My name is Violet Petrov. I’m pregnant and taking care of my longtime companion cat, Lucy. My husband’s sister, Riley Jacobs, urged me to get rid of Lucy, but I refused. Later, while I was not home, she secretly killed Lucy and threw her into the neighborhood trash bin. After I safely gave birth, she went around bragging, “If I hadn’t killed the cat to prevent her from getting toxoplasmosis, how could she have had a healthy baby?” Later, my daughter Nora Jacobs became more and more outstanding, while her son couldn’t even graduate from middle school. Riley completely broke down and pushed me and Nora off a cliff during a trip. When I opened my eyes again, both she and I had been reborn. She looked at me holding Lucy with a mocking expression. “This time, I won’t try to persuade you again. Let’s see if you can still have a healthy baby!” ***** “Violet, yesterday Riley saw online that cats can transmit toxoplasmosis, so pregnant women shouldn’t keep cats. “Why don’t you just take her advice and get rid of Lucy?” Aaron’s mother, Emily Jacobs’ voice came through, snapping me back to reality. It wasn’t until my fingers touched my slightly rounded belly that I realized I had been reborn. Seeing me stay silent, Emily turned to Riley. “Riley, say something.” Riley stood up, tone full of disdain. “What do you want me to say?” “If she’s so determined, then let her raise it.” “Don’t worry about it anymore. She insists her cat is very clean, so why bother persuading her? We should respect others’ choices.” As soon as these words were spoken, I knew Riley had been reborn too. In my past life, she always claimed it was for my own good, but in reality, she just couldn’t stand me spending money on my cat. I had already discussed with my friend to send Lucy to her place. But Riley wouldn’t listen to me at all and insisted on killing Lucy. She even pretended to persuade me, “Why spend so much money on a cat? You might as well buy a few more outfits for my son!” “I’m doing this for your own good! If you catch toxoplasmosis and have an unhealthy baby, you’ll regret it!” I held the things I just bought online for Lucy, feeling heartbroken. Emily criticized Riley behind my back. “Violet already said she’d give the cat away, why do you have to kill it?” “What if she’s too upset and it affects my grandson?” Riley sneered and said with a smirk, “Mom, you’re too naive. She says she’ll give it away, but isn’t she still thinking about it every day?” “Look at how much stuff she bought for that cat! This money could have paid for several classes for my son!” “Besides, what right does she have to use Aaron’s money to raise a cat? Even if I kill that cat, so what? Who would be sad over an animal?” Emily was actually convinced by her and nodded repeatedly. “True, Aaron works so hard to earn money, and she doesn’t work, just spends recklessly.” I was so furious that I trembled all over, had a big fight with Riley, and almost went into premature labor. She sold everything I bought for Lucy and took all the money. When Nora was born, she went around bragging that it was because she killed my cat that my daughter didn’t end up a fool or disabled. Later, on the day Nora got into a prestigious middle school with the top score in the city, she asked me to help get her useless son into the same school. I directly refused, “The school isn’t mine, I really don’t have that ability.” Her face immediately darkened. “Isn’t your daughter the top student? Tell her to go to the principal and say if they don’t accept my son, she won’t go either!” “Pull some strings, slip in some money to smooth things over, and my son will definitely get in.” I was stunned by her shameless words. I shook my head in disbelief. “No way. Have my daughter threaten the principal? How do you think people will see her?” “Besides, that middle school isn’t just somewhere anyone can get into. You…” I hadn’t finished speaking when she interrupted me. She angrily said, “Your daughter has what she has today all because of me! I killed that cat to save her!” “Is this how you treat your savior? If I had known, I wouldn’t have agreed to Aaron marrying you.” “You ungrateful person!” I completely broke ties with Riley. Later, Aaron kept speaking up for Riley, trying hard to reconcile us, and even arranged a family trip. Only then did I reluctantly let it go. But I never expected that crazy Riley would actually push Nora and me off a cliff.

Thinking of that inexplicable tragic death in my past life, I clenched my fists, hatred surging in my heart. Seeing that I remained silent and Riley didn’t try to persuade me, Emily sighed and hesitated before speaking, “Violet, this cat…” I held Lucy tightly in my arms, gently nuzzling its soft fur with my cheek, and said firmly, “Lucy is like a child to me, I will never give it away.” I shot a cold glance at Riley, my tone suddenly turning icy. “If anyone dares to touch my cat, don’t blame me for turning hostile.” Riley instantly got angry. “Violet, don’t think I’ll kill this cat for your child’s health like I did in our past life!” “I’d like to see what happens to your child without my help!” Emily looked completely puzzled. I gently put Lucy down and unceremoniously kicked Riley out the door. “Are you even human? Cursing your own niece! Get out! Get out of here right now!” Riley stumbled from my push, almost falling. She furiously yelled, “Violet, you bitch! Just you wait and see!” After Riley left, Emily looked at me with reproach in her eyes. “No matter what, Riley is Aaron’s sister. How could you fall out with her over a cat?” “Now that you’ve kicked her out, where is a single mom with a child supposed to live?” I ignored her, held Lucy, and turned back to my room. When I was 25 weeks pregnant, Riley divorced her husband and left with her child, taking nothing. Emily kept complaining to me about how hard life was for Riley. Aaron also repeatedly assured me that Riley wouldn’t affect our lives, so I agreed to let Riley and her son move in. But from that day on, Emily’s heart completely leaned toward Riley’s son. I didn’t say anything, just made up my mind, “When my baby is born, if Emily doesn’t have time to help, I’ll hire a nanny.” In my past life, that was indeed my plan. But in the end, I couldn’t make it happen. Emily said, “I can take care of them, why spend extra money on a nanny?” But in the end, I was the only one taking care of the child. Every day, I had to work on illustrations for others, take care of my daughter, and still find time to cook and clean. Emily and the unemployed Riley refused to do anything. Under such circumstances, I single-handedly raised Nora. But Riley’s son, Anton James, was raised by Emily herself. Compared to Nora, she favored Anton more and even allowed him to bully Nora. After Nora and I died, she hated me for dragging Riley to death with me. She didn’t bury us but instead allowed Anton to scatter our ashes. Aaron watched all this happen and then turned around, took my house and property, and married the woman he had been involved with during my pregnancy. I am now 29 weeks pregnant, lying in bed, stroking my belly and thinking about divorce. Half-asleep, I drifted off. Until a piercing cat’s cry startled me awake. “Beast! How dare you bite me!” Aaron roughly grabbed Lucy by the neck, a fierce look on his face as he was about to walk out. I jumped out of bed, rushed in front of him, grabbed Lucy, and screamed, “What are you doing? What do you want to do to my cat?” A trace of impatience flashed in Aaron’s eyes, followed by a fake smile. “Better not keep this cat. Didn’t Riley say cats have toxoplasmosis, which isn’t good for kids?” “For the sake of the child, let’s send it away.” Before I could speak, Riley’s mocking voice came from outside the door. “Aaron, don’t waste your effort. What does it matter to you if she keeps a cat?” “Anyway, she’s carrying a girl. If the baby turns out to be a fool, just divorce her.” Emily immediately asked nervously, “Riley, did you go with Violet for the ultrasound? Is it really a girl?” Riley said confidently, “Mom, trust me, she’s carrying a girl.” “Then let her keep the cat. If she gives birth to a fool, she’ll be the one to regret it.” Emily stayed silent, and Aaron didn’t say a word either. I couldn’t hold it in and burst out laughing. Riley is Emily’s daughter, and she loves her dearly. But when it comes to me, they don’t want me to have a daughter. It’s ridiculous. I stared at Aaron, my gaze cold. “Aaron, there’s no need to wait until the baby is born. Tomorrow, we’ll file for divorce.”

The three of them were all stunned. Aaron was the first to react, instinctively reaching out to grab me, but I pushed him away. He suppressed his anger and asked me, “What nonsense are you talking about? You’re divorcing me over a cat?” I looked at him expressionlessly, my tone cold. “Aaron, you know very well why I want a divorce.” “Now, take your mom and your sister, and leave this house immediately.” Riley’s gaze was like a knife, wishing to tear me apart. “This house belongs to Aaron too! What right do you have to kick us out?” I sneered, “Do you even have the nerve to mention that? Did he contribute a single cent?” “His meager salary barely covers the utilities, and I pay for everything else. To put it bluntly, I’m supporting your whole family!” “You have no gratitude towards me, only endless complaints. I’ve put up with you for so long.” Seeing the argument between Riley and me escalating, Aaron shouted, “Enough! Riley, say less!” He turned to me, his tone gentle yet helpless. “I don’t know what upset you, but since you don’t want to see us right now, we’ll leave for now.” “I’ll take them to a hotel for a few days. When you’re feeling better, we’ll come back.” “Don’t get too upset, take care of the baby in your belly.” They casually packed a few clothes. Seeing that I never spoke to ask them to stay, they hesitated before getting ready to leave. Just as they were about to leave, I suddenly spoke, “Aaron.” He turned back in surprise. “Are you…” I interrupted him, “Monday at 9 a.m., we’ll go handle the divorce procedures.” Aaron froze but ultimately said nothing and left with them. The originally sound-asleep Anton was woken up and cried uncontrollably. Riley held him, glaring at me with a vicious look that sent a chill down my spine. At that moment, Lucy suddenly appeared out of nowhere, crouching by the door. Riley didn’t even look and kicked hard. Lucy slammed into the chair leg, letting out a painful cry. I held my stomach, carefully squatted down to pick up Lucy, and spoke harshly, “Riley, if you don’t want your foot anymore, I’ll chop it off for you!” She gave me a sidelong glance, a mocking smile curling at her lips. “If I don’t kill this beast to teach you a lesson, you can wait to give birth to an idiot.” “I will teach my son well, make sure he gets into a good school, and countless honors will belong only to him!” Aaron stood by as always, blankly watching Riley humiliate me and the baby in my belly, without saying a word to defend me. I no longer had any expectations of him and slammed the door shut. Outside, Emily’s wails echoed, “How did my son end up marrying such an unreasonable woman!”

The day Jace broke my legs for his sweetheart, I swallowed a full bottle of sleeping pills. As my consciousness faded, I clutched the old train ticket from when we eloped. Then I saw him. Jace. But he was eighteen again. “Does it hurt? I’m gonna kill that bastard!” Eighteen-year-old Jace, the hot-tempered gangster, wiped at my tears, furious. He held a blood-stained steel pipe, pure menace rolling off him. “Tell me. Who did this to you?” My gaze caught on the familiar scar above his brow. Trembling, I pointed at the news report on the TV, where the billionaire Jace Thorne stood in a sharp suit. “It’s your future self!” When I opened my eyes, I wasn’t greeted by the sterile white walls of a hospital. Instead, I was staring at the moldy ceiling of a mansion’s storage room. I tried to move. A piercing pain shot through my legs. Looking down, I saw both legs encased in thick plaster casts. “You’re awake?” The voice was familiar, young, and exploded right beside my ear. I painstakingly turned my head. Crouched by the bed was a boy in ripped jeans, a scar above his brow. Eighteen-year-old Jace Thorne. His eyes were bloodshot. He still clutched the bloody steel pipe. His hand reached for my legs, then froze in mid-air and recoiled. His hand was trembling. “Scarlett, does it hurt?” His voice was hoarse, and fat tears rolled down his face. “Don’t worry, I’ll get us out of here. We’ll fight our way through this.” I looked at him, despairing. I wanted to tell him it was useless. Just then, the storage room door was kicked open. The loud bang sent dust raining down. Thirty-year-old Jace Thorne stood in the doorway. Behind him, Serena Hayes, clad in a white dress, wore a look of contrived innocence. The scene was so ironic. Eighteen-year-old Jace would have sold his blood just to buy me a hot meal. Thirty-year-old Jace had personally broken my legs just to soothe Serena’s anger. Jace strode in, his expensive leather shoes clicking heavily on the floor. He saw the twelve-year-old elopement ticket still clutched tightly in my hand. His eyes instantly filled with utter disgust. “Scarlett, stop playing games.” “Who are you trying to scare with a whole bottle of sleeping pills? Breaking your legs was meant to teach you a lesson. Stay away from Serena.” I said nothing, just stared at him. In the air, the eighteen-year-old Jace went berserk. “Stop, you bastard!” The boy roared. He raised the steel pipe and swung it in a wild arc at the thirty-year-old man. “That’s Scarlett! How could you?! How dare you!” The pipe hissed through empty air, passing clean through his torso. The eighteen-year-old Jace froze. He stared at his own hands, then raised the pipe and brought it down again. Once. Twice. Three times. Each swing passed through nothing but air. The boy unleashed a raw, guttural scream, his face twisted in agony. “Why can’t I hit him! Why?!” “Is he a monster?! That’s Scarlett!” Thirty-year-old Jace couldn’t hear or see any of this. He was already turning to comfort a “frightened” Serena. She buried her face in his chest, a trembling finger pointed in my direction. “Jace, Scarlett’s eyes are terrifying. She looks like she wants to kill me… I’m so scared.” Jace’s face darkened. To soothe the woman in his arms, he kicked the glass water cup on my bedside table. Smash. A sharp crack. The cup shattered, sending glass shards flying. Several pieces of broken glass sliced my cheek, and blood instantly began to flow. Warm, sticky. I watched the phantom Jace drop to his knees. His ethereal hands frantically scrambled to catch the blood flowing from my face. He was trembling. “Stop… Please, stop bleeding…” “Scarlett, I can’t protect you. I’m so useless…” At the boy’s despair, I laughed. I turned my gaze to the cold, indifferent billionaire Jace, my voice a sandpaper rasp. “You deserve to die.” Jace frowned, a flicker of displeasure in his eyes. I stared into his eyes, enunciating each word. “You personally murdered the year you loved me most.” Jace’s heart inexplicably clenched. The sudden, sharp pain made his face go pale for a moment. But he quickly dismissed the strange sensation. He scoffed, wrapped an arm around Serena, and turned to leave. Only a single, icy sentence was left hanging in the air. “Keep an eye on her. Don’t let her die. She’s nothing but bad news.” The door slammed shut. Only the eighteen-year-old ghost remained, kneeling by my bed, repeatedly slamming his forehead against the floor to the empty air.

Jace was holding his autobiography launch. To cultivate a perfect entrepreneurial image, his PR team suggested he completely erase his “gangster” past. That, naturally, included me. The next morning, several bodyguards stormed into the storage room. They roughly grabbed my shoulders and dragged me off the bed. A tearing pain shot through my broken legs. I broke out in a cold sweat but bit my lip, refusing to make a sound. The eighteen-year-old Jace went wild. He swung a phantom knife, stabbing wildly at the bodyguards. “Don’t touch her! Get your hands off her!” He dodged between them, slashing and screaming. But it was useless. The bodyguards acted oblivious, pinning me down without pause. Jace walked in. In his hand was a laser tattoo removal device. Across my collarbone ran a line of black ink: “JT&S.” Jace had dragged me to get it done when we were eighteen. We had no money back then, so we went to some dodgy parlor. It hurt so much I cried. He held me and comforted me all night, swearing he’d never get it removed. Now, thirty-year-old Jace stood before me and switched on the machine. “Remove it.” He commanded, his tone leaving no room for argument. “I don’t want Serena seeing these filthy things and getting the wrong idea, and I certainly don’t want the media catching wind of it.” I looked at him and suddenly found it hilarious. “Jace, you begged me to get this done.” Jace’s face was expressionless. “I was young and stupid back then. Now, I just find it disgusting.” The moment the laser hit my skin, a smell of burning flesh filled the air. Excruciating pain, like an electric current, shot through my entire body. I bit my lip so hard my nails dug into my flesh, but I didn’t make a single sound. I wanted to see if this man’s heart was truly made of stone. “Ah!!!” The phantom Jace beside me let out a heart-wrenching shriek. He knelt beside me, clutching his own collarbone as if the laser were burning him. “Don’t touch her! I endured that pain for an entire night to get that done!” “That’s Scarlett’s skin! How dare you, you bastard!” The boy cried, his body convulsing, tears and snot streaking his face. He tried to push away the doctor holding the machine, but his hands passed through the man again and again. On the TV mounted on the wall, the preview for the launch event was being broadcast live. Serena Hayes was present, introduced as Jace’s “soulmate.” She wore a haute couture gown, and around her neck hung the “Heart of Eternity” diamond necklace that was originally meant for me. Eighteen-year-old Jace had promised me he’d buy it for me someday when he made enough money. Now, it sparkled brightly around another woman’s neck. I was in such extreme pain that I started to hallucinate. I thought I saw young Jace, holding my hand, running in the sunset. He said, “Scarlett, when I get rich, I’ll build you a palace.” I wanted to laugh, but I couldn’t. I don’t know how long it took, but the laser finally stopped. The letters on my collarbone were now a mangled, bloody scar. Its original form was unrecognizable. Jace walked over to inspect his “handiwork.” He looked at the raw flesh and nodded in satisfaction. “Clean that up properly. No scars.” With that, he turned to leave. In the corner, young Jace was curled up, hugging his knees. He was no longer screaming, no longer raging. He just bowed his head, his voice as faint as popping bubbles. “I’m sorry, Scarlett… My current self is such trash.” “I can’t protect you… I can’t even protect a tattoo.” I endured the intense pain, painstakingly raising my hand. I made a gesture as if to pat his head in the empty air. “It’s okay.” I whispered, and tears finally streamed down my face. “I don’t want him anymore.”

On Serena’s birthday, Jace, in an act of ultimate humiliation, hosted the party at his home. He even forced me, in my wheelchair, to serve drinks and appetizers to his glamorous guests. Clad in a maid’s uniform, I navigated the crowd in my chair. Every shift sent a dull ache through my broken legs. “”Well, well. If it isn’t the fierce Scarlett we all remember.” One of Serena’s friends covered her mouth in feigned surprise. “To think she’d end up a crippled maid. How the mighty have fallen.” A ripple of laughter spread through the room. Serena clung to Jace’s arm as she approached, pretending concern. “Please, don’t speak of Scarlett that way. She’s suffered enough. Scarlett, why not tidy that mess in the corner for me?” She pointed to a pile of clutter. My eyes followed, and my pupils tightened. On top lay a worn wooden guitar. It was my birthday gift from eighteen-year-old Jace, who saved for three months doing construction and selling his blood to buy it. It was the purest romance he’d ever given me during that desperate age. I pushed my wheelchair like a madwoman, rushing towards it. “Don’t touch it!” I screamed, my voice hoarse. A flicker of malice crossed Serena’s eyes. She lifted her stiletto heel and savagely stomped through the guitar’s soundbox. “CRACK!” “Oh, my, why is this junk so fragile?” Serena disdainfully scraped her shoe on the floor. “It’s covered in dust, so dirty.” In that moment, the string of my sanity snapped. I don’t know where I found the strength, but I lunged from my wheelchair. I bit down hard on Serena’s ankle. “AHHH!!” Serena let out a bloodcurdling scream. “Jace! Help! This lunatic is biting me!” “Scarlett! You have a death wish!” Jace’s furious voice roared above me. Immediately, a massive force struck me. He slammed his open palm across my face. SMACK. The blow was incredibly heavy. I was sent flying, crashing hard against the corner of a coffee table. My ears rang, and the world instantly went silent. Blood seeped from my ear, staining the carpet crimson. I couldn’t hear the gasps around me, couldn’t hear Serena’s cries. But I saw it. I saw eighteen-year-old Jace Thorne, completely unhinged. He knelt on the floor, picking up the shattered guitar, trying to piece it back together, but it was impossible. He clutched the broken remains, letting out a silent, anguished wail that tore through the heavens. Then, he suddenly stood, picked up a sharp wooden shard, and lunged at Jace and Serena. He wanted to kill those despicable two. He charged again and again, passing through their bodies each time. Jace held a “frightened” Serena. His eyes, full of disgust, were fixed on my crumpled form. “Lock this crazy woman in the basement!” He pointed at the guitar fragments on the floor. “Burn all this junk! It’s an eyesore!” In the courtyard, flames blazed sky-high. That guitar, which carried all the boy’s love, was tossed into the fire pit. Flames devoured the instrument, crackling and popping. Young Jace, oblivious to everything, rushed into the fire. He wanted to snatch the guitar back. The flames passed through his body as he twisted and struggled in the inferno. “Don’t burn it! That’s for Scarlett! That’s for Scarlett!” He knelt in the fire pit, his hands fruitlessly grasping at the ashes. In that moment, I couldn’t even clearly see the eighteen-year-old Jace anymore. This, I thought, is what it feels like for your heart to die. Jace suddenly felt a pang of panic. That feeling of dread was even stronger than before. It was as if something vital was slipping away from him forever.

Late at night, the rain poured relentlessly. I was locked in the basement, burning with a high fever. My broken legs were swollen like inflated balloons, and the wounds had started to fester. I knew if I didn’t leave soon, I would die here. I dragged my broken legs, crawling towards the narrow vent window. Every inch I crawled left a trail of blood on the floor. “Scarlett, crawl out! Don’t look back!” The phantom boy crawled ahead of me in my hallucination. He was clearing a path for me. He used his ethereal body to shield me from the nonexistent wind and rain. “Almost there, just a little further.” He looked back at me, a encouraging smile on his face, but his eyes were full of anguish. I gritted my teeth, my nails digging into the dirt, inching forward. Finally, I crawled out of the basement. The torrential rain instantly drenched me. I greedily gasped for the outside air. However, the next second, several powerful flashlight beams hit my face. The blinding light made it impossible to open my eyes. “Running? Where do you think you’ll go?” Jace, holding a black umbrella, emerged from the rain. He wore polished leather shoes, and the tip of one shoe hooked under my chin, his eyes full of mockery. “Serena is pregnant. She can’t handle stress.” “Since you love causing trouble so much, you can go stay somewhere quiet.” My body went cold. The “quiet place” was a fully enclosed psychiatric hospital in the city outskirts. Two burly orderlies roughly grabbed me, throwing me onto a bed like a dead dog. My limbs were tightly bound with leather straps. “Give her a shot. Make her quiet.” Jace stood outside the glass window, giving cold instructions. A large dose of sedatives was injected into my body. My consciousness began to scatter, but my heart pounded as if it would explode. I was allergic to this medication. Breathing became difficult, my throat felt as if it were being choked. The monitoring equipment let out a shrill alarm. “Mr. Thorne, the patient seems to be having an allergic reaction, respiratory failure…” The doctor called to ask for instructions. On the other end of the line, Jace was with Serena for her prenatal check-up. His impatient voice came through. “Don’t let her cause trouble. Increase the dosage. If she dies, it’s on me.” The doctor hung up, his eyes turning ruthless. The orderly roughly yanked my oxygen mask aside. “This woman is such a hassle. She’d be better off dead.” A suffocating sensation washed over me like a tide. I opened my mouth wide, but couldn’t draw in a single breath of air. My vision blurred, and the world turned black and white. Just when I thought I was truly going to die. The bloody boy returned. This time, he was no longer an ethereal shadow. The light bulbs in the ward suddenly exploded. “Bang! Bang! Bang!” Sparks flew, and darkness descended. The heart monitor no longer beeped; it emitted a sharp, piercing shriek. Jace Thorne stood in the center of the ward, covered in blood. His body… had solidified! It was an entity forged from ultimate hatred. “Touch her… you dare touch her…” The boy lowered his head, his voice a guttural rasp, thick with the scent of blood. He abruptly looked up, his eyes blazing crimson like a demon. BOOM! He drove his fist through the one-way mirror. A storm of glass filled the air. Jace stood outside the glass, having just rushed to the hospital. His eyes were wide with horror. He stared at the “monster” who looked exactly like his younger self but radiated pure murderous intent. Across the shattered window frame, Jace glared back at his future self. Rain streaked his face, cutting through the blood. His lips drew back, revealing a chilling, blood-stained grin. He mouthed silently. “I told you.” “I’m taking you to hell.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “331631”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #重生Reborn #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #魔幻Magic #校园School

At our seventh anniversary dinner, my husband said just one thing. “Babe, pass the lemon juice.” My best friend instantly rose and passed it to him. I stared, stunned. Chloe quickly explained. “Habit,”she said. “We’re always passing things at family dinners. Do you need some lemon, Valerie?” “No, thank you.” I kept my smile perfectly in place. My fork clattered to the floor. Bending to pick it up, I saw it: my husband’s leg and Chloe’s, tangled under the table, snapping apart. After the party, I told Mark calmly. “Let’s get a divorce.” Mark was shocked. “What the fuck?! Because she passed me the lemon juice?!” Mark turned on me, furious. “Your leg was tangled with hers under the table,” I stated, my voice cold. Mark scoffed. “You’re imagining things. I stretched. My leg brushed hers. That’s it. What, am I not allowed long legs now?” He wouldn’t admit a thing, so I pressed harder. “You also cut her favorite salmon for her, poured her favorite orange juice. Since when do you know Chloe’s favorites?” Mark’s face darkened. “Valerie, have you lost your mind? I was being hospitable. Since when is that a crime?” I didn’t stop. “No wonder she’s stayed single. Tell me, Mark. When did it start with you two?” Mark fell silent, then stormed out, slamming the door. I sank into a chair, overwhelmed, staring at the messy table. We met in college. I came from money but never held his humble start against him. For two years, I was the one who paid the bills. He had always been gentle with me. And yet he cheated. With my best friend. At 11 PM, he still wasn’t home. I went straight to Chloe’s bar. Before I even pushed open the door, I heard Mark’s complaining voice from inside. “You guys know I’m being bullied by my crazy wife, and you’re laughing? Don’t you have any sympathy?” The room was packed, mostly with our mutual friends. Chloe toyed with a glass, leaning against Mark. “Whose fault is it for being so careless, calling me ‘babe’ right in Valerie’s house?” “I thought she wouldn’t be so sensitive. Guess I was wrong, she still figured it out.” She set down her glass and lit a cigarette with the limited-edition lighter I’d given her for her birthday last year. But as she took a drag, Mark casually took the cigarette from her. “You’re pregnant, you can’t smoke!” “Fine, fine. Whatever you say. No smoking. After all, you’re the father of my baby, so you’re the boss.” She stroked her still-flat stomach, resting her head on Mark’s shoulder, a smile playing on her lips. All the blood in my veins turned to ice in that instant. Chloe and Mark weren’t just having an affair; they were having a baby!

“Honestly, Valerie’s such a fool, always insisting on that child-free lifestyle.” “She’s been pampered too much, so she doesn’t know how to think about others.” Everyone around them was siding with the cheating couple. And my husband, Mark, held Chloe’s hand, saying deeply. “Chloe, the fact that you’re willing to bear my child makes you the love of my life!” Hearing his words, tears streamed down my face, and I almost collapsed. My mother had a difficult childbirth when I was born, suffering a massive hemorrhage and passing away before she could even hold me. Because of this, I’d always been terrified of childbirth, and I told Mark about it early in our relationship. But Mark had held me tight then, saying. “Meeting you in this lifetime is enough for me. Children aren’t important at all. My love for you won’t diminish one bit!” I was so touched back then. But now, seeing Mark’s heartfelt gaze toward Chloe, I knew I had been wrong! Just then, someone asked. “Are you two planning to hide it from Valerie forever?” Everyone looked at them expectantly. Mark immediately shook his head. “Chloe and Valerie have been friends for over twenty years. I don’t want to see their friendship ruined. Besides, my business is deeply intertwined with Valerie’s family’s empire. I can’t afford to divorce her.” So, the fundamental reason Mark stayed with me was purely for personal gain. A ripple of murmurs went through the room, and some cast sympathetic glances at Chloe. “Chloe, you’re such a proud person. Are you really content with this?” Chloe kissed Mark, then replied. “Who even cares about marriage anymore? Besides, isn’t this… more thrilling?” Laughter filled the private room, but I felt like I’d fallen into hell. Even worse, I was the last one in our friend group to know about it. With tears streaming down my face, I walked out of the bar and dialed the legal department. “Prepare the divorce papers for me. I want Mark to leave with nothing. Also, I need you to do a few other things for me…”

The following day was the eightieth birthday of Mark’s grandfather, David Davies. But when I walked through the estate gates, I found Chloe inside, seated as if she were family. Mark’s mother was holding her hand warmly, her face alight with fond attention. “Chloe, dear, pregnant women need to focus on nutrition. You’re too thin; it breaks my heart to see. From now on, I’ll prepare your three meals a day, and Mark will bring them to you every day!” Chloe smiled sweetly and innocently, showing no hint of panic when she saw me enter. “Valerie, it’s such a big day, why are you only just arriving? I’ve been waiting for ages.” Before I could answer, Mark’s mother interjected. “She’s a privileged rich girl, it’s a wonder she came at all, why expect so much?” Mark’s mother finished, then immediately offered a strawberry to Chloe. “This strawberry is so sweet, eat more.” I sat across from Chloe. “When did you get pregnant? Mark’s mother knows, but I’m still completely in the dark.” A flicker of guilt crossed Chloe’s face, then she smiled. “Just found out. I was planning to tell you today.” “Yes, pregnant women have a special aura about them. Those of us who’ve had children can spot it right away!” Mark’s mother chimed in, smoothing things over, but not forgetting to take a jab at me. “Valerie, you haven’t had children, so you wouldn’t understand.” I ignored her, my gaze still fixed on Chloe. “Who’s the baby’s father? When are you two planning to get married?” Sensing the coldness in my voice, the smile on Chloe’s lips faded slightly. “I don’t believe in marriage. I never planned to.” But I smiled. “Are you really willing to let your child be branded as illegitimate, laughed at by other kids at school?” Chloe’s face cycled between green and white, glaring at me, unable to utter a word. Just then, Mark, who hadn’t appeared yet, finally entered, assisting Grandpa David. The moment he saw Chloe at the dining table, his face instantly changed. “Chloe, what are you doing here? Who invited you?” “I invited Chloe!” Mark’s mother suddenly stood up and declared loudly. Then she pointed at me and scolded. “Mark’s grandfather is over eighty, and you still haven’t given us an heir! Now that Chloe has finally conceived Mark’s child, of course I have to invite her!” Mark was furious, almost jumping up. “Mom, what are you talking about? Chloe and I are innocent; how could she be carrying my child?” He desperately winked at his mother, but she pushed him away. “What’s there to hide? It’s Valerie’s fault for not being able to have children! And now she dares to be so brazen, calling my grandson illegitimate!” “I’ve wished for this grandson for so long, how can I allow anyone to insult him like this!” Mark was on the verge of tears, about to explain, but Chloe stood up, looking directly at me. “Valerie, you already knew, didn’t you?” “Since it’s come to this, I won’t hide it from you anymore. I am indeed pregnant with Mark’s child.” “All these years, I’ve seen how good he’s been to you and all his sacrifices. I’ve envied you, and I’ve also resented you for not appreciating what you had, for not even being willing to have a child for him.” “You don’t treasure such a good man, but there are plenty of women who want him!” Right in front of me, she grabbed Mark’s hand and declared confidently. “Everything Valerie can give you, I can give you too! I’m tired of holding back. Today, I’m going to be with you openly!” Mark’s eyes flickered, calculating. Then, decisively, he took Chloe’s hand. His gaze when he looked at me was final. “Since the truth is out, Valerie, let’s make this clean. We’ll divorce. I don’t want a cent of yours. But the Davies Corporation is mine. I built it. You won’t lay a finger on it.” I looked at his utterly shameless face and laughed. Without me, how could a poor student like him have gotten his first round of funding? How would he have taken it public in a decade? It didn’t matter. I had more than just revenge in mind. I had a better game to play. Right there, in front of them both, I took out my phone. “It’s Valerie Yates. The corporate ambush on Hayes Group and Davies Corporation can now commence.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “331630”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #重生Reborn #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #魔幻Magic #校园School

I wore stunning makeup and a sexy deep-V dress the day I divorced billionaire Richard Sterling. He looked at me with disgust. “Dressed like that? Already on the prowl?” I touched the ruby at my throat and smiled. “Yes. And you even know him.” He scoffed.”Delusional. You’re forty and divorced. Who’d want you? Beg, and I might take you back.” Offended? Please. Just last night at my bachelorette, seven guys asked for my digits. A handsome one even proposed on the spot. Richard didn’t head for the courthouse right away. He drove in the opposite direction. Catching my questioning look, his voice was ice. “Valerie will be there today. Once we’re done, I’m marrying her. She’s waited twenty years. No more waiting.” So that was it. Our entire marriage-a hollow, convenient arrangement. A performance that had run its course. When we arrived outside Valerie Hayes’s house, I got out to buy a bottle of water. When I came back, she was in my seat. “Scarlett, I always ride up front with Richard. You understand, don’t you?” Why would I? We were here to get a divorce anyway. I simply climbed into the back seat. Just then, Valerie turned her head, her eyes fixed on my wrist. “What a beautiful bracelet!” “Scarlett, give Valerie the bracelet,” Richard ordered, his hands on the steering wheel, not even glancing back. This bracelet was a birthday gift from Richard three years ago. My fiancé wouldn’t want me wearing another man’s jewelry, so I slipped it off and held it out to Valerie. “I have plenty of jewelry at home. If you like it, I’ll send all of it to you.” Seeing this, Richard nodded, satisfied. “Scarlett, as long as you don’t cause a scene, I promise no one in our circle will know about our divorce.” I didn’t answer. He had no idea I was getting remarried very soon myself. Suddenly, my phone vibrated. It was my fiancé. “I’ve boarded, I’ll be there soon.” His voice was full of tenderness. “I miss you so much!” I happily replied, “Okay, see you in a bit.” Richard caught the smile on my lips in the rearview mirror. A surge of irritation flared in him. He was about to ask who it was when Valerie, sitting in the passenger seat, suddenly shrieked. “What’s wrong?” Richard asked gently, turning his head. Valerie cried, “Oh no, the bracelet broke! It was fine a moment ago.” I was still busy on the phone, completely unaware of the bracelet. Richard’s anger immediately ignited. He grabbed the broken bracelet and hurled it at me. Before I could even react, Richard snatched my phone and threw it out the car window. My phone was instantly crushed by a passing car. “Richard Sterling, what the hell is wrong with you!” I yelled, furious. Richard pulled the car to the side of the road and dragged me out. My heel slipped, and I twisted my ankle the moment my foot hit the ground. Seeing my swollen ankle, he scoffed and threw my hand away in disgust. “I only asked you to give Valerie a bracelet, and you deliberately broke it. Scarlett, how can you be so vicious!”

He convicted me without even asking? I looked up at Valerie in the car. She quickly averted her eyes, flustered. From the moment she arrived, I was recast in Richard’s story as the villain. My investment in his family firm became a scheme to force his hand in marriage. My ambition to excel was a plot to steal his empire. Even my choice of clothes was a calculated bid to stir his jealousy. Now, even though Valerie had deliberately broken the bracelet, he still thought it was my doing. But today, I was too tired to argue with him. “Yes, that’s right. I didn’t want to give it to her. I wanted to spite her. Are you satisfied now?” Gritting my teeth against the searing pain in my ankle, I straightened up and turned, walking away down the road without looking back. He stood by the car, haughty. “Scarlett, since you admit it, don’t blame me for punishing you! You can walk to the courthouse yourself today!” Ha, leave me? Hadn’t he abandoned me for Valerie enough times? At our wedding, he received a message from Valerie and left without a word of explanation, right in front of all our guests. The night I had appendicitis, he also abandoned me to go see Valerie. After all that, my heart had long since turned to ice. By the time I reached the courthouse, my foot was incredibly swollen. I was leaning against a wall by the roadside to rest when someone suddenly rushed up from behind and forcefully swept me into his arms. “Richard Sterling, put me down!” Richard’s face was taut. As if he hadn’t heard me, he walked straight inside. As we passed Valerie, a flash of resentment flickered in her eyes. The moment we entered, a staff member approached us. “Sir, madam, are you here for a marriage certificate?” Richard’s face darkened, and his grip instantly loosened, setting me down. “No, we’re here for a divorce.” After the paperwork was done and I had my divorce certificate, I sat aside, waiting for my fiancé to pick me up. “Scarlett, aren’t you leaving? Your foot looks pretty bad. Richard and I can take you to the hospital after we get our marriage certificate!” Valerie said, smiling sweetly as she intimately linked her arm with Richard’s. I touched up my lipstick in my compact mirror. “No thanks, I’m waiting for my fiancé. He’ll take me to the hospital later.” “Oh, what a coincidence! Richard, why don’t we wait with Scarlett for a bit?” Valerie pulled Richard to sit next to me. “Once we’re done with our marriage certificate, if Scarlett’s fiancé still hasn’t arrived, we can give her a ride.” Valerie probably thought I was fabricating a “fiancé” to maintain my dignity. Richard tenderly took her hand and put it in his pocket to warm it. “You’re always worrying about others, you know.” The sky was getting dark, and my fiancé still hadn’t arrived. I reached into my pocket for my phone, only to remember it had been crushed by the car earlier. Annoyed, I stood up, about to leave. Valerie, clutching her freshly acquired marriage certificate, walked over, smiling. “Scarlett, why isn’t your fiancé here yet? You don’t have to lie to us, you know. Where would you get a fiancé? Let us take you to the hospital!” I checked my pockets again. I hadn’t brought a single cent. So, I didn’t refuse her offer. Stepping outside, I carefully descended the steps, holding onto the railing. “Scarlett, let me help you.” Valerie hurried to catch up. I was on the verge of dismissing her when- “Ah!” A sharp cry. Her foot seemed to slip, and she fell backwards. Richard caught her effortlessly. She clung to his chest, tears instantly welling in her eyes. “Scarlett, I only wanted to help. Why would you push me?” Richard gently stroked her back, his face filled with tenderness. He turned and grabbed my hand, yanking me down the steps. “You’re truly ungrateful, Scarlett.” I was clutching my ankle. He saw it, and a flicker of hesitation crossed his face. He was about to tell me to get in the car when Valerie’s lips parted slightly, and she murmured, “Richard…” He immediately pulled her in his arms into the car. They drove away, leaving me behind.

I hobbled to the police station and asked an officer to take me to the hospital. I had my assistant bring me a new phone. The moment I inserted my old SIM card, a call came through. “Scarlett! You finally picked up! What happened?” My fiancé sounded on the verge of tears. I looked at my freshly bandaged foot, my eyes lowered. “Nothing serious, just twisted my ankle.” “What! Is it bad? Did you go to the hospital?” His words were urgent; he sounded like he wanted to teleport beside me. “My plane had to turn back halfway because of the weather. The moment it landed, I called you, but no one picked up. I was terrified.” I reassured my fiancé. After hanging up, I saw that Richard, who never posted on Instagram, had actually posted. It was his wedding photo with Valerie. I commented, “Congratulations on your marriage! Wishing you both a lifetime of happiness.” Soon, Richard called me. I hung up and blocked his number. Just as I walked out of the examination room, I bumped into Richard and Valerie coming out of the room next door. “Alone?” Richard instinctively furrowed his brow. Valerie’s face contorted with a flash of pure malice. Then she stepped forward, winding her arm around Richard’s waist, her expression smoothing into saccharine sweetness. “Scarlett, still no fiancé? If he were real, wouldn’t he be here with you?” Just then, my phone rang again. I didn’t offer another word. I quickly hobbled out of the hospital. They followed slowly behind me. “Scarlett, you didn’t just make someone up because Richard and I got married, did you?” Richard’s face melted into understanding. He cupped Valerie’s cheek. “Scarlett, drop the act. You don’t need to invent a fiancé. Very few people are capable of a devotion like Valerie’s-waiting over twenty years.” Valerie pouted, clinging to Richard’s arm. “Richard, let’s not bring up the past. I’d do anything for you.” My phone vibrated again. I gestured to my phone to the people behind me. “Excuse me, my ride is here. I’ll introduce him to you both another day.” “Scarlett, what time is it, and you’re still lying to us?” Richard stood not far from me, seemingly waiting to see if I had actually called a car. The driver pulled over. Richard pulled out a wad of cash and tossed it through the car window. “Cancel this ride. You don’t need to pick them up.” He then turned back to me, looking at me with a smirk, as if convinced the person I spoke of was imaginary. “Where are you going? I’ll give you a ride.” Valerie enthusiastically opened the back door for me. “Scarlett, why don’t you just admit it! Even if you just made someone up on a whim, it’s fine. Richard and I promise we won’t laugh at you.” I sighed, feeling a slight urge to laugh. Since these two were so desperate to know who my fiancé was, revealing it a little early wouldn’t hurt. They both knew him, and they knew him very well. The car began to move. Valerie fed Richard fruit one moment, then nestled into his arms to sleep the next. Richard kept glancing my way, but saw only that I was engrossed in my phone, replying to messages, a faint smile playing on my lips. A wave of irritation washed over him. My phone kept pinging with notifications. It wouldn’t stop. Seeing this, Richard’s stifled anger finally broke through. “What,” he snapped, “are you having your friends message you now? To pretend it’s him?” I sent my last reply and locked the screen. “That won’t be necessary.” He gritted his teeth, reaching to snatch my phone. I shifted my hand just enough to avoid him. “Richard Sterling, you have no right to check my phone now.” Anger creased his brow. He finally looked away, his voice tight. “Fine. Let’s see how long you can keep up the act.” At our destination, I stepped out to wait. Valerie, her expression one of smug anticipation, linked her arm through Richard’s and drew him aside to watch. As the crowd thinned, she smirked. “Scarlett, it’s freezing today. Letcs go home. This time, I’ll make sure Richard takes you all the way home-” Her words died when my fiancé approached, pulled me into a close embrace, and kissed me. Richard’s face turned ashen as he strode over and pulled me away. “Scarlett! You can’t be with him!” Valerie looked even more furious, a hand flying to her chest. Then she seized my fiancé’s arm. “How can you be with her!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “331629”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #重生Reborn #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #魔幻Magic #校园School

The day he admitted the affair and asked for a divorce, I signed the papers immediately. The house, the car, and custody of our child will be awarded to me. Everyone thought I was stalling. Thirty days later— The mistress was suspended the very night she got promoted. The company’s accounts were frozen, forcing it into bankruptcy. I left the city with my child, starting a new life without him. When I pushed the divorce agreement in front of Nathan, it had only been 40 minutes since he told me about his affair and asked for a divorce. As requested, the house, car, and custody of our child would all go to me. He would give me a one-time payment of $2 million for compensation and child support. After that, our child and I would no longer bother him. At that moment, Nathan was in the middle of a conference call. He glanced down, saw the words “Divorce Agreement,” and his expression flickered almost imperceptibly. Then he nodded, indicating he understood. I left the room. To save time for both of us, I packed up all of Nathan’s clothes and belongings. Three full suitcases. Afraid I might have missed something, I even included his childhood photos from the attic. Finally, I saw our wedding photo in the corner. In the photo, Nathan looked handsome and dashing, while I smiled sweetly. We were embracing without a care in the world under the sunlight. That was when he would always hold me close and whisper, “Honey, I love you so much. I’m so lucky to have married you.” Nathan and I met in college. When we first met, he was still a poor boy wearing worn-out canvas shoes. I had plenty of suitors back then, but I fell for Nathan at first sight. He was calm, kind, and good-looking. He had countless qualities I admired. We got married right after graduation, and he started a company with his friends. After I got pregnant, I became a full-time housewife. I devoted myself entirely to taking care of Nathan and our family. As the business grew, Nathan’s social obligations and drinking events increased. In between my busy daily routines, I made time to work out and learn about makeup and fashion. Nathan didn’t disappoint either. No matter how busy he was, he would come home to look after our child and cook. He also helped me handle the relationship with his mother. In others’ eyes, we were the model couple, the model family. I’m not sure when it started, but Nathan began scheduling meetings in the evenings. Sometimes when work got busy, he would stay out all night. Friends joked that I should keep a closer eye on him in case anything happened. I laughed it off, saying it wouldn’t, but I still felt uneasy. I brought them late-night snacks a few times. Nothing seemed amiss. A group of people in meetings, with that woman just waiting at the reception desk. Her name was Chloe. In her early forties, not very tall, on the thin side, with short hair. She looked rather plain, but her voice was unexpectedly gentle, unlike her appearance. She smiled and greeted me. All these years, I had imagined this day might come. I thought it might be a pretty secretary at the company, or a fresh-faced college student, or maybe a powerful female CEO they worked with. I never expected it would be Chloe, the receptionist. I heard she had been married before, but her husband cheated and they divorced. This was her first job after the divorce, and she cherished it greatly. She would come to the office early, learn everyone’s little habits, and occasionally make some pastries. Some colleagues even ordered lunch from her for convenience. When I found out, I told Nathan to look after her a bit, since she was having a tough time. Nathan always responded coolly. “The company isn’t a place for sentiment. I’ve already advised her not to engage in transactions outside of work.” At the time, I teased Nathan for being an unsympathetic boss. Now that I think about it, he was probably upset that Chloe had to make extra food for colleagues after work every day. As for why Nathan chose today to ask for a divorce. I had just made him a hangover soup as usual this morning after he came home drunk. He looked at the soup in front of him, sighed, and pushed it away slightly. After a long silence, he suddenly looked up at me, his eyes weary, and asked if we could get divorced. He confessed that he had been having an affair for six months, sneaking off to hotels every time he worked late. My heart trembled like a sieve, as I struggled to control myself. I asked who it was. When he said Chloe’s name, I even doubted I had heard correctly. A sense of helplessness washed over me. Cold and chilling.

By the time Nathan finished his meeting and came out, I had already eaten, cleaned up the kitchen, and was sitting in the living room watching TV. As if nothing had happened. He turned to take a shower, but halfway through realized there were no towels. Out of habit, he called from the bathroom. “Honey, where’s my bath towel?” Without turning around, I replied: “I’ve already packed it in the suitcase. If you don’t mind, use mine for now. I’ll throw it away later.” I was met with a long silence in response. When Nathan came out, he finally noticed the three suitcases by the door. He sat down across from me and pushed the divorce agreement towards me with his fingertips. “I can give you $1.5 million for child support upfront, and the rest can be paid monthly…” I interrupted: “No need. Let’s do a lump sum buyout. I don’t think she would want you to keep in contact with me either.” Nathan looked at me, puzzled: “The child isn’t just yours. I have the right to be involved in his upbringing. I know this is my fault, and I’m willing to compensate, but you don’t need to use our child as leverage.” I paused the TV show and looked at Nathan seriously. “The affair is your fault, so it’s reasonable for you to pay compensation and child support. Compared to your assets, me getting the house and car isn’t asking too much. Our son has been raised by me since he was little. He’s a sensitive child with needs. Tell me, how much energy will you have to take care of him while you’re in the honeymoon phase of your new relationship? Being involved in his growth isn’t just about money, it’s about time and companionship.” Nathan was left speechless. After a while, he spoke: “In any case, I won’t use $2 million to buy out my relationship with my son.” I reached out and opened the divorce agreement: “The $2 million is for compensation and child support. If you have other emotional needs, you can transfer money to our son. I’ll open a separate card for him.” Nathan suddenly laughed: “Sophia, I never knew you were so obsessed with money. You keep talking about money.” “What else is there? Is loving you useful?” Nathan was stunned into silence. He frowned and swiftly took out a pen to sign the divorce agreement. He also arranged for us to go to the civil affairs bureau tomorrow to apply for divorce. Then he called his driver. I finished watching my show and went to bed. When I woke up in the morning, Nathan was already gone. Our son ran out of his room and hugged me, excitedly telling me about a really happy dream he had last night. As I listened to him share, I tentatively told him that Dad’s company was busy lately, so he might be away on business trips for a long time. Contrary to his usual reaction, our son didn’t insist on calling Nathan to ask, “Dad, when are you coming back?” He just said “Oh” and pursed his little lips: “It’s okay, I have Mom with me.” I instantly couldn’t hold back anymore. Tears spilled from my eyes as I excused myself to the bathroom to compose myself. Agreeing to divorce Nathan made me sad, but mostly I felt I was letting our son down by not allowing him to grow up in a complete family. But I knew this wasn’t my fault. After dropping our son off at school, Nathan and I went to the civil affairs bureau to apply for divorce. There’s a 30-day cooling-off period, after which we can get the divorce certificate. Back in the car, I circled a date on the calendar, marking today. Divorce countdown: 30 days.

I debated whether to tell my parents about the divorce now. I grew up in this city, with all my relatives and friends here. My parents are retired teachers, and I’m their only daughter. They’re very open-minded, but my father’s health hasn’t been great these past couple of years. I was thinking of waiting a bit longer. Nathan called after a couple of days. He rarely called me. Usually, he would text on SnapChat, since I would always reply promptly, which he found convenient. Last night, I had already deleted him from my contacts. I answered the call. Nathan’s voice sounded normal. “Sophia, your mom just called me. She said she’s cooked a lot of dishes tonight and wants us to come over for dinner. I think since your dad’s health isn’t good, maybe we should wait to tell them about the divorce until he’s better. What time do you want to go over? Also, next Sunday is your dad’s birthday. Should I still go with you?” I had been hesitating, but hearing Nathan’s words made me decide to tell my parents the news. I replied that it wasn’t necessary. Nathan: “You don’t need to be stubborn. The elderly’s health is important.” I said calmly: “If you really cared, you wouldn’t have an affair and ask for divorce at a time like this. My dad’s health may not be great, but his mind is clear. I don’t think he would want me to continue in an unfaithful marriage.” “Nathan.” “Hmm?” “Don’t call again. If you want to see our son, follow the agreement. Once a week.” Hearing this, Nathan dropped his conciliatory tone. “Sophia, I’ll say it again. Ethan is my son too, my family…” “But you gave up the family he belonged to, didn’t you?” Finally, I heard Nathan slam down the phone. I promptly hung up and collected my somewhat shattered emotions. I decided to drive to the mall. The bedding, sofa, and all the furniture Nathan liked at home – I planned to replace it all. And I wanted everything in stock. After replacing everything, I cleaned the house thoroughly, then went to my mom’s place. When she saw me without Nathan, she assumed he was busy. I fell silent, feeling a bit nervous as I called out, “Mom.” She immediately sensed something was wrong. Putting down what she was doing, she just stared at me, then gently pulled me into her arms. I didn’t say anything, but as a mother, she could feel my emotions and hurt. I tried to calmly explain everything to her. My mom handed me a tissue to wipe my tears. Her voice was very soft. “It’s okay, divorce is quite common these days. If he’s not faithful, it’s better to end it sooner rather than later. Sophia, Mom only has one request for you.” She finished speaking, her eyes growing moist as she held my hand. “Since you’ve decided to divorce, no matter what happens, don’t ever get back together with him.” I nodded tearfully: “Okay.” After dinner, my mom and dad talked in their room for a long time. When they came out, my dad handed me a big red envelope. He said today was a new beginning, worth celebrating. “I hope my precious daughter will always be happy and blessed.” Leaving my parents’ house, I cried for a long time in the car. Before coming, I was so afraid of disappointing them. They’ve barely argued in their lives, always getting along harmoniously. When I married Nathan, everyone disapproved, but they said they respected my decision. Now that Nathan is successful, everyone admires them for having good judgment. Yet they calmly support my divorce. I wiped my tears and looked at the calendar. Divorce countdown: 28 days.

When I picked up our son from school, he said Grandpa had called saying he missed him and asked if he could stay at their place for a week. He wanted me to take him over. I was taken aback but helped our son pack a small suitcase. He was so excited, saying Grandpa had promised to take him to fly a drone. After dropping our son off, my mom walked me out: “Sophia, cheer up. Go out and have some fun.” As I got in the car, my mom stood there watching me for a long time before going back inside. I opened the mirror in the car and saw my pale face and dejected expression. I took out my makeup and applied a bright lipstick. I went home and packed some things. Then I traveled for a week, hurriedly seeing many people and places, hearing many stories along the way. I came back feeling much more spirited. I looked at the calendar. Divorce countdown: 21 days.

I returned just in time for my dad’s birthday. They decided to hold it at a hotel this time, inviting relatives and friends for a gathering. The hotel wasn’t far from home. There were five tables in total, all filled with familiar relatives and friends. Many people were asking about Nathan. Fortunately, our son had an extracurricular class today and didn’t come. My parents didn’t directly answer the questions. Just as dinner was about to start and my dad went up to give a speech, Nathan arrived. He was dressed in a suit and tie, carrying several gift bags and a big red envelope. The relatives and friends all greeted him. He waited for my dad to come down and handed him the red envelope: “Dad, happy birthday.” My dad glanced at it coolly: “Mr. Miller, you’re too kind. No need for the red envelope, since you and Sophia are already divorced. I wouldn’t dare let you spend the money.” Nathan’s face instantly froze. The relatives and friends were in an uproar, but quickly fell silent. His voice was very low: “We’re still just in the agreement stage…” My dad shook his head: “It’s all the same, same meaning.” He then turned to invite everyone to eat and drink. Nathan just stood there. He gripped the gift bags tightly. My mom politely returned the other things to him. He left without lingering. Seeing him leave, the relatives and friends tacitly agreed not to mention Nathan again. In the future, no one would ask me about him either. That’s good. My mood was gradually recovering, accepting, permeating. I shed the title of Mrs. Miller. I became Sophia Chen again. The property management and housekeeper of the company somehow got the news. They no longer called me Mrs. Miller, but Miss Chen instead. I also quickly wanted to keep myself busy. I planned to open a coffee shop. There was a shop for sale that I liked the location and decor of, so I signed the deal right away. The staff were all still there and could continue operations, but I wanted to take some time to adjust the menu and flavors. I also wanted to change the storefront and furniture. It was temporarily set to soft open. After a busy day at the shop finalizing plans, I was about to head home. I glanced at the calendar in the car. Divorce countdown: 15 days.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “331628”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #重生Reborn #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #魔幻Magic

I personally put my girlfriend into my cousin’s bed. The moment the door closed, I didn’t leave. I sat at the far end of the hallway, listening as the night fermented with ambiguous sounds, counting down to the start of their judgment. Tyler has been divorced for three years, yet he still receives a hefty monthly alimony from his ex-wife, living a life of luxury and indulgence. One day he’s dating a model, the next he’s wooing a college girl. He’s always busy with his conquests. Recently, he set his sights on my girlfriend of six months, Skyler. I wasn’t surprised that he discovered her so quickly. My mom had come to my rented apartment to pick up some things and happened to meet her. My mom’s biggest flaw in life is her constant need to compare herself to others, consumed by envy. Tyler had married well, and even after the divorce, he still had an endless supply of alimony. Add to that my Aunt Lydia’s relentless bragging in front of my mom. It had become my mom’s life mission for me to marry someone even better than Tyler’s ex-wife. My lack of progress in this area had become her constant worry. I met Skyler at a bar. I spotted her in the crowd and it took me over six months to finally win her over. She was younger than Tyler’s ex-wife, prettier, and even wealthier. Wasn’t this exactly what my mom wanted? She immediately announced it in our family group text, even sending out a cash gift via Venmo to celebrate my impending marriage. When I saw this, I could only respond with a waving hand emoji. “It’s not that serious, everyone. Don’t make a big deal out of it.” My mom immediately fired back with a photo in the group text. “With looks like this and carrying a bag like that, you’re not serious? Give me a break!” Tyler chimed in: “Wow, where did our Ethan find such a gem? Do I need to check her out for you?” I didn’t respond, but I knew that whether I liked it or not, he would try anyway. However, this time I was well prepared.

On the first day of our relationship, I told Skyler, “I have a very handsome and smooth-talking cousin who likes to add my girlfriends on Snapchat. If he tries to add you, please don’t accept.” Skyler jokingly asked, “Afraid I’ll fall for him?” I chuckled softly and said, “I’m afraid you’ll fall for his charm and get your heart broken. Let’s just say none of my exes ended well after getting involved with him.” She hugged me and cooed, “Well, I definitely won’t. I’m yours for life, Ethan.” With my warning, when Tyler first tried to add her, she consistently refused. She even complained to me several times: “Your cousin Tyler is really persistent. He’s tried to add me with over ten different Snapchat accounts.” I kissed her cheek in approval and said, “You must stand firm. Don’t let his player act get to you.” Her fingers didn’t stop as she rejected another friend request from a new account. Then she turned to me and said: “My parents want to have dinner with you. They say we’ve been dating for six months, and you still haven’t shown your face. They’re really excited to meet you after everything I’ve told them.” I paused for a moment, stroked her head, and said, “Let’s wait a bit longer. I’m quite busy these days. After this quarter is over, I’ll treat your parents to dinner.” “You don’t need to treat them! They’d be over the moon just to see you. We’ll eat at my family’s hotel!” Perhaps frustrated by his inability to add Skyler on Snapchat, Tyler became impatient and suggested coming to stay at my rented apartment for a while. Of course, I wouldn’t agree, but my mom was eager to show off the new apartment Skyler had gotten for me. She couldn’t wait to give him the address. So when I returned from work, I found Skyler and Tyler sitting on opposite ends of the sofa, scrolling through their phones. Skyler pulled me into the bedroom, clearly annoyed, and said, “I really didn’t engage with him. How did he end up at our place?” I shrugged it off, “My mom probably gave him the address. He’s just like that. Just ignore him and he’ll go away.” She swore she hadn’t encouraged him. I felt a bit uneasy, my mind replaying the image of them sitting on the sofa. Surely Skyler wouldn’t fall for him so quickly, right? It had taken me six grueling months to win her over. She couldn’t possibly be won over in just one evening, could she? I was still anxious, partly due to my lack of self-confidence, and partly because I wasn’t sure how long Skyler could resist.

Skyler didn’t stay over that night. She had another apartment in the next building and went back there. Early the next morning, she came over with breakfast. The table was laden with seven or eight dishes. Tyler saw this and smirked proudly. “Did Skyler bring so much because she knew I was here today?” “Wow, I love the soup dumplings from this place. They never do delivery. Did you go and pick them up early this morning?” Skyler glanced at him and said, “No, I forgot you were here. I actually bought less than usual. Ethan doesn’t have much of an appetite in the morning, so I buy a variety for him to choose from.” Tyler let out a long “Oh,” but his hands kept fidgeting, a sign that he was deep in thought. I figured if he was only slightly interested in Skyler before, now he was definitely determined to win her over. I squeezed Skyler’s hand unconsciously, perhaps a bit too hard. Skyler looked at me, puzzled by the pain. I quickly apologized and left the table. That evening when I got home from work, they were again sitting on opposite ends of the sofa. Skyler got up to greet me as I entered. She whispered to me, “Does Tyler not have a job? Why is he here every day? And doesn’t he have his own place? Why is he always at ours?” I looked up at her and said, “If you add him on Snapchat, he might leave you alone.” Her expression froze for a moment before she said, “I just added him. He said if I did, he’d go home tomorrow.” I simply said “Oh” and went into the bedroom. Skyler followed me in, asking if I was angry. “I just didn’t want to see him every day. I’ve already blocked him, see? I’ve even muted his notifications.” She said, pulling out her phone to show me, trying to prove her innocence. I didn’t say anything, but my disappointment must have been obvious because Skyler spent half the evening trying to cheer me up. At dinner, she kept trying to engage me in conversation and piled food onto my plate. Tyler observed this and smiled, “Skyler is very attentive, isn’t she?”

Skyler ignored him. She was busy discussing with me about the setup of a new direct-sales brand store she was working on. Tyler, hearing this, deliberately made a commotion at the dinner table. When we both looked at him, he smiled and said: “Oh my, you’re talking about something I’m quite familiar with. I got a bit excited.” He turned to the puzzled Skyler and said, “My ex-wife has a direct-sales brand that’s doing quite well. She has many resources that she could share with me. For Ethan’s sake, I could help you out.” He then went on to describe the brand in detail. I could see that Skyler was very interested. She looked at me hesitantly, then back at Tyler, and asked: “Since it’s your ex-wife’s, wouldn’t it be awkward?” “What’s awkward about it? A quick chat and everything’s solved. Just wait for my message.” This time, Skyler didn’t refuse. I knew her “mute” setting for Tyler was about to be turned off. Sure enough, when she came into the room later, she said to me, “Tyler is quite generous and connected, isn’t he?” I just looked up at her once, my eyes already half red. She immediately came over to comfort me: “I was just saying. How could I be interested in a man who’s still entangled with his ex-wife?”

Tyler left my apartment the next day, and Skyler didn’t come back for several days. She said she was out of town for work, as several direct-sales stores were opening simultaneously. During our video calls, I could sometimes see Tyler in the background. She quickly explained: “Tyler called to ask about my progress. When he heard I was in the neighboring city, he came over to check things out. This time, thanks to his help, a lot of work was saved. Even my dad praised me.” Second-generation rich kids spend their lives trying to surpass their parents, and Skyler was no exception. Especially since she was a girl. Her father and grandfather were both very successful entrepreneurs. She wasn’t bad herself, but she was always overshadowed by her family’s legacy. She had always wanted to prove herself. This time, the direct-sales stores were set up in several cities at once, fast and in good locations. Even her father and grandfather praised her at the dinner table for handling this matter beautifully. Skyler transferred $200,000 to me, saying it was to buy a gift for my cousin in my name. “I know he helped me because of you. It’s better if you give it to him. I still have some sense of boundaries.” She added, “Choose something Tyler likes. If it’s not enough, I can send more.” I took out my phone and called him. As soon as the call connected, I said: “Thanks for helping my girlfriend. She wants to send you a gift worth about $200,000. Is there anything you like? Or should I just transfer the money to you?” There was a pause on the other end, then a slightly hoarse female voice came through. “Ethan? Why is your girlfriend sending Tyler a gift?” Oh no, Tyler and his ex-wife’s contact names only differed by one letter. I had accidentally called his ex-wife, Faye. Faye, Tyler, and I were all alumni. Faye was a year ahead of us, and we’d run into each other during club activities. I had only complimented Faye once on being considerate, and the next day, Tyler started pursuing her ostentatiously. Two weeks later, they were together. After several breakups and reconciliations, they got married right after graduation. Three years into the marriage, they divorced.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “331627”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #重生Reborn #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #魔幻Magic

I used to believe family was the one line no one would ever cross. That belief shattered the day I caught my boyfriend cheating and had nowhere else to go, so I moved into my younger brother’s place. Instead of support, his girlfriend slapped me across the face and threw me out of the house. She called me “pathetic,” said I deserved to be dumped, and claimed she was the real woman of the house. And my own brother stood beside her—silent, choosing her over me. That was the moment I simply made one decision—— kicked them both out of my house. My brother Dylan Stone is seven years younger than me and currently in college. Six months ago, he asked if he could borrow my two-bedroom apartment in Chapel Hill because his roommate snores and keeps him up at night. Since the place was sitting empty, I gave him two spare keys and told him to stay in the guest room and not to enter my room. He eagerly agreed. A couple of days ago, I discovered that my ex-boyfriend cheated on me. After the breakup, he kept showing up outside my office building and my apartment complex every day. To get some peace, I handed over my work to my assistant and decided to stay at my brother’s place for a while. On Thursday afternoon at 4 PM, Dylan should still be in class, so I didn’t tell him and just dragged my suitcase over. But to my surprise, I found that no matter how hard I tried, my key wouldn’t unlock the door. Could Dylan have changed the locks without telling me? Just as I was about to pull out my phone to ask Dylan what was going on, the door suddenly clicked open. Standing there was a girl with perfect makeup, wearing a cute, fuzzy pink bunny onesie. That onesie looked familiar; it seemed like something I had bought as a spare. But right now, I didn’t have time to figure out why this girl was wearing what looked like my pajamas. What I really needed to know was why she was in my home! As I frowned at her, she looked me up and down with an expression that was anything but friendly. “Hi…” I tried to ask what was going on, but she interrupted me. “Are you serious?! You’re here trying to break into my house? Do you think I won’t call the cops and have you arrested?” ??? I stood there, confused and taken aback. Just as I pulled off my scarf to show my face and understand what was happening, I felt a sharp sting on my left cheek. At the same moment, the door slammed shut, sending a breeze across my burning face. I was seething with anger as I took out my phone. My gut told me this was all Dylan’s doing. [Me: Dylan, what did you do with my house?!] [Dylan: Sis? What’s wrong?] [Me: I just got slapped by a woman in my pajamas who’s in my house.] [Dylan: Why did you show up so suddenly?] [Me: You better explain this to me quickly.] Dylan seemed surprised and panicked, taking a few minutes to respond. [Dylan: Sis, there’s probably a misunderstanding. I had my girlfriend open the door for you. I’ll explain when I get back from class; don’t be mad.] Don’t be mad? How am I supposed to not be mad after being slapped and locked out of my own house? Wait… girlfriend? Dylan is dating someone? And they’re living together? In my house?!

I waited outside for another ten minutes, but Dylan’s girlfriend still didn’t come to let me in. As a graduate from a prestigious university who started a successful business with my best friend, I was now a bona fide female CEO. With my impressive grades and affluent background, I had always been pampered growing up. It was the first time someone had disrespected me like this, and I couldn’t just let it go. Unfortunately, I really couldn’t get into the house, so I dragged my suitcase to a coffee shop downstairs to wait for Dylan. During this time, Dylan kept sending me apology messages. [Dylan: Sis, she definitely didn’t mean it; don’t be mad.] [Dylan: There must be some misunderstanding; just calm down.] I ignored him. An hour later, a disheveled Dylan rushed into the coffee shop, scanning the room until he quickly spotted me in the corner. He approached me with a smile plastered on his face. “My lovely, charming sister, I knew you wouldn’t be upstairs, so I figured you’d be here!” Dylan grabbed my suitcase, saying, “Let’s go, Sis.” I shot him a glare, my anger bubbling under the surface, and followed him upstairs. In the elevator, Dylan kept trying to charm me. “Sis, I just got back and had a talk with Skylar. Don’t be mad; don’t let her drag you into the mud.” Seeing him like this, I could understand; after all, they were supposed to be enjoying their time together as a couple, and me showing up probably made things awkward for them. But this girl was taking it a bit too far. I decided that if she apologized sincerely, I could overlook this whole incident. Dylan quickly agreed. Once we entered the apartment, I found Skylar lounging on the sofa, her bare feet propped up on the coffee table I had meticulously chosen during renovations. She was munching on sunflower seeds and watching some reality show, laughing out loud from time to time. Sunflower seed shells were scattered everywhere, and there were piles of orange peels and several empty soda cans on the table. The elegant artwork that once hung in the living room had been replaced with posters of boy bands I didn’t even recognize. I couldn’t believe this was the apartment I had handed over to Dylan. “Skylar, this is my sister, Avery,” Dylan said, giving her a knowing glance before turning to me with a nervous smile. “Avery, this is my girlfriend, Skylar Hayes.” I regarded the girl before me, who was practically the definition of rude. “Hi, sister,” Skylar said, barely looking at me. “I asked you to let my sister in; why didn’t you?” Dylan asked her, glancing nervously at my expression. “And about that misunderstanding, hurry up and apologize to my sister!” Only then did Skylar glance my way. After scanning between me and Dylan, she smirked, “I didn’t realize your sister liked to wear matching scarves with you!” That’s when I noticed Dylan was wearing the scarf I had given him. I hadn’t purposely given him that scarf; it was a mix-up when I ordered a couple online. The seller mistakenly sent me two, and since I didn’t want to deal with returning it, I just kept both. I had planned to give the extra one to my best friend, but Dylan had seen it and said he needed one, so I just handed it over. Siblings wearing matching scarves isn’t that strange, right? And because of this, I was slapped and locked out of my own home? Unbelievable…

After hearing that explanation, I could somewhat understand Skylar’s actions; she probably thought I was a homewrecker. She was just a bit petty, being in the honeymoon phase of her relationship, so I forced myself to be understanding. I turned to Dylan and asked why he had changed the locks. If my key had worked, none of this would have happened, and I wouldn’t have gotten slapped for no reason. Dylan hesitated before explaining, “Well… I forgot my keys at school the other day and had to call a locksmith. For safety’s sake, I had the locks changed.” Skylar chimed in sarcastically, “Who would feel safe knowing someone else has a key to our place?” The only keys to this apartment, besides Dylan’s, are mine. Not even our parents have a key. This is my house; am I an outsider? She really doesn’t see herself as an outsider? Seeing I was about to explode, Dylan quickly jumped in to defend Skylar. “Hey, sis, don’t think too much about it. Skylar just meant the locksmith.” Looking at Dylan’s panicked defense of Skylar, it was clear he really liked her. Dylan was twenty years old, and this was the first time I realized he was dating someone. Oh well, as long as he likes her. Skylar probably just had low emotional intelligence and a lack of manners. Besides, it’s not like I’d be living with her; if Dylan can handle it, that’s all that matters. I didn’t say anything and pulled my suitcase toward the master bedroom. The door was open, revealing a messy space filled with signs of life. Before I moved out, I had left an entire set of unopened La Mer skincare products on my vanity, but now it was all used up. The clothes, shoes, bags, and jewelry I had prepared in the closet had all been used, and given that Skylar was wearing my pajamas, it was clear that Dylan and Skylar had moved into my room. “Skylar, since Dylan calls you that, I’ll call you that too,” I said, peeking into the master bedroom with a polite smile. “If you need skincare products, clothes, shoes, bags, or jewelry, just let me know. I can give you some that suit you, but using my things without permission—how am I supposed to use them when I arrive?” Surprisingly, Skylar didn’t show any sign of remorse or intent to apologize. Instead, she looked at me and said, “You’re keeping a tally? How pathetic.” “Well, you’re not married yet. No matter how much you earn, it’s all for Dylan’s wedding. I’m his girlfriend, so everything here technically belongs to me, right?” I swear I’ve never met someone as shameless as Skylar. Not a person, but a whole different species! Dylan rushed over to pull me into the master bedroom, whispering, “Sis, Skylar didn’t have an easy life at home. Her family… let’s just say they don’t value daughters much, so she craves affection. Don’t take it too personally!” I held back my frustration and ordered Dylan, “Quick, gather your things and move them to the guest room!” Dylan nodded eagerly, “Okay, okay!” As Dylan moved their things from the master bedroom to the guest room, Skylar repeatedly tried to say something but was stopped by Dylan’s glare. She then plopped down on the sofa and started rolling her eyes dramatically. I was worried she might actually flip herself over.

I thought Skylar would finally calm down. After all, I was only planning to stay a few days. If I weren’t allergic to pet hair, I would’ve gone to my best friend’s place directly, but her boyfriend’s dog was temporarily staying there, so I had to come here. I didn’t mind Dylan dating; I was too busy to keep tabs on them. With my relentless encouragement, Dylan had developed impressive cooking skills, so naturally, he prepared dinner. The table was filled with all my favorite dishes: Southern-style pork, sweet and sour ribs, roasted chicken, stir-fried chives and eggs, cauliflower with ham, braised lamb, and my favorite spicy shrimp! “Eating so heavy at night? No wonder you got dumped!” “Ugh, chives? They’re so annoying to get out of your teeth!” “Dylan! Why did you make lamb? The smell is unbearable!” As soon as the dishes were served, Dylan hadn’t even had a chance to take off his apron when Skylar started picking food off the plate and shoving it into her mouth. While we weren’t a rich family, we still had decent manners. I frowned slightly at Skylar’s behavior but said nothing. Everyone comes from different backgrounds, and lifestyle habits vary; those can change over time. Hearing Skylar complain, I thought maybe Dylan overlooked her tastes since he wanted to impress me and had ignored what she liked. Just as I was about to reprimand Dylan for his lack of etiquette, he spoke up. “Didn’t you ask for at least two meat and two vegetable dishes for dinner? It’s been a while since my sister ate my cooking, so I made a few extra dishes.” “Didn’t you say eating chives is good for your health and you should have them every day?” “Didn’t you say yesterday you wanted to eat braised lamb?” Oh, great! So this whole dinner was a subtle attack aimed at me! Under Dylan’s silent pleading, I decided to ignore her and put on some disposable gloves to start peeling shrimp. Maybe I hadn’t given Skylar the reaction she was hoping for because, after just a few bites, she started acting up again. “Dylan, I want shrimp!” Dylan patiently peeled a few shrimp and placed them on her plate. “Some people have to peel their own shrimp. How… common.” Was that a direct jab at me? Sure, and next I should just give her my bank account too! But before I could swallow my shrimp and say anything, I witnessed something that shocked me to my core. “Dylan, feed me!” Skylar cooed in a high-pitched voice, closing her eyes and opening her mouth, waiting for him to spoon-feed her. Dylan looked troubled as he glanced at me, then turned to Skylar, who was looking at him with a blissful expression. He lowered his voice and said, “Skylar, don’t do that. My sister’s here; just eat your food, okay?” Hearing this, Skylar opened her eyes, shot me a glare, and clung to Dylan’s arm, pouting, “Dylan, do you love your sister more than me now? You used to never say no to me!” Dylan, looking uncomfortable, lowered his voice to soothe Skylar. “Skylar, my sister just went through a breakup. It’s not nice to tease her like this, and it’s not proper either.” Somewhere along the line, Skylar’s temper flared. She slammed her chopsticks on the table and stood up. “Dylan! Why is your sister more important than me? Just because she got dumped doesn’t mean I should be her little servant! You’re the only son; everything in this family will be yours! She’s just a daughter who’ll marry out someday. Why should I bow to her, an outsider?” At this point, my temper also flared. “Who are you calling an outsider?” Skylar seemed taken aback by my sudden anger, shrinking back slightly, but quickly regained her bravado, glaring at me. “I’m talking about you!” Seeing a confrontation brewing, Dylan hurriedly stood up to comfort Skylar. Skylar ignored him, pointing her finger at me. “Avery, do you have no shame? You show up uninvited and take over my room!” “You seem to forget who the real owner of this house is.”

“So what if the title is in your name? Your family only has Dylan as a son, and all the property will eventually belong to him!” “Once you marry, you’re no longer part of this family. Are you planning to take this house with you when you marry?” I raised an eyebrow. “Why shouldn’t I? It’s my property, and I can do whatever I want with it.” “You’re so selfish…” Skylar stared at me in disbelief, as if I had said something completely outrageous. Before she could continue her rant, Dylan picked her up and carried her away. “Avery, I’m sorry. Skylar isn’t usually like this; don’t be mad. I’ll talk to her. You just enjoy your meal, and after you eat, you can rest. I’ll handle the cleanup.” With that, Dylan dragged her into the guest room. After all that commotion, I lost my appetite. I returned to my bedroom to handle some work my assistant had sent to my email, getting so caught up that I lost track of time. When I finally looked up, it was already past 11 PM. After shutting down my computer and getting ready for a shower, my phone suddenly pinged with a friend request. —Hey Sis, I’m sorry. It was obvious that Dylan had made Skylar add me on social media. After I accepted the request, she quickly followed up with another message: “I’m sorry.” I didn’t have the energy to lecture Skylar on the principles of respect, so I simply replied, “Whatever.” I didn’t know if Dylan was using Skylar’s phone to apologize or if it was her idea; I didn’t want to figure it out. Like I said, I’m not the one who’ll be living with her. After my shower, I lay in bed and, out of habit, scrolled through Instagram. This action chased away any drowsiness I had just managed to gather. The top post was from Skylar, shared just seven minutes ago, reading: “My boundary-less sister-in-law also made an appearance. Not only did she force my boyfriend to wear matching scarves with her, but after getting dumped, she insists on moving into our master bedroom, leaving me and my boyfriend stuck in the cramped guest room.” The exaggerated description made my blood pressure spike. I couldn’t help but screenshot it and vent to my best friend, who immediately called me after reading it. “Avery, can you really put up with this? What’s wrong with Dylan? How could he be dating someone like her? Don’t worry, I’ll come over tomorrow and see what kind of little diva she is!” “No need. She’s not worth your trouble. Let her pack her things and leave tomorrow! If Dylan supports her, then he can leave with her.” So she wants to slander me, huh? And she didn’t even block me, making sure I saw it, trying to provoke me? If I let her into our family, I’d be the one to change my last name! I thought if Dylan liked her, I could tolerate her for his sake, but today Skylar really pushed my buttons, almost to the point of a full-on dance-off! In the Stone family, it’s either me or her!

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “331626”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #重生Reborn #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #魔幻Magic

The day I was supposed to marry Brandon. Sienna, a young woman he’d sponsored through a tough time, was there, acting as our wedding host. As we exchanged rings, Sienna smiled, pressing the play button on the giant screen. The inscription on my ring flashed in high-definition video: WHORE. But on Brandon’s ring, Sienna’s name was engraved instead. Sienna provocatively wiggled her hand at me. “Brandon and I had these couple rings custom-made. Pretty, isn’t it?” The entire wedding hall fell silent. “What’s going on? Is this some new kind of… performance art?” “I’ve seen a lot of weird wedding stunts online. Maybe Brandon and Aurora are trying to be edgy?” “Wow, I never thought of having my ‘good friend’ put the ring on.” The word “WHORE” was undeniably clear on the big screen. Seeing me humiliated, our guests didn’t know how to react, resorting to forced laughter and awkward jokes to deflect. But right then, I didn’t care about their discomfort. My eyes were fixated on Brandon’s hand. I grabbed it tightly. “What is the meaning of this?” Brandon first frowned in annoyance. “Are you serious right now? Sienna just likes to joke around—” He stopped mid-sentence, his eyes widening as he looked down at his own ring. Where my name should have been, Sienna’s name was clearly etched on the inside. “How… how could this happen?” he mumbled, turning to Sienna. “Sienna, what’s going on?” Brandon had entrusted Sienna with all the details of our wedding rings. Sienna showed no sign of guilt, wiggling her hand at Brandon again. “Well, you insisted on going wedding dress shopping with Aurora instead of me that day, so I just changed it myself.” She finished, pouting playfully and sticking out her tongue. “Even the designer said my name sounded better. See? Our two names make such beautiful rings, don’t they?” Their hands came together. It was as if *they* were the happy couple getting married today. Brandon glanced at them, then let out a helpless sigh, his voice filled with a sickening indulgence. “Seriously, when are you going to grow up? You’re a grown woman, still so petty. What a little troublemaker. This is Aurora’s and my wedding today. Don’t you dare do this again.” Sienna batted her eyelashes at him, whining softly. “Hmph, it’s your fault for being so busy and not spending time with me lately.” “Alright, alright, fine. Next time, I’ll go swimming with you.” They flirted back and forth right there, at *our* wedding, as if they were the ones tying the knot. The wedding hall was utterly silent. The guests stared at the scene on stage, bewildered and unsure what to do. I couldn’t believe Brandon, a man so observant, wouldn’t notice the strange atmosphere. No. He simply thought Sienna was more important than anyone else. At that moment, scrolling text appeared on the big screen: **[PROFESSIONAL WHORE, ONLY FIVE BUCKS A POP!]** Accompanying the text were explicit photos of me being humiliated.

Perhaps the humiliation was too much, because the entire wedding venue fell into a stunned silence. My friend, Chloe, quickly cut the power to the screen. Sienna still looked unfazed, grinning as she said, “Like it? I customized that just for you.” “I think it would’ve been even better if you were wearing that ring and those captions while you were getting beaten up.” Brandon’s face finally changed. His expression quickly darkened. But not at Sienna. At me. “Aurora, Sienna’s just joking. Don’t make a scene.” “It’s our wedding day.” I let out a mocking laugh. *I* was making a scene? Who was it that had been systematically destroying my wedding? The tiny pains in my heart spread out, dense and suffocating, until they simply went numb. The guests below finally snapped out of their shock. “The bride is so unlucky, getting bullied on her wedding day.” “They say Sienna is a famous TV host, but I’d say she’s more like a famous homewrecker host.” “Maybe we should report her. See if she got that hosting gig through legitimate means.” Hearing the word “report,” Brandon finally couldn’t sit still. He quickly turned to Sienna. “Sienna, why don’t you go home for now? You don’t need to host the rest of the wedding.” I looked at Brandon’s anxious face, my heart growing colder. I had been publicly insulted by Sienna for so long, and he hadn’t reacted. But Sienna had merely been criticized a little, and he couldn’t stand it. “You’re telling me to leave?” Sienna looked at Brandon in disbelief. “You said that whether you got married or not, there would always be a place for me by your side.” “And now, on the very first day of your marriage, you’re kicking me out!” Her voice was incredibly hurt, her eyes rimmed with red. Tears streamed down her cheeks. As she spoke, she threw down the host’s jacket. Left in only a flimsy slip dress, coupled with her red eyes, she looked utterly pathetic. “You liar, I’m leaving and I never want to see you again!” “I’m going to go die right now, so I won’t be in your way!” With that, Sienna burst into tears and ran out, uncaring. Brandon panicked completely, tearing off his groom’s jacket. “Aurora, Sienna is really stubborn. I can’t leave her out there alone.” “We’ll just finish the wedding ceremony when I get back.” I stood on the wedding stage, my voice calm. “Brandon, it’s our wedding day. Are you really leaving?” Brandon gave me a quick hug. “I’m just going to comfort her.” “I’ll be back soon, it won’t delay anything.” With that, he left without a backward glance. Leaving me, dressed in my wedding gown, standing alone on the stage. The day that was supposed to be the most beautiful of my life had turned out like this. I never expected it. The guests below cast sympathetic glances my way. Soon, they started leaving, one by one. I sat in the dark, clutching the ring with the insulting inscription. Tears streamed down my face, unstoppable. From noon until evening, Brandon didn’t show up. It wasn’t until past midnight that Sienna posted a photo on SnapChat. The background was a Ferris wheel. “The person who truly loves you will even ditch their own wedding to ride a Ferris wheel with you.” Soon, mutual friends started commenting: “OMG, but aren’t you guys afraid Aurora will get mad?” Brandon quickly liked the post and replied to the comment: “If she gets mad, I’ll just go home and sweet-talk her.” “After all, Sienna is the most important person to me. Aurora is partly to blame for Sienna leaving, so she deserves a little punishment to teach her a lesson.” I stared at Brandon’s reply, my heart clenching painfully. The hotel wedding venue was frighteningly empty. I stood there for a long moment, then dialed a number. “Find out Sienna’s hosting schedule for me. I want to send her a big gift.” “Also, please draft divorce papers for me.” After hanging up, I went to the dressing room to change out of my wedding dress. A staff member stood behind me. “Ma’am, I’ll pack this up for you to wear next time.” I lifted my eyelids, glancing at her. “No need. Burn it.” I wouldn’t need it ever again anyway.

I got home that night, and Brandon’s message popped up. “Aurora, Sienna was scared by those people at the wedding. How could you have friends and family like that? That’s just bullying. Let’s put the wedding off for now. I might need a few more days to comfort her.” Bullying her? What a perfect liar. Looking at his words on my phone, I couldn’t even summon anger anymore. I typed back: “No worries, take your time.” Brandon’s message came through quickly again. “Are you mad at me?” “Sienna is the child we sponsored together, from a struggling community. We watched her every step of the way until now. What are you doing? Sponsoring someone only to abandon them later? You’re truly disappointing me.” He was disappointed? I scoffed. Brandon and I had gone to a less fortunate area to sponsor Sienna. She was the oldest, already seventeen, and not within my initial consideration. But Sienna knelt before me, saying her parents had passed away, and if I just gave her a chance, she would repay me well. My heart softened, and that very day, I brought her out of that community. I spent three months running back and forth to get her into school. Brandon said I’d found myself a queen. At the time, I even told him not to be so cold and to smile more at the kids from the community. Until later, their relationship grew closer and closer, and I felt like the outsider. So this was how she repaid me. I lowered my eyes, turned off my phone, and ignored him. Brandon didn’t send any more messages. For several days, he used his honeymoon leave to travel to several countries with Sienna. They even went to Antarctica to see the aurora borealis. I stared at the photos, lost in thought. Brandon had once told me that the aurora was pure and romantic, and he would never take another girl to see it. Just as he would only love me, for life. But in just a few years, he had forgotten everything he said. It wasn’t until my friend, Chloe, frantically messaged me that I snapped out of my memories. “Aurora, you won’t believe it, that b*tch is selling your explicit photos in the big group chat!” My brows furrowed. “Add me.” As soon as I joined, I saw Sienna’s message. “Aurora’s explicit photos, big sale! Not $998, not $98, just $9.8!” “If you want them, I can even throw in the video of her getting ditched at her wedding. What a deal, right?” I gripped my phone so hard my palm almost bled. I clicked on the group members. Brandon was in there. He was just quietly watching Sienna insult me like this, without saying a word. Chloe practically screamed through the phone, “Aurora, how does she know about your past?! And how did she get those photos?!” I looked at Brandon’s profile picture, and it took me a while to remember. When Sienna first transferred, she said she was scared. To cheer her up, Brandon had pulled out photos from when I was bullied in high school. My clothes were torn, I was wearing only a flimsy tank top, my face was swollen and bruised. Cheap lipstick was smeared all over me. Sienna finally smiled looking at those. Her dark eyes curved into a smile, her voice laced with amusement: “How utterly pathetic.” I had realized something was wrong back then and wanted to send her back. That was the first time Brandon ever fought with me. The man who had always indulged my every whim cold-shouldered me for a whole month, all for Sienna. “What a despicable pair! I’m so mad, I’m going to go tear them apart right now!” Chloe fumed. It took me a while to speak, my voice hoarse. “No need. I’ll do it myself.” The next day, Sienna, wearing a smile, stepped onto the hosting stage as usual. “Hello, everyone watching on screen, I’m your host for today, Sienna—” Before she could finish, the staff members gasped. On the big screen, a sudden display of intimate photos of her and Brandon appeared. Causing a scene at my wedding, selling my photos in a group chat, posting all kinds of vile messages. “Oh my god, how could she be like that?” “She always seemed so proper, but she’s so trashy in private. We should stay away from her, or she might put us in a group chat too.” “Mostly, she’s getting so close to someone else’s husband. Messing up someone else’s wedding, and still has the nerve to call someone else a third party.” Sienna’s body stiffened. The TV station director walked in from outside, roaring angrily: “Sienna! What is going on?!” The big screen continued to play. Sienna was almost in tears. “No, this isn’t me! Don’t look, none of you look!” “This is someone framing me, yes. It’s Aurora, that b*tch, she’s framing me!” “Is that so?” I walked out onto the stage. “Those were photoshopped, but what about this?” As soon as I finished speaking, several police officers entered from outside. Cold handcuffs clicked onto her wrists instantly. “Sienna, you are under arrest for disseminating obscene material and infringing on personal rights. Please come with us.” Sienna froze. Seeing me behind her, she lunged at me in a furious rage. “Aurora, you b*tch! It was you, wasn’t it?!” I pointed at the screen. “The TV station is still broadcasting live, sweetheart. Little kids shouldn’t use such language.” Sure enough, countless calls flooded in instantly, all condemning Sienna. Even the TV station executives couldn’t suppress it. Sienna, who had never experienced such a massive public spectacle, was completely stunned. She was so scared she couldn’t even cry anymore. I bent down and touched her face. “Like it? This is a special public service announcement I customized just for you.” “Honey, next time you plan on doing something bad, remember to study the law first.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “331625”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #重生Reborn #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #魔幻Magic

When I was ten, Matteus secretly played with fire in the storage room and caused a massive blaze. Trying to save him, a burning beam fell on me, leaving 80% of my body with severe burns. I went from being a sweet, adored little girl into a monster. For ten years, Matteus was the kindest person to me. He often held me as I trembled from the agonizing skin grafts, his eyes red as he whispered: “Lena, I’ll take care of you forever. Anyone who dares to humiliate you, I’ll kill them.” Mom and Dad also spent every last penny for me. In this house, I seemed like the most cherished treasure. Until that day, when Matteus brought home a beautiful fiancée. I heard it with my own ears, Matteus, the one who swore to protect me forever, his voice ice-cold: “Don’t worry, once we’re married, I’ll send that monster to a care facility out in the countryside.” “Just looking at her face makes me so disgusted I lose my appetite.” I knew then, it was time for me to leave. 0 The lights were off in the room, and the curtains were tightly drawn. I was used to the dark. Because only in the dark, the person in the mirror, like a melted wax figure, wouldn’t look so grotesque. “Lena, drink your medicine.” Mom came in with a bowl, her eyes somewhat evasive. The medicine was bitter, but I didn’t even flinch, tilting my head back and swallowing it down. After multiple skin grafts from the burns, my facial nerves were damaged, so I could barely make any expressions anymore. “Mom, is Matteus coming home today?” My voice was hoarse; my vocal cords were also injured in that fire. Mom’s hand, as she took the bowl, paused, then she forced a smile: “Yes, of course, he’s coming home. It’s your birthday, after all.” I nodded, though it was an almost imperceptible movement. That fire ten years ago. Matteus was completely unharmed. But I was turned into half-human, half-ghost. Since then, my birthday had become our family’s grim anniversary. Every celebration felt like a constant reminder to everyone. Of what I had sacrificed for this family, and what I had become. The sound of keys turning in the lock came from outside the door. Even through the door, I could hear the lightness in Matteus’s footsteps. This was rare. Ever since my accident, Matteus had always been heavy in this house, carrying a guilt-ridden silence. “Mom! I’m home!” Matteus’s voice was high-pitched, filled with barely concealed joy. Immediately after, a soft female voice chimed in: “Hello, Aunt Eleanor, I’m Chloe.” I sat in the darkness, my fingers instinctively clenching the bedsheet. Due to skin contractures, my hand was twisted like a bird’s claw. We had a guest. And it was a girl Matteus had brought home. I heard Mom’s flustered voice: “Oh, oh, hello… Well, you didn’t tell us you were bringing anyone…” “Just wanted to give you a surprise,” Matteus said with a laugh. “Chloe is a colleague from the hospital, and she’s my girlfriend.” The living room filled with cheerful chatter. The sound of fruit being sliced, the TV, and that girl’s laughter, clear as a bell. Her laugh was so lovely. Unlike mine, which only pulled at the scars on my face, making me look worse than if I cried. I hunched in the corner of my room, trying to make myself as invisible as possible. This wasn’t the time for me to appear. As long as I didn’t show myself, Matteus would still be that excellent doctor. A perfect man, without a blemish. Not a “pity case” with a monster for a sister. But biological needs are uncontrollable. I’d been holding it in my room for three hours. Listening to the noise outside die down slightly, I thought they’d gone to the kitchen. I put on my heavy baseball cap, pulled up my specialized face mask, and donned long sleeves and pants. Only after making sure not an inch of my skin was exposed did I carefully push open my door. In the living room, Chloe was sitting on the sofa, peeling an apple. Hearing the door open, she turned her head. Our eyes met. She froze. Even though I was completely covered, my twisted posture, and the dark red scars peeking out from the edge of my mask, still exuded an unsettling aura. “Ah—!” A scream tore through the cozy atmosphere of the house. The fruit knife clattered to the floor. Chloe recoiled in terror, pointing at me: “W-what is that thing?!” 0

“Chloe! Don’t be scared!” Matteus rushed out from the kitchen, embracing his trembling girlfriend. Mom also hurried over, positioning herself in front of me, trying to shield my damaged body. “This is… this is Matteus’s sister, Lena.” Mom’s voice was low, tinged with a humble plea. Chloe, still shaken, hid in Matteus’s arms. Her eyes shifted from fear to disgust, then to disbelief. “Sister? Matteus, you never said your sister was… was like this…” She didn’t say the word, but everyone understood. A monster. An outcast. Matteus’s grip tightened around her, his face darkening. He didn’t look at me, but instead lowered his head, gently reassuring his girlfriend: “I’m sorry, I didn’t prepare you. She… she became like this after that fire.” I stood still, unable to move forward or back. The baseball cap pressed painfully against my head. I needed to use the bathroom, my bladder ached painfully, but I didn’t dare to move a step. “I’m sorry.” I squeezed these three words from my throat, my voice rough like sandpaper grating against wood. Chloe flinched. Matteus finally looked up at me. His eyes held none of the tenderness of yesteryear. Only a fleeting flicker of embarrassment. “Lena, go back to your room,” Matteus’s voice was cold, a command. “Don’t come out and scare our guest.” My body stiffened. This was the first time Matteus had ever spoken to me like that. Before, even if some insensitive kids called me a monster outside, Matteus would rush over and send them packing. Then he would gently tell me: “Lena is the prettiest, they’re just blind.” But now, he was telling me not to scare people. “Matteus! Is that how you talk to your sister!” Mom, unable to bear it, scolded him. Matteus ran a frustrated hand through his hair: “It’s true! Look how scared Chloe is!” “I told you I was bringing my girlfriend home today, why did she have to come out wandering around now?” My heart felt like it was being squeezed by something merciless. I didn’t explain that it was because I needed to use the bathroom. I just lowered my head, dragging my inflexible right leg, and slowly shuffled back to that dark room. The moment I closed the door, I heard Chloe’s tearful voice: “Matteus, I can’t… I’m really scared… that face is terrifying…” “If your family is like this, I’ll have to rethink our marriage.” “No, Chloe, let me explain…” Matteus’s voice was filled with panic and pleading. I leaned against the door, slowly sliding to the floor. The heavy clothing made me sweat all over, and the healing wounds began to itch again. The itch was agonizing, like countless ants crawling under my skin. I couldn’t scratch; one scratch and it would break, then get infected. I could only pinch my thigh hard, until it was bruised, using the pain to suppress the itch. So, I was already a stumbling block on Matteus’s path to happiness. The boy who once said, “I’ll take care of you forever,” had finally bowed his head to reality. I didn’t go out for dinner. Mom brought a bowl of food into my room, piled high with my favorite dishes. “Lena, don’t blame him. He’s just… too concerned about Chloe.” “Chloe’s family is well-off, and she’s beautiful. Matteus’s grown up, it’s not easy for him to start a family.” Mom rambled on, her eyes red. I scooped a spoonful of rice and vegetables into my mouth, trying to swallow it. “I know, Mom.” “I don’t blame Matteus.” What right did I have to blame him? It was my own fault for being so frighteningly ugly. It was me who had burdened this family for ten whole years. 0

Over the next few days, the atmosphere at home was suffocatingly heavy. Matteus left early and returned late every day. He smelled of smoke when he came back. His arguments with Mom and Dad in the living room, even when deliberately muffled, still reached my ears. “Chloe said she’ll marry me, but we can’t buy a house in this neighborhood.” “She said every time she thinks about someone like… *that* being in the house, she has nightmares.” That was Matteus’s voice, thick with exhaustion. “Then what do you want to do? Lena wouldn’t have been like this if she hadn’t saved you…” Dad slammed the table, his voice trembling. “I know! I know she saved my life!” Matteus suddenly exploded, his voice rising to a shout: “That’s why I’ve spent the last ten years of my youth! Every penny I earned went to her treatment! Isn’t that enough?” “Dad, Mom, I want to live a normal life too!” “I’m almost thirty, how many relationships have I messed up because of my disabled sister, do you even know?” “I finally found someone who didn’t care about my modest income, and now, because of Lena… it’s going to fail again!” Silence descended upon the living room. In my room, I bit down hard on the back of my hand. My numb skin bled, and the metallic taste filled my mouth. So, these were Matteus’s true feelings. All those “I’m not tired,” “I’m willing.” Ultimately, in the face of daily despair, they had transformed into “I’m almost thirty,” “I want to live a normal life too.” “Then what are you going to do?” Mom asked, crying. “Send her to a care facility,” Matteus’s voice turned cold, resolute. “I found a cheaper one in the suburbs. We’ll send her there, and I’ll visit her every month.” “As long as she’s not in the house, Chloe will accept it.” “You bastard!” *Slap!* It sounded like Dad had hit Matteus. “Send your sister to a place like that? That’s basically sending her to die! You’re trying to force her to her death!” “Then are *you* trying to force *me* to my death?!” Matteus slammed the door and left. That night, I had a dream. I dreamed it was ten years ago, and the fire hadn’t started yet. Matteus held a lighter, smiling at me: “Lena, look at the fireworks.” If only then, I hadn’t rushed in and pushed him out. If only then, it had been him trapped under the burning beam, not me. Would everything be different now? Or, if that fire had just killed me outright. Then Matteus would have mourned me forever, instead of wishing I would disappear like this. The next day, Matteus brought Chloe home. This time, they were delivering an ultimatum. I heard them in the living room discussing the wedding date, and the financial aspects of their marriage. Finally, the conversation turned to me again. When they weren’t paying attention, I secretly opened the door a crack. I wanted to see Matteus one last time. I wanted to see what the Matteus who once carried me to every hospital in the city looked like now. Through the crack, I saw Chloe nestled in Matteus’s arms, playfully whining: “So, when is your sister moving out? My parents are coming to see the house next month.” Matteus was peeling an orange, offering a segment to her lips. His face held an appeasing and relaxed expression I had never seen before: “Don’t worry, I’ve arranged everything.” “She’ll be gone next week.” “I went to the care facility; it’s a bit out of the way, but no one will see her once she’s inside, so she won’t scare anyone.” Chloe pouted: “Honestly, that day really disgusted me. How can someone look like that, like a burnt monster?” Matteus’s hand paused. I thought he would object. Thought he would say, “Shut up,” like he did when we were kids. But he didn’t. He just put the orange into Chloe’s mouth and said flatly: “It is pretty disgusting.” “If I had known it would turn out like this, it would have been better if she had just died in that fire.” “Living like that is just suffering, and dragging the whole family down with her.” In that instant, the last bit of warmth in my body’s blood turned completely cold. So, I wasn’t just a burden. In Matteus’s heart, I had become so disgusting that he wished I had died. I gently closed the door. Without making a sound. I turned around, looking at myself in the mirror, completely bundled up. It was indeed disgusting. Even I couldn’t bear to look for long. Since Matteus wanted to live a normal life so badly, since my existence was the greatest misfortune for this family, then it was time to end everything.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “331624”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #重生Reborn #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #魔幻Magic

When Derek Miller showed up with his secretary, Serena Cross, he pointed a finger right at my face. “You’re nowhere near as sweet or stunning as Serena, and you can’t even handle our kid. Let’s get a divorce.” Serena scoffed, too. “I warned you, Chloe. Women need to know how to keep their men happy, or they’ll just get replaced.” I let out a dry chuckle, looking at Serena’s smug face. “Alright, ex-husband. Enjoy your ‘happiness’.” Less than three minutes later, I’d cleared out the bedroom for them. I swiftly packed my bags, ready to walk out. As I left, I thoughtfully pulled Leo out of his room and pushed him into Serena’s arms. “Leo, this is the new mommy your dad found for you. Now you’ll have someone new to spoil you.” The words had barely left my lips when Leo punched Serena’s stomach. A piercing shriek echoed through the living room. “Honey, it hurts so much! My baby, our baby!” Only then did I notice Serena’s stomach was subtly rounded. At least three months along, I’d guess. Derek rushed forward, pulling Leo away, his face etched with worry as he cradled Serena. Leo, meanwhile, sat on the floor, kicking and screaming. Mrs. Miller, Derek’s mom, came out, drawn by the cries. Seeing her precious grandson wailing on the floor, she immediately snapped at me. “What kind of mother are you, Chloe? You can’t even manage one child?” “All you do is lecture! Do you even know how to be a woman anymore?” I glanced at Serena, about to explain that today had nothing to do with me. Serena immediately took a few deep breaths, straightened up, and forced a smile. “Mrs. Miller, it’s all my fault. Leo accidentally bumped into me, and when Derek pulled him away, it upset Leo.” Mrs. Miller’s expression softened instantly when she saw Serena. She smiled warmly. “Kids are rambunctious; a few cries are nothing.” Her gaze then turned to Serena’s belly, gleaming with anticipation. “Serena, are you alright?” “I’m fine, I’m fine,” Serena said, flashing an ingratiating smile. She pulled out a gaming device and knelt in front of Leo. “Leo, Auntie’s sorry. Auntie forgot to bring a present for our little darling.” “Let’s not be angry anymore. Auntie will play games with you, okay?” Before I could stop him, Leo’s chubby body launched into Serena’s embrace. He snatched the gaming device and began excitedly fiddling with it. Serena shot me a triumphant glance, then started smiling as she showed Leo how to play. Seeing Leo happily nestled in Serena’s arms, Derek immediately shot me a look of pure disdain. “Chloe, what ‘sickness’ could Leo possibly have? It’s just your overly strict parenting that makes him defiant and difficult. Look how calm he is with Serena.” “Since you can’t manage a husband or a child, just stay at the office from now on. Don’t be an eyesore at home.” Serena also looked up, her voice cloyingly sweet and slightly nasally. “Ms. Hayes, Derek has so much on his plate every day; he’s exhausted physically and mentally. How can you burden him with petty family matters?” “Don’t worry about staying at the office. I’ll take good care of Derek and Leo from now on.” Every word from Serena dripped with blatant provocation and indifference, as if I, the actual wife, was nothing but a pushover. But they seemed to forget that not only did I hold twenty percent of AlphaCorp’s shares, but all the company’s core technology patents were developed and filed by me. They were the very foundation of the company. If lust had completely clouded Derek’s judgment, then I guess I didn’t mind running AlphaCorp myself. I swallowed my fury, smiled, and pulled out the divorce papers I’d had ready for ages. “Derek, Ms. Cross is so beautiful, sweet, and understanding. You wouldn’t want her to be called a mistress, would you? Sign these, and she can become Mrs. Miller legitimately.” Derek scoffed. “Chloe, you’ve threatened divorce so many times; aren’t you just trying to get me to ditch my other women?” “If you insist on divorce, fine. Take ten million and leave. The company is absolutely off-limits for you.” From his first affair with an intern to the club managers and bar hostesses, I’d threatened divorce countless times. But he’d always calmly lecture me about ‘human nature’: Chloe, we were college sweethearts, and you were with me from the ground up when we founded AlphaCorp. Ten years of marriage, I truly loved you, and I still do. But I’m a successful man; I have needs, and I crave passion and excitement. You can’t expect me to be like those boring, conventional guys who stick with one woman forever, can you? He sugar-coated his depravity with such pompous justifications. I was tired of his shameless excuses. This time, I didn’t want to drag it out. Since he was handing me the blade, I might as well slice out the poison. I couldn’t be bothered with more talk. I grabbed my suitcase and walked out of the mansion. The moment I stepped outside, I made a call. “Mark, I need you to audit the company accounts immediately, tally the total assets, and have a lawyer draft a divorce settlement.” “Yes, I want Derek to leave with absolutely nothing.”

The first time Derek cheated, I caught him in the underground parking garage. He was terrified, weeping and kneeling before me, begging for my forgiveness. He even slapped himself a hundred times, pleading with me not to divorce him. The company was just stabilizing, and I’d just found out I was two and a half weeks pregnant. For the sake of our child and our business, I forgave him. The stress festered in my heart, and when Leo was born, he was diagnosed with a genetic condition. The second time was with a club manager. He actually bought her the most upscale club in the city. By then, Derek had started to sound self-righteous. “She’s just some tart, right? She offers her services, I pay the bill, and she even helps with clients. Don’t be so petty.” Until the third time, the fourth time… He finally became so nonchalant that he’d tell me about these things as casually as he’d discuss eating or drinking. After a year of heartache, I came to a realization: Leo was still young, the company wasn’t fully stable, so I just started seeing him as a glorified cash cow. After all, I held twenty percent of the company shares, plus my patents, and another thirty percent I’d anonymously acquired. Getting rid of him would be a piece of cake. Love faded like smoke, but the money remained. For an orphan like me, who started from nothing, that wasn’t too hard to swallow. I drove straight to the luxury apartment I’d privately bought. Pushing open the door and flicking on the warm orange light, I finally felt a sense of peace, a moment to truly breathe. Ever since Leo was born, every day was filled with Mrs. Miller’s criticisms, Leo’s volatile temper, and Derek’s endless string of women. Mrs. Miller would say I spent too much time in the business world during my pregnancy, which is why I “gave” her Miller family a “defective grandson.” Leo would throw tantrums for his games, hitting the nannies, screaming and crying if he didn’t get his way, biting and kicking me. Derek’s women would brazenly bring him home, drunk, and they’d kiss goodbye in the entryway as if I didn’t exist. Only here did I feel like I was truly home, a place where I could shed my exhaustion, recharge, and muster the courage to return to the battlefield the next day. After a solid night’s sleep, I put on a bold, striking makeup look and a vibrant red dress, feeling refreshed as I headed for the office. Passing by Leo’s school, I couldn’t resist stopping to glance. Sure enough, there was Derek. Serena was kneeling in front of Leo, one hand holding a cotton candy, the other a fried chicken, as she tried to pacify him. Leo greedily devoured the fried chicken, occasionally licking the cotton candy. I sighed. The doctor had warned that children with Leo’s condition shouldn’t be overly indulged; if they don’t get what they want, they can explode with even greater aggression. And definitely no junk food. Serena proudly patted Leo’s head. “Derek, see how well-behaved Leo is? He’s not nearly as difficult as Ms. Hayes said.” She then turned Leo’s face towards her and asked, “Leo, would you like me to be your new mommy? What if I have a little brother for you to play with later?” A bad feeling twisted in my gut. Before I could even cover my eyes, Leo’s tiny fist flew, connecting squarely with Serena’s eye. “I don’t want a brother! I’m going to kill him!” Then he kicked Serena’s stomach again. By the time Derek reacted, Leo had already grabbed Serena’s hair and furiously scratched her face. Serena shrieked in agony, falling to the ground. Derek rushed to pull them apart, but Leo was stout and strong, and Derek couldn’t restrain him right away. I massaged my temples, letting out a small, wry chuckle, then slammed my foot on the accelerator, heading for the office. Leo has his condition, but he’s not intellectually disabled. His possessiveness is extreme. Once, when I mentioned having another baby, he picked up a vase and threw it at me. It had taken a lot of explanations and promises that he wouldn’t have a sibling for his rage to calm down. I just hoped Serena had enough luck to keep her baby. When I arrived at the company, a few of the executives I’d discreetly cultivated offered respectful greetings. “Ms. Hayes, good morning.” I gave a slight nod and strode purposefully toward my office. Before I could even sit down, Derek called. “Chloe, get to the hospital now. Look at the wonderful son you’ve raised; he kicked Serena so hard she’s having contractions!”

I didn’t want to go, but then I heard Leo’s shouts in the background, and my heart tightened. I immediately got up and rushed to the hospital. No matter his issues, Leo is still the son I carried for nine months. And his outbursts have been slowly decreasing; he’s capable of understanding reason now. If it weren’t for Mrs. Miller’s constant interference, Leo’s condition would probably have improved significantly by now. When I arrived at the hospital room, I found Leo on the floor, crying his heart out, screaming “no little brother!” and “I hate little brothers!” Derek was holding him by the collar, yelling at him. I rushed over, pulling Leo into my arms. “Derek, what are you doing? The doctor said not to agitate Leo, have you forgotten?” “Didn’t you say Serena was so gentle and caring? Is this how she looks after Leo?” I shot a chilling glare at Serena. Derek let go, his face dark. “This is all because you spoil him! He just needs a good beating to learn his lesson.” “Serena was kindly buying him food, and he viciously kicked her in the stomach! What kind of monster will that child become when he’s older?” Before I could speak, Serena, feigning fragility, quickly interjected. “Honey, I really was taking good care of Leo. But he’s… developmentally challenged. I was just thinking, if he had a younger sibling, they could look after him later and also inherit AlphaCorp, bringing honor to your name.” “AlphaCorp is such a big company; we can’t possibly leave it to Leo, can we?” Only then did I notice the long scratches on Serena’s face, her eyes bruised black like a panda’s, as she glared at me with hatred. Serena’s provocations were always blatant. After all, she wasn’t just Derek’s best bedmate, but also his most capable assistant. She was a Harvard MBA grad, outwardly pure but with a seductive charm that made men drool. She’d even sent me videos of them tied up with whips in bed, openly taunting me to learn how to “satisfy a man.” My arms instinctively tightened around Leo, covering his ears. “Serena, you pathetic mistress, and your unborn bastard who doesn’t know his place—how dare you call Leo ‘developmentally challenged’ and dream of inheriting my company? Not a chance.” Serena’s face flushed red, and tears welled in her eyes. “Ms. Hayes, I only said Leo was ‘challenged’ because I feel for Derek, working so hard, hoping for a helper later. How can you be so vicious, cursing my baby?” I frowned, about to tell her she was delusional, when Derek’s enraged voice cut in. “Chloe, I think you’ve completely ruined Leo. He’s inherited your malice deep in his bones.” “Tomorrow, I’m sending Leo to a special education school, and you can go with him to take care of him. Serena will take your VP position. She’s all the help I need at the company now.” I stared at Derek in shock, biting my lip hard. If I wasn’t afraid of scaring Leo, I would have kicked him, slapped him senseless, and taught him what it meant to be a decent human being. Before I could even speak, Leo suddenly shot forward like a little rocket, slamming his chubby head directly into Serena’s stomach. “I don’t want to go to special school! That place is full of bad kids! I’m not a bad kid!” Serena immediately cried out, collapsing to her knees, clutching her stomach and wailing. I rushed over, pulling Leo into my arms, trying to comfort him. Mrs. Miller had once threatened to send him to a special school after he bit her, claiming it was full of “tigers and snakes that eat naughty children.” From that moment, terror had taken root in Leo’s young heart. Derek instantly exploded in fury. He grabbed Leo by the back of his shirt collar and slapped him across the head. “You little monster! How dare you lay a hand on Serena? I’m going to teach you a lesson you won’t forget!” As his hand came down again, I spun, shielding Leo. The slap landed squarely on my head, my ears ringing violently. Leo seized the opportunity and bit Derek’s hand. Derek cried out in pain and flung Leo against the wall. Leo’s forehead hit the wall, and blood immediately gushed out. My pupils dilated. I raised my hand and slapped Derek across the face. “Derek, you’re doing this to Leo for some cheap woman? Are you even human?” I rushed over and scooped up the unconscious Leo. Seeing his son unconscious, Derek also calmed down, his face dark. “This child is completely beyond hope. All thanks to your wonderful parenting.” I cradled Leo’s head, straightened up, and stared at Derek coldly. “Derek, let’s divorce. I’ll take my twenty percent of the shares, plus another ten percent for Leo. That way, you won’t be delayed in having your ‘excellent son’ with your little mistress.”

Before Derek could speak, Serena interjected, her voice vulnerable. “Derek, the doctor said it’s a boy. It’s not that I don’t care for Leo, but if this keeps happening, I’m afraid I might also give birth to a child with… similar issues.” Serena didn’t finish her sentence, her gaze falling pointedly on Leo. Derek’s brows furrowed. I spoke calmly. “Derek, if you don’t agree, I’ll sue you for adultery and emotional distress, and I’ll make sure the court sees all your blatant infidelities. Do you think the court will rule in your favor then?” “Leo is your biological son. If you’re so reluctant to give up shares, fine, I’ll even give you Leo’s shares. But I’ll have people watching you, and if you dare mistreat Leo in any way, I will prosecute you for child abuse.” My gaze lingered on Leo’s forehead as I stared coldly at Derek. Derek hesitated, deep in thought. Serena immediately clutched her stomach, stood, and leaned into him. “Derek, it’s only ten percent of the shares, right? Don’t worry, I’ll help you earn it all back. After a couple more years, we’ll buy up all the loose shares.” “With you and me working together, AlphaCorp will have a brilliant future.” She then lowered her voice. “Worst case, we can slowly undermine the company from within, buy back those shares at rock-bottom prices.” “Giving shares to Leo isn’t giving them to a stranger, right? It just shows what a loyal, good man you are.” Right there, in front of me, they shamelessly began plotting to seize the shares I had anonymously acquired. I couldn’t help but scoff. This decisive divorce was absolutely the right move. Otherwise, those two dogs would have hollowed out the company sooner or later. Fine, if that’s how it is, I won’t hold back either. I’ll just let them go bankrupt and drown in debt. I’d love to see how brilliant their future will be with their combined genius. Derek nodded approvingly, embracing Serena with a cheerful laugh. “You truly understand me best. Meeting you is the biggest blessing of my life.” Then he turned, looking at me with disgust. “You’re always so obsessed with money. If you were even half as sweet and understanding as Serena, I wouldn’t be like this.” “I’ve agreed to the shares. But from now on, you’re not allowed to interfere with the company. Just live a quiet life with Leo. And if I ever find out you’re cheating on me, I won’t let you get away with it.” Derek moved fast. Within twenty minutes, his lawyer had the divorce papers and the share transfer agreement drafted, signed, and ready. I signed swiftly, picked up Leo, and walked out. The moment we stepped outside, Leo’s tiny hand brushed my cheek. “Mommy, I know I have a problem. I’ll be good from now on and won’t make you angry.” I hadn’t cried when Serena insulted me, or when Derek slapped me. But now, I cried. I knew my Leo would be alright. He understood everything; he just couldn’t control himself. Within an hour, I decisively sold my shares and the patents I had developed. Well, it was a bargain. AlphaCorp’s sworn rival, Victor Thorne, almost split his face smiling as I signed the papers. Of course. Acquiring those patents meant seizing AlphaCorp’s lifeblood. All of Derek’s products in sales and those currently in production were now unlicensed. Victor Thorne could bankrupt him in minutes if he wanted to. I wasn’t heartless. The moment he threatened to send Leo to a special school and kick me out of the company, all ties between us were irrevocably severed. There was no need for me to consider the future of someone who had so viciously plotted against me. Looking at the substantial balance in my bank account, I took Leo and flew directly overseas. The moment we landed, Serena “thoughtfully” video-called me. “Ms. Hayes, it’s the company’s anniversary gala tonight. Such a shame you won’t be accompanying Derek for his speech.” “Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of Derek and the company from now on. After all, this will be my son’s legacy someday.” On the video, Serena, stunning in a silver evening gown, was arm-in-arm with Derek, who wore a dark patterned suit. They looked like a bride and groom, intimately standing on the grand stage, basking in everyone’s fawning praise. Anyone who didn’t know would think it was their wedding day. Just as Derek excitedly announced Serena’s official appointment as Vice President and their imminent marriage, Victor Thorne burst in with a team of black-suited bodyguards. Derek was about to loudly protest when Victor Thorne raised his hand, projecting the share certificate and patent ownership onto the large screen. “Mr. Miller, since when does a minor shareholder like you have the authority to appoint a glorified courtesan as Vice President?” “As of now, I am AlphaCorp’s majority shareholder. From this moment on, I am your boss.” Through the video, I watched Derek’s pupils slowly dilate, his face morphing inch by agonizing inch into pure terror. Serena reacted, her face drained of color, rushing to the camera and screaming, “Chloe! How could you be so cruel? Do you really have to destroy us?” I let out a soft laugh, my voice calm. “Yes, Serena. I’m going to send you straight to hell.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “331623”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #重生Reborn #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #魔幻Magic