stomach is sensitive; she can’t eat outside food.” Hearing Blair’s name, Scarlett understood instantly. When it came to anything about Blair, Asher was uncompromising, leaving no room for “discussion.” “Okay.” Scarlett didn’t argue, simply agreeing. After having the ingredients delivered, she spent two painstaking hours cooking Blair’s favorite dishes. The nanny, Martha, couldn’t help but feel indignant for Scarlett. “Oh, why would a sick wife be made to cook supper for another woman in the middle of the night?” “Mrs. Sterling, don’t you feel wronged?” Scarlett paused in her packing, then smiled faintly and shook her head. Compared to the freedom and money that awaited her, this was nothing. The late autumn wind was particularly biting. Being feverish, Scarlett made sure to wear an extra coat when she left. Urged by Asher, she reached his office as fast as she could. But she never expected it. The moment Scarlett pushed open the door, a bucket of ice-cold water splashed right over her. SPLASH! The freezing water rushed down her collar, and she began to shiver uncontrollably. “Oh, I’m so sorry, Scarlett. I didn’t realize you were right outside the door.” Blair spoke with an apology, but her eyes showed no genuine remorse. Scarlett had just wiped the cold water from her face when she heard Asher’s chilling voice from inside. “Alright, what are you waiting for? Get in here.” She bit down hard, walking straight in. Asher opened the food container, gently taking out the food, then carefully brought it to Blair’s lips. The tenderness in his eyes was almost overflowing. Blair smiled shyly, her cheeks flushed as she gazed at him. Scarlett stood by like a puppet, expressionless, still dripping wet. She watched Blair finish the food bite by bite, feeling the cold seep deeper into her clothes. As she collected the empty food containers and turned to leave, Asher’s voice stopped her. “Wait. I’ll have Michael take you to change.” Scarlett paused. “And have him stop at a pharmacy on the way back. Pick up some cold medicine for Blair. She might catch cold dressed like that.” A faint, wry smile touched her lips at his words. Why would Asher ever care about her? It was just a casual act of charity, nothing more.

After Blair drank the cold medicine, Asher took her home to the Sterling mansion, bringing Scarlett along too. Scarlett got out of the car, dragging her weary steps toward the front door, thinking she could finally get some rest. But Asher merely flicked his fingers. A towering bodyguard immediately blocked the entrance. “Blair had an argument with her family tonight and ran away. If we don’t take her in, she’ll have nowhere to go.” Scarlett nodded, indicating no objection. Yet the bodyguard remained firmly in place, showing no sign of moving. She looked up, a hint of confusion in her eyes, and met Asher’s chilling gaze. “Tonight, you’ll sleep in the yard.” Scarlett instantly sobered up, freezing on the spot. “Asher, it’s alright, let Scarlett stay… She is your wife, after all.” Blair gently held Asher’s arm, feigning concern. “Wife? Does she even deserve that title?” Asher sneered, his eyes filled with contempt. “I told you, our marriage is just a business arrangement. The only one I truly care about is you.” As he spoke, he stared intently at Blair. He wouldn’t spare Scarlett even a fleeting glance. Scarlett instinctively clenched her fists, her nails digging deeply into her flesh. The faint smile on her face had long since vanished. But remembering the Hayes family’s warning, she closed her eyes, took a deep breath. She silently told herself that she absolutely could not cause any trouble before she left. “Okay.” Scarlett lowered her gaze and nodded submissively. After Asher and Blair went inside, she found a relatively clean spot and lay down. Overwhelmed by exhaustion, she eventually fell into a deep sleep. In the middle of the night, heavy rain suddenly began to fall. The rainwater quickly soaked her clothes, and the cold penetrated to her bones. Scarlett was instantly jolted awake. “Boom!” A clap of thunder made her shiver, and she instinctively looked up. She vaguely saw the reflection of the second-floor bedroom. Asher was soothing a thunder-startled Blair, oblivious to the drenched Scarlett below. The next morning, he stormed in and found her shivering in the yard. “The bedding you sent,” he accused, voice cold. “Blair had an allergic reaction.” She forced herself to stand, shaking her head. “I didn’t send any bedsheets, and I don’t know what she’s allergic to.” “Don’t try to deny it!” Asher grabbed her wrist, his face completely dark. “You manage everything in this house; how could it not be you who sent them!” “So all your past indifference was just an act, waiting for me to lower my guard so you could seize this chance to get at Blair, wasn’t it?!” “It really wasn’t me…” Scarlett tried desperately to explain. But Asher waved his hand, ordering someone to forcibly drag her to the dining table. “Someone, make her drink these ten glasses of milk! Every last drop!” Scarlett’s face instantly turned ashen. She was severely allergic to milk; even a single drop would cause a rash, let alone this much… Scarlett struggled to stand, but two maids held her down firmly in the chair. Glass after glass of milk was poured into her mouth. A burning pain shot through her throat, making it almost impossible to breathe. After being forced to finish the ten glasses, Scarlett collapsed weakly against the table, immobilized by the pain tearing through her. Then, Asher’s icy voice reached her. “I’ve told you, the only woman I love is Blair. Remember that. Don’t fool yourself into thinking there could ever be anything between us.” With great effort, Scarlett forced her swollen eyes open. She managed one faint movement of her fingertips before darkness finally claimed her. She knew. She had always known Asher didn’t love her. And so, she had never allowed herself to yearn for his affection. But once, there had been a flicker of hope in her heart. Now, it seemed, that too was just a delusion.

After passing out, Scarlett had a very long dream. In her dream, someone gently wiped her forehead and carefully gave her cold medicine until the nameless fever in her heart was completely soothed. It reminded her of her grandmother, long deceased. She couldn’t help but murmur. “Grandma, don’t worry, I can leave soon…” “Leave?” A sudden male voice interrupted her. Scarlett’s eyes snapped open. It was Asher. Seeing Scarlett wake up, he immediately dropped the towel in his hand, his gaze as cold as ever. “Leave what?” His sharp eyes fixed on her. She forced herself to remain calm and explained, “I dreamed of being hospitalized a lot when I was little. I meant I wanted to leave the hospital.” Asher looked at her suspiciously but didn’t dwell on it. He tossed her a medical report. “The doctor says you’re fine.” Then, he pulled out an invitation. “Blair said she felt bad about you being out in the rain all night and invited you to her charity auction.” Scarlett lowered her eyes, recalling the Hayes family’s instructions, and obediently nodded. It didn’t matter. Only 7 days left, then she could leave. After changing into her evening gown, Scarlett went downstairs alone and saw Asher intently discussing details with Michael. Scarlett moved closer, only then realizing what they were talking about. Apparently, to surprise Blair, he had meticulously planned a grand fireworks display. As if sensing Scarlett’s approach, Asher dismissed Michael, then gave her a cold glance. “Let’s go.” After the rain, the city seemed even colder. The car sped along, and Scarlett instinctively pulled her coat tighter. Upon arriving at the auction, Asher directly took a seat in the front row. Blair, in a magnificent pink gown, stood on stage and smiled shyly at him. Their eyes met for a long moment, completely ignoring Scarlett standing nearby. The auction quickly began. Blair eloquently introduced each item, striving to instill the concept of “charitable giving” deep into everyone’s hearts. Asher stared intently at her graceful figure on stage, a faint smile playing on his lips, as if admiring a rare treasure. Two hours later, Blair finished her thank-you speech on stage. A burst of fireworks suddenly erupted above the outdoor auction. Not only did Blair’s name appear in the sky, but several dynamically changing hearts surrounded it. She gazed at the sky in surprise, then walked step by step toward Asher. “Asher, thank you for the surprise you prepared for me. I really love it.” Asher tightly held Blair’s hand, gently wiping away the tears at the corners of her eyes. “As long as you like it, everything I do is worth it.” With that, they embraced tightly, accepting the blessings of everyone present. “Miss Blair is truly blessed to have such a handsome, wealthy, and loving husband!” someone in the crowd exclaimed. Asher shook his head, looking directly into Blair’s eyes as he seriously replied, “It should be me who is blessed.” The crowd instantly erupted into louder cheers. Blair shyly lowered her head, but then unexpectedly caught sight of Scarlett in the corner, her expression subtly shifting. “Asher, Scarlett is still here. You shouldn’t say such things.” “She might… be upset.” Hearing this, Asher’s dark eyes immediately turned cold. “Why should I care about her?” Blair’s lips curved into a smile as she shot a covert, triumphant look toward Scarlett. Scarlett’s expression remained unchanged as she continued to sit quietly in her chair. He was right. There was no need to mind her. Because she, from the very start, had not minded either.

Dazzling fireworks danced in the deep night sky, as splendid as shooting stars. But an accident suddenly occurred. A firework, unexpectedly, fell onto the stage and violently exploded! The flames spread rapidly. All the electronic equipment was incinerated, and the entire venue instantly suffered a violent explosion! Guests screamed and scattered in all directions. Asher gritted his teeth, fiercely shielding Blair in his arms, completely oblivious to Scarlett nearby. The three were quickly surrounded by fire. Asher dampened his jacket with mineral water, tightly wrapped it around Blair, and moved toward the weakest point of the blaze. Scarlett looked around, then took a step, intending to follow. Suddenly, a metal frame behind her collapsed. Scarlett sped up, but a sharp pain shot through her back, forcing a muffled groan from her lips. She slowly reached out a hand, weakly calling out, “Asher.” But he didn’t look back. Instead, he scooped up Blair and rushed out of the fire as fast as he could. The smoke grew thicker, the fire raged stronger. Her last shred of hope was completely extinguished. Trapped under heavy debris, Scarlett remained motionless, slowly losing consciousness in the dense smoke. When she next awoke, the strong scent of disinfectant stung her senses. Scarlett instinctively opened her eyes. “You’re awake?” Following the sound, she saw Asher standing at the doorway, his voice detached. “Blair loves the lemon pie from 15th Street the most. Go buy some now.” “She was terrified last night, and I can’t leave her side for a moment.” With that, before Scarlett could even reply, he impatiently rushed back to Blair’s hospital room. Scarlett forced herself out of bed. Her face was pale, and the wound on her back still throbbed faintly. As she left, a nurse nearby couldn’t help but caution her. “Miss Scarlett, your wound hasn’t healed yet. Going out now could easily cause an infection!” Scarlett merely shook her head, insisting on leaning against the wall and walking out alone. Three hours later, Asher took the lemon pie, his brows instantly furrowed. “Why is it broken in half?” “Scarlett, are you deliberately trying to provoke Blair again?!” His face completely darkened, and he grabbed her wrist. Scarlett instinctively defended herself. “I didn’t. I was very careful, but I didn’t expect…” “Enough.” Asher’s face tightened, the anger in his eyes darkening. “Stop making excuses.” His voice was ice. He was about to speak again when Blair’s delicate call floated in from the hallway. “Asher, where are you?” Asher released her at once, shoving her back as he turned and strode out the door. Scarlett stumbled backward against the doorframe. The impact tore her wound open again, and blood bloomed across her white shirt. She bit her lip, enduring the pain in silence. After a moment, she pushed herself up and limped toward the infirmary. After calming Blair, Asher stepped out for her medicine and overheard two orderlies. “15th Street is a two-hour drive from here, and that place has a line out the door!” The other orderly shook her head. “Who would go that far? Mrs. Sterling must really adore her husband, going all the way there in her condition.” Asher froze, a slight frown on his face. A strange, unfamiliar feeling stirred inside him. Something he could neither grasp nor name.

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It was the third year of my terminal bone cancer. My ex-girlfriend, Detective Captain Evelyn Reed, stormed my cramped apartment with a squad. I relied on heavy morphine doses to get through each day. She watched me. I was covered in needle marks, twitching as I desperately reached for a pill bottle on the table. A cold sneer twisted her lips. “What, Liam? Seven years, and you’ve really sunk this low? A junkie? Where’s all that arrogance you had when you walked out on me?” Before she had even finished, I weakly pointed at the bottle, my hand trembling. “Officer… please… just give me the pills…” She scoffed, picked up the bottle, and walked into the bathroom. I heard the flush of the toilet. “You want them? Go beg for them in detox!” My body seized up with agonizing pain. She watched, unmoved, as I writhed on the floor, filming me. She said it would make a good warning video. “Set up the camera.” Evelyn ordered her team. “Get a close-up on him. I want every detail.” “This will make the perfect anti-drug PSA.” The flashlight beams flared, lighting up my sweat-drenched face. The pain in my bones was like a swarm of insects chewing through my marrow, an itch and a burn at once. I tried to claw at the sensation, but my nails only scraped the cold floor with a dry, grating sound. Evelyn crouched, her black baton jabbing under my chin and forcing my head up. “Look at you, Liam. Pathetic. Even a stray dog has more dignity than you do right now.” My vision swam. All I could see through the pain was the sharp line of her jaw. “Pills…” I forced the word out, mustering the last of my strength, and my hand fumbled for the hem of her trousers. Just then, a figure in a white coat entered the room. It was Dr. Marcus Thorne. The team physician, Evelyn’s trusted deputy, and my former closest friend. He glanced at me, his gaze lingering on the port scars along my arm-the legacy of years of chemotherapy, now mistaken for track marks. “My God, Evelyn, look at his arm.” Marcus cried out, feigning shock. “These are classic signs of long-term IV drug use. You can see the venous cord formation. His addiction must be severe.” I opened my mouth. I wanted to tell them they weren’t needle marks, but access ports for my chemotherapy. But my throat was a column of fire, too parched to make a sound. Only a raw, rasping gasp broke through. Evelyn absorbed Marcus’s ‘expert’ diagnosis. The last flicker of conflict in her eyes died, replaced by pure, unalloyed disgust. She brutally kicked my hand away from her pants. “Don’t touch me!” Her kick sent me rolling half a turn, slamming me into the corner. My bones collided with the wall, emitting a dull thud. A new wave of excruciating pain washed over me. “Announce it! Suspect Liam is getting a 24-hour live stream of his forced ‘purification’!” Evelyn’s voice echoed through the room. “Let everyone see what drugs can turn a once-promising person into-a husk, a shadow of his former self, a monster!” “Evelyn, this… this isn’t standard procedure!” a young officer beside Evelyn whispered, reminding her. Evelyn spun around, her voice thick with barely suppressed rage. “For drug dealers who repeatedly endanger lives and show no remorse, extraordinary measures are necessary!” “I want every potential addict to see this is their fate! The consequences? I’ll bear them alone! I’ll take full responsibility!”

As I teetered on the edge of consciousness, Evelyn’s search continued. She was meticulous, leaving no corner unchecked, determined to uncover all my “evidence” of wrongdoing. Finally, she kicked the bed aside and fumbled under it, dragging out a dusty metal box. My heart lurched! No! Anything but that! The things inside that box were more important than my life! “Don’t touch it!” I didn’t know where the strength came from, but I crawled toward her, scrambling on all fours. Evelyn paused, startled by my frantic behavior, then her eyes glinted with even deeper mockery. She easily kicked me aside and unlatched the box. Inside lay a tattered diary with worn edges and a police badge, carefully wrapped in a red cloth. Evelyn picked up the diary and casually flipped through a few pages. It contained my entries for every chemotherapy session, every surge of pain, every dose of medication. “March 7th, sunny. OxyContin, 80mg. Pain.” “March 9th, cloudy. Morphine injection. Hurts so bad I want to die, but I think I saw Evelyn on the street. She still looks so beautiful.” “March 15th, rainy. Increased dosage. My bones feel like they’re shattering.” She let out a cold laugh, holding the diary high for the camera. “Look at this! What is it? A junkie’s diary!” She loudly read out the line, “I think I saw Evelyn,” her voice laced with derision and disgust. “Ha, hallucinations from being high, huh? Still thinking about me? Liam, you absolutely sicken me.” With that, she tossed the diary directly into the trash can in the corner. Then, she picked up the police badge wrapped in red cloth. It was my father’s relic; he had been her mentor. Seeing the badge, Evelyn’s eyes turned stone cold. “You don’t deserve to keep this.” She stepped closer. “The son of a hero, living as a parasite. Is this how you honor your father’s memory?” I shook my head wildly, tears cutting tracks through the cold sweat on my face. “No… it’s not true…” But she ignored me completely, drawing a lighter from her pocket. Click. A cold, blue flame sputtered to life. She actually lit the diary on fire, right in front of me! She stomped on my outstretched hand, trying to snatch it back, grinding her heel down with brutal force. A sound like shattering bone echoed, and I screamed in agony. “Watch.” She forced my gaze as the diary blackened and curled into ash within the flames. “Why keep this? So the world will remember what a piece of garbage you were?” “Or do you want everyone to know that I, Evelyn Reed, was once with a junkie criminal?” The fire devoured the pages, a heat that seemed to burn inside my own bones. Marcus spoke up from the side. “Evelyn’s right. This kind of trash just pollutes the environment. Burning it cleans things up.” I lay on the floor, my hand pinned under her foot, unable to move. I stopped struggling, stopped crying out. I just watched the fire, silently, until it consumed the last page, leaving only a pile of black ashes. That diary was the last proof of my innocence left in this world. Now, it was gone.

The next day, as dawn barely broke. I was dragged out of my apartment by two officers, my arms wrenched painfully. Twenty-four hours of forced detox had left me without the strength to even stand. The double torment of bone cancer pain and morphine withdrawal had almost burned away my sanity. Outside, a dense crowd had gathered, a barrage of cameras blocking the narrow hallway, making it impassable. “That’s him! The drug addict!” “He looks so normal, so innocent… how can he be so rotten inside?” Evelyn, impeccable in her crisp police uniform, stood at the front of the crowd, her face grim as she addressed the cameras. “Ladies and gentlemen, this is Liam Stone, the drug user we apprehended yesterday. A classic example of someone who fell into the abyss of degradation due to his own vanity.” The moment her words finished, someone in the crowd, I don’t know who, hurled a rotten cabbage leaf that splattered right across my face. More rotten vegetables and foul-smelling eggs followed. Someone even spat. In the chaos, the wig I wore due to chemotherapy was violently ripped off, exposing my bald scalp. “Freak! He’s bald!” The jeers and insults of the crowd washed over me like a tide. I stood there numbly, letting the filth drip down my head, soaking into my collar. Just then, an old, angry voice broke through the crowd. “What are you doing! Stop it! Don’t you dare bully him!” It was Mr. Peterson, my landlord. Wielding a broom, he struggled to push through the crowd, shielding me with his frail body. “Liam isn’t a bad person! He’s sick! You heartless monsters!” Mr. Peterson used his thin body to shield me from a fresh volley of garbage. I saw egg yolk and vegetable bits stuck in his gray hair, and my heart felt like it was being squeezed by an invisible hand, making it impossible to breathe. “Mr. Peterson…” Evelyn frowned, signaling to her team. “Get that old man away.” Immediately, several officers stepped forward, forcibly dragging Mr. Peterson away. Marcus quickly seized the opportunity, explaining to the camera with a’kind’ but condescending tone: “Don’t be fooled, everyone. Many drug users are adept at feigning pity to gain sympathy, especially from soft-hearted elderly people. We’re doing this for the old gentleman’s own safety.” The crowd’s emotions flared again. They pointed and jeered at the struggling old man. “Senile fool! Duped by a junkie!” “He’s probably an accomplice! They’re all in it together!” Mr. Peterson was roughly shoved, stumbled, and fell to the ground, his forehead hitting the pavement with a sickening thud. A trickle of blood already formed. “Mr. Peterson!” I shrieked, a raw cry escaping my throat. Evelyn walked up to me, and in a voice only we could hear, she threatened me. “See that, Liam?” “If you don’t want to drag this old man down with you, charged with’harboring and aiding a drug dealer,’ then you’ll cooperate. Understand?” My body went rigid. She was using the only person in this world who cared about me as a weakness to exploit. What else could I do? I could only hang my head, abandoning all struggle, letting the filth cover my entire body. In front of countless cameras, I stood like a condemned prisoner, trembling, utterly despairing.

I was taken to the city center plaza. Overnight, a massive, fully transparent glass enclosure had been erected there. Like a cage built to exhibit a monster. And I was the monster about to be displayed. I was shoved inside, and the surrounding floodlights instantly blazed, blinding me. Outside the glass enclosure, a dense crowd gathered, their faces filled with curiosity, contempt, and excitement. A forest of phones and cameras were pointed at me, live-streaming without interruption for twenty-four hours. Without morphine to suppress it, the bone cancer pain finally broke free of all restraints, exploding within me in an exponentially terrifying way. It hurt. It hurt so much I couldn’t breathe. It hurt so much I felt like I could hear my bones shattering, inch by agonizing inch. I started to roll wildly on the ground, curling up, trying every possible way to alleviate this inhuman torment. I even slammed my head against the unforgiving glass wall, dull thuds echoing through the space. I just wanted to pass out, or better yet, simply die. The crowd outside the glass enclosure gasped and jeered. “Look! He’s going into withdrawal!” “What a pathetic sight. Serves him right.” Evelyn stood outside the glass enclosure, a microphone in her hand. “Everyone, look. This is the devastation drugs wreak on humanity. Once you touch them, you lose all dignity, becoming a beast that only knows how to demand. This is the price of self-destruction.” Her voice, amplified, reached everyone’s ears, and mine. My consciousness began to blur with pain, and hallucinations flickered before my eyes. Evelyn outside the glass wall was no longer the cold, hard detective captain. She reverted to her appearance from seven years ago, wearing a white dress, standing in the sunlight, smiling gently at me, extending her hand. “Liam, don’t be scared. I’ve come to take you home.” “Evelyn…” I cried, reaching out to the phantom, using my last shred of strength to call her name. “Evelyn… save me…” My desperate plea, however, was seen by the crowd in a completely different light. Marcus instantly seized the microphone, his voice a blend of feigned regret and open contempt. “As you all witness, the suspect is in the grip of a severe drug-induced psychosis. The substance has utterly annihilated his will.” The entire internet absorbed his ‘expert’ commentary. The live stream’s chat erupted into an instant torrent of ridicule and abuse. “This guy is totally beyond saving.” The hallucination shattered, and boundless pain swallowed me once again. I finally couldn’t take it anymore, my vision went black, and I passed out. A bucket of icy cold water splashed onto my face, the biting chill instantly jolting me awake. The public spectacle of my torment continued. I don’t know how long passed. At the peak of another wave of intense pain, my body completely gave out. A warm gush erupted from my lower abdomen, soaking my pants. I had lost control of my bladder. In that moment, all pain, humiliation, and anger vanished. I was left only with endless numbness and desolation. My last shred of dignity was crushed into dust, utterly annihilated. In my fading consciousness, I felt the glass door violently shoved open. Someone burst in and seized me by the collar. Evelyn, a fury incarnate. “Liam! Get up! Stop faking it!” She was in a blind rage, her grip savage. A sharp, brittle crack echoed in the room. It was my collarbone, already hollowed by cancer, giving way under her violent shaking. Her motion ceased instantly. She stared at her hands, then at the grotesque dip in my shoulder, disbelief spreading across her face. How could a common junkie be so brittle that a simple shake would shatter bone? For the first time, her voice carried a sliver of barely-audible panic. “Liam… your bones…”

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My own child hadn’t even arrived when my husband David posted a newborn photo on Instagram. The caption read: “It’s a boy. Mother and baby are both well.” Friends and family called to congratulate us, but I was completely lost. Then I zoomed in. I saw David’s hand, our wedding ring shining, around Serena, his first love. I was about to confront David when he deleted the post. He gave no explanation, no apology, not a single thought for me or our unborn child. I endured the painful contractions alone and walked myself to the delivery room. Two hours later, our daughter Lily was born. I posted a picture too, announcing mother and daughter were safe. The next second, David’s phone calls flooded in. But I ignored every single one. Perhaps my unanswered calls had enraged him. After the last one went to voicemail, David fell silent for two weeks. Then, one afternoon in the hospital, just as I finished feeding Lily, a flood of new notifications lit up my phone. It was Serena. She had sent five videos, each a perfect, curated glimpse of their new “family.” In every frame, David was looking down at the baby in his arms, his expression softer than I had ever seen. The scene looked like a perfect, happy family of three. In that moment, it was as if a thousand shards of glass had been driven into my chest. I looked at Lily’s rosy, innocent face. This poor little thing had never even met her father. My hand shook as I called David. He finally picked up on the fifth ring. “Our baby has a checkup tomorrow. You need to take us.” I heard a sharp, impatient click of his tongue. “The hospital provides transport. What’s wrong with using their service?” Yes, the hospital had a car service. A VIP service. He had sworn to me all the VIP suites were fully booked, that only a standard room was left. I had believed him. I hadn’t argued. And yet, just two days after I was admitted, his first love Serena was comfortably settled into a VIP suite one floor above. And I, his legal wife, had been made the fool. Thinking about it, the words I wanted to say died in my throat. What was the point? He wouldn’t listen anyway. I said nothing. David’s voice, thick with impatience, sliced through the silence. “Fine. I’ll be back, okay?” “When?” I asked. “Tomorrow! You’re so needy, you’ll jinx everything. If you keep this up, I swear I’ll divorce you!” I don’t know when it started. David had started holding “divorce” over my head like a blade. Back when we were dating, if I gave him the silent treatment, he’d trail after me for blocks, apologizing over and over. He changed, and so did I. I used to get furious. I used to grab his shirt and scream until my voice gave out. But now, I just felt so tired. “Oh, David, hurry! The baby needs changing!” A bright, feminine voice suddenly trilled from his end of the line. A second later, a sharp series of beeps. The call was cut off. The day we were supposed to go to the hospital, it poured rain. I called and messaged David from nine in the morning, but my efforts vanished into thin air. Clearly, he had lied to me again. During my pregnancy, my body was heavy and clumsy. Once, when I went for a prenatal check-up alone, I accidentally fell and started bleeding. Half-conscious, I remembered the nurse calling David for me. He said he’d be right there. But he didn’t show up until three days later. When I was discharged, he even blamed me for overreacting and wasting his time. After that, I contacted him less and less. We were the closest of spouses, yet we slowly became strangers. After the rain stopped, David’s phone was still unreachable. I hailed a cab to take Lily to the hospital. The doctor said the baby was thriving. But my own complexion was poor, and they suggested I get a check-up. I remembered the faint ache in my lower abdomen before giving birth; now the pain was becoming more pronounced. I glanced at Lily, sucking her hand contentedly in the stroller. I decided I’d come back next month. Just as I stepped out of the elevator. I ran head-on into David and Serena. Serena was in David’s arms, being carried like a princess.

“Clara! What are you doing at the hospital? You’ve put on so much weight I almost didn’t know you.” Serena clung to David, her eyes sliding toward me in a glance he couldn’t see, sharp with silent challenge. I had no interest in these games. Or perhaps I had played them too often before, and now felt nothing at all. I pushed the stroller past the elevator, my voice flat. “Just a checkup. I won’t keep you.” “Clara, don’t misunderstand! I slipped in the shower yesterday and broke my leg. David stayed with me all night and insisted on bringing me to the doctor this morning.” “If we weren’t practically family, he wouldn’t bother. But as a divorced woman, I need help. I have to rely on an old friend. If it bothers you, I won’t ask him again.” Serena’s eyes reddened as she struggled to get down from David’s arms. David patted her backside, his voice helpless yet indulgent. “You’re a mother now, still so playful!” Then, he stared at me coldly, his tone admonishing. “Clara, that’s enough. Serena is a divorced woman, she has no one to take care of her, and she’s younger than you. Can’t you be a little nicer when you speak?” I looked at David and suddenly laughed. “I’m practically a widow now, David. Do you want to find a man to take care of me?” David’s pupils flickered. I turned and pushed the stroller away. That evening, David walked in, his face frigid. “I just saw your calls. Standing you up was wrong, I admit.” “But you’re also being ridiculous. Why insist on my car when the hospital has its own shuttle?” Hearing him bring up the car again. I didn’t even look up as I said, “The hospital’s shuttle is for VIPs, David. I’m in a standard room.” The atmosphere suddenly fell silent. David, knowing he had no leg to stand on, pulled out a small, palm-sized box and placed it in front of me. “The room arrangement was my mistake. Let’s not talk about it anymore.” “Here’s a gift for you, an apology. See if you like it.” I opened the box, revealing a pair of cheap-looking earrings. At first glance, they looked like something you’d buy for ten bucks from a street vendor. They were a world apart from the gorgeous amethyst bracelet he’d given Serena for her birthday two months ago. Perhaps in David’s mind, Serena deserved the stars and moon, while I was left to catch the dirt he flung. I closed the box and put it back. David frowned. “You don’t like it?” I nodded at him. “No, I don’t. It’s cheap, I don’t care for it.” I used to worry about how hard David worked to earn money. Whatever little trinket he gave me, I’d accept without question. Even if he just bought a bag of fruit from the roadside, I’d be overjoyed. But back then, I didn’t know he was showering other women with lavish gifts, while being utterly stingy with me. Five years of marriage, and I didn’t even own one decent piece of gold jewelry. Seeing my reaction, David grabbed the small box and hurled it against the wall. The flimsy jewelry box shattered instantly. “I’m out there slaving away, providing for you, and all I get is your sullen face all day long! Do I owe you something?! This is such a damn jinx!” David pointed at me, his face contorted in a furious snarl. “If you insist on acting this way, fine. I won’t come back again. You can live alone!” I watched him play out his scene with cold indifference. When he grabbed his jacket and headed for the door. I called out to him. “David.” David stopped his hurried steps and turned around, his face no longer as menacing as before. “See? If you acted like this from the start, wouldn’t it be easier? What’s with the temper tantrum?” “You don’t like the gift, right? Fine, I’ll take you shopping later.” “Now, go make dinner. And pack some up for Serena; she wants some of your homemade soup.” He prattled on and on. I waited patiently for him to finish before I spoke. “David, when you said you wanted to divorce me earlier, were you serious?” David froze for a moment. Then, he let out a cold laugh, tossing his jacket onto the couch. “Clara, what are you talking about? You want to divorce me?!” “Is it just because I let Serena stay in the VIP suite?” “I promised Serena that VIP suite ages ago. I can’t break my word to her for you!” “If you can put up with it, fine. If not, then divorce!”

I was about to agree. David turned and stormed out, kicking over a single armchair before he left. The loud crash woke Lily. I ignored everything else and rushed back to her room. I was determined to get a divorce. But every time I tried to contact David to discuss the arrangements, he was nowhere to be found. The day I was discharged from the hospital, I finally saw David. He was helping Serena move her things. Behind him, two nannies pulled 26-inch suitcases. Serena sat in the backseat of the car, holding their baby, completely shielded from the sun. The stark contrast to me, struggling to push and pull my own things, was glaring. But my mood remained unfazed. Perhaps it was the decision to divorce that made me feel surprisingly light. Serena saw me and greeted me. “Clara, are you going home today too?” “Why don’t we give you a ride? You have so few things, you won’t take up much space.” “It’s all David’s fault. I was only staying for 30 days, but he bought me a year’s worth of clothes, so now I have to take so much back. It’s exhausting.” Serena’s words were a complaint, but her eyes were full of smiles and undisguised triumph. I ignored her. That familiar, dull ache in my lower abdomen returned. I gritted my teeth against the pain and helped the taxi driver load my things into the trunk. Before getting into the car, I looked at David, who had remained silent. “Be sure to come home tonight. I need to talk to you.” Ten minutes later, I saw a photo of a property title deed posted by Serena on her Ins feed. Along with the ostentatious caption: “A childhood sweetheart is better than an ex-husband. As long as I have him, I’ll always have a home.” I stared at the bright red property deed for a long time. A bitter taste filled my mouth. David and I met in college. Everyone said we were a match made in heaven, that if we broke up, they’d lose faith in love. Later, I chose to accompany David to the big city to start our careers. Without money, we had to live in a basement apartment. Then, due to the terrible conditions, I fell seriously ill with a persistent high fever. David, a grown man, was so scared he cried and knelt beside me. He swore that all the houses he’d buy in the future would be for me, in my name. Men’s promises are truly as flimsy as farts. I screenshotted Serena’s post and sent it to my lawyer. I asked if she could help me reclaim that house. That night, David, predictably, didn’t come home again. I didn’t mind. But Lily cried for three hours before finally falling asleep because of the change of scenery. The pain in my lower abdomen started up again. I knelt beside the crib, taking a while to recover. The next morning. I asked Mrs. Henderson, our neighbor, to watch the baby and went to the hospital for a check-up alone. The doctor’s expression was grim. “Clara, you have a mass on your lower spine. We haven’t confirmed whether it’s benign or malignant, but given how long you’ve been in pain and the rate it’s growing, I strongly advise surgery immediately. Waiting could lead to serious complications.” After leaving the hospital, I sat on a bench by the roadside. My trembling fingers gradually steadied. I looked down at my medical report, a decision already made in my heart. Just as I was about to text the doctor to confirm the surgery time, a greeting suddenly sounded from in front of me. I looked up and saw Mike’s wife, a friend of David’s. “Clara, why are you sitting here? It’s so cold. Come up, David and the others are having lunch upstairs.” She was bold and enthusiastic, pulling me up with an undeniable force.

I thought about it and didn’t resist. It was a good chance to talk to David about the divorce anyway. The private room was buzzing with excitement; I could hear cheers from outside. The moment the door swung open. I saw David and Serena clinking glasses, their arms intertwined in a ‘lover’s toast’. Everyone in the room was eagerly cheering them on. “That’s not too hard a pose!” “David, why don’t you lift Serena up and do it again!” “Yeah!” Serena blushed, and David feigned a refusal. I watched the scene with cold eyes. Until Serena spotted me standing at the door and gasped. “Clara, what are you doing here? Oh, don’t tell me you’re spying on him?” “It’s not that I’m saying it, but Clara, you should occasionally give men a little space. Who can put up with you like this?” David frowned. “What are you doing here?” I stopped the person next to me who was about to explain. My gaze swept over David and Serena, and I slowly smiled. “If I hadn’t come, how would I have known you two were having so much fun behind my back?” “Clara, what are you doing?! Are you losing your mind?!” David yelled, his voice sharp. Serena proudly tilted her chin, deliberately flashing the beautiful amethyst bracelet on her wrist. No need to guess; it was definitely another gift from David. Someone yelled, “You haven’t finished your toast yet!” Serena picked up two glasses of wine, handed one to David, and held the other herself. Then she looked at me. “Clara, you won’t get jealous, right?” “We’re just friends having some fun.” My emotions were calm as I said to David, “If you drink that glass of wine, we’re done. There will be no coming back.” David’s answer was to lift Serena into his arms right in front of me. “Clara, stop making a scene. It’s just one drink. Who are you trying to threaten?” With that, they intertwined arms and drank their glasses. A round of enthusiastic applause erupted. “That’s guts!” “Our David is a real man!” I watched their intimate embrace, their intertwined hands, as my heart slowly turned to ice. The anger I’d suppressed for so long surged, becoming impossible to control. I grabbed the pot of scalding hot tea from the table and threw it at them. “Ah!” They both screamed. Serena, her face contorted with rage, rushed over and pushed me. “Bitch!” My lower back slammed hard against a nearby table, and the excruciating pain stole my breath. Before I could get up, David grabbed my hair, pulled me up, and dragged me in front of Serena. “Get on your knees and apologize to Serena!” My scalp tore with pain. My trembling fingers grabbed David’s pant leg, and I spat on him. “She’s the mistress! She doesn’t deserve it?!” David’s face contorted with rage. He backhanded me, once, twice-the coppery tang of blood flooding my mouth and nose. Serena wasn’t finished. She lunged forward and drove her heel into my stomach. “Ugh!” A trickle of blood escaped my lips. As the world dimmed, I thought I saw a flicker of panic in David’s eyes. With the last of my strength, I swung my hand and struck him across the face. “David, I’m divorcing you!”

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After being laid off, I unexpectedly won two hundred million dollars. But when I got home, I found my husband, Liam, throwing a lavish welcome party for his first love, Victoria. And when my name came up, everyone’s faces twisted with disgust. Liam’s mother, Brenda, rolled her eyes. “That useless woman lost her job, and she still expects Liam to pick her up? No one opens the door for her later!” Our son, Leo, clapped his hands in agreement. “Grandma’s right! Dad, hurry up and divorce that useless mom! I don’t want to call her mom anymore. I like pretty, rich Victoria. She can buy me limited-edition sneakers!” Liam chuckled. “As long as she agrees to let Victoria move in and let me date her, I’m willing to let her stay as a nominal wife.” I immediately demanded a divorce. But they were utterly consumed by regret when they later saw me driving a luxury car, with my new husband and our newborn son. “Dad, you let Victoria sit next to you, and Grandma and I will make heart shapes behind you…” When I pushed open the door, Liam, Leo, and Brenda were posing for a group photo on the couch with Victoria. They were huddled together, beaming brightly for the camera. The sound of the door made them finally notice me. Everyone’s smiles froze. The atmosphere hung heavy for a few seconds. The next second, the laughter resumed as if I were invisible. They simply changed their pose and continued snapping pictures. Not a single person acknowledged me. It wasn’t until they finished the photos that Brenda finally swept a disdainful gaze over me and spoke: “Well, Clara, you’ve got legs, can’t you walk home?” “I thought after you got laid off, you wouldn’t even know how to walk anymore, insisting Liam pick you up.” At that moment, I was soaked to the bone, my hands and feet numb with cold. Today, after being fired, a heavy rainstorm hit. Liam had promised to pick me up after work, but he never showed, even past midnight. I walked over six miles back home in the pouring rain. Before entering, I’d already heard their contempt and mockery behind my back. But I never imagined that even after I returned home, they would still ignore me, laughing and chatting with another woman. A bitter pang shot through my heart. I was just about to speak. Suddenly, a piece of cake flew at me! Splat! My face was covered in cream. I looked up. Leo was hiding behind Victoria, glaring at me with undisguised disgust: “You’re lazy! You don’t work hard to earn money to support Dad and me! So useless!” “You’re not even as good as Victoria’s pinky toe!” My heart was sharply pierced. This was the son I had loved and cherished for ten years. For Victoria, he showed adoration and joy, but for me, only sarcasm and scorn. At this point, Liam, who had been silent, finally spoke. He frowned, chastising Leo: “Leo, how can you talk to your mom like that? You’re being so disrespectful!” He put on an act of defending me, grabbing a towel and handing it to me gently. “Clara, don’t mind what the kid says. Go change your clothes first, then we’ll talk.” As I took the towel, I caught the undisguised disgust in his eyes. A deeper wave of sorrow washed over me. Just as I was about to head to the room, Victoria suddenly walked over and greeted me: “I just got back from overseas, and Liam absolutely insisted on throwing me this welcome party. I really couldn’t refuse, so I came.” “I heard you just lost your job? Don’t worry, the economy isn’t great right now. I might be able to help you find something.” Her seemingly kind and friendly demeanor only made me feel more humble and pathetic. Before I could answer, Brenda impatiently shoved me: “What are you standing there for? Aren’t you going to thank Victoria?” “You’re a woman in your thirties, and you still got fired? How embarrassing for Liam!” I stumbled from the push, almost falling. But Liam and Leo, whom I loved deeply, acted as if they hadn’t seen anything, their entire attention focused on that woman. This was clearly my home, yet I felt like a stranger. In the end, I said nothing and went to my room to wash up. When I came out again, they were already seated at the dining table, eating. No one had called me. There wasn’t even a place or utensils set for me at the table. Seeing me approach, Liam slowly put down his fork and looked at Leo: “Leo, go get your mom some utensils.” Leo rolled his eyes at me. “No way! She doesn’t even have a job. She can’t support Dad, Grandma, and me anymore, so why should I get her anything?” “Mom, don’t you have hands? Are you just going to be useless from now on?” Such sharp, cruel words, coming from my own son. My heart held nothing but sorrow and self-mockery. Liam shot Leo a disapproving glance and then said to me, “Clara, you’ve spoiled this kid rotten. Go get some from the kitchen, and you can sit next to me. Just squeeze in…” Before he finished speaking, Brenda suddenly stood up. I thought she was going to help me get utensils, since she used to do that when I was the one earning money for the family. But instead, she grabbed the pet’s food bowl and shoved it into my hand. “There are no clean bowls left in the kitchen. Wash this and use it.” In that moment, a bitter, biting irony twisted in my gut. This—this was the ‘family’ I had worked tirelessly for ten years to support: Liam, Leo, and Brenda… “No, thanks. I’m not eating.” I turned to go back to my room, but Victoria spoke up, feigning surprise: “Clara, you’re not angry, are you?” “I just asked around, and my company still needs a cleaner. It pays five thousand dollars a month.” “It’s not very glamorous, but a good cleaner can even get promoted to supervisor.” I knew perfectly well she was trying to belittle me while showing off her capabilities to Liam. I had just said “no” when Brenda suddenly stood up and slammed her hand on the table! She yelled at me furiously: “Someone’s offering you a job, and you’re being picky?!” “Are you not going to support your husband and child? Are you really planning to live off my son’s money from now on?” In that moment, I could no longer suppress the rage bubbling inside me. When we first got married, Brenda was sick and needed care, and Liam couldn’t work. I was responsible for all the family expenses. Later, when Liam wanted to start his own studio, I invested my hard-earned savings into it. Yet, he never contributed a single dime of his earnings to household expenses. Liam finally spoke, frowning as he reminded me: “Clara, you’re unemployed now!” “As the woman of this house, you have to take responsibility.” “Also, Victoria just returned to the country. She’ll temporarily stay in your room, and she’ll pay rent, which will help ease our financial pressure. You can live in the storage room from now on.” His words sounded perfectly reasonable, as if my refusal would make me irresponsible. It was then that I finally understood. They were simply banking on my desperate situation of being unemployed and broke, forcing me to accept Victoria’s presence. In that moment, my last shred of attachment to this family completely vanished. Remembering the two hundred million dollars that were about to be mine, I no longer held back. I said coldly: “No need to trouble yourselves. I’m moving out!”

“No job? Going out to beg for food, huh? What an embarrassment! Don’t anyone stop her, just let her get out!” Brenda couldn’t resist mocking me. Liam looked at me with disappointment, then ignored me, turning his head to put food on Leo’s plate. Leo, meanwhile, rolled his eyes, hugging Victoria’s arm and sweetly chiming: “Victoria, give Dad some food, Dad loves vegetables.” This heartwarming scene only made me feel more like an out-of-place fool. I decisively went back to my room, packed my things, and picked up my suitcase to leave. But Brenda suddenly walked over, rudely snatched my suitcase, and looked at me as if I were a thief. “You can leave, but let me check if you’ve stolen anything from the house!” With that, she reached for my suitcase zipper. I had wanted a clean break, but I never expected Brenda to be so overbearing! I immediately snatched my suitcase back, roaring: “You don’t have that right!” Seeing my reaction, Brenda became even more convinced I had something to hide, and she started yelling obscenities at me. The commotion quickly drew Liam. After hearing the whole story, Liam frowned and stared at me for a few seconds. Then, he suddenly pulled me into the room and closed the door. He said to me earnestly, “Clara, stop making a scene, okay?” “I know losing your job has been hard, and I understand you don’t want to be a cleaner. I’ll ask Victoria to arrange for you to be a driver. How about that?” “Right now, you don’t have a job, so just bear with it. At least try to show your value in the house, right?” Listening to his high-sounding words, I felt utterly disappointed. “Your ‘value’ only exists when I’m earning money to unconditionally support you and your mother? And when I can’t, I’m just a maid in my own home, watching your first love become your mistress? Is that it?” Liam’s face turned grim. He said, enraged, “Clara, what nonsense are you talking about? I’m trying to talk to you nicely, and you’re being so ungrateful!” “Don’t forget,you’re the one who’s unemployed right now!” I was completely done arguing with him and pushed the door to leave. But Leo suddenly rushed over, forcefully slapping a document against me, shouting: “Useless mom, hurry up and divorce Dad! I want Victoria to be my mom!” I read the words on the paper, and it was a printed divorce agreement. In the bottom right corner, Liam had already signed his name. Brenda stood beside him, nodding with satisfaction. “My smart grandson, you’ve got to kick this useless woman out!” Then she pointed at me, her voice sharp: “What are you waiting for? Sign it now! Liam felt sorry for you and didn’t want to bring up divorce, but now it seems, this is perfect timing!” I looked at Liam’s cold, indifferent face. Without further hesitation, I snatched the pen, signed my name, and threw the paper to the floor! “Fine, divorce! See you at the courthouse tomorrow at nine!”

When I left the house, the rain had stopped. I pulled the crumpled lottery ticket from my pocket. The winning amount was two hundred million dollars. When I was laid off, I notified my family, but I still felt miserable, so I bought a lottery ticket on a whim. I never expected to win the grand prize. I was overjoyed and wanted to share the news with Liam. I even planned to buy a bigger house for us, expand his studio, buy luxury bags for Brenda, and get Leo those limited-edition sneakers… But all that anticipation shattered with the scenes that had just unfolded. I arrived at a hotel, planning to get a room for the night, but when I swiped my card, I was told: “Apologies, ma’am, your card has been suspended.” My heart sank. All the money I’d earned over the years had been handed over to him. This card was what Liam gave me for daily expenses. Before leaving home, I thought,fine, I’ll just forfeit all my savings from these past years. But I never imagined Liam would be so ruthless. It was laughable how I had scrimped and saved for this family, never daring to order takeout that cost more than ten dollars! I called Daniel, my only friend and college classmate in this city, for help. The moment he heard I was broke, he immediately transferred six thousand dollars to me. He even ordered food and had it delivered to me. That night, it was the first time I’d had a warm meal since yesterday. The family I deeply loved and sacrificed everything for was worth less than a casual acquaintance. It was truly ridiculous. The next day, at exactly nine o’clock, I arrived at the courthouse. I immediately saw Liam and Victoria, dressed in perfectly matching outfits, holding hands and chatting outside. Brenda had even gotten her hair done, her face beaming with joy. Even Leo was dressed in a festive red suit and a red bow tie. “Hmph, good thing you’re sensible enough not to drag my son and grandson down into a life of poverty! Liam, go get the paperwork done!” Brenda urged Liam. I didn’t waste any words and walked straight into the hall. Liam gave me a complicated look for a moment before following me inside. Less than half an hour later, the divorce certificate was finalized. As I prepared to leave, Liam suddenly called out to me, holding out a card with a condescending pity on his face: “Thank you for leaving Leo’s custody, the house, and the property to me.” “There are twenty thousand dollars on this card. From now on, you’re on your own.” Looking at his hypocritical face, I didn’t even want to speak. But I still took the card; after all, it was my hard-earned money. Only a fool would refuse. Next, I went to cash in my lottery ticket. Two hundred million, after taxes, was quickly deposited into my account. I immediately arranged to meet Daniel for dinner. He was the only one who helped me when I was at my most helpless. Not just last night, but for so many years, whenever there were major family expenses, Liam would never humble himself to borrow money. It was always me, time and again, asking Daniel for help to get through those tough times. So now that I was back on my feet, I had to repay him. I arranged to meet him at a shopping mall, then headed straight for a luxury store to pick out a gift for him. Daniel, worried I was acting rashly, kept trying to pull me out, persuading me: “Clara, this place is too expensive. Let’s go somewhere else.” I stubbornly helped him pick out suitable clothes and a belt. Just then, Liam walked into the store with Brenda, Leo, and Victoria. The moment he saw me, Liam’s smiling face instantly darkened. “Clara, are you stalking me?”

“Clara, can’t you have some self-respect? Are you really going to resort to harassment now?” Brenda couldn’t hold back and started yelling at me. I said calmly: “You’re all too full of yourselves. I’m here picking out a gift for my friend. Why would I need to stalk you?” Daniel stood there awkwardly, holding the belt, unsure what to say. Victoria, however, suddenly let out a snicker: “Picking out a gift? Clara, it seems you’ve never been in a luxury store like this; you don’t know a thing!” “Do you know how much that belt in your hand costs? At least one hundred thousand dollars!” “Even I have to think twice before buying a belt like this. You?” She shook her head with a scornful laugh. Liam’s expression was even more disgusted, as if he hated my lack of ambition. He said unhappily: “Clara, you only have the twenty thousand dollars I gave you in your entire account.” “Are you really going to cut off your future livelihood just for appearances?” “If you truly hit rock bottom, don’t come begging me. It won’t do you any good!” I almost laughed out loud. My daily interest alone was over ten thousand dollars, more than his monthly salary. Why would I need to beg him? “Who says Clara can’t afford it? It’s just a hundred thousand dollars! We’ll buy it!” Daniel, standing beside me, bravely spoke up. As he spoke, he secretly slipped a card into my hand, his eyes signaling for me to use it. I knew that was Daniel’s entire savings from all these years. Now, he was willing to take it out just to help me save face. A surge of warmth flooded my heart. Actually, I had always known this man’s feelings for me. But at the time, my heart was set on Liam, so I never openly responded to him. At this moment, I truly felt like I had been blind all these years. To have fallen for a man like Liam. I gave Daniel a gentle smile. “It’s okay, I have money.” With that, I pulled out my own card and handed it to the sales assistant. “Card, please.” As the assistant took the card to process the payment, Brenda burst into laughter, clearly expecting a show. Liam frowned, looking at me with disappointment. Victoria, holding Leo, calmly watched me, as if observing a clown. Soon, the card machine beeped: “Transaction successful!” In an instant, everyone’s eyes focused on my face. Especially Liam. His eyes almost bulged, staring at me in disbelief. “Clara, where did you get that money?” Victoria raised an eyebrow, a knowing smirk on her face. “Oh, I get it. Clara, you’re so desperate to impress men that you’re willing to take out a high-interest loan just to show off?” “You really are something else!” She sneered, curling her lip. I couldn’t be bothered to explain to them. Just as I was about to leave, a store clerk suddenly pointed at me and exclaimed: “Oh! I remember now! This lady is the winner of the two hundred million dollar lottery prize yesterday!” “Two hundred million?!” Instantly, the entire store erupted, everyone staring at me and murmuring. Brenda paused, then scoffed, “Her? Impossible. Useless Clara wouldn’t have such good luck…” Before she finished speaking, Liam suddenly stared at his phone, his face pale, and interrupted with a trembling voice: “No!” “The news says the winner of two hundred million really is…” “Clara?!”

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Last life, my wife Jessica’s childhood friend Marcus and I both fell into a snake pit. Seeing my severe injuries, Jessica rescued me first. But by the time she went back for Marcus, he had already been bitten to death by venomous snakes. From that day on, my wife hated me to the core. A month later, I was chained in a basement, hundreds of venomous snakes crawling all over the floor. I screamed for help, but Jessica’s chilling voice echoed from outside the door: “You killed Marcus, Alex. Now, you’ll know what it feels like to be bitten to death by venomous snakes.” In the end, I was bitten by hundreds of snakes and devoured completely. When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the day of the accident. Sharp pains shot through my body. I slowly opened my eyes, finding myself at the bottom of a cliff in the forest. If not for the soft, muddy ground beneath me, I would have been shattered into a thousand pieces. I was a guide at Mount Rainier National Park. Last time, during a rescue mission, I sustained a severe back injury. The doctor ordered complete bed rest. I should have been recovering in the dorms, but my wife—Jessica, captain of the park’s search and rescue team—insisted I act as a private guide for her childhood friend, Marcus. I was furious. “My back isn’t healed yet, and you want me to take someone into the mountains now?” “Alex, I wouldn’t be asking if Marcus’s original guide hadn’t gotten injured and couldn’t go. The doctor said moderate walking would be good for you, and it’s just a regular trail anyway,” Jessica explained. I was livid. “No way,” I fumed. “Then we’re done! We’re getting a divorce!” she snarled. I had no choice but to compromise. In my previous life, I led Marcus along a designated safe trail in the park, but he snuck off into a restricted, wild area when I wasn’t looking. That place, I knew, was crawling with venomous insects, had treacherous terrain, and was full of hidden dangers. I couldn’t just abandon him, so I had to chase after him. We reached a broken cliff edge, and Marcus pointed down, claiming he saw someone at the bottom. As I leaned over to look, he shoved me violently, catching me off guard. “Die, Alex! Once you’re gone, Jessica and I can finally be together!” Thankfully, the cliff bottom was soft earth, and I survived. Enduring the agonizing pain, I groped around the ground, covered in rotten leaves, for a good half hour. Finally, I found my GoPro action camera. Last time, I was too focused on saving myself after waking up, and only realized I’d lost the camera after being rescued. Without the recording, Jessica refused to believe me, no matter how much I explained. I carefully checked the GoPro; it wasn’t damaged. I breathed a sigh of relief. It was a professional habit of mine to always record when providing one-on-one guide services, just in case any disputes arose. I was certain Marcus must have scouted this route with his previous guide before trying to ambush me in the wilderness. But he overestimated himself. Mount Rainier’s old-growth forest was a labyrinth. Even after many trips, it was easy to get lost, let alone without a guide. That’s why he ran into trouble. I quickly bandaged my injured leg at the bottom of the cliff and immediately started looking for a way out, relying on my memories from the last life. This time, I wanted nothing more to do with Jessica. I would never call her for help. Reaching the crooked tree I remembered, two paths lay before me. Last time, I’d chosen the left, gotten lost, and had no choice but to call Jessica. This time, I picked the correct path on the right. After about two miles, a sudden chill permeated the air ahead, followed by a layer of grayish-white mist rising from the ground. I quickly retreated. These were toxic fumes from the wilderness marshland, and inhaling too much could be fatal. I was forced back to the crooked tree. Checking the time, it was already past 3 PM. The mountains get dark early; it’s practically night by 5 PM. The forest at night is teeming with venomous creatures, wild animals, and the temperature plummets. Hypothermia would be deadly. Reluctantly, I had to take the same old path as last time. After walking for over an hour, the sky grew noticeably darker. I climbed a tall tree to search for a phone signal, my battery now at 2%. Luckily, just like in my previous life, I managed to connect with Jessica at the last moment. “Jess, I’m in trouble! I’m in the park’s southeast section, about six miles upstream from Mirror Lake. Get here fast!” I yelled frantically. “You, an experienced wilderness guide, can’t find your way out? You malicious jerk, taking Marcus into the restricted wilderness! Were you trying to kill him? Don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to. Stop pretending. I’ll deal with you when you get out. Right now, I’m going to save Marcus!”

With that, Jessica hung up. I froze. What just happened? Last time, she had definitely come to rescue me first. And she hadn’t said anything like that before. After a moment of stunned silence, it hit me. Jessica had also been reborn. This time, she chose to save Marcus first. I wanted to call the park’s emergency rescue center, but my phone had already died. A wave of dread washed over me. Strange, gnarled trees surrounded me, and rustling sounds came from the shadows. I couldn’t waste any more time; I had to get out. At this point, I was completely lost, but I pushed forward stubbornly. The pain in my injured leg had faded into numbness. As I walked, the sky completely darkened. I was utterly exhausted. The water and food in my backpack had been consumed by Marcus shortly after we entered the restricted area. I collapsed on the ground, gasping for air. The temperature dropped to below zero. Silver-green, eerie lights gleamed in the tree branches—the eyes of nocturnal birds, staring intently at me. In the distance, an unknown beast howled. Despair washed over me. I wondered if I would make it out alive. Just then, a few beams of flashlight pierced through the trees… It was the search and rescue team. “Alex? What are you still doing here?” The two team members who arrived were Ben and Rick, from my wife’s team. “Ben, Rick, thank goodness. Help me get out,” I said weakly. “But we have a mission. The captain ordered us to search for Marcus,” Ben said. “Are you just going to leave me to die?” I challenged. Just then, Ben’s satellite phone rang. It was Jessica. “Have you found Marcus?” “Captain, we haven’t found Marcus yet, but we found Alex. Should we bring him out first?” “Ignore him! He’s just trying to delay you, to stop you from saving Marcus. Let him fend for himself. You two, search downstream from Mirror Lake immediately!” Jessica’s voice was filled with urgency. “Ben, Rick, I really can’t go on. Can one of you take me out first, and the other continue searching for Marcus?” I pleaded. “Alex, rescue team regulations require us to operate in pairs. It’s too dangerous to go alone,” Ben explained. “We all know you and Marcus don’t get along, but this time you went too far. How could you take him into the restricted wilderness? You know better than anyone how dangerous it is there,” Rick said, defending Marcus. “Rick’s right, Alex. You really messed up this time. If something happens to Marcus, you’ll be legally responsible.” “Besides, how did you even get lost? You’re a guide here, you should know the terrain better than us.” I was a hiking guide for regular trails in the park, not a wilderness survival expert. “Alex, stop faking it.” “I’m not faking it! Can’t you see my leg is injured?” I pointed angrily at my blood-stained pant leg. Ben looked at my injury and said, “Alright, how about this? We’ll go search for Marcus first, and you wait for us here.” Wait? How long would I have to wait? If Marcus was bitten by a snake, they’d call for a helicopter extraction on the spot. Would they even remember to come back for me then? “Leave me some water, food, and a spare jacket. I’ll walk out myself.” It was better to rely on myself than to beg others. Self-rescue was better than waiting. After getting the supplies, they continued downstream towards Mirror Lake. I put on the thick jacket, drank some water, and ate an energy bar. I felt some of my strength return. Walking alone in the wilderness at night was too dangerous. I built a small bonfire and stayed on edge, not daring to sleep. Around 6 AM, faint morning light filtered through the trees, and I set out again. After a grueling six hours, I finally saw the park trail markers. The moment my guard dropped, the excruciating pain in my leg and extreme exhaustion hit me simultaneously. My vision went black, and I collapsed at the exit.

When I woke up, I found myself in the community hospital near the park. “Alex, want some water?” “Paul?” It was my colleague and good friend, Paul. He’d fortunately found me unconscious at the trail exit and brought me here. “How did you end up in the restricted wilderness?” Paul asked, puzzled. “It’s a long story.” Just then, Jessica’s voice echoed from the hallway: “Which room is he in?” Paul immediately went to the door. “Captain, Alex is in here.” The hospital room door was open. I looked at Jessica; her eyes were chillingly cold. “Captain, Marcus is in room 8.” “How’s his condition?” “Nothing serious, mainly hypothermia.” “Good.” Jessica turned directly and headed for room 8. Paul was utterly shocked. “Your wife… she’s not coming in to see you?” I offered a bitter smile, offering no explanation. The next day at noon, I saw Jessica walking down the hallway, carrying a takeout container. She didn’t even glance into my room, as if I didn’t exist. That insulated container was mine; I’d bought it. I used to often bring food to Jessica at the search and rescue station. Now, she was using my container to bring food to someone she cared about. The irony stung. Around ten at night, just as I was getting ready to rest, Marcus pushed open the door and walked in. “What do you want?” A malicious smirk played on his lips. “I never thought you’d be so tough, surviving a fall from that cliff.” “Are you going to turn yourself in to the police, or should I call them to arrest you?” “Hahaha, evidence? You’ve got nothing but words! Who’s going to believe you?” “The truth always comes out eventually.” “The truth? The truth now is that you, Alex, out of jealousy, tricked me into the restricted wilderness with ill intent. I barely escaped with my life.” “Oh, and by the way, aren’t you feeling pretty miserable and wronged right now? Jessica chose to save me first, not you,” he said smugly. After the torment of my previous life, my heart had already hardened towards Jessica. If not for the toxic fumes, I would never have called her for help. “Are you done? Get out if you are,” I said coldly. Just then, steady, hurried footsteps echoed from the hallway—I knew them too well. It was Jessica. Suddenly, Marcus raised his hand and slapped himself hard! Smack! After the crisp sound, he crumpled to the floor, looking at me with tear-filled eyes. “Alex, Jessica and I are just friends who grew up together; nothing has ever crossed the line! If you don’t believe me, fine, but how could you hit me?” The door to the private room was flung open. Jessica dropped the bag of takeout she was carrying and rushed over to help Marcus up, her face filled with concern. “Alex, you evil bastard! Marcus was right; you actually hit him? Don’t you know he’s just been through a dangerous ordeal and is still very weak?” “He’s weak after an ordeal, and I, after falling from a cliff, am perfectly fine, I suppose?” I retorted. “You brought it on yourself! If you hadn’t harbored malicious intent and lured Marcus into the restricted wilderness, none of this would have happened!” “You believe everything he says?” “Yes! Marcus never lies!” “Fine, fine, fine. I can’t be bothered to argue with you two. You two truly are a match made in heaven. Both of you, get out. I don’t want to see you,” I pointed to the door. “My face hurts so much…” Marcus clutched his cheek, tears streaming down, his voice brimming with false grievance. Jessica’s rage instantly reached its peak. She took a step forward and slapped me hard. The blow made my vision go black, and I stumbled, falling to the floor. The back of my head hit the sharp corner of the bedside table with a sickening thud. Excruciating pain exploded, and warm liquid immediately seeped from my hair. I instantly lost consciousness.

After I was moved from the emergency room, the doctor told Jessica, who had rushed over, that I had a moderate concussion, accompanied by a scalp laceration, and needed to be hospitalized for observation for potential complications like intracranial hemorrhage. “Just rest and recover. When you’re discharged, we’ll discuss our issues,” she said, her tone cold and business-like. “You still care if I live or die?” I laughed sarcastically. “At least legally, I’m still your wife,” she replied stiffly. Her words were deeply ironic. In my previous life, she had locked me in a snake-infested basement, despite my severe injuries, letting me be bitten to death and devoured. This time, she was talking about legal obligations. After she left, I immediately used the hospital phone to contact my lawyer. Reborn, I absolutely wanted no more ties with Jessica. After being discharged, I returned to our shared apartment, opened my laptop, and began drafting the divorce petition. Around ten at night, Jessica returned. “I have something to tell you.” We had both spoken at the same time. “You first,” I said. “Tomorrow, you’ll come with me to see Marcus. You will offer a sincere apology in person and ask for his forgiveness,” she commanded. I almost laughed out loud. “Are you insane? You want me to beg for his forgiveness?” “And why shouldn’t you? I’ve told you countless times, Marcus and I are just friends! I think of him as a younger brother! You’re just narrow-minded, with a dirty mind, always twisting our relationship with your sordid thoughts!” “Are you sure you only see him as a ‘younger brother’?” I took a step closer. “Which ‘younger brother’ calls you at midnight to ‘fix a lightbulb’ in his apartment? Which ‘younger brother’ curls up in your arms in a tight tank top and shorts, watching horror movies after he hears I’m away on business?” A flicker of shame, quickly replaced by anger, crossed her face at being exposed. “No matter how you try to twist it, you lured Marcus into the restricted wilderness this time and almost got him killed. That’s a fact! Don’t you owe him an apology?” She raised her voice, trying to overwhelm me with sheer volume. I was utterly enraged. I slammed the printed divorce papers onto the coffee table in front of her and roared, “Who was trying to kill whom?! See for yourself!”

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My boyfriend gave my $10,000 annual bonus to his childhood friend, Chloe. I stood alone on the rooftop, tears streaming down my face. Then I scrolled past an online challenge posted by his friend, Caleb Reed: 【New Year Breakup Challenge! First girl to break up before midnight wins $10,000!】 I stared at that post for a long, long time. After all, I was just $10,000 short of my Grandpa Leo’s medical expenses. After three minutes of intense debate, I messaged Caleb instantly: 【Hi, I’d like to sign up for the Breakup Challenge!】 Right after sending it, I felt a pang of regret. Caleb Reed was known for hating love-addicts more than anything. And I was infamous in their circle as the biggest love-addict, having simped for Liam for three years straight. Caleb had always been the coldest towards me. It was almost midnight now; what if the challenge was already over? To my surprise, he replied almost immediately. 【Send a picture to prove you’ve broken up.】 His tone was unmistakable, like a CEO giving orders to an employee. A shiver ran down my spine. Among all of Liam’s friends, Caleb was the only one who, despite his young age, had already taken over his family’s empire. I replied: 【Okay, please wait a moment.】 Then I instantly clicked open Liam’s chat and sent him a message: 【Let’s break up.】 Liam replied almost instantly: 【Aria, you’re breaking up with me just for a $10,000 prize?】 I didn’t dare make Caleb wait, so I quickly replied: 【No joke, I’m serious.】 After sending it, I took a screenshot and forwarded it to Caleb. Caleb messaged me first: 【Delete all contact info for your boyfriend. Block him, and you can get another $10,000.】 So, I didn’t even bother replying to Liam. I quickly deleted and blocked him. Then I sent the screen recording as proof to Caleb. The next second, my phone buzzed with a notification: $20,000 had landed in my bank account. I couldn’t believe it – this breakup challenge was actually real!

The next day, I didn’t go looking for Liam, but he came to me. He stared down at me, clearly annoyed: “Aria, you actually dared to block me?” I calmly explained: “We’ve already broken up.” He looked impatient: “Is a prize really enough to make you act like this?” I took a deep breath, enunciating each word: “Liam, that money was for Grandpa Leo’s surgery.” Liam froze mid-sentence. Immediately after, Chloe, his childhood friend, clutched his arm and frantically apologized to me: “I’m so sorry, Aria, I didn’t know it was that important! I’ll give you the money back, please don’t be mad at Liam, okay?” Liam snapped out of it, frowning: “You don’t need to apologize. I gave her the bonus, it’s hers.” He saw my silence and, for once, his tone softened towards me: “I messed up, but she needs the prize more than you. She needs it to prove herself to her family. I’ll cover your grandpa’s surgery.” I pressed my lips together, about to speak. But then I looked up and saw Caleb Reed standing not far behind Liam. He was watching me from across the crowd, his gaze chillingly indifferent. It was like he was daring me to say yes, ready to pounce if I did. Liam followed my gaze and then looked surprised: “Caleb, what are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be at the company today?” Seeing this, Caleb walked over, calmly explaining: “Day off.” Liam didn’t pay much attention. A few seconds later, he remembered something and casually asked: “Oh, by the way, that breakup challenge you posted last night was pretty fun. Did anyone actually participate?” Caleb’s eyes flickered to me. Then I heard him give a noncommittal “Yeah, someone did.” I glanced at Caleb. Since I’d already taken his money last night, I wouldn’t be getting back with Liam. So, I told Liam seriously: “I’ve already got the money for Grandpa Leo. And I wasn’t kidding about breaking up.” “Liam, let’s just end things here.”

After that, I didn’t see Liam again. My meetings with Caleb also became less frequent. Grandpa Leo recovered well after his surgery and was discharged soon after. Ending a relationship, I was still a bit unaccustomed to being single. So when Liam’s friend, Noah, asked me, “Want to give us a try?” I said yes. He was really good to me, sending flowers and gifts, and even found an excellent doctor for Grandpa Leo. It made me feel loved again. I decided to bake him a batch of my specialty cookies. But at the baseball field, I saw Liam and Noah together. Liam frowned, saying, “Cookies again? I’m so over them.” I reached out: “Give them back.” He looked annoyed: “Still mad?” Noah took the bag: “Liam, I forgot to mention, she’s my girlfriend now.” Liam froze, his lips tightening: “You’re that desperate you’re dating my ex?” Noah ignored him, turning to me with a smile: “I’ll take you to a new restaurant.” Liam looked at me again: “Aria, don’t you have any new tricks? Are you doing this just to piss me off?” Just as he finished speaking, I felt a gaze on me. It was Caleb. He was looking at me with a frown, like I was making a huge mistake. Noah stepped in front of me: “She made these for me, it has nothing to do with you.” He ruffled my hair: “Wait for me, I’ll change and then take you to dinner.” Liam scoffed and turned to the changing room as well. Only Caleb and I were left. I was still a little intimidated by him. I mumbled a quiet greeting and then looked down at my phone. But he didn’t leave. After a while, he walked up to me. “Aria.” I looked up. His tone was calm: “Noah is just like Liam, not a good guy.” I paused. But remembering Noah’s care for Grandpa Leo, I still managed a polite smile: “This time it’s different. He’s really good to me…” Caleb closed his eyes. A flicker of rare irritation crossed his face. Just then, Noah emerged. I quickly stood up. Before leaving, I whispered to Caleb: “We’re good now… but thank you for the warning anyway.” Caleb no longer looked at me, his voice returning to its usual flat tone: “Whatever.”

After that, Caleb really didn’t contact me again. Noah even planned to take me on a trip to Europe. We visited many cities and countries. He went along with everything I wanted, always following my suggestions. Until the third day in London. I found out he was cheating on me, too, through his phone. We had our first big fight. Afterward, he left me stranded on a strange London street. I squatted blankly on the street corner, lost in thought for a long time. I tried to stand up, but my legs were numb, and I accidentally knocked my calf against a nearby stone. I sniffled, then sat on the stone, waiting for the pain to subside, while texting Noah. I was halfway through typing when a shadow fell over me. I looked up. Caleb Reed, whom I hadn’t seen in ages, stood before me. He was looking down, his expression unreadable, at my chat screen. I froze for two seconds, remembering that he had warned me, and I hadn’t listened. I felt a wave of embarrassment and tried to hide my phone behind my back. He reached out his hand, his voice brooking no argument: “Give me your phone.” I felt a strange compulsion and handed it over obediently. His gaze swept over my half-written long message, then he deleted it all. His words to me were as concise as ever: “One hundred thousand. Break up and block him. I’ll take you back home.” As he spoke, he typed a new message for me: 【We’re done.】 The second before hitting send, he symbolically asked for my consent: “Okay?” I nodded faintly: “Okay.” So he sent the message, deleted, and blocked. After he finished, a brief silence fell. He made a phone call, seemingly arranging something. After hanging up, he explained to me calmly: “I have a meeting tomorrow; it won’t finish until the day after.” He paused, then asked: “Do you have somewhere to stay?” I shook my head. After being left on the street, I hadn’t even retrieved my luggage, let alone booked a new hotel. He said: “Then stay at my place for now. I’ll take you back home the day after tomorrow.” Then, he noticed the injury on my leg. “Wait here. I’ll go buy some medicine.” Ten minutes later, he returned. Caleb crouched in front of me, his hand easily steadying my ankle to prevent me from moving. With his other hand, he gently pressed a cotton swab onto my wound. Just as he finished applying the medicine, a voice suddenly came from behind us. Noah had returned, and his eyes held a hint of surprise: “Caleb, what are you doing here?” He said, his gaze falling on my leg, which Caleb was holding, and asked with a smile: “Why is your hand on my girlfriend’s leg?”

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It was our seventh wedding anniversary when my wife sent me 999 roses. The moment I was discharged from the emergency room, I called her, my voice flat, and told her I wanted a divorce. On the other end, her assistant was crying as he apologized: “Leo, it’s all my fault. Please don’t be angry with Sera.” Seraphina gently comforted him for a long time, then coldly told me, “Fine. Have it your way.” I didn’t see her again for half a month. “Make me some noodles.” Seraphina came home early that morning. Unlike usual, there was no breakfast on the table. She frowned automatically, barked a few orders, and headed to the bathroom. When she came out, steam curling around her, I was still staring blankly at the TV. She pulled several designer watches from her suitcase. “Look at these—do you like any?” They were all trending styles right now. She used to cater to my tastes when she was trying to win me over. Now these gifts were just her way of brushing me off. I didn’t bother looking. I picked up the remote, changed the channel, and asked: “When do you have time to finalize the divorce?” Seraphina was always busy; even our anniversary gift had been picked out by her assistant. When it came to scheduling, I always had to work around her. “Don’t be ridiculous. Adrian didn’t know you hate roses—I’ll tell him next time.” She poured herself a small glass of red wine, settled into the armchair across from me, a faint, unreadable smile playing on her lips. Adrian had been Seraphina’s childhood friend, always carrying a torch for her. The moment they graduated, he jumped at the chance to become her personal assistant. Their closeness was undeniable—they even shared hotel suites on business trips. Honestly, I didn’t blame Adrian. After all, it takes two to make a relationship work. If she hadn’t wanted it, no one could have come between us. I let out an exaggerated yawn, rubbing my tired eyes. After a long silence, Seraphina assumed the conversation was over. She asked about our seven-year-old daughter’s latest test scores. I shook my head. “I don’t know.” I wasn’t holding back information to spite Seraphina. I genuinely didn’t know. The Seraphina family valued elite education. From a young age, the children were taught by private tutors in their sprawling estate, their daily schedules packed tight. It was laughable, really. This child was my own flesh and blood, yet the time I could spend with her was pitifully scarce. I’d protested, I’d argued, but Sera’s family remained unmoved. In their eyes, my marriage to Seraphina was a rare stroke of luck—a connection I shouldn’t have pushed for. As for anything else, I shouldn’t demand more. Seraphina rubbed her temples, telling me to focus more on Daisy: “At this rate, Adrian will be more of a parent to her than you are.” I understood. Last Friday was the only day I was allowed to pick up Daisy from school. I arrived an hour early and waited until dark, until the school gates closed. Adrian was the one who finally called to tell me that Sera had sent him to pick Daisy up for dinner. On the phone, I heard Seraphina’s voice. She was laughing, asking Adrian if he wanted to stay for soup. I snapped back to reality, giving Seraphina a humorless smile. “Isn’t this exactly what you wanted? I’ll leave right now—clear the space for him.” I don’t know which word struck a nerve with Seraphina. She fell silent for a few seconds, her face darkening. “My patience is limited. Leo, cut the crap with this nonsense.” She stood up and had barely taken two steps when I said calmly: “Oh, I forgot to tell you. I’m severely allergic to roses.”

A month earlier. That night, she got Adrian’s call and rushed out to help him with some client emergency. Meanwhile, I was having a severe asthma attack from the roses, struggling to breathe, practically blacking out. I barely managed to drive myself to the ER. The doctors gave me emergency treatment and told me the severe allergic reaction had taken a significant toll on my health. When I learned the allergy attack had left me with lingering health issues, I actually felt a strange sense of relief. Lying alone on a bed in the emergency observation room, I decided it was time to end this marriage. In the living room, Seraphina stood with her back to me, clutching her wine glass, her knuckles white. She didn’t ask why I hadn’t called her. She knew perfectly well how many times I’d called her that deep into the night. But no one picked up. “Since it’s already happened, let’s just accept it. Some things just can’t be forced.” Seraphina walked to the study, closing the door with a practiced hand. In seven years of marriage and countless arguments, I was always the one to back down first. However, this time, Seraphina never heard that familiar, compromising knock on the door again. Half an hour later, she opened the door, searching the sprawling house, but couldn’t find me… I was Seraphina’s first love. Who would have thought that a bright, accomplished rich girl from an affluent family would fall for a “bad boy” who spent his days cruising on a motorcycle, seemingly going nowhere? Our first meeting wasn’t exactly a fairytale. I was just cruising down a dimly lit alley when I spotted a group of street punks cornering her—the perfect student. One of them actually dared to whistle at me. So I revved my motorcycle, charged in, and while putting those punks in their place, I unintentionally saved this utterly bewildered girl. From then on, Seraphina was everywhere I went. She’d follow me home from school, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t shake her. She sent me roses; I coldly threw them away. She brought me a homemade lunch box that looked ridiculously fancy and expensive. I turned around and handed it to a homeless guy on the street. My friends used to tease me, saying I had a persistent and well-off admirer. Anyone could see we were from different worlds. But it was her who, when my alcoholic father beat me so badly I was afraid to go home, dragged me out of my hiding place and into the ER. As the doctor treated my wounds, she stood with her back to me, her shoulders shaking slightly, constantly wiping her face. The doctor, a mix of exasperated and amused, asked her, “You’re not the one hurt, why are you crying?” She said she didn’t know, just felt a crushing weight in her chest, like she couldn’t breathe. She even innocently asked the doctor, “Is there something wrong with my heart?” Outside the clinic, Seraphina awkwardly handed me a glass of water. “I can’t stand feeling this miserable anymore, Leo. Promise me you won’t let yourself get hurt again.” I ate the ice cream I’d bought from the hospital convenience store, mumbled a vague assent, then looked up and glared at her: “So, are you going to be my girlfriend then?” That day, both our faces were flushed red, like we had fevers. I confided a secret to Seraphina. Every time my dad got drunk and went off the rails, a wilted rose would appear in the house the next day—his pathetic excuse for an apology. So I told her, if she ever wanted to break up, she didn’t need to say a word. Just give me a single rose. “Don’t be silly, we’ll always be together.” The eighteen-year-old girl hugged me tight, forbidding me from even uttering the word ‘goodbye’.”

To pull me away from the chaos my father created, Seraphina found a way to take us both abroad. Her family, furious and determined to split us up, cut off most of her funds. Back then, besides going to class, we both worked two part-time jobs every day. Those days were brutal; we were constantly hustling. Yet, even when brushing our teeth, we’d make silly faces, trying to make each other laugh. In that tiny apartment, we laughed and played, our eyes only for each other. If only the rest of our lives could have stayed like that… “Leo? Are you alright?” The doctor’s question snapped me back to reality. It was the third day since I’d moved out of that house, and my old insomnia had returned. I was picking up my prescription at the pharmacy counter when I ran into Adrian. “Leo, why are you here alone?” Adrian’s face wore a perfectly calibrated look of concern. When I didn’t reply, he softened his voice: “Sera told me about your allergy… Don’t worry too much, you’re still young—your body will recover.” “Don’t worry, there won’t be any more ‘afters’ for us.” Just as I finished speaking, Sera walked over, a dark expression on her face. She was holding a pain relief spray. I didn’t know why she was angry. Adrian, looking a bit embarrassed, explained that he’d twisted his ankle slightly walking downstairs. It was a minor injury, nothing that really warranted a hospital visit, but Sera insisted he get it checked out—‘delaying’ their important work. Seeing the bag of medicine in my hand, Seraphina couldn’t help but ask: “Are you feeling unwell?” Ignoring her, I took my medicine and turned to leave. She actually reached out and took my bag. “Since when did you need to take these?” “Leo, I’m talking to you. How long are you going to keep this up?” Seraphina clearly thought I’d just stormed out in a fit of pique—a pathetic attempt to get her attention. That’s why, even now, she never asked where I was living or what I’d been doing these past few days. She unconsciously raised her voice, drawing glances from people around us. A flicker of exhaustion crossed my eyes. I took my medicine back and said softly: “I’m not putting on an act.” Perhaps my tone was too calm, and Seraphina thought my attitude had softened. She offered to drive me home first, then Adrian back to his company. But I shook my head. “You go about your business. I’ll go home on my own.” Home, meaning my own place.

My alcoholic father died in a car crash, leaving me with a small settlement. And that old house I’d always yearned to escape? It was now my only refuge. Watching my solitary figure leave, Seraphina’s lips moved, as if she wanted to follow, but Adrian grabbed her arm. His face slightly pale, he told her he suddenly felt dizzy and unwell. Probably low blood sugar from skipping breakfast. Seraphina hesitated, then ultimately didn’t follow. She turned towards a nearby vending machine instead. The day my lawyer was drafting the divorce papers, I happened to get a call from Seraphina. Her voice had a hint of urgency: “Daisy’s sick. Can you come to the family estate before five?” Before I could ask for more details, she hung up. I folded the printed agreement, feeling a small weight lift from my chest. When I arrived at the Seraphina family estate, nearly everyone was there, gathered for a family dinner. Daisy was nestled between Sera and Adrian. To any outsider, they would have looked like the perfect family. I walked over to my daughter, whom I hadn’t seen in a while. I bent down, wanting to caress her face, and softly asked her what was wrong. The little girl had Sera’s eyes, her whole face echoing Sera’s features. But Daisy recoiled from my hand, watching me warily, then turned to Adrian. A sharp pang went through my heart. Adrian gently pulled Daisy closer, saying in a soft voice: “Daisy isn’t sick, Leo. Are you sure you’ve been getting enough rest? Maybe you got it wrong?” The moment Adrian finished speaking, the rest of Sera’s family looked at me with undisguised contempt. I knew they secretly despised me, especially Sera’s sister, Chloe. She always thought I wasn’t good enough for her sister. For Sera’s sake, I’d always tolerated their disdain. But this time, I wasn’t going to hold back. I asked Seraphina, “You called and said Daisy was sick, asking me to come. I rushed across half the city to get here, and your ‘good friend’ says I got it wrong. Who’s lying? Who has the real problem here?” My directness seemed to catch Adrian off guard—a flicker of panic crossed his eyes. He opened his mouth, trying to explain something. But I didn’t give him the chance. I lowered my gaze, warning him in a flat tone: “Adrian, if you want to fawn over her, that’s your business.” “But don’t use my daughter in your little games. Otherwise, don’t blame me for not holding back.” The blunt sarcasm instantly made Adrian’s eyes well up. Seraphina put down her fork, her gaze icy as she looked at me: “Leo, you’re just overthinking things. Daisy has had a cold for days—have you, as a father, shown any concern for her?” “And you said you’d be here by five, but you’ve kept everyone waiting so long. Since you have no sense of time, go eat by yourself at the restaurant next door!” In this house, it seemed no one could defy her. A flicker of smug satisfaction crossed Adrian’s eyes. He pursed his lips, putting on a show of wanting to speak, of being deeply concerned for me. Chloe, on the other hand, arched an eyebrow at me, her gaze full of undisguised contempt. Under everyone’s watchful eyes, I turned to Martha, the nanny, who was standing nearby. “Martha, if you ever have some free time, come over to my place. I’d love for you to try my cooking.” I didn’t want Martha to feel like not eating with them was something shameful. Done, I met Seraphina’s gaze and gave her a contemptuous smile: “You disgust me.” Seeing me turn to leave, Seraphina suddenly stood up and grabbed my wrist, anger etched on her brow: “Where are you going? Did I say you could leave?!” Her self-righteousness actually made me laugh. “It has nothing to do with you. Let go.” Receiving a look from Adrian, Chloe immediately sneered at me: “Leo, after all these years, you’re still the same pathetic loser—useless as dirt.” Hearing this, Seraphina actually turned and snapped at Chloe: “Shut up!” Taking advantage of her distraction, I forcefully pulled my hand free. A searing pain shot through my wrist, igniting years of suppressed fury. I coldly swept my gaze across the room, my eyes finally settling on Chloe’s face—which was still alight with superiority. “I’ll show you what truly ‘ill-mannered’ looks like.” I slowly walked over to Chloe, picked up the bowl of her favorite cream soup in front of her, and poured it straight over her head. It didn’t happen suddenly, yet it caught everyone completely off guard. In the Seraphina family, “the one” who always quietly endured and backed down was actually doing something like this. For a few seconds, the sprawling dining room was eerily silent. Until Chloe finally reacted, letting out an ear-splitting shriek. The others in the room seemed to wake from a dream, beginning to loudly accuse me and comfort Chloe. The lavish family dinner instantly turned into a chaotic market. Yet, inside, I felt a strange surge of exhilaration. This was real life, vibrant and alive. So much noise, so much drama.

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My wife, Chloe, was sprawled on the living room sofa, asking the man behind her to press harder on her back. The scene was more than intimate. I frowned. “Keep some distance. This is our home.” Chloe glanced back, her expression pure contempt. “God, you’re so immature. It’s sports therapy! We all used to do this on the team. It’s team bonding.” Team bonding. Sure. I didn’t argue. Instead, I looked down at my phone and texted my childhood friend, Alice. “Usual place tonight. New ergonomics study. Requires a partner. Very…hands-on.” Her reply came in seconds. “No problem.” If my wife wanted “therapy,” it was only fair that I got some professional consultation of my own. A true exchange of knowledge. Julian’s POV It was 2 AM, and the bedroom was empty. Chloe had posted online about a team seminar, saying she wouldn’t be home all night. I scrolled through my TikTok feed without expression. The algorithm knew me well. The third video showed Jax’s late-night training session. The background was dim. In it, Chloe was perched on Jax’s shoulders, her thighs clamped around his neck as he performed weighted squats, her body moving with his. Sweat dripped from her chin onto his bare collarbone. Their laughter was wild and unrestrained. The comments section was filled with praise. “Perfect synergy!” “Now that’s true sportsmanship!” I used to feel suffocated, driven to madness, seeing such physically intertwined scenes, demanding to know why she behaved that way. But now, watching the two figures on screen, I only felt like I was looking at two frozen cuts of pork rubbing against each other. I tapped ‘like’ and left a comment. “Excellent core stability. Consider adding resistance.” At eight in the morning, Chloe came home smelling of massage oil. She was wearing an oversized men’s training shirt, the collar gaping open-clearly with nothing underneath. “My clothes were soaked, so I borrowed Jax’s.” She explained it as if it were the most natural thing, then picked up my cup and took a sip. “The seminar was exhausting. Everyone was wiped out-too tired to even talk. Don’t overthink it.” Too tired to talk, but not too tired for weighted squats? I stared at the dark red mark on her neck. Chloe seemed to notice and tugged her collar higher. “Jax has strong hands. It’s just from the lactic acid release.” I didn’t call her out. I just nodded, my voice even. “Then his technique must be very professional.” Jax was the former captain of the sports team. After retiring, he’d opened the biggest combat gym in New York. He was Chloe’s idol, and the unofficial leader of their whole retired-athlete circle. Once, at a team dinner, I watched him reach right into her shirt to adjust her sports bra strap-in front of everyone. His reason was perfectly pure. “The strap’s sitting wrong. It’ll chafe your trapezius and kill your power output.” I slammed my hand on the table back then. But Chloe erupted in anger, smashing the wine glass in her hand. “Jax has been looking out for me for over a decade! He does that to protect my athletic career! Why are you so filthy-minded?” The teammates around us burst into laughter, their eyes full of mockery. “Are you crazy from all that studying? We athletes aren’t so formal.” “Exactly, if Jax hadn’t helped her loosen her muscles back then, she would have lost that gold medal long ago.” In that circle, they had their own closed-loop logic. If anyone questioned their physical contact, they would accuse them of desecrating the spirit of sportsmanship.

Julian’s POV At breakfast, I watched Chloe stuff an entire box of imported high-protein energy bars into her sports backpack. I’d bought them to keep my energy up during long work nights; she hadn’t asked. She hummed a tune, then casually tossed a bottle of men’s antiperspirant into her bag. It wasn’t the brand we kept at home; it was the cologne-scented one Jax frequently used in his videos. Bringing things from home out, and bringing outside scents in. Chloe leaned over and casually brushed my face. “Honey, the team’s busy these next few days. You’ll have to figure out dinner yourself.” I recoiled from her touch. “Busy with what? Busy with weighted squats?” Her face stiffened. “Who are you being sarcastic to? That was recovery training! Jax was just helping me get back in shape!” Then she forced a smile. “Oh, don’t be mad, sweetie. To make it up to you, I’ve got something planned for this weekend.” She pressed on my shoulder, her technique practiced. “Darling, how about we go night fishing at ‘Stillwater Lake’ this weekend? Haven’t you always wanted to go camping?” My eyes flickered. She always hated mosquito bites. “I’ve already borrowed all the gear from Jax, the most professional outdoor tent. I promise I’ll stay up with you all night this time.” She didn’t even know I had a full set of custom fishing gear, no need to borrow. Chloe finished speaking and rushed out the door. “I’m going to pick up the tent.” The moment the door closed, I felt a wave of absurdity. Using her lover’s tent to sleep with her own husband-was this a compensation, or a humiliation? I sat in the living room, looking at the custom fishing gear bag gathering dust in the corner. A cross hung on the bag, which she’d gotten for me during our first year of marriage. Back then, she’d said, “You go fishing, and I’ll read beside you.” Now, she didn’t even know where I fished, yet she wanted to take me to a campsite recommended by Jax. I picked up the cross and tossed it into the trash can. I pulled out my phone and sent a message to Alice. “There might be a show to watch this weekend.” It was Friday evening. I was packing when a video call came in from Mrs. Davis, Chloe’s mother. She had a booming voice. “Julian! I hear Chloe’s going fishing with you? See how much that girl cares! Taking time off her busy team schedule just for you.” I kept my face blank. “Yes. She borrowed Jax’s tent.” “Oh, how thoughtful of him! You two have a wonderful time!” Saturday afternoon. One hour past our agreed time. No call. No text. I sat on the sofa, watching the second hand tick. This kind of waiting was all too familiar. Finally, Chloe texted. “Something urgent came up with the team. We’ll do night fishing another time.” Hours later, I saw Jax’s Instagram update popped up. A ninephoto carousel, tagged at Stillwater Lake. In one corner of a photo, Jax sat smoking in my custom fishing chair. It was the one with my name engraved on it. My cherished rod lay beside his feet. I zoomed in with two fingers. Jax was barefoot, his feet resting on the chair’s leather armrest. I oiled that chair meticulously after every trip. Now it was caked in mud and reeked of foot odor. The caption read: “Good chair. Super comfy. Thanks, man.” At 2 AM, Chloe finally came home. She was carrying my fishing gear. The bag was spattered with mud.

Julian’s POV “Why was Jax sitting in my chair? Using my rod?” Chloe flinched for a moment, then retorted self-righteously. “Oh, Jax said he hasn’t used high-end gear like that before, so he wanted to test its performance first, in case you found it awkward to use.” “Testing the chair? Testing if it could hold two people?” “Can’t you keep your mouth clean?! He was helping you break in your equipment! Do you know how expensive Jax’s appearance fees are? You’re ungrateful for him testing it out for free!” When we first got married, she would ask before even using my cup to drink water. Now she shared my personal belongings with another man and acted like it was a favor. In her eyes, Jax’s use was a privilege, my discomfort was sacrilege. “It’s dirty. Just throw it away.” I turned and walked towards my study. There was a square indentation on the sofa in the study, as if someone had sat there heavily. The paperweight on the desk was askew. I remembered Chloe saying Jax had come over last time to help move things and had gone into the study. Even my last sanctuary was defiled. I put on medical latex gloves to pack my luggage, carefully wiping every item I intended to take with alcohol spray. Chloe leaned against the doorframe. “Why are you acting like you’re defusing a bomb? Where are you going?” “My father needs surgery; I’m heading back to Manhattan for a bit.” “Oh? Is it serious?” She made a pretense of concern. “Do you want me to ask the team doctor to take a look? Or should I have Jax drive you?” “No thanks. Jax’s car has stiff suspension; it’s not suitable for passengers. It’s more suited for transporting livestock.” Chloe muttered. “Fine, don’t go then. Why say such disgusting things?” She turned and went back to the bedroom to catch up on sleep, not at all concerned about my father’s condition, only worried about not having breakfast made for her. My ride-share arrived. I stood by the curb with my suitcase, glancing back at our apartment window. The curtains were drawn, like a sealed-off burrow. The car started, and New York City’s iconic sports stadium flashed past the window. I thought I came to build civilization, but I almost became an animal myself. I pulled down the sunshade and put on my noise-canceling headphones. Manhattan City, hospital. My father was reading, and my mother was peeling an apple. No sweat, no crude jokes, just the smell of disinfectant and books. In the hallway, I ran into one of Jax’s distant relatives. “Well, well, not in New York with your wife? I saw Jax’s Ins; Chloe’s been training hard lately, staying at the club until midnight every day.” “Is that so? Good for her.” “Jax really has pull. Chloe doesn’t listen to anyone but him.” My phone vibrated. It was a voice message from Chloe. The background was noisy, filled with clinking glasses. “Drink! Drink more!” She didn’t ask if my father’s surgery was successful. Instead, she asked when I’d be back, because she hadn’t had breakfast for days.

Julian’s POV A few days later, my father’s condition was stable, and I had to return to New York to gather evidence for a divorce. The moment I landed and turned on my phone, Chloe’s message popped up. “Honey, Jax and I are here to pick you up! Surprise!” Before, she’d brought people to hold up banners, humiliating me. This time, it was likely another one of Jax’s stunts. I adjusted my suit and tie, taking a deep breath. A giant, mud-splattered modified SUV pulled up to the curb. Jax, in a tight-fitting tank top, his tattooed arms exposed, held the steering wheel with one hand. Chloe sat in the passenger seat, waving, her seat reclined low, almost lying down. “Just toss the suitcase in the back. Don’t scratch the leather in the back seat.” Jax shouted. I opened the passenger door, but Chloe didn’t move. “You sit in the back. The view’s better up front, and I’m helping Jax watch the road.” I opened the back door, but couldn’t bring myself to sit. A suffocating wave of heat and foot odor hit me. The back seat was piled with scattered protective gear, empty Red Bull cans, and a sweaty sock. Was this meant for people? I cleared a spot to sit, my fingers brushing against the sticky trash. It was disgusting. Jax looked at me in the rearview mirror. “Sorry, car’s a bit messy. We athletes aren’t as particular as you bookworms.” Jax connected to the car’s Bluetooth and dialed a group video call. Several large faces appeared on the screen. “Jax! Did you pick up Chloe’s cultured husband?” “Got him! Professor Julian’s squished in the back seat!” Chloe leaned in. “Oh, stop teasing, guys. My husband’s tired.” The group on screen openly commented and ridiculed. “Tsk, low blood sugar. Chloe, get me an energy gel.” Chloe skillfully tore open a viscous sports energy gel packet and directly offered it to Jax’s mouth. Her fingers brushed Jax’s lips. Jax sucked on the gel packet, looking at me provocatively through the rearview mirror. “Thanks. Chloe’s feeding makes this stuff taste even sweeter.” Chloe casually pulled out a tissue and wiped the gel that had spilled from his mouth. She didn’t throw the tissue away. Instead, she naturally tucked it into the side pocket of Jax’s pants, on his outer thigh. Jax’s thigh muscle tensed for a moment, then relaxed. As the car passed the university hospital intersection, I asked him to stop. Jax scoffed. “What? Can’t handle the SUV? Getting car sick?” “To pick up my attending physician.” Jax didn’t slow down. He stomped on the gas, and the car jerked forward violently. My head slammed against the window. Chloe laughed. “Oh, Jax, slow down! Don’t shake the professor to pieces.” I touched the swelling lump on my forehead, my voice calm. “Pull over. Now. Or I’m calling the cops for an illegal ride.” Jax swore under his breath, yanked the wheel, and stomped on the brake.

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My roommate ordered a box of highly venomous snakes online, claiming they were medicinal eels for an experiment, and stored them in my wardrobe. That weekend, I went home. The snakes escaped. Three people got bitten. One lost a limb. I was about to tell the police the truth when my roommate turned and pinned it all on me. “I bought those eels for virility research. They are crucial for my future Nobel Prize. You must have swapped them with snakes out of jealousy.” I was expelled. My parents sold our house to pay the victims’ medical bills. Driven to depression by cyberbullying, I jumped from a building and died on impact. I was reborn, back to the moment the package arrived at our dorm.This time, I shoved the box deep into her bedding. “Why don’t you test it yourself? Let’s see whether the venom or the virility is more…potent.” I stared at the words “Live Seafood Eels” printed on the delivery slip. My blood ran cold. The agony of my past death, the cyberbullying and the jump, flooded back and seared every nerve. The last sound I remembered was the sickening crack of my skull hitting concrete. “Hey, you gonna sign or what?” The delivery driver’s impatient shout ripped me from the memory. I snapped back to the present. My eyes locked on the sender information. Sender: Chloe Reed. Special Instructions: Handle with care. Live animals. I forced my hand to stop trembling and signed the name that had once destroyed my family. She had done this before, in that other life. She said she’d bought eels for an experiment, and her wardrobe was full, so she needed to put them in mine for a bit. I was a pushover, and I believed her. That weekend, when I was home, those “eels” broke through the foam box. They weren’t eels at all. They were highly venomous cobras and kraits. Three visiting girls were bitten. One lost a limb and the other two sustained permanent kidney damage. But Chloe hid behind the scenes, completely absolving herself. She cried to the police, “I bought eels! Maya must have been jealous of me and swapped my eels with poisonous snakes to get back at everyone!” Her parents made a huge scene, pinning all the blame on me. My parents, desperate to protect me, sold our only house for compensation, only to face endless abuse afterward. I tried to explain, but no one believed me. Because at school, I was just a quiet, almost invisible bookworm, while Chloe was the beautiful gymnastics team captain. Just then, my phone vibrated. Chloe sent a voice message. “Maya, help me keep them safe, okay? These are very delicate little eels, don’t let them get cold.” I sneered and replied, “Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of them for you.” Chloe didn’t reply again. She was probably busy on a date with her rich boyfriend. This time, I didn’t lock the box in my wardrobe as I had in my past life. Instead, I went straight to Chloe’s bed and lifted her duvet. I slid the foam box inside. To a casual glance, it would look like nothing more than a pillow or a pile of unfolded pajamas. A faint rustling came from inside the box. It was the restless stirring of coldblooded creatures sensing warmth. The venomous snakes, on the verge of hibernation, were slowly being roused to activity. After doing all that, I returned to my desk and put on my noise-canceling headphones. Inside the box, the snakes were slowly stretching, flicking their tongues. Waiting for their owner.

At 3 PM, the roar of a sports car echoed from downstairs. Chloe, impeccably made up, walked into the dorm, arm-in-arm with her new wealthy boyfriend. The first thing she did wasn’t to check on her package. Instead, she tossed the designer bag her boyfriend bought her onto the desk, her eyes filled with disdain for poor students like me. “Liam bought me another pile of bags. I’m exhausted. Maya, are you still reading? Haven’t you gotten a boyfriend yet?” She touched up her makeup, deliberately raising her voice. “Where are the eels I asked you to keep for me? Those are important biological experiment samples.” I closed my book and pointed toward her bed. “Didn’t you say they needed constant temperature? Your bed is the warmest spot in the room, so I put them in your duvet.” Chloe’s face fell. A sharp shriek tore through the air. “Are you out of your mind?! That’s brandnew silk! If you stain it, you could never afford to replace it!” She rushed over, ready to rip the duvet off the bed. Her hand froze in midair. It seemed she had suddenly remembered what was inside the box: poisonous snakes. She glanced back at her boyfriend, then at me, her eyes darting nervously. Her boyfriend curiously leaned closer. “Chloe, what kind of eels are so precious? Let me see them? Wouldn’t want them to die.” Saying this, he reached out to lift the duvet. Chloe’s face went pale with fright, and she quickly blocked the bed. “Oh, come on! They’re just experiment samples, they’re gross, don’t look!” Her panicked appearance made it obvious to anyone with eyes that something was wrong. I seized the moment to twist the knife. “Chloe, didn’t you ask Professor Evans for leave, saying you didn’t want to attend next month’s biology lab? Why are you suddenly buying experiment samples?” Chloe glared at me fiercely. “I suddenly changed my mind. What’s it to you?” Her boyfriend looked a bit confused but didn’t press the issue. “Okay, then hurry up and take them out before you really mess up the bed.” Chloe had no choice but to brace herself and reach for them. She cautiously extended her hand into the duvet. I retreated a few steps, putting as much distance as possible between myself and her bed. By now, those snakes must have all woken up. She plopped down on the bed, right next to the foam box. She tried to block her boyfriend’s view with her body, hoping to secretly move the box out. “Ah!” She suddenly sprang up, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. Her face was ghost-white, and she clutched her butt. “What’s wrong?” Her boyfriend jumped in surprise. Chloe forced a smile, cold sweat beading on her forehead. “N-nothing, just a static shock.” But I saw it clearly. She had just sat directly on the foam box. My heart pounded. The foam box was probably already ripped open. Beneath the duvet, the snakes had clearly crawled out of the box. From a distance, I saw ripples moving across the duvet. Chloe’s body was rigid, both her legs trembling. Yet, she dared not move, nor dared to scream. Because once she threw back the duvet, her lie, and the truth about her buying poisonous snakes, would be exposed to her boyfriend. A superficial girl like her feared nothing more than losing face in front of her rich boyfriend. Even if it meant risking her life.

Chloe found an excuse to send her boyfriend away. The moment the dorm door closed, her face changed instantly. The delicate demeanor was gone, replaced by a vicious snarl. “Maya, are you doing this on purpose? Are you trying to kill me?” She roared in a low voice, but dared not approach the bed by even half a step. I innocently spread my hands. “I didn’t expect you to sit right on it.” Chloe’s chest heaved with rage. She stared intently at the pink duvet, wanting to take the box out. But her hand reached out a few times, then recoiled in fear. Just then, a few girls from the next dorm dropped by. “Chloe, we heard your boyfriend bought you a new bag? Let’s see it!” Chloe’s eyes swept the room. Then, without warning, she burst into tears. “Waaah…my necklace! My Tiffany necklace is missing!” Her abrupt wailing made the other girls jump. “What happened? Where did you lose it?” Chloe pointed at me, crying dramatically, tears streaming down her face. “It was right here in the dorm! Maya was the only one here just now!” “Maya, I know you’re jealous I got a scholarship, and you’re jealous I have a boyfriend.” “But you can’t steal my necklace! That was my birthday gift from my boyfriend!” The unsuspecting classmates gathered around. Everyone knew Chloe lived a lavish lifestyle, and they all assumed I was a poor student. So, under Chloe’s manipulation, the girls quickly believed her lies. “Maya, if you took it, just hand it over. We’re all classmates here.” “Exactly, how can you be a thief?” Seeing public opinion shift in her favor, Chloe became even more agitated. “Everyone, judge for yourselves! She messed up my bed and rummaged through my stuff!” “I saw her going through my duvet the moment I walked in!” She wanted to use public opinion to force me out of the dorm. Once she got me out and sent everyone else away, she’d have a chance to dispose of that nest of snakes. Unfortunately, in this life, I wouldn’t be her scapegoat again. I sneered, pulling out my phone. “Since you say I stole something, let’s call the police. And while we’re at it, let’s start a live stream so the whole school can see who the real thief is.” I expertly opened TikTok Live, the hottest live-streaming app. I’d already thought of a title: “Roommate lost her necklace, insists on searching me.” In my past life, she used online public opinion to drive me to my death. In this life, I would make her taste what it felt like to be scrutinized by the entire internet. The moment I went live, the sensational title and local push notifications sent the viewership soaring. Thousands of people tuned in. Chloe hadn’t expected me to be so bold; her face stiffened. “You… what are you doing! That’s privacy invasion!” I aimed the camera at myself, then swept it across the other classmates. “Everyone, Chloe here says I stole her necklace, and now I’m going to prove my innocence.” “In front of the entire internet, you can search me, or my closet, whatever you want.” This move turned the tables, forcing Chloe to continue her act. “Search then! It’s definitely hidden in your closet!” She pointed at my wardrobe, trying to divert everyone’s attention from her bed. I stepped aside generously. “You can search me! But if you don’t find anything, I want you to strip down and search your entire body!” Chloe’s face instantly went pale. Because she was closest to the bed. Amidst the noisy argument, she clearly heard the “hissing” sound coming from under the duvet. It was the prelude to an enraged cobra.

Someone called Professor Evans, who rushed over. The small dorm room was instantly packed with people. The live stream viewership had already surpassed ten thousand. After all, a “dorm room thief” drama never lacked an audience. Chloe looked at Professor Evans, who she usually got along with, as if she’d found a lifeline. After all, Professor Evans had a history of accepting expensive gifts from her. Chloe immediately rushed over, sobbing. “Professor Evans! Maya stole my things and is live-streaming, invading my privacy! Make her turn it off!” Professor Evans frowned upon entering and sternly ordered me. “Maya, turn off your phone! What can’t classmates solve privately? Causing a scene online is inappropriate!” In my past life, I would have cowered and meekly complied. Then they would have bullied me behind closed doors. But now, I had nothing left to lose. I took a step back and raised my phone high. The camera was pointed directly at Professor Evans’s face. “Professor Evans, Chloe just falsely accused me of stealing in front of dozens of people. If I turn off the live stream now, it will look like I am guilty. I need to prove my innocence and defend my reputation in front of everyone watching.” The comments section exploded. “This is so unfair! Why is he demanding she turn off the stream right now?” “Don’t turn it off! We’re your witnesses!” Seeing my unyielding stance, Professor Evans couldn’t openly snatch my phone. She could only say with a dark expression, “Fine, then search! If nothing’s found, I’d like to see how you’ll explain yourself!” “Search!” I pointed at my closet. “Search anywhere.” Professor Evans and the students rummaged through my closet. Apart from a few textbooks and some cheap clothes, they found nothing. The comments started to shift. “Is that Chloe girl delusional?” “Being poor means you steal? What kind of logic is that?” “Her closet is so clean, Maya looks like a tidy girl.” I tidied up my disheveled clothes and slowly approached Chloe. “My innocence is clear. Now, let’s check your bed. Maybe your necklace got caught in your duvet. You have been sitting there since you walked in.” Chloe threw herself in front of her bed, guarding it. Cold sweat had pasted her styled bangs to her forehead, leaving her looking utterly ruined. “No! That’s my privacy! You can’t touch it! My underwear is on my bed!” It was a pathetic excuse. I sneered. We were all women. What was the big deal about a pair of underwear? Professor Evans had lost all patience. She snapped. “What privacy? You didn’t care about privacy when we searched Maya! Hurry up. I have work to do.” She shoved Chloe aside. “Get out of the way!” Chloe stumbled and fell to the floor, her eyes wide with raw despair. Professor Evans grabbed a fistful of the duvet and yanked it back in one violent motion. “Ah!!!” A sharp scream tore through the room

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