My wife kissed another man in front of me during our anniversary party. She wiped her lips and told me she had never loved me. Guests filmed everything while she walked out with him. When I opened my eyes again, I was reborn to the week before that humiliation. This time, I did not wait for her betrayal. I walked away first and erased myself from her life. Ten years later, she chased me into a crowded ballroom. She grabbed my arm and told everyone we were finally getting back together. I smiled. “I have a child now. Why would I go back to her?” 0 I never imagined I’d cross paths with Ava Sullivan again in this lifetime. At a high-society gala in Bay City, she stood arm-in-arm with Derek Graham amidst the crowd, her smile elegant and refined, no trace of the girl she once was. The people surrounding them wore ingratiating smiles, their tones flattering. “Miss Sullivan, you’re truly as capable as any man! To secure a provincial-level project at such a young age, your future is limitless!” “And this must be your partner? What a handsome couple you make, enough to make anyone envious!” Derek gazed at Ava lovingly and said softly, “We’re planning to get married at the end of the year. Everyone’s welcome to attend the wedding if you’re free.” Another round of congratulations followed, and someone asked, “I heard you’ve been together for ten years. Why are you only getting married now?” I was curious about this too. In my previous life, Ava loved Derek so much she was willing to die with him. After my rebirth, she immediately broke up with me. I thought they would get married right after graduation, but I didn’t expect them to still be unmarried now. Hearing this question, Ava’s face momentarily stiffened, almost imperceptibly. She quickly covered it with a smile. “We wanted to establish our careers first, then start a family. I want to give Derek the best life possible.” She looked at Derek, her eyes overflowing with tender affection. In my previous life, when she was with me, I proposed several times. It wasn’t until her family pressured her that Ava reluctantly agreed to be with me. Apparently, the difference between love and indifference can be this obvious. I was about to turn and leave when I caught sight of a small figure from the corner of my eye. My body instinctively followed. “Crash!” Champagne spilled all over the floor, and the waiter holding the tray looked at me with displeasure. “Where did you come from? Are you blind?” His voice was loud enough to attract the attention of those around us. Seeing my face, Ava was startled. “Ethan Thompson, what are you doing here?” I apologized to the waiter and explained, “I’m here to find someone.” Someone curiously asked Ava, “Miss Sullivan, do you know him?” Ava’s hand tightened on her champagne glass, her gaze becoming heavy. “Yes, an ex-boyfriend.” Someone nearby blurted out, “You’ve been together for ten years, I thought you were each other’s first love.” Derek’s smile faded slightly. He took Ava’s hand and said casually, “We were young then, had a little fight and separated briefly. Who hasn’t taken a wrong turn when they were young?” Ava remained silent, her gaze passing over me to the waiter. “Put the damages on my tab. Let him go.” She stood there, her expression calm. Apart from the initial moment of recognition, she didn’t spare me a single extra glance. It seemed she wanted to draw a clear line between us in front of Derek, distancing herself from this ‘wrong turn’ in her past. The waiter hurriedly pushed me towards the exit. “Miss Sullivan is being kind, cleaning up your mess. But there won’t be a next time.” He glanced at my wrinkled pajamas with disdain. “This isn’t a place for you. Get out quickly.” I shook off his hand and explained politely, “I’m here to find someone. Once I do, I’ll leave on my own.” The waiter scoffed, rolling his eyes. “I’ve seen plenty of people like you trying to rub shoulders with the elite. Do you even have the right to be at a gala like this? If you don’t leave now, I’m calling security!” “Wait,” Ava’s voice came from behind him. She picked up her dress, looked at me, and sighed resignedly. “He’s here to see me. Let me talk to him.” Derek stood beside her, putting his arm around her shoulder possessively. “Ethan, Ava and I are about to get married. I think anyone with a shred of shame wouldn’t come looking for an ex at a time like this.” Ava’s face darkened slightly, and she couldn’t help but advise me. “Why do you have to be so obsessed with me? Even if you waited for me for ten years, I still wouldn’t fall in love with you.” “My relationship with you was just a mistake. Now that I have a chance to correct that mistake, I hope you can let go of the past soon.” Derek looked me up and down, his eyes filled with mockery. “I can understand why you came to find Ava. After all, times have changed. She’s now a well-known entrepreneur, and there’s no shortage of people trying to curry favor with her.” Perhaps my wrinkled pajamas gave him confidence. Derek spoke arrogantly. “You graduated from a good university, how did you end up like this? If I were you, I wouldn’t have the face to go out in public!” Ava frowned, took out her phone, her tone tinged with impatience. “If you feel I wronged you when we broke up, I can give you some breakup money now.” “Is fifty thousand dollars enough?” Her fingers moved on the screen for a moment, then suddenly froze. “You deleted me from your friends list?” 0

I was a bit puzzled, not understanding why her reaction was so strong. Isn’t it normal to delete an ex after breaking up? Moreover, I have someone at home who gets jealous easily. If she knew I still had my ex-girlfriend’s contact information, who knows what kind of fuss she’d kick up. “Wasn’t it you who said you hoped I wouldn’t come looking for you after we broke up?” I asked. Ava’s face turned cold. She looked like she wanted to say something but held back. My tone was flat as I added, “And the breakup money isn’t necessary. I don’t need it.” After these repeated setbacks, Ava’s expression worsened. She said coldly, “Why are you still pretending in front of me? If I didn’t see how down and out you are now, I wouldn’t even bother saying a word to you.” Derek gently comforted her. “Ava, you’re just too kind-hearted. In my opinion, why bother with a man like this? Look at his shabby appearance, he’s just a hopeless case!” His tone was contemptuous, seemingly forgetting that ten years ago, he was in an even worse state than me. In my previous life, the reason Ava’s family didn’t approve of her being with Derek was because he was an uneducated, lawbreaking hooligan. The first time I met Ava in college, she had just bailed Derek out of the police station and was being forced by her family to break up with him. During Ava’s most depressed period, I was the one who stayed by her side, helping her get through it. She loved photography, so I used the money I had originally planned for starting a business to buy her expensive equipment worth tens of thousands of dollars. In scorching summers and freezing winters, I carried equipment weighing dozens of pounds, following her around, just hoping to see a genuine smile on her face. Who would have thought that it was Ava who confessed to me first? I knew about her past with Derek, and I had seen her occasionally staring at their photos in her album. So when Ava confessed, I very seriously asked her. Had she really gotten over Derek? At that time, she hugged me tightly and said firmly, “That’s all in the past. I’ve long since realized who truly cares for me. Ethan, I love you. Let’s be together.” We dated for seven years. Even her best friend couldn’t help but be surprised. “She liked Derek so much, I thought you two wouldn’t last long.” But what no one knew was that Ava had rejected my proposals countless times in private. “Ethan, I’m against marriage. Isn’t it good for us to just stay like this forever?” It wasn’t until Ava’s parents started pressuring her about marriage that she agreed to get married. During our honeymoon, when news of Derek’s accidental car crash came, she jumped off the cruise ship, leaving only a suicide note. In the note, it was full of her love for Derek, without a single word left for me. At the end, she wrote in blood, “Derek, all I ever wanted in this life was to be your bride. Now, I’m coming to find you.” My love for her also turned to ashes at that moment. So when Ava wanted to break up with me after my rebirth, I didn’t stop her. Because I knew it was unstoppable. Watching them get back together, I deleted all of Ava’s contact information, thinking there would be no chance to meet again in this life. But I didn’t expect to encounter her here. I wanted to leave, but Derek wouldn’t let it go, insisting on humiliating me in front of everyone. “You’ve really gone to great lengths to hook up with Ava. Looking at how you’re dressed, I bet you don’t even have a job to make ends meet.” “How about this, I’ll introduce you to work as a waiter here. If you learn to serve people well, you could make five figures a month.” Someone nearby, wanting to please him, added with a grin, “This is a hotel in the prime location of Bay City. Being able to work here would be extremely fortunate for you. Hurry up and thank Mr. Graham!” Surrounded by people and unable to leave, I said helplessly, “Thank you, but I already have a job.” “It’s photography.” As soon as the word ‘photography’ came out, Ava immediately looked at me. Her eyes flashed with complexity, and her lips moved a few times. She turned her head away, not looking at me, her tone cold. “How much can you earn from photography? You can’t make a living from a hobby. Given that we all know each other, I can arrange a job for you.” I was stunned, immediately realizing she had misunderstood. 0

My love for photography wasn’t because I still had lingering feelings for Ava. In fact, when I saw that suicide note in my previous life, I had already completely given up on her. It’s just that when I was reborn, I found that all the money had already been spent on photography equipment. I couldn’t sell it on second-hand platforms, so I had no choice but to pick it up and use it myself. As a result, I really fell in love with photography. In this life, it’s not to please others, but just for myself. I politely declined Ava’s offer again, my tone courteous but distant. “My hobby is enough to cover my living expenses. Thank you for your concern.” Seeing that I didn’t appreciate her kindness, Ava’s face flashed with anger. “You’re not taking the opportunity I’m giving you. Don’t come crying to me for help later!” I didn’t say anything, nor did I tell her. Now, my photography works are exclusively supplied to several national-level publications, as well as top international journals. The various copyright fees, when added up, are not lower than Ava’s income. But if I said that, she would probably think I was bragging. After all, in these wrinkled pajamas, I did look quite shabby. It was all because of my son. He insisted on playing with me in the sandbox, and when I turned around, he had slipped downstairs again. I didn’t have time to change clothes before I chased after him. Just as I was looking for an excuse to leave, the waiter from earlier seemed to have discovered something. He pointed at my clothes and said, “Balenciaga? Where did you pick up this shirt? You’re not a cleaner here who stole it from a guest’s room, are you?” I couldn’t help but frown. “Can’t this shirt be my own?” Derek sneered, mocking, “Your own? Can you afford it? What rich person would dress so casually and run around like you?” He dramatically covered his nose. “It’s so dirty, you probably put it on without even washing it after stealing it.” Ava looked at me, her brows furrowed so tightly they could kill a fly. “Ethan, have you really sunk so low? Do you still want to be stubborn?” I didn’t want to deal with them anymore and directly said to the waiter, “If you really think I stole something, you can call the police right now.” I knew he saw Derek’s dissatisfaction with me and wanted to step on me to please him. Sure enough, his aggressive attitude immediately deflated, and he muttered, “If it weren’t for the VIP guest at the hotel today, and we’re afraid of disturbing them with people like you, I would have called the police already.” Derek’s eyes lit up, and he quickly chimed in. “It must be the young lady from the Lawrence family, right? I heard she and her family are vacationing in Bay City and staying at this hotel.” Ava nodded, her eyes revealing a hint of anticipation. “If only we could get the Lawrence family’s support for the project our company is working on.” The words “young lady from the Lawrence family” were like throwing gasoline on a fire, immediately sparking a wave of discussion. “Isn’t the reason we came to this gala today to meet Miss Lawrence? This entire building belongs to her family.” “I heard she got married and had a child in her early twenties. I wonder which family’s son she married into.” As everyone was discussing, the hotel manager came running in, sweating profusely, with a team of people behind him. “Has anyone seen a seven-year-old boy, about this tall?” The manager wiped his sweat, his eyes anxiously searching the hall. Someone quick-witted, seeing such a commotion, immediately guessed what was happening. “Is it the young master of the Lawrence family? I heard he’s just seven years old this year.” The gala attendees became enthusiastic, hurriedly searching everywhere. After all, if they found the child, there would be a chance to establish a connection with the Lawrence family. Ava and Derek also joined the search, no longer paying attention to me. Looking at the chaotic hall, I walked straight to the dessert area. Sure enough, I found my son under the table, his face smeared with cream. I extended my hand with a stern face. “Come here.” My son was startled and clung to the table leg, refusing to let go. “No.” Just as I was about to pull him over, Derek appeared out of nowhere, righteously blocking my way. “Ethan Thompson, what are you doing!” “Even if you want to curry favor with the Lawrence family, you shouldn’t lay hands on a child!” Ava rushed over at the news, her eyes full of disappointment as she looked at me. “Ethan, I never thought you’d do something like this for fame and fortune.” The waiter grabbed the manager and tattled. “It’s this man, he suddenly barged into the gala and even stole clothes from other guests!” The manager’s face immediately darkened, and he called for security. “Arrest this thief and send him straight to the police station! If he scares the young master, you’ll all lose your jobs!” A hint of a triumphant smile flashed in Derek’s eyes. He bent down and put on a kind face for the Lawrence family’s young master. “Come here to uncle, uncle will protect you.” My son ignored him completely. To everyone’s astonishment, he cautiously reached out to hold my hand. “Dad, I know I was wrong.”

I twisted his ear and said coldly, “Have you forgotten what the doctor said? You’re getting cavities and still sneaking sweets!” Seeing Henry wince in pain, Derek quickly accused me, “If he wants to eat, let him eat! Who are you to control him?” I replied calmly, “I’m his father. Why shouldn’t I be able to control him?” Derek finally realized what Henry had just called me. He fell silent, his gaze darting between me and Henry. I let go of Henry’s ear, and he immediately clung to me, trying to appease me. “Dad, I only had a little bit. I won’t get cavities.” His face, covered in cream, smeared all over my clothes. I held him at arm’s length with disgust and said irritably, “When your mom finds out later, I won’t stop her from scolding you!” Henry was in the process of losing his baby teeth and liked sweets, resulting in several cavities. Whenever he had a toothache, Lila would be heartbroken, but she couldn’t resist his pleading and often turned a blind eye. During this vacation, Lila got an urgent work call and had to leave. I was strict with Henry, so he snuck down to the gala to steal sweets. Seeing my serious face, Henry hugged my leg pleadingly. “Dad, I promise I’ll never do it again.” The manager standing nearby was trembling, his voice lowered. “You… you’re Miss Lawrence’s husband?” I nodded lightly. “Yes.” He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and quickly forced a smile. “We didn’t recognize such an important person. Would you and the young master like to go upstairs to freshen up?” Looking at the mess of cream all over me, I was about to follow the manager when someone suddenly grabbed me. Turning around, I saw it was Ava. She opened her mouth, but it took a while before she could speak. “You… you’re married? And you have a child?” I pulled my clothes free and nodded indifferently. “Yes, I got married right after graduation.” Lila and I met because of photography. I was on location abroad when I happened to encounter Lila, who had fallen down a hillside while hiking. It was a remote area with poor signal. I went to great lengths to rescue her. While waiting for help, she curiously looked at some of my past work and started chatting with me. As we talked, we discovered we had many common interests. By the time we returned home, we were already together. To my surprise, her family didn’t look down on my background. Lila smiled and looked at me with determination in her eyes. “Ethan, your character and personality are what made me choose you.” I thought that because of my past with Ava, I would find it difficult to love someone again. But Lila made me understand that love is mutual. Looking back on my previous life, all that pain and struggle now seemed so distant. The son in my arms was urging me. “Dad, let’s go back to find Mom. I miss her.” But Ava wouldn’t let us go. She stared at me intently, refusing to give up. “Are you trying to make me jealous on purpose? Didn’t you say you’d only love me in this lifetime?” “Did you say that?” a female voice sounded from behind me, followed by a chorus of greetings from around us. “Hello, Miss Lawrence. Hello, Mrs. Lawrence. Boss.” Looking back, I saw that Lila had come downstairs at some point. She held onto my arm and looked at Ava, her tone neutral. “Is this your ex-girlfriend?” Afraid she might get jealous again, I quickly explained. “We were together briefly when we were young, just for a month. We haven’t been in contact for ten years.” These words, hastily distancing myself from Ava, made her face pale. I thought for a moment and added, “Besides, I never said I’d only love her in this lifetime.” Ava stared at me, understanding the meaning behind my words. That promise was made by me in my previous life. Living this life anew, we had both chosen different paths, so naturally, that promise no longer held. She said reluctantly, “But… but we have so much history. How could you forget everything and be with someone else!” Derek’s face had already turned as sour as it could get. I sighed helplessly. “Why not? Aren’t you with Derek now? You’re getting married next month, yet you’re here accusing me. Isn’t that a bit much?” My words silenced Ava, her face alternating between pale and flushed. She was about to say something else when Derek, unable to watch any longer, intervened. “Ava, let’s go. He’s married now, he has nothing to do with you anymore. I’m the one who’s always been by your side!” But as soon as he grabbed Ava’s arm, she slapped his hand away. Looking at the red mark forming on the back of his hand, Derek’s face suddenly turned bright red. In the past, Ava would have surely held his hand and fussed over him, but now, she didn’t even spare him a glance. Derek shot me a vicious look, his eyes filled with undisguised resentment. Lila smiled enigmatically, looking Ava up and down before speaking slowly. “I thought some young girl had taken a fancy to my husband, but it turns out it’s an ex-girlfriend.” “Trying to rekindle an old flame before breaking up with your current partner? Isn’t that a bit shameless?” Ava’s face turned pale, and she hurriedly tried to explain. “No, I… I…” I raised my hand to interrupt her. “Ava, what happened between us is in the past. I have a family now, and you have someone who loves you. I wish you happiness.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “307342”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #魔幻Magic #重生Reborn

Six years after our divorce, I ran into Sebastian at the police station. He had climbed the ranks from an undercover agent to a respected inspector. I had fallen from a cherished heiress to a social pariah. He was there, flush with success, planning his wedding. I was there to collect my father’s death certificate. As I turned to leave, his voice halted me. “Stella, do you still hate me?” I shook my head. Hate is the offspring of love. After six long years, the love was gone. And so was the hate. A young officer, blind to the tension, chirped, “Come on, everyone, share Inspector Sebastian’s happy news!” He reached out to hand me a piece of wedding candy, but Sebastian intercepted his hand, quickly catching up to me. His voice was tight. “What brought you here? I can help-” I lifted the documents in my hand, cutting him off. “It’s done.” Then I walked straight out of the precinct. The irony wasn’t lost on me. We had met here twice now. The first time, I had watched my father be brought to justice. Sebastian grabbed my arm, forcing me to stop. “Are you alright?” Such a cliché greeting. My eyes dropped to the new wedding ring on his left hand. My answer was just as predictable. “I’m fine.” He pulled his hand back as if my skin had burned him. Leo’s car was idling by the entrance. I turned and gave Sebastian a final nod. “My husband is here.” His voice thickened. “Okay, goodbye.” I was done with goodbyes where he was concerned. As the car pulled away, he remained rooted in place, watching. “Stella,” Leo asked, his face full of gossip. “Are you using me to ward off an admirer? That officer looked like he wanted to set me on fire with his eyes. Why does he seem so familiar?” I smoothed the crumpled edge of the document in my lap. “That’s Sebastian Vance.” Leo snapped his head towards me, disbelieving. “The Sebastian Vance? The special crimes expert? The one they interview on TV about cold cases? The guy whose interrogation techniques are taught at the police academy?” At my nod, he stared blankly for another second before I had to remind him. “Eyes on the road, Leo.” But he couldn’t let it go. “No wonder they made him a Senior Detective so young. Now it all clicks. He spent nearly a decade deep undercover. Only resurfaced after taking down that massive syndicate. The main suspect was… Harrison, wasn’t he?” “Yes.” “Right, Harrison…that last name…” He seemed to remember that my last name was also Harrison and abruptly fell silent. My voice remained calm as I answered the question he left unasked. “Yes, that was my dad.” The main culprit of the Harrison Organized Crime Syndicate, personally brought to justice by Sebastian Vance. Leo awkwardly scratched his head. “I’m so sorry, Stella. I brought up something painful.” Mentioning it now, it no longer hurt. It was more like talking about someone else’s story, my emotions perfectly even. The atmosphere in the car grew a little awkward. Leo’s gaze fell on the papers in my hand. He quickly changed the subject. “Right, what were you doing at the precinct today?” I ran my finger over the prominent word “DEATH” on the document, and said. “To cancel my father’s… registration.” Half a month ago, Dad passed away. He suddenly vomited blood in his cell. The diagnosis was terminal stomach cancer. They released him on medical parole, but he lasted less than three months. On his deathbed, he left his last words to me. “Your father is guilty. I don’t hold that against Sebastian. But he lied to you. For that alone, I wish I could end him myself.” Dad never blamed me. Even though he’d refused hundreds of my visits over six years. I knew he wasn’t blaming me for bringing a snake into our home. He never wanted me to go through life branded as a criminal’s daughter. The thought of Dad still brought a pang of sorrow. To shake it off, I turned to Leo, who clearly had questions on his mind. “Want to hear my story?” I am the heiress to what was once the country’s largest crime syndicate. And the ex-wife of one of law enforcement’s most prominent figures. This is my story, tangled between two warring worlds.

When I was sixteen, I was kidnapped by a rival gang. I managed to escape one night, only to find myself stranded in a rough neighborhood. Trash and cigarette butts littered the ground, and rats squeaked in the sewers. Under the dim, flickering streetlights, a drunk blocked my path. A boy pulled me behind him, shielding me. It was Sebastian Vance, eighteen years old. He wore a faded black T-shirt, his arms lean and strong. When he took the blow of a glass bottle for me, he didn’t even utter a grunt. At the time, I didn’t know it was a setup. I just thought it was a classic damsel-in-distress scenario, and I was falling for my hero. So, I told my dad when he arrived. “Didn’t you want to find me a bodyguard? I want him.” Bodyguard was just a cover. Sebastian back then was dirt poor, with nothing but his strength. I needed an excuse to keep him by my side. Dad admired him too, saying the young man had a spark in his eyes and would achieve great things someday. He truly did make something of himself. After just two years, he was accepted into the same university as me. The day he received his acceptance letter, his eyes welled up. “Stella, I owe you and your dad my life.” “If I can, I want to stay by your side forever.” Sebastian would wake up at six every morning, take an hour-long bus ride, and stand in a long line. All just so I could have a hot breakfast bun before my 8 AM class. He would spend his entire paycheck just to buy a pretty brooch I’d casually complimented. Yet, his own sweater, pilled and faded, he wore for three years. His bag always contained painkillers, band-aids, an umbrella, and sanitary pads, all for my careless self. He was so good to me, so good that even Dad couldn’t find fault. The year we graduated, he proposed joining the Harrison Corporation. Dad hesitated, saying he didn’t need to repay us. But Sebastian knelt down. “I know I’m not worthy, but I love Stella. “I want the right to stay by her side.” I didn’t know then that Dad was already being coerced and falling into a deep abyss. I only remember he talked with Sebastian in the study for a long time. When they came out, Dad placed my hand in Sebastian’s. “Sebastian, promise me you’ll always keep my girl happy, pure, and honorable.” At 25, I had my master’s degree. Sebastian, through sheer force of competence, had risen to become a core executive at the corporation. But the higher he climbed, the more distant he became. He watched me with an unnerving intensity. Then, out of nowhere, he said,”Sometimes, ,wish I could just walk away from all of this… for you.” But when I asked him what he meant, he said nothing. Leo cut in. “Did he realize he really loved you, so he wanted to give up his undercover identity?” I shook my head. “I don’t know, and it doesn’t matter.” Whatever momentary conflict he might have felt, it didn’t change his relentless pursuit of justice. When I was 26, Sebastian proposed. We got the marriage license first and began planning the ceremony. The wedding day was lavish. I was in a gown of pure white. And I watched, with my own eyes, as Sebastian flashed his badge and put the cuffs on my father. Leo leaned forward, aghast. “On your wedding day? That’s brutal! Tell me you rushed over and punched him?” I shook my head again. “I didn’t get the chance. He walked away with my bridesmaid.” “Bridesmaid? Who?” “His current wife.”

A few days before, photos from Sebastian’s wedding had been blowing up our alumni chat. The bride, as expected, was Chloe Davis. My college best friend. My roommate. She came from a low-income family. She was plain, always hiding behind thick-rimmed glasses. But she was fiercely hardworking and even more fiercely proud. I remember when our professor mocked her accent, saying it “carried the distinct scent of the countryside.” She just flushed a deep red, but she never lowered her head. I was the one who approached her. I invited her to join the study group I had with Sebastian. Maybe it was their similar backgrounds, their same stubborn grit. They got along famously from the start. Or perhaps… the connection was just instant. The cheap food I found unpalatable, they both enjoyed. I liked wearing bright, colorful clothes; they both preferred durable, dark shirts. When given two choices for a project, they would invariably and synchronously pick the other option. But all their interactions were filtered through me, maintaining a polite distance. So, I never once suspected infidelity. After we graduated with our master’s degrees. Chloe struggled in her career and came to me for help. I wanted to give her a boost, so I pulled some strings and got her a job at Harrison Corporation. I even asked Sebastian to keep an eye on her. Unlike our college trio, this time, I wasn’t there to stand between them. And in my absence, they grew close. Why Chloe? Perhaps it was because the man who had hidden his true self for so long could finally stop pretending around her. I suspected nothing. Not until our wedding day, when Chloe rushed into Sebastian’s arms, her eyes shining with tears. “You did it! Ten years of playing a part… you can finally be yourself again!” It took ten years, but I was finally meeting the real Sebastian Vance. He just watched me from a distance, silent and detached, as if he were profiling a suspect. I had so many questions I wanted to ask. What would happen to my dad? When did you and she start this? And when did you start lying to me? But he didn’t give me the chance. Leading Chloe by the hand, he walked over, saying coldly. “He won’t be detained during the investigation. Pack a few changes of clothes for your dad and send them to the detention center.” He looked at my tear-streaked makeup, his expression softening slightly. I hurled my bouquet at his face. Then I picked up a glass of wine nearby and aggressively splashed it over him. The wine splattered onto Chloe’s pink bridesmaid dress. She whimpered, sounding wronged. “Sebastian, don’t go soft. Loving her was just an act; you wouldn’t actually fall for your own performance, would you?” Her single sentence snapped Sebastian back to reality. He picked up a glass of wine too, and poured it directly over my head. “An eye for an eye. I’m doing this for Chloe.” “Talk to me when you’re sober!” He walked away, Chloe in tow, leaving me standing alone. In the days that followed, sleep became a stranger. Harrison Corporation was seized. Every asset my family owned was frozen and cataloged. I dodged reporters while scrambling to find a lawyer for my father. The final conclusion was that there was no way out. Only then did I truly allow myself to understand, in the worldly sense, that my father was a bad man. The worldview I had built over a lifetime shattered in that single moment. Human nature is a tangled thing. No one is purely anything. He committed many wrongs, yet he adored his daughter and was passionate about philanthropy. Similarly, no one is perfectly good. Like Sebastian Vance. He was extensively covered by the media, bestowed with titles like “Shadow of Justice” and “Dawn Breaker of Darkness.” Yet, I found him kissing Chloe in our wedding-decorated home. I had no strength left to argue. I passed out. “What happened to you after that?!” Leo asked, urgent. “After that… I don’t remember much. I almost died.”

Perhaps some primal self-preservation instinct finally kicked in. I fell ill, my mind sinking into a dense fog. Maybe out of pity, Sebastian never filed for annulment. Instead, he took a two-month leave and brought me from one doctor to the next. In therapy, I refused to speak. When given medication, I refused to open my mouth. He even resorted to strapping me down for electroconvulsive therapy. The side effects were devastating, often causing lasting damage. That’s why I can never hold a paintbrush again. Back then, I had no will to get better. I’d hidden a razor blade behind the mirror, waiting for the day of my father’s sentencing to finally set myself free. Sebastian, however, was furious. He forced my mouth open, making me swallow the pills. “Do you still think you’re that spoiled princess from before? Can’t you stop being so stubborn?” In the past, every time I had to take medicine, I’d throw a minor fit. And Sebastian would always patiently coax me. “Come on, sweetie, once you swallow it, I’ll give you a candy.” This time, there was no candy. The moment he let go, I threw up everything. Sebastian lost his patience, looking down at me. “Look at you now. I shouldn’t have bothered with you.” The door slammed shut, and he smoked in the living room all night. The next day, Chloe showed up. Their argument erupted almost immediately. “Sebastian, you’re an officer with a future! She’s a criminal’s daughter. Why are you still tied to her?” A long silence hung in the air before his low voice finally cut through it. “I looked after her for ten years, Chloe. You wouldn’t just abandon a stray dog you’d raised that long.” A stray dog. How compassionate of him. Their shouting match somehow twisted into another desperate kiss, right there in the foyer of the new home my father had bought for me. It felt like a desecration. I snapped. I stormed out and smashed everything I could get my hands on, aiming straight for the wedding portrait with their blissfully smiling faces . Sebastian shielded Chloe behind him, just as he used to shield me. He watched my breakdown, my frenzy, with cold indifference. Chloe feigned fear. “I told you, didn’t I? She has a criminal’s blood flowing in her veins, selfish, violent… truly terrifying.” Mentioning Dad, I became hysterical. I picked up a shard of glass, lunging at them. But Sebastian kicked it away. His words were full of disappointment. “Stella Harrison, you’ve exhausted the last shred of my compassion for you.” The day Sebastian went to file for annulment, My father’s final sentence also came down. Life imprisonment. Through the iron bars, Dad’s old eyes filled with tears. He saw my desire to die instantly. “My girl, live, please, your father is begging you.” He had already prepared a fallback for me. A substantial trust fund in an overseas institution. My dad had never said “please” in his life. So I thought, then I’ll live. The last time I saw Sebastian, in front of the precinct, Those were his final words to me. “Take care of yourself.” The car entered a tunnel, darkness enveloped us, leaving only a warm, dim glow. Suddenly, the stark white light of my phone flashed. An unknown number. “Hello?” It was Sebastian. “You left your ID behind. Can we meet?”

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That summer, when I was eighteen, Chloe and I finally crossed that line. Afterward, I was too excited to sleep a wink, believing my six-year-long secret crush had finally come true. Until the next day, I overheard her friends teasing her: “Wow, Chloe, you totally snagged the hottest guy in class.” I felt a flush of embarrassment, about to slip away unnoticed. Then Chloe’s nonchalant reply drifted over. “I want to go after Jaxon, the ice hockey star from school. I’m just worried he’ll think I’m too inexperienced.” “So, I just used Liam to practice my moves.” I didn’t say a word. In the last possible moment, I quietly switched my university application from Washington D.C. to Chicago. Chloe’s words hit me like a sudden, brutal lightning strike from a clear sky. My mind instantly went blank. In that sweltering summer afternoon, I felt an icy coldness spread through my body. The conversation in the classroom continued, though they seemed to pause for a beat before someone spoke again. “Only Chloe would say that. The hottest guy in class is just practice for her.” Chloe chuckled, unconcerned. “Don’t be silly. He’s not exactly losing out, is he?” Someone immediately chimed in. “True, true. Liam is pretty lean, compared to Jaxon… well, his build just isn’t the same.” Chloe, annoyed, playfully tossed a book at him, cutting off his comment. “It was just a heat-of-the-moment thing, the vibe was there, and honestly, he looked like he was about to burst.” They all exchanged knowing glances, teasing her. “So Liam’s the quiet type on the outside, a total wild card underneath!” “Oh, wow, Chloe, your charm is just too much. Of course, you’d take the opportunity when it’s handed to you.” “Liam’s been after you for years, he finally got what he wanted. He’s probably completely obsessed with you now.” The laughter in the room clearly intensified. My hands clenched into tight fists. It took every ounce of my strength to stay upright, to keep from collapsing at the classroom door. Footsteps approached from the end of the corridor. I snapped back to reality, bolting from the scene. In a panic, I rushed into a bathroom stall.

Chloe’s words echoed in my mind, syllable by syllable. They utterly shredded every last piece of my self-respect. If I hadn’t heard it with my own ears, I would never have believed that the person who’d been so intimately entwined with me, who’d seemed to lose herself completely in my arms just last night, was the same person. So, you could do something that intimate, even without love. You could lie and deceive, even in the most passionate, irrational moments. What I’d foolishly believed was our destiny, was nothing more than a punchline in their conversations. The more I thought about it, the more miserable I became. A long while later. My phone buzzed with a new message. It was Chloe. [Just cab it home. My friends are having a party tonight, and it’s not really convenient for you to come.] I didn’t reply. I stared at the message, silent for a long time. From dusk till dawn yesterday, Chloe and I had been all over each other, again and again. Finally, we were both exhausted. Before I fell asleep in her arms, she was still whispering softly to me. “It was our first time, and we weren’t fully prepared. You really went all out tonight.” Back then, I thought she genuinely cared about me, that I had finally found my happiness. And now… In an instant, I sobered up considerably. I dug my nails into my palms, took a deep breath, and walked out of the bathroom. When I got home, I felt like all my strength had drained away. Ever since Chloe’s family moved in next door, I’d trailed after her like a puppy, for ten whole years. I’d never imagined what a world without her would be like. And I certainly didn’t dare to. But from now on, I was on my own. Outside my floor-to-ceiling window, lights came on one by one, then faded out. I don’t know how much time passed before my buddy, Ryan, video-called me. “Liam, how come you didn’t come to our party with Chloe tonight? Jaxon from the next class is here, and with you gone, he’s practically glued to her side. They’re making everyone sick.” Ryan flipped his camera.

In a dimly lit corner of the lounge, Chloe and Jaxon, the ice hockey star, sat close together. Jaxon wore a simple black t-shirt, accentuating his broad shoulders, making him look effortlessly cool and totally eye-catching. They’d clearly carved out their own space, separate from the others. Even when they talked, it was like they were whispering conspiratorially, sharing private secrets. Even through the phone, I could feel a thick, undeniable tension between them. My chest tightened, a suffocating gasp caught in my throat. Chloe just said she wanted to go after him this afternoon, and it looks like she already sealed the deal tonight. During a round of ‘Truth or Dare,’ Jaxon got a prompt to do push-ups over a female guest. As expected, Chloe immediately stepped forward. The crowd immediately went wild. Chloe’s cheeks flushed crimson as she demurely lay back on the couch. Jaxon hovered above her, doing dozens of push-ups in one go. He was incredibly careful, his body barely hovering over hers, trying his best not to touch her. Until the very last one. Whether he genuinely lost his strength or it was a calculated move, I couldn’t tell. He failed to hold himself up and collapsed directly onto Chloe. The room erupted in deafening cheers, loud enough to blow the roof off. Chloe and Jaxon’s faces flushed an even deeper red. Amidst the crazy uproar, Chloe, with a mischievous glint in her eyes, simply tilted her head back and locked lips with Jaxon. They completely lost themselves in the moment, sharing a deep, passionate kiss as if no one else existed. It lasted a full three minutes before they reluctantly pulled apart. For those agonizing three minutes, I stared, unblinking, at the screen, so numb I almost forgot to breathe. My heart felt like it was being ripped apart, a searing pain. I wanted to cry so badly, but I’d cried too much that afternoon and had no tears left. “They were totally making out, Liam, did you see that? She’s completely into him.” Ryan sighed, then turned the camera away and stepped out of the lounge. He found a quiet corner and seriously tried to reason with me. “Liam, don’t be mad at me. If I hadn’t let you see it with your own eyes, you’d never give up on her.” My throat was dry and hoarse, the words that came out were rough and indistinct. “No, I don’t blame you.” It’s all on me for being such a fool for all these years. I always thought that because I was allowed to be by Chloe’s side, that spot was automatically mine. “I just couldn’t stand Chloe. How could she, knowing you’d liked her for years, still play this innocent game, stringing you along, watching you fall deeper and deeper?” “You saw it for yourself just now. I really hope you think hard about this. Don’t let her waste another four years of your life in college…” “I won’t, Ryan.” I cut him off, stating calmly. “I won’t give myself another chance.” “Ryan, I’ve decided. I’m going to university in Chicago with you.” “But you have to promise to keep it a secret for now.”

After saying that, to stop myself from wavering, I opened my laptop right in front of him. Without a second thought, I pulled up my application portal and, just before the early decision deadline, changed my top choice to that renowned university in Chicago. Ryan was, naturally, over the moon. He’d been begging me to apply to the same university for ages. But when we first entered high school, Chloe and I had made a pact: we’d work hard together after our SATs and head hand-in-hand to her dream school in Washington D.C., where she’d always wanted to study her favorite major. So, even though I didn’t particularly love Washington D.C. or feel any connection to that specific STEM-focused university, for three years of high school, I kept it as my goal. After years of being neighbors, both our parents were happy for us to apply to the same university. Everyone, myself included, thought Chloe and I would naturally become a couple once we were adults. But now, I couldn’t find a single reason to go to Washington D.C. Or rather, after today, if I continued to cling to Chloe like before, I’d never be able to look myself in the mirror again. I just wanted to get as far away as possible. Anywhere was fine, as long as Chloe wasn’t there. If she was in Washington D.C., then I’d go to Chicago.

Before bed, I turned on the shower, desperate to wash away the lingering stickiness of it all. But as I peeled off my clothes, the marks on my skin were still painfully obvious. Memories from last night surged back, uncontrollable. The burning heat of her skin as we clung together, the scorching breaths against my ear in the throes of passion—the warmth seemed to still linger in the air. I shook my head hard, trying to dislodge those absurd images. Then I found the roughest loofah I could find and scrubbed my skin repeatedly, until my whole body was raw and red, before finally stopping. I was clumsily trying to erase what felt like the most humiliating memory of my life. The result was so much pain that I couldn’t sleep well all night. Chloe, as expected, didn’t send any more messages. Breaking the six-year unbroken streak of goodnight texts we’d shared since we first got phones. This was probably for the best. It was bound to happen eventually. It’s time to go cold turkey, starting tonight. I drifted in and out of sleep, finally drifting off just before dawn. I was still in a deep sleep the next morning when I suddenly felt someone press a soft kiss to my forehead in my dream.

I jolted awake. Opening my eyes, I saw her familiar chin. The scent that enveloped me was her favorite cedarwood, along with a faint, unfamiliar hint of lemon. I’d almost forgotten, Chloe always knew my front door code. Seeing me awake, Chloe simply lowered her head, a playful smile on her face, trying to steal a kiss. I turned my head, dodging her. I pushed her away and scrambled to the other side of the bed. Chloe paused, then chuckled. “What, still playing hard to get?” I didn’t say anything, just pulled the duvet up, burying my head. Chloe started teasing me as she pulled back the covers. “Liam, you’re getting bold, aren’t you? Didn’t even say goodnight last night, and even turned off your phone before bed.” “Now you’re hiding from me?” She swiftly slipped under the covers with me. I didn’t have time to react before she wrapped her arms around me. “How many times have I told you not to skip breakfast?” “I even went for a half-hour run just to get you these. Your favorite gourmet muffins. I stood in line for ages.” “Do you want to get up and eat now, or do you want to… be eaten first…” Her breath was so close, and her hand started to trace patterns on my skin. Shaking off my grogginess, I started to struggle. I honestly couldn’t understand what she was thinking. She already had Jaxon, why was she still messing with me? “What’s with the mood?” “Still sulking? Is it really just because I didn’t bring you to the party last night?” I stayed silent. She buried her face in my neck and laughed. “Let me guess, did your ‘good’ friend Ryan rat me out?” “It was just a party game. Are you seriously getting jealous over that?” “It’s always the same with you; the moment I even look at another guy, you turn into a moody silent type.” I was seething, utterly speechless. I blindly jabbed my elbow backward, catching her sharply just below the ribs. While she winced in pain and curled up, I scrambled out of bed. “Liam!” She clutched her side, her face flushed, beads of sweat on her forehead. I quickly pulled on the first t-shirt I found over my sweats and hurried to the living room. I didn’t want to be in the same room as her, especially not my bedroom. A short while later, Chloe walked out, looking both annoyed and exasperated. Chloe walked to the dining table, picked up a coffee, and offered it to me. “Here, have something to eat first, then be angry. Your stomach’s always been sensitive.” I didn’t say anything, didn’t reach for it. Chloe’s hand, holding the coffee, hung in the air for a long time before she finally lost patience. “What is it, Liam?” “Sulking needs a reason, and a limit, you know?” I replied coldly, “I’m not good enough.” Chloe’s anger flared. She slammed the coffee cup down on the end table. She used too much force. The cheap paper cup tore, and coffee instantly seeped into the plush carpet. “What do you mean?” “Who do you think you are, Liam?” “We hooked up once consensually, and now you think you own me? You want to control me? Do you have any idea how much pressure that puts on me?” Her tone was harsher than I’d ever heard it. In an instant, I abruptly turned my head, my jaw clenched so hard I thought it would crack. Yesterday’s humiliation and today’s awkwardness surged over me, choking my throat, leaving me speechless. Chloe clearly hadn’t anticipated my reaction. She froze for a moment, then softened her tone. “I’m sorry, I drank too much last night. I was a little impulsive just now.” She knelt down, trying to get closer, but I dodged her again. She froze, her hand suspended in mid-air. Just as she was about to continue coaxing me, her phone suddenly pinged. She glanced at her phone, her face suddenly paling, and abruptly stood up to leave. “I have something urgent to do. You just cool down. And stop being so dramatic all the time, can you just grow up?”

Less than half an hour after she left, Ryan sent me a screenshot. Jaxon’s SnapChat story. [A simple ‘I’m hungry,’ and boom, breakfast. Feeling like there’s definitely a mutual crush brewing here.] The picture showed the exact same gourmet muffins, in identical packaging, as the ones on my kitchen counter. I didn’t reply. I just quietly knelt down, carefully cleaning the coffee Chloe had spilled. I tried for a long time, but with a heavy heart, I realized the stain on the plush wool rug had seeped deep, impossible to scrub out. In a sudden burst of anger, I decided to just throw the entire rug away. Anyway, Chloe and her parents had spent an entire afternoon picking this out for me during their trip to Morocco, even lugging it back by hand. While I was at it, I gathered up all of Chloe’s things left at my place, and all the gifts she’d ever given me, big and small. Even all the photos of us together. I spent the whole day sorting and packing them all up. Then I threw everything away. I figured she wouldn’t want these old scraps anyway. After Chloe left that day, there was no news from her for several days. I guess things with the ice hockey star were progressing smoothly. Or maybe she was waiting for me to give in. In every past cold war, I was always the first to back down, without exception. But this time, I didn’t look for her. There was no need to anymore. I blocked her on SnapChat and her phone number, changed my front door code, and deleted all my social media accounts. After doing all that, I called my parents, who were away on a business trip, to discuss my plans. I told them I wanted to spend the summer in Mexico with Aunt Sarah. My plan was that after summer, I would go straight to university registration in Chicago with Ryan. Aside from Ryan, no one else knew I had applied to a school in Chicago. This plan should perfectly avoid any chance encounters with Chloe. My mom teased me on the phone, “Oh, so you and Chloe are going on vacation together?” I made up an excuse, not wanting to explain too much. I just told her I wanted to spend time with Aunt Sarah and Grandma Rose. I begged my dad to book me the earliest flight, planning to fly out that very night. As I was leaving the house, I unluckily ran into Mrs. Thompson at the gate of my villa. She warmly greeted me, pulling me into a quick chat. “Liam, why are you alone? Chloe isn’t here to pick you up? Didn’t she say she was taking you skiing in New Zealand? Have a great time, sweetie. I’m all for it.” I found it a bit strange. During senior year, when we were studying for our college entrance exams, I had indeed mentioned to Chloe that I wanted to go skiing in New Zealand, to experience winter in the Southern Hemisphere. But given how things were between us now, I couldn’t imagine us traveling together. However, time was running short, so I just mumbled a few vague replies and left. But what I didn’t expect was to run into Chloe at the airport.

She was with a group of friends. Jaxon was there too. Jaxon, ever the gentleman, carried a designer handbag in one hand, his other arm casually draped around Chloe. They walked at the back of the group. Every now and then, Jaxon would turn his head to say something to her, and Chloe would patiently tilt her head up to listen. Unlike us. I’d always towered over Chloe, even as a kid, and grew even taller. With her, I always had to bend down to talk. But with Jaxon, she looked up, her gaze fixed on him. That’s how she acts with someone she truly cares about. I took a deep breath. I told myself to have some self-respect. Whatever she did was none of my business. One more stupid thought like that, and I’d slap myself. But there seemed to be only one path to the boarding gate. I could only follow distantly behind them. Finally, mercifully, we reached the gate, where the path split. Chloe seemed to get distracted. She tried calling several times, but nothing seemed to connect. She kept fiddling with her phone, her brow furrowed. Finally, she borrowed a friend’s phone, her face darkening, and headed toward the restrooms. A moment later, my phone suddenly rang. It was an unfamiliar number. “Liam, you’re really digging in your heels this time, aren’t you? So I have to be the one to reach out?” “And you blocked me?” “If you’re so tough, then just keep ignoring me. But when you get to university in Washington D.C., all alone in a new city, let’s see who’s there to take care of you then.” Chloe’s voice was sharp, a rapid-fire torrent of accusations. I didn’t say anything; there was no way to respond to that. But Chloe seemed to get even angrier. “I don’t have time for this. Just add me back on SnapChat, now.” “I’m going out of the country with some friends for a few days, so my phone might be off. Don’t go getting all dramatic and worried, okay?” I couldn’t be bothered to offer a single word. I hung up immediately and turned off my phone. I watched, from a distance, as Chloe, her face still stormy, returned to her spot. She huffily grabbed Jaxon’s hand, didn’t hesitate, and walked directly towards the left boarding gate. I sighed and turned to walk towards the right.

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My step-brother, Alex, framed me for his allergic reaction. My three sisters, fueled by his lies, dragged me into the suffocating, airless basement, chaining the door shut from the outside. I weakly pounded on the basement door, begging my sisters to let me out. Scarlett, our eldest sister and a formidable business mogul, glared at me with icy contempt before she left. “You usually pick on Alex, that’s one thing. But knowing he’s allergic to seafood and still deliberately feeding it to him? You were trying to hurt him, weren’t you? Stay down there and think about what you’ve done!” Chloe, the rising singer, and Willow, the prodigious artist, simply scoffed. “Someone as wicked as you, still making excuses and playing the victim? You deserve everything that’s coming to you!” With that, they embraced a trembling Alex and rushed him to the hospital. The oxygen dwindled, each breath a desperate struggle. I died in that darkness, suffocated and alone. Three days later, only when my sisters returned from the hospital with Alex, did they finally remember me. But they didn’t know, I had already perished from oxygen deprivation in that cramped basement.

I died in that basement, starved of oxygen. When I awoke again, my soul was hovering right beside my three sisters. They had just returned to their grand mansion. Scarlett and Chloe were doting on Alex, speaking to him with tender concern: “That’s wonderful, Alex. It’s a good thing we got you to the hospital in time. You’ve recovered so quickly.” Willow, our third sister, was even more solicitous: “The doctor said you’re still weak, Alex. You need to get your strength back.” As she spoke, she piled a generous piece of meat into Alex’s bowl. A house staff member nearby couldn’t help but interject, “Leo hasn’t made a sound in the basement for three days…” Scarlett scoffed, cutting her off sharply, “It’s a happy day, Alex is home from the hospital! Why mention someone who brings such bad luck?” The staff member tried to speak again, but Chloe and Willow silenced her with chilling glares. “Leo must have known about the seafood allergy to deliberately make that seafood stew.” “And here I thought he was finally starting to accept Alex. Turns out, it was all premeditated!” Alex deliberately put on a frightened expression, speaking timidly: “Leo is being punished because of me. He’s been alone in the basement for so many days. He won’t be angry when he comes out, will he?” Scarlett’s face was cold as she replied: “Don’t worry, Alex. We spoiled him before, never taught him a lesson. “After this, he surely won’t dare to bully you again.” As she spoke, she unconsciously pulled out her phone, refreshing her chat with me. But our conversation still ended three days ago. In those three days, I hadn’t sent her a single message or made a call, fueling Scarlett’s anger even further. “So many days have passed, and Leo hasn’t even sent a message to check on Alex!” At that moment, Alex took Scarlett’s hand, feigning fear in his voice: “Let’s not let Leo misunderstand. I just want your company, I don’t want to take anything from him.” Scarlett quickly put down her phone, caressing Alex’s head with a pained look. “Alex, you’re so kind, unlike him. He’s just an ungrateful wretch.” Chloe thought of me, her eyes filled with cold disdain. “Exactly. How dare he try to hurt his own family just to get attention? He’s truly evil!” Willow nodded in full agreement, scoffing, “Unless he realizes his mistake and kneels to apologize to Alex after these three days, I’ll kick him out of this house myself!” I stood beside them, listening to my sisters’ words, feeling only a bitter amusement. Yet, no one could see or hear my spectral form. From the moment our parents passed away, my three sisters had showered me with all their attention. One day, I wished for a playmate my age, so my sisters found Alex at an orphanage. I welcomed Alex with open arms, giving him my whole heart. But he framed me, again and again, driving a wedge between me and my sisters, pushing them further away with each passing day. This time was no different. My three sisters didn’t even give me a chance to explain before locking me in that tiny basement. I struggled desperately, feeling the air grow thin, each breath harder than the last. Pounding on the basement door, I pleaded with my sisters to let me out. But they only looked on with cold indifference, shouting back: “Why are you making such a fuss? This is all your fault! If it weren’t for you, why would Alex be so miserable from his allergy?” “I think we’ve been too good to you, that’s why you keep picking on Alex. Just stay put in there!” With that, Chloe personally wrapped the chains, and Willow even pushed heavy objects against the basement door, cutting off my last shred of hope for escape. Now, watching Alex put on his fake smile for my sisters, I let out another bitter, sarcastic laugh of disappointment. My sisters, the brother who loved you most in the world, has been killed by your own hands!

Alex deliberately tugged on Scarlett’s sleeve, whimpering: “Scarlett, don’t be angry. It’s my fault for being weak and having a seafood allergy. Leo surely didn’t mean it. Please don’t blame him!” Scarlett’s expression hardened instantly, her voice chilling: “We’ve been too lenient with Leo. That’s why he’s grown so arrogant and unruly!” Chloe’s eyes flashed with surging fury: “He’s only grown more narrow-minded with age! If it weren’t for him, why would Alex be like this?” Then, Alex deliberately exposed his arm, still slightly red from the fading allergic reaction, to his three sisters. Willow tenderly caressed the faint red marks on his skin. “Does it still hurt, Alex?” Alex lowered his head, his voice trembling: “It doesn’t… It doesn’t hurt…” Chloe’s anger completely ignited, and she yelled furiously: “If we had waited any longer to go to the hospital, Alex’s life would have been in danger! And after all these days, he hasn’t even sent a message. He shows no remorse!” Scarlett spoke with even greater rage: “Go fetch Leo and make him apologize! I don’t believe he’s so stubborn he can hold out without saying sorry!” Chloe and Willow echoed her fury: “He’s so stubborn because he’s always relied on our support, hasn’t he? Now that he’s done wrong, he must face the consequences!” With that, they turned to the trembling house staff, their voices blazing with anger: “Why are you just standing there? Go and bring that ungrateful wretch to me! And bring the discipline stick too. If Leo hadn’t deliberately put in the seafood, why would Alex have suffered in agony for three days in the hospital?” “It’s time to remind him of the consequences of his actions!” The staff received the order, not daring to disobey, and hurried in my direction. I let out a bitter, desperate laugh. My sisters, without even bothering to investigate, had simply decided I was guilty. Three days ago, Alex wanted some stew, and I, hoping to please him, offered to cook it. He even gave me a small packet of seasoning, saying he wanted this flavor. I tasted it; it was just a simple seafood stew. But who could have known it was his allergen? Scarlett, a business mogul, couldn’t even see through such obvious manipulation and cheap theatrics? Wasn’t that favoritism, pure and simple? In my sisters’ hearts, I was never as important as Alex. My own heart grew increasingly desolate. But it no longer mattered. I was already dead in that basement. My sisters could finally give all their favoritism entirely to Alex. “Scarlett, we’ve called for Leo for a long time, but there’s no movement from him.” “We listened inside, and it sounds like there’s no breathing!” Scarlett’s brows furrowed. She abruptly stood up, her face utterly cold: “What is Leo playing at now? Does he think apologizing to Alex is beneath him?” “Does he even understand that he almost killed Alex this time?” Alex tugged on Scarlett’s sleeve, feigning sadness: “It’s okay. I’m just an orphan. I don’t deserve Leo’s apology.” Scarlett’s anger was completely ignited: “You think I can’t see through these cheap tricks to get attention? “You’re dreaming if you think playing mute will get you off the hook! It seems the punishment I gave him was too light!” “Come on, drag him out. Let’s see how he hides now. He will kneel and apologize to Alex!”

I followed my three sisters’ hurried footsteps, my heart growing ever more desolate. Driven by their blazing fury, my three sisters arrived at the basement door. “Leo, do you think hiding inside and staying silent will let you escape punishment?” But no sound came from the basement. Chloe’s face grew even darker: “Leo, what are you still playing at? Get out here, now, and apologize to Alex!” “Don’t think that by hiding in there, turning off your phone, and ignoring our calls, you can escape responsibility for deliberately harming Alex!” Willow’s eyes were also blazing, and she spoke with furious anger: “Leo, you really think you’re so smart, don’t you? You’re just jealous of how good we are to Alex, so you’re deliberately trying to upset us by staying silent, right?” “Do you really think that by hiding in the basement and playing this stubborn game, you can make us give up?” Still, no sound came from inside the basement. Willow, however, looked at the trembling staff nearby and said coldly: “Why are you all shaking? Tell me the truth. Did Leo bribe you? Did you secretly let him out?” Chloe scoffed: “Given his awful personality, he probably couldn’t stand the basement after we left and got these staff members to let him out.” Willow’s eyes were completely filled with disappointment: “You almost killed Alex, yet you don’t dare take any responsibility? Is this really the brother I know?” “Do you really think you’re our only brother?” At this, a staff member stammered nervously: “Ms. Scarlett, without your orders, we wouldn’t dare let him out!” “Leo truly has been in the basement for three whole days.” Willow looked at the still, silent basement. A flicker of unease suddenly crossed her eyes. She stepped forward and tried to pull the basement door open several times, but it wouldn’t budge. “Leo, are you done yet? I’ve even unlocked the door. Are you still clinging to it and refusing to come out?” I looked at the twisted basement door from the inside, a bitter smile on my face. In my final moments, suffocating, I had desperately tried to break free, hoping to live. But the basement door was incredibly sturdy; I couldn’t even force a crack open, and so I suffocated to death inside. My sisters, when you see my corpse, will you give me even a tiny bit of love, and bury me beside our parents? Willow grew increasingly agitated. She began to kick the door with her foot. The twisted basement door groaned, and a larger gap appeared. A foul, putrid odor wafted out. A staff member nearby trembled, stammering, “It smells like… a corpse!” The other two sisters, still seething, walked closer. “What corpse smell? He clearly ran out ages ago and just threw a dead rat in there to trick us!” “Leo, do you really think we’re that easily fooled?” The three sisters grew more impatient, kicking the door together. The entire basement entrance shuddered again. With a resounding thud, the door was finally kicked open. Along with an even fouler, rotten stench, the small, dark basement was exposed to everyone.

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That night, clutching the positive pregnancy test, my heart practically soared with joy as I waited for Nealon to come home. I planned to confess everything to him. Instead, I waited for him to bring a gorgeous woman home for the night. The woman didn’t like the smell of durian pastry, so he tossed out the meal I’d spent two hours meticulously preparing. Nealon scooped her up in a princess carry, heading inside to massage her feet. She chuckled, teasing him, “You have a little girl living here? She seems quite fond of you.” Nealon didn’t even glance back. His voice was icy. “Just a kid. No need to mind her.” A bitter laugh escaped me. I shredded the pregnancy test report, booked an appointment for an abortion, and simultaneously bought a ticket to the Amazon rainforest. I was a Master’s student in Archaeology, passionate about history and artifacts. My professor often praised my exceptional talent for archaeology, repeatedly inviting me to join his team. For Nealon, I always refused. Nealon. He was the man I loved more than anyone. He was a friend of my father’s. I was content to be a clingy vine, utterly dependent on his life. I felt truly happy. Especially after I discovered I was pregnant that night. It made me even more determined to stay by Nealon’s side. But now, all those beautiful illusions had shattered. Nealon had another woman. And he had never, not once, loved me. Before booking my ticket to the rainforest, I finally dialed my professor, a call I hadn’t made in ages. His voice on the other end was a mix of surprise and pure delight. “Anya? What, have you finally decided to join my archaeology team?” I nodded. “Yes, Professor. I’ve made up my mind. My flight is in three days. I’ll meet you in the rainforest.” The professor was overjoyed, as if he’d found a priceless treasure. “Oh, Anya, you’ve finally come to your senses! I’ve always said you’re the most talented student I’ve ever seen. You shouldn’t let that talent go to waste!” After hanging up, a clap of thunder rumbled outside, making me realize it was raining. Normally, at times like these, I’d worry about Nealon getting caught in the rain. Even though I knew he had a personal driver and bodyguards and wouldn’t get wet, I’d still rush out with an umbrella. He always looked surprised to see me, then his brows would furrow. “Didn’t I tell you not to come here anymore?” His angry face would send me into a panic, making me apologize profusely. I couldn’t help but smile bitterly. That’s what love does; it makes you so desperate. But now, I sat motionless on the sofa. Whether Nealon got wet or not would soon have nothing to do with me. Only three days left. In three days, I would leave this city forever.

When Nealon pushed the door open, he was soaked to the bone. He stood in the doorway, watching me, his eyes unreadable. “Anya, it’s raining today.” I stood up, poured myself a glass of water, and nodded. “Hmm.” I was thinking about what I needed to prepare for the rainforest, things that would be useful for archaeology. After a long moment, I turned around and realized Nealon hadn’t left. He was still staring at me, unmoving, his brows tightly furrowed. I asked, surprised, “What’s wrong, Nealon?” He was completely drenched, water still dripping from his hair, but his eyes held a surprising vulnerability, a hint of hurt. “Why didn’t you bring me an umbrella today?” I suddenly chuckled. I thought it was something serious. “You don’t like me going there, so I didn’t go. Is there a problem with that?” I looked at him, genuinely puzzled. “No problem.” Nealon curtly dropped three words, his voice thick with a cold nasal tone. Then he turned and walked upstairs, slamming the study door shut behind him. He was angry. But I no longer cared. Before, I cared so much. Whenever he was in a bad mood, I’d rack my brain trying to cheer him up, only to be met with his annoyance. Nealon was a business associate of my father’s. After my parents died in an accident, Nealon took me in, provided for me, paid for my education, and taught me so much. If I hadn’t secretly fallen for him, perhaps I wouldn’t have harbored these bitter, unspoken feelings. I took a deep breath and went to bed early. But who knew, I accidentally fell down the stairs, and the baby miscarried. I still remember the night I got pregnant. Nealon had been drugged. He didn’t know who I was, drunkenly pulling me onto his bed. He was utterly ruthless with me. His scent filled the sheets and the entire room. I admit, I was completely lost in that moment. Afterward, Nealon didn’t remember a thing, and I didn’t dare speak of it. Until. I found out I was unexpectedly pregnant.

The night I got the pregnancy test results. I sent Martha, the housekeeper, home to rest. I cooked dinner myself. I prepared a lavish meal, waiting for Nealon to return, intending to confess my feelings. If he loved me back, I would tell him about that night, and we would be together. If he didn’t, I would leave. But it wasn’t until eleven o’clock that Nealon finally arrived, the food long since cold. And he wasn’t alone. He brought a gorgeous woman in a red dress, intimately leaning on him. Her personality was as vibrant and intense as her red dress. She saw right through my carefully hidden feelings. Deliberately wrapping her arms around Nealon’s neck, she provocatively teased me. “Nealon, this little girl in your house, she seems quite fond of you!” Nealon didn’t even spare me a glance. His eyes were fixed on the woman’s feet as he carefully massaged them. “Just a kid. No need to mind her.” My blood instantly ran cold. So that’s it. Even after all I’d done, all the obvious hints I’d dropped. In his eyes, I was still just a child. I rested for half a day, then took a taxi back to the villa alone. I was ready to pack my things. But everything I had in that villa, Nealon had given me. I only packed a few essential clothes, taking nothing else. At eight o’clock that evening, Nealon knocked on my door. “Anya.” I glanced at the time, surprised. Nealon usually worked until after ten. Why was he home so early today? I quickly dabbed on some blush in the mirror, to hide my pale complexion and any tell-tale signs, before opening the door. To my surprise, Nealon had brought me a gift. It was a VIP gift card, a lifetime membership, for my favorite restaurant. “I’m sorry, Anya.” “That night, Camilla couldn’t stand the smell of durian, so she threw out the food. Later, Martha told me you made it.” “This is a gift for you, consider it compensation for that day.” Nealon’s eyes were sincere. I smiled faintly, not reaching out to take it. “It’s okay, Nealon. You don’t have to.” Anyway, I would be leaving in two days. Nealon’s brows furrowed. “Why not? Don’t you love that restaurant’s food?” I bit my lip, shaking my head again. “No, really, it’s fine. I’m already so grateful for your care all these years.”

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I turned down an offer to be a professor at MIT, choosing instead to work for my parents’ company. But on the day the company went public, my parents pushed a girl onto the stage who bore a striking resemblance to them. “Harper, the nurse made a mistake when you were born. Serena is our biological daughter.” “You need to move out tomorrow. And don’t forget to pay back all the expenses we incurred raising you.” “But jobs are tough to find these days. For old times’ sake, we can let you stay on as a cleaner at the company.” Serena chimed in, a smirk playing on her lips: “Sister, thank you for every project you developed over the past five years. All your patents are now registered in my name.” “But I don’t like having outsiders in the family. You should leave as soon as possible.” Amidst the sympathetic glances of the guests, I let out a low laugh. A bunch of fools. If I could get you to go public, I can certainly make you go bankrupt! I calmly walked through the crowd and exited the opulent doors of the stock exchange. I flagged down a taxi and gave the address of the mansion I’d lived in for over two decades. The driver glanced at me in the rearview mirror. He probably recognized me, the ceremony had been broadcast live everywhere. He didn’t say a word, just quietly turned off the financial news radio. I leaned against the window, watching the neon lights blur past outside. My phone kept vibrating. I didn’t need to look to know it was the media, eager for a scoop. I just switched it off. The car pulled up to the entrance of the gated community. From a distance, I could already see two large suitcases and a cardboard box, standing forlornly outside the front door. I sneered. Looks like they were pretty efficient, afraid I might stay an extra second if I came back. I dragged my bags to the door, instinctively placing my finger on the fingerprint lock. “Beep—Permission denied. Please contact administrator.” A cold electronic voice. The mockery in my eyes deepened. This entire security system, from hardware to software, was designed and deployed by me. The so-called highest administrator privileges had always been mine. I never thought I’d be locked out by the very system I created. Fine by me. It saves me from having to act out some disgusting charade with them inside. I sat on the ground and pulled out my laptop. I skillfully logged into the internal server backend. I wanted to see just how thoroughly they’d stolen my work. I entered the superuser account and password I’d used for five years. But instead of the familiar admin panel, a bright red window popped up, stating that the user did not exist. They truly went all out. Just as I was wondering what to do next, the phone I had switched off in my pocket suddenly lit up. It was a number I thought I’d never contact again.

The encrypted call request flashed for less than three seconds before disconnecting. It felt like a hallucination. The screen went dark, returning to the black screen it had been before I switched it off. I tried to power it on again, but the phone was completely unresponsive. I gave a bitter laugh. My top priority right now was finding a place to stay. I hailed another taxi and went to a decent-looking budget hotel nearby. “One room, please.” I handed over my driver’s license. “Certainly. That’ll be three hundred and sixty-eight for the room, plus a five hundred dollar security deposit. How will you be paying?” “By card.” I pulled out the bank card I’d used for years. This was a secondary card Victor Hayes had set up for me. All my salary and project bonuses were deposited into it. But when the front desk clerk inserted the card into the reader, “Beep, beep, beep—” The machine let out a series of urgent beeps. The young woman looked bewildered, tried again, and got the same sound. She looked at me apologetically. “Miss, I’m sorry, there seems to be an issue with your card. It’s not going through.” My heart sank. “Try another one.” I said, pulling out my personal savings card from my wallet. I’d opened this account in college, it held all my scholarship money and the pocket money I’d earned from projects. It wasn’t a lot, but it should definitely cover a few nights at a hotel. The result was the same. “This one isn’t working either…” The front desk clerk’s voice grew even softer. I had no choice but to ask the clerk to help me charge my phone. Once it powered on, a text message from the bank immediately popped up. “Dear Ms. Harper Reed, pursuant to an application submitted by Mr. Victor Hayes, all bank accounts registered under your name have been frozen due to ‘claims for past expenses,’ totaling…” I laughed. Victor missed his calling as a financial wizard. Looks like a hotel was out of the question. I dragged my suitcases and headed back to the street. The night wind blew, a bit chilly. I opened my phone and found Michael Stone’s number. He was my lead developer, someone I had mentored, and he’d always been grateful to me. I dialed. It rang for a long time. “Hello? Michael, it’s Harper.” The other end was dead silent, save for a faint sound of breathing. “I need your help with something. I need you to get the original development logs from the system…” “I’m sorry, you have the wrong number.” He cut me off directly, then hung up. I stubbornly dialed another core team member’s number, but it showed as disconnected. Those partners who had fought alongside me, pulled all-nighters eating instant noodles, and shared the joy of every problem solved. They either hung up, switched off their phones, or their numbers were no longer in service. This move was truly ruthless. I stood at the crossroads, watching the constant flow of traffic, feeling a hint of bewilderment for the first time. My money was gone, my home was gone, even my former comrades had turned into enemies. He truly wanted to break me.

I dragged my two suitcases, walking for so long on the late-night streets that my legs started to ache. Finally, I stopped in front of an alley entrance lit by a dubious neon sign. “Rooms for Rent, $300 Monthly” was scrawled in red paint on the wall. Alright, this would have to do. The landlady was a tough-looking woman, puffing on a cigarette. She gave my clothes a peculiar once-over, then eyed my two expensive-looking suitcases, before finally tossing me a greasy key. First month’s rent and a security deposit, cash only. I emptied my wallet of the few remaining bills, in exchange for this space of less than ten square meters. A bare cot, a chipped table, and a flickering light bulb with a bad connection. The walls were stained with marks left by previous tenants, and the air hung heavy with a mix of damp mildew and cheap perfume. I lay on the hard cot, fully dressed, staring at the stubbornly flickering light bulb, sleepless through the night. The next day, I was woken by a commotion. Footsteps shuffled chaotically in the hallway, mixed with women’s screams and men’s shouts. I ignored it until there was a knock on my door. “Bang, bang, bang!” The knocking was urgent, carrying an impatient certainty. I thought it was the landlady, so I got up to open the door. When I pulled it open, I froze. It was Serena Hayes. She was wearing full, elaborate makeup, looking like a princess who had wandered into a slum, stark against the drab, dilapidated background. Behind her, several reporters carried cameras, all pointed at me. Flashbulbs popped “click-click-click,” stinging my eyes. “Sister,” Serena’s eyes immediately welled up with tears, “How could you be living in a place like this? Don’t you know how worried Mom and Dad and I have been?” As she spoke, she reached out to take my hand, but I sidestepped, avoiding her. She didn’t seem embarrassed. She pulled out a thick envelope and, in front of all the cameras, tried to press it into my hand. “Sister, I know things are hard for you right now. Mom and Dad asked me to give you this. Take it, find a better place to stay, don’t let yourself suffer.” Her voice choked, acting with such sincerity. “Don’t worry, as long as you apologize to Mom and Dad and admit your mistakes, the door to our home will always be open for you.” I looked at her and suddenly found it somewhat amusing. “Serena Hayes,” I spoke, my voice a little hoarse from not having drunk water all night, “Do you really think everyone is as stupid as you are?” The expression on her face stiffened, and the tears in her eyes almost failed to hold. “Sister, how can you say that… I’m just trying to be kind…” “Cut the act,” I interrupted her, “Bringing reporters to visit me, are you afraid I won’t die miserably enough, so you came to twist the knife? Or is the ‘tech prodigy’ image crumbling too fast, and you need to step on my ‘corpse’ to climb higher?” Serena’s face went completely pale. She hadn’t expected me to talk to her like that, even in my current desperate state. She took a deep breath, dropped her pitiful demeanor, and leaned in, saying in a voice only we two could hear: “Harper Reed, don’t be foolish. You have nothing now. How can you fight me? Believe me, if I say the word, you won’t even be able to live in a dump like this.” She paused, a hint of cruel pleasure in the curve of her lips: “Be a good-for-nothing, admit that everything is mine, and maybe I can find you a job cleaning toilets. Otherwise, you can just starve on the streets.” After saying that, she reverted to her kind, innocent persona and sighed for the cameras: “Sister, just think about it.” With that, she and the swarm of media marched away. I closed the door, listening to the murmurs outside gradually fade. Starve on the streets? Cleaning toilets? I walked to the only mirror in the room. My hair was a mess, my eyes bloodshot, looking as disheveled as a lunatic. But those eyes, in the dim light, glowed with an unnerving intensity.

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It had been five years since I was kicked out, and I ran into my brother at a fancy bar. He was the VIP, casually dropping thousands on Skylar, the daughter of a prominent family friend. Me? I was just a bottle girl, working for commission based on how many bottles I sold. All night, we pretended the other didn’t exist. Until I, deadpan, chugged two bottles of whiskey for a measly fifty dollars in tips. Watching the color drain from my face, he pursed his lips and spoke, his voice ice-cold: “You’d rather do this kind of work than come home and admit you were wrong?” “Aubrey, you’re really something.” I just gave a noncommittal smile, extending my hand toward him. “Fifty dollars. Cash, or Zelle?” Silence fell over the private room. Everyone stared at me, their expressions a mix of disbelief and amusement. Someone snickered. My brother, Jackson Brook, sitting on the plush sofa, instantly scowled. He was embarrassed. Fifty dollars. For someone like him, it wouldn’t even cover a coffee. But here I was, humiliating myself by chugging two bottles of top-shelf liquor. Skylar, his socialite friend, sneered at me. “Jackson’s been waiting for you to come home. And this is what you’re doing? Doesn’t it feel dirty?” I shot her a look. “It’s honest work. What’s dirty about it? I’m not selling myself.” She scoffed. “Are you that desperate for money? Drink two more bottles, and I’ll add another fifty.” As her words hung in the air, the onlookers started egging me on. “Drink it! If Skylar adds fifty, I’ll add fifty too!” “You add, I add! I’ll throw in a hundred!” Without hesitation, I reached for another bottle. The door to the private room suddenly swung open. Mr. Davies, the manager, scurried in, a sycophantic grin plastered on his face. He pushed me aside and asked Jackson, fawning: “Mr. Brook, has our employee done something wrong?” “Please don’t be angry, sir. She can be a bit blunt. If she…” “Are you going to drink for her?” Jackson cut him off coldly, his eyes slowly narrowing. Sweat beaded on Mr. Davies’ forehead. He didn’t want to stick up for me, but he also didn’t want trouble if I collapsed from drinking. He chuckled nervously. “That’s too much alcohol, even for a grown man, let alone a young woman.” “Drink up, or get out!” Jackson frowned impatiently, pulling a wad of bills from his wallet and slamming them onto Mr. Davies. “Fifty thousand dollars. Aubrey isn’t going anywhere tonight. If you try to stop her again, this bar can forget about opening tomorrow!” Mr. Davies fumbled to pocket the money, his face practically beaming. He couldn’t care less about me now. He mumbled a quick thank you and strode away proudly. All eyes were on me again. Jackson sneered. “What? Don’t want the money anymore?” I walked over, emotionless, grabbed a bottle, and chugged it down. Having already downed two, my stomach was twisting in knots. So this bottle went down slowly, drawing a fresh wave of mockery. Jackson’s face grew darker and darker. As I finished one bottle and stumbled over to grab the next, he suddenly grabbed my wrist. “Are you trying to kill yourself, Aubrey?!” “I want the money.” I pulled my hand free, snatched the bottle, and poured it into my mouth. I actually had a plan. The lighting in the room was dim. I could pretend to lose my grip while drinking. No one would notice if I spilled a little. But just as I took a sip, a stinging slap landed hard across my face. SMACK! I froze, stunned, and the bottle slipped from my hand, shattering on the floor. Jackson gritted his teeth, furious. “For money, are you really that shameless?!” “Stop drinking! Even if you die, I won’t give you a cent!” The alcohol hit me hard, and everything started to blur. That voice, buried deep in my heart for five years, suddenly roared in my ears: “You sold Mom’s keepsake for money?! Did you lack for anything? Why didn’t you just sell yourself instead?!” “Get out! I don’t have a sister anymore!”

Five years ago, Skylar royally screwed me over. She stole Mom’s mementoes from Jacksond sold them, then blamed it on me. Jackson was furious, accusing me of selling them. He interrogated me non-stop about where I’d sold them, but I had no idea. I told him it was Skylar’s scheme, that she just hated how good he was to me. But he just wouldn’t believe me. Stealing, disrespect, and stubbornness. Each accusation hit a nerve with him. With Skylar adding fuel to the fire, he confiscated all my money and kicked me out of the house. For the first six months, I managed pretty well. I found a sales job, enough to support myself with a little left over. But after six months, everything changed. Jackson called me for the only time in five years. His first words were: “Aren’t you coming back to admit your mistake? Just tell me where you sold it, and I’ll forgive you.” Stubborn, I roared back at him: “I told you it wasn’t me! Didn’t you hear? Ask your ‘good friend’ Skylar, she’s the one who sold it!” Jackson hung up immediately. That same day, I was fired. He spread the word throughout the entire city: anyone who dared to help me would be crossing him. So, for the next few years, I couldn’t find any legitimate work. I could only do odd jobs in nightclubs. He seemed to be doing it on purpose, not only boldly announcing Skylar as the sole heir to the company. He even took her to interviews, galas, and auctions. He was always spending lavishly, millions at a time. His and Skylar’s faces were constantly on the financial news channel. While I hid in the shadows, drinking myself sick just to survive. I developed stomach cancer. These past few years, I’d desperately sought treatment, spending all my money. I took out many high-interest loans, but it still wasn’t enough. The specialized medication was too expensive, and chemotherapy was beyond my means. I even called Jackson once, asking for money. He cut me off impatiently after just a few words. “Money, money, money! Is that all you care about?!” “Don’t even think about getting a cent from me until you come back and apologize. Just go die out there for all I care!” That phone call, that was when I completely lost all hope of living. I was just so tired, truly. If he wanted me dead, then I’d die. At least, the pain would stop. A month ago, I ordered an urn for myself. After scraping together what I could, I was still fifty dollars short for the final payment. The vendor called almost every day, hounding me. I thought I’d finally have enough today. But who knew Jackson would give the manager fifty thousand dollars, yet refuse to spare me fifty? He left the bar with his entourage, a huge fuss. While I was in the bathroom, throwing up until the world spun. Only one thought echoed in my mind. Three bottles of liquor, all for nothing. Leo, the supervisor, was smoking next to me. “How did you piss off Mr. Brook so badly? His face was green when he left. What’s your relationship with him?” My stomach was cramping, and my head was spinning. I could barely keep my eyes open, clinging to the toilet to keep from falling in. “I don’t know him. An enemy, I guess.”

The next day, I was woken by my phone ringing. It was Mr. Henderson, the urn vendor. “Ms. Aubrey, when are you going to pay the rest? It’s just fifty dollars, do you really need a whole month?” “If you can’t pay within three days, I won’t hold it for you, and the deposit is non-refundable!” My voice was hoarse with desperation. “Please give me more time. I get paid in two weeks, then I’ll—” “Can’t wait two weeks!” He cut me off, his tone unpleasant. “I’ve never seen anyone like you, dragging their feet even for an urn.” “If you don’t have the money, don’t order something so expensive in the first place!” I wanted to say more, but before I could, he hung up. My head was pounding. I called Mr. Davies, hoping to get an advance on my paycheck. But his response was even more ruthless. “Just letting you know, you don’t need to come to work today.” “And there’s no way we can pay you. If Jackson says so, there’s nothing we can do.” My head spun. My voice cracked with urgency. “What you’re doing is illegal! I’ll file a lawsuit!” Mr. Davies scoffed. “A lawsuit? Go ahead. Jackson said he’ll bear any consequences. His legal team is top-notch. If you insist on running headfirst into trouble, there’s nothing I can do.” With that, the call was disconnected again. A knot of frustration tightened in my chest, refusing to go up or down. My face was pale with discomfort, and my throat tasted like rust. Suddenly, a mouthful of fresh blood gushed out. I stared at the glaring red puddle, and the tears I’d been holding back finally streamed down my face. After a long moment, I pulled out some tissues and wiped the blood away. Then, with practiced ease, I pulled out my painkillers and swallowed them whole. After all that, I barely had any strength left. Leaning against the bed, I replayed the last five years since I was kicked out. I suddenly realized that every single one of my backup plans had been cut off by Jackson himself. Now, I couldn’t even work at a nightclub anymore. Just eating became a struggle, let alone affording painkillers or the urn. All I wanted was a quiet corner to rest in when I died. What was so wrong with that? I buried my face in my hands and sobbed, crying until the afternoon, before I managed to regain some strength. Looking at my trembling hands, I finally decided to go home. I needed to ask Jackson, why he was doing this to me!

When I arrived home, Jackson and Skylar were having dinner. He glanced at me, his voice devoid of emotion. “Finally decided to come back?” “Why did you get Mr. Davies to fire me?” I countered, my face expressionless, completely ignoring his question. “It’s been five years. Haven’t you humiliated me enough?” He raised an eyebrow, completely unconcerned. “How else would you know that home is best unless you suffered a little?” “Aubrey, do you know what people are saying about you out there? I’ve been keeping the worst of it from you, and you’re not even grateful?” Skylar put down her forks and spoke sarcastically. “Jackson, Aubrey doesn’t understand how good you are to her. Look at her, she’s clearly blaming you!” “Shut up!” I couldn’t take it anymore and lunged forward, raising my hand to slap her. But the next second, Jackson grabbed my wrist. His face was cold as ice, his voice chilling. “Now you’ve learned to hit people? I guess you’ll never realize where you went wrong!” “Do you really think I can’t make life impossible for you in this city?” My heart clenched, as if someone had squeezed it tight. Impossible life? Hadn’t he been doing that for years? One by one, destroying my jobs, crushing my hopes. Leaving me worse than a rat in a gutter, tattered and broken, unable to even afford an urn. I’d had enough, enough of his threats! My emotions burst, and I screamed in despair, “I didn’t do anything wrong!” “Jackson, if you don’t want me to live, then I’ll just die, okay?!” “I’ll go to hell, you can’t control that, can you?!” He seemed enraged by my words, a vein throbbing in his temple. “Even in death, you’ll still owe me!” With that, he shoved me. It wasn’t a hard push, but I still lost my balance and fell. My lower back hit the dining table, sending a sharp pain through me. My face went instantly pale, and cold sweat broke out. A flicker of regret crossed Jackson’s eyes, then he turned his back on me. “Until Mom’s mementoes are recovered, you don’t even have the right to die!” He said, then quickly left. I was in too much pain to get up. Skylar stood over me, arms crossed, looking down. “Aubrey, look at you now, so pathetic, isn’t it?” “How about this? You kneel and beg me, and I’ll tell you who bought that worthless bracelet, okay?” I glared at her, my eyes blazing, wishing I could tear her apart. But I knew I didn’t even have the strength to hit her. Five years of humiliating survival, and now, even in death, I couldn’t have a shred of dignity. Jackson’s words still echoed in my ears: “Until Mom’s mementoes are recovered, you don’t even have the right to die!” “Even in death, you’ll still owe me!” Fine. If I found the mementoes, then I could finally die in peace, right? I desperately wiped the tears from my face, knelt at Skylar’s feet, and bowed my head to the ground three times. “Please, tell me where Mom’s mementoes are.” Before, when she plotted against me, I would fight back with all my might. But these past few times, I hadn’t even argued. Skylar suddenly seemed to lose interest. She simply tossed a piece of paper at me. “That’s the address. But Aubrey, you still have to be able to get it back, you know!”

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My cousin and I chose our beast companions at the same time. In my life before last, I chose a werewolf, and my cousin got a merman. The werewolf was deeply, madly in love with my cousin, and he watched me being torn to shreds. Then, he took the crystal I’d died for and shamelessly offered it to her. In my last life, I stayed far away from the werewolf and chose the merman. But to my horror, the merman was also attracted to my cousin. He drowned me and then threw himself into her arms. This was my second rebirth. Facing these two shifters, both highly recommended by my mother, I wanted neither of them. Just as I was agonizing over my choice, a streak of black flashed past. Overjoyed, I grabbed it and immediately declared, “I’ll take this one!” Then, before anyone could react, I quickly formed a contract with it. “Damn it!” As the silver light, symbolizing the completed contract, flashed, a voice echoed simultaneously in my mind. “Contracting with me… are you trying to die again?”

Serena, my cousin, is a year younger than me. She was supposed to choose her beast companion a year later. But she was so favored by the clan elders that she convinced them to let her choose a shifter with me, a year early. The two shifters my mother had carefully selected for me now had to be split, with one going to Serena. “Rowan, just choose the one you want,” my mother, Eleanor, said. In my life before last, that’s exactly what I did. I chose the werewolf, Kael, the strongest in the clan in both speed and power. Serena got the merman, Orion. But after Kael and I contracted, he was always off his game. I thought he just wasn’t used to it, and I wanted to give him time to adjust. Yet, as he watched me being torn to shreds by other shifters, Kael suddenly leaped up, killing them swiftly with a power I’d never seen him use. He stood over my dying body, with not a shred of remorse: “The biggest mistake you ever made was choosing me, keeping me from Serena.” It turned out Kael had always liked my cousin and harbored a deep resentment towards me for it. So, when I was reborn in my last life, I didn’t hesitate to choose Orion, the merman. Orion had a gentle nature; surely, he wouldn’t hurt me. But I never imagined he, too, would fall for Serena. For her sake, the supposedly gentle Orion lured me to his native waters and, with the help of his clan, drowned me. After I died, he sat by the water’s edge, his gaze lowered. “I’m sorry, but I really, truly love Serena. I love her to the point of madness.” This time, I was reborn again. Right back to this moment of choosing a beast companion. The clan elders were impatiently urging me now: “Rowan, how much longer will you drag this out? Serena is waiting behind you!” I glanced at Kael, who wore a menacing glare, then at Orion, who was stealing glances at Serena. My head was spinning. I quietly asked Eleanor if I could choose no one. Eleanor firmly said, “No.” “Rowan, are you worried about their strength? These are shifters I personally handpicked. Kael is a once-in-a-generation talent, unmatched in speed and strength, and Orion is their clan’s prince, with a strong possibility of becoming the Merman King.” The situation was urgent; I couldn’t explain what had happened to me to my mother right now. “Rowan, just make your choice. Serena can only pick from whoever is left.” Eleanor’s eyes swept across the crowd, her words carried serious weight. “I know many in the clan disapprove of me, but none of them have the power to undermine my authority yet.” But even if Eleanor said that, I couldn’t choose no shifter at all. This was a thousand-year-old rule of the Witch Clan; every member had to choose a beast companion at the contracting ceremony. If I just left without a contract, Eleanor would surely be targeted and criticized by the elders. Yet, neither of these shifters would truly be loyal to me. As long as they fell for Serena, my life would still be on the line. Just then, a black streak shot past. It was slender, fast, and no one but me seemed to notice it. An unfamiliar, untransformed little snake, but it carried the distinct scent of a shifter. I was overjoyed. I grabbed it and announced on the spot, “I’ll take this one!” Then, before anyone could react, I quickly formed a contract with it. “Damn it!” As the silver light, symbolizing the completed contract, flashed, a voice echoed simultaneously in my mind. “Contracting with me… are you trying to die again?” I opened my eyes to a mix of bewildered and appalled looks from everyone. Serena, barely containing her glee, loudly declared: “Cousin, after all that fuss, you chose *this*? A puny little snake?” An elder angrily shouted, “Rowan, how could you act so irresponsibly?” I raised my arm, showing them the contract mark on my wrist. “How am I playing games with you? I already have a beast companion, don’t I?” Seeing the unique glyph symbolizing the contract between a witch and a shifter, they finally believed that the little snake in my hand was indeed a shifter. Next, it was Serena’s turn to choose her beast. Only then did I get a moment to lift the little snake in a secluded spot. “You said ‘die again’ earlier. What did you mean?” “You have the nerve to ask?” The snake didn’t open its mouth, but its voice resonated directly in my mind. A deep, resonant male voice, laced with gritted-teeth frustration. “I can’t transform yet, and I’ve been forcibly bound to you. In your last life, and the life before that, you died twice, and I died right along with you, twice!” “Each time, just as I was on the verge of regaining my human form, you went and got yourself killed!”

“Ah, so that’s it. What a coincidence, we have quite a history, don’t we?” Thinking that someone had been reborn with me twice… it was a strange feeling. “Heh, heh,” the little snake dryly chuckled, “I’m not exactly thrilled about this kind of ‘history’.” I said cheerfully, “We’ll be fighting together from now on. You have to protect me, okay?” He snapped, “You should be grateful I haven’t killed you myself.” I looked at Serena, who was still pondering between Kael and Orion in the distance, and asked the little snake: “Who do you think she’ll choose?” “How should I know?” “Then, in your opinion, who’s stronger?” His slender snake body wriggled in my grasp, his critique merciless. “Both are weak.” I gave up on getting an answer from the little snake and focused on Serena. But then, she turned her head and looked at me. “Serena, who do you think I should choose?” As soon as she spoke, everyone present fell silent, awaiting my answer. Whether Serena followed my advice or not, the unchosen shifter would undoubtedly hate me to their core. She was using me to stir up trouble. I smirked. “Why not take both, Serena?” “Both shifters are so exceptional. I’m sure you’d be more than willing to dedicate your witch power for them.” Actually, each witch could contract with more than one shifter. But contracting with beast companions consumed a witch’s magic. Contracting with multiple shifters would drain a witch’s strength, even shortening their lifespan. Sure enough, the moment I finished speaking, Serena’s face changed. She forced down her reluctance, smiled, and said, “I was just kidding. I already have someone in mind.” She walked towards the taller, more muscular werewolf, slit her fingertip, and dripped blood onto Kael’s forehead. A silver light appeared, and the contract was sealed. Kael gave a triumphant glance at the frustrated Merman Prince, then knelt on one knee the next second. “I am Kael. I will protect you, forever and always.” I sighed, recalling the past. He had watched me indifferently as I stood in front of him, single-handedly fending off other shifters’ attacks. Back then, he wasn’t nearly as devoted. “What a foolish woman,” Silas, the little snake, sneered. “If you can’t beat them, why didn’t you run? And didn’t you know his heart wasn’t with you, that he probably wished you’d die sooner?” “How was I supposed to know back then!” I shot back angrily. Silas fell silent. After a long while, he awkwardly mumbled, “My name is Silas.” The contracting ceremony was over. I had planned to leave and explain to Eleanor why I hadn’t chosen the shifters she’d prepared for me. But it turned out, the show wasn’t quite finished. Orion, the merman, his face pale, grabbed Serena’s hand and gave her a desperate, pleading look. “Serena, are you really not going to choose me?” “I have sonic attacks; I can instantly kill anyone within a mile radius. I also have healing abilities; no matter what injuries you suffer, I can heal you.” Silas chuckled softly. “He’s capable of far more than that.” I asked him what Orion’s greatest strength was, but he clammed up again. But no matter how much Orion begged, Serena cruelly let go of his hand. “I already have Kael.” “But you can contract two shifters!” Orion pleaded frantically. Serena shot me a resentful glance. She roughly shook off Orion’s hand, but still tried to maintain her sweet, innocent facade. “Sorry, Kael is enough for me.” I had planned to make up a reason for Eleanor, explaining why I hadn’t chosen the shifters she’d prepared. After all, something like being reborn wasn’t something I could explain quickly. Especially not being reborn twice. But she said, “If you have something difficult to explain, you don’t have to. I believe in my daughter, no matter what.” Reborn twice, the only constant was my mother’s unwavering faith in me. I had died confused and inexplicably both times; I couldn’t imagine her pain. Even if it was just for Eleanor, I had to become stronger. With that thought, I looked at Silas with determination. “Now that we’re contracted, the next step is training together.”

Silas, too, was busy enhancing his own power, but he didn’t train with me. He was out early and back late, always on his own. Three months later, Silas finally learned to transform into his human form. That night, he returned earlier than usual. As soon as I saw him, I pulled various fruits from the fridge. Just as I was about to pop a grape into his mouth, a white mist suddenly swirled from somewhere. A strong hand reached out from the mist and gripped my wrist. Then, I saw a tall, powerfully built man with dark hair, sculpted like a Greek god. Looking further down, I saw his solid, chiseled chest, and… He wasn’t wearing any clothes! I quickly averted my eyes: “Silas, you just transformed suddenly! Quick… quick, put some clothes on!” He was actually really handsome… I shoved down the faint flutter in my chest and popped the grape into my own mouth. But to my surprise, Silas snatched the grape directly from my mouth and ate it! What a domineering snake! After that, Silas’s attitude changed completely. He followed me everywhere, even when I wanted to go to the bathroom… This wasn’t good, because Silas didn’t help me fight off the brutal shifters. In fact, under his powerful presence, no shifter dared to even approach me. After grueling training, we decided to take a few days off. Eleanor specifically came to the training grounds to pick me up. “Mother!” I excitedly ran to her. Eleanor scanned me from head to toe, an approving smile gracing her lips. “Rowan, you’ve improved so much.” I affectionately leaned on her shoulder. “Of course!” The peaceful moment shattered as an unwelcome voice cut through the air. It was Serena. “Rowan, you’ve really improved quickly. Got some secret potion no one else knows about?” she sneered. As soon as Serena said that, the expressions of the other clan members who had come to pick me up changed. It was as if I was hiding some secret and refusing to share it with the clan. I shook my head. “I’ve been training hard for six months. What have you been doing this past half-year? Oh, I remember. Probably busy with your love life.” Serena blushed and said, “I’m not having a love life; I’m cultivating a bond with my Kael.” At that, quite a few people chuckled. “You don’t seriously think that to become a powerful witch, all you need is a good bond with your contracted shifter, do you?” Just as Serena was at a loss for words, Kael, her werewolf, swiftly appeared by her side and wrapped her protectively in his arms. Kael’s speed amazed everyone. Kael tilted his head slightly. “Are you suggesting my strength isn’t enough and Serena needs to suffer extra hardships?” No one spoke; they all acknowledged Kael’s power. Kael put his arm around Serena and left. Before leaving, he glanced our way. But he seemed to completely miss Silas, standing right behind me.

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Ryan had me co-sign for a couple hundred thousand dollars in high-interest loans. Furious, I snapped a picture of his back and posted it to an exclusive online group chat: “Tall, ripped, amazing in bed. Due to unforeseen financial troubles, I’m heartbroken to let him go. Sugar mommy wanted! Must provide a good home.” I was just kidding around, but the group chat instantly exploded. A ‘Ms. Victoria’ immediately jumped in: “I want him. Tonight for the… ‘test drive’!” I thought she was playing along, so I laughed it off and agreed. Five minutes later, a hundred grand deposit landed in my account. I practically shot off the bed. This jerk is actually this hot a commodity? I was ecstatic. I immediately turned into a total brown-noser, kissing up to the sugar mommy in the chat: “You’re amazing, Ms. Victoria! Don’t worry, he’ll serve you well and meet all your demands!” The chat was flooded with lamenting messages: “Ugh, too slow! Next time something this good comes up, you HAVE to tell me first!” “Seriously, if the quality’s there, everything else is negotiable!” “As if you guys could afford him! The full price is three hundred grand! Sugar mommy, want to check me out instead?” I sighed, looking at the flood of messages. Ryan and I were practically engaged. If it weren’t for that trashy guy, using me as collateral for all those loans, I wouldn’t be pulling this stunt. Instead of living the rest of my life looking over my shoulder, buried under mountains of debt with him, he might as well go live it up with a sugar mommy. I’d be free and clear. Even if Ryan was a terrible person, his ‘equipment’ was pretty top-notch. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have fallen for his pretty face back then. I was happily planning if I should hit up the Maldives or splurge on a designer bag once I got the rest of the payment when Ms. Victoria suddenly sent me a private message with an address: “Tonight at 11 PM, bring the ‘goods’ to this address. In-person inspection.” I clicked on the location – it was the outdoor parking lot of the upscale shopping center next door. Checking the time, I had half an hour. I quickly replied: “No problem, I’ll be there right on time!” With that sorted, I took a deep breath and walked out of the bedroom. Ryan was slumped on the couch, brows furrowed, staring at his phone with this heavy, troubled look. I walked over, wrapped my arms around his, and whined softly: “Sweetheart, you haven’t taken me to the movies in ages. I just booked tickets for a midnight showing, super intense! Shall we head out now?” Ryan stiffened when he saw the ticket info on my phone screen, and his face instantly went chalk white. “It’s so late. We won’t be back until after midnight. It’s not safe. Let’s go another time.” I was a bit taken aback. When we first started dating, we’d often sneak out for midnight movies. He was always the most eager one. Why was he so weird tonight? He was pale as a ghost, cold sweat beading on his forehead, and he kept darting glances at my phone. My heart sank. Had he seen a few messages pop up in the group chat? My brain raced, trying to figure out how to cover my tracks. Just then, Ryan suddenly pulled me into a tight hug, his voice choked: “Honey, I messed up big time. Can you please help me?”

I stared at him, utterly confused. With reddened eyes, he went on: “My business partner scammed me out of half a million dollars. If I don’t pay it back this week, my credit will be totally shot, and I’ll be blacklisted by every bank.” “Could you ask your dad to help me out, please? Just get me through this, and I promise I’ll work hard and be even better to you!” I leaned into his embrace, a cold dread washing over me. It was two hundred thousand dollars in gambling debt, but now it was half a million coming out of his mouth. What a genius scam. That extra three hundred grand? He’s definitely trying to pocket the difference! Any lingering guilt I had instantly evaporated. To avoid tipping him off, I managed to squeeze out a few fake tears, pretending to be shocked: “Half a million? How could this happen?” “Honey, don’t be scared. I’ll go back to my dad’s tomorrow to borrow the money. Whatever happens, we’ll face it together!” Ryan visibly relaxed at my words, hugging me tightly: “Honey, you’re the best. So, shall we go to the movie now?” I was about to agree when I noticed a nasty-looking rash on his arm: “What happened to you?” He scratched it uncomfortably and chuckled: “It’s nothing, just an allergy. A little medicine will fix it.” But I couldn’t help frowning. So many red spots. What if Ms. Victoria gets turned off by that? Thinking this, I immediately clutched my stomach, frowning: “Honey, I suddenly feel a bit unwell. Maybe I ate something bad today. Let’s save the movie for another time.” By the time I’d coaxed Ryan into the bathroom, it was past the time I’d agreed to meet Ms. Victoria. I quickly checked my phone. Sure enough, Ms. Victoria was blowing up the chat: “Where are you? Are you trying to mess with me? Standing me up, are you?” Followed by a string of angry emojis. My blood ran cold. I quickly apologized: “I’m so sorry! Something urgent came up, I really didn’t mean to!” But Ms. Victoria wouldn’t let it go. I gritted my teeth and pulled out my trump card, sending her a private pic of his abs I’d saved: “Sis, calm down. Good things are worth waiting for. Miss out on this, and you’ll regret it!” The other end of the phone was silent for a few seconds before she replied: “I’ll give you one last chance. Set a time before tomorrow night, or face the consequences!” I let out a long breath of relief: “You got it!” Just then, Ryan came out of the bathroom. He was wrapped in a bathrobe, his abs just peeking out. I looked at him, suddenly felt a little frisky, and reached out to grab his towel, wanting one last intimate moment. But he flinched back like I’d burned him, his eyes darting around: “Honey, I’m a bit tired, I want to go to bed early…” With that, he practically bolted under the covers. I was filled with questions. Was Ryan hiding something from me?

Once his breathing evened out and I was sure he was asleep, I quietly grabbed his phone and expertly unlocked it. When I saw his chat history with his relatives back home, I froze. He actually owed a quarter-million dollars. Two hundred thousand was lost to a scamming business partner. The remaining fifty thousand was for his grandfather’s emergency surgery and recovery treatments. The most recent photo in his gallery showed his grandpa in the ICU, hooked up to a million tubes. He’d even told his family not to let me know, so I wouldn’t worry. Had I misunderstood Ryan? My best friend, Chloe, who works at the bank, was the one who first told me he owed a couple hundred grand in gambling debt. Could Chloe have been wrong? My mind was a total mess, and a wave of guilt and uncertainty washed over me. No way. Before I handed him over, I had to figure out what was really going on with this debt. The next morning, I pretended to pack, saying I was going back to my parents’ place to ask for money. Ryan gently held my hand, touched: “Honey, thank you for doing this. I’ll be waiting for your good news!” I forced a smile, feeling conflicted as I left. I didn’t go to my dad’s; instead, I found a coffee shop to sit in. I wanted to call Chloe and get some answers. The moment she picked up, Chloe immediately started yelling into the phone: “Skylar! I was just about to call you! Guess who I saw? Your Ryan!” My heart tightened: “What happened?” Chloe continued: “That scumbag! He’s cheating on you! Right in the coffee shop below his office, all over his little secretary! It was sickening! I even got it on video!” The next second, a clear video popped up on my phone. In the video, Ryan and his young, pretty secretary, Tiffany, were sitting close together in a booth. He was holding a jewelry box, carefully slipping a massive diamond ring onto Tiffany’s finger. Tiffany gave a coy smile: “Ryan, babe, are you really gonna dump your old lady?” Ryan smirked, raising an eyebrow: “Of course. She’s already gone back to her parents to beg for money! Once I get my hands on it, I’m dumping her immediately!” “Then we’ll take the cash and go wherever we want, whenever we want!” Tiffany frowned slightly: “What about the half-million debt and your grandpa’s ‘illness’?” Ryan dotingly stroked her hair: “Silly girl, it’s all fake. If I don’t make the act convincing, how else will she happily empty her bank account for me?” I clutched my phone, my whole body trembling. So, this was the truth? The enormous debt was fake. His grandpa’s illness was fake. Ryan had gone to such great lengths just to drain me dry. Any lingering guilt or doubt I had instantly evaporated, replaced by a searing rage and bitter mockery. I took a deep breath and immediately opened Ms. Victoria’s chat: “Ms. Victoria, tonight at 8 PM, Marriott Hotel underground parking B-level. ‘Goods’ ready for inspection!” Next, I called Ryan, putting on a cheerful act: “Honey, good news! My dad agreed to help!” “He said he wants us all to have dinner tonight, give you the card, and celebrate our third anniversary. It’s at the Marriott Hotel’s Chinese restaurant, 8 PM sharp. Don’t be late!” Ryan was overjoyed: “Really? That’s amazing, sweetheart! I’ll be there on time! Love you!” I hung up, a cold smile playing on my lips. Since you betrayed me first, don’t blame me for finding you a new home!

At 7:30 PM, I arrived at the hotel parking lot early. The agreed time was approaching, but there was no sign of Ryan. I called him: “Ryan, where are you? Mom and Dad are waiting!” Ryan’s voice sounded anxious: “Honey, something urgent just came up here, I really can’t leave!” “Please tell your parents I’ll be a little late, but I promise I’ll be there!” I hung up, feeling suspicious. Logically, to get this money, Ryan should be more anxious than me. Why would he suddenly have an emergency? Then I remembered the couple’s tracking app Ryan and I had synced when we first started dating. I opened the app, and on the map, the little glowing dot representing Ryan was at the Hilton Hotel. I refreshed it several times, but it didn’t change. Almost simultaneously, Chloe’s message came through again: “Skylar, that scumbag Ryan is openly celebrating Tiffany’s birthday at the hotel! He even booked the top-floor suite, it’s outrageous!” She immediately sent a picture. It was Tiffany’s Ins story: “My old hag of a girlfriend just HAD to show off our ‘love,’ but guess who he came running to with one phone call?” Below was another picture. In the photo: roses, flowers, a fancy cake, and Ryan kissing Tiffany’s back. My heart sank completely. So this was his “emergency.” I sneered and sent a message to Ms. Victoria: “Ms. Victoria, change of location: Hilton underground parking A-level. There might be a slight delay, but he’ll be there!” After sending it, I immediately drove to the Hilton parking lot and quickly found Ryan’s BMW. With time running out, I quickly called Ryan, deliberately putting a sob in my voice: “Ryan, I left a really important USB drive in your car, in the passenger side glove compartment. I need it urgently, can you find a delivery service to bring it to me?” Ryan sounded a bit annoyed, but he still replied: “Okay, I know, just wait for it!” After hanging up, I immediately hid in the shadows, nervously watching the elevator. But twenty minutes passed, and neither Ryan nor Ms. Victoria appeared. I was burning with anxiety and called Ryan again, but this time, no one answered. Just then, heavy footsteps echoed from a corner of the parking lot. It wasn’t Ryan, but several burly men covered in tattoos. The leader had a menacing face and a thick gold chain, about the size of my pinky, hung around his neck. The leader walked closer, eyeing me up and down with a hostile gaze: “You’re Sky?” Sky was my nickname in the group. I thought they were Ms. Victoria’s muscle, so I quickly nodded: “That’s me, boss! Just a moment, please…” But before I could finish, the man grinned, cutting me off: “No need to wait!” I froze: “Huh? What do you mean?” The man waved his hand, and two burly henchmen immediately stepped forward, grabbing my arms: “Because we’re here for you!” I was completely bewildered, struggling and shouting: “What are you doing? You’ve got the wrong person! Let me go!” The leader pulled out his phone, opened an app, and shoved it in front of my face. It was a group chat. The chat history stopped at a message: “Sweet and sassy, fair-skinned and fun-loving. Looking for a new ‘partner’!” The message was followed by my swimsuit picture from my trip to Hawaii. The man grinned, leaning closer: “Someone put up half a million dollars for you. We just do what we’re paid to do!” As he spoke, his hand reached out. I was icy cold, as if struck by lightning. Who listed me? Could it be Ryan? But Chloe took this picture; he’d never even seen it! Suddenly, it all clicked, a cold wave of understanding washing over me.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “307071”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #魔幻Magic #重生Reborn

A video of my boyfriend slow dancing with his secretary at a private charity gala went viral overnight. Not a normal dance—the kind where his hand rested on her waist like it belonged there. The secretary even posted a public confession: “I’ve waited years for the man I love to choose me. Tonight… he finally did.” The comments section exploded: “I’m dying—this chemistry is insane!” “They look like they’ve been secretly in love forever!” I didn’t cry. I didn’t scream. I simply locked my phone and went to find him. That’s when I overheard him talking to a friend behind the stairwell. “What was I supposed to do? Her family’s pushing her into an arranged marriage. If I don’t step in, she’ll be miserable.” “And Aria? You’ve been dating her for years.” “She won’t leave. Seven years is too long for her to walk away now.” Fast forward to our wedding day. Yes—our wedding day. On the same morning he was marrying his secretary, I was slipping into my own wedding dress for someone else. Our wedding cars passed on the road. As tradition, the brides exchanged bouquets through the open windows. The moment he saw my face behind the veil— saw me in white— his expression collapsed completely.

“Mom, I’ve decided to go through with the arranged marriage.” In the dimly lit living room, my voice sounded distant and numb, like it didn’t even belong to me. Hearing my sudden change of heart, my mom was stunned. “You weren’t willing before. Why the sudden change? Aria, marriage isn’t a joke. It doesn’t matter whether it’s arranged or not—what matters is that you’re happy. You need to think this through. Don’t rush into it.” Her words made my chest tighten, and for a moment, my eyes stung with tears. “Mom, I’ve thought it through. You can start planning the wedding.” Mom must’ve sensed how I felt because she paused for a second before softly reassuring me: “You’ve been with Austin for so long, and he still won’t go public with your relationship. He hasn’t even agreed to meet us. Your dad and I have known for a while that things wouldn’t last between you two.” Her words felt like a knife twisting in my chest. It turns out that everyone on the outside could see the truth so clearly. The only fool here was me. “The Ford boy is someone your dad and I carefully picked for you years ago. We made sure he’s a good match. Not only is he from a solid family, but he’s also a man of great character. Aria, you deserve the best.” I took a deep breath. “Thanks, Mom. I trust you and Dad’s judgment.” Mom continued, “Do you want us to arrange a meeting with him in the next few days?” “There’s no need. Just go ahead and plan the wedding.” After I hung up the phone, I realized Austin had appeared behind me at some point, holding a small cake. He looked confused. “A wedding? Who’s getting married?” I am. I’m the one who’s getting married. I answered him silently in my heart, but the words never left my lips. Instead, I kept my expression calm and shook my head. “No one. Just a friend.” As soon as I said that, I noticed the tension in his shoulders ease. His face relaxed noticeably, and it made my heart ache all over again. Was he nervous because he thought I was going to pressure him into marrying me? Or was it because he thought I’d found out about him and Aria, his perfect secretary, and assumed they were the ones getting married? “I brought you your favorite cake from that bakery you love. Want to eat it now?” he asked. There was a time when Austin would bring me little treats after work—snacks and desserts he thought I’d enjoy. Even if I didn’t always like them, the thoughtfulness of it made me feel like I was floating in a sugary dream. I felt cherished, loved, remembered. But now, as I stared at the cake in his hands, all I felt was bitter irony. Not long ago, I’d stumbled across Aria’s newly public social media posts. I couldn’t bring myself to scroll far because just a few entries in, the truth hit me like a slap in the face. This cake wasn’t for me. It was Aria’s favorite. Not just this cake—those nuts, those snacks, all the little treats he used to bring me? They were all her favorites too. And the worst part? I realized that his habit of bringing me food only started after Aria joined his company. So, Austin… when you handed me those treats, who were you really thinking of? Was it me, Aria, or was it Aria? Swallowing the lump in my throat, I said flatly, “I don’t like sweets anymore. They’re too much. Don’t buy them for me again.” Austin blinked, clearly surprised by my reaction. “What? That’s not true. You’ve never had a problem eating them before.” We’ve been together for years, and yet, if he really cared about me, how could he not know my preferences by now? Sometimes, you repeat yourself so many times that you grow tired. And eventually, you stop correcting them altogether. I didn’t argue. I simply shrugged and said, “My taste has changed recently.”

For days, Austin had been so busy that he didn’t even remember my birthday. Not that it mattered anymore—it wasn’t like I cared. But then, as if the thought suddenly struck him, he tried to make it up to me by buying tickets to my favorite Broadway musical. It was a wildly popular show, nearly impossible to get tickets for. I hadn’t been able to snag one myself, so when Austin said he had two tickets and invited me, I agreed. On the day of the show, I waited for him. And waited. But instead of Austin, I saw a post from Aria on Instagram, flaunting two tickets to the very same musical. Her caption read: “Bored, so I decided to catch a show. It’s the best feeling to have someone who’s always there for you, no matter what. ” The photo didn’t show their faces, but I recognized the hand in the picture immediately. That scar—it was unmistakable. It was Austin’s, from the time he got hurt saving me years ago. Suddenly, I felt like a complete fool. While I stood outside in the rain, worried something had happened to him, Austin was inside, sitting in VIP seats with his secretary. Ice-cold raindrops pelted my face, soaking through my clothes. The chill worked its way into my bones, but my heart felt even colder than my body. My phone buzzed with a message from my mom. She told me the wedding was set for two weeks from now. If I thought it was too rushed, we could push it back. I shook my head, even though she couldn’t see me, and replied, “No need. Let’s keep it as planned.” The heavy rain had brought the city to a standstill. Traffic was a mess, and I couldn’t get a cab no matter how long I waited. Finally, Austin called me. His voice was casual, like nothing was wrong. “Why aren’t you at home?” I kept my tone calm, completely devoid of emotion. “I’m at the Broadway Theater.” There was a pause, as though he’d just remembered something. Then he said, “I’m sorry. Something came up this afternoon, and I couldn’t make it. Stay where you are—I’ll come get you.” I didn’t argue, but I knew he wouldn’t show up. And I was right. A moment later, Aria updated her Instagram again: “He didn’t want me catching a cold in the rain, so he made ginger tea just for me. A man who cooks is the most attractive. �� Can’t wait to marry him!” The photo showed Austin’s back as he stood at the stove, cooking. I stared at the post for a second, then calmly exited the app. The rain left me with a fever and a nasty cold. I used it as an excuse to move out of the master bedroom, claiming I didn’t want to infect Austin. I moved into the guest room instead. For once, he actually stayed home from work to take care of me. But I couldn’t stand it. “It’s just a cold,” I said, keeping my tone neutral. “I’m an adult. I can take care of myself. You should go back to work.” He frowned and looked at me for a long moment. “You used to want me around the most when you were sick. What’s with the sudden change?” I lowered my head, hiding all the emotions in my eyes, and forced a small smile. “I was immature back then. I’m not like that anymore.” Austin’s brows furrowed with concern. “Aria, are you okay?” “I’m fine. Go on, really.” He didn’t seem convinced, but after staring at me for a while, he finally sighed. “Alright. Call me if you need anything.” As soon as he left, I let out a long breath and fell into a deep sleep. When I woke up, I found another message from my mom. This time, it was the finalized wedding plans. She’d also sent me photos of over a dozen wedding dresses, asking me to pick one. I scrolled through the pictures absentmindedly, enlarging them to get a better look. I was so absorbed in the task that I didn’t even notice Austin walk in until he snatched my phone out of my hand and tossed it aside. “What are you doing looking at wedding dresses?” he demanded, his face dark with irritation. For a moment, I thought he’d figured it out—that I was planning my own wedding. I was just about to come clean when his next words stopped me cold. “Aria, is this your way of pressuring me to marry you? I told you I’d marry you eventually. You don’t have to resort to tricks like this—it’s pathetic.”

“You’ve got it all wrong, I’m not—” Before I could finish, Austin waved me off, cutting me short. “I’m busy. I’ll be going now. A word of advice—stop pulling these stunts to wear down what’s left of my feelings for you.” The door slammed shut behind him, leaving the house in complete silence. For a long time, I stood there, unmoving, and then let out a bitter laugh. Austin, how much of your so-called feelings for me are even left? What’s there to wear down anymore? In the past, a misunderstanding like this would have left me devastated, unable to eat or sleep. But now, I quickly pulled myself together. I went back to reviewing the wedding details my mom had sent over. Before closing my messages, I instinctively clicked on the notification dot in my social media app. That’s when I saw it—a rare update from Austin. “When someone this amazing comes into your life, you marry them and keep them close.” The photo was a solo shot of Aria, along with an image of their wedding invitation. Within minutes, one of our mutual friends commented: “Bro, so you’ve already swapped out the bride? That was fast.” Not long after, Austin’s post disappeared. But it reappeared almost immediately on Aria’s Instagram feed instead. Then my phone rang. If this had been the past, I would’ve immediately screenshot the post, called him up, and demanded answers. No argument would have ended without a screaming match. But this time, I let the call ring out. And then ring again. I didn’t answer, not even once. What surprised me the most was that I didn’t feel particularly upset by what I’d just seen. Maybe I’d grown numb. My first thought wasn’t anger or heartbreak—it was mild amusement at the coincidence. Their wedding was scheduled for the same day as mine. When Austin finally came home that night, I was already in bed, pretending to sleep. He tiptoed into the room and stopped by my bedside. “Aria? Are you awake? I tried calling you—why didn’t you answer?” I kept my back to him, my voice muffled and indifferent. “I must’ve fallen asleep. Didn’t hear it.” He sighed in relief and leaned down, reaching out to feel my forehead. “Is your fever gone?” But as he got closer, the cloying scent of women’s perfume—sweet and heavy—hit me like a punch. My stomach churned, and I had to fight the urge to gag. Without thinking, I shifted away from him, dodging his hand. He froze, his hand suspended awkwardly in mid-air. “Aria,” he asked cautiously, “Did you see something?” I buried myself deeper into the blankets, muffling my voice. “No. I’m just not feeling well. I want to sleep.” I slept through the night and woke up feeling lighter, like a weight had been lifted. With a clear head, I started packing up my things, systematically erasing every trace of myself from this house. That’s when I realized how many little “couple’s” items I’d bought over the years. At first, Austin would use them with me. But at some point, without me noticing, he’d stopped. Most of those things had been shoved into some corner, collecting dust. I packed them all into a box and dumped it in the trash. Then I found something else—an old scrapbook. It was filled with photos of our trips together, postcards we’d collected, train tickets from when we were long-distance, and letters he’d written to me. The entire scrapbook was a record of our years together. But after Aria came into the picture, the pages had stopped being filled. There were no more photos, no new memories to add. By the time Austin came home, I was tossing the scrapbook into the fireplace. He rushed in like a madman, pulling the burning book out of the flames with his bare hands. Ignoring the burns on his fingers, he turned to me, furious. “Are you insane? Do you have any idea how important this scrapbook is to us? Why would you burn it!?” Austin rarely ever raised his voice at me. This was the first time he’d spoken to me like this. His anger looked genuine, but so was the fact that he was planning to marry someone else behind my back. I didn’t want to argue with him, so I casually replied, “The scrapbook had gotten moldy and infested with bugs. Don’t worry—I’ve backed up all the photos and mementos. I’ll make a new one eventually.” Hearing this, his anger finally subsided. Later, as I applied ointment to his burn, Austin stared at me with an intensity I couldn’t quite place. “Aria,” he said suddenly, “You’ve seemed off lately. Is work stressing you out? I’ve booked you a personalized vacation package. Take some time off to relax.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “307070”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #魔幻Magic #重生Reborn