My boyfriend Liam said his childhood friend Sarah didn’t have much time left. Her final wish was to be treated like his lover, just once. So he took her to dinner. Stayed overnight. Held her hand. And eventually, slept with her. When I caught them, he wasn’t ashamed. “I just felt sorry for her, I was granting her wish. It doesn’t mean I don’t love you.” I understood— cheating can be forgiven, as long as it’s disguised as kindness. So I turned around—and sat in another man’s arms. Before the wedding, I went to pick up our wedding photos, but the bride in the pictures wasn’t me. It was Liam’s childhood sweetheart. As I stood there, dumbfounded, the shop assistant brought out another stack of photos and apologized: “I’m so sorry, these are your wedding photos.” I stared blankly at the same groom, two different brides, and two sets of wedding photos. In a flash, I pulled out my phone, snapped a picture of Liam and Sarah’s wedding photos, and posted it on social media. With the caption: “A match made in heaven, truly.” Liam called me immediately. “Olivia, are you serious? Sarah just wanted to fulfill a dream by taking wedding photos with me, and you’re being this petty?” I said calmly, “Let’s break up. I don’t want this wedding anymore.” Stepping out of the photography studio, I casually tossed my wedding photos into a trash can. Those were the wedding photos I’d dreamed of for ten years, now just a pile of garbage. Along with them, I tossed in ten years of my feelings. Back home, Liam was already sitting on the couch, looking furious. I ignored him and walked straight to the bedroom. Liam grabbed my arm. “Olivia, what exactly is your problem? It’s just a small thing, why are you making such a big deal out of it, and giving me attitude?” He took wedding photos with another woman and then dared to ask what my problem was. Right. I’d indulged him too much over the years, my boundless tolerance made him think he could walk all over me, that I didn’t even have the right to be angry. I lowered my eyes and said coldly, “No problem. I just find it utterly meaningless now.” Liam’s voice rose, his impatience practically overflowing. “I already explained it to you! Sarah just wanted to fulfill a dream by taking wedding photos with me. You know she has a heart condition and can never get married in her life. I’m the only one she trusts.” I stared at him, stunned. “Liam, let’s break up.” A flicker of panic crossed Liam’s eyes, but he quickly regained his composure. “Olivia, don’t try that with me. I, Liam, have never been threatened by anyone.” “Go apologize to Sarah right now. I’ll let this slide, and the wedding will proceed as planned.” In ten years of dating, this was the first time I felt Liam was truly repulsive. Before, I might have thrown a tantrum over Sarah, but now, it felt completely unnecessary. I ignored him, walked into the bedroom, pulled out the wedding invitations, gently tore them to shreds, and scattered them on the floor. The red paper confetti drifted down like snowflakes. “Liam, I’m not marrying you.” Liam sneered, “Olivia, you said it yourself. Don’t you dare regret it.” Slam! Liam slammed the door and left. I don’t know when Liam started acting like this. Whenever I questioned his behavior, I was met with either accusation or the silent treatment. Maybe he’d always been like this, and my love had just blinded me. Liam didn’t like having his picture taken. Our joint photos during our relationship were few and far between. I had to nag him for ages just to get him to agree to the wedding photos. According to him, taking such things was meaningless; they’d just gather dust at home. I disagreed. I thought even when we were old, looking at them would bring back beautiful memories. I visited countless photography studios before finally choosing a style I loved. During the shoot, Liam was completely uncooperative. He’d complain the clothes were uncomfortable or posing was too tiring. The two-day photo shoot we’d planned was crammed into a single day, leaving two outfits untaken. But who would’ve thought he’d turn around and take a full set of wedding photos with Sarah? Suddenly, I felt incredibly tired, utterly exhausted. I had loved him for ten years, endured him for ten years. Now, I just didn’t want to torment myself anymore.

I pulled out my phone and saw Sarah’s social media post. “Everyone, please don’t misunderstand. Big Brother Liam just sympathized with my poor health, which is why he took wedding photos with me. We’re just good friends, really.” The sickly sweet fake innocence was practically dripping off her post. Soon, several mutual friends of Liam and I started sending me messages. “Olivia, you shouldn’t bother with Sarah. Liam is just taking care of her. Everyone knows Liam only has eyes for you.” “There’s absolutely nothing going on between Sarah and Liam. They grew up together; don’t overthink it, okay?” “Liam just feels too sorry for Sarah. His true feelings are for you. Don’t take it out on Sarah.” I let out a bitter laugh as I read those messages. It just showed how much sway Sarah had, sickening me while making me out to be the jealous, petty one who couldn’t tolerate her. But it didn’t matter. I didn’t want Liam anymore, let alone these outsiders. I blocked everyone who had sent me messages, one by one. Next, I called the wedding planning company. The person on the other end was very enthusiastic: “Miss Olivia, your wedding plan has been revised according to your requests. When would you like to come in to finalize it?” I said blandly, “No need. My wedding is canceled. I apologize for all your work on the plan; you can keep the deposit.” From start to finish, Liam had shown no interest in the wedding. Whenever I asked for his opinion, he’d just say a wedding was a meaningless performance. For Sarah, it was “fulfilling a dream.” For me, it was “a meaningless performance.” What a double standard. Hanging up the phone, I let out a long breath. It turns out letting go of a fixation wasn’t that hard after all. Marrying Liam and starting a family had always been my dream. My family wasn’t well-off, so I got a part-time job in the campus cafeteria during college. Liam often came to my serving window. He said I was always generous with portions, making sure everyone got a full plate. I smiled and gave him an extra scoop of rice and a bit more soup. Later, Liam told me to quit, saying he could work part-time to support me. I laughed, calling him silly, wondering why I’d quit such a good job. We made a pact: every month after payday, we’d go out for a big meal. The rest of the money, we’d save. Every time we saved a sum, Liam would happily hug me. “Olivia, I’m one step closer to marrying you.” Those days, though poor, were filled with sweetness and hope. Now, we had enough money, but we detested each other. Liam sent me a message: “Friends’ dinner tonight. Get ready and come over.” “Sarah wants to explain things to you herself.” Explain what? To gather a bunch of people as Sarah’s advocates, just to criticize my pettiness again? I wasn’t that desperate. “Can’t make it, busy.” I refused directly. I wasn’t lying to Liam; I truly was busy, packing my things. This apartment was Liam’s; it was his pre-marital property. Since we were breaking up, I naturally had to move out. We’d lived together for too long, accumulated too many things. I needed to buy some large boxes. As soon as I stepped out, I ran into Liam. “Where are you going?” Liam grabbed me. “To buy some things.” I turned sideways, trying to leave quickly. Liam pulled me directly into his car. “Stop being dramatic. All our friends are here tonight, and you’re the only one missing.” The ride was silent. I was fiddling with my phone, but then I noticed the passenger seat floor mat had been replaced with a cartoon design. Sailor Moon, of all things. Liam saw me staring at the floor mat and said, a little sheepishly, “Sarah said my car was too boring, so she took the liberty of changing the floor mats.” I glanced at Liam’s feet; his side also had cartoon floor mats. Ever since Liam bought this car, he’d never allowed anyone to decorate it freely. I once bought a few cute ornaments for the passenger seat, and he’d immediately thrown them out. “Putting these things in a perfectly good car really cheapens it.” After that, I never bought any car decorations again. It seemed it wasn’t the ornaments that cheapened things, but me. Realizing this, I actually found it a little laughable. “Hm, they’re nice.” Liam opened his mouth, as if to say something, but ultimately said nothing. He just floored the gas pedal. I knew Liam was angry. He thought I was being petty and jealous again. In the past, I would have argued with him, but every argument always ended with my compromise. So, why bother making myself unhappy? When we arrived at the restaurant, before I even got out of the car, Sarah practically fluttered over like a butterfly, the small, delicate lucky bracelet on her wrist swaying and glinting under the lights. “Sister Olivia, you’re here!” Sarah intimately linked her arm through mine; anyone watching would have thought we were close sisters. We barely settled down. Sarah, acting like the hostess, began to address the others: “Everyone, please make yourselves at home. Big Brother Liam is treating us tonight, so don’t be shy.” That “Big Brother Liam” nickname made my stomach churn. Sarah raised a glass of wine to me, apologizing: “Sister Olivia, Big Brother Liam and I really didn’t have any other intentions with the wedding photos. I just wanted to experience wearing a wedding dress. You know I can’t ever get married because of my heart.” As she spoke, tears welled up and rolled down Sarah’s face, making her look utterly pathetic. The others started to chime in: “Exactly, Sarah is just a kid at heart. Olivia, don’t hold it against her.” “Sarah’s so considerate. Olivia, just drink it. You two will still be good friends afterwards.” Everyone stared at me, as if refusing Sarah’s apology would be a crime. I looked at Liam. His arms were crossed over his chest, his head down, wearing an expression of smug confidence. He was signaling that I had to drink this wine, whether I wanted to or not. Sarah’s wishes were his wishes. He was certain I wouldn’t dare publicly embarrass him. I smiled faintly, taking the glass from Sarah.

“My dear sister, since you’ve already taken the wedding photos, why don’t you stand in for me at the wedding too?” “If you’re going to experience it, go all out. Just taking wedding photos is so boring, isn’t it?” Sarah’s face instantly flushed a furious crimson, stammering, unable to form a coherent sentence. Liam stood up to shield Sarah: “Olivia, if you have a problem, direct it at me. Don’t pick on a young girl like Sarah.” “She’s not as venomous as you, and not as petty.” Ten years of our relationship, and to Liam, all that was left of me was venom and pettiness. Even though I’d already decided to sever ties, Liam’s words still pierced me deeply, like a thousand tiny cuts. My hand trembled uncontrollably. I took a deep breath to steady myself. I turned to Liam. “Do you think you’re some kind of saint? You’re old enough to know better, still playing that sickening ‘big brother, little sister’ act? Don’t you find it disgusting?” I poured the entire glass of wine over Liam’s head. “You said I was petty? Well, today I’ll show you what true pettiness looks like.” Liam wiped his face, his eyes wide with disbelief. I grabbed Sarah, ripping the lucky bracelet from her wrist. “If I’m not mistaken, this bracelet was mine, the one I got for you. You almost died in that car accident years ago, and I traveled all over just to find this lucky bracelet for you.” “Then you told me you lost it. Turns out you gave it to Sarah.” “Is this how you trample all over my sincerity?” I practically screamed the words. All the grievances of the past few days exploded out of me. My chest heaved violently. Everyone present was too stunned to utter a sound. Liam’s face, which had been contorted in anger, instantly deflated. He quickly stammered an explanation: “Olivia, it’s not what you think. Sarah had a heart attack and was in critical condition. I was afraid she wouldn’t make it, so I gave it to her…” “Enough.” I cut Liam off. Painful memories assaulted me one after another. Ever since Sarah returned, the cracks in my relationship with Liam had grown wider and wider. Sarah’s issues always took precedence over mine. On my birthday, one call from Sarah was enough to pull Liam away. During our vacation, Sarah claimed her heart hurt, and Liam abandoned me, buying a plane ticket to rush to her side. Even when my mother passed away, Liam stayed with Sarah at the hospital. I was consumed by grief, but Liam lightly dismissed it: “She’s already gone. What good would I do there? But Sarah only has me.” We had reached this point because the final straw had fallen, breaking the camel’s back. I picked up the bracelet, tracing its surface with my fingers, then, with a sharp movement, I smashed it onto the floor. Liam tried to grab it, but he was too late. The delicate silver bracelet bent and scratched, just like my relationship with Liam at that moment. I lifted my face, wiped away my tears, and forced a bright smile. “Everyone, Liam’s and my wedding is canceled. From now on, Liam and I are completely done, separate paths, no looking back.” Someone tried to intervene and mediate. I glared, my face dark. “If anyone else speaks up for Liam or Sarah, don’t blame me for ignoring our past acquaintance and turning my back on you completely.” From their messages trying to dissuade me, to orchestrating this dinner to support Sarah, I realized these people had never truly considered me a friend. They were Liam’s friends, Sarah’s friends, but not mine. Amidst everyone’s shock, I grabbed my bag and walked out. This whole dinner was a trap, a setup. I hadn’t eaten a thing, yet I felt nauseous enough to vomit. Liam chased after me from behind. “Olivia, are you really breaking up with me?” Did this man still think I was just playing games with him? I looked at him as if he were an idiot. “What else? Should I let your dear sister experience being the bride at our wedding too?” Liam’s expression visibly tensed, and then, as if realizing something, he embraced me. “I’m sorry, Olivia. I really lost my sense of proportion this time, and I hurt you.” “I promise it won’t happen again.” Liam’s body warmth radiated through me, so familiar. I used to love it when Liam held me; it made me feel so safe. But he hadn’t held me like this in a long time, so long that his scent felt almost foreign to me. Every time I tried to get close to him, he’d always make excuses about being busy or tired. Now, however, his embrace felt suffocatingly tight, making it hard to breathe. I struggled to break free. “Liam, honestly, there’s no need for us to stay tangled up like this.” “I’m setting you free. And in return, you set me free too.” Liam froze, stunned. He hadn’t expected my resolve to be so absolute. He tried to reach for me again, but Sarah, who had rushed out, called him. “Big Brother Liam, my heart hurts so much! I can barely breathe!” Liam looked back at Sarah, his eyes filled with undeniable panic. Wanting to quickly escape his grasp, I urged him, “Go check on Sarah! A heart attack can be fatal!” Liam, as if given permission, sprinted towards Sarah. He didn’t forget to yell back at me, “Olivia, I’ll come home to you after I’ve settled Sarah!” I quickly left, heading back to the apartment—Liam’s apartment, to be precise. After buying a few large cardboard boxes, I started packing my belongings. Ten years of dating, five years of cohabitation. The apartment was filled with Liam’s things and mine. We’d planned to redecorate before the wedding, but Liam was always busy and didn’t like anyone touching his things, so it was postponed. Now, it saved me the trouble. Once I moved out, the place would be empty. A quick clean-up, and it would be ready for a new occupant. I opened the closet; the tie and suit I’d bought for Liam for the wedding were still unopened. After a moment’s thought, I tossed them into a trash bag. Since he hadn’t used them, they were technically still my property. On the desk in the study was the only photo Liam and I had together. Liam hated having his picture taken; I had to resort to threats and bribes to get him to pose for this one. Looking at Liam’s stiff, unnatural expression in the photo, it was truly an eyesore. I casually tossed it into the trash can. There were also the uniquely shaped dishes I’d bought, which Liam had never used. And the plush toys in the living room, which Liam disliked because they shed, all piled in a corner. All of it, gone. Between throwing things out and packing, the large apartment quickly emptied, leaving no trace of me behind. I called a moving truck. As I left, the long-held weight in my heart lifted. The evening breeze blew past, and even my pores seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. “Driver, to Silverwood Apartments.” When we arrived, Ryan, my former junior from college, was already waiting downstairs for me. “Ryan, I’m so sorry to trouble you with moving things so late at night. I’m really pressed for time; I’ll move out as soon as I find my own place.” Ryan’s face was slightly flushed: “It’s my honor to help you, Olivia.” “You can just stay here from now on. My family has plenty of apartments; it’d be a waste for them to sit empty.” In just a few moments, Ryan had helped me move my things into the apartment. When I called him for help, he hadn’t asked why I was suddenly moving out in the middle of the night; he just told me not to worry. I was grateful that Ryan was so considerate of my dignity at that moment. “Ryan, thank you.” Ryan scratched his head, a little embarrassed. “If you want to thank me, then treat me to dinner. Your cooking is amazing, Olivia.” “Absolutely,” I readily agreed. Over the years, to take care of Liam, I had painstakingly honed my cooking skills. He was a picky eater with a sensitive stomach, especially particular about food. To find the perfect dishes for him, I had learned so much, even studying under renowned chefs. Now, thinking about it, it all seemed a bit ridiculous. He barely came home a few times a month, and most of the meals I cooked ended up in the trash. All my efforts were just self-deception.

Liam’s call came in. I hung up, and it rang again. For the first time, Liam’s calls felt annoying, and I prepared to turn off my phone. But I accidentally pressed “answer.” “Olivia, where did you go? Don’t scare me. Give me an address; I’ll come find you.” Liam’s voice clearly showed panic. Ryan, who was still organizing my things, paused his movements when he heard the call. “If you have nothing better to do, go find a new hobby, maybe take up gardening or join a book club, don’t follow me around like a stalker. I have my own life to live.” Liam fell silent. On a holiday night that year, Liam said he was busy working overtime. I was home with a severe cold and fever, unable to get up, and called Liam, asking him to buy me medicine. But I had clearly seen Sarah’s social media post: “Everything’s great, thanks to Big Brother Liam for taking me to see the holiday lights.” On the other end, Liam’s breathing grew heavy. A few seconds later, he managed to squeeze out a few words: “I’m sorry, Olivia.” I snorted. “No need. Liam, we’re over. Please don’t bother me again.” Click. I hung up and blocked Liam. Seeing me hang up, Ryan slowly walked over to me. “Olivia, are you serious?” I looked up. “When have I ever not been serious?” Ryan mused, “Leaving the wrong person is progress. Congratulations, Olivia, you’re embracing a new beginning.” All these years, my focus had been solely on Liam, and I’d grown distant from old friends. It was rare that Ryan still remembered our past campus friendship. “Come over for lunch tomorrow. I need to celebrate properly.” Ryan smiled like a kid. “Then I’m in for a treat!” The next day, I spent the entire morning cooking a table full of dishes. I hadn’t eaten properly these past few days, and my stomach was empty. Ryan also brought a bottle of fine red wine. Once seated, Ryan looked at the feast and asked, puzzled, “Olivia, are you into healthy eating lately?” I glanced at the spread, realizing all the dishes were light and mild. For years, to accommodate Liam’s sensitive stomach, I’d given up spicy and rich foods. The dishes I learned were all mild, and now it had become a habit when I cooked. I chuckled self-deprecatingly. “It’s just habit after so many years. Next time, I’ll make something with different flavors for you.” Ryan’s brow subtly furrowed. “Do you cook often at home, Olivia?” I nodded. “Then why bother? Tonight, I’m taking you out for a big dinner.” Ryan’s tone left no room for argument. This kid was starting to get a bit of a CEO vibe now. That evening, Ryan mysteriously led me to a private dining restaurant. “Olivia, this place is pretty exclusive; not many people know about it or can get in.” “The food is amazing. Eat as much as you want and relax.” I definitely needed to relax my tense nerves these past few days. As dish after dish of tempting, colorful food arrived, I didn’t hold back and started eating heartily. Seeing me enjoy my meal, Ryan smiled. “Order more if you want. Tonight, you just need to eat well and feel good.” A sour and spicy tripe soup was especially authentic, and I wanted another bowl. But my spoon slipped, falling into the bowl, splashing soup all over my face and clothes. Ryan quickly reached for napkins to wipe my face. Just as I was about to take them to wipe myself, I heard a familiar female voice.

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The kindergarten teacher began teaching my daughter to hate me. She gave her candy, attention, and promises, then whispered to her, “Your mom doesn’t love you. I’m the one who truly cares about you.” My husband didn’t stop it—he encouraged it. My daughter cried and begged him to get a divorce, to replace me with a “new mom.” It wasn’t until I sent her the repayment statements that she finally understood: my husband wasn’t a man she could steal— He was a net liability I had been supporting for a full ten years. For our 10th wedding anniversary, I bought my husband, Nathan, a silver sports car to celebrate. The moment he saw it, his eyes lit up like it was Christmas morning. It wasn’t just any sports car—it was one of only ten limited editions in the world. Not something money alone could buy. Nathan had gushed about this car more than once, so I figured I’d surprise him. After all, our anniversary also happened to be his birthday. During the test drive, Nathan couldn’t wait to snap pictures and show off to his friends. But in his excitement, he accidentally posted it in our daughter Emily’s preschool group chat. The quiet group chat immediately exploded. “Oh my gosh, isn’t this one of those global limited-edition cars? I can’t believe the real deal is in our group!” “Emily’s dad, what kind of business are you in? You must be loaded!” I quickly messaged Nathan, telling him to delete the post. But it had been over two minutes—too late to retract it. All we could do was watch as the messages poured in. Some parents even started asking if Nathan could invest in their business ideas. And Nathan? He was eating it up. “Oh, no, no,” he replied humbly. “Just a small investment here and there. Made a bit of money, so I decided to treat myself.” Small investments? Sure. The only thing he “owned” was a failing internet café I paid for, and it had been hemorrhaging money since day one. With his lack of business skills, Nathan couldn’t afford a sports car in ten lifetimes. Still, he was my husband, and I wasn’t about to embarrass him in front of everyone. So, I kept quiet. That’s when Emily’s teacher, Miss Anderson, suddenly chimed in. At first, I thought she was going to tell everyone to stop chatting about unrelated topics in a preschool group. But instead, she directly tagged Nathan: “@Emily’s Dad, I’ve sent you a friend request. Please accept it—I need to discuss some things about Emily’s behavior at school.” Nathan immediately replied, “Is Emily in trouble? Did something happen?” Miss Anderson’s response came quickly: “Let’s discuss this privately.” I started to worry. Had something happened to Emily at school? I sent Miss Anderson a private message asking if everything was okay. She didn’t reply. Instead, she updated her profile picture. Her old photo had been a scenic landscape. Now, it was a close-up selfie—her wearing a white tank top, strategically revealing just enough skin to leave an impression. It gave off serious “pick-me” vibes. I called Nathan. “What did Emily’s teacher say?” He sounded casual. “Nothing specific. She just asked me to stop by the school. I’m heading there now.” “Drive safe,” I said, hanging up. At the time, I didn’t think much of it. I went back to work, assuming it was just a minor issue. A few moments later, Mrs. Peterson, one of the moms from the group chat, sent me a private message. Her family owned a beauty salon I frequented, so we’d gotten to know each other over time. “Emily’s Mom, don’t you think this Miss Anderson messaging your husband is a little… off?” I replied politely, brushing it off with a couple of vague responses.

Nathan and I had been married for ten years, and our relationship had always been stable. He came from a modest background but treated me with unwavering care and devotion. Whatever I needed, he made it happen. For me, he willingly stayed home, managing everything in the household with precision. When I came back late and drunk from work events, he’d pick me up and have a steaming bowl of hangover soup waiting for me. So I wasn’t particularly worried about Miss Anderson’s little schemes. Even if she was hellbent on seduction, it would only work if Nathan took the bait. What I didn’t expect was for her to target my daughter first. I’ve always been busy with work, but I’ve made sure to maintain a close bond with my daughter, Emily. Lately, though, she had grown distant, and her words had taken on a strangely sharp edge. One day, I picked her up from school, planning to take her to McDonald’s for a treat. But as soon as she saw me waiting, she started crying and whining at the school gate. “Why did you have to come? I don’t want you to pick me up! I hate you!” At first, I thought she was upset because I’d been so busy with work. I took a deep breath, crouched down, and tried to soothe her. After a lot of coaxing, she finally stopped crying long enough to get into the car, her eyes red and puffy. I smiled gently and said, “I’m sorry, sweetheart. Mommy’s been so busy with work these past few days. That’s my fault. I’ll spend more time with you from now on, okay? How about going to McDonald’s for some ice cream?” But Emily turned her head away, pouting. “I don’t need you to spend time with me. I have Miss Anderson! She’s the best person in the whole world. If I want ice cream, she gives me as many as I want. Not like you, always telling me what I can’t do.” Then she added, her voice trembling with tears, “And Miss Anderson was supposed to take me to the zoo with Daddy today. But now you ruined everything by picking me up!” Her tears started falling again, and she looked like she was about to completely lose it. I rubbed my temples, feeling a headache coming on. My voice slipped into a sharper tone. “Emily, that’s no way to talk to your mother!” Emily broke down completely, wailing in the car. “You don’t love me! I hate you! I hate you so much!” Then she added, her voice filled with spite: “Daddy said he’s going to divorce you soon. You won’t be my mommy anymore! I want Miss Anderson to be my new mommy!” I told myself it was just childish nonsense. Emily was too young to understand what she was saying. But someone had clearly been feeding her these words. When we got home, Emily jumped out of the car and ran to the front door. She shoved it open and shouted, “Daddy! Daddy!” Nathan emerged from the kitchen, wearing an apron and cleaning gloves. Emily ran up to him, tears streaming down her face. “Daddy, when are you divorcing Mommy? I don’t want to spend another day with her!” “Can you bring Miss Anderson home instead? Please?” At the mention of Miss Anderson’s name, Nathan froze for a fraction of a second, his hand instinctively rubbing his nose—a telltale sign he was guilty of something. But he quickly recovered, putting on his “loving dad” face. “Don’t cry, Emily. Daddy’s heart breaks when you cry! Whatever you say, Daddy will do. You want me to divorce Mommy? Okay, Daddy will do that.” He crouched down, wiping her tears. “Now, let’s go try those cookies Daddy made just for you, okay?” Father and daughter both turned to look at me then. Nathan’s gaze was full of helplessness, while Emily’s eyes sparkled with triumphant glee. I took a deep breath and asked, “Emily, who’s been teaching you to say such things? Don’t you know how to tell right from wrong anymore?” Emily’s tears started up again. She clung to Nathan’s leg like a frightened kitten and whimpered, “Daddy, look at Mommy! She’s so scary, like a wicked witch!” Nathan scooped her up into his arms, giving me an annoyed look. “Isabella, she’s just a child. Do you really need to argue with her?” “Can you leave your work persona at the door for once? You’re so strong and commanding at work, but this is your family. Stop bringing that attitude home.” With that, Nathan carried Emily to her room, leaving me rooted to the spot in the living room. I could still hear snippets of his soothing voice through the walls. “There, there, Emily. Bad Mommy won’t bother you anymore.” Alone in the silence, I realized my hands were trembling uncontrollably.

I’ve always been busy with work, so Nathan has taken on most of the responsibility for our daughter, Emily. Still, whenever I had free time, I made sure to spend it with her. We’ve traveled together, baked cakes, and I’ve spoiled her with pretty little dresses. Whenever she got sick, I’d drop everything to stay by her side, never letting her feel a lack of motherly love. Over the years, we’ve always been close. But lately, Emily had grown distant, and her attitude toward me had turned sharp and cold. I couldn’t help but wonder if Miss Anderson’s meddling had something to do with it. After some thought, I decided to have a heart-to-heart talk with Emily. I carefully pushed open her bedroom door, only to find her sitting in Nathan’s lap, video-calling someone. They didn’t notice me come in, as they were seated with their backs to the door. Emily held the phone close to her face, her voice sweet and eager. “Miss Anderson, when are you moving into our house?” “I gave that old witch a hard time today. As soon as Daddy agrees to divorce her, I’ll make her leave! Then you can be my new mommy!” On the other end of the call, Miss Anderson’s voice was filled with undisguised delight. “Emily, you’re such a good girl! But remember, once you pick a new mommy, there’s no going back. Are you sure you won’t regret it?” Emily tilted her head with a little huff. “Of course not! I can’t wait to have a new mommy!” She grinned and added, “Miss Anderson, Daddy already said he’s going to divorce Mommy. When you move in, can you let me have as much ice cream as I want? And can we get a bunch of puppies too? Please?” Nathan sat next to her, smiling gently, not saying a word to correct her. The atmosphere between the three of them was warm, cheerful—like a little family planning their future. I stood there, stone-faced, as I pulled out my phone and began recording the entire scene. Miss Anderson wasn’t just overstepping her bounds; she was digging her own grave. At one point, Nathan glanced at the screen and caught sight of my skirt in the background. His expression froze immediately. He gently set Emily down and stammered, “Isabella, wait, it’s not what you think! We’re just trying to make Emily happy—” Before he could finish, Emily jumped in front of him like a little guard dog, her tiny fists clenched. “Mommy, you’re just a mean old witch! Don’t you dare bully Daddy!” My anger flared. I snatched the phone from Emily’s hands and addressed Miss Anderson directly. “Miss Anderson, do you think it’s appropriate to poison a child’s mind against her own mother? Don’t you find your tactics a bit… pathetic?” Miss Anderson covered her mouth in fake surprise, her eyes gleaming with smugness. “Oh, Emily’s Mom,” she said sweetly, “we were just trying to make Emily happy. Why do you have to take everything so seriously?” She smirked and added, “No wonder Emily keeps telling me you act like a wicked witch. Growing up in such a tense household must be so hard for her.” Then, as if she hadn’t insulted me enough, she added with a condescending smile, “And I’ve heard you’re out wining and dining for work all the time. A woman should know how to carry herself. Unlike me—I’d devote myself entirely to my family if I had one.” Her smugness made my blood boil. I wanted nothing more than to reach through the screen, grab her by the hair, and drag her off her high horse. But I wasn’t about to stoop to her level. I straightened my back, my face calm and cold. “Miss Anderson, as a teacher, you should be ashamed of yourself for trying to destroy someone else’s family. You’re unworthy of your position, and you’re unworthy of the trust parents put in you.” I paused, then delivered my final warning. “If you keep meddling in my family, you’ll face consequences you won’t be able to handle.” Miss Anderson didn’t seem fazed by my threat. If anything, she doubled down, pretending to look concerned for Emily. “Emily’s Mom,” she said with a sigh, “even if you dislike me, you should think about what’s best for Emily. With your temper, you’re bound to hurt her emotionally.” She shook her head and added, “Sometimes, people should stop blaming others and reflect on their own shortcomings. If your family was truly happy, there’d be no room for anyone to ‘meddle,’ as you put it.” Then, she turned to Emily, her voice soft and pitiful. “Emily, sweetheart, you know I love you like my own daughter. But your mommy really doesn’t like me. If she makes a big fuss about this, I might lose my job. So, from now on, don’t call me when you’re at home, okay? But at school, I’ll still treat you like my real daughter.” With that, she sniffled dramatically, her shoulders shaking as if she were crying, and hung up the call. Emily immediately burst into tears, screaming at me and kicking my legs. “Bad mommy! I hate you! I don’t want to live with you anymore—I want to go live with Miss Anderson!” She stormed out of the room, sobbing. Nathan gave me a helpless look before running after her, leaving his phone abandoned on the bed in his rush. I picked it up and unlocked it, scrolling through his messages with Miss Anderson. At first, their chats had seemed innocent enough. Miss Anderson would send pictures of Emily at school, along with comments like: “Mr. Miller, Emily said her hair hurt today, so I fixed it for her. Looks like her mom doesn’t really know much about these things, huh?” “Emily often tells me what a great dad you are, but she doesn’t mention her mom much. Is she not very involved?” “Today, Emily cried because all the other kids had their moms pick them up. Maybe you could remind your wife to spend more time with her?” But as time went on, the tone changed. Miss Anderson started sending pictures of herself with Emily—her holding Emily on her lap, gazing at her with a soft smile. In some of the photos, her low-cut tops revealed far more than necessary. Then there were videos of Emily calling her “Mommy,” and even casual questions about Nathan’s job and income. Nathan, of course, had exaggerated the truth, claiming he ran a chain of restaurants and a public company—conveniently omitting the fact that it was my hard work that had built everything. Miss Anderson, clearly impressed, began sending him more revealing selfies. I clenched the phone tightly, anger bubbling inside me. I wanted to smash it into pieces and kick Nathan out of the house. But no. That would be too easy. If I was going to deal with them, I’d take them both down together. The next day, I met with the director of Emily’s preschool over coffee. After showing him the messages, his face turned pale. “Ms. Miller, I sincerely apologize. Miss Anderson’s behavior has seriously violated our school’s code of conduct. If you’re dissatisfied, we can terminate her immediately.” He wiped the sweat from his forehead and added, “And I can assure you, no reputable preschool will ever hire her again.” I smiled, satisfied. Miss Anderson probably didn’t know that I was a major shareholder in the school. And I wasn’t afraid to use my power.

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Back home from my trip, the housekeeper dragged my husband and me to court. In the courtroom, her pregnant belly proudly displayed, Chloe’s voice trembled with anguish: “Daniel Miller and his wife are absolutely disgusting excuses for humans! They used a job ad as a trap, lured me into their home, and then tied me to the bed and abused me!” “The child in my belly is Daniel Miller’s bastard!” Her mother, Martha, sobbed uncontrollably: “These two monsters completely ruined my daughter’s life! They deserve to be sentenced to death!” The moment she finished, the public gallery erupted in a chorus of curses directed at my husband and me: “That scumbag is so brazen, he didn’t even show up for court! Lock him up!” “Yeah! And look at his wife, she’s actually smiling! She’s utterly heartless, they should both just die!” The next second, I presented my evidence, making everyone gasp. The moment I got home, I habitually pulled out my phone to browse my SnapChat feed. Suddenly, a plea for help from a local online forum popped up. I tapped on it, and the title made my finger pause: [Housekeeper assaulted by male employer, what should I do?] The description below made me frown involuntarily: [Shortly after I moved in, the madam said she was going on a trip and left me alone at home.] [The moment she left, the master came back…] The words “on a trip” made me freeze for a second. I had just returned from a trip, and I had also hired a housekeeper. I scrolled down further: [He dragged me into the bedroom. I didn’t dare to fight back. Afterwards, he threatened me not to tell anyone. I’m so scared.] [Now I found out I’m pregnant, and the madam just got back. I don’t know what to do.] [Oh, and when he assaulted me, he said the madam knew all about it.] The comment section was already blowing up: [Call the police, girl! Don’t let those beasts get away with it!] [Husband and wife working together? That’s just sick!] [So much time has passed, it’ll be hard to prove. I suggest you talk to the employers privately first, see if you can get compensation.] I scrolled down further and saw that the poster had liked the last comment. And replied: [Thanks for the advice, I’ll talk to them first.] Just then, Chloe, who had been cleaning, suddenly spoke up: “Stella, there’s something I want to tell you.” My heart sank, inexplicably linking it to the forum post I’d just read, but I kept my face calm: “Go ahead.” Her voice was soft, almost a whisper: “I’m pregnant, three months.” “It’s… it’s Daniel’s.” I froze, my world tilting, the word “absurd” flashing through my mind. The “Daniel” she spoke of was my husband, Daniel Miller. I almost instinctively asked her: “Do you know what you’re saying?” Chloe nodded, tears welling in her eyes: “Stella, don’t worry, I have no intention of breaking up your family.” “Just give me five million, for child support, plus another two million for my personal damages.” “From now on, I won’t bother you or Daniel again.” At first glance, it sounded incredibly considerate, but in reality, it was an outrageous demand. Looking at her serious face, I only felt amusement. Because I knew very well that my husband could never do such a thing. I composed myself, staring at her steadily, enunciating each word: “This is extortion, and I won’t give you a single penny!” Chloe frowned slightly, looking at me: “As a woman, you should understand that no woman would lie about her honor.” “Besides, this amount of money is nothing to you.” “I don’t want to make things ugly.” I let out a cold laugh: “I’m not short on cash, but I’m not stupid!” Seeing that I wouldn’t budge, Chloe’s voice suddenly rose, her eyes sharp: “Are you sure you won’t pay? Fine, then I’ll expose everything! The forums, social media, your company – I won’t spare a single one.” I met her gaze: “Go ahead. I’m ready for whatever comes next.” Chloe glared at me fiercely: “Alright, let’s see if you’re still so tough in court!” With that, she turned and slammed the door shut. Chloe posted an edited version of that conversation online, quickly causing a massive uproar. The post went viral, and the comment section was filled with insults against me—”sick couple,” “scumbags,” “accomplice.” Less than a week later, I received a court summons. On the day of the hearing, I arrived at the courthouse on time.

The moment I stepped into the courtroom, I saw Chloe and her mother seated at the plaintiff’s table. As I passed, Chloe hastily lowered her head, shoulders slightly hunched, looking frightened. Her mother pulled her close protectively, staring at me with venom: “Don’t be scared, Chloe, Mom’s here.” “With so many people here today, those evil people will definitely get what’s coming to them!” I stopped in front of them, nodding in agreement: “You’re right. Evil people always get their comeuppance.” Chloe’s eyelashes fluttered. I said nothing more and walked straight to the defendant’s table. The gavel fell, and the trial officially began. The plaintiff’s attorney, Mr. Davidson, stood first: “First, let the victim describe the incident.” Chloe sniffled, her voice catching as she began: “Stella… no, Ms. Miller, she tricked me into her home under the guise of offering a job. At first, she said she lived alone and wanted me to prepare her meals and handle daily cleaning.” “After working for about a month, she said she was going on a trip and left me alone at home. Before she left, she gave me a drink. After I drank it, I felt dizzy. Then, her husband came back… and dragged me into the room.” As she spoke, tears streamed down her face: “That man… he pinned me down on the bed, and he… he assaulted me.” Chloe’s words immediately ignited the courtroom. The public gallery was outraged: “That’s inhuman!” “This is clearly a conspiracy between husband and wife!” Ignoring the insults, I stood up and spoke in a cold voice: “My husband would absolutely never do such a thing!” Then I looked at Chloe: “Why didn’t you report it to the police immediately after the incident?” Chloe, still crying, replied: “He said if I dared to tell anyone, he’d make sure my family and I would never have a good day again.” “I’m just an employee, I wouldn’t dare go against people like you. It was later, when I found out I was pregnant, that I gathered the courage to seek justice…” A hushed murmur of discussion broke out in the gallery, with a few curses filtering through: “Worse than an animal!” “The wife isn’t any good either, protecting a rapist!” Chloe’s mother seized the opportunity to wail mournfully: “My daughter’s life is ruined forever…” As she wiped away tears, a fleeting glint of triumph flashed in her eyes, aimed at me. I frowned deeply, raising my voice: “You’re lying. My husband couldn’t possibly have raped you.” Hearing this, Mr. Davidson immediately interjected: “Your Honor, we have crucial evidence.” Before everyone’s eyes, he produced a USB drive and inserted it into a computer. After some adjustments, a recording played through the courtroom speakers: First, a sharp cry: “Stella! Help me!” Then, a man’s low, mocking chuckle: “You’re asking Stella for help?” “Looks like you still don’t get it. Her leaving was just to clear the way for us.” “Just make me happy, and money, work, anything you want… Be a good girl.” This was followed by Chloe’s desperate sobs and sounds of struggle: “No! Please, let me go, I promise I won’t say anything! Please!” The recording ended abruptly with Chloe’s piercing whimpers. Chloe was already covering her face, trembling and sobbing. Her mother shot to her feet, pointing at us and screaming: “You hear that?! These devils conspired together! They tricked my daughter into their home just to force her!”

The public gallery erupted in gasps, some people’s eyes red with emotion: “Those mother and daughter are so pathetic, to run into this pair of scumbag spouses!” “Arrest the woman too! Accomplices are despicable!” Amidst the angry shouts, I clenched my fists: “How can you prove that voice is my husband’s?” Mr. Davidson looked at me: “The evidence is here. After technical comparison, there’s a 95% probability that this voice belongs to Daniel Miller!” Facing such evidence, I retorted emphatically: “Impossible, that voice is not my husband’s!” Because I knew perfectly well that Chloe could never have met my husband. Mr. Davidson frowned deeply: “Defendant, the evidence has been professionally authenticated! You can’t just dismiss it with an empty denial!” Chloe wiped away tears: “That was… when he had me pinned down, I desperately managed to secretly start the recording… every word, every cry is real! How can you still lie like this, even now?!” By the end, she was almost incoherent with sobs, her slender shoulders heaving violently, looking utterly pathetic. I let out another cold laugh: “There are plenty of people in the world with similar voices. How can you be so sure it’s my husband?” Mr. Davidson looked at me and scoffed: “Since the defendant finds the evidence unconvincing, I have a second piece of evidence.” He lowered his head and continued to operate the computer. Moments later, the large screen at the front of the courtroom lit up. A video began to play. It was surveillance footage from my living room, from the evening I left home. The living room lights were dim, and a man opened the door and walked in. He walked directly towards Chloe, who was standing in the living room: “You’re Chloe? Tsk, she didn’t lie to me, you really are… quite pretty.” Before he finished speaking, he reached out and grabbed Chloe’s wrist. The bottle in Chloe’s hand fell to the floor, and she struggled weakly, her voice terrified: “What are you doing! Let go! Help me—” The man easily overpowered her resistance. After a few rough tugs, he actually lifted her over his shoulder and strode towards the bedroom. The door slammed shut with a bang. Immediately after, faint cries and sounds of struggle seeped from under the door, startlingly consistent with the previously played audio recording. The video ended there. Mr. Davidson turned to the entire courtroom, his voice heavy with grief: “This is surveillance footage extracted from the defendant’s home camera!” “After professional comparison, the man in the surveillance video, his build and clothing, are highly consistent with Daniel Miller!” Then he turned to me: “Defendant, are you still going to say this isn’t Daniel Miller?” The public gallery murmured with disbelief: “Irrefutable evidence! The footage is crystal clear!” “She was so stubborn just now, let’s see how she spins it now!” Someone even stood up excitedly and shouted: “What’s there to say to an accomplice with no conscience like her?! Your Honor, pass judgment quickly! Make them rot in jail!” Under the countless burning, contemptuous, and angry stares, I slowly rose, my gaze fixed on Chloe: “You keep claiming that was my husband. So I ask you, have you ever actually seen Daniel Miller in person before this?” Chloe stood up, holding her belly: “I worked at your house for three months, how could I not have seen your husband?!” “And he opened your door so naturally, his build and clothes match, who else could it be but your husband?” The people in the public gallery also began to insult me: “The audio and video evidence are laid out, and she still won’t admit it!” “Helping a rapist bully a vulnerable girl, how despicable!!” “Just looking at her, you can tell she’s no good. The couple is just as disgusting!”

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On my wedding day, the bridesmaid, who was supposed to be scattering petals, suddenly dumped a bucket of blood-red paint over my head. The entire hall gasped, erupting in chaos. The only one unfazed was Chloe’s ex-boyfriend, Blake. He stood there, clutching his chest, laughing so hard he couldn’t straighten up. “Chloe, you’ve really outdone yourself, haven’t you? You actually dared to arrange for someone to throw paint.” Chloe looked at him with a tender gaze, a slight smirk playing on her lips. “I promised to grant you three wishes, and I always keep my word.” I stared at Chloe, disbelief warring with pain. She just shrugged, utterly indifferent. “Sorry, Leo. This was a vow I made to Blake. Today, let’s just call it a joke. I’ll make it up to you later.” But Chloe, how could there be a “later” for us? I flung the engagement ring to the ground. How could we possibly have a future after this? The paint was blood-red, dripping from my hair, my suit, staining everything. Guests in the audience whispered and pointed fingers. I stood there, at the altar, on what was supposed to be the happiest day of my life, my throat aching, feeling utterly humiliated, like a stray dog. The next second, my dad grabbed my arm. “Leo, let’s go…” Dad’s voice trembled with anger and heartache. The custom-made gray suit he’d ordered a month ago for my wedding was now covered in glaring scarlet. “We’re leaving right now. We’re not going through with this wedding!” Chloe shot a look, and two bodyguards swiftly blocked our path. Chloe walked towards me, step by step, an arrogant, pampered princess persona taking over. “It was just a joke. Are you really going to make me lose face in front of all these people?” Dad couldn’t hold back any longer. He stepped forward, trying to reason with her. “Chloe, you’ve helped us greatly, but Leo is a man. What you’re doing to him, humiliating him like this on our wedding day, where does that leave his pride?” The next second, two bodyguards grabbed his shoulders, kicked him behind the knee, forcing him to his knees with a thud. “Dad!” I charged forward in a fury, but another burly bodyguard seized my arms, twisting them painfully behind my back. Chloe, enraged, slapped me across the face. “If you dare to leave, don’t ever come back. And your mom’s medical bills? I won’t pay a single cent more.” I stared at her, utterly frozen, barely able to stand. A year ago, my mom was in a hit-and-run, left in a vegetative state, but the driver got away. My dad sold our house and the beloved bakery he’d painstakingly built, but the exorbitant daily hospital fees were still impossible to keep up with. As a senior in college, I was desperate, frantically searching for any way to earn money, even considering selling plasma, but it wasn’t enough. Just when Dad and I were at our wits’ end, Chloe appeared like an angel. She not only moved Mom to her family’s exclusive private hospital for treatment but also showered me with kindness and affection, quickly winning my heart. However, the day before the wedding, Blake, her ex-boyfriend, rushed back from overseas. He looked at me with cold, disdainful eyes. “Are you really going to marry this pauper?” Chloe was silent for a long time, her eyes eventually turning red as she answered, “Yes!” “Fine.” Blake’s voice was as cold as ice. He spat out bitterly, “Chloe, don’t forget. On my birthday last year, you promised to grant me three wishes. Now, it’s time to deliver.” At that time, I never imagined that Blake’s first wish would be to utterly crush my dignity. Dad was thrown out, and I was dragged backstage for a quick cleanup. The interrupted music started again, and the wedding continued. But the guests’ gazes were no longer filled with envy and blessings, but with scorn and pity. Those eyes, like needlepoints, pricked my heart, trampling my self-respect, making me wish I could escape this place immediately. But I could only suppress my emotions, my eyes hollow, as I played along with Chloe’s performance. I knew that until Mom woke up, I had no choice. After the wedding, Chloe had the driver take us to our bridal suite. Closing the door, she sighed, her voice softening. “Leo, I’m sorry. What I did today was wrong. But I had already promised Blake; I couldn’t go back on my word.” Seeing that I wasn’t looking at her, Chloe simply sat on my lap, wrapping her arms tightly around me, resting her head against my chest. “I admit, when your dad said he wanted to leave with you, I panicked a little. But that’s because I was afraid of losing you. I’ll apologize to him properly. I promise, once Blake’s three wishes are fulfilled, I’ll keep my distance from him. Please, honey, don’t be angry anymore.” Seeing her red eyes, my heart began to soften. Just then, there was an urgent knock on the door. Chloe frowned, annoyed, and stood up from my lap. She impatiently opened the door, but froze when she saw who it was. “What are you doing here?”

Blake strode in, making himself at home by flopping onto our marital bed. “What? Did I interrupt something important?” Chloe sighed, exasperated. “Blake, stop it. You know what night this is. Whatever it is, can’t it wait until tomorrow?” Blake sneered, lifting his head. “I’m not fooling around. I’m here to tell you my second wish.” Blake’s eyes fixated on hers, filled with intense possessiveness. He spoke each word slowly. “My second wish is that your first time must be with me.” Chloe froze. “Blake, you…” Before she could finish, Blake pulled her into a tight embrace, completely ignoring me, his eyes quickly turning red. “Chloe, have you forgotten? When we were together, we’d often kiss so passionately we couldn’t stop, but you’d always push me away at the last moment. You said you’d save yourself for our wedding day, but now, you’re not marrying me.” “Blake.” Chloe seemed to completely forget my presence, passionately cupping Blake’s face. She tenderly kissed away his tears, one by one. I stood rooted to the spot, watching their intimate moment. Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore and turned to leave. But Chloe grabbed my wrist. “Leo, wait…” Before she could finish, Blake sealed her lips with his, and her grip on my hand loosened. A wave of nausea washed over me. I yanked my hand free and strode out of the room, unwilling to stay there for another second. Just then, a girl in a revealing maid uniform stumbled right into my arms. “Oh, handsome, you’re finally here.” I flinched, instinctively stepping back. “What are you doing?” The girl, however, suddenly hooked her arms around my neck and fiercely kissed me. I was about to push her away when Chloe’s broken voice erupted from behind me. “What are you doing?!” The girl quickly released me, looking timidly at Chloe. “It…it wasn’t my fault.” She pointed directly at me. “He said he wanted to get back at his wife, and that I was pretty. He begged me to please him, said…said he’d give me a lot of money.” Chloe trembled with rage. “He’s my husband! Get out!” The girl nodded furiously, adjusting her uniform, and quickly scurried away. Chloe turned to me, her eyes red, her voice trembling violently. “And to think I actually chased after you. I never imagined you were such a disgusting man. I misjudged you completely.” Blake wrapped an arm around her shoulder, flashing me a triumphant smirk. In an instant, everything clicked. But before I could explain, Chloe grabbed Blake’s hand and turned to leave. Although I was utterly disappointed in her, I didn’t want to be wrongly accused like this. I quickly followed, intending to explain, but the door slammed shut with a bang, blocking me outside. The next second, an unbearable sound leaked through the door, growing louder and louder. I stood outside the door, listening to that grating noise, my fingers instinctively clenching into fists, the color draining from my face bit by bit.

The next day, as I was wiping down Mom’s body at the hospital, Chloe sent me a SnapChat message. “Blake’s second wish has been granted, consider it a punishment for your infidelity. His third wish is for me to spend a week wholeheartedly with him, as compensation for us not having a honeymoon together. I’ve agreed. Reflect on yourself these next few days. I’ll come find you in a week.” I stared at the message for a long time, then couldn’t resist blocking her number. But when I turned to see Mom still unconscious on the bed, I took a deep breath and unblocked her. Mom’s condition had been improving recently; the doctor said she’d regain consciousness in less than a month. At this critical juncture, nothing could go wrong. That evening, however, Mom’s monitoring equipment suddenly showed abnormal signals. The on-call doctor rushed over, his face grave, and told me that the situation was critical. We needed to contact a more authoritative specialist for emergency rescue, and urged me to contact Chloe immediately. My head buzzed and exploded. My fingers trembled as I called Chloe. The phone rang for a long time before it was answered. Blake’s voice drifted slowly from the other end. “What’s up? Chloe’s in the shower.” I swallowed my humiliation and pleaded with him. “My mom’s in trouble. Please, let Chloe answer the phone.” Blake let out a cold snort. “Your vegetative mom? How much money has Chloe wasted on her? How dare you still bother her? If you ask me, your mom should’ve died a long time ago.” The call was ruthlessly hung up. I didn’t have time for anger. Trembling, I hailed a cab and rushed to Chloe’s residence. When I opened the door, Blake sneered upon seeing me. “You pauper, you’re impossible to shake off, aren’t you? What do you want? Wouldn’t it be better if your mom, that burden, was dead?” I glared at him. “Where’s Chloe?” Blake chuckled. “I wore her out pretty badly just now. She’s still passed out in the bedroom.” My eyes red, I lunged towards the bedroom, but Blake blocked my path. I pushed at him. “Get out of the way! What right do you have to stop me from seeing my wife?” Blake’s face turned furious, but quickly, a triumphant smile spread across it. “Why so aggressive? This afternoon, I had the nurse change her treatment plan. Didn’t expect it to work so fast. You should be thanking me for helping your mom find her peace.” I felt as if I’d been struck by lightning. “What did you say?” Blake’s smile turned sinister. “Why would I let her wake up?” He leaned closer, lowering his voice. “Do you know why a pauper like you could even get close to a wealthy heiress like Chloe?” “Because, a year ago, I was the one who hit your mom while driving drunk.” “I was terrified and told Chloe about it. Chloe told me to go abroad to avoid trouble, and she’d handle the aftermath. You didn’t seriously think she fell in love with you, did you?” “Her feelings for you were, at best, pity. Now that I’m back, you’re irrelevant.” Blake’s voice hardened. “Be smart and get lost. I will never let you or your mom ruin my peaceful life.” Hearing his words, my head instantly exploded, buzzing wildly, and I almost lost my footing. Just then, my phone vibrated. Dad’s voice, sounding ten years older, came through the receiver. “Leo, your mom is gone. She was always timid, and I’m afraid she’ll be lonely in heaven by herself. Dad’s going now too. From now on, you must live well on your own.” My face instantly changed. “Dad, where are you? Don’t do anything foolish. Wait for me there, I’m coming to find you now.” But the only response was the howling wind and the screams of passersby: “Someone jumped!” My phone slipped from my numb fingers. A string in my heart snapped, completely and irrevocably. I raised my head, no longer hysterical, just staring blankly at Blake. Blake felt a shiver run down his spine under my gaze. “This isn’t my fault. Your dad was just weak. People like that are better off dead anyway.” I didn’t speak, scanning the room. My hand finally closed around a fruit knife on the coffee table. “What are you going to do?” Blake finally showed a flicker of fear. I advanced on him, step by step, my voice eerily calm. “I’m going to make you pay with your life.” Just then, Chloe, woken by the commotion, opened the bedroom door. Seeing the scene before her, the color drained from her face. “Leo, don’t you dare!” I felt like I’d heard the biggest joke in the world. Now, what was there that I wouldn’t dare to do? I raised the knife high, put all my strength into it, and plunged it into Blake.

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My wife, Chloe Hayes, and her true love, Liam Miller, were kidnapped at the same time. She’d brought five million in ransom, and without a second thought, she rescued Liam. And my son, whom I’d raised since he was a baby, echoed her sentiment: “I want Liam to come with us! Mom, he’ll be scared if he stays here!” The System declared my mission a failure: “Once this body dies, you’ll be sent back to your original world.” So all I wanted was to die and get home fast. But when my wife and son realized I truly didn’t want to live anymore, they hugged me and cried: “I was wrong, please don’t leave us, okay?” After twelve years of trying to win Chloe Hayes over, she still chose Liam Miller without hesitation. Chloe quickly untied the ropes binding Liam, her eyes soft with tenderness. Beside them, Leo Hayes, mimicking his mom, rubbed Liam’s red wrists, blowing on them occasionally. “Blow on it, it’ll make the ouch go away.” The three of them stood together—Liam hugging Chloe, Chloe gently stroking his back, and Leo clinging tight to Liam’s shirt hem. They looked so loving, so perfect together, like I wasn’t even there in the kidnapper’s clutches. This scene even made the kidnapper scoff: “Your old lady’s too busy with her lovebird to care about you. Probably won’t even pay to get you back. Why don’t I just put you out of your misery?” Watching them dote on Liam as they left, the System officially declared my mission a failure. The punishment hit instantly—an electric shock that knocked me out cold. Through the fog, I felt the kidnapper fumbling to catch my collapsing body. “I just ran my mouth a little and he passes out? Shit, this is bad—real bad. Gotta get him to a hospital, now. If he croaks on me, I’m done for.” When I came to in the hospital, I checked with the System in my head: If this body dies for real, I can go home, right? When the System confirmed it, I dragged myself to the window. The room was on a high floor—at least fifty feet up. A jump from here would finish me off for sure. I opened the window and leapt out. The freefall hit hard, and I flailed instinctively. Wind howled in my ears, stinging like a bitch. But I wasn’t scared—I was relieved. Finally, it’d be over. Just a little more, and I’d be home. Back to where someone actually gave a damn about me. I closed my eyes, waiting calmly. The next second, the falling sensation vanished. Then someone grabbed my arm like a vice. The momentum wrenched my muscles, sending a white-hot pain shooting from my shoulder to my chest. I cracked an eye open—felt like my arm was snapped clean in two. The person holding me was Skylar Hayes, Chloe’s half-sister. I stared up at the girl, sweat dripping off her. Her arms were shaking, veins popping as she clung to me like I was a lifeline. “Let go,” I said flat. Skylar bared her teeth, holding on tighter, hauling me up with every last bit of strength. “So Chloe picked the other guy—big deal! You gonna throw your life away over that? Are you braindead?!” I reached up, prying her fingers off one by one. “Skylar, you’ve always hated me. Let me fall. It’s what you want.” Skylar hated me. Hell, anyone even remotely close to Chloe hated my guts. After Liam left her high and dry, Chloe caved to family pressure and married me. They all thought I was some slimy opportunist who’d taken advantage of her when she was down. Frozen me out, talked behind my back, acted like I didn’t exist. Skylar was the worst. She’d waltz into the Hayes mansion like she owned the place—tore up every flower I’d planted in the backyard. Knew I was deathly allergic to cat dander, but put the idea in Leo’s head to adopt a stray kitten. When I said no, she told him to throw a fit. Kid screamed so loud the whole house shook. Skylar played the hero, of course. “It’s just a kitten. If the kid wants it, let him have it.” Leo cried even harder, rolling on the floor, mumbling: “Dad’s a jerk! I want the kitten!” I tossed Skylar and the cat out, then tried to explain to Leo—allergic to cat dander, can’t keep it, but we could get a puppy instead. But Skylar had already poisoned his mind. Kid didn’t care about my allergies, just kept hitting me, screaming for his stupid cat back. That’s when Leo stopped talking to me. Skylar kept at it, badmouthing me to him until he started outright defying me. She was a real piece of work—turned my whole life into a living hell.

But I didn’t die. Skylar’s yelling drew the nurses running. They hauled me back inside together. Skylar shot me a dirty look, slammed the window shut, and went quiet for once. Her hands wouldn’t stop shaking—palms covered in raw, red scrapes. Those once-soft hands were all bruised and bloodied now. “Alex… I don’t hate you as much as you think.” She lowered her head, her long hair covering half her face. Her voice cracked, almost like she was… upset? Before I could ask what she meant, Skylar crossed her arms, lifted her chin, and went back to being her usual bitchy self. “This is just another one of your stupid stunts, right? Chloe’s not gonna fall for it—you’re just gonna piss her off more…” “This is another one of your new tricks, isn’t it? I’m telling you, Chloe Hayes isn’t falling for your games. All you’re going to do is annoy her…” Skylar rambled on while the nurses checked the monitors. I used the distraction to bolt for the window again. I’d barely got it open before Skylar tackled me back. Before I could even step out, Skylar yanked me back. After two tries, Skylar finally got it—I wasn’t messing around. I really wanted to die. She dragged me away from the window, then sat me down, her tone softening like she was talking to a spooked animal. “Don’t do this. Chloe’s not the only woman alive—why are you so hung up on her?” She cleared her throat, face turning pink. “Chloe’s a lousy wife, I get it—but just divorce her. Don’t throw your life away over her. There’s probably someone out there who actually likes you, y’know?” Skylar drove me back to the Hayes mansion. On the way, she said Chloe thought I’d planned the kidnapping to hurt Liam, and was now coddling him. “Chloe’s furious. Just apologize to Liam when we get there, and it’ll blow over.” “Get Chloe calm first, then divorce’ll be easier.” I stared out the window, didn’t say a word. The world blurred by, gone before I could register it. The kidnapper had panicked when he thought I was dying—probably Liam’s doing. Frame me for the kidnapping, play the victim for Chloe. Classic Liam move. He’d done it before, and he’d do it again. This wasn’t the first time, and it would never be the last. Liam and I were oil and water—we couldn’t stand each other, but we kept colliding. And Chloe? She was Liam’s biggest fan. Always had been. Even his dumbest lies looked like “innocence” to her. She always took his side—never mine. Every time I tried to explain, she’d just roll her eyes: “Quit being dramatic. Look at how you’re acting.”

I thought back to when I first started trying to win Chloe over. Back then, Liam was with someone else, and Chloe was the heartbroken side chick—drinking herself into a stupor every night. The System pointed her out: passed out in a bar corner, that’s your target. Get her to love you 100%, and you can go home. Stupid mission, if you ask me—why does going home depend on some woman’s feelings? But I did what I had to. Sat with her when she drank, cleaned up when she threw up. She missed Liam’s baking, so I took classes—learned every one of her favorite desserts. She tossed them in the trash without even looking. Told me I was nothing compared to Liam. So I quit baking, started cooking instead. Chloe had a sensitive stomach, skipped meals when she worked late. Made her balanced meals every day, brought them to her office myself. Guess the food was good enough—she started letting me stick around. Got her affection up to 98%. Thought I was finally going home. Then she got pregnant. Family pressured her into marrying me. Her affection tanked. Said I’d trapped her. Said the baby was a mistake. Said I’d planned it all. I’d boosted her affection rating to 98%. Just when I thought I’d be going home soon, an accident happened—she got pregnant. Chloe, pressured by her family, married me. Her affection rating for me plummeted. All along, she believed I had deliberately gotten her pregnant. That it was a trap I’d set, a scheme she’d fallen into. Ridiculous. She was the one who came onto me that night. Her mistake, not mine. Chloe and Liam were two peas in a pod—always blaming others for their own messes. Guess it makes them feel better about themselves. Whatever. I followed Skylar into the house. I followed behind Skylar. Liam was on the couch like he owned the place. Chloe was feeding him fruit with a fork. Chloe was holding a plate of diced fruit, feeding him piece by piece with a fork. Leo was at his feet, rubbing his legs like a little puppy. Chloe saw me and her face dropped. Chloe turned and saw me, instantly putting on a stern face. She grabbed a paper off the table and threw it at me. “Alex! I don’t care if you’re throwing a fit—but you had no right to hurt Liam!” “You think staging a kidnapping is funny? If Liam had gotten hurt, you’d be in jail!” “Do you think this self-staged kidnapping is fun to get my attention? If anything serious had happened to Liam, you’d be going to jail!” I picked up the papers. Read them. Laughed. After reading them carefully, I couldn’t help but let out a cynical laugh. It was the kidnapper’s “confession”—blaming me, of course. If Chloe had bothered to check the bank records, she’d know I didn’t pay the ransom. But she didn’t want to know. She only wanted to believe Liam. Liam saw my face and stood up quickly, grabbing Chloe’s arm. “Chloe, it’s okay—don’t get upset…” I slapped him before he could finish. Hit him hard. The sound echoed through the room. Liam stared at me, shocked. Everyone was. Chloe snapped first. She lunged at me, hands around my throat. “You think this fake confession will send me to jail? You’re the idiot, not the cops.” Chloe squeezed harder. I couldn’t breathe. But I smiled. Skylar punched Chloe in the face. Chloe let go. I collapsed to the floor, gasping. Glared at Skylar—she’d ruined it. Skylar hit Chloe again. “She was dying, you psycho!” Chloe stared at her hands like she couldn’t believe what she’d done. Then she looked at me—guilty, maybe? She turned away, face red. Chloe instinctively released her grip on my throat. Lack of oxygen made my legs weak, and I instantly collapsed to the floor. I gasped for air, glaring with slight annoyance at Skylar, who had ruined my plan. She then punched Chloe again, still not satisfied. “She’s dying, do you hear me?! You almost choked her to death!” Chloe was dazed from the hit, she shook her wrist, but didn’t choose to hit back. She pushed Skylar away, looking at me with a complicated expression. After a moment, she awkwardly turned her head. “So what if he dies? He hit Liam first.”

Leo hugged Liam’s arm. “He’s a bad dad! I hate bad dads!” Leo hugged Liam’s arm, indignantly echoing Chloe’s words. I snuck to my room while Skylar and Chloe fought. Tired of their faces. Skylar was still fighting with Chloe, her voice drifting up to the second floor. “Chloe! Alex wanted to die—didn’t you see him smiling when you choked him? He was asking for it!” “Die? He’s just begging for attention. He’d never actually do it.” The bedroom door closed, cutting off all noise. The world fell silent. I took a knife from the drawer, went to the bathroom. Cut my wrist. Blood dripped into the sink. Death wasn’t as scary as I thought. Woke up in the hospital again. Stared at the ceiling. Skylar was asleep next to the bed—dark circles under her eyes. She jumped up when she saw me. “You’re awake! Want water? Food?” My wrist was bandaged. I pushed her hand away. Skylar pulled back, looking hurt. “You’re awake? How do you feel? Do you want some water or something to eat?” My right wrist was wrapped in a thick bandage. I wordlessly pushed away her helping hand, propping myself up on the bed. Skylar flinched, awkwardly retracting her hand. I turned away. Didn’t want to look at her. If I wasn’t so weak from blood loss, I’d tell her to get lost. She kept ruining my plans. Why did she suddenly care? “Where’s Chloe?” Skylar snapped. She grabbed my shoulders, pushed me back. “Why do you even care about Chloe?!” “You’ve been out for two days. She didn’t even call.” “Divorce her, Alex. Please.” The door slammed open. Chloe stood there, furious. She slapped Skylar across the face. “You think you can steal my husband?!” Skylar didn’t hold back this time. She punched Chloe in the stomach. “He’s not your husband! You don’t even care about him!”

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Five years into my marriage, my husband Liam had his ex, Seraphina, post a photo of a property deed on social media. Her caption read: “So grateful to Liam for transferring the house to me. My daughter’s school situation is finally sorted out!” But the address on that document was clearly our home address. I was stunned and left a simple “?” in the comments. Liam’s furious call immediately came through. “She’s a single mom—you know how hard it is for her. I just transferred the house to her to help her out; it’s not like it affects where we live.” “How can you be so heartless, so utterly devoid of empathy?” Half an hour later, Seraphina posted again, this time showing off a luxury Mercedes. “Bought it outright! They say a man’s heart follows his money, and he just proved where his truly lies.” This time, I made up my mind. I was getting a divorce. When Liam got home, I was taking the medication prescribed by my doctor, washing it down with birthday cake. These were for my post-gastric tumor removal recovery. It was my birthday, and I’d bought the cake in advance, waiting for Liam to come home so I could tell him about the surgery I’d had while he was away on a business trip. I waited until seven that evening. He didn’t answer my calls or reply to my texts. It wasn’t until I commented on Seraphina’s property deed post that Liam’s call came through instantly. But instead of an explanation, he started chewing me out. I tried to explain, but he hung up before I could get a word in. Then he blocked my number. My freshly stitched wound throbbed with frustration. Liam glanced at the medication and cake on the dining table, frowning. “Whose birthday is this for? Yours?” Silently, I put away the medicine, tossed the cake into the trash, and replied calmly, “Not mine. It’s a friend’s.” He let out a sigh of relief. “I remember yours is September 28th. Today’s only the 8th.” Five years of marriage, and Liam had messed up my birthday every single year. The kicker? He never forgot Seraphina’s. Liam sat down beside me, handing me a small car model. “Seraphina asked me to give this to you. She thinks she might have upset you today and hopes you won’t take it personally.” It was a miniature version of the Mercedes, with a faint smudge on it. I said flatly, “I don’t want it.” Liam frowned, clearly annoyed. “What’s your problem now? She’s extending an olive branch—can’t you just be nice about it?” Seeing I was unmoved, Liam tried to pull me up to call Seraphina. He pulled hard. As I was yanked up, my injured right leg knocked against the cold edge of the coffee table. It was the same spot where Liam had accidentally burned me with hot soup a week earlier. When Liam saw my right foot wound start to bleed again, he looked a little flustered. “I’ll take you to the hospital.” I didn’t refuse. “Okay.” As soon as I got in the car, the Bluetooth connected automatically, and Seraphina’s sweet voice filled the speakers: “Welcome back, my Liam! Work hard and make lots of money for me to spend~” Liam’s expression shifted slightly. “Seraphina set that up last time. I forgot to delete it. I’ll turn it off.” “No need,” I said calmly. The car fell silent. Liam looked at me, surprised. “You’re not mad?” I pressed my lips together. Maybe I would’ve cared before. But now, I didn’t even care about Liam. “Just drive. It’s late.” The hospital was nearby—just a U-turn and a mile straight ahead. Just then, Liam’s phone rang. His tone brightened involuntarily as he answered. I recognized Seraphina’s voice. She was sweet-talking Liam into taking her for a drive in his new car. “Seraphina has something urgent. I’ll drop you off here. The hospital’s just across the street—it’s really close.” Liam didn’t even bother to make a U-turn; he seemed desperate to leave. I stared at him coldly. “I can’t walk.” Liam’s face instantly hardened. “Can you stop being so dramatic? Your leg is hurt, not paralyzed!” He opened the passenger door and practically shoved me out, telling me to call him after I got my dressing changed. The car sped off, splashing mud onto the gauze on my right foot. A light rain began to fall, soaking me and making me feel utterly miserable. Every step of that short distance was agony, cold sweat beading on my forehead. My freshly stitched abdominal wound throbbed with every movement, aggravated by the dampness and strain. My legs gave out, and I collapsed onto the crosswalk. Traffic whizzed by relentlessly. Luckily, a kind security guard from the hospital entrance helped me up—otherwise, the consequences would’ve been unthinkable. Finally, I made it back from the hospital and collapsed onto the bed. Liam burst through the door, fuming. “Didn’t I tell you to call me after you got your dressing changed? I waited for an hour outside the hospital, and your phone was off the whole time!” I looked at him, overcome with exhaustion.

It took me over two hours for wound care and an IV drip at the hospital. When I came out, Liam’s car was nowhere to be seen. I felt terrible, so I had to take a taxi home by myself. My phone had died right as I got home. So he hadn’t even come to pick me up in the first place. He used to be so attentive—when did Liam become like this? “You blocked me. I couldn’t call you.” Liam paused, the anger on his face fading slightly. “I brought you some late-night snacks in case you were hungry—chicken noodle soup.” I looked at the bowl of soup. It was watery, with barely any chicken or noodles—like he’d scraped it from someone else’s bowl. Half an hour earlier, I’d seen Seraphina’s latest post. The picture showed Liam’s back in the kitchen. “Who says there are no good men left? Someone’s willing to take me for a midnight drive in his new car and even makes soup from scratch when I’m hungry. So happy.” I stirred the soup with a self-deprecating smile, feeling only disgust. “Throw it away. I have no appetite.” Liam’s face instantly darkened. “What’s with the attitude? I specifically brought this for you, and you’re just going to throw it away?” “So what if I transferred the house to Seraphina today? Do you have to act like this? Her kid needed help with school, she made a post to thank me, and you—you had the nerve to leave a question mark! I haven’t even yelled at you yet!” The pain in my abdomen and leg left me utterly exhausted. “You misunderstood. I was just wondering why the address she posted was our house…” Liam cut me off impatiently. “Misunderstand? Seraphina was right—you’re just making a mountain out of a molehill!” “You’re always so paranoid! The second I have any contact with another woman, you never let it go! I think the problem is with you!” If this had been before, I would’ve argued. Now, I just watched him coldly. When he finished his tirade, I said slowly, “Done? Can you turn off the light for me?” He glared at me fiercely, slammed the door shut, and stormed out—leaving the light on. A few minutes later, an even louder slam echoed from the living room. He was gone. Before, when he left like that—to be with Seraphina—I would’ve laid awake all night. Tonight, alone, I slept soundly. The next day, I woke up, contacted a lawyer, and started consulting about divorce proceedings. Liam didn’t show up for three straight days after storming out. The next time I saw him was in a vacation photo posted by one of his friends. In the picture, Seraphina stood beside Liam. They wore matching outfits, and Seraphina was beaming with youthful energy. I quietly liked the post. Not long after, Liam’s call came through. “I’ll pick you up later. I’m taking you to the beach to relax, and you can meet my friends.” He paused, then added, “I wasn’t originally going to invite you, but you’ve been… relatively well-behaved lately.” “Mmhmm.” The divorce process had already started; I didn’t want to complicate things. Liam picked me up as promised. Strangely, Seraphina wasn’t there this time. When we arrived, his friend came over to greet us. “My apologies for not taking better care of you at the last get-together.” The other person was being polite, so I offered a shallow smile. “Work’s been busy lately. A lot going on.” “Heard you’re planning to open a branch in another city—congratulations.” I maintained my smile. Just then, Liam strode over, his voice laced with displeasure. Just then, Liam strode over, his voice laced with displeasure. “You’re moving to another city? Why didn’t you tell me? Did I agree to that?” I turned and looked at him calmly. The atmosphere turned tense. His friend quickly stepped in to smooth things over, inviting everyone to the BBQ. Liam sat next to me, a rare trace of unease on his face. “Seraphina and I agreed that once her daughter finishes elementary school, she’ll transfer the house back.” “Don’t be upset. This house is mine, after all—I have the right to do what I want with it.” “Oh.” I nodded calmly. Just then, a familiar figure approached from a distance, and the smile faded from my face. A young girl, who seemed close with Liam and his friends, jumped up and excitedly waved at Seraphina. “Seraphina, over here! Liam’s here!” For a moment, the surroundings fell silent. His friend kicked the girl under the table, muttering about her lack of tact. “I’m going to the restroom,” I said, getting up—wanting to avoid the awkward scene. Liam glanced at me, then at the smiling Seraphina walking toward them—but he didn’t follow. When I returned, everyone had finished eating and was sitting on the beach, chatting. Seraphina and Liam sat intimately close. I quietly found a spot a little further away. His friend tried to lighten the mood. “Everyone’s here. Let’s play Truth or Dare.” Liam won the first round, and Seraphina lost. Seraphina chose Truth, and Liam asked a safe, meaningless question. Seraphina blinked, looking at Liam. “I’ve met a truly amazing guy lately who makes me feel so secure. Oh, and he even takes me for midnight drives in his new car.” After saying this, she gave me a triumphant glance. Most of the people present caught the implication, but no one dared to comment. Seeing I hadn’t reacted, his friend continued to set up the next round. When it was my turn, Seraphina asked the question. “I choose Truth,” I said. Seraphina walked over, holding her drink. “Cassie, let’s make it exciting. How about Dare?” I frowned. “I choose Truth.” “Oh, come on—just pick Dare! It’s simple. I heard you’re a great swimmer. Why don’t you swim a lap for everyone to see?” Seraphina’s gaze subtly, almost imperceptibly, swept over my abdomen. I firmly refused. “I’m not feeling well. I can’t swim.” Seraphina looked at Liam, feigning hurt. Liam’s voice held a hint of reproach. “Swimming’s your specialty, isn’t it? Why can’t you swim?” “Seraphina’s already made a gesture of goodwill—what’s the big deal if you just swim a little?” Liam said, and together with Seraphina, they started half-pushing, half-dragging me toward the water. Seraphina seized the opportunity to snatch my jacket, then downed a bottle of alcohol herself. “Cassie, I’ll drink to you. Now you better swim well.” She was trying to pressure me by drinking. I lost my patience. “I said I don’t want to swim! Your drinking is your business—why should I have to obey you?” Seraphina’s eyes immediately welled up as she looked at Liam. Liam’s face darkened. He tossed the bottle onto the sand. “What’s with the attitude? It’s just a swim! Seraphina already drank her share as a challenge—why are you being so disrespectful?” Looking at Liam, who was protecting Seraphina, I sneered. “Did I force her to drink? I don’t want to swim, but she’s trying to pressure me. How is that not making things difficult?” I retorted directly, and Seraphina immediately burst into tears. Liam’s face turned ashen. He rolled up his pant legs. You won’t swim? Fine, I’ll go with you! He grabbed my wrist and forcefully pushed me into the seawater. The icy seawater instantly submerged my wound—a searing pain shot through me, and then the water choked my nasal passages. I coughed violently. Liam and Seraphina held me down with all their strength. I struggled desperately. Just as I felt like I was suffocating, Liam finally let go. Unfortunately, a sudden wave crashed over us. I tried to grab Liam, but he kicked me away. I was swept into the sea, swallowing several mouthfuls of water, before using all my strength to fight my way back to shore—gasping for breath, utterly disheveled. Liam, meanwhile, was gently patting Seraphina’s head, comforting her tenderly. “Don’t be sad—I’ve already taught her a lesson.” “She deserved it. I’ll deal with her later.” Then he walked up to me, looking down at me. “Apologize to Seraphina! And drink a bottle of wine as punishment! Otherwise…” Under everyone’s varied stares and Liam’s piercing gaze, I interrupted him, my eyes red. “Liam, expect to hear from my lawyer. We’re getting a divorce.” Liam froze, looking at me in disbelief. I supported my weak, trembling body and walked away step by step. As I reached the edge of the road, my vision went black, and I collapsed to the ground. Before losing consciousness, I heard someone nearby exclaim: “Someone’s passed out!” “Call an ambulance! Oh my God, her abdomen is bleeding!” 4 I don’t know how long passed, but I woke up to my best friend, Chloe, shouting angrily. “Liam, are you out of your mind? You forced her to swim? Didn’t you know she just had gastric tumor surgery?” “She… she had surgery? When? She didn’t tell me…” Liam’s voice was tinged with surprise and a hint of panic. “Are you blind? Couldn’t you see how pale she’s been lately? Your eyes are only for Seraphina, aren’t they!” Chloe was furious. “I really didn’t know…” “You didn’t know? You transferred the house to that woman, bought her a car—you knew all that? She’s so weak because of you! Her stitches tore open!” “I…” “Just get out. I can’t stand looking at you!” The room fell silent. I opened my eyes. Chloe sat by the bed, her brows furrowed. “You’re awake? How are you feeling?” I asked weakly, “You know everything?” Chloe sighed. “I told you not to marry him back then… Sigh, but it’s too late for that now.” My heart ached. If I hadn’t been so stubborn back then, my parents would never have agreed to me marrying Liam—even though his family was well-off. Looking back now, Liam was actually so two-faced. Liam had entered the room at some point and was staring directly at me. “Cassie, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know you just had surgery…” I looked at his face—the coldness of the seawater seemingly washing over me again. I said coldly, “I know you like Seraphina. After we divorce, you can marry her. I wish you both happiness.” “I don’t want a divorce.” Liam panicked. “There’s really nothing between us. I don’t like her—why else would I have married you?” I gave a cold laugh. “Really? Liam, that night you were drunk—didn’t you say you regretted proposing to me, and that if we divorced, you’d marry Seraphina first thing? Was all that a lie?” That night, Liam got drunk at a work event, and Seraphina brought him home. I was in the guest room and clearly heard their conversation in the living room. Seraphina was about to leave, but Liam pulled her back. “I regret it. I shouldn’t have impulsively proposed to her back then.” Seraphina looked toward the bedroom, asking triumphantly, “If you get a divorce, who would you marry?” “You, of course… Don’t leave tonight.” Seraphina eventually left that night—I knew she left because Liam was drunk. Even then, I had already completely given up hope on Liam. Everything that followed was just to make sure I was absolutely done with him. Liam was eventually escorted out of the room by Chloe. But he didn’t give up. Half an hour later, my phone started vibrating frequently—he’d unblocked me. He sent many messages: “I asked the doctor. Chicken soup is good for recovery. I’ll make some for you later.” “Don’t eat anything cold for a few days. I’ve ordered some supplements for you.” “I was wrong before. Can we make up?” I didn’t reply. I set my phone to “Do Not Disturb” and asked the nurse to help me change rooms, stating I needed quiet rest. Liam kept calling, saying he wanted to see me. I picked up, annoyed. “Liam, I don’t want to see you right now. When I feel better, we can discuss a divorce settlement.” Silence on the other end for a moment, then Liam’s voice softened. “Cassie, I just want to see you from afar—I won’t bother you.” To avoid getting tangled up, I hung up and turned off my phone. Three days later, I was discharged from the hospital. Liam was waiting at the hospital entrance. When he saw me, he forced a smile. “Discharged? I’ll drive you home.” I didn’t refuse and got in the car. The car started, and the car’s Bluetooth automatically connected again—Seraphina’s voice filling the air: “Welcome back, my Liam! Work hard and earn lots of money for me to spend~”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “332182”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #重生Reborn #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #魔幻Magic #校园School

My name is Harley Bennet. The girl I adopted, Malia, is an ungrateful person. She competes with me in everything, seduces my husband David Hayes, even gets pregnant with his child, and teams up to kill me, taking all my property. When I opened my eyes again, I was reborn to the day I first met her at the orphanage. ***** “This girl is adorable, well-behaved, and obedient. You’ll definitely like her.” The orphanage director, Freya Perkins, stood beside me, pointing at a little girl with pigtails, introducing her with a bright smile. “Hello,” she said with a smile, revealing sweet dimples. I stared at that hauntingly familiar face, my eyes filled with hatred. She is Malia. In my past life, because I couldn’t have children and desperately wanted one, I discussed with David about adopting from an orphanage. I originally wanted to adopt a four- or five-year-old child, but seeing Malia’s innocence and charm, I instantly liked her and adopted her at twelve. But unexpectedly, her nature was truly vile. In the first six months at my home, she behaved very well, studied diligently, and occasionally helped with chores. By the time she started middle school, she completely changed. She stopped studying seriously, refused to do homework, and her exam scores gradually fell behind. She came home very late at night and spent weekends going to bars to drink, sing, and dance with her friends from outside. She smashed the birthday gift I gave her, put dead mice in my drawer, broke my lipstick, and added lemon juice to my milk. She would even make up lies to drive a wedge between me and my family. She started caring whether David spent weekends with her or me, and whether the dishes David cooked were her favorites or mine. She barely paid attention to me and often stuck to David. I once thought it was just teenage rebellion and patiently guided and educated her. Until one time, when I entered the room to bring her fruit, I found her straddling David’s lap. I questioned them about what they were doing. She said, “We didn’t do anything.” David also complained, “Why are you so worked up? I’m just helping her with homework.” I was half-convinced but unwilling to think the worst of people. I just told her she’s no longer a child and should maintain boundaries when interacting with the opposite sex. Later, while I was busy working to support the family, Malia was busy seducing David. Less than a year later, I found out Malia was pregnant. It turned out David hadn’t failed to maintain boundaries; they had been involved all along. I broke down and demanded a divorce from David. But before the divorce, they conspired to kill me, claiming I accidentally fell to my death. The truth was they tricked me into going near the window and pushed me down. David’s mother, Sophia Hayes, was involved too. She despised me for not being able to have children, but Malia could, so Malia was more qualified to be David’s wife. Afterward, they received a huge insurance payout and inherited my assets. I can’t rest in peace. When I opened my eyes again, I had been reborn. I returned to the day in my past life when I first met Malia at the orphanage. She still flattered me, warmly saying I was young and beautiful. But this time, I ignored her kindness and pointed at the quiet little boy standing in the corner, watching me from afar, saying, “I want him.”

Malia was stunned, and Freya was also stunned. Freya quickly came to her senses. She said, “Him? Sure. His name is Charlie, and he doesn’t talk much. I’m getting old and forgetful, almost forgot about him.” “Charlie, come here, this is Ms. Bennet.” Freya cleared her throat, looking calm, then waved Charlie over. I know this orphanage will be closed in three years because Freya committed child molestation. In my previous life, she recommended Malia to me, saying she liked me and persuaded me to adopt her. But it wasn’t because of Malia’s outstanding behavior; it was because of their improper dealings. They made a deal: as long as Freya could help Malia find a wealthy family, Malia wouldn’t report Freya. And Charlie once rejected Freya. That’s why Freya always ignored him. “Ms. Bennet, hello,” Charlie said timidly. I reached out and ruffled his messy hair, softly saying, “Hello, Charlie. Ms. Perkins, I’ll take him.” Hearing this, Malia’s face changed drastically. She almost blurted out, “Why didn’t you choose me?” People around cast surprised glances. I narrowed my eyes slightly. Normally, if not chosen by a preferred parent, she would at most feel sad and disappointed, not angrily question. I thought, “Could it be that she was reborn too?” “If that’s the case, even better.” Originally, I felt a trace of guilt toward this Malia who hadn’t done anything wrong yet, but now, my burden is completely gone. The evil she committed in her past life can be settled all at once in this life. I turned my head and asked, “Julia, didn’t you also want to adopt a child?” I didn’t come to the orphanage alone; I came with my colleague Julia Lakin. Julia is my subordinate. She is in her forties, believes in staying single and childless, and had adopted a girl in her early years, but sadly, the child passed away due to illness. Today, she came to the orphanage with me because she wants to adopt another child. In her past life, she chose Charlie. Charlie is quiet, sensible, filial, and excels in academics. However, Julia, who appears honest and simple on the surface, is actually a psychologically twisted sadist. In her past life, Charlie couldn’t bear her torment and committed suicide two years later. I suspect the cause of that previous girl’s death was most likely also due to Julia’s abuse. In this life, I will protect Charlie. As for Malia, let her and Julia torment each other. Julia was already interested in Malia under Freya’s strong recommendation. Previously, since I was her boss, she didn’t dare compete with me. Now that she sees I didn’t choose Malia, she immediately agrees with delight. “Alright, then I’ll take Malia!” Malia’s expression was complex, with a hint of confusion in her eyes. In my past life, I was afraid she couldn’t handle it, so I never told her about Charlie’s suicide. She naturally doesn’t know now either. She saw that although Julia was older, her family was fairly well-off, so she reluctantly nodded in agreement. Before leaving, she still glanced at me several times, unwilling to let it go. I smiled and waved goodbye to her. Wasn’t enjoying all my wealth in her past life enough? She wants to do it again in this life? Dream on!

When I brought Charlie home, David, as usual, lost his temper with me. “Didn’t we agree to adopt a four or five-year-old? Why did you adopt such an older child?” “I agreed to you adopting a child, but I never said a teenager! What are you doing? Do you think my life isn’t chaotic enough?” I ignored him and went straight to the room to start packing. He followed me, continuing to yell, “Didn’t you hear me? Playing deaf? What are you trying to do? You’ve got some nerve!” I stopped what I was doing and looked at him calmly. “Let’s get a divorce.” David’s job is easier than mine, his salary is lower, yet he leaves early and comes home late, then just lies in bed playing on his phone, never doing any housework. Whenever work frustrates him, the first thing he does after coming home is take it out on me. I wanted a child and suggested visiting the orphanage on the weekend, but he made an excuse about working overtime and told me to go alone. Since we got married, he’s been avoiding all troubles like this. In my past life, I silently endured it, fearing gossip from relatives and neighbors, until I discovered his affair with Malia and finally decided to divorce. Now reborn, I will no longer endure. My salary is four times his, and I cover almost all the household expenses. This marriage is already meaningless. If we divorce, I can take good care of the child on my own. “What did you say?” David widened his eyes, unable to believe that I, always submissive, would say such a thing. I repeated, “I said, I want a divorce!” At first, he disagreed, but Sophia was thrilled. “David, she hasn’t been able to have a child for so long, she’s useless! You should’ve divorced her ages ago! She’s finally letting you go!” “She can leave if she wants! Anyway, the house is ours, and where she lives afterward is none of our business.” “Hurry up and find a virtuous wife, and have a child quickly!” “By the way, that colleague Jasmin you mentioned before, isn’t she interested in you? She hasn’t been married, right? Is there a chance for you two?” David blushed and retorted, “Mom, don’t talk nonsense. We’re just ordinary colleagues.” I do have some impression of Jasmin Griffin. In my past life, I found their chat history on David’s phone. David cried and promised me he would never do it again, begging for my forgiveness. At that time, I was in the prime of my career, so I didn’t pursue it further and didn’t know what happened afterward. Sophia smiled brightly and unilaterally confirmed their relationship. “I think she’s great, let’s go with her!” With her help, David and I quickly got divorced. Not long after, David and Jasmin quickly registered their marriage. Sophia specifically messaged me, asking me to see how happy David was after leaving me. I completely ignored it. She was waiting to see me end up on the streets, but I turned around and bought a detached villa in full. She assumed I’d be exhausted taking care of the child alone. But Charlie is obedient, independent, and eager to learn, leaving me nothing to worry about. My good days are just beginning. And their happy life is about to end. Because they don’t know that the one with fertility issues isn’t me, but David.

My name is Stefan Jenkins. On the day I returned home, Maeve Stewart sent me a photo of a baby. She asked me to name the baby, bring my ID, and said she had a big surprise waiting for me at City Hall. When I arrived with baby supplies, she and her friends were mocking me. “I told you, he’s been abroad for a year, but he’s still my sidekick. As long as I beckon, he’s willing to help me raise a child!” After speaking, she still looked at me with an amused expression. “Stefan, how are you still so naive? A joke can make you rush over like this!” They laughed at me without restraint. But when I walked past them, registered my child’s birth certificate, and took a commemorative photo with my wife in my arms, Maeve’s eyes turned red from crying. ***** After a year apart, Maeve still seems to dislike me. Watching them clutch their stomachs and laugh until they squatted on the ground, I couldn’t help but clench my fists, my nails digging deep into my palms. “Stefan, you’re really stupid. Chasing Maeve for so many years, haven’t you improved at all?” “Every time we think you’ve finally decided to leave, you turn around and cling back again!” “Wake up, even if you’re willing to help Maeve raise her child, she still looks down on you!” Sharp taunts pierced my ears, and I trembled all over with anger. Maeve saw me staying silent and pretended to be concerned, pinching her voice as she said, “Stefan, do you not like the gift I prepared for you? What should I do? I spent so much time on it.” She spoke while pretending to be angry toward her friends. “You guys are a bit too much. Stefan just got off the plane and rushed over, how can you bully him like this!” After she finished, there was another burst of laughter, with Maeve’s voice particularly grating. Just as I turned to leave and end this farce, she suddenly called out to me, pulling out a big dog from behind and handing me the leash. She said, “Stefan, I can’t take advantage of you for nothing. This is a stray dog Robert picked up, and he just got the dog license. He doesn’t have time to take care of it, and since you want to be a dad, let this dog be your son.” After she finished speaking, everyone burst into laughter again. “Maeve, let me remind you, be careful of someone using dog care as an excuse to pester you every day!” Looking at the dog leash in Maeve’s hand with Robert Griffin’s name and phone number written on it, I froze in place, motionless. If it were the old me, I would have taken the dog leash with a big smile and repeatedly promised to take good care of the dog. But now, I directly shook off her hand and took a few steps back. “Sorry, I have a baby at home, not suitable for keeping a dog!” The whole room fell silent for a moment, then erupted into even sharper laughter. “Stefan, are you still dreaming? Do you really want to be a dad to someone else’s kid?” “We are all well-educated people, how can your mind be so slow?” “I never thought you were so despicable!” She glanced at me with the same familiar disdain and contempt, speaking while patting her skirt, as if afraid I might dirty her white dress. Even though I had imagined countless times what it would be like to reunite with Maeve before returning home, I never thought it would be like today.

Before the plane took off, I posted the flight information on Instagram. Then, I got a call from Maeve. She said something had happened and asked me to go straight to City Hall as soon as I landed. I still remember my trembling hands when her call appeared on my phone, and I can’t forget my racing heartbeat when her anxious voice reached my ears. I thought she had finally realized that when she needed help the most, I was the one always by her side. But what I didn’t expect was that after hanging up, she posted the entire setup of this farce on Instagram. However, she seemed to forget to block me, someone she hadn’t contacted for a year, so I ended up knowing their entire script. When the flight attendant reminded me to turn off my phone, tears were already streaming down my face. She took advantage of my ten years of unwavering obedience to her, which is why she hurt me so recklessly time and again. She once said that if one day she got tired, she would marry me and have a child. Now she’s not tired, but I am. I came to City Hall indeed to apply for a birth certificate for a child, but it’s for my own child. I rubbed the bottle in my hand, tucked it into my arms, and walked past Maeve to handle the paperwork. She immediately blocked my way. “Stefan, that’s enough, don’t get too carried away!” “If you could really move on from me and have a child with another woman, would I have given you a dog? Who are you pretending to be so devoted for?” I couldn’t be bothered to explain and felt disgusted even looking at her. Perhaps my sudden coldness caught her off guard, as she grabbed my arm and refused to let go. Just as I was about to pull my arm away and leave, Robert rushed over. “Maeve!” Hearing this, Maeve immediately let go of me and threw herself into Robert’s arms, instantly putting away her sharpness and showing a warm smile. “Didn’t you say you’d come with me to get the dog license when I had time? There are so many viruses out there, what if the dog gets sick?” He took the leash and looked at me while speaking. Then, as if just noticing me, he quickly said, “Stefan, when did you get back? Are you holding formula and diapers? Do you have a child?” Maeve quickly covered her mouth and laughed, “Who could he have a child with? I tricked him by saying I needed to get documents for a baby, and he actually believed I had a baby and even bought so many baby supplies.” “Isn’t he silly?” Seeing her openly mocking me, Robert immediately interrupted her, “Maeve! Stefan rushed over because he was worried about you. You shouldn’t make fun of him like that.” As always, he played the considerate and magnanimous good guy, while I ended up being the one who couldn’t let go. I didn’t want to get entangled with them any longer, so I patiently explained, “Sorry, I have something to do. Please let me through.” After saying that, I prepared to leave again. Just as I turned around, Robert grabbed me, and the bottle in my arms fell to the ground, spilling milk everywhere. The people around all looked over with expressions of disdain. “Stefan, why are you still carrying a bottle?” Robert seemed startled, looking at me in shock. Maeve wanted to say something else, but I interrupted her directly, “Yes, I said from the beginning that I came to get a birth certificate for my child. But you refused to believe me. Now look, the bottle’s broken, and my wife will be mad later.” Hearing this, the smile on Maeve’s face froze instantly. At that moment, my wife Andrea Nelson made a video call, and I put it on speaker. I said, “I’m already here, but there was a bit of an accident. You might need to find a nursing room to feed the baby yourself later!” The woman’s voice and the baby’s cries from the call reached everyone’s ears without missing a word.

I looked at Maeve, whose face was gloomy, and said calmly, “I came here today not because of your call asking me to come, but because my child really needs to get the birth certificate done today.” “Because my wife left in a hurry and didn’t bring baby supplies, I bought them right after getting off the plane.” Maeve sneered and said, “Stefan, what’s the point of lying? Can you just claim to have a child out of nowhere? You’ve really gone to great lengths to get my attention.” She rolled her eyes at me, full of disdain. Seeing that she still didn’t believe me, I had no choice but to take out the birth certificate application form. Her friend snatched it first, opened it, and read aloud, “Father: Stefan Jenkins, Mother: Andrea Nelson…” Hearing Andrea’s name, Maeve’s tightly furrowed brows suddenly relaxed a bit. She looked at me with disdain, full of mockery. “Stefan, if you’re going to fake it, at least put some effort into it, okay? Andrea Nelson, the heir of The Nelson family, is someone you think you can reach?” “You even claim to have a child with her. Do you think I’m as stupid as you?” After she finished speaking, she shoved the application form back into my arms without even looking. Robert glanced at me meaningfully after seeing that. “Stefan, as a man, I understand the feeling of unrequited love. Maeve can be a bit willful, but you really don’t need to lie just to get back at her.” “I know your ten-year relationship is extraordinary, but…” “Who has a ten-year relationship with him? I have no feelings for him at all, Robert, don’t misunderstand!” Maeve hurriedly distanced herself from me. After speaking, she added, “My Bella and Max have been with me for ten years too, but who says ten years of feelings must mean anything?” Bella was the cat I gave her on her eighteenth birthday, and Max was the dog she adopted to keep Bella company. The more she explained, the more her voice trembled, almost breaking into tears. And my heart grew colder bit by bit with her anxious words. Maeve’s friends said I was shameless, ugly, and still trying to climb up to the Nelson family. Maeve took the lead in jeering, and the others immediately chimed in. For a moment, it felt like I had committed an unforgivable crime. I quietly put away the application form. Reason told me that such people weren’t worth wasting my time explaining to, but seeing their contemptuous looks, I stubbornly wanted to prove that I was telling the truth. Then, I took out my phone and pulled up my wedding photos with Andrea and pictures of our child’s birth. I said, “These are photos of our family of three. If you don’t believe me, see for yourselves.” I held up my phone and swept it past them one by one. When it was Maeve’s turn, she just glanced at it, and the smile on her face vanished completely. She stared at the phone in a daze for a long time, unable to react. The person next to her noticed her reaction, quickly grabbed the phone, and flipped through the photos one by one, still speaking with disdain. “I want to see how long you can keep pretending.” Maeve stood aside pretending not to care, but her eyes kept staring intently at the phone. Until the girl holding the phone spoke softer and with more hesitation, Maeve finally couldn’t hold back and snatched the phone away. When she saw the photo of our family of three on the phone, her hand trembled slightly, and then she glared at me with bloodshot eyes, her tone no longer as confident as before. “Stefan, don’t think that faking a few photos will make me soften and marry you. I want to see how many more fake pictures you’ve prepared just to be with me!” Robert quickly stepped forward to support her and gently comforted, “Maeve, when we get married, I’ll take you to the beach for wedding photos, okay?” But Maeve didn’t respond sweetly as usual; she just kept scrolling through the phone. As the photos flashed by, her face grew paler and paler.

In my past life, I, Sofia Harvey, along with my good friend Talia Porter, married into the medical family, the Larson family. She married the Larson family’s eldest son, Jared Larson. I married the Larson family’s younger son, Jeremia Larson. However, after marriage, Talia had three children, all medical prodigies. But I only had one daughter, and she was mentally disabled. Jeremia, who cared deeply about his reputation, felt utterly humiliated. Years later, at a medical seminar, I brought my daughter along. She stuttered and called out “Daddy,” causing everyone to burst into laughter. Jeremia, feeling humiliated, angrily stabbed my daughter to death and then struck me dead with a blow. When I opened my eyes again, Jeremia and I had both been reborn. This time, at the family arranged marriage event, Jeremia took Talia’s hand first and said, “I like you. Will you marry me?” ***** The Larson family hosted a banquet, inviting renowned figures from the medical field and New York’s elite families. It was a public matchmaking gathering. My family is a lineage of doctors. Our private hospital recently encountered problems, and I attended the banquet to seek help from the Larson family. Thinking of the experiences from my past life, my eyes filled with bitterness. Jared and Jeremia stood at the front, surrounded by people, full of confidence. I heard the people beside me whispering softly. “Jeremia has such a great demeanor, he looks like a gentleman.” “Jared is handsome too, just a bit aloof.” “He’s more than just a bit aloof! You have no idea how indifferent he is. I heard he’s highly skilled in medicine, but he won’t treat anyone he doesn’t like. Jeremia, on the other hand, is different; he treats every patient kindly. I think a gentle husband like him is the way to go!” “But I heard Jeremia is an illegitimate child.” “So what? Didn’t he get acknowledged and brought back?” Talia listened, her face lighting up with excitement as she grabbed my hand, her eyes fixed on Jeremia in the crowd. When she accidentally made eye contact with him, she shyly looked away. I, however, let out a mocking cold smile. In my previous life, I was also deceived by Jeremia’s appearance. 我的祖父、父亲和哥哥都是医生，我也是。甚至因为我的天赋极高，我成了小有名气的医生。 Because of my renowned talent and beautiful appearance, I was chosen by Jeremia as his marriage partner. It was then that I realized Talia liked Jeremia. But that night, she got drunk and accidentally had a relationship with Jared. A month later, she got pregnant and eventually had to marry Jared. After getting married, Jeremia and I had a wonderful time together. He truly was, as everyone said, a gentle person. At that time, I was glad I had married a good husband, but I never expected this would be the source of my pain for the rest of my life. Not long after Talia married Jared, she gave birth to three healthy sons in a row. Jared’s father, Daniel Larson, praised Talia highly and gave her nine billion dollars. But I was never able to get pregnant. Gradually, Jeremia changed. He started becoming impatient with me, irritable, and quick-tempered, deeply bothered by others saying he had no children. He blamed me for having health issues and forced me to take countless medicines. To ensure I focused on preparing for pregnancy, he forced me to quit my hospital job and stay home. But I’m a doctor. If I haven’t gotten pregnant for so long, wouldn’t I check my own body? The one with health issues is clearly him! For ten whole years, I took countless medicines, ruined my health, yet still couldn’t get pregnant. I couldn’t take it anymore and wanted a divorce, so another woman could have his child. He sneered, “I’ve spent so much effort on you, and now you want a divorce?” “I chose to marry you back then only because of your medical talent! Did you really think I’d genuinely like you? And what happened? You can’t even have a child. No matter how skilled you are in medicine, what’s the use if you can’t have a baby? Useless!” After a big argument, I fainted. When I woke up, I found him sitting by my bed with a smile, saying I was pregnant. He seemed back to normal, caring for me attentively. In the end, I gave birth to a daughter. However, I couldn’t feel happy. Talia’s three children officially started studying medicine and were praised as medical prodigies by their teachers and family. Daniel directly announced his retirement, handing over all the Larson Family’s business to Jared. But my daughter is a slow-witted fool. Jeremia broke down, cursed me as a useless woman who couldn’t bear a son, and kicked me out of the house. I didn’t feel wronged; instead, I felt relieved and started a new life with my daughter. But at a medical seminar, my daughter stuttered and called Jeremia “Daddy,” causing everyone to burst into laughter. Jeremia’s face turned red instantly, feeling humiliated. That day, he broke into my house and stabbed my daughter to death. He said, “It’s you, you fool, who made me lose face in front of everyone! Go to hell!” I used all my strength to push him away, trying to hold my daughter and rush to the hospital for rescue. But Jeremia went completely mad, attacking me from behind with a twisted face. Before dying, I held my daughter tightly, my blood turning cold as I gradually lost consciousness. I never expected to be reborn, even returning to the day of the banquet. Overwhelming hatred made my fingertips tremble as I coldly stared at Jeremia. He didn’t look at me but walked straight toward Talia. I trembled all over, suddenly realizing he was reborn too.

“My two sons spend all day studying medicine, and they’re almost thirty but still not married. When will I ever have grandchildren?” Daniel sighed, pretending to be helpless. Everyone present knew that today was a family marriage banquet, and Daniel was looking to choose marriage partners for his two sons. Jared, born to Daniel’s ex-wife, is highly gifted and renowned in the medical field. Jeremia, born to Daniel’s current wife, once sparked controversy over his status but won everyone’s favor with his gentle nature. In his previous life, Jeremia had already investigated everyone attending the banquet. His medical talent couldn’t compare to Jared’s, and he didn’t diligently practice medicine, so he wanted to have a smart child to make up for his shortcomings in medical skills. So, he had long decided to choose me as his marriage partner. But in this life, he didn’t even glance at me. Instead, he walked straight to Talia, took her hand in front of everyone’s astonished eyes, and said, “I like you. Will you marry me?” Everyone present was stunned and quietly asked who that woman was. Talia’s family had some assets, but they weren’t even on the guest list. She liked Jeremia and begged me to bring her in. At the time, I didn’t think much of it because marriage alliances were based on family backgrounds. Her presence wouldn’t make a difference. Daniel frowned and asked in a deep voice, “Are you sure?” Jeremia smiled and nodded. “Actually, I’ve liked Ms. Porter for a long time, and today I took the chance to confess and propose to her.” He looked at Talia affectionately. Talia’s eyes reddened with excitement, and she quickly agreed, “I’m willing to marry you!” At that moment, Jeremia seemed to glance at me unintentionally. The disdain, contempt, and loathing in his eyes almost overwhelmed me. I felt a chill all over, recalling the fear and hatred before my death in my past life. I clenched my fists, my nails digging deeply into my palms, the pain jolting my nerves. Just as I was about to lunge at him and slap him, a warm hand held my cold wrist. I instinctively looked up, meeting his deep eyes. The man before me, dressed in a tailored suit with an aloof demeanor, slightly smiled and said, “Shall we get married?” The crowd was in an uproar. Everyone whispered, wondering if Jared and Jeremia were secretly dating. Something happened at my family’s hospital, and everyone knew that marrying me meant solving my family’s troubles first. My marriage partner hasn’t gained any benefits yet but has to save my family’s hospital first. Seeing me attend the banquet, no one thought the Larson family would choose me. Daniel frowned but said nothing. After all, it was his son getting married, not him. But Jeremia, standing nearby, looked grim. “Jared, before getting married, you’d better check her health. If she can’t have children, you’ll regret it later.” Anger surged instantly, and just as I was about to retort, Jared took my hand. His tone was indifferent. “Who I marry is none of your concern. You should worry about your own partner.” “Besides, I’m marrying her because I like her, not to have children.” Jeremia’s face stiffened; he felt Jared was mocking him. Jeremia’s Freya Larson quickly spoke up in his defense. “Jared, Jeremia is just concerned about you. But since you both have chosen the ones you love and they are willing, then just pick a date and get married.” Daniel stayed silent, tacitly approving his two sons’ choices. The guests sighed and found excuses to leave. Jeremia held Talia close as they left. Passing by us, he sneered and said, “Jared, this woman is indeed pretty. But there are plenty of pretty women. Don’t act on impulse and regret it for a lifetime. It won’t be long before you realize how useless she is. You’ll regret it.”

Back home, my parents already knew about my union with Jared. Their hearts, tense for months because of the hospital issue, finally relaxed. They actively prepared the wedding with the Larson family while discussing how to exchange benefits. The day before Jeremia’s wedding, Talia came to see me. Her face was full of happiness, yet she seemed uneasy the moment she saw me. “Sofia, I was stunned by Jeremia’s confession that day and didn’t get a chance to speak up for you. “I really like Jeremia, and he said he would give me the best life.” She paused for a moment and softly advised me, “I heard Jared is hard to get along with. He probably chose to marry you to take over your family’s hospital. I think you should reconsider.” I looked at her, pretending to care for me, and sneered inwardly. Before marriage, Talia was indeed my best friend. But after, she became the one who loved to mock me the most. In my previous life, she also said Jeremia didn’t like me and advised me to marry someone I loved. When I was tormented by Jeremia, she smiled and said to me, “See, I told you so, but you didn’t listen. Since you can’t have children, why not let Jeremia marry someone else? Then you can raise their child without going through the pain of childbirth.” I thought, “Talia, I hope that after experiencing everything I went through in my past life, you can still think this way.” She eagerly anticipated a grand wedding, hoping to bask in the glory. But to her surprise, Jeremia had no intention of hosting a grand wedding; it was even downright shabby. He only invited close relatives, set up a few flower arrangements, hired an officiant for a simple ceremony, and called it a wedding, leaving Talia so upset that she cried in grievance. Jeremia comforted her, saying Daniel disliked extravagance and promised to make it up to her with a grand banquet once she had a child. I heard it and couldn’t help but laugh out loud. In New York, Talia’s family could never reach high society. After Jeremia was reborn, he chose her as his marriage partner because she had given birth to three medical geniuses in her previous life. But he cared about his pride and felt marrying a woman whose background didn’t match his was reason enough not to hold a grand wedding. Does the Larson family lack the money for a wedding? Only Talia naively believed Jeremia’s words. In my previous life, I also believed those words. At that time, I thought Jeremia married me and treated me well because he liked me. After three years without getting pregnant, he completely changed. On my wedding day, Jared held a wedding at the Larson Manor, inviting countless elite families from New York. Jared, dressed in a pure white suit, had a joyful expression on his usually stern face. He wrapped his arm around my waist, lifted my veil amid everyone’s cheers, and kissed my lips. “Happy wedding.” My cheeks flushed, and my heart raced. I thought, “Isn’t Jared supposed to be cold and distant?” “But why does the person in front of me seem nothing like the rumors?” In my previous life, he rarely appeared with Talia, always looked cold at family banquets, and spent his days studying medicine, either at the hospital or in his private apartment. And Talia, besides mocking me, always said Jared was like a work robot. After the wedding, Jared took me to live in an apartment outside. I was a bit surprised. “Don’t we need to live with your parents at the Larson Manor?” In my previous life, Jeremia insisted on living with his parents and told me we must be filial and not let them feel lonely. Jared tugged at his tie and gave a faint smile. “No need. How can we enjoy our time together if we live with them?” My face turned red, not knowing how to respond. Jared picked me up and carried me into the bedroom. When I woke up again, the housekeeper told me he had gone on a business trip to treat a patient. I looked at the message he sent on my phone, feeling a bit lost. It seems he really loves his work.

People in the circle all say Talia is Jeremia’s true love, and the two are considered a model couple. Jeremia cares a lot about Talia’s health and bought her many supplements. To protect her, he even argued with Freya. He almost always gives in to her, earning the media’s title of “ideal husband.” But somehow, my news spread to the hospital where I work. “The day after their wedding, her husband went on a business trip. Sofia really is just a pawn in a marriage alliance. Maybe Jared has someone he loves out there!” “Could be! What’s the point of a grand wedding? Marriages in wealthy families are just mutual benefits.” Colleagues at the hospital talked about me behind my back. I don’t even know who I offended; even the media started spreading rumors that Jared was forced to marry a woman he doesn’t love and avoids coming home after the wedding. And these rumors about me finally erupted completely at a family dinner. After a year apart, Talia doesn’t seem as great as others claimed. Her figure was out of shape, her eyes filled with exhaustion, and a few pimples appeared on her face. When she saw me, shock and jealousy flashed in her eyes. “Sofia, I didn’t expect you to be doing so well without Jared around.” I smiled. “He’s away on a business trip, of course I’m doing just fine.” Talia pursed her lips, then clung to Jeremia’s arm with a hint of pride in her tone. “Jeremia treats me so well, he wouldn’t bear to go on long business trips. He even tells me not to work too hard and just stay home to enjoy life.” Seeing that I didn’t seem to react, she added, “Why don’t you quit your job too? Working at the hospital is so exhausting. Could it be that Jared isn’t giving you money to spend?” I smiled and said, “Do I need a man to support me? You know my family is wealthy. Besides, how do you know my husband hasn’t given me money?” Talia was momentarily speechless. Before she could say anything else, Jeremia suddenly spoke, “It seems like you really like Jared being away on business trips often.” I replied indifferently, “Of course, I love my husband.” Jeremia’s face suddenly darkened, letting out a cold snort. Talia’s gaze shifted back and forth between Jeremia and me, and she hurriedly tried to pull him away. Jeremia, who had always been obedient to her, suddenly shook off her hand, causing her to stumble and almost fall to the ground. Jeremia’s face darkened as he said coldly, “Sofia, after marrying Jared, do you think no one else matters? Do you really believe your marriage is that solid?” “Jared can solve your family’s problems, and I can make your family face problems again!” I let out a cold laugh, not wanting to argue with him anymore, and turned to leave. But at that moment, Jeremia suddenly grabbed my hand. “I won’t allow you to like anyone else!” As I struggled, a cold shout came from the doorway, “Let her go!”

My name is Hannah Martin. Watching my good friend Jayla Howard diligently do laundry, cook, feed medicine, and massage the elderly Louis Gordon upstairs, I knew she had also been reborn. In my previous life, Jayla and I were roommates, and we were often woken up in the middle of the night by Louis’s violent coughing. I went upstairs to find out and learned that he was paralyzed in both legs, with no children or family. I felt compassion and immediately decided to take care of him, bringing him meals and giving him massages every day. A month later, Louis suddenly handed me a bank card with a serious expression. “There’s eight million dollars here as your reward.” With this money, I immediately settled my dad’s medical bills. Later, Louis even directly transferred the ownership of the house we were renting to me. He said, “When your dad gets discharged, you can all move in together. That way, I’ll have some company too!” But Jayla, knowing this news, grew jealous of me. During the days I had insomnia, she put an overdose of sleeping pills into my water cup and watched me die in agony. After I died, my boyfriend Anton Sanchez, claiming to be my “fiancé,” cut off my dad’s medical expenses and took the bank card. Jayla spread rumors in front of the neighbors, saying that Louis gave me money because I sold my body. Six months later, the two of them held a grand wedding and fully paid for a villa in the city center. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day Louis was coughing uncontrollably. ***** The poor soundproofing of the high floor allowed Louis’s coughing and wailing to occasionally reach Jayla and me. I slightly sat up, only to be pushed back onto the bed by Jayla the next second. She glared at me warily. “What are you doing? Don’t move!” Saying that, she quickly put on her shoes, threw on a jacket, and rushed out the door without looking back. The heavy sound of the door closing instantly snapped me awake. Watching her actions, I was certain she had been reborn too. Half an hour later, a disheveled Jayla came home. Pinching her nose, she stuffed a pile of smelly clothes into the washing machine. Afterward, she pulled out disinfectant wipes and vigorously scrubbed her fingers. Noticing my gaze, she slowly looked up, her eyes openly filled with hatred toward me. “You were woken up by the coughing too, weren’t you?” She casually tossed the wet wipe into the trash. “Too bad, you’re a step late. “This lifetime, all the wealth and glory belong to me.” I blinked, pretending to look confused. “Jayla, what are you talking about?” She awkwardly swallowed and tentatively asked, “The person upstairs is coughing so badly, you really didn’t hear it?” “I heard it,” I replied calmly. She sneered, “You’re so overflowing with compassion, are you planning to take care of him already?” I shook my head. “I still have a ton of things to do, where would I find the energy to care about others?” Hearing this, Jayla visibly breathed a sigh of relief. When she spoke again, her tone softened quite a bit. “You better stick to your word!” “Anyway, I’m the one taking care of this old man now, so don’t even think about stealing my credit!” The last sentence, she practically shouted through gritted teeth. I smiled calmly. “Don’t worry, I definitely won’t.” Louis is no ordinary person! Jayla, that fool, only saw the money and property he gave me but completely ignored what I lost. In my previous life, I softened for a moment, seeing Louis lonely and helpless, and decided to take time to care for him. When Jayla found out, she mocked me every day. “I never thought you’d be this naive!” “You take care of him, and what will you get in the end? Probably just a pair of old man’s pee-soaked pants!” Faced with her mockery, I felt embarrassed, but I never regretted taking care of Louis. Of course, I took care of him willingly, not because I wanted anything from him. But I never expected that a month later, Louis, who was originally paralyzed, suddenly stood up. He was very happy and laughed, saying it was all thanks to me. I was happy for him too, but I didn’t expect a sudden bad news to arrive. My dad was hospitalized after a car accident. As if he noticed my embarrassment, he handed me a bank card. “I have no family, and no one to spend my money.” “You’ve taken care of me for so long, I have no way to repay you. You must accept this money.” That night, he knocked on my door again and placed a key in my palm. He pointed at the house Jayla and I were renting. “You’re a good kid, and this house is mine too. But soon, it’ll be yours!” “I had someone prepare the transfer documents this afternoon. All you need to do is sign them.” “From now on, this is your home. When your dad is discharged, just bring him here to live.” I was too shocked to speak, and by the time I reacted to refuse, he was already gone. When Jayla heard this, she was furious, her face turning bright red. “Why is Louis being so generous to you?” “Did you sleep with him?” “Hannah, you really disgust me!” Being accused by a good friend, I couldn’t hold back despite my good temper and ended up arguing with her. I never expected that she would hold a grudge and poison me to death. After my death, I found out that Jayla and Anton were high school classmates and had always maintained an ambiguous relationship. The notification sound suddenly chimed, pulling me straight back to reality. I opened my phone and saw it was a payment link sent by Anton. He also sent a message urging: [Hurry up! Pay now! Or I’ll break up with you!]

Looking at the number on the bill, I couldn’t help but widen my eyes. I messaged him: [You spent seven hundred dollars on a meal alone? What did you eat?] As soon as the message was sent, Anton’s call came in. “Why do you care what I ate?” “Hurry up and pay! Can’t you see there’s a countdown on it? Quick! Or I’ll have to place the order again!” I had the speakerphone on and looked up, only to meet Jayla’s face full of schadenfreude. She was touching up her lipstick in the mirror and said without looking up, “I’m heading out later, don’t lock the door.” I nodded and said into the phone, “What did you just say?” “You said if I don’t pay for you, you’ll break up with me?” Anton was silent for a few seconds, then suddenly raised his voice. “Yes! If you don’t pay for me, I’ll break up with you immediately!” Facing his outburst, I calmly said, “Then let’s break up. Remember to return the $30,000 you owe me.” “I’ll give you one day. If you don’t return it, then see you in court!” After saying that, I hung up the phone and muted his messages. Jayla was stunned seeing this. After a long pause, she finally spoke, “Did I hear that right? You actually broke up with Anton?” “Are you crazy? With your situation, you should be grateful that Anton is willing to be with you. How dare you break up with him?” She got more and more agitated, constantly poking my shoulder. I rudely pushed her arm away. “If you think he’s so great, then you be with him!” Saying that, I reached out my hand to her. “Or, will you help him pay back the money?” She bit her lip and then glanced at her phone. A few minutes later, she angrily pushed open my bedroom door. “Give me your bank account! Isn’t it just thirty thousand dollars? I’ll pay it back for him!” Hearing that, I excitedly picked up my phone and sent her my bank account. The notification sound of a successful transfer filled the bedroom; Jayla was somewhat reluctant to part with her money. She said, “I gave you the money, from now on, Anton has nothing to do with you.” “You are not allowed to keep bothering him!” I nodded frantically. “Alright, no problem.” Just thinking about what they did to me in the past life makes me so angry. I can’t wait for them to stay far away from me! I never thought I could get back this $30,000, after all, I know very well what kind of person Anton is. He loves saving face, so overspending has become second nature to him. After he got together with me, all the food and drinks were on my dime. During this time, I kept hesitating about breaking up with him, but I was also worried I wouldn’t get the money back after breaking up, so I kept delaying it. I didn’t expect such a perfect opportunity to come up today, truly lucky! Just before leaving, Jayla suddenly turned around and arrogantly waved her phone. “Oh, by the way, I haven’t told you yet. “Just now, Anton and I got together. “We also posted it online, make sure to give it a like!” I obediently nodded. “Wishing you both happiness!” Not getting the response she wanted, her face twisted with anger. She slammed the door hard and walked away cursing all the way. After she left, I quickly started looking for a place on rental websites. Louis’s incident left me deeply traumatized. This place feels so eerie, I don’t want to stay a moment longer. I kept scrolling through rental listings until I fell asleep at 3 a.m. But at 7 a.m. the next morning, a commotion suddenly erupted outside. “Honey, we can be together openly from now on!”

I couldn’t be more familiar with that voice. Anton and Jayla kissed without restraint, and the sounds grew louder. Lacking sleep, I had no choice but to wear earplugs. Half an hour later, a phone call instantly silenced them. “Mr. Gordon, are you awake?” “Great! I’m coming up right away. I’ve bought everything you wanted to eat!” “I even learned a new massage technique, just waiting to help you relax today!” “Don’t worry, I guarantee you’ll be satisfied!” Jayla hung up the phone and immediately got up to leave. Anton, puzzled, grabbed her arm. “I’m not done yet. Where are you going?” “Taking care of the old man upstairs? Are you crazy?” Jayla lowered her voice. “Keep it down! I’m doing all this for our future.” “He’s really rich!” “You’ll know when the time comes!” For the following week, to avoid awkwardness, I stayed in the company’s office. During these days, I found a house I liked and took my dad for a full medical check-up. I only felt completely relieved after the report showed everything was normal. On Monday morning, I took leave to prepare for the move. But when I got home to pack my luggage, I suddenly realized that my bedroom had been taken over by Jayla. She had piled all her stuff on my bed. I kicked open her bedroom door, and inside, two people were naked, embracing. Seeing it was me, they slowly got dressed without any rush. A few minutes later, Jayla appeared in front of me, and I was so startled that I stepped back. It had only been a few days, but she looked like she had aged over ten years. The wrinkles at the corners of her eyes were obvious. Even scarier, she emitted a sour stench, similar to the smell on Louis. “What are you doing here?” She ignored my fear and gave me a shove. “I’m asking you a question, didn’t you hear me?” I clenched my fists. “You still have the nerve to ask why I’m here?” “I’m a tenant here too. I paid the rent. Why can’t I come?” Anton smugly threw the contract in my face. “Open your eyes and take a good look at whose house this really is!” I looked down and saw, to my shock, a property transfer contract. No wonder Jayla aged so quickly! Turns out she took Louis’s house. Anton, with a cigarette in his mouth, mocked, “Got a good look?” Jayla smoothly sat on his lap, but I noticed a trace of disdain flash in Anton’s eyes. Jayla said, “Hannah, now, get out of my house immediately!” “Otherwise, I’ll call the police and report you for trespassing!” “Getting you detained for a few days is no problem!” I shook my head. “No matter whose house this is, I rented it for a year, and I’ve only lived here for three months.” “According to the contract, as the landlord, you should compensate me for my losses.” Anton sneered. “Money? We don’t have any. If you want to stay, then stay!” But Jayla looked at me and Anton with a nervous expression. In the end, she bit her lip and said softly, “Fine, I’ll compensate you! Once you get the money, leave immediately!”