Zach’s childhood friend, Bella, created an influencer account. She took advantage of my absence, sneaked into my room, entered my computer password, and copied all of my paid freelance writings to her phone. Then, she posted everything online for free. Overnight, she gained thousands of followers. The next day, when I confronted her, she smirked, “Ava, did I make so much money that you can’t even afford food anymore?” Zachary walked into the room while I was in the middle of a heated argument with Bella. To be fair, it wasn’t much of an argument—Bella was the only one talking. I realized she was acting completely irrational, like someone out of a psychiatric ward, and reasoning with her was impossible. “If you can make money writing freelance, why can’t I run an influencer account?” “Ava, did I make so much money that you can’t even afford food anymore?” I started off furious, but my anger slowly faded as I listened to her insane ranting. It was like dealing with someone unhinged. Bella had been Zach’s neighbor when they were kids. According to him, she was a sweet, innocent little sister figure who moved to Los Angeles after graduation to start her job. Since she didn’t know many people in the city, Zach suggested she stay with us temporarily until her internship ended. “Ava, it’s only for three months. Just think of it as doing me a favor.” At first, I didn’t agree. I mean, who wants to live with a stranger? But then I thought about my own early days in LA, feeling lost and overwhelmed. If I could help someone avoid that struggle, why not? After all, it was just three months. I didn’t even charge her rent, but I ended up inviting trouble into my home. One time, Bella’s laptop broke, and she was desperate to finish a project. She was crying, and I felt sorry for her, so I lent her my computer. I never bothered to change the password afterward, and that’s when the trouble started. When Zach arrived, Bella instantly transformed from a venomous snake into a sweet, innocent girl. She lowered her damp eyelashes and sniffled, “Zach, there are lots of influencer accounts out there. Why is Ava so upset with me? Doesn’t she love influencer marketing?” Zach stood there silently for a moment, a frown creasing his brow. “Normally, influencer accounts don’t post entire articles from the original writers. That’s…,” he hesitated, searching for the right words, “… pretty impolite.” I almost laughed. Immoral and impolite? Are those the same thing now? Bella hung her head. “Alright, I was wrong.” She took a deep breath and then raised her face back to that fake, sweet expression. “How about I treat you both to dinner? Consider it an apology to Ava.” An apology? Who does she think she’s fooling? Sitting back on the couch, I smiled and said, “Bella, first, you need to delete all the videos you posted. Then, you need to return the money you made from your posts. And finally, issue a public apology.” “That’s what an apology looks like.” Bella looked at me in disbelief, her voice rising in frustration. “Ava, you’re going too far!” Going too far? I almost laughed. I calmly pulled up my phone’s photo album and handed it to her, showing her a video. Bella’s face immediately froze. Zach, still clueless about what was happening, came over to take a look. Within minutes, his expression darkened, disappointment etched across his face as he stared at Bella. The video showed everything Bella had done in my room when I wasn’t home. She didn’t just steal my work; she wore my clothes, used my skincare products, spat on my bedsheets and pillows, and even swiped some of my jewelry. I had suspected Bella for a while, but without proof, there wasn’t much I could do. It didn’t take long for my new security camera, installed just three days ago, to capture all her antics. It’s always the ones closest to you. Bella blushed, tears welling up in her eyes as she looked at Zach. “I… I didn’t…” But she couldn’t even finish her sentence. Furious and flustered, she grabbed my phone and deleted the video, then tossed the phone onto the couch, glaring at me defiantly. I smiled, amused by her misplaced sense of victory. “It’s fine, Bella. I’ve got plenty of backup videos. If you don’t meet my demands, I’ll just take this to the police. After all, theft is theft, and the evidence is solid.” I paused for effect and then added, “The Tiffany & Co. necklace you stole isn’t worth that much. But having a criminal record over it? That might be a bit too much to handle, don’t you think?” Bella’s face flushed red with shame. After some hesitation, she finally gave in, deleting the videos, returning the money she had made from the influencer account, and posting a public apology. As for the Tiffany necklace, Bella claimed she had already listed it on Facebook Marketplace for three hundred bucks. … Well, no big deal. She’d just pay me back the original price.

Here’s the fully localized translation of the passage into the U.S./American context: Zach’s childhood friend, Bella, created an influencer account. She took advantage of my absence, sneaked into my room, entered my computer password, and copied all of my paid freelance writings to her phone. Then, she posted everything online for free. Overnight, she gained thousands of followers. The next day, when I confronted her, she smirked, “Ava, did I make so much money that you can’t even afford food anymore?” 1 Zachary walked into the room while I was in the middle of a heated argument with Bella. To be fair, it wasn’t much of an argument—Bella was the only one talking. I realized she was acting completely irrational, like someone out of a psychiatric ward, and reasoning with her was impossible. “If you can make money writing freelance, why can’t I run an influencer account?” “Ava, did I make so much money that you can’t even afford food anymore?” I started off furious, but my anger slowly faded as I listened to her insane ranting. It was like dealing with someone unhinged. Bella had been Zach’s neighbor when they were kids. According to him, she was a sweet, innocent little sister figure who moved to Los Angeles after graduation to start her job. Since she didn’t know many people in the city, Zach suggested she stay with us temporarily until her internship ended. “Ava, it’s only for three months. Just think of it as doing me a favor.” At first, I didn’t agree. I mean, who wants to live with a stranger? But then I thought about my own early days in LA, feeling lost and overwhelmed. If I could help someone avoid that struggle, why not? After all, it was just three months. I didn’t even charge her rent, but I ended up inviting trouble into my home. One time, Bella’s laptop broke, and she was desperate to finish a project. She was crying, and I felt sorry for her, so I lent her my computer. I never bothered to change the password afterward, and that’s when the trouble started. When Zach arrived, Bella instantly transformed from a venomous snake into a sweet, innocent girl. She lowered her damp eyelashes and sniffled, “Zach, there are lots of influencer accounts out there. Why is Ava so upset with me? Doesn’t she love influencer marketing?” Zach stood there silently for a moment, a frown creasing his brow. “Normally, influencer accounts don’t post entire articles from the original writers. That’s…,” he hesitated, searching for the right words, “… pretty impolite.” I almost laughed. Immoral and impolite? Are those the same thing now? Bella hung her head. “Alright, I was wrong.” She took a deep breath and then raised her face back to that fake, sweet expression. “How about I treat you both to dinner? Consider it an apology to Ava.” An apology? Who does she think she’s fooling? Sitting back on the couch, I smiled and said, “Bella, first, you need to delete all the videos you posted. Then, you need to return the money you made from your posts. And finally, issue a public apology.” “That’s what an apology looks like.” Bella looked at me in disbelief, her voice rising in frustration. “Ava, you’re going too far!” Going too far? I almost laughed. I calmly pulled up my phone’s photo album and handed it to her, showing her a video. Bella’s face immediately froze. Zach, still clueless about what was happening, came over to take a look. Within minutes, his expression darkened, disappointment etched across his face as he stared at Bella. The video showed everything Bella had done in my room when I wasn’t home. She didn’t just steal my work; she wore my clothes, used my skincare products, spat on my bedsheets and pillows, and even swiped some of my jewelry. I had suspected Bella for a while, but without proof, there wasn’t much I could do. It didn’t take long for my new security camera, installed just three days ago, to capture all her antics. It’s always the ones closest to you. Bella blushed, tears welling up in her eyes as she looked at Zach. “I… I didn’t…” But she couldn’t even finish her sentence. Furious and flustered, she grabbed my phone and deleted the video, then tossed the phone onto the couch, glaring at me defiantly. I smiled, amused by her misplaced sense of victory. “It’s fine, Bella. I’ve got plenty of backup videos. If you don’t meet my demands, I’ll just take this to the police. After all, theft is theft, and the evidence is solid.” I paused for effect and then added, “The Tiffany & Co. necklace you stole isn’t worth that much. But having a criminal record over it? That might be a bit too much to handle, don’t you think?” Bella’s face flushed red with shame. After some hesitation, she finally gave in, deleting the videos, returning the money she had made from the influencer account, and posting a public apology. As for the Tiffany necklace, Bella claimed she had already listed it on Facebook Marketplace for three hundred bucks. … Well, no big deal. She’d just pay me back the original price. 2 When Bella finally moved out, she couldn’t resist throwing one last jab at me, saying I was “obsessed with money.” I lazily glanced at her, unimpressed. “Well, it’s better than being obsessed with bad decisions.” She glared at me, clearly running out of things to say. It wasn’t long before she posted on Instagram Stories. The picture showed her standing on a balcony at sunset, gazing dreamily into the distance, her hair blowing in the wind. The caption read: “Grateful for my brother’s help. Excited for what the future holds.” I knew that balcony. It was Zach’s. The sick feeling in my stomach made me shiver. Gross. Why did he even send this idiot my way in the first place? What a joke. I sent Zach a text, asking what the hell was going on. A few minutes later, he called, sounding nervous. “Ava, Bella had to move out quickly. It’s hard to find a place, and I couldn’t just let her be homeless.” His words felt like an accusation, like I shouldn’t have kicked her out. I’ve heard of guilt-tripping before, but never like this. I asked, “Are you seriously telling me there are no hotels in Los Angeles?” Zach sighed. “It’s not safe for a young girl to stay in a hotel. Ava, Bella is young and made some mistakes, but she knows she was wrong. Can’t you just let it go?” I was speechless. One of them steals things, the other one twists reality. They truly deserve each other. “Zach, Bella may be five years younger than me, but I wasn’t doing any of that at her age. And I definitely wasn’t living in another woman’s boyfriend’s house.” I paused for a second before continuing, “Let’s break up.” The silence on the other end was deafening. I hung up the phone without waiting for a response. Honestly, I’d been planning to end things for a while now. Bella ended up paying me back the five grand she owed. I had a pretty good idea of who really paid it, but I didn’t care. As long as the money made it into my account, I was happy. As for Zach? He wasn’t worth keeping around. We had met through our parents. His dad and mine had gone to school together and realized during a reunion that both of their kids were living in LA and single, so they exchanged our numbers. After a while, Zach and I started dating. At first, he seemed like a hidden gem—quiet, serious, and occasionally showing flashes of brilliance. But this whole mess showed me the truth: he wasn’t a gem at all, just shattered glass—ugly, broken, and useless. I know nobody’s perfect. I could deal with Zach being passive and indecisive. But I couldn’t handle him doing nothing while I was being attacked. Even when faced with evidence, he never once stood up for me. Like a piece of rotting wood stuck in the mud, impossible to shape, impossible to rely on. And most of all, I couldn’t handle his loyalty shifting towards another woman. Dense? Maybe. Biased? Definitely. But I wasn’t going to waste my life on a man like that. After the breakup, Zach tried calling me repeatedly, even sending long, emotional texts. I didn’t bother reading any of them. I just blocked him. One night, I got a call from an unknown number. The person on the other end was clearly drunk and slurred, “Ava, did you… did you really… get with some rich guy?” I paused, feeling both annoyed and amused. “Nope, just not interested in guys who can’t measure up, in any sense of the word.” Zach was silent for a moment before angrily hanging up. He knew why we broke up, but admitting his mistakes was hard. Blaming others? So much easier. Recently, I’d taken on a new project, and the whole team had been working non-stop, burning the candle at both ends. Finally, after two exhausting weeks, we were done. I stretched in the office, feeling the satisfaction of a job well done. The year-end bonus was all but mine. Suddenly, my phone buzzed. It was Sienna, sending me a photo. It showed Zach and Bella at a fancy restaurant, looking way too cozy, staring into each other’s eyes with enough passion to make anyone nauseous. Sienna added, “Girl, you dodged a bullet! That guy moved on so fast it makes me sick!” Honestly, I felt nothing. My emotions were as calm as if I were looking at a couple of strangers on the street. I replied, “Doesn’t matter. The ones who want to leave can’t be stopped. The ones who stay won’t go anywhere.” As I wandered through the city streets, the night breeze cooled the last traces of summer warmth, whisking away the remnants of a relationship that no longer mattered. At least, that’s how I saw it.

The project wrapped up beautifully, and the boss, understanding how hard the team had worked, gave us a few extra days off to rest after we finished the final touches. I had been completely exhausted, so I was sound asleep at home when a sudden knocking at the door startled me awake. I opened it to find Zachary standing there. His eyes were bloodshot, his face flushed, and the strong smell of alcohol hit me as he leaned against the doorframe, looking down at me with a crooked smile. “Ava, long time no see.” I eyed him warily. “What are you doing here?” Zach didn’t answer. Instead, he tried to step inside, but he was too drunk, his whole body slack like a pile of dead weight. Without hesitation, I kicked him right out the door. I slammed it shut behind him. From outside, I could hear Zach’s voice, hoarse and repetitive, like a dog barking. He kept yelling, begging me to open the door, to talk to him, to give him another chance. People show their true selves when they’re drunk, and Zach, who had always seemed like the quiet, decent type, was really just a player at heart. I couldn’t help but feel thankful that I got out when I did. It was 11:30 p.m., and all my neighbors were probably asleep. Zach’s raspy voice echoed down the hall, shattering the peace. “If you don’t leave right now, I’m calling the cops!” I shouted through the door. There was a brief silence, followed by a dismissive scoff. “Ha! I don’t believe you.” Fifteen minutes later, the police arrived. By the time Bella showed up to collect him, Zach had sobered up enough to be quiet, his head hanging in shame. Bella, on the other hand, glared at me with open hatred, her voice dripping with disdain. “Ava, are you some kind of witch? Why can’t you leave my boyfriend alone? Why do you keep haunting us?” I couldn’t help but laugh. “If your boyfriend wasn’t showing up at my door in the middle of the night, begging me to take him back, do you think we’d be in this situation?” “You…!” Bella’s lips trembled as she shot Zach a disappointed look, then turned back to me with venom in her eyes. “Don’t kid yourself. He’s only here because you took so much money from him, and he came to get it back!” I froze for a second. The police officer raised an eyebrow. “Took money?” Bella snatched Zach’s phone from his hand and scrolled through the messages and transactions. She shoved the phone in my face, showing a list of all the money Zach had spent on me over the past six months: holiday gifts, dinner tabs, plane tickets, hotel bookings—every little thing. “Ava, now that you and Zach are over, don’t you think you should return everything he bought for you? Stop mooching off my boyfriend!” The officer’s expression was hard to read, somewhere between sympathy and disbelief. He looked at me, unsure whether to feel sorry for me or relieved that I’d dodged a bullet. I shook my head with a wry smile. Then, I pulled out my own receipts—fancy belts, watches, wallets, and more that I’d bought for Zach. “Fine, let’s settle this, then. We’ll add everything up.” The comparison didn’t even require a calculator. It was obvious who had spent more on whom. Bella was livid, especially when she realized Zach was still wearing the suit and shoes I had bought him. Her face flushed an angry, deep red. She exhaled sharply and sneered, “So, you’ve been paying for him all along?” Finally, Zach spoke up, nodding in my direction with a defeated look. “Yeah, she paid for everything.” At that moment, I had no interest in continuing this ridiculous conversation. Looking at them was like looking at a disaster waiting to happen. I didn’t want to waste any more energy. I accepted the officer’s suggestion for mediation and, before leaving, requested a copy of the police report. As I stepped out into the early morning light, the streetlights were already starting to dim, and the night sky was giving way to dawn. Bella had thrown Zach’s shoes and jacket into a nearby trash can. He stood there on the curb, shivering in his socks and shirt, waiting for a ride. As I walked past, I heard Bella muttering under her breath, all of her words aimed at me. It was clear that Zach had come to me on his own, yet somehow, Bella twisted everything to make me the villain. Whether she was fooling herself or completely clueless, I had no idea.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “294757”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic

“Ethan, Valentine’s Day is so lonely by myself. Why don’t you come and keep me company?” My husband immediately took a screenshot and sent it to the Family WhatsApp Group, followed by reporting her on social media. I stood there, jaw dropping, not able to say a word before Ethan’s warm body wrapped around me again. “That doesn’t count, I haven’t shown my true strength yet,” he said, playfully pinning me down. As soon as the screenshot hit the Family WhatsApp Group, it exploded. Sabrina Rivers, my third cousin, chimed in sarcastically: “Look at Madison, shameless as always!” My brother, Zach Rivers, tagged Madison with a cold laugh: “Madison, you’re disgusting! Try to steal my sister’s man again and I swear I’ll ruin you!” Thanks for the reminder. Of course, it had to be brought up. Madison and I never got along, and she always had a habit of taking my things. But I never thought she’d stoop so low as to throw her body into the mix. Two years ago, Liam Carter and I had gone home to introduce him to my parents to discuss marriage, but Madison seduced him. I caught them in bed together. Two years later, she’s trying the same old tricks! But Ethan Cross is no Liam Carter. Her little game won’t work on him! While I was thinking about it, Ethan leaned in close and whispered, “How are you feeling, babe? Was that enough payback?” Ethan and I were always very open with each other, and he knew everything about me. I smiled. “Yeah, that was pretty satisfying!” Just imagining Madison pulling out her hair in frustration had me feeling gleeful. “But…” I waved my hand. “Let’s not celebrate too soon.” Sure enough, right after I said that, my dad called. As soon as I picked up, he started yelling, “Ava! Are you trying to kill your sister? Get in that group chat and explain yourself!” I chuckled in disbelief. “Explain what? That she was prowling around in the middle of the night, trying to seduce my husband?” He was silent for a second. Then angrily, “Nonsense! She just lost a game! Now get in there and clear it up!” As he spoke, I could hear Madison crying in the background, people comforting her. I rolled my eyes and sneered, “Sure thing.” Since she wanted to ruin my Valentine’s Day, nobody was going to have a good time. I hung up the phone and immediately opened up Mr. Mason’s contact. Conveniently, he’d been trying to partner with CrossTech Enterprises, and I just happened to be in charge of the project. Madison worked for him. I sent the message. Within minutes, he replied: “Apologies, Ms. Rivers. I’ll handle this immediately and make sure you’re satisfied with the outcome.” It didn’t even take 30 minutes. He messaged me again with the result: Madison had been fired. I thought she might have learned her lesson, but no—she dared to pull more stunts that same night!

It was late, and I was half asleep when Ethan’s phone kept buzzing. I was about to put it on silent when I saw it was Madison. Suddenly, I was wide awake. She had sent him a photo of herself in a flimsy nightgown, with tears streaming down her face. She looked so pitiful. “Sorry, Ethan. I lost a party game. I didn’t know Ava would be so petty and share the screenshots with everyone and then complain to Mr. Mason, which got me fired.” “I know she’s still hung up on Liam. That’s why she hates me. I’ll give Liam back to her if she stops coming after me, okay?” I shook Ethan awake, fuming. “Look at this!” “Unbelievable,” Ethan muttered after reading it, rolling his eyes. He quickly started typing a response. “Madison, you love throwing yourself at men. You didn’t get fired for nothing. CrossTech doesn’t hire chickens, so you shouldn’t be surprised.” “And what’s Liam worth? He’s trash. You love him so much, you can keep him. You two are made for each other.” Without waiting for a response, Ethan blocked her. I grinned and kissed him on the cheek as a reward. The next day, after replying to messages from friends who were concerned about the drama, I headed to work. I was feeling a bit tired after a long day when Ethan came home. “Babe, I missed you,” he said, dropping his briefcase and wrapping his arms around me from behind, nuzzling my neck. I was about to scold him playfully when I caught a whiff of a familiar scent. Madison’s perfume. My face changed immediately. “Did Madison come to see you?” “Yes, but I didn’t meet with her! The smell must’ve gotten on me by accident,” he said, trying to reassure me. Ethan’s face twisted with disgust. “Your cousin is out of her mind. She was waiting by my car and literally threw herself at me. I kicked her to the ground!” “Pfft~” The image of Ethan kicking Madison made me laugh out loud. “As long as you’re not mad,” Ethan sighed with relief. “I’m not mad at you,” I said softly. I wasn’t angry with Ethan. I was just disgusted by Madison’s shamelessness. “If I had known she rubbed off on me, I would’ve thrown out these clothes,” he said, tossing his jacket in the trash before heading upstairs to take a shower. As I was getting dinner ready, my phone kept buzzing. Sabrina Rivers: Ava, check Instagram! Did you get cheated on again?! What?!

I narrowed my eyes and opened Instagram. There it was, trending locally. Shocking! CEO of CrossTech Enterprises caught in a parking lot tryst with a mysterious woman! The photos were crystal clear. Ethan was lowering his head, and Madison was looking up at him with a soft, flirty smile. From the angle, it looked like they were hugging—or worse, kissing. Knew the CEO’s wife was a looker, but wow, she’s stunning! Omg! They’re perfect together. I’m shipping this couple! Even some of Ethan’s business partners were congratulating them in the comments. And to make things worse, Madison had capitalized on the attention, posting a vague message on Instagram that only fueled the rumors further. I was furious. Right then, Ethan came running downstairs, not even fully dressed. “Babe! You believe me, right? It’s all a setup!” I sighed. “I know.” I never doubted him. We were both very private and had kept our marriage under the radar. No one knew I was his wife, which gave Madison the perfect opportunity to manipulate things. Ethan, now fully enraged, replied to the top comment: You can ship what you want, but let’s not get twisted. Then, he posted a photo of our wedding. Within minutes, CrossTech’s official Instagram blew up. This is the real wife! Look at them, they’re so sweet together! Told you, Ethan looked totally disgusted in that other photo. That girl was obviously trying to force herself on him! Some of the internet turned against Madison, while others attacked Ethan for getting involved in a scandal. But CrossTech’s PR team was fast. They found the parking lot footage, traced the source of the viral post, and uncovered that Madison had paid to have it promoted. Ethan didn’t lie—he had actually kicked her to the ground. When the footage dropped, I had to stifle a laugh seeing Madison fall. OMG, am I the only one who thinks Ethan kicking her looked kinda hot?! Ethan even liked that comment. Guys, take notes—this is how you deal with a scheming woman! Lol, Ethan’s face said, ‘Don’t touch me!’ I’m dying! The comments were overwhelmingly on our side. Madison was torn to shreds online and earned the nickname “Clinger.” She panicked and deleted her Instagram account overnight. But I wasn’t done with her yet. Everyone has to pay for what they’ve done.

I asked Sabrina for some information. Turns out, after Liam Carter went bankrupt, Madison dumped him. Even though she was the one who left him because he was broke, she spun the story to make it seem like it was my fault. I scoffed. “Shameless.” “Exactly! Ava, you think she’s about to make a move?” Sabrina asked excitedly. I nodded. She continued, “I’ve been waiting for this! Let me send you something—I want in on this too!” After the call, she sent me a recording. I laughed after listening. “Thanks, Sabrina! I owe you dinner.” I hadn’t even reached out to Liam when he showed up at my office! The next day, I received a bouquet of roses at work. I thought for sure it was Ethan being romantic. But when I saw Liam Carter standing there, I wanted to gouge my eyes out. “Ava, Madison told me you’ve always had feelings for me,” Liam said smugly, raising an eyebrow. Ha! I wondered how he had the nerve to show his face. Madison must have really brainwashed him into thinking I still cared. I glared at him silently. He mistook it for shyness and kept going, “After we broke up, I realized that you’re the one I truly love. Why don’t we just get back together?” “I don’t care that you’ve been married. But if we do tie the knot, you’d need to bring a house and a car as part of the deal. My parents would expect that.” He was acting like he was doing me a favor. It made me sick. Beyond delusional. I scowled. “Liam, I’m not interested in picking up trash.” Goosebumps covered my arms as I suppressed my disgust. “But I do have a little gift for you.” “A gift?” Liam looked eager. “You really think Liam is all that? If Ava hadn’t liked him back then, and if he hadn’t had some money, I never would’ve gone near him,” said Madison’s voice from the recording. “Who would want to marry a broke man like him? He’s got nothing left now—he’s dreaming if he thinks he’s going to marry me!” Her words echoed through the office, loud enough for everyone to hear. I saw Liam’s face drain of color. So I smiled and said, “Weren’t you and Madison supposed to be in love? I guess it was all about the money, huh?” “I heard your family lost the house. You should ask for some of those gifts back from Madison. Maybe you can afford to live a little more comfortably.” As I twisted the knife, I knew I was turning him against Madison. Sure enough, his face turned dark as he stormed out of the office. Knowing how petty Liam was, there was no way he’d let Madison get away with making a fool of him. I called Ethan and asked him to join me for the show. By the time we arrived, Liam had Madison by the hair, slapping her face repeatedly. He hit her so hard, her face was swollen after just a few slaps. “You slut! You ruined everything for me! I could’ve had a happy life with Ava!” “This is all your fault! I’ll kill you!” He kicked her to the ground and stomped on her head. As Madison begged for mercy, she looked up just in time to see the disgust in Ethan’s eyes. And that was when she broke down, sobbing and whimpering. Watching her pathetic state, I almost couldn’t hold back my laughter. My parents showed up, called the cops, and that ended the spectacle. I heard they ended up taking each other to court. Madison accused Liam of assault, and Liam accused her of financial fraud. It was a true case of dog-eat-dog.

A week later, it was time for my brother Zach and his wife Tessa’s baby shower. My mom had been calling me non-stop, insisting that Ethan and I attend. My mom is one of those traditional women who believe a husband’s word is law. Whatever my dad says, she follows without question. If my dad hadn’t given her permission, I doubt she’d ever reach out to me on her own. Finally, the day of the baby shower arrived. We had just stepped out of the car when I saw Madison Rivers. Her eyes lit up when she saw Ethan, like a dog spotting a bone, her expression showing sheer determination. Despite the bruises that still marred her face, she had tried to cover them up with makeup, but it only made her look more like a swollen pig. I smirked silently and caught her shooting me a hateful glare. After playing with Grace, my niece, for a while, the time came for lunch. Just as I sat down, a sharp pain hit my stomach. Ethan noticed immediately and helped me upstairs to rest. We hadn’t even reached the top of the stairs when we heard… noises. Intimate noises. Familiar voices. And one of those voices… sounded a lot like my dad’s. Ethan and I exchanged shocked glances, our eyes wide with disbelief. Even though I was feeling sick, we stayed still outside the bathroom door, listening to the embarrassing and heated conversation happening inside. “No, Uncle! Don’t kiss me, someone might catch us!” It was Aunt Karen, my uncle Richard’s wife. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I stood there, frozen in place. Then I heard my father’s voice again. “Relax, no one’s going to find out.” It really was my dad. Even in his old age, he couldn’t resist cheating. I clenched my fists, trying to control my anger, and looked over at Ethan. He knew exactly what I wanted him to do—he pulled out his phone and started recording the conversation. The two of them kept going for a while until Aunt Karen let out a final, breathless sigh. Then, finally, they were done. Ethan and I quickly hid in a corner as they stepped out of the bathroom, still not caring to be discreet. Aunt Karen’s face was flushed, and there were kiss marks all over her neck. The audacity! I felt a surge of fury. How could they? Did they not remember how Uncle Richard had literally saved my dad’s life in that car accident? How could he betray him like this, and my mom too? I could feel my pulse racing, anger burning through me, and I almost forgot the pain in my stomach. Ethan, sensing my rage and my confusion about what to do, whispered, “You should rest for now. Maybe talk it over with Zach and Tessa later.” I nodded, unable to think of a better plan at the moment. By the time I woke up, it was already late evening. The guests had left, and Zach and Tessa were seeing her family off at the train station. Ethan and I were preparing to leave too when my dad stopped us. He insisted on having a private talk with Ethan, while my mom stayed close by, constantly hovering over me. I wanted to drop hints to my mom about what I’d discovered, to prepare her, but I didn’t want to cause a scene, so I agreed to stay a bit longer. I also wanted to see what Madison was up to. She had been suspiciously quiet all afternoon. “I’m going upstairs to rest,” I said, smiling sweetly. “You’ve got my old room ready, right?” Madison exhaled in relief and replied quickly, “Of course, Ava. It’s all set up for you.” “Mom, why don’t you come sit with me? You said you missed me, didn’t you?” I asked, hoping to get some alone time with her. For some reason, my mom looked guilty, avoiding my gaze. “I still have things to take care of. I’ll come find you later.” I narrowed my eyes slightly but nodded and headed upstairs. Her behavior was definitely strange. I stalled for a while, waiting until the coast was clear, then turned off the lights and quietly slipped back downstairs. I hid behind the door of the living room and listened in on their conversation. “So, what did you want to talk about, Mr. Rivers?” Ethan asked. My dad lit a cigarette, exhaling smoke slowly. “How did you and Ava meet?” Ethan answered him truthfully. As I listened to my parents ask Ethan about me, it almost felt like they were genuinely concerned. It warmed my heart a little. Maybe they did care about me after all. But then my mom spoke up. “Ethan, you’re a good man. Your uncle and I don’t want to hide the truth from you. The thing is, Ava… she’s not really good enough for you.” I froze. Ethan did too. “She was a wild child,” my mom continued. “In middle school, she used to hang around those boys and fool around. She even had a few abortions…” Hearing my mom say that hit me like a punch to the gut. I had always thought my parents just didn’t love me. But now, I realized it was much worse than that—they were spreading lies, trying to destroy me. The blood drained from my face. My hands went ice cold. How could they do this to their own daughter?

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “294756”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #校园School #魔幻Magic #励志Inspiring #惊悚Thriller #浪漫Romance #擦边Steamy #重生Reborn

I’m an on-call doctor in the Emergency Room. In the ER, you see all kinds of strange things. Once, we had a kid who stuffed a ball in her mouth and couldn’t get it out… But one night, something happened that I never could have imagined—the patient brought to the ER was my wife, and the reason she was there was unspeakable. It was late at night in the ER. I was yawning out of boredom, my eyes half-shut, and I was nearly asleep. “Dr. Rivers, we’ve got a patient!” The night nurse, Amber, rushed into the ER, her voice urgent. Instantly, I was wide awake. I wiped my face and stood up. “What’s the situation?” I asked hurriedly. “The patient, she… she…” Amber trailed off, looking uncomfortable. Seeing this, I didn’t ask any more questions. In the ER, I’ve seen my share of bizarre cases. But when the nurse wheeled the patient into the room, I froze. I never expected to see my wife in the ER. “Savannah!” My face went pale as I rushed over to her. Savannah’s face was white, and she had passed out completely. “Dr. Rivers, do you know her?” Amber asked, surprised. “She’s my wife,” I said without turning around, immediately beginning to examine her. There were no visible injuries on her face or body, but she was still unconscious. Internal injuries? My heart raced. Internal injuries can be even more serious than external ones. But when I checked her legs, I froze in shock. I knew what this was, immediately. The room spun for a second, and my breathing became rapid. I almost collapsed right there in the ER. Savannah and I had been married for two years. Our relationship was normal—we never explored anything out of the ordinary in bed. Savannah’s… back door was a place I’d never been, and we’d never used any… equipment like this. But now, it was clear that Savannah had passed out from a rectal tear.

Suddenly, I felt like I had been completely betrayed. There was no way Savannah had done this to herself. I stared at her in disbelief. “Dr. Rivers, what should we do now?” Amber asked, her expression uneasy. Her eyes were filled with mockery and judgment, or at least that’s how it felt to me. I took a deep breath and said grimly, “Prepare the anesthetic. We’re going to operate.” Amber quickly got to work, and soon handed me the anesthetic. I administered the drug to Savannah and removed the foreign object myself, suppressing my fury the entire time. I stitched up her injury, barely keeping my hands steady. “Take her to the Inpatient Ward,” I said, then stormed out of the ER. Outside, I stood alone and lit a cigarette. One after the other, I smoked, my mind filled with images of what I had just seen. The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. I felt like a complete fool. “Damn it!” I shouted, crushing the cigarette under my foot. Amber, who had followed me out, looked startled and quickly stopped talking. With a scowl, I barked at the rest of the staff, “Less talking, more working! Or are you all just standing around for fun?” They scattered at once. I went back inside to check on Savannah. She had already been transferred to the Inpatient Ward. I wanted to rush to her room and demand answers right then and there, but the ER couldn’t be left unattended. If a patient came in and I wasn’t there, the consequences could be severe. Common sense kept me at the hospital. As soon as my shift ended, I raced to the ward and found Savannah’s room. She was still unconscious from the anesthetic. I stood by her bedside, looking down at the woman I knew so well, but who suddenly felt like a stranger to me. I didn’t know how long I stood there before her eyelashes fluttered, and she opened her eyes. “Ethan?” Savannah looked at me in confusion. “Why am I here?” My eyes burned with fury. Panic flashed across her face. “Ethan, listen to me, this is all a misunderstanding!” she blurted, reaching for my hand. I yanked my hand away. “A misunderstanding? We’ve been married two years, and you wouldn’t even let me touch you there! But you’re out here doing this with someone else?” “Savannah! How could I have been so blind?” I was shouting at her now. Savannah burst into tears, crying, “Ethan, please, let me explain. It’s not what you think… it’s really not…” “Enough!” I cut her off, glaring at her with all the disgust I felt, and walked out of the room. “Ethan!” Savannah sobbed behind me, but my heart didn’t soften. She had betrayed me and made a fool of me in front of everyone. And now she had the nerve to cry? Back at home, I stared at the wedding photo hanging on the wall, feeling nothing but bitterness. My phone rang—it was Savannah. I hung up. She called again. I hung up once more. Finally, I turned off my phone. Out of sight, out of mind. I grabbed a case of beer from the fridge and started drinking, bottle after bottle. Soon enough, I had finished all twelve beers. I grabbed another case, but after only a few more bottles, I felt my stomach turn. I ran to the bathroom and threw up violently into the toilet. Then, I collapsed on the bathroom floor and passed out. “Ethan! Ethan! Wake up!” A voice shouted me awake. I opened my heavy eyes and saw a blurry figure standing over me. “Ethan, what the hell are you doing, drinking yourself to death?” The figure slapped my face lightly, helping me sit up. It was Landon, my best friend. “Landon? What are you doing here?” I slurred, my tongue thick with alcohol. Landon wrinkled his nose. “How much did you drink? You stink!” “Savannah called me. She couldn’t get ahold of you and asked me to come check on you.” 3. The moment I heard Savannah’s name, rage surged through me. I shouted, “She actually had the nerve to send you here? Get lost! Tell her to go to hell!” Landon stared at me in shock. He nudged my arm and asked, “Ethan, what the hell is going on? I thought you and Savannah were good?” My face, already flushed from the alcohol, darkened even more. “She cheated.” “What? Savannah cheated?” Landon’s disbelief was written all over his face. I let out a bitter laugh. “You don’t believe it? Hell, I didn’t either!” “But she was sent to my ER, Landon. How could I not believe it?” I ran my hands through my hair, feeling the frustration and pain deep in my bones, my eyes bloodshot. “What exactly happened? Tell me everything.” Clenching my teeth, I told Landon the whole story, every painful detail. When I was done, Landon’s mouth hung open for a moment before he sighed and patted me on the shoulder. “So, what’s your plan? Are you getting a divorce?” I looked down, my voice full of bitterness, “What else? You think I’m going to wait around?” Landon hesitated, then said, “Look, is it possible there’s some misunderstanding? I’ve known Savannah for a while, and I just don’t see her doing something like this.” “Misunderstanding?!” I shouted, my voice raw with anger. “She tore herself open, Landon! What kind of misunderstanding could possibly explain that?!” Seeing how angry I was, Landon didn’t press the issue. “Alright, if that’s what you’ve decided. But you’ll need a lawyer for the divorce. Right now, you don’t have any solid proof of her cheating. If you go through with it now, you’ll probably have to split everything, right? I’m pretty sure you paid for the house.” I froze. “You’re telling me if I divorce her now, I have to give her half of my house?” Landon nodded. “That’s bullshit!” I yelled. Landon shrugged. “Look, don’t take it out on me. That’s just how it works. Unless you can find hard evidence that she cheated.” I stood there, my face twisting with rage. Then I gritted my teeth and said, “Fine. I’ll wait. I’ll gather proof and make sure she walks away with nothing.” Two days later, Savannah was discharged from the hospital. Those two days were pure agony. Every time I was at work, I felt the eyes of my coworkers burning into me. The humiliation was unbearable. The more they stared, the more my hatred for Savannah grew. If it weren’t for the plan to strip her of everything, I would’ve divorced her on the spot. Savannah was discharged while I was working the night shift. She came to the ER. “Ethan.” She stood in the doorway, wringing her hands together, looking pitiful and small. I gave her a cold look, saying nothing. Seeing my reaction, she stepped closer. “Ethan, please, let me explain. It’s not what you think…” “Get out,” I said coldly, cutting her off. I didn’t want to hear another word. Tears sprang to her eyes. She pulled out her phone and held it out to me. “Ethan, if you just watch this video, you’ll understand. I know I was wrong, but things aren’t how they seem.” I felt my jaw tighten as I stared at the phone in her hand. A video? She had the audacity to record this? Fine, I thought. I’ll watch your damn video. Let’s see just how deep you’ve dug yourself. I snatched the phone from her hand, my fingers trembling with rage, and opened the video. Savannah’s scream filled the room. “Ahhh!” “Don’t be scared, Savannah,” a woman’s voice said. “It hurts at first, but you’ll get used to it. Look at me—I did.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “294755”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #校园School #魔幻Magic #励志Inspiring #惊悚Thriller #浪漫Romance #擦边Steamy #重生Reborn

Because of their business, my parents sent me to live with my Grandma Sarah in rural Kentucky, and they didn’t bring me back until I was eight. Dad told me to be more obedient and sensible, while Mom warned me not to use “tricks that won’t get you anywhere in life.” My sister Amanda made it clear I wasn’t worthy of touching her princess dress, and my brother Eric outright said I shouldn’t have come back at all. Finally, on my nineteenth birthday, I left that house just as they wanted. But then, they regretted it. They begged me to come home, and I just shook the hand I was holding onto. “Sorry, but I’ve found a new family.” By the time I returned to the Grant Family Mansion in Chicago, it was already dark. Apart from the security guard at the front, no one noticed my arrival. My family was enjoying dinner together in the dining room, laughing and chatting like nothing had changed. I opened the door to my room. I had been staying in the dorms at the University of Illinois for the past month, and no one had cleaned here. A thin layer of dust covered everything. I wasn’t surprised. I pulled out some tissues from my bag and wiped down the chair and desk before sitting down. Then, I took out the medical report from my bag. The words “tumor” stared back at me. Suddenly, an overwhelming wave of exhaustion hit me, a weariness that had been buried deep inside for so long. Now it was all crashing over me, suffocating me. The smell of dinner wafted in from the dining room, but all I felt was nausea. My name is Jessica Grant, the third child of the Grant family, the “new money” family in Chicago. But my position in the family has always been awkward. Unlike my older sister Amanda and my older brother Eric, who grew up with my parents, I was raised by my grandmother in rural Kentucky. Grandma Sarah didn’t care much for me. She made sure I had clothes to wear and food to eat, but beyond that, she was hands-off. When she had money, she’d go play Bingo, and when she lost, she’d take it out on me, shouting and berating me. Every time that happened, Aunt Karen, our neighbor, would come over and stop Grandma. She’d take me to her house and comfort me, just like a mom would in those TV shows. When I was eight, the Grants finally brought me back. On the car ride home, I couldn’t stop thinking—would my mom be as kind and gentle as Aunt Karen? But I was just a child then, too young to realize that if the Grants had truly cared about me, they wouldn’t have just sent a driver to pick me up. I’ll never forget my first day at the Grant Mansion. I stood there in the grand, elegant foyer, awkwardly tugging at a dress that didn’t fit right. I’ll also never forget how cold my mother’s gestures were and the way she looked at me, as if I were a burden. For over a decade, I tried so hard to win their approval, because I envied them. I wanted them to love me the way they loved each other. When I first received the diagnosis, it didn’t even register. The doctor’s words buzzed in my ears, but I couldn’t process them. The doctor, noticing my young age, suggested I call my family so we could discuss it together. It was like waking from a dream. I took out my phone and called my mother. The phone rang for what felt like an eternity before going to voicemail. I swallowed, then tried calling my father. This time, the call was immediately declined. I felt like a robot as I tried dialing another number, but then my mother called back. I was so relieved when I answered, but the voice that came through wasn’t what I expected. “Stop calling so much. If you have something to say, text me. Your father and I are busy.” I didn’t know how to respond. Before I could say anything, she added, “And don’t call your brother or sister. They’re busy with important things.” Then the line went dead, and all I could hear was the beeping of the phone. I opened Instagram and scrolled through my brother Eric’s latest post. It was a picture of the four of them at a company event, smiling with the caption, “Family of four at the grand opening! Yay!” It was in that moment I realized: all my efforts, everything I had done to win them over, had been meaningless. Maybe we were never supposed to be a family in the first place. The doctor must have seen the look on my face, because he gave me a sympathetic smile. I forced a weak one back and told him I’d come back tomorrow. I made up my mind. I’d go back to the mansion, pack up my things, and leave. That place wasn’t my home. I sat in the chair for a moment, taking a deep breath before I started packing. Most of the things were mine anyway, things I had bought myself. It didn’t take long to pack up my suitcase. The only inconvenience was running into Eric on my way out. He raised an eyebrow at my suitcase, just like he always did. “What, you’re back? Going back to school already?” I nodded, trying to brush past him without engaging. He didn’t understand why I was being so cold. Normally, I’d be calling him ‘big brother’ and begging for his attention. Searching his memory, he thought he found the answer. “What’s your problem?” he said irritably. “We were busy this afternoon. That’s why we didn’t pick up the phone.” “I’m not mad,” I replied, gripping the handle of my suitcase tighter. I didn’t want to argue. I just wanted to leave. At that moment, Dad came over, noticing the tension between us. “What’s going on here?” he asked, frowning. “Nothing,” Eric said lazily, stepping toward Dad. My father scolded him lightly for not showing respect, but it was more indulgent than harsh. “She’s just having a little tantrum. Wants to run away from home, that’s all.” It wasn’t until then that Dad really looked at me, his eyes moving to the suitcase in my hand. His expression darkened. “If you leave, don’t bother coming back,” he said. And just like that, Amanda appeared, looking as put together and impatient as always in her tailored suit. “If you’re going to leave, then leave,” she said, her tone as cold as Eric’s. Amanda had never liked me. In her eyes, I was beneath the Grant family, too small-minded, too unpolished to belong. I checked my phone. My Uber had arrived. I nodded to the three of them and walked out, pulling my suitcase behind me. Leaving the Grant family wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be.

I didn’t go back to my dorm. It was too late, and the doors would be locked by now. Instead, I booked a room at a nearby hotel and crashed for the night. At some point, my roommate Amy called to ask how my medical tests went and if I was planning to come back to the dorm. I brushed off the first question and laughed, “Nah, it’s too late to head back now.” She wasn’t fully convinced, but she let it go after making me promise to text her in the morning. My mom also texted me, telling me that we’d have to “discuss my attitude” when I came home for break. I blocked her number. The hotel bed was cold, but it was also comfortable. I blocked the rest of the Grant family’s numbers too, then pulled the covers over my head and fell into a deep sleep. In my dream, I was eight years old again, meeting Amanda for the first time. She was so beautiful in her princess dress, and I wanted to talk to her, but she walked away without a word. It was like that for the next few days. I didn’t dare approach her directly, so I just followed from a distance. “Mom!” I saw Amanda run into our mother’s arms from the crack in the door. The way Mom smiled at her was nothing like the look she had given me on my first day at the mansion. Amanda pouted, “Jessica keeps trying to touch my clothes. I don’t want her to.” “She’s not allowed to touch my dresses,” Amanda added. Mom didn’t say anything, just patted Amanda’s head. Eric stood nearby, sulking. “She shouldn’t have come back. Why did you even bring her back, Mom?” “There was no choice,” Mom sighed. “Your grandma is sick.” I woke up in a cold sweat, sunlight streaming through the hotel window. I wiped my forehead and checked my phone. It was already the next morning. As I brushed my teeth, I stared at my reflection in the mirror. Details from the dream flashed through my mind. I realized I had never forgotten those things; I had just buried them deep inside. Amanda and Eric had done well in school and gone off to top universities overseas. I didn’t want to disappoint my parents, so I studied hard and got into a good local college. Honestly, I preferred literature, but since my brother and sister chose science, I followed their path. My mother knew I was staying up late to study. She never encouraged me, just said, “Don’t bother trying to compete with your brother and sister.” Eric laughed when he found out. “You worked this hard and only got into that school?” I knocked on my head, trying to shake off the thoughts. When I arrived at the school office, the counselor noticed how pale I looked. “Not sleeping well?” he asked. “A little.” I wasn’t as strong as I used to be, especially after my diagnosis. I handed him the paperwork I had prepared. “I’m going to take some time off.” He glanced over the medical file and gave me the same look of sympathy the doctor had. As he signed the forms, he asked, “Do your parents know?” “They know.” I didn’t want to talk about it. Luckily, he didn’t press the issue. Before I left, he reminded me that my classmates would be waiting for me when I returned. To be honest, I hadn’t spent much time with my classmates this past year. They probably wouldn’t even remember my name. As I packed up my things from the dorm, my roommates came by to help. One of the more outgoing girls hesitated for a while before asking, “Is it because of your health?” “I overheard your conversation with the counselor…” Another one joined in, and soon three pairs of eyes were fixed on me. There was nothing to hide. I nodded and admitted it. One of them immediately teared up. “Hey, it’s not a big deal. I’m not dying anytime soon.” I laughed, trying to lighten the mood. I hadn’t known these girls for long, but their concern was already more than what I’d received from the Grant family. “Don’t say that!” one of them cried, putting her hand over my mouth. “That’s bad luck.” I promised to stay in touch, and the three of them helped carry my bags to the gate, tears still streaming down their faces. Why had I spent so long trying to earn the love of the Grants? I had saved up money to buy expensive gifts, memorized their favorite meals, and been their go-to listener when they were stressed. I tried so hard to be part of their world. But in just one year, my roommates had shown me more care than I’d ever received from my family. As I stood there, my phone buzzed again. It was my father’s secretary calling, but before he could even finish his sentence, I hung up. How could I have forgotten? My father never called me directly. Anything he needed was always passed through his secretary. I went through my phone again and deleted every contact related to the Grants. The doctor had recommended I go to Houston Medical Center, where they were better equipped to handle my type of tumor. I didn’t want to die just yet. That night, I booked a flight to Houston. The next day, with my diagnosis in hand, I flew to Houston alone and checked into the hospital. At Houston Medical Center, I underwent another round of tests. The tumor had spread, but it was still within manageable limits. They scheduled chemotherapy before surgery. Compared to others in the hospital, I was lucky. I had the money I’d saved over the years, and there was a good chance I could beat this cancer. From down the hall, I heard a woman’s anguished screams. The sound made me snap back to reality. Next to me sat a small girl, pale but with bright, curious eyes. She heard the crying too and instinctively scooted closer to me. The woman, disheveled with one shoe missing, burst into the exam room, grabbing the doctor by his collar. “Give me back my son’s life!” she screamed, her voice thick with sobs, acting like a madwoman.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “294754”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #校园School #魔幻Magic #励志Inspiring #惊悚Thriller #浪漫Romance #擦边Steamy #重生Reborn

Mrs. Miller pointed at my nose and said that I was trash, and her son was the only one who didn’t mind. Mr. Miller made it clear: if I was pregnant with a boy, they’d be willing to take me in. But if it was a girl, there was no way they’d let me marry into the family. I laughed. “Didn’t you want a grandson? Go look for one underground.” John and I had been dating for three years. We were introduced through our families. The person who introduced us said that John was honest, decent-looking, and his character was outstanding. I met him, and sure enough, he spoke well and wasn’t unattractive. After spending some time together, I found he was quite considerate, so I agreed to start dating him. For the past three years, John treated me well. He had plenty of flaws, but none that I couldn’t tolerate. What I couldn’t stand was how much he listened to his mom. If she told him what time to get up, he wouldn’t sleep a minute longer. But he promised me that he’d work on breaking that habit. After three years, both of our families arranged to meet and discuss marriage. I thought about it and agreed—it was time to settle down. But just a month after we got engaged, I found out I was pregnant. I stared at the two lines on the pregnancy test, lost in thought. We’d been careful all these years, never had any accidents. I told John about it, and he was thrilled. But his excitement didn’t seem like the joy of someone about to become a father. “I’ve got to call my parents right away,” he said. I nodded, not thinking much of it. It made sense to tell his parents, so I picked up my phone, unsure how to break the news to mine. Even though we were already engaged, we hadn’t officially gotten married yet, and none of the wedding details had been finalized. Meanwhile, John had already called his parents. The first thing he said was, “Mom, Olivia is pregnant. We’re expecting.” His mother immediately responded with a sigh of relief, “Finally, it happened.”

What did she mean by “finally”? I stared at John, confused. He looked flustered and quickly said into the phone, “Mom, Olivia is right here.” He was video chatting with his parents, so I didn’t say anything. When he hung up, I asked, “What did your mom mean by ‘finally’?” John wrapped his arm around my waist with a laugh. “What do you think she meant? She’s just happy. She’s been waiting for a grandkid, that’s all.” His words stung a little. I pushed his arm away. “It’s not necessarily a boy. What if it’s a girl? Is that a problem?” John realized his mistake and quickly tried to comfort me. “Of course not! Boys, girls—they’re all the same. Honestly, it’d be perfect if we had one of each.” Something about the situation didn’t sit right with me, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. Later, when John went to make dinner, I called my parents to tell them the news. They were a little surprised, but after thinking it over, they didn’t scold me. After all, we were already engaged, and the wedding was just a matter of time. They only told us to come home and finalize the wedding details quickly. “You don’t want to be walking down the aisle with a big belly,” my mom said. I understood what they meant. It wouldn’t look good in front of all the relatives. When I talked it over with John, he was hesitant. He made excuses about not being able to take time off and how he was busy with a work project. John was just a regular employee—nothing so urgent that he couldn’t leave for a few days. Besides, what company doesn’t allow time off for a wedding? John kept delaying, and by the time we finally went home, three months had passed. By then, I was already four months pregnant. But because I was skinny and it was winter, no one could really tell. That night, my mom sat next to me, looking concerned. “John didn’t want to come back earlier—do you think they might be planning to reduce the dowry?” I was confused. “What do you mean?” She glanced at my belly. “You’re pregnant now. Do you think they’re trying to use that as an excuse to offer less?” I thought about it. An $8,800 dowry didn’t seem unreasonable, and John’s family wasn’t exactly poor. Besides, I was bringing a dowry of my own into the marriage. “Don’t worry, John isn’t like that.” My mom nodded, but the worry didn’t leave her eyes. That night, as I lay in bed, I couldn’t stop thinking about how John had delayed our trip home for so long. Now that I was four months along and could no longer get an abortion, he was suddenly in a rush to return. Why? Could my mom be right? Were they trying to avoid paying the dowry? The next morning, John and his parents came over to discuss the wedding. They walked in with an air of superiority, and I frowned slightly. Mrs. Miller nodded at me, her eyes filled with a mix of arrogance and satisfaction. “How’s the baby, Olivia?” “I’m fine,” I replied, sitting next to my parents and saying nothing more. Mr. Miller cleared his throat and started talking. “We all know Olivia is pregnant. Now, we’re a well-educated family, and frankly, we don’t approve of girls who get pregnant before marriage.”

I couldn’t believe my ears. His father actually said that. My dad, who had always been protective of me, couldn’t stay quiet. “That’s a little harsh, don’t you think?” Mr. Miller gave a cold laugh. “It may be harsh, but it’s the truth.” I looked at John. He was sitting next to his mother, head down, avoiding my gaze. “Let’s cut to the chase,” I said. “What are you really trying to say?” Mr. Miller glared at me. “The $8,800 dowry we talked about? We’re not paying it. But we expect you to provide the wedding gifts.” He glanced at my belly. “After all, we’re taking a risk here. We don’t even know if that baby is truly a Miller.” His words made my blood boil. My parents were furious as well, barely able to contain their anger. “John,” I said, turning to him, “is this how you feel too?” He finally lifted his head and met my eyes, speaking softly, “I listen to my parents.” I laughed bitterly. “Great. Just great.” My mom grabbed my arm, trying to calm me down. “How could you say something so disgusting?” she snapped at them. “If you’re so short on money, just say so. You don’t have to insult my daughter like this.” My dad was gripping the table in anger. Mrs. Miller wasn’t backing down. “It’s not an insult. Your daughter did this, so it’s only natural for people to talk.” I shot up from my chair. “I didn’t do this alone! Your son is involved, and you don’t seem to be blaming him for anything!” “John!” I shouted, glaring at the man sitting in the corner. “Say something right now, in front of both our families. Was I the one who forced you to get me pregnant? If that’s what you think, I’ll turn myself in right now.” John stood up shakily, looking between me and his parents. “No, no, of course not. You know that’s not true.” I turned to Mrs. Miller. “Did you hear that?” She didn’t seem fazed. “Well, John is a boy. It’s different for him.” “How is it different? He’s not a human being like I am?” Mrs. Miller stood up, pointing her finger at me, ready to yell, but my dad stepped in between us. “This is my house,” he said firmly. “If you don’t intend to marry Olivia, then leave.” Mr. and Mrs. Miller sneered and laughed. “Fine, we’ll go. But don’t come crawling to us later.” “Hmph.” John hesitated at the door, glancing back at me nervously, but I shot him a look that made him lower his head and leave. As soon as they were gone, my mom started crying. “What are we going to do now?” I looked at my parents, who were being dragged into this mess because of me, and my heart ached. But I held back my tears. Now was not the time to cry. If I broke down, my parents would only worry more. “Don’t worry, Mom and Dad. I’ll go get an abortion tomorrow.”

My mom immediately protested. “No, you can’t! I’ve heard that getting an abortion this far along can harm your body. You might not be able to have kids again.” I sat down, trying to stay calm. “I’ll go to the hospital and talk to the doctor. If I can’t get an abortion, I’ll have the baby and raise it myself.” My dad sighed. “We can talk to the Millers again tomorrow. If they don’t want to pay the dowry, that’s fine. We don’t need their money.” With that, he went back into the house. My mom held my hand tightly. “Your father has always been a proud man. He’s just upset. Once he calms down, we’ll talk to the Millers again.” That night, no matter how many messages John sent me, I didn’t reply. I tossed and turned, unable to sleep until dawn. When I finally woke up, my mom was the only one in the kitchen, making breakfast. Then I remembered—my dad had said he’d go to the Millers’ house last night. It was already noon, and he still wasn’t back. “Don’t worry,” my mom said, trying to reassure me. “If things didn’t go well, he would’ve come home by now.” But I couldn’t shake the anxiety. What if they were giving my dad a hard time? “I’m going to find him,” I said, grabbing my coat. Just as I opened the door, I saw my dad standing there. His face was full of worry, but when he saw me, he forced a smile. “Where are you off to?” “Dad, why were you gone so long? Did they give you trouble?” He hesitated before answering, “No, no trouble. Just talking about the wedding.” My mom hurried over. “So? What did they say?” My dad closed his eyes and let out a heavy sigh. “They said we have to wait until Olivia gives birth. If it’s a boy, then they’ll agree to the marriage.” “What?” My mom and I both shouted in unison. “This is outrageous,” my mom fumed, throwing her dish towel on the floor. “Do they think their son is a god or something?” I felt dizzy, my vision going black for a moment. How could everything I’d dreamed of—the wedding, the marriage—turn into this nightmare? I wobbled on my feet, and my mom rushed over to steady me. “Olivia, should we go to the hospital?” I suddenly remembered what John and his mother had said that day—finally pregnant. So this had all been part of their plan from the start.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “294753”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #校园School #魔幻Magic #励志Inspiring #惊悚Thriller #浪漫Romance #擦边Steamy #重生Reborn

On the day of my son’s welcome-home dinner, he brought back a girl. She opened her mouth and called me: “Mom!” I had to laugh—I don’t recall ever having a daughter this grown! My son, Michael Thompson, had been abroad for two years, and upon returning, he gave me quite the surprise. “Hi, Mom, I’m Tiffany Greene, Michael’s girlfriend.” Well now, where did this daughter suddenly come from? Michael and Tiffany were holding hands, eagerly waiting for my response. What could I say? Setting aside Tiffany’s manners for a moment, that “Mom” carried a bit of calculation. “Oh, son, I’ve missed you so much!” Tiffany looked a bit embarrassed, tugging at Michael’s sleeve awkwardly. “Mom, Tiffany was greeting you. You could at least acknowledge her.” I gave him an innocent look. “Oh dear, I must have missed that. Tiffany, was it? You’re quite the beauty, no wonder you managed to get my blockhead of a son to open up!” “Mom!” I smiled. “What? Haven’t you embarrassed yourself enough when you were younger? Besides, Tiffany’s your girlfriend, what’s there to hide? Stop being so stingy.” Tiffany quickly stepped in, trying hard to appease me. “Mom’s right, we’re family now. Michael, don’t talk to your mom like that.” Michael, the obedient boy that he is, immediately apologized. “I’m sorry, Mom.” It would’ve been better if he didn’t. They aren’t even married yet, and he’s already letting his girlfriend boss him around. It broke my heart. Tiffany affectionately grabbed my wrist, but her eyes couldn’t help but flicker toward the emerald necklace around my neck. “Mom, your necklace is gorgeous! It must’ve been expensive. My mother never dares to buy anything this fancy. You must be really lucky.” I had no idea what Michael saw in Tiffany. After raising him for twenty years, he’d become a naive romantic. I can afford jewelry if I want. And here she was, barely in the door, already lecturing me on how to spend my money. Of course, Michael, being the romantic that he is, jumped to her defense. “You’re right, Mom. Even though we’re well-off, we shouldn’t be wasting money like this.” I smirked and gave Tiffany a sharp look. For some reason, I sensed a hint of challenge in her eyes. “So, Miss Greene, what does your family do?” Tiffany responded, “My father is a department head at Skyline Corporation, and my mom runs her own flower shop.” I shot back, “And do you know what Michael’s father does?” Tiffany gazed admiringly at Michael. “Michael told me his dad is the Vice President of Skyline Corporation. I always thought Michael was just average, but after seeing you, I realize he’s been way too humble.” Ha! I can’t imagine what my husband would think of suddenly having such a “daughter.” I glanced at Michael. At least he hadn’t spilled all our family secrets yet. Since that was the case, I didn’t bother correcting her. “Michael, why don’t you show Miss Greene around?” “Oh, and Miss Greene, Michael’s father and I haven’t prepared the family blessing gift just yet, so for now, you can just call me Mrs. Thompson.” Tiffany pursed her lips. My darling son couldn’t stand to see his girlfriend feeling uncomfortable and threw me a wounded look. Well, great. That almost made me want to disown him right then and there. Today, the people who came were all among New York City’s elite. Tiffany clearly felt out of place, clinging to Michael like a shadow. “Michael, are you sure your family is just average? All these people are dressed to the nines. And your mom’s necklace—it must be worth millions.” “Oh, way more than that. None of my mom’s jewelry is worth less than a million.” Tiffany looked shocked, like she was starting to understand the situation. She asked hesitantly, “Did your mom not like me earlier? Is it because I’m not from a wealthy family? Maybe she thinks I’m beneath you.” As she spoke, tears streamed down her face. Michael, being the hopeless romantic he is, felt his heart break. “Don’t overthink it. My mom’s really open-minded.” Yes, but that’s only when the other person is straightforward and genuine.

Michael and Tiffany made their rounds and returned to my side. This time, Tiffany seemed to have learned her lesson. Her words were full of compliments about my looks and how smart Michael was. Unfortunately for her, I wasn’t buying it. “Miss Greene, have Michael take you home soon. I’ve prepared some health supplements for your parents. Where do you live?” “I’ll thank you on behalf of my parents. We live nearby, at Greenwood Apartments.” Ah, “Apartments”—just regular, modest housing. “Alright, I won’t keep you two. Michael, take good care of Miss Greene and make sure she gets home safely.” “Don’t worry, Mom.” Look at that big smile on my son’s face. It’s exhausting. Later that night, as soon as my husband, Mr. Thompson, walked in, I pulled him into the bedroom before he could even take off his shoes. “Honey, what’s going on?” I sat on the bed, furious, and threw a picture of Tiffany at him. “Look at this girl. Are you satisfied?” Mr. Thompson was so shocked, he immediately dropped the photo and fell to his knees. “Honey, I swear I didn’t cheat! I’ve never even seen this girl!” … Michael must’ve inherited his brains from his father. “What nonsense are you talking about? That’s the girl Michael brought home!” “Oh, oh! Well, she looks too clever—definitely not as cute as you, dear.” I kicked him playfully, and he caught my foot, grinning cheekily. “Enough with the jokes. I’m telling you, you need to stop Michael from marrying this girl. She hasn’t even moved in yet and she’s already turning him against me.” “This is serious! Michael must’ve lost his mind.” As we were talking, the door opened, and Michael walked in. “Dad, Mom.” Mr. Thompson didn’t say a word. He walked right up to Michael. “Break up with that girl right now. Your mom and I will never approve of you two being together.” Michael froze, turning to look at me. And the words he said broke my heart. “Tiffany was right. Mom, you just don’t like her. If you don’t approve of us, then we’ll leave. We won’t bother you anymore.” Smack! Mr. Thompson slapped Michael hard across the face. He was so angry, he couldn’t speak for a moment. Is this really the son we raised with such care? Now he wants to cut ties with us for a girl he barely knows? “Let him go, Mr. Thompson. From now on, we no longer have a son named Michael. He can marry whoever he wants.” Without a second thought, Michael grabbed his unopened suitcase and stormed out, throwing one last parting shot: “I’ll come back when Mom accepts Tiffany.” The door slammed shut behind him. Days went by without a word from Michael. His phone was turned off. Meanwhile, Tiffany somehow managed to get ahold of my phone number, calling me every day. I hung up on her every single time. We had protected Michael too well. He needed to see Tiffany’s true nature for himself. Today, Tiffany called again. Annoyed, I blocked her number. Then, out of nowhere, Michael showed up at home, with a tearful Tiffany trailing behind him. It looked like they had come to confront me. “Mom, how could you block Tiffany’s number? Even if you don’t like her, you can’t hurt her. Do you know how long she’s been job hunting?” What? I couldn’t make sense of it. “No, Michael, you’ve misunderstood. It wasn’t your mom. I made a mistake at work, and I don’t blame her at all.” What a perfect little actress. I didn’t even know what had happened, yet she was jumping in to clear my name. “Michael, I’m your mother. If you’ve got something to say, say it. But don’t you dare accuse me.” Michael sneered. “If you weren’t pulling strings with Skyline Corporation, how else would they have fired Tiffany so suddenly?” Slap! I couldn’t hold back any longer. If I didn’t set him straight, my son would be ruined—manipulated by a woman into throwing accusations like this at me. Tiffany fell to her knees, grabbing onto my hand. “Auntie, please don’t make things hard for Michael. It’s all my fault. I’ll break up with him right away.” I kicked her aside. This kind of act? I’ve seen it too many times. Trying to play the victim in front of me is like putting on a show for the devil himself. “Are you okay, Tiffany? No matter what happens, I’ll never leave you. Even if it means cutting ties with them, I’ll stand by your side.” I caught a flicker of impatience in Tiffany’s eyes. She was only bold enough to act this way because she knew Michael was our only son. If he were a regular guy, she’d disappear in an instant. “I’m fine. Don’t say things like that. No matter what, she’s still your mother.” “She doesn’t deserve the title.” With that, Michael scooped Tiffany up into his arms and marched out, barely sparing me a glance. The audacity! Furious, I immediately called the bank and had them freeze all of Michael’s credit cards.

Michael was as stubborn as a mule. He didn’t call me once. Not even after all his cards were frozen. I didn’t have the energy to worry about him either. There were so many social events to attend lately. “Honey, let’s get going. I heard Mr. Johnson’s daughter-in-law just had a big, healthy baby boy,” Mr. Thompson said as we were heading out. Then he sighed, “Both are sons, but how could ours be so different?” At the event, the moment I got out of the car, I noticed a familiar face. It looked exactly like Tiffany, my son’s clueless, love-struck girlfriend. I left Mr. Thompson behind and secretly followed her. Michael wouldn’t show his face here unless someone else was involved. Tiffany was holding hands with a young man, smiling brightly and charming everyone around her. “Hi everyone, I’m Chris Walker’s girlfriend, Tiffany. You can call me Tiff,” she introduced herself. “Oh wow, Miss Tiffany, you’re stunning! Chris really has good taste,” someone praised. Tiffany blushed shyly, but I was fuming. My son is an idiot, and now it’s up to me to expose this two-timer! I quickly hid behind the stage and discreetly pulled out my phone, recording every moment. After chatting with the group for a bit, Tiffany followed this Chris Walker upstairs to a hotel room. I didn’t need to guess what they were about to do. Mr. Thompson, meanwhile, had been frantically searching for me. “There you are! I thought I’d lost you. Come on, Mr. Johnson’s been asking for you. They’re waiting for you to join the baby’s first birthday grab.” Mrs. Johnson handed me the baby, a chubby little boy weighing ten pounds. “Goodness, this one’s quite hefty! If only I had a grandchild like this,” I said with a tinge of envy. The baby wasn’t just chubby—he had an iron grip, grabbing a toy hammer during the birthday tradition and refusing to let go. Mrs. Johnson tried to pry it from his hand but couldn’t. People began to congratulate the family. “Look at that! Strong grip. This kid’s going to be a boss one day. Knows how to hold onto wealth already!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “294752”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #校园School #魔幻Magic #励志Inspiring #惊悚Thriller #浪漫Romance #擦边Steamy #重生Reborn

Sophomore year, I became infamous in the worst possible way. My best friend, Rachel Lewis, asked me to meet her at a hotel. I went, and from that moment, my life spiraled into a pit of no return. Not only did I lose my dignity, but they ripped my clothes, took compromising photos, and spread them around. Those indecent pictures were sent to everyone—my classmates, even my professors. Soon, I became the hot topic of gossip: “The president of the Student Government, selling herself for money.” Overnight, I became the scandal everyone talked about. My parents couldn’t handle the public shame. They divorced, and my mom, unable to bear the humiliation, overdosed on pills. From that day, I had to transfer schools. I changed my face, my name—everything. But I could never forget Rachel’s smug face that night. She orchestrated the whole thing. I wasn’t going to let her get away with it. I worked my way into Rachel Lewis’ graduate program. I sold my mom’s house, the only thing I had left, and reinvented myself as a rich girl, blending into Rachel’s elite circle, pretending to be her closest friend. Rumor had it that her boyfriend, David Lawson, came from serious old money, was super handsome, and head over heels in love with her. David was going to be my first move. He would be the first “gift” I’d give to Rachel. Getting close to a guy like David, one who’s loyal and high-quality, wasn’t easy—but I had to try. Soon enough, my chance came. On Rachel’s birthday, she got into a fight with David and ignored all his calls. Desperate, David reached out to me. “Emily, is Rachel with you?” David asked. I lied. “Yeah, she’s with me.” He hesitated, then said, “We had a bit of a misunderstanding. She won’t pick up my calls. It’s her birthday tonight, and I want to surprise her. I need your help.” “What do you need?” I asked. “Could you lend me your apartment key?” he asked. Rachel, despite her average background, always pretended to be a rich girl. She claimed she couldn’t stand living in the dorms, so I had to split the rent on an expensive apartment just to stay close to her. “What do you want to do?” I asked, playing dumb. “I want to set up the apartment for a proposal.” My heart sank. Rachel, this fake and vain woman, was about to marry David, this incredible guy? Back in sophomore year, she was willing to destroy me just for the title of Student Government President. How was it fair that someone like her could marry into wealth? “Sure, I’ll help,” I agreed with a smile, even as a dark plan started forming in my mind. The birthday dinner was at a bar near Brentwood University. I made an excuse about traffic and turned around, heading back to our apartment. When I got there, David was already waiting outside with a large box. He was tall, about 6’2”, dressed casually in a black T-shirt and baseball cap, but even without expensive accessories, you couldn’t miss his aura of wealth and class. I walked over, smiling. “Been waiting long?” He didn’t say much, just looked at me with deep, intense eyes. “Not long.” I took him inside, helped him set up a romantic scene for the proposal, and when we took a break, I pulled out a few bottles of sake from the fridge. In one of them, I slipped a little something extra before handing it to him. The alcohol wasn’t strong—just a popular drink you’d find in bars. David barely glanced at the bottle before tipping it back.

Sitting on the box, I took a sip of my own drink. “What do you like about Rachel?” I asked. David drained his bottle, then set it down with a thoughtful look. “She’s kind and bright.” I nearly choked on my drink. Rachel Lewis and “kind and bright”? How blind could this man be? She was vicious, manipulative, dark, and ruthless. “Seriously?” I laughed, but when he looked up at me, his dark, slightly drunk eyes carried a kind of deep, dangerous allure. “She’s good to me,” he said quietly. “Wow, you’ve really got an eye for quality,” I muttered sarcastically as I headed to the balcony. On cue, I called Rachel with a tone of urgency. “Hey, can you come back to the apartment? Something urgent came up.” I returned to the living room to find David passed out on the couch, just as I’d planned. For a moment, guilt washed over me. David was a good guy. He didn’t deserve to be caught in the crossfire of my revenge. But then I thought of all the evil Rachel had done to me, and my resolve hardened. “David, this isn’t to hurt you. I’m saving you,” I whispered before stripping him of his clothes and positioning him on the couch. “I hope we put on a good show,” I said, then destroyed the evidence by wiping down the bottles and tearing my own clothes. I even bruised myself, slapping my face until it swelled. Then, I texted Rachel: “Rachel, hurry back. David’s gone crazy!” My phone buzzed with her frantic calls, but I smashed it into pieces.

Rachel rushed back to the apartment, her face pale as she took in the scene: me, battered and bruised, crying hysterically on the couch, clothes torn, and David sprawled unconscious across the room. “Emily, what happened?” she asked, her voice trembling. “Rachel…” I sobbed, throwing myself into her arms. “David… David attacked me!” It was so satisfying to spit out those words—David attacked me. Rachel looked like she might pass out. Her eyes locked onto David, fury and disbelief bubbling up. She slapped him across the face, shouting, “Wake up, you bastard!” When David groggily woke up, completely unaware of what had happened, Rachel lost it. “You disgusting pig!” I grabbed my phone and ran out of the apartment, draping myself in a coat as I faked a sobbing exit. Rachel had clawed her way up using her looks and charm to hook wealthy guys, and David Lawson was the biggest fish she’d ever landed. She wasn’t going to let him go so easily. Sure enough, as I reached the sidewalk, Rachel came chasing after me. “Emily!” I pretended to shiver as I tried dialing 911 on my shattered phone, knowing it wouldn’t work. I was buying time, letting her true nature surface. “Rachel…” I said, voice shaking. “I need your phone to call the police. I won’t let that monster get away with this.” Rachel’s face went pale, and she grabbed my hand. “Emily, calm down.” “How can I calm down?” I cried. “Do you know what he did to me?” Tears streamed down my face as I continued. “He ripped my clothes, groped me, and… and he assaulted me. I’m going to make sure that man goes to prison! And if you defend him, we’re no longer friends.” Rachel’s expression hardened, and I saw the cold, calculating woman behind her fragile exterior. She forced a smile. “I’m not defending him. I’m just worried about your reputation. Let’s wait a couple of days and talk this through. I’ll get David’s side of the story and make sure you get justice.” Her smile was as chilling as it was fake. But I knew what she was planning. She was getting ready to strike. Everything was going exactly according to plan. Now, it was time to push Rachel over the edge.

The news that David and I had “slept together” spread across Brentwood University’s Instagram Page like wildfire. My childhood friend had helped leak the story, and the more scandalous and unbelievable it sounded, the better. I wanted Rachel to feel cornered, furious. I didn’t care if she hated me. I wanted her to feel the pressure of having to protect her rich “rapist” boyfriend’s reputation. Rachel soon moved back to the dorms, keeping an eye on me under the guise of concern, but I knew the truth: she didn’t want me calling the cops and ruining her chance to marry into wealth. The day after I moved back, David texted me. “Emily, we need to talk.” “Let’s talk off-campus,” I replied. “I don’t want to be seen here.” “Fine,” he agreed. Knowing David liked to dress in black, I picked a black long-sleeve shirt and hat, wrapping myself in a disguise. My friend was ready with a camera to capture every moment. As soon as I got outside, David’s sleek Maybach was parked across the street. I climbed into the back seat. David’s face was tense as he stared at me in the rearview mirror. “Where do you want to go?” “I don’t care. Let’s just drive.” We circled the city aimlessly, and though I felt a pang of guilt for what I was doing to him, thoughts of my dead mother hardened my heart again. I couldn’t tell him the truth yet. Rachel’s poison had already seeped too deep into his mind. If I revealed everything too soon, he wouldn’t believe me. I’d lose my chance for revenge. There was a heavy silence before David finally spoke. “Emily, about that night… I’m sorry. David’s voice was low, almost apologetic. “I’m sorry about what happened that night. I know I drank too much, but honestly, a single bottle of sake shouldn’t have knocked me out like that. Rachel and I have been going over it, and… something feels off.” My heart skipped a beat. I hadn’t expected him to suspect anything so soon. Still, I kept my composure. “What do you mean?” David hesitated, as if searching for the right words. “Doesn’t it seem strange? Like maybe someone else was involved?” I cut him off, tears streaming down my face. “Are you accusing me of something? Why would I set you up? I don’t want your money. I don’t want anything from you. What reason would I have?” “I’m not accusing you of anything—” “You think I’d ruin myself just to frame you for something you didn’t do?” I interrupted, my voice breaking. “You’re trying to cover up what you did by throwing dirt on me!” David exhaled sharply, gripping the steering wheel tightly. He couldn’t meet my eyes. “That’s not what I’m saying.” “Fine,” I shot back, my anger rising. “Let’s go to the police. I still have the underwear with your DNA on it from that night. We’ll see who’s lying.” Before he could respond, I threw open the car door and stormed down the street. “Emily, wait!” David chased after me, grabbing my arm. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.” I yanked my arm away, playing up the distress. “You don’t get it! You ruined my life! You treated me like I’m nothing but a—” I choked on my words, collapsing into sobs on his chest. David, shaken, tried to comfort me. “I’ll make it right. I’ll fix this. Whatever you need. I’m truly sorry.” As I cried into his shoulder, my friend discreetly snapped photos from a distance—David pulling me close, my tear-streaked face buried in his shirt. The images would fuel the next wave of gossip on the Brentwood University Instagram Page. Rachel would see these and lose her mind. “I don’t want your money, David,” I whispered, ensuring my voice trembled just enough. “Let’s just pretend none of this happened. For my sake, for Rachel’s.” David’s expression softened, filled with guilt. “If that’s what you want.” I gave a small nod. “Thank you. I just… I just need to move on.” With that, I hailed a cab back to Langston Hall, leaving David standing there, visibly torn and conflicted. I didn’t want to hurt him, but he was an unavoidable casualty in my war against Rachel. Back at the dorm, Rachel was waiting for me. Her eyes were red, but her smile was disturbingly calm. “Emily, where have you been?” I shrugged, playing it off. “Just went for a walk.” Rachel wrapped her arms around me in a fake hug, her voice sugary sweet. “I was so worried about you. Come with me to a party tonight. It’ll take your mind off everything.” She was inviting me to a “celebration”—the same excuse she used that night in sophomore year when she lured me to the Hilton Hotel. She was preparing to make her move. Only this time, she was the prey, and I was the hunter.

I had been lying low around Rachel for so long, there was no way I hadn’t learned everything about her. I knew exactly who she talked to, what she did, and who her connections were. To David, she always played the role of the calm and refined girlfriend, but in reality, she was anything but. Back in sophomore year, she was running with all kinds of shady characters, making friends with a lot of street guys. Her network was wide, and even after getting into grad school and moving to New York City, she still kept in touch with those “brothers” from back then. I sent the party address to my friend, who was already prepping for what we had planned. The celebration was at a nightclub downtown. The VIP Lounge was dimly lit and thick with smoke, filled with guys who were clearly from the wrong side of the tracks. Some were sitting around shirtless, playing cards, while others were getting wild on the dance floor, moving to the heavy beat of the music. “She’s here!” A tall, lanky guy sitting in the middle, cigarette in hand, announced as soon as Rachel walked in. Rachel slapped me on the shoulder and grinned. “Hey Derek, I brought a new girl to join the fun.” A few of the guys turned to look at me, their stares far too intense for comfort. Instinctively, I started to back out of the room. Rachel, however, shoved me forward. “What the hell, Rachel?” I asked, confused. The moment the door clicked shut behind us, her entire demeanor shifted. The fake friendly smile vanished, replaced by a cold smirk. “Emily, it’s time to drop the act.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “294751”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #校园School #魔幻Magic #励志Inspiring #惊悚Thriller #浪漫Romance #擦边Steamy #重生Reborn

On my wedding day, the groom ran away. So, I married his father instead. If I can’t be your bride, I’ll just be your bride. When he returned and saw me still in his house, he thought I was clinging on, refusing to leave. From behind him, he pulled forward an innocent-looking woman, declaring that she was his true love and that I should stop dreaming. I smiled, gently grasping the hand of the man beside me. “Son, daughter-in-law, won’t you give your mother a greeting?” I am Laurel Henderson, heiress of Henderson Enterprises. Today was supposed to be my wedding day with Enoch Westfield, the young heir of Westfield Corporation. But the groom, who was meant to be front and center, was nowhere to be found. “You’re telling me Enoch ran away?” I asked, my voice cold. “That’s what they’re saying…” the maid stammered, trembling as she explained. My parents were livid. Both the Henderson and Westfield families had spent months preparing for this wedding. Every major elite family in New York City had been invited, and the media was eagerly covering it. If Enoch had any issues with the wedding, he had plenty of opportunities to voice them. But to flee on the day of the ceremony? That was a direct slap in the face to the Hendersons. After offering me some reassurances, my parents hurried off to figure out how to salvage the situation. I sat in the corner, quietly thinking about how to proceed with the reception when I heard a commotion at the entrance. Instinctively, I looked up. Walking through the door in a tailored black suit was a strikingly handsome man. This man was Christopher “Chris” Westfield, the current head of Westfield Corporation and, technically, Enoch’s father. Despite being thirty-five, he looked like he was barely in his twenties. Chris rarely attended large social events. Even I had only met him a handful of times. So seeing him here, now, drew the attention of every family present. People practically tripped over themselves to get to him. Staring at Chris’s perfect features, a wild idea flashed in my mind. As I watched him politely turn down everyone’s advances, he suddenly walked straight toward me. “Mr. Westfield,” I greeted him with a polite smile, though I couldn’t hide a hint of vulnerability in my voice. His voice, low and melodic like a cello, came next. “Miss Henderson, I apologize for Enoch’s behavior. I’ve already sent people to find him. When he’s caught, you may decide what happens to him.” “I’ll inform everyone that the wedding is postponed, and Westfield Corporation will cover all expenses.” It was a perfect solution, but I had a better plan. “Mr. Westfield, this engagement has always been between the Hendersons and the Westfields, right? The groom doesn’t necessarily have to be Enoch, does it?” “What?” His eyes darkened, clearly taken aback by the sudden turn. After a pause, he asked, “Well, who would you choose then?” I smiled sweetly, extending my hand. “Would you be my groom?”

Although Chris is Enoch’s father in name, he isn’t his biological dad. There were rumors Chris had certain… physical shortcomings, which is why he was still unmarried. At twenty-five, he adopted Enoch from a distant relative. Whether or not those rumors were true didn’t concern me. Medical advancements these days are incredible—I’m sure any issue could be resolved. And if not, well, maybe we just don’t have kids. Chris raised an eyebrow, amused by the bold smile on my face. “Are you sure?” “Of course,” I replied without hesitation. After all, Chris was far more attractive than Enoch—by miles. Even if the rumors were true, just looking at his face every day would be more than enough for me. It sure beats being humiliated by a two-timing Enoch. Chris studied me for a long moment before finally nodding. “Alright.” His strong, masculine hand clasped mine, and my heart skipped a beat. The wedding went on with a new leading man. I didn’t even have to change my dress. The elegant white gown, paired with Chris’s custom-tailored black suit, made us look like we were always meant to be bride and groom. Everyone at the reception caught on quickly. Enoch’s sudden disappearance wasn’t exactly a secret, and the guests had more or less figured it out. The media, sensing a scandal, had their cameras ready, eager to capture the drama unfolding between two of New York’s wealthiest families. But when they saw me walking down the aisle, arm in arm with Chris, jaws dropped. The audacity of switching grooms at the last minute left them all speechless. The officiant, ever the professional, read off the updated details with ease. “Please, exchange your rings…” Chris pulled out a ring and slid it onto my finger, and I did the same for him. I quickly noticed the ring didn’t quite fit—after all, it was sized for Enoch. It was a rushed job, but it would have to do. Then came the moment for the groom to kiss the bride. I felt a wave of nerves. Chris was known for being discreet and private—he rarely attended events, and when he did, he never had a date. Would he really want to kiss me in front of all these people? I regretted dragging him into this mess on a whim. But before I could spiral into doubt, I felt the soft pressure of his lips on mine. Shocked, I opened my eyes, and there he was—his perfect face, inches from mine. Sensing my surprise, Chris gently cupped the back of my head, deepening the kiss. I closed my eyes again, letting myself sink into the moment as the crowd around us erupted into applause.

My parents had no idea about my last-minute decision, but faced with the congratulations from everyone around us, they had no choice but to smile and accept it. They couldn’t possibly embarrass their daughter in public, could they? During the reception, my mom pulled me aside into a private room where my dad was already waiting. She locked the door behind her. “Laurel, what is going on? How did you end up marrying Chris Westfield?” “Because… he’s handsome.” I had no better explanation for my sudden impulse. “Handsome?” My mom thought about it for a moment. “Well… he is good-looking.” “But he’s more than ten years older than you! He was almost done with elementary school when you were born.” “So what? They say older men are more caring.” I tried to play it cool. “But… there’s a rumor he can’t, well, you know…” Yikes. This was going to be tough to explain. Before I could figure out how to dodge that landmine, there was a knock on the door. My mom opened it, and there stood Chris. I had no idea how long he’d been standing there. With practiced ease, my parents plastered on polite smiles, as if they hadn’t just been gossiping about the man. “Mr. Westfield, what brings you here?” “I’d like to have a word with you both, if you don’t mind,” Chris said. I have no idea what he said to them, but by the time their conversation ended, my parents were no longer opposing the marriage. In fact, they seemed genuinely impressed with him. “Chris is quite something,” my dad said approvingly. “He’s capable, resourceful. Sure, he’s a bit older, but that kind of man can protect our daughter.” Enoch, who ran away like a coward, certainly couldn’t.

After the wedding, I moved into the Westfield Estate. This was Chris’s personal residence, and it was my first time there. The décor was modern, minimalist, with everything in black, white, or gray. After a day filled with endless socializing, I could feel the alcohol and sweat clinging to my skin. Chris headed off to shower first while I relaxed on the couch. I could hear the sound of the water running, and through the frosted glass of the bathroom door, I could just make out his silhouette. My cheeks flushed with embarrassment, so I quickly averted my eyes. Eventually, the water stopped, and out of habit, I glanced up as Chris emerged from the bathroom. He was wearing a robe, the collar slightly open, revealing a chiseled chest and abs. I stared, wide-eyed. I hadn’t expected him to look so… fit. Chris caught me looking and gave a small, amused smile. “Laurel, maybe you should take a shower too,” he said, his voice deep and teasing. Snapping out of my daze, I bolted into the bathroom, my face burning. As the water rushed over me, my mind replayed the way he’d called me by my name. How had I not noticed before how charming he was? After my shower, I realized I’d forgotten to bring my clothes into the bathroom. Ugh. There was no choice but to crack open the door just a bit and call out, “Chris, I forgot my clothes. Can you grab the bag on the couch and hand it to me?” There was no response at first, and I started to wonder if he’d left the room. Just as I was about to ask again, his voice came from outside the door, a little rougher than before. “Sure.” I could hear him moving around, and soon, he knocked on the bathroom door. “Here you go.” I cracked the door just enough to extend my arm, and he handed me the clothes. “Thanks,” I muttered, quickly closing the door. But as I did, I accidentally met his gaze. Those deep, smoldering eyes… I blushed even harder. Oh my God. He hadn’t handed me the whole bag—just the underwear.

I spent a long time dawdling in the bathroom, but eventually, I had to come out. Taking a deep breath, I pushed the door open. Chris was already changed into his pajamas, sitting on the bed, reading a document. When he saw me emerge, he calmly closed the folder. There wasn’t any teasing in his expression, which helped me relax. I had some business to address anyway. “So, what are you planning to do about Enoch?” Chris had anticipated the question. He handed me the folder he’d been reading earlier. “Take a look.” I walked over and took the papers. Inside was the whole backstory of Enoch and some girl—the kind of classic love affair you’d expect from a cheesy romance novel: a rich heir and a delicate, innocent girl. Next to the description was a photo of the girl. She really did fit the role of a sweet, innocent little thing. Apparently, they’d gone through rounds of dramatic breakups and reconciliations, all without me knowing. Then, last night, the girl found out Enoch was getting married. Distraught, she called him, crying. Enoch, ever the compassionate fool, panicked and ran off, leaving his fiancée (that’s me) behind to elope with her. Honestly, if I weren’t the poor bride left at the altar, I might have congratulated them. But no, unfortunately for me, I was the jilted bride. Seriously, where had these two been for the past few months? From the timeline in the documents, their little roller-coaster romance had been going on for two months. Longer than it took to plan the wedding. If Enoch had hinted at anything during that time, I wouldn’t be so furious right now. “Enoch’s off on some vacation with his little girlfriend right now,” Chris said, noting my simmering anger. “I’ve sent people to drag him back. If you want, we can pretend this whole wedding didn’t happen.” We hadn’t officially signed the marriage license yet—just held the ceremony. But I didn’t regret a thing. I’d tossed away trash and found myself a treasure. This was luck beyond belief. “No need to cancel anything. We’re married, and I’m your wife. Tomorrow, we’ll get the paperwork done.” I was serious. Chris looked at me, realizing I meant every word. His tone softened. “Alright.”

“You said I could handle Enoch however I liked, right?” I asked, a mischievous smile forming on my lips. “Of course.” Perfect. “I want you to freeze his credit cards.” Let’s see how Enoch enjoys his romantic getaway when his access to money is suddenly cut off. Chris could see the wicked glee in my eyes. Not only did he not stop me, but he added fuel to the fire. “As of today, I’ll seize all of his assets. What do you think of that, Mrs. Westfield?” That last phrase caught me off guard, making my face turn red again. “I think that sounds wonderful,” I replied, the thought of making Enoch’s life miserable filling me with satisfaction. With the jerk dealt with, it was time to move on to more important matters. “Let’s get some rest,” Chris said. He sounded genuinely tired as he reached over and turned off the light. The room went dark. I lay stiffly in bed, too nervous to move. It was my first night as a married woman, and I wasn’t sure what was supposed to happen next. A wedding night? Should I make the first move? Just as I was working up the nerve to do something, Chris’s calm voice broke the silence. “Go to sleep. I won’t touch you until you’re ready.” Relieved yet conflicted, I thought about those rumors. Was it really true? Could he really resist a beautiful woman lying right next to him? Maybe he really couldn’t… “?” Chris’s eyes flew open again. It took me a second to realize I had said that last part out loud. Before I could pretend to be asleep, I felt the bed shift as his body leaned closer to mine. His long fingers brushed my waist, his breath warm against my ear. “Maybe you should find out for yourself,” he whispered. Turns out, teasing a man who’s been celibate for years has consequences.

The next morning, I woke up well past noon. The spot beside me was cold. Chris was already gone. Of course, big CEOs don’t have the luxury of sleeping in. My stomach growled, so I headed downstairs in search of food. To my surprise, Chris was sitting at the dining table, casually flipping through a magazine. “Good morning, Mrs. Westfield. Did you sleep well?” Today, he wasn’t in his usual suit. Instead, he wore a simple white shirt, the collar slightly open, revealing faint marks from last night. My face flushed at the memory, but I wasn’t about to let him have the upper hand. “I slept great, Chris,” I replied with a hint of defiance. His smile widened. “I’m glad to hear it. It’s reassuring to know you were satisfied with last night.” Shameless! I couldn’t match his boldness. I plopped down at the table with a huff. “I’m starving!” Chris chuckled softly and went to the kitchen, bringing out a simple breakfast. “You’ve just woken up. I didn’t want to make anything too heavy.” The meal was modest—breakfast biscuits, a couple of side dishes, and a bowl of oatmeal. I didn’t care. I was so hungry, I immediately grabbed a biscuit and took a bite. My eyes widened. It was delicious. “This is amazing! Who made these?” Chris said nothing, just smiled. A sudden thought hit me. “Wait, did you make these?” Chris nodded without a hint of hesitation. “As long as it pleases you, that’s all that matters.” I wanted to say something witty, but I couldn’t deny how good the food was. Seeing me eat with such enthusiasm made Chris look pleased. All that time spent learning to cook hadn’t gone to waste. After breakfast, I headed upstairs to get dressed. The decision to marry Chris had been so sudden, I hadn’t had a chance to prepare. There were no women’s clothes at the Westfield Estate, so I had to make do with what I’d brought from my parents’ house. Chris noticed. He stepped out to make a phone call while I finished getting ready. By the time I came downstairs, he was waiting for me by the door. “Let’s go, Chris,” I said, linking my arm through his. He chuckled softly and clasped my hand as we walked out the door.

With our wedding photos freshly printed, it was official—Chris and I were now husband and wife. I was still adjusting to being married, but as I looked at the pictures of us—such a striking couple—I had to admit, we looked great together. My instincts had been spot on! Meanwhile, Enoch and his precious “innocent” girlfriend, Vivianne, were off on their international getaway. But with his credit cards frozen, their fun wasn’t going to last long. I couldn’t wait for the moment when Enoch would return and see that I was now his stepmother. Chris was incredibly thoughtful. After we got our marriage certificate, I came home to find the once-empty closet filled with clothes and accessories, all the latest from high-end designers. “We didn’t have time for custom orders, so I hope these will do for now,” he said. Though many of the clothes were ones I already had, I appreciated his thoughtfulness enough to reward him with a kiss. Just as I’d expected, cutting off Enoch’s funds had thrown his trip into chaos. As the heir to the Westfield fortune, he’d never bothered to carry cash, always relying on his unlimited credit cards. Vivianne, who had quit her job when they started dating, still had some savings from before. Without her, Enoch wouldn’t have even been able to get back home. “Don’t worry, Enoch,” Vivianne whispered. “Something must have happened. Let’s buy tickets and head back to New York.” “Thank you, Vivianne,” Enoch replied, his voice full of gratitude. He had a feeling Laurel was behind his accounts being frozen. Someone must have told the bank to cut him off, and it could only be her. But no matter. Once they were back in New York, he planned to make things official with Vivianne. After all, they truly loved each other. He owed her that much. He could already picture their future—marrying Vivianne, taking over Westfield Corporation, and living happily ever after.

The couple hurried to catch the next flight back to New York. After a seven-hour flight, they arrived at the Westfield Estate around eight in the morning. Enoch knew Chris rarely stayed at the old family mansion, so he headed straight for the estate. Meanwhile, I was lounging on the couch, waiting for Chris to finish breakfast. These past few days, I’d spent every moment with him. For someone who had once seemed so aloof and distant, Chris was surprisingly affectionate—and not the saint he appeared to be. To enjoy our honeymoon in peace, Chris had given the staff some time off. Only the housekeeper came by to clean every few days. That meant he had taken over all the cooking, but I didn’t mind. After all, I wasn’t exactly skilled in the kitchen. Chris seemed to enjoy it. Every time he saw me happily munching on something he made, he’d tap my cheeks playfully. Suddenly, the house AI chimed. “There’s someone at the door, ma’am.” I slipped on my slippers and checked the security camera. There they were—Enoch and Vivianne, looking worse for wear after their long journey. Well, that was fast. “Your eldest son is here,” I called to Chris, poking my head into the kitchen where he was making sunny-side-up eggs to perfection. “Hmm,” was his only response, his eyes not leaving the pan. Just what I wanted to hear. Leaving the lovebirds to wait outside, I casually went upstairs to change before finally opening the door.

The estate was massive, with an equally sprawling yard—a place you could almost call a small manor. Usually, guests would arrive by car, but since the driver was on vacation, like most of the staff, I wasn’t about to drive out and pick them up. Enoch and Vivianne, after rushing from the airport, didn’t even stop to eat. Now, they were left hungry, thirsty, and stuck waiting at the gate. When the gates finally opened, they had no choice but to walk the long path inside on foot. “This place is enormous,” Vivianne said, awe and envy flickering in her eyes. “When we get married, I’ll buy you something just as big,” Enoch boasted, trying to impress her. “That must be really expensive,” Vivianne said sweetly. “But honestly, I don’t need all that. As long as I’m with you, I’m happy no matter where we live.” Her words, dripping with reliance and affection, inflated Enoch’s ego. “Don’t worry. I’ll buy you a few mansions so you can pick and choose!” he declared grandly. But as they neared the main door, Enoch’s confidence began to waver. He’d always respected Chris, his adoptive father, ever since he’d seen how the man dealt with insubordination. As a child, Enoch didn’t care much about Chris, but as he grew older, witnessing how Chris handled difficult situations made him more cautious around the man. Still, Chris rarely got involved in family matters, and that was part of the reason Enoch dared to run off before the wedding. He was certain Chris wouldn’t bother getting involved in something so petty. After all, as the heir to Westfield Corporation, Chris couldn’t treat him like anyone else. With that thought, Enoch psyched himself up. “Hey, Dad,” he said, pushing the door open, only to be greeted by a surprise. It wasn’t Chris at the door—it was me, Laurel Henderson, smiling warmly at him. “Hello there~”

“You—you—what are you doing here!” Enoch stammered, instinctively stepping back. “Ah!” Vivianne, who was standing right behind him, didn’t have time to react and got her foot stepped on. Tears welled up in her eyes from the pain. Hearing Vivianne’s yelp, Enoch snapped out of it. “Are you okay, Vivianne?” he asked, rushing to her side. “As long as you’re alright, Enoch,” Vivianne said, biting her lip, looking delicate and vulnerable. Enoch spent a good amount of time comforting her right in front of me before finally turning his attention back to me. “Laurel! I never expected you to be this cruel!” What? What did I do? I hadn’t moved an inch since they arrived, and now I was being accused of cruelty? Even Enoch seemed to realize how ridiculous that sounded, so he quickly changed his tone. “I didn’t expect you to be so shameless! The wedding didn’t even happen, and yet here you are, living in our house! I don’t like you. We don’t have a future together. This is my girlfriend, Vivianne. We’re getting married soon.” “And what made you think that’s even remotely possible?” I was genuinely confused, and honestly, a bit speechless. Seriously, had this guy not seen the news? Where did he get the idea that I would still be hanging around for him? Have I ever clung to him? I mentally reviewed every moment I had ever spent with Enoch. I was sure of it—there was absolutely no reason for him to think I’d been hung up on him. Was this guy delusional? “Listen, I understand you and Enoch were engaged, but you never actually got married. Enoch and I are truly in love. Please, just let us be together,” Vivianne said, her tears flowing freely like a broken faucet. She wept as if I were the villain of the story, suffering some great injustice. Enoch, clearly moved, yelled, “Laurel! You’ve gone too far!” What?! What did I do? I stood there, baffled by the sheer absurdity of their logic. Were they both out of their minds? I couldn’t help but laugh. “Has the mental hospital run out of room for the two of you? Is that why you’re here causing trouble?” It took Enoch a moment to process my words. “You’re the one who’s insane!” Seeing my complete lack of concern, Enoch hesitated, wondering if maybe I didn’t care about him after all. But he quickly dismissed the thought, reminding himself that this was the Westfield Estate, not the Henderson home. Laurel had to be here because of him. She must be putting on this act just to get his attention. Enoch softened his tone. “Laurel, I have someone I care about now. We can’t have a future together. Just apologize to Vivianne, and maybe we can stay friends.” Friends? With these idiots? No thanks. I wasn’t about to catch their stupidity.

Just as I was about to fire back, a deep, magnetic voice came from behind me. “What’s going on here?” Everyone turned to look. Chris stood there, wearing a custom black shirt that hugged his well-built body, his chiseled face and commanding presence drawing all the attention. His long fingers gently placed a bowl on the dining table, every movement smooth and composed. Even Vivianne seemed mesmerized. “Dad, we’re back. Why is she here?” Enoch immediately asked, eager for Chris to side with him. But Chris didn’t answer. Instead, he waved a hand toward me. “Come eat.” Enoch and Vivianne exchanged confused glances, thinking Chris was calling them to the table. “Dad, you even made us breakfast,” Enoch said gratefully, starting to lead Vivianne toward the table. Before they could get close, Chris blocked their way. “Dad?” Enoch asked, bewildered. Chris extended his hand again, this time more deliberately. “Sweetheart, I’m here~” I said, beaming as I hurried to him and took his hand in front of both of them. The look on Enoch and Vivianne’s faces—eyes wide, jaws dropping—was priceless. “Son, care to greet your new stepmother?” I asked, my smile growing brighter. The two of them were frozen in place, their mouths still hanging open. Chris ignored them completely, pulling me to sit down at the table. “Eat up. The food’s getting cold.” It took Enoch a good two minutes to recover from the shock. “What?! When—when did this happen? How is this even possible?” Enoch sputtered, his voice loud enough to carry through the room. “On the day of the wedding, of course,” I replied, savoring the sight of his disbelief. To see Enoch, who had been so full of himself just moments ago, now gaping in shock—it was glorious.

“Dad, how could you marry her?” Enoch protested, glaring at me. Seeing the smug look on my face only fueled his anger. “She must have done this on purpose! You can’t be serious! Besides, she’s way younger than you. This makes no sense!” Okay, I’ll admit, my decision to marry Chris was initially driven by a little bit of revenge. But mostly, I did it because I couldn’t let my family lose face in front of everyone. People like us don’t expect to marry for love. Choosing Chris had everything to do with his status. Plus, he was miles better than Enoch in every way—looks, intelligence, everything. And on top of that, he actually enjoyed spoiling me. “Age is just a number. Love knows no boundaries,” I said, raising an eyebrow. Then, just to rub it in, I kissed Chris on the cheek, right in front of Enoch. “Revenge? Using a marriage for that? You really think you’re worth it?” “Come on, son. Call me Mom! Or I might just suggest to your dad that he find a new heir,” I teased. Enoch, now red with fury, turned to Chris for help. “Dad, are you just going to let her talk to me like this?” Chris finally looked at him. Enoch thought, for a split second, that his father might step in. But instead, Chris gently ruffled my hair and said, “There’s nothing I can do to stop her. Besides, Laurel is my wife now, and you should respect her as your mother.” Enoch’s face turned even darker, filled with frustration. He had never been so humiliated in his life. He turned, ready to storm off. Just then, Vivianne tugged on his sleeve. Enoch looked down at her pleading face and, with great reluctance, turned back. “Fine. Mom.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “294750”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #校园School #魔幻Magic #励志Inspiring #惊悚Thriller #浪漫Romance #擦边Steamy #重生Reborn

Recently, my daughter has become unpredictable, often shifting between extreme excitement and deep disappointment, all because of something her teacher said. After pressing her about it repeatedly, she finally confessed, telling me, “Mom, you’re a bad mom. I wish my dance teacher were my mom instead.” “If only Mrs. Drake were my mom, Dad would smile more, too.” I frowned, my instincts as a woman screaming inside me. That woman was trying to seduce my husband and was attempting to manipulate my daughter. My name is Lauren Simmons, and I’m 31 years old. I’m married, the only child of a small business owner, and I hold an MBA from a prestigious program abroad. I currently work as the marketing manager for my father’s company. To outsiders, my life seems like a dream: the daughter of a successful businessman, highly educated, married, and a mother. But deep down, I’m full of insecurities, largely shaped by my experience growing up in a single-parent household. I often come across as distant and cold to others. And when it comes to family life, I’ve never been as invested as I am in my career. My husband Brian is attractive and successful, and our daughter Sophia is sweet and well-behaved. But the one imperfection in my otherwise ideal life is that, after giving birth, I immediately dove back into work, missing the critical window for postpartum recovery. As a result, I still have excess skin on my stomach and a noticeable C-section scar, which has always been a source of regret for me. Brian never seemed to mind. He would always wrap his arms around my waist and whisper, “Babe, you’re the most beautiful woman in the world to me.” He had said this to me twice before: once during our wedding vows, and once after the difficult birth of our daughter, when I was bleeding out due to her breech position. I still remember being in the ICU, my eyes blurred with tears and the stench of blood clinging to me. I asked him then, “Do I look awful, honey?” And just like before, he kissed my hand without hesitation, assuring me that I was the most beautiful woman in the world to him. His tenderness and love had sustained the quiet warmth of our marriage, keeping it steady but never too intense. Now, our daughter Sophia is four years old and attending Bluebell Preschool. Brian has embraced his role as both a great dad and a responsible husband. While I’m often busy with work, he works the late shift as a software engineer, so he’s usually the one picking up Sophia after school. One day, I got a notification from a parenting forum on my phone. It said the most important thing for a child’s growth is the parents’ presence. Guilt washed over me. I realized it had been far too long since I spent quality time with Sophia. So that afternoon, I left work early and called Brian. “Honey, I’ll pick up Sophia today. Bluebell Preschool, Middle Group, right? I go in through the east entrance, don’t I?” I had to admit, I hadn’t been doing enough when it came to spending time with Sophia. Brian only picked her up from school because my work hours clashed with hers. But when we got home, I was the one who always cooked dinner. I had even gone out of my way to get a certified nutritionist license, all to make sure I could cook balanced, healthy meals for them. I rarely went to pick Sophia up from school. The only time I’d been there was for a parent-teacher meeting, and I had gotten the time wrong. Brian didn’t pick up his phone, so I stood there for an hour and a half, confused, until I saw the other parents trickling out of the building. Sophia, with her little backpack, spotted me, her eyes widening in surprise. When she came over, I quickly took her backpack and said, “Mommy’s been waiting here for you.” She pouted, “Mom, you’re so silly! Today we had extra dance practice, and you didn’t even know!” I crouched down, full of guilt. Brian hadn’t told me, so I came at her usual pick-up time. That’s when I noticed something on her lips—a little oil from something spicy. It was barely noticeable, but as her mom, I caught it immediately. As a certified nutritionist, I was strict about Sophia not eating junk food. Hot Cheetos and potato chips were off-limits, even though she loved them. I grabbed her little hand and sniffed it. She had washed her hands, but the scent of food additives clung to her skin, even under the soap. My face darkened. “Sophia, did you eat Hot Cheetos?” Seeing that I was upset, her expression deflated, but she stubbornly refused to admit it. “Haven’t I taught you to be an honest little girl? Don’t lie to Mommy, okay?” I tried to stay calm. Kids her age didn’t need harsh punishments, but firm guidance. With my gentle coaxing, Sophia finally spoke up. She said Mrs. Drake had given her the Hot Cheetos, but only to her. Mrs. Drake told her not to mention it to her parents or her friends. “If only Mrs. Drake were my mom, Dad would be happier,” Sophia said with a pout. My brows furrowed as I tightened my grip on her tiny wrist, anger simmering in my voice. “What did you just say? Do you know how much it hurts me to hear you talk like that?” She yanked her hand away, tears welling up in her eyes. She grabbed my water bottle from my hand and threw it on the ground, breaking it. “She buys me fried chicken and Hot Cheetos! She plays with me! You don’t give me anything I want!” I stood frozen, staring at my normally sweet daughter, who was now throwing tantrums and breaking things. I began to realize how much I had failed in my role as a mother. My daughter actually thought another woman would make a better mom. But in her innocent way, she had also told me something shocking: my husband had shown affection for another woman.

And this woman, in order to win my daughter over, had been doing everything she could to charm her. This Melissa Drake, the dance teacher at Bluebell Preschool, had been in Sophia’s class since she was little. I’d seen her once in a class photo and jokingly told Brian, “Look at this teacher. She’s so pretty and youthful, like one of the older kids.” Brian had laughed, “She’s thirty already! But I’ll admit, she’s kept in great shape. Used to be a yoga instructor. Her kid’s around three now, but you wouldn’t know it from looking at her.” I’d had a flash of surprise at how much Brian knew about her, but I shrugged it off. After all, he was the one who picked Sophia up from school. It made sense that he’d hear things. Looking back, it all seemed so obvious now. But growing up in a fractured home had made me cautious and insecure. Without concrete proof, I didn’t want to ruin the peace in our family. Maybe Sophia was just saying things out of anger. Maybe Mrs. Drake had a family of her own. She was, after all, a teacher. I tried to reassure myself, worried that my suspicions were just baseless paranoia. In a few days, there would be the School Talent Show, and Sophia was performing a dance number, led by none other than Mrs. Drake. I decided I would go see her myself, to find out what was really going on. By June, the heat in our small Southern town was already unbearable. I couldn’t bring myself to wear a dress, so I stuck to my usual button-down and cropped pants. My C-section scar and the stretch marks that snaked down my legs still made me incredibly self-conscious. When I arrived at Bluebell Preschool, I saw her immediately—the woman who was smiling so sweetly by the stage. Even without filters or makeup, she looked just as stunning as she had in the photos, embodying the “slim and youthful” beauty standards to perfection. I couldn’t help but be mesmerized by her for a moment. She was gorgeous. If only I hadn’t thrown myself back into work so soon after giving birth, maybe I wouldn’t be so different from her. Melissa Drake was wearing a white crop top and had her hair tied in cute little pigtails. Her slim, curvy figure was even more striking up close. She was crouched by the stage, gently encouraging the children. “All right, sweeties, have you memorized your steps for the performance?” “Yes—ma’am!” they shouted in unison. The most excited of all was my daughter Sophia. Her little pointed fairy ears were perched on her head, and glittering purple eyeshadow made her big eyes sparkle. I stood in the shade, watching her—the one thing in this world I loved more than anything. As for what had happened in the past few days, all I felt was guilt and shame. After a long night of thinking, I decided to adjust my work schedule. I would spend more time with Sophia. I needed to be part of her childhood, not some other woman. Then, Melissa Drake noticed me and walked over with a beaming smile. “Hello there! Are you here to see one of the kids? Why not take a seat in the audience?” Up close, her body looked even more striking, with her tiny waist and a sparkling belly button ring. I forced a smile. “Uh, I’m Sophia’s mom.” The look on her face froze for a split second, and I caught a glint of something sneaky in her eyes. “Her grandma?” she asked sweetly. I frowned. Sure, I hadn’t bounced back after having a baby, but I didn’t look that old. “…No, I’m her mom.” She put on a show of surprise, her voice still syrupy. “Oh, I’m so sorry! I just thought—since some of the other kids’ grandmas look so young too. I guess it’s because Sophia’s dad usually picks her up. I don’t see you very often.” Her comment, laced with passive-aggression, brought me back to reality. I knew why I was here now. Things were starting to make sense. No wonder Sophia liked her. This kind of woman, with her charm and sweet words, could easily win anyone over. Thinking back on what Sophia had said the other day, I couldn’t help but feel disheartened. I took pictures of Sophia’s performance, my camera focusing on her small, happy figure. But out of the corner of my eye, my gaze lingered on Melissa Drake’s smiling face. She was also thirty… but she looked so much better than I did. The way Sophia had gravitated toward her terrified me, and I felt the tears well up in my eyes. If my suspicions were true, my daughter would be so happy to have a beautiful, kind stepmom like her. And Brian would be even happier. So what was I? Just something to be discarded when I was no longer useful?

I spent the next several days in a daze. Something felt wrong, but I didn’t want to confront it directly. Even Brian started noticing my distance and asked, “Honey, what’s wrong? Did I do something to upset you?” I shook my head. He was perfect. Too perfect. There was nothing I could blame him for. But the calmer the surface of a lake, the more you suspect the currents hiding beneath it. Two weeks passed, and I tried to put everything out of my mind. My new project at work had me completely swamped, but I didn’t complain. After all, my boss promised that once I wrapped up this deal, I could finally take some time off. Time I could spend with Sophia. On Tuesday, a rainy day, just before I was about to finish work, I got a call from the preschool’s phone. On the other end, Sophia’s small voice sounded excited. “Mom, you don’t need to pick me up today. I’m going to Emma’s house for a birthday party. Her mom is coming to get us.” “Oh,” I replied, a little caught off guard. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier? I could’ve helped you pick out a birthday gift. It’s not polite to show up empty-handed.” Sophia’s voice grew proud, “Mrs. Drake already took me shopping. She helped me pick out a crystal music box. It cost over 800 dollars!” Eight hundred dollars? I was stunned. Why was a preschool teacher helping my daughter pick out such an expensive gift for a birthday party? Mrs. Drake again. Whenever Sophia talked about school, she could hardly stop talking about that woman. It was like she’d been bewitched. I had even asked some of the other kids at school, and they all enthusiastically told me that Sophia was Mrs. Drake’s favorite student. “She always praises her. If someone else messes up their dance steps, they have to stand in the corner, but not Sophia. Mrs. Drake is so gentle with her.” But I knew better. Sophia had no particular talent for dancing and was often lazy about practice. All these thoughts were making me uneasy. I softly reminded her to stay safe before she hurriedly hung up the phone. I sat there holding my phone for a long time, my mind racing. I turned to my coworker and asked, “Can you take over and finish this report? I need to leave early for something important.” She hesitated, “Lauren, you’ve been handling this overseas project. Even if I wanted to help, I wouldn’t be able to do it justice. I don’t want to mess things up.” My mind was a tangled mess, but I still didn’t want to neglect my work. I didn’t want to let my boss down. So I stayed until after 8 PM, working frantically to finish the project. Without even stopping for dinner, I rushed out to pick up Sophia. I pulled out her class contact sheet and found Emma’s address at Ridgewood Heights Estate, building 13. I drove straight there. Emma’s house was enormous. The doors were wide open for the birthday party, but strangely, no one was around. The housekeeper told me that Emma and the other kids had gone to Lakeview Park to watch the tide, but my heart skipped a beat. “What about Sophia?” I asked. “She’s the one with the red polka-dot dress and pigtails.” The housekeeper thought for a moment, “Oh yes, I saw her. Mrs. Drake brought her. They didn’t go to the park though—they’re still inside, talking in one of the rooms.” While everyone else was out having fun, Mrs. Drake had kept my daughter inside? What were they doing? A terrible feeling crept over me. Ignoring the housekeeper’s protests, I hurried inside, clutching my purse. I stopped outside the only room with voices coming from inside, furrowing my brow as I strained to hear what was happening.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “294749”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #校园School #魔幻Magic #励志Inspiring #惊悚Thriller #浪漫Romance #擦边Steamy #重生Reborn

My mom’s funeral had barely ended when Aunt Vanessa showed up at our doorstep. She declared that she was willing to step into my mom’s shoes. My dad, clearly moved by the gesture, was ready to add her name to the house deed. At that moment, I realized one thing—when emotions are involved, money is bound to get hurt. Aunt Vanessa’s intentions were clear as day. Aunt Vanessa is thirty-eight, though she looks like she’s barely twenty-eight. She’s still attractive, her smile always bright and warm. She’s been divorced four times, and each time, it was because she cheated. Grandma Ruby spent most of her life worrying about her, even going as far as consulting a fortune teller for answers. The fortune teller said Aunt Vanessa had a “curse of love,” a fate tangled with endless romantic entanglements. I never thought she would bring that curse to our family. Just days after my mom’s funeral, she came to our house, professing her love to my dad. She told him she was willing to be my mom’s “replacement,” taking care of both him and me. And my dad agreed. I couldn’t believe it. I had a full-on argument with him about it. He sighed, suddenly looking much older than he had before. “Savannah, your dad’s getting old. You’re off at college most of the time. I just want someone by my side.” I wasn’t against him finding someone new, but he wanted to marry Aunt Vanessa, my mom’s sister! “Dad, you know what Aunt Vanessa is like. You can’t be serious!” Was he trying to set himself up to be cheated on? He looked at me, torn, almost pleading. “She promised me she’s changed. And Savannah, she’s your aunt. We’re family.” At that moment, I realized that no matter what I said, my dad had already made up his mind. Sure enough, that very night, Aunt Vanessa moved in, bringing her daughter Ivy, my cousin who had just started junior high. Aunt Vanessa was a great cook, but I couldn’t stomach a single bite of the meal she prepared. At dinner, she kept piling food onto my plate, saying, “Savannah, tell me what you like, and I’ll cook it for you every day.” I gave a cold smile, stood up, and said, “I’m packing my things. I’m leaving for school tomorrow.” Out of sight, out of mind. As I shut the door, I overheard Ivy’s voice: “Mom, why are we living at Savannah’s house?” Aunt Vanessa’s response was chilling. “Ivy, this is our home now. Call him ‘Daddy.’” Ivy, in her sweet, innocent voice, said, “Daddy,” and my dad responded with a big smile, saying, “Good girl, good girl.” And just like that, they became their own little family. After that, I only messaged my dad occasionally. It seemed like life with Aunt Vanessa was going just fine. For winter break, I had lined up an internship and wasn’t planning on going home. But after an entire semester without seeing my dad, I missed him and decided to go back for a couple of days. When I arrived and opened my bedroom door, I was shocked to see Ivy on my bed, eating potato chips. She looked equally surprised when she saw me and scrambled to sit up, spilling chips all over the sheets. I’m a neat freak. I don’t allow anyone to eat in my room. So how could I tolerate someone else doing it? I marched over, my voice stern as I said, “Who told you to come in here? From now on, don’t ever enter my room without my permission.” Ivy didn’t move, sitting on the bed as if nothing happened. “Savannah, this is my room now.” I took a moment to look around and realized that my room had been completely transformed. Wow. It had only been a semester, and my room was gone.

I hadn’t told my dad I was coming back because I wanted to surprise him. Instead, he ended up surprising me. Ivy told me that he and Aunt Vanessa had gone out to buy groceries, so I sat on the couch, waiting. Sure enough, they returned soon, laughing and chatting like they didn’t have a care in the world. My dad’s smile faded slightly when he saw me. He furrowed his brow. “Savannah, what are you doing here? Didn’t you say you were working?” That disappointment I had been holding in all semester just spilled out. “What happened to my room?” Aunt Vanessa glanced at my dad but stayed quiet, clearly leaving it to him to explain. He looked uncomfortable, then tried to explain. “Savannah, you’re hardly ever home now. I let your sister use the room.” We have three bedrooms—one for the master, one for guests, and a small room in the attic. I pointed upstairs, looking directly at Aunt Vanessa. “Move Ivy’s things up there. She’s not allowed in my room anymore.” Aunt Vanessa put on her usual tearful act. “Savannah, Ivy’s your sister. How can you treat her like this?” I never liked Aunt Vanessa, and her playing the victim only irritated me further. I wasn’t about to give her any leeway. “What did I do? I didn’t kick her out, but now you’ve taken over my room, and you’re acting like I’m the one at fault.” Aunt Vanessa looked down, sniffling. My dad, of course, felt sorry for her. His temper flared, and he barked at me, “Savannah Blake, is that how you talk to your elders? Apologize to your aunt!” I was furious. I stormed into the room and started throwing Ivy’s things out. Aunt Vanessa and Ivy screamed from the hallway, and my dad rushed in, grabbing me by the wrist and pulling me out. It was the first time my dad had ever laid a hand on me, and he did it for them—for outsiders. “Savannah, this is my house! I’ll decide who lives here. What’s gotten into you? Is this how I raised you?” I yanked my arm free. “This is your house, but it’s also mine. Half of it belonged to Mom, and now that she’s gone, that half is mine. So how dare you give my room to someone else?” Ivy suddenly chimed in, “It’s my mom’s house now too!” My heart sank as I stared at my dad in disbelief. He looked away, clearly ashamed. “I’ve already added your aunt’s name to the deed.” I looked at Aunt Vanessa and finally understood. Of course. She wasn’t interested in my dad—she was after our house. But so what? “Well, half of this house is still mine. You only own a quarter, so get your daughter’s stuff out of my room!” Aunt Vanessa clung to my dad, refusing to move. I was furious and stormed back into the room, continuing to throw Ivy’s things out. Ivy ran in to stop me, and I shoved her aside. Aunt Vanessa started wailing from outside the door, “What are you doing? How can you hit your sister?” Ivy, quick as ever, immediately sat on the floor and started crying. I hadn’t even touched her, and she was already playing the victim. My dad stormed in, grabbed me, and slapped me across the face. He actually hit me. I felt a wave of sadness and anger wash over me. I blinked back tears and nodded, saying, “Fine. I get it. From now on, you’re your own little family.” And with that, I grabbed my suitcase and left.

I dragged my suitcase to Grandma Ruby’s house. I told her and Grandpa Howard everything that had happened, hoping they would speak some sense into Aunt Vanessa. But Grandma Ruby said, “Savannah, your aunt and your dad are a family now. It’s only natural for her to want her share. Besides, Vanessa has had a hard life. She’s finally settled down; you should cut her some slack.” I was speechless. Grandma Ruby had always favored Aunt Vanessa because she was her “baby.” She had spoiled her to the point of turning her into the woman she was today. And even now, she was defending her. Grandma asked if I wanted her to cook something for me, but I just picked up my suitcase and left. With nowhere else to go, I headed to Uncle Martin’s house. When he heard about the chaos at home, his temper flared. “That idiot! I told him to keep an eye on that deed, and what does he do? He goes and puts that woman’s name on it.” Uncle Martin was ready to march over and confront my dad, but Ethan, my cousin, stopped him. “Her name’s already on the deed. What’s the point in fighting now?” Then Ethan turned to me and said, “Just stay here for now. Don’t worry. You’re not alone. The Blake family isn’t dead yet.” Tears welled up in my eyes, and I started crying. Aunt Jolene came out from the kitchen, wiping her hands. “Alright, that’s enough. Savannah, you must be exhausted after the trip. Come over and have something warm to eat.” I wiped my tears and joined them for dinner. Uncle Martin’s family treated me better than my own dad. After dinner, Aunt Jolene told me to rest, but I was too angry to sleep. Uncle Martin noticed and called me over. “Savannah, do you know how much money your family has?” I nodded. “Yes. Mom told me everything before she passed. She knew Dad was soft and wouldn’t be able to stand his ground.” We lived in a small but wealthy town, ranked as one of the top places to live in the country. My mom had owned a storefront near our neighborhood, which she bought along with our house. It was in her name, but she transferred it to me before she passed. There was also our house and a plot of land near the edge of town, waiting to be developed. My dad worked at Chesterville General Hospital, earning a good salary of over $5,000 a month. Between that and my mom’s business, they had saved quite a bit—about $200,000, all in my mom’s name. I had the savings account in my possession now. After my mom passed, I rented out the storefront to a nail salon, collecting $3,000 a year in rent. When I finished explaining all of this, Uncle Martin nodded. “Well, it’s a good thing your mom had foresight. Otherwise, your aunt would have bled your family dry. Now, about that quarter of the house—what do you want to do?”

There was no way I was going to let Aunt Vanessa take our family’s things. The house had to come back. “But her name’s already on the deed. Can we even get it back?” Ethan sat down beside me, giving my shoulder a reassuring pat. “If you want it back, I’ll help you find a lawyer.” Seeing the determination in his eyes gave me confidence. I did some research online, and it seemed like even if she hadn’t paid for the house, there was a chance she could claim half. The legalities were complicated, and there were different opinions depending on when her name was added. The key was to get more information from my dad. So the next morning, I called him, asking him to meet me at Uncle Martin’s house. I waited all day, but he never showed. When I called again, he said Aunt Vanessa wasn’t feeling well, so he couldn’t come. I wasn’t convinced she was really sick. I packed up my things and headed home. This winter break, I might skip my internship, but I wasn’t going to skip taking back the house. When I arrived, they were in the middle of dinner—eating a huge spread of food. My dad stood up, placing a plate of food in front of Ivy. The sight made me furious. When he noticed me, he smiled and said, “Savannah, you’re back! Come on, have some hotpot.” I looked at him coldly. “Dad, this is my house. Do you think of me as a guest now?” His smile faltered. Aunt Vanessa came over, trying to smooth things over. “Come on, Savannah. We’re family. Who’s treating you like a guest?” Dad quickly fetched another plate and utensils for me, even adding some beef to my bowl in an attempt to make peace. I took a bite of the beef and turned to Aunt Vanessa. “Aunt Vanessa, Dad said you were sick. What’s wrong?” She looked healthy enough to me. She smiled, waving it off. “Just a little headache. It’s nothing. I took some medicine, and I’m fine now. Savannah, eat more. Have some meat.” I said nothing more. After dinner, I was planning to have a serious talk with my dad, but Aunt Vanessa and Ivy approached me. “Ivy, apologize to your sister.” Ivy even gave me a little bow. “Savannah, I’m sorry for taking your room. I shouldn’t have done that. Please forgive me.” Aunt Vanessa chimed in with her own apology. “I’m really sorry, Savannah. It’s just that you said you wouldn’t be coming home, so your dad gave the room to Ivy. She struggles to climb up to the attic, and she’s still young. I didn’t feel comfortable leaving her up there alone. Now that you’re back, the room is yours again.” My dad nodded in agreement. “Yes, Aunt Vanessa already apologized. She didn’t mean to cause trouble. After dinner, let’s go to Uncle Martin’s and get your things.” I was surprised by how quickly they had changed their tune, especially those two.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “294748”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #校园School #魔幻Magic #励志Inspiring #惊悚Thriller #浪漫Romance #擦边Steamy #重生Reborn