It was the seventh year of my marriage to Chloe when her rich first love came back home. He had a face that looked strikingly similar to mine, almost as if he were my shadow. At the class reunion, he cornered me in the restroom, his voice dripping with condescension: “Tell me, every night when she sleeps next to you, is she thinking of you or me?” I couldn’t hold back. My fist flew. But Chloe, of all people, screamed at me, her voice laced with fury, “Why don’t you just drop dead?!” She had no idea. I was, indeed, dying. At the class reunion, Chloe’s first love, Liam, made his grand return. He was now a wildly successful man. Amidst a chorus of fawning compliments, he stepped past our old classmates and went straight to Chloe, greeting her with a simple, “Long time no see.” Just those four words, and Chloe’s eyes instantly welled up, turning blazing red. Our classmates chuckled, starting to stir the pot, “All these years, and Liam still only has eyes for Chloe!” “If Chloe had married Liam back then, she’d be Mrs. Thorne by now. She wouldn’t have to run that small company.” “Honestly, Chloe, it’s not too late to get a divorce now!” “…” The room buzzed with gossip, all centered around Liam and Chloe. Meanwhile, I, Chloe’s husband, sat off to the side, feeling like nothing more than a part of the background. I studied Liam. He had a face that looked surprisingly similar to mine, almost like a mirror image. Deep down, I’d always known. I was just a replacement Chloe had found. I used to swear to myself that I would spend the rest of my life making Chloe truly fall in love with me. But now – Now, I was dying.

My chest felt heavy, suffocating, so I decided to step out for some fresh air. But I ran into Liam right by the restroom door. His smile was mocking, contemptuous. “Thanks for looking after Chloe for me all these years.” “Now I’m back. She doesn’t need you anymore.” A knot of anger tightened in my chest, twisting my insides with a sharp, wrenching pain. I looked at him coldly. “It’s Chloe’s choice. At least for now, I’m still her legal husband.” Liam’s sneering laugh echoed back. “What makes you so confident? Is it just this face that looks a bit like mine?” “Tell me, every night when she sleeps next to you, is she thinking of you or me?” Every single word was a cruel, stinging jab. I couldn’t take it anymore. My fist connected hard with his face. But then, a gasp rang out from behind me: “Liam!” I spun around. Chloe was already rushing to his side. She helped him up, her eyes blazing red as she glared at me. In seven years of marriage, I had never seen her this furious. “Alex, have you lost your mind?!” “What gives you the right to hit someone?” Their classmates also crowded around, helping Liam, their gazes turning hostile as they looked at me. “Chloe, your husband is unbelievable. No matter how jealous he is, he can’t just hit people!” “Seriously, he’s got no self-awareness. If it were me, I’d pack my bags and make way the moment the real deal came back.” Amidst their whispers, Chloe looked at me with cold disappointment. “You’ve truly let me down.” The pain in my chest seemed to intensify. Suddenly, a sweet metallic taste filled my throat. I swallowed hard, barely managing to hold it back. I turned and walked away. On the steps outside the hotel, I slowly pulled a crumpled medical report from my pocket. Alex Reid, Male, Stage IV Stomach Cancer. The sunlight caught the thin paper, making it shimmer, almost blinding. I couldn’t hold it back any longer. A mouthful of blood gushed out.

Seven years ago, Chloe found me. She claimed she wanted to avoid her family’s pressure to marry, so she proposed we live together as partners. At the time, it was my third year of secretly crushing on Chloe. So, I agreed without hesitation. For seven years, we lived like polite roommates, eventually developing a kind of affection. I had spent seven years trying to melt her icy heart, watching the fortress she had built around herself slowly crumble, piece by piece. I even started to believe she had truly fallen in love with me. Now, it seemed. I was just fooling myself. Unbeknownst to me, I dozed off on the sofa. I woke up to the sound of a door closing. The wall clock pointed exactly to three in the morning as Chloe walked in. Seeing me awake, she paused, then took off her jacket and hung it in the closet. That jacket looked familiar. Earlier that afternoon, Liam had been wearing it. Chloe walked to the sofa, knelt down, and took my hand. “Are you still mad?” I didn’t speak. I just pulled my hand away and pushed the drafted divorce papers toward her. “Here’s the divorce agreement. Take a look.”

Chloe froze for two seconds. Then, her face contorted with anger, like a secret exposed. “Alex, what is the meaning of this?” “Nothing happened between him and me. We just met as old classmates today.” “Can you please stop acting like a dramatic woman?” She fired off three questions in a row, growing more agitated with each one. The anger I had suppressed all day finally erupted. “What about you, then?” “Chloe, in these seven years of marriage, have I been your husband or just a replacement?” “When you kissed me, were you thinking of me or Liam?” I hadn’t meant to argue with her. But the excruciating pain in my stomach was like knives twisting inside me, and I couldn’t hold back the question. Chloe fell silent instantly. After a moment, she got up and walked toward the door. “Alex, are you going to be this childish until the day you die?” With that, she stormed out, slamming the door behind her. I, however, just stared blankly. She was right. I was on my deathbed, and I was still acting so childish.

Chloe hadn’t come home for two days. I called her three times, trying to get her to finalize the divorce. The first two calls were hung up, and the last time, she just turned off her phone. I remembered a few years ago, she had added me to her class SnapChat group. I opened my laptop and logged into the account I hadn’t touched in ages. It was still there, as expected. Someone in the group had posted some photos from a private classmates’ gathering. I saw Chloe in the pictures, and Liam too. She seemed to have been drinking, passed out in his arms. I looked at every single photo. Then, calmly, I tagged Chloe in the group. “Come home. Let’s sign the divorce papers.” She responded quickly enough. “What crazy stunt are you pulling now?” A moment later, I received a notification: “You have been removed from the group chat.” Chloe’s phone was still unreachable. But then, the doorbell rang. I pressed a hand to my subtly aching abdomen and went to open the door. “Mom? What are you doing here?” Outside, my mother-in-law stood, laden with bags, her face beaming despite the journey. “Didn’t you say your stomach hadn’t been feeling well recently? I got some herbal remedies from a top specialist. Make sure you drink them.” “I heard he’s amazing with stomach issues.” Several large bags were placed on the floor, filled with the remedies and our favorite dishes. My nose suddenly stung with emotion. This elderly woman, who had traveled dozens of miles with all these packages, had no idea— No matter how skilled a doctor, they probably couldn’t cure my body now.

After some hesitation, I brought up the divorce to her. “Mom, I’ve thought about it for a long time. I’m planning to divorce Chloe.” With a dull thud, the teacup in her hand dropped to the floor. It shattered. Hot water splashed everywhere. I rushed to help, but she grabbed me instead. “Alex, did you two have a fight?” “If she did anything wrong, just tell me, Mom will…” “No,” I interrupted her, “it’s my fault. Our relationship has some issues.” I had no intention of exposing her daughter’s unacceptable behavior in front of my mother-in-law. For seven years of marriage, my in-laws had treated me like their own son. Whatever Chloe did wrong, it had nothing to do with them. Suddenly, the sound of a key turning in the lock echoed from the door. Chloe was back. “Alex, isn’t causing trouble at home enough? Do you have to take it outside?” Chloe’s voice abruptly cut off the moment she saw her mother. But my mother-in-law had already seen Liam, who was following behind her. Liam, however, showed no panic. Instead, he stepped forward confidently. “Auntie, I don’t know if you still remember me, I’m Liam Thorne.” “I even had dinner with you before I went abroad.” My mother-in-law’s face was cold, silent. The atmosphere grew awkward. Chloe stepped forward to smooth things over, but her mother grabbed her. “Chloe, tell me, are you divorcing Alex for him?” Chloe’s expression shifted, flustered. “Mom, just stay out of it.” “Whether we divorce or not is between Alex and me, we…” “Slam—” A sharp slap cut Chloe off. “Foolish!” My mother-in-law pointed at Liam, her hand trembling with rage. “Do you think he truly loves you? If he loved you, he wouldn’t have abandoned you to go abroad in the first place!” That slap ignited Chloe’s temper too. The mother and daughter argued fiercely. Until I noticed my mother-in-law’s face looked off. “Stop arguing!” I stepped forward to support her. “Mom, are you okay?” “Mom…”

My mother-in-law was hospitalized with a heart attack, but thankfully, there was no serious danger. In the hospital room. Chloe and I sat by the bed. My mother-in-law clutched my hand tightly, tears streaming down her face. “Alex, Chloe is so foolish. She’s always been stubborn since she was little. Just give her a bit more time; she’ll come to her senses.” I didn’t say anything. Her voice choked, and she patted the back of my hand gently, “All these years, your dad and I have treated you like our own son. We only recognize you as our son-in-law.” “My body won’t last another two years. If you two get divorced, Mom will…” “Mom won’t be able to close her eyes when she goes.” My nose stung with sadness. Unable to bear an elderly woman crying and pleading, I took a deep breath and said yes. Only then did my mother-in-law visibly relax. … In the hallway. I clutched my agonizing stomach, looking at Chloe. “Let’s pick a day and finalize the divorce.” Chloe froze. “Didn’t you just say…” “I was lying to her.” The more my stomach hurt, the calmer my expression became. “Our business, I don’t want to bother the elderly with it.” “I’ll send you the drafted divorce agreement.” “I don’t agree!”

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I had a strange condition: my memory only lasted a day. Every morning, my boyfriend would tell me I was his love. Until I saw him wrapped around another woman, his eyes lowered, a wicked smile playing on his lips. “What are you afraid of? She won’t remember a thing.” But what he didn’t know was, I was already recovering. Waking up in the early morning, a strange man held me in his arms. Before I could struggle, he spoke as if he knew what was coming. “Lily, it’s Caleb.” I stiffened, looking up at him. He opened his eyes and met my gaze, the sleep still heavy in them. “You’re my love, Lily.” “You forgot me again, didn’t you?” His tone was natural, lazy. I slowly let my guard down. “Should I remember you?” Caleb sighed, burying his face for a few seconds before sitting up. His hair was messy, but it didn’t detract from his good looks. He reached for his phone, then casually used my thumbprint to unlock it. The screen showed a picture of us, close together. In the photo, I was leaning on Caleb’s shoulder, smiling brightly. “Lily + Caleb. Always.” I was surprised. I had no memory of that moment, or of Caleb. Caleb turned off the screen and tossed the phone aside, pulling me back into his arms. His voice was muffled. “Shh, go back to sleep, babe.”

I couldn’t sleep in Caleb’s arms. Once his breathing evened out, I carefully slipped out of bed. A small sticky note was taped to the bedside table. “Don’t forget Caleb.” I looked back. Caleb was still asleep, his brows slightly furrowed, restless. It wasn’t just the bedside. These little notes were stuck everywhere in the room. I leaned against the bathroom sink, lost in thought. I don’t know how long passed before a pair of hands suddenly wrapped around my waist. I looked up. In the mirror, Caleb rested his chin on my shoulder, his voice hoarse with sleep. “Lily, don’t rush.” “I’ll always be here for you.”

Caleb said I went through this same routine every day. Waking up, feeling confused, then slowly accepting him. Caleb would also tell me, day after day, that he loved me. When Caleb called me for breakfast, I stood awkwardly at the table. “I’m sorry, I don’t remember you.” Caleb paused, a helpless smile touching his lips. He leaned against the table, slowly bending down to meet my eyes. His eyes and brows were incredibly handsome, deep and focused when he looked at someone. He was definitely my type. “It’s okay if I remember you, Lily,” Caleb said softly. “You’ll get better.” He tried to comfort me, but I clearly saw the sadness in his eyes as he turned away. “Are you… sad?” Caleb held his mug of coffee, tilting his head as he thought for a moment. “How do I put it?” “I’m almost used to it.” He turned back to me, sighing. “I just hope that one day, when you wake up, you’ll remember me.” “Even just my name.”

Caleb took me to the supermarket, and that night, he took me to a concert. He said these were things on my old wish list. He’d been repeating them quite often lately. He ruffled my hair. “Lily, you have to get better soon.” Under the streetlights, Caleb’s expression was fond and hopeful. My heart pounded fiercely in my chest. “Caleb.” “Did I used to… really like you?” Even with my memory loss, I could feel an intense affection for the man in front of me. Caleb stopped walking. He lowered his eyes to me, a smirk playing on his lips. Caleb usually looked like the good-boy type, but when he moved, a hint of something mischievous, even bad, would unexpectedly surface. He thought for a moment, then slowly said, “You? You chased me for six whole months.” “That’s when I finally said yes.” “Sometimes I even wonder if you’re deliberately getting back at me now.” “I’ll try my best to get better,” I took his hand. “Caleb, please wait for me a little longer.”

On the way back, a woman suddenly stumbled out from a corner. She was swaying, barely able to walk straight. Luckily, Caleb reached out quickly and steadied her before she fell. She had a sweet, innocent face and tilted her head, smiling at Caleb. “Thanks.” Caleb lowered his eyes to her. They looked at each other for a few seconds before Caleb said in a low voice, “You’re drunk.” “Good thing I’m drunk!” the woman laughed loudly. “No one cares anyway.” “It’s better to be drunk. It hurts less.” For some reason, I felt a strange tension between her and Caleb. Caleb held her arm tightly, not letting go. After a moment, he said, “It’s not safe to drink late at night.” “Go home early.” The girl didn’t answer him. Instead, she looked at me. “You’re so lucky.” “My boyfriend doesn’t want me anymore.” I was still confused, but I said honestly, “If he doesn’t want you, then you don’t need him either.” “There are plenty of guys out there. No need to make yourself suffer.” “Yeah,” her tone suddenly turned sharp. “Easy for you to say. You’re enjoying all the sweetness. How could you know what bitterness feels like?” Caleb suddenly looked annoyed. He let go of her hand. “Lily, let’s go home.”

Back home, Caleb’s face was still sullen. He leaned back on the couch, the game controller in his hand making sounds. The TV screen went black, and he ‘tsk’ed, tossing the controller aside before lying back. “What’s wrong?” Sensing his mood shift, I walked over. Caleb composed himself, pulling me into his arms. “Lily, please don’t leave me.” “I really like you.” I pulled myself out of his embrace to look at him, curious. “Caleb, that girl.” “Do you know her?” Caleb’s expression was calm, unchanging. “No, I don’t.” “Just a drunk person.” Before I could speak, Caleb’s lips found mine. He mumbled, “Lily.” “Don’t leave me.”

I woke up the next morning, my head still foggy. Caleb was up early today. Hearing me stir, he walked over and leaned against the doorway, watching me. “Lily, good morning.” “I’m Caleb.” I sat blankly on the bed, watching Caleb walk over and meet my gaze. He gently said, “You forgot me again, didn’t you?” He showed me the video as usual, a video of Caleb and me. I looked up at him, saying nothing. I watched him lead me to the table and hand me a warm glass of milk. A note was still taped to the table’s edge: “Lily, remember to eat on time and love Caleb.” Caleb seemed afraid to scare me, so he spoke softly. “Don’t be scared, just eat breakfast first.” “I’ll explain everything later.” I sat at the table, holding the milk, slowly taking sips. My mind was a mess.

Before I could finish the milk, just as I was about to speak, there was a knock at the door. The knocking was rhythmic, two knocks at a time. Caleb held his milk, his gaze fixed on the door. The knocking continued. Caleb stood in silence for a moment, not moving to open the door, but not ignoring it either. He seemed to be deep in thought. He pulled his gaze back, turning to meet my eyes. “I’ll get it.” “Lily.” As I started to get up, Caleb pressed me back down. “I’ll handle it. You eat first.” His tone was natural. He walked towards the door. The door was pulled open a tiny crack. I shifted my position and watched. Behind the door, I saw a familiar face. It was the woman from last night. My hand, holding the milk, trembled uncontrollably. I couldn’t hear what they were saying. Caleb abruptly slammed the door shut. “Who was that?” “No one I know,” Caleb explained calmly. “Wrong door.” I looked at Caleb’s composed face, and my heart gave a sudden, hard thump. An indescribable feeling swirled in my chest. Actually, just now, I hadn’t had a chance to tell Caleb. I could remember yesterday.

I lowered my head, saying nothing, feeling the milk in my hands gradually lose its warmth. She hadn’t even changed her clothes and had come looking for Caleb. Caleb stiffened for only a moment, quickly returning to his usual self. He smiled at me, his actions and expression showing no flaws. As if he were truly facing a stranger. I looked up at the door, an unconscious emotion brewing inside me. After breakfast, Caleb said he’d cut some fruit for me. Opening the fridge, he found there was no fruit. He slipped on his jacket and left. On an impulse, I walked to the window and looked down. Caleb’s figure quickly appeared below. A few seconds later, a figure suddenly darted out from the side. Her target was clearly Caleb. My hand gripping the window sill tightened unconsciously. Caleb obviously noticed her too, but he stood still. The moment the girl got close, he suddenly turned his body sideways. She missed him, stumbling to the side. Just as she was about to fall, her body froze in mid-air. A pair of hands gripped her arm firmly. Caleb ultimately didn’t let her fall to the ground. It was too far away for me to hear their conversation. But for some reason, I had a strange feeling that the woman’s face was smiling.

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At the party, my asthma flared up. I fumbled for my emergency inhaler. But the canister was empty. My boyfriend, Derek, explained, “Chloe said her throat was dry, so I gave her your inhaler. You can just have some throat lozenges, that should help.” But my breathing was already getting harder and harder. “If her throat was dry, couldn’t she just drink some water? You guys are trying to kill me!” He frowned, annoyed. “Can you stop being so dramatic? Always acting like you’re made of glass, like you’re some delicate little princess.” “Chloe’s right, you’re just being overly dramatic.” I didn’t argue anymore. I sent a SnapChat message to my mom: “My asthma’s flared up, but Derek gave my inhaler to Chloe.” Derek saw the message and brushed it off. “Are you doing this again? Always running to your mom, are you in elementary school?” He snatched my phone, held it high, and looked down at me. I tried to get my phone back. The moment I stood up, my vision went black, and I fell back down. “My asthma’s acting up, please help me,” I quickly explained. Just then, Chloe walked over, making sure to show off the inhaler in her hand. “Oh my, Aria, little princess, are you *really* that uncomfortable? You’re not just trying to get attention, are you?” “Ugh, I told you guys, we shouldn’t have women at our hangouts. They’re always so whiny, just looking for drama.” I gasped for air, staring intently at Chloe. She was Derek’s childhood friend. She always got along great with guys, often acting like ‘one of the guys.’ Derek had mentioned Chloe to me more than once. He said she was a real tomboy. At first, I actually had a good impression of Chloe, the no-nonsense friend Derek talked about. After our relationship stabilized, Derek introduced me to his friend group. Chloe always made a point of acting like a big supporter of women. “Wow, Derek, you’ve got great taste! Where did you find this goddess?” “Swoon! Girl power, let’s ditch these smelly guys.” But I could always subtly feel Chloe’s eyes on me, filled with a hint of malice. Her methods were clever. She talked a big game about girl power, but her actions clearly showed she was trying to cut me out. For instance, she’d always bring up their childhood memories at parties. I couldn’t join in the conversation and just sat quietly on the side. Then, she’d casually joke with me. “What’s wrong, little princess? Are you upset because I’m talking to Derek?” I had mentioned my discomfort to Derek. But Derek would just say I was petty. He’d say Chloe was just trying to liven things up, and I was too sensitive. But now, Chloe wasn’t even bothering to hide her malice. “Our little princess is just being a princess, isn’t she? Are you upset because we’re not all focused on you, so you’re faking this?” The guys around us burst into mocking laughter. “I’m really not feeling well, give me the inhaler!” I raised my voice. Seeing me like this, the room went silent for a moment. Then, even louder mockery erupted. Chloe put her hand on Derek’s shoulder. She watched me gasp for breath, laughing so hard she almost fell over. “Oh wow, she’s really good at faking it, Derek, aren’t you going to feel bad for her?” The others started egging Derek on too. “Yeah, Derek, you’re not gonna be whipped after you get married, are you?” “Don’t you dare embarrass us! A man’s the head of the house; if your woman acts up, you gotta teach her a lesson.” Derek couldn’t take that kind of jab. He puffed out his chest, avoiding my gaze. “Who’s worried about her? She needs to be put in her place, always making a big deal out of nothing.” I couldn’t breathe. I desperately tugged at Derek’s sleeve, guttural “gasping” sounds escaping my throat. “Help… me…” Seeing me like that, Derek hesitated. But Chloe spoke up again. “Alright, alright, Aria, we’re all just regular guys here. Nobody’s falling for your damsel-in-distress act.” Knowing it was useless to talk to him, I tried to leave the room. But just as I managed to get myself up, Chloe pushed me back down. “The party’s not over yet, how can you leave? That’s rude!” Her grip was surprisingly strong. Before I knew it, the back of my head hit the wall. *Thump!* My head spun even more. I didn’t even have time to react. Chloe screamed first.

She covered her mouth, speaking in an exaggerated tone. “Oh? You’re so manipulative!” “I barely touched you, and you went and hit your head on the wall just to frame me!” Hearing that, Derek’s gaze turned even more impatient. “Aria, you’re going too far.” I bit my lip, trying to stay lucid. “I have severe asthma. If you don’t want someone to die, then stop this right now.” My throat burned, every breath felt like inhaling broken glass. Chloe, however, ostentatiously dangled the inhaler in front of my eyes, then took a big, exaggerated puff from it. “Can’t give it to you, my throat’s dry.” “And I gotta say, you get what you pay for. This thing feels amazing.” I struggled to lift my hand to grab it. She laughed, raising her hand high to avoid me. “Nope, not giving it to you, nope.” I was so furious, my vision swam black again. Derek watched from the side, arms crossed. “Look at you, acting like you’re begging. Chloe’s just using it for a bit, don’t be so petty.” “Chloe even saw your medical report; you don’t have asthma, you just get a little short of breath sometimes.” I forced myself to calm down. “Derek, haven’t you seen me have an attack before? What reason would I have to lie to you?” Before Derek could answer, Chloe cut in. “Of course, it’s for attention. These days, there’s always some attention-seeker faking an illness.” “Hehe, Aria, are you like those ‘little princesses’ online who also claim to have depression?” Hearing that, Derek’s bros around us roared with even louder laughter. Some of them whistled. “Derek, your girlfriend is so petty, not even half as cool as Chloe.” “Yeah, you’ll have your hands full after you get married.” I gasped for air, using my last ounce of strength to reach for the inhaler in Chloe’s hand. But just as my fingertips were about to touch it, she deftly dodged backward. I lost my balance and fell forward onto the carpet. “Oh my, she’s really good at acting, isn’t she?” Chloe exclaimed dramatically. Then she crouched down and whispered, her voice audible only to me. “Hehe, just die already. If you die, it’ll clear the way for Derek and me.” She stood up, deliberately raising her voice. “Aria, stop messing around, get up! Everyone’s waiting for you and Derek to share a drink!” Derek looked a little uneasy. He stepped forward and helped me up. “What’s wrong with you? Are you really not feeling well?” “Help me…” I managed to croak out a few words. My hand gripped Derek’s wrist tightly, only broken gasps escaping. “In… inhaler…” Derek’s brows furrowed, and a flicker of panic and struggle finally appeared in his eyes. He looked at Chloe. “Chloe, maybe just give it to her.” But Chloe’s face immediately fell. She stubbornly hid the inhaler behind her back, stomping her foot in frustration. “Derek, are you blind? She’s clearly faking it! Have you forgotten how she used to throw her little tantrums?” Then, she suddenly looked at the others and yelled, “Look, these drama queens always put on an act! Derek totally fell for it, didn’t he?” The guys immediately backed her up. “Derek, Chloe grew up with all of us. She wouldn’t try to hurt you, would she?” “Girls like her, they just like to make trouble. You can’t spoil her.” Derek’s expression changed. His hand, which was holding me, loosened a little. I could feel his hesitation. On one side was my agonizing attack, on the other, Chloe and their provocations. “But… her face really does look pale…”

Derek seemed worried, his gaze falling on my bloodless lips. Chloe suddenly slapped her own head with an “oops!” “Oh, I saw her go to the restroom earlier with a pad. She’s probably just having period cramps.” She then adopted a sympathetic tone, as if genuinely concerned for me. “Aria, if you’re having period cramps, just say so! Why lie to us and say it’s an asthma attack? You’re just needlessly worrying Derek!” Hearing her, Derek visibly relaxed. His gaze toward me was now filled with reproach. “You can’t joke around like that again. You almost scared me to death.” I didn’t have much strength left. Luckily, I had taken a preventative pill before leaving home. Otherwise, with them stalling like this, I would have been dead already. Chloe, hiding behind Derek, smirked at me provocatively. Then she pulled out a small bottle from her bag. “Here, have some throat lozenges. Aria, isn’t your throat bothering you? Pop one in!” She shoved a lozenge into my mouth without asking. The strong mint flavor rushed into my nasal passages, making the burning sensation in my throat even more intense. I tried to spit it out. But she clamped my jaw shut. “Swallow it! What’s wrong with you? You really are just faking it for sympathy!” Only when I was dry heaving uncontrollably did she let go, turning to Derek. “See? She won’t even eat it. What else could this be but an act?” Derek looked at me, then at the lozenge I had just spit onto the floor. The panic in his eyes vanished, replaced by pure annoyance. He just thought I was making a mountain out of a molehill, being dramatic for no reason. He sighed heavily and roughly pushed me onto the sofa. My back slammed into the armrest, and I gasped in pain. “Alright, let’s just drop this. You can’t do this again in the future.” “No, I…” I wanted to argue, but only ragged gasps escaped my throat. Chloe patted Derek’s shoulder. “Come on, forget her. Let’s go drink. If no one pays attention to her, she’ll be fine in a bit.” Derek nodded. As he walked away, he gave me one last look. His eyes were full of impatience and irritation, but no concern. Chloe pulled him towards the crowd, and before he left, he didn’t forget to throw out a last remark. “Behave yourself, don’t embarrass me anymore.” The rest of the group dispersed too, heading off to drink. I huddled in the corner, watching Derek and Chloe being cheered on to share a drink in the crowd. “Come on, share a drink!” “Don’t be a party pooper, drink up!” “It’s just a game, your girlfriend won’t be that petty, right?” Through my blurry vision, I saw Derek glance at me from afar, then wrap an arm around Chloe and kiss her… I felt the air slowly being sucked out of my lungs. I really couldn’t breathe anymore. My phone lay where Derek had thrown it on the floor. But I didn’t even have the strength to crawl to it. In despair, I suddenly remembered that last month I’d put an asthma pill in my bag. I used my last shred of strength to grope around. My heart leaped when my fingertips brushed against my bag’s strap. I desperately clawed at the strap, pulling it out, the leather rustling against the sofa. The bag was still open. I flipped it. A pill rolled out and landed on the carpet. That was it! It was just an emergency extended-release pill. It wasn’t as fast-acting as the inhaler, but it could buy me more time. I was almost in tears. But as I reached out, my fingertips about to touch the pill—a high heel stomped down.

Right in front of me, the heel repeatedly ground the pill. It was Chloe. She smirked, watching me, her foot still grinding. “Oh, almost got to your medicine, didn’t you?” All the blood rushed to my head. “Get lost! I’ll kill you! My mom won’t let you get away with this!” Suffocation surged. After yelling that, I collapsed back onto the sofa, like a dying animal trapped in a cage. “Hehe, I’m so happy watching you rage like this, so helpless.” Chloe crouched down and poked my face with her long nail. “You deserve this, always trying to steal what’s mine. Derek is mine, even if I don’t want him, he’s certainly not for you.” Then, she grabbed my hair forcefully. “Alright, you can die now.” My scalp burned with pain. I wanted to struggle. But I didn’t even have the strength to lift my hand. “I’m… Sterling—” Through my blurry vision, Chloe’s face was a distorted, grotesque mask. She cut me off. “Derek’s over there drinking,” She leaned close to my ear, her voice sickly sweet. “He’s hardly paying attention to you, is he? Do you think he’d be sad if you died right now?” I tried to bite her hand, but she easily dodged away. She stood up, patted my face, then called out to Derek in the distance. “Derek, come see! Aria looks really angry!” Derek came over when she called. He looked at me, slumped on the sofa, his brow furrowing deeper. “What’s wrong with you now? It’s just period cramps, don’t act like you’re dying. What woman doesn’t have cramps?” “I… I really have…” My voice was barely a whisper. “Have asthma…” Derek’s gaze swept over my pale face, then he looked at Chloe. Chloe helplessly threw up her hands, indicating she could do nothing. Derek fixed his gaze on me, his eyes full of disappointment. “Aria, I’m really fed up with you. If you keep this up, we’re breaking up.” With that, he turned and left, annoyed. Chloe scampered happily behind him, not forgetting to turn back and give me a ‘V’ sign with her fingers. I felt like my lungs were a deflated bellows, every breath tearing at me. The blurry specks in my vision grew denser. Chloe’s face in the distance, bathed in hazy light, flickered closer and farther, like a demon from hell. My eyelids were heavy. Over there, a crowd of people cheered around Chloe. In my peripheral vision, Derek and his bros raised their glasses. Chloe, feigning drunkenness, leaned into Derek’s arms. He didn’t push her away, but instead wrapped his arm tighter around her waist. “Derek…” I used every ounce of strength to call him. My voice was as faint as a mosquito’s buzz. He, as if by some strange impulse, looked back. Chloe immediately stood on tiptoes and whispered something in his ear. He frowned, shaking his head impatiently. At that moment, the last bit of warmth in my heart turned to ice. I slowly closed my eyes. I had so many regrets. Why did I ever get involved with Derek? Derek was just a poor student from an ordinary family. My mother, on the other hand, was a billionaire entrepreneur. I was afraid Derek would feel inferior, so I never told him any of this. He always thought I was just from a slightly better family than his. Chloe came back. She crouched in front of me. “I heard you grew up in a single-parent home. If you die, your mom will be heartbroken, right?” “But it’s okay, Derek can handle your funeral as the quasi-son-in-law. Maybe your mom will soften up and give him all the family fortune…” Chloe was really dreaming. But before she could finish, the private room door suddenly burst open. “Aria!” It was Mom’s voice.

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At the party, I suddenly had an asthma attack. I frantically fumbled through my bag for my emergency inhaler. But the bag was empty. My girlfriend, Chloe, explained: “Noah’s throat was a bit rough, so I let him use your inhaler. Just rest, you’ll feel better.” But I was already struggling to breathe. “He could just drink water for a dry throat! I’m going to have a serious problem without my inhaler!” She frowned, clearly annoyed. “Can you stop acting so delicate? Like you’re some pampered rich kid?” “Noah’s right, you’re just being dramatic.” But I really was the sole heir to a powerful corporation. I texted my mom: “You were right. I’m letting her go.” Chloe Green saw me like that and just scoffed. “Are you seriously tattling? Are you a first grader?” She snatched my phone before I could react, holding it behind her back. I pushed myself up, trying to get it back. But the moment I stood, my vision went black, and I stumbled back down. “I’m having an asthma attack, quick, give me the inhaler!” I gasped, trying to explain. Just then, Noah Miller walked over. He even made sure to wave the inhaler he held. “Oh, Liam, my handsome man, are you really feeling bad? Or are you just faking it?” “Ugh, I told you, guys shouldn’t be at a girls’ night. Men are so calculative, always trying to one-up each other.” I gulped for air, my eyes fixed on Noah. He was Chloe’s male best friend. He usually hung out with girls, calling them his “sisters.” Chloe always talked about Noah. She said he was the ultimate ladies’ man. At first, I didn’t think much of Noah. I just thought he had some unique preferences. After our relationship became stable, Chloe brought me to meet her friends. That’s when I met Noah. He seemed very enthusiastic when he faced me. “Oh my god, Chloe, you have such great taste! Where did you find this handsome man?” “Liam, with your looks, you must have women falling all over you. Why did you pick our Chloe?” His words felt off to me. But everyone else seemed used to it. I, however, always vaguely felt Noah’s gaze on me, carrying an undeniable malice. Noah’s methods were clever. He acted like he welcomed me, but his actions deliberately ignored me. For example, he loved to bring up their old inside jokes during parties. I couldn’t get a word in, just sat there, forcing a smile. Then, he’d crack a joke with me. “What’s wrong, handsome? Are you upset because I’m talking to Chloe?” When we got back, I told Chloe that their behavior made me uncomfortable. But Chloe said I was overthinking, that I was too sensitive. “Noah just wants to liven things up. You’re too petty.” My memories snapped back to the present. Noah’s malice was no longer hidden. “Mr. Handsome is just different, huh? Upset we’re not all revolving around him, so he’s faking sick?” A few women around us snickered at his words. “I’m really having an asthma attack! Give me the inhaler!” I yelled, my voice hoarse. I was fuming. I lunged, aiming a punch at Noah’s face. But I was too weak. My fist was like cotton, easily dodged by him. Seeing me like this, the room went quiet for a second. Then, even louder taunts erupted. Noah wrapped an arm around Chloe’s shoulder, laughing so hard he doubled over. “Not bad, you’re really committed to the act. Chloe, you’re not going to feel sorry for him, are you?” The other women joined in, egging Chloe on. “Yeah, Chloe, you can’t embarrass us, your girls!” “You need to keep your boyfriend in line, or he’ll walk all over you.” Chloe couldn’t stand being challenged like that. She immediately puffed out her neck and retorted. “What are you guys talking about? Why would I go soft? If he doesn’t listen to me, he deserves a lesson.” I couldn’t breathe. I didn’t want to die! I desperately tried to call for help, but only a rasping “h-h-h” sound came from my throat. “Help me…” Seeing my torment, Chloe hesitated. But Noah spoke up again. “Alright, alright, Liam. Everyone here is too straightforward; nobody’s falling for your manipulative act.” Knowing it was useless to talk to them, I pushed myself up, wanting to leave the room. But just as I got up, Noah shoved me back down. “The party just started, and you’re leaving? That’s just disrespecting me!” Noah’s grip was strong. With his forceful pull, the back of my head hit the wall. *Thud!* My head spun even more. I just hissed in pain. Noah, however, dramatically cried out.

He pursed his lips and spoke in disbelief. “Wow? You’re so good at competing for attention! I barely touched you, and you went and hit your head on the wall just to frame me?” Hearing that, Chloe looked at me with even more impatience. “Liam, you’re going too far.” I dug my nails into my palms, trying to stay conscious. “I… I have severe asthma. If you don’t want to cause a fatality, stop this now.” My throat burned. Every breath felt like broken glass scraping against it. Noah suddenly laughed. He dangled the inhaler in front of me, flaunting it. Then, he took an exaggerated, deep puff from it. “You know what? Expensive stuff really is good. This works wonders! My throat isn’t dry anymore.” I lifted my hand, trying to snatch it. He laughed and neatly evaded me. “Can’t give it to you, I’m not done using it yet.” I was so enraged my condition worsened, and I nearly blacked out. Chloe stood there, hands on her hips, watching. “See how petty you are? Noah’s just using it for a bit. Why are you so particular?” “Noah saw your medical report; you don’t have asthma, you’re just a little weak.” I forced myself to calm down. “Chloe, what reason would I have to lie to you?” Chloe had clearly seen me having an asthma attack before. Noah seized the moment to interject. “Tsk, tsk, in this day and age, there are always some idiots who fake illnesses for attention.” “Liam, are you like those idiots online who claim they have depression too?” At his words, the room erupted in laughter. They were all making snide remarks. “Chloe, your boyfriend is hilarious, but he’s got nothing on Noah.” “Yeah, if you ever marry him, you’ll be in for it.” My face was turning purple from lack of air, but I strained with all my might to reach for the inhaler in Noah’s hand. Just as my fingers brushed it, he dodged backward. I lost my balance and fell forward. “Oh, wow, so dedicated to the fake illness act!” Noah exclaimed. Then he crouched down, lowering his voice to whisper in my ear: “Go die. If you die, Chloe and I can be together openly.” Then, Noah stood up, putting an arm around Chloe. “Alright, get up, we’re still waiting for you and Chloe to do a couple’s toast.” Chloe seemed to sense something was wrong. She stepped forward and helped me up. “What’s going on? Do you really have asthma?” “Help me…” I managed to force out two words, a broken gasp escaping my throat. “Give me… the in-inhaler…” Chloe’s brows were tightly knitted, and her eyes showed a flicker of panic and struggle. She tentatively spoke. “Maybe we should give him the inhaler.” Noah’s face instantly dropped. “Chloe, don’t let him fool you! He’s clearly faking it; you can’t let him manipulate you!” “See? These manipulative guys always pretend, and Chloe almost fell for it.” The others immediately chimed in. “Yeah, Noah’s been our friend for so long, he wouldn’t hurt you, would he?” “These manipulative guys, they just love to stir up trouble. You can’t indulge him.” Sure enough, Chloe’s expression changed. Her hand, which had been supporting me, loosened slightly. She was hesitating. “But… his face really does look a bit…”

Chloe’s gaze fell on my pale face. Noah suddenly clapped his hand to his head, looking troubled. “Oh, I remember! His medical report said he had low blood sugar.” He then put on a show of caring about me. “If you have low blood sugar, just say so! Why pretend it’s an asthma attack? You’re just needlessly worrying Chloe!” Hearing that explanation, Chloe visibly relaxed. Her gaze held even more blame as she looked at me. “Don’t ever joke like that again. You scared me to death just now.” I didn’t even have the strength to argue anymore. Noah, when no one was looking, gave me a provocative smirk. Then he pulled a mint candy from his pocket. “Here, have some candy! You’re not feeling well, right? Pop one in!” He shoved the mint candy into my mouth without a word. The mint flavor assaulted my nasal passages, making the stinging in my throat even more intense. I desperately tried to spit it out. Noah clamped down hard on my jaw. “Swallow it! What are you doing? This is for your own good! You really are just faking sick for sympathy.” Only when I gagged uncontrollably did Noah release me. He turned to Chloe: “See? He refuses to eat it. He’s clearly just faking illness.” Chloe looked at me, then at the mint candy I’d just vomited onto the floor. Her eyes were full of irritation. “Alright, that’s enough. Don’t do this again.” “I…” I wanted to object, but only raspy “h-h-h” sounds came from my throat. Noah put his arm around Chloe’s shoulder. “Come on, let’s go drink. Drama queens like him get over it when no one pays attention.” Chloe nodded. As she left, she glanced at me. Her eyes held only disappointment and impatience, not a hint of worry. “Behave yourself. Don’t cause trouble again.” The group around them dispersed, heading off to drink. I collapsed onto the sofa, watching the crowd cheer for Chloe and Noah. “Couple’s toast! Couple’s toast!” “Don’t be a spoilsport, hurry up and do the couple’s toast!” “It’s just a game, your girlfriend wouldn’t be that petty, right?” Through my blurring vision, I saw Chloe look back once, then stand on tiptoe and kiss Noah… My consciousness grew increasingly hazy. In my periphery, I saw my phone carelessly tossed onto the floor. But I couldn’t even crawl to it. In despair, I suddenly remembered I might have an asthma pill in my jacket pocket. I’d taken off my jacket earlier. Using my last ounce of strength, I fumbled backward, reaching. My heart leaped when my fingertips brushed the jacket. I desperately pulled it towards me. The pocket zipper was open. I flipped it. A pill rolled out and dropped onto the carpet. This was it—the emergency extended-release pill. I was practically crying. Though not as fast-acting as the inhaler, the pill could give me some relief. But as I stretched out my hand, just as my fingers were about to touch the pill—a leather shoe stomped on it.

My eyes were bloodshot. My life-saving medication was being crushed under a leather shoe, repeatedly. It was Noah. He curled his lips into a malicious smile. His foot kept grinding the pill. “Want to eat it, huh? In your dreams.” All the blood rushed to my head. “I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you!” Despair surged through me. After shouting that, I slumped back onto the sofa, like a dying trapped animal. Noah, however, laughed even more hysterically. “Seeing you so angry makes me so happy.” “Don’t act innocent either; you were the one trying to steal what’s mine. Remember, Chloe is mine. Even if I don’t want her, she’ll never be yours.” With that, he violently grabbed my hair and slammed my head against the ground. “You can just die.” My head hit the floor, and the pain felt numb. I wanted to fight back. But I didn’t even have the strength to lift my arm. “I am… the Hayes heir—” Through my blurred vision, Noah’s face was distorted and menacing. He cut me off. “Tell me, if you died, would Chloe be sad?” I wanted to bite a chunk out of him, but he easily dodged. He stood up, pulled me to my feet, and threw me onto the sofa. Then he yelled towards Chloe, “Chloe, come quick! Your little boyfriend is throwing a fit again!” Chloe walked over, called by his voice. She looked at me, lying helplessly on the sofa, her brows furrowed even tighter. “What are you doing now? It’s just low blood sugar, I gave you candy, what are you still making a fuss about?” “I… I really have…” my voice was faint, “have asthma…” Noah shrugged, feigning helplessness. Chloe fixed her gaze on me, her eyes full of disappointment. “Liam, I’m really fed up with you. If you keep causing trouble, let’s just break up.” With that, she turned and stormed away. Noah subtly gave me a ‘V’ sign with his fingers, then turned and followed Chloe. I felt like my lungs were a leaky, broken bellows, each breath tearing at me. My eyelids grew heavier and heavier. Over there, a group of people were cheering excitedly around Chloe and Noah. In my periphery, Noah, pretending to be drunk, was embracing Chloe intimately. Chloe didn’t push him away; instead, she wrapped her arms tighter around his waist. “Chloe…” my voice was very, very faint. Chloe, as if by some strange impulse, looked back at me. Noah leaned in and whispered something into her ear at that moment. I don’t know what he said, but Chloe laughed happily. In that instant, my last flicker of hope died. I weakly closed my eyes. I had so many regrets. Chloe came from an ordinary family. And I was the sole heir of the Hayes Group. To bridge the gap between us and prevent Chloe from feeling inferior, I had never told her any of this. Yet, I never imagined my consideration would become the very reason she looked down on me. Noah somehow walked back. He gritted his teeth, his voice barely a whisper. “I heard your dad died a long time ago, and your mom raised you. Tsk, tsk, if you died, your mom would cry herself to death, wouldn’t she?” “But it’s okay, Chloe will be there to take care of your mom as your future daughter-in-law, and your family’s fortune will belong to Chloe and me…” Noah was truly dreaming. But just then, the private room door suddenly burst open. “Liam!” It was my mom’s voice.

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So, you accidentally swapped lives with an ancient emperor. How do you survive 30 days without getting yourself killed? It’s actually pretty simple. Just three steps: Step one: Facing the dreaded ‘bedding’ ceremony? Bluff your way through using high-minded, statesman-like rhetoric to deflect the crisis. Step two: Confronted by scheming ministers in court? Dismantle their old-world schemes with modern project management strategies. Step three: Forced into a royal wedding with another woman? Don’t panic. Just… improvise. And guess what? I survived, came back in one piece, and even brought a ‘Beginner’s Guide to Imperial Revolution’ with me. You’re welcome. **Chapter 1: Trapped as a Tyrant – Waiting to Die** The world glitched. A crazy new game called “Life Swap” popped up, letting you trade lives with anyone. It went viral, totally blew up overnight. All you had to do was scan your face and upload your ID, then boom – you’d switch identities with someone for a set amount of time. I jumped right in, couldn’t wait. **[Match Found. Identity Swap Successful.]** The game’s notification barely faded. And then, I was soaking in a steaming hot bath. The white marble tub was carved with intricate patterns, rose petals floated on the surface, and the air hung heavy with a decadent, exotic incense. Around me, a circle of maids knelt, trembling, only daring to peek at me from the corners of their eyes. Is this some kind of VIP millionaire experience pass? A thrill shot through me. Just then, a flood of chaotic memories slammed into my mind like a tidal wave. The ancient Empire of Veritas, the third year of Emperor Julian’s reign. Julian, a notorious tyrant, known for his unpredictable rage and a body count higher than the palace walls. The identity I’d swapped into? The infamous young tyrant, renowned for wiping out entire families on a whim! “Your Majesty…” From outside the chamber, a sycophantic yet subtly mocking voice spoke up. It was Master Bellamy, the chief steward. “Lady Seraphina, your most favored consort, is ready. Shall we bring her in to assist you with your bath?” My mind exploded. I instinctively shot up from the water. Warm water streamed off my body, and I looked down, instantly frozen with shock. It was still *my* body! Fair skin, delicate curves—all the undeniable features of a woman, made even clearer by the steamy air! Damn this game! It only swapped identities and locations, not bodies! “Your Majesty?” Master Bellamy’s voice held a hint of confusion. I was terrified out of my wits. If he walked in and saw the Emperor’s sacred body had turned into a woman’s, I’d probably be tortured to death on the spot. “Get out!” Thinking fast, I forced my voice low, imitating the tyrant’s muffled roar from the memories. “I’m feeling under the weather today, and I have no desire for bloodshed. Get out!” Master Bellamy outside clearly froze for a second, then actually seemed to relax, chuckling obsequiously. “Your Majesty is truly merciful! This servant was foolish. So… by imperial decree, shall Lady Seraphina be beaten to death and cast out of the palace?” What?! My scalp prickled instantly. A human life, dismissed so casually by him. I couldn’t let him follow the tyrant’s logic any further. “Silence!” I slammed my hand onto the water, sending a huge splash flying. My voice trembled with fear and anger, but to them, it sounded like the prelude to a terrifying rage. “I’ve changed my mind! From this day forward, I will not harm women! Dare to question my will again, and I’ll have your tongue cut out!” This statement, completely out of character for the tyrant, clearly stunned everyone outside the door. After a long, chilling silence, Master Bellamy’s tearful kowtows echoed. “Your Majesty, please forgive this lowly servant! I deserve death! I will never dare again!” Listening to their scrambling footsteps retreating. My legs went weak. I collapsed back into the bath, letting the warm water cover my shoulders. Staring at this female body hidden beneath the Emperor’s robes, I sank into unprecedented despair. This damned tyrant experience pass? It started on hell mode! **Chapter 2: Imperial Court – A Battle of Wits** The next morning, I was practically dug out of the imperial bed by the palace staff. Layers of heavy, intricate robes felt like a suffocating cage. Worst of all, to conceal my female figure, I had to bind my chest tightly with long strips of cloth. Every breath felt painful and constricted. Pale-faced and wobbly-legged, I was finally carried to the morning court. In the Imperial Throne Room, hundreds of officials knelt, chanting, “Long Live the Emperor!” I sat on the high throne, my legs trembling. “Any petitions? Otherwise, court is adjourned—” The steward’s announcement had just finished. When a middle-aged man in sumptuous royal robes, exuding an air of authority, stepped forward. He was Duke Silas Thorne, the all-powerful Regent, and by blood, the Emperor’s uncle. “Your Majesty,” his voice was booming, filled with immense pressure. “The northern barbarians are restless, and our border defense funds are critically low. I believe the most pressing matter is to increase taxes by thirty percent to replenish the national treasury and assert our nation’s might!” The entire court fell silent. I immediately sifted through the original Emperor’s memories. The treasury wasn’t empty at all. This old fox was trying to seize an opportunity to line his pockets and, incidentally, test me – the puppet Emperor who had changed so drastically last night. Isn’t this just a corporate stress test? A cold smirk touched my lips. I suppressed my nervousness and spoke. “Uncle, your words are flawed. A forced tax increase would be like killing the goose that lays the golden eggs, only inciting rebellion among the people. The matter of the national treasury should prioritize increasing revenue and cutting expenses.” “Increasing revenue? Cutting expenses?” The Regent’s eyes flashed with disdain. “Tell us, Your Majesty, how do you propose to increase revenue, and how do you propose to cut expenses?” Here we go! That’s what I was waiting for. I cleared my throat, ready to unleash my modern-thinking combo. “Increase revenue?” I leaned slightly forward, my voice not loud, but clear, echoing through the grand hall. “Firstly, thoroughly investigate all illicit salt and iron mines across the land, bringing all their profits under state control. Secondly, transform the royal hunting grounds into a major trade hub, levying transit taxes on all passing merchant caravans. My hunting grounds won’t lie fallow for free.” At these words, many officials’ faces subtly shifted, clearly agitated that their interests were being touched. I ignored them, pressing on, “As for cutting expenses, it’s even simpler!” My gaze swept across the room, my voice low, laced with my carefully mimicked tyrannical edge. “Firstly, downsize the Imperial Harem. Three hundred consorts out of three thousand are quite enough. The rest shall be given severance pay; those who wish to return home may do so, and those who wish to remain in the palace may serve as maids. All their allowances shall be halved!” “Secondly,” I shifted my focus, my eyes locking onto the Regent. “Reduce the stipends of the Royal Clan! Uncle, as the head of the Royal Clan, you should lead by example for our Empire of Veritas. Your stipend, for instance, shall be cut by half, as a clear demonstration, won’t it?” This was a direct hit, a dimensional reduction attack that struck directly at Duke Silas’s most vulnerable point. He never dreamed that this puppet nephew, whom he’d always manipulated, would dare to turn the knife on him. “Your Majesty! Absolutely not! This goes against ancestral law!” The Regent’s face turned ashen, finally cracking under pressure. “Ancestral law?” I slammed my hand onto the armrest of the throne. “Is ancestral law meant to keep the common folk well-fed, or to let you bloated, corrupt parasites gorge yourselves?! I say, what needs changing most are these very ancestral laws that enable your corruption!” My words left the Regent speechless, his face flushing a deep purple. Meanwhile, a few old ministers in the ranks, long suppressed by him, now had eyes that blazed with an astonishing light. Their gazes, initially contemptuous and numb, had transformed into disbelieving awe and respect. I tasted the sweet nectar of power for the first time, but I also clearly felt it. When the Regent lowered his head, the look he shot me was filled with undisguised murderous intent. **Chapter 3: The Empress Dowager’s Feast – A Perilous Trap** My unusual behavior quickly reached the Imperial Harem. The Regent’s elder sister, the current Empress Dowager Beatrice, couldn’t sit still. Under the guise of caring for my health, she arranged a perilous trap disguised as a feast in the warm pavilion of the Royal Gardens. Inside the pavilion, incense swirled, and soft music played. The Empress Dowager sat regally at the head of the table, surrounded by a group of alluring consorts. “The Emperor has been toiling for the nation lately, he’s grown quite thin.” The Empress Dowager smiled warmly at me, but her eyes held a malicious glint. “Come, my consorts, let us toast His Majesty properly, to ease his fatigue.” No sooner had she spoken than a svelte consort, holding a wine cup, melted against me, her breath like exotic perfume. “Your Majesty, I toast you…” The heavy scent of her perfume and her warm body sent shivers down my spine. I stiffly pulled away, terrified that the tightly bound cloth across my chest would burst open. “I… I don’t care for heavy perfumes.” I mumbled a clumsy excuse, then grabbed a cup and downed its contents in one gulp. Another bolder consort directly picked up a pastry and tried to feed it to me. “Your Majesty, try this…” I practically scrambled away from her. My repeated rejections made the atmosphere in the pavilion grow increasingly strange. The Empress Dowager’s smile slowly faded. Finally, she revealed her true intentions. “Oh dear,” the Empress Dowager sighed softly, her face full of concern. “The Emperor keeps refusing. Is His Majesty perhaps unwell? I hear there’s a Physician Alistair Finch who recently arrived in the palace, whose legendary technique of pulse diagnosis is truly remarkable. Regardless of gender—” “Oh, no, regardless of condition, he can discern it instantly. I specially invited him to examine Your Majesty.” As her words fell, an old man with a goatee emerged from behind the screen, his eyes sharp. “This humble servant, Physician Finch, requests to take Your Majesty’s pulse.” My heart instantly plummeted. Pulse diagnosis by thread? Isn’t that like an ancient x-ray or ultrasound! Once he got a reading, my faint female pulse and the constricted breathing from my bound chest would definitely give me away! Treason, punishable by the harshest death! Even though I was technically the Emperor, the premise was that I had to be the *real* Emperor. Cold sweat instantly soaked my inner robes. My hands and feet felt icy, my mind a blank. What do I do? What do I do?! Just then, my gaze swept across the room and suddenly landed on a young palace attendant, Leo, kneeling in a corner, holding a fruit platter. A consort accidentally bumped him as she turned, and the platter crashed to the ground, sending fruit scattering everywhere. The chief steward next to him immediately stomped on his hand, cursing loudly. “Clumsy fool!” Leo’s face contorted in pain, but he bit down hard, not letting out a single sound. While everyone else was gloating, watching me, the Emperor, make a fool of myself. Only he, even with the agonizing pain of his crushed hand, looked up quickly at me. In his eyes, there was no fear, only the bitter resentment of being bullied, and a desperate plea for help. My heart suddenly leaped. A crazy, desperate plan instantly formed in my mind. **Chapter 4: The Vault Burns** Just as Doctor Finch, twirling his thread, was about to touch my wrist – that split second of ultimate suspense. “Insolence!” I slammed my hand onto the table, the throne rattling with a loud bang. I pointed at Leo, the young attendant who had dropped the platter, and roared with all my might. “How dare you! To be so disrespectful in front of the Empress Dowager and my beloved consorts, and to disturb my royal presence! Take him away, execute him at once!” This furious shout was filled with the unpredictable, unhinged fury of the original Emperor. Everyone was startled by this sudden resurgence of my tyrannical nature. The Empress Dowager even revealed a satisfied smile. What she wanted was this incompetent Emperor, ravaged by wine and women, utterly devoid of initiative. Not the wise ruler who dared to challenge her brother in court. Leo was dragged away by two guards. When he looked back at me, his eyes were full of despair and confusion. I forced back my inner apology, then stood, bowed to the Empress Dowager, and said impatiently. “This clumsy servant has ruined my mood! I need to change my clothes!” With that, I brushed past everyone and strode out of the warm pavilion. But I didn’t return to my private quarters. Instead, I shook off the pursuing stewards at a corner, took a shortcut, and ran desperately towards the Royal Penitentiary, the department in charge of punishments. When I arrived, breathless, the executioner’s blade was already raised high. “Stop!” The blade halted less than an inch from Leo’s neck. In the dark, damp woodshed of the Royal Penitentiary, I personally untied the ropes binding Leo. He knelt on the ground, still shaking from the shock. “Do you want to live?” I stared into his eyes, cutting straight to the point. “If you want to live and become my confidant, do something for me.” Leo snapped his head up, his eyes blazing with intense light. I leaned in close, whispering so only he could hear. “Go set a fire. Burn down Duke Silas Thorne’s private chambers, the Obsidian Vault, where he stores his official documents. Make sure it’s as big a scene as possible, but don’t harm a single person!” The despair in Leo’s eyes instantly transformed into surprise, then a fierce resolve. Anything to stay alive. He kowtowed deeply, then vanished into the night without a word. I quickly tidied my appearance and returned to the banquet, pretending nothing had happened, continuing to play my part with the Empress Dowager. Less than fifteen minutes later. “Fire! The Obsidian Vault is on fire—!” In the distance, flames blazed, painting half the night sky crimson. Alarm bells rang throughout the Imperial Palace. I erupted in fury, pushing away Doctor Finch, who was still trying to take my pulse, and pointed at the commotion outside. “There’s chaos in the capital, assassins must be at work! What are you useless quacks doing here, trying to take credit! Guards! Protect the Emperor!” I seized the opportunity to wrest temporary command of the Imperial Guard from Duke Silas’s loyalists. At the same time, under the pretext of searching for assassins and imposing a city-wide lockdown, I confined all of the Empress Dowager’s and Duke Silas’s informants within the palace, successfully deflecting the medical crisis. I had just caught my breath in my chambers when Leo, smelling of smoke, stumbled in. Behind him, a breathless messenger, just arrived from the border, rushed in! The messenger dropped to his knees, his voice hoarse: “Report—! The northern barbarians have torn up the peace treaty! Thirty thousand troops are amassed outside Serpent’s Pass!” “The barbarian princess has issued an ultimatum: she demands to marry the Empire of Veritas’s War God, our Emperor, on the battlefield in two days! Otherwise, she will raze the city!” I shuddered, turning sharply to look outside. The unsettling smirk that had played on Duke Silas’s lips just before his confinement flashed in my mind. I instantly understood. This was no mere diplomatic marriage. This was a death trap he had set, one I could absolutely not escape! How could I, a woman, marry a warrior princess known for her strength, in front of thirty thousand soldiers from two nations?! At the same time, on my phone—the interface only I could see—the cold notification rang again: **[WARNING: High-Risk Quest Triggered. Time Remaining: 72 Hours.]** **Chapter 5: Battlefield Negotiation** I had no choice. Two days later, on the battlements of Serpent’s Pass, the north wind cut like a blade. I wore heavy golden armor, and underneath, still that suffocating chest binder. Amidst the mournful wails of my officials, lamenting their Emperor’s sacrifice for the nation, I walked alone to the highest battlements of the fortress. Below, the barbarian army stretched as far as the eye could see, a dark, ominous mass, their murderous aura reaching the sky. At the front of their lines, a magnificent warhorse carried a woman in crimson battle armor. Her posture was as straight as a pine, her face cold and stunning, and her phoenix-like eyes were sharp. Even from a hundred paces, I could feel the hardened, battle-forged aura emanating from her. She was Princess Anya Volkov, the legendary warrior princess of the northern barbarians. “I heard the Emperor of Veritas is just a sickly man who hides in his palace, playing with women,” she began, her voice clear and carrying across the entire battlefield. “Is he truly worthy of marrying me, Anya Volkov, on the battlefield? Worthy of being called a War God?” Her words were laced with undisguised contempt. I didn’t get angry. Instead, I took a deep breath, employing every negotiation trick I’d learned in my previous life, and spoke loudly. “Princess, you claim this is a marriage alliance, but in truth, you seek to gauge our strength. If I were truly a sickly man, marrying me would mean you’d be a widow in all but name, and the world would mock you.” “If I am not a sickly man, then you would be subservient, living in my shadow. No matter how you look at it, Princess, this deal offers you nothing but losses, doesn’t it?” My words clearly startled Anya. She hadn’t expected me to so directly expose her intentions. I pressed my advantage, adding more. “The real beneficiary of our marriage would be my Regent, who schemes to see me disgraced.” “And if we go to war, the beneficiaries would be the neighboring nations, who eagerly await our mutual destruction. Princess, we are both pawns in a larger game. Perhaps, we should discuss a third move on this chessboard?” “A third move?” A flicker of interest appeared in her eyes. “Please, Princess, enter the fortress for a discussion!” I called out, “I, the Emperor of Veritas, guarantee that not a single hair on your head will be harmed!” “Alright!” She was surprisingly bold, tossing her weapon to her deputy and riding alone towards the fortress. In the secret chamber of the fortress, only the two of us remained. Under Anya’s scrutinizing gaze, I said nothing, laboriously removing my heavy armor. Then, right in front of her, I slowly, layer by layer, pulled off the binding cloth that had made it so hard for me to breathe. When my female features were fully revealed to her. The battle-hardened warrior princess, for the first time, showed a look of sheer astonishment. “Now, we can talk about a real partnership.” I looked into her shocked eyes and said, word for word, “I am a woman. Princess, to have established yourself among the northern barbarians, you must understand the difficulties women face in positions of power.”

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I was Anya Callahan, heiress to the rich Callahan family, engaged to the man who was supposedly devoted to me, Jasper Hayes, and blessed with a sweet and innocent-looking stepsister, Willow. Then, overnight, I started hearing their thoughts. Jasper held me close, his voice soft and tender, “Anya, I only love you.” [This idiot. Just get her family’s heirloom into my hands, and I’ll dump her so fast.] The next day, I donated the heirloom to the National Heritage Museum. Then, I grabbed all the property deeds under my name and ran straight to the story’s biggest villain, Sterling Thorne. “Brother, I’m homeless. Can you take me in?” I froze in Jasper’s embrace. The crisp cedar scent on him mixed with the stench of his true thoughts, making my stomach churn. [Why isn’t she agreeing yet? Usually, a few sweet words are all it takes. What’s taking her so long today?] Jasper saw my lack of reaction, tightening his arms around me, his voice growing even more affectionate. “Anya, what’s wrong? Don’t you trust me?” His handsome face was etched with a perfect show of hurt, his eyes overflowing with what seemed like deep affection. If his thoughts weren’t scrolling like a news ticker in my head, I would honestly believe he loved me to his very core. Beside us, Willow chose that moment to tug at my hand, her tears streaming down her face like a heartbroken angel. “Sister, please don’t blame Jasper. It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t even exist; I’m the one who caused trouble between you two.” She cried so genuinely, as if I were some kind of wicked witch. [Hurry up and fight! The nastier the fight, the better! Once Anya gets kicked out, I’ll be the Callahan family’s only young miss! Jasper will be mine, and everything the Callahans have will be mine too!] So that was it. Turns out, I wasn’t living in some fairytale billionaire romance. I was living inside a massive scam. I was the villainess destined for ruin in this story, existing only to use my stupidity and arrogance to highlight the protagonist, Willow’s, kindness and resilience. In the end, they’d team up to destroy my family and leave me to a miserable death. But now, I’d transmigrated, and as a bonus, I’d gained a unique gift: the ability to hear people’s true thoughts. I stared at the disgusting, conniving duo performing in front of me, my stomach churning. I violently shoved Jasper away. In his stunned gaze, I raised my hand and slapped Willow hard across the face. *Smack!* The sound echoed, crisp and loud. The living room fell silent instantly. Willow clutched her cheek, staring at me in disbelief, tears spilling like broken beads. Jasper reacted first, pulling Willow behind him and glaring at me, enraged. “Anya! Have you lost your mind?! Why would you hit Willow?!” [Good hit! That’s exactly what we need! Richard will hate her even more now!] Jasper’s thoughts mirrored his furious expression, but the reasons for his anger were entirely different. I sneered, pointing at Willow. “She deserved it.” “You…” Jasper spluttered, choked with rage. Willow, however, peeked out from behind him, shaking her head as she sobbed. “Jasper, don’t blame Sister. It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have made her angry…” [Yes, just like that. Keep scolding her. The harsher you scold, the more Dad will pity me.] I watched her sickeningly sweet, innocent act and could only find it hilarious. “Alright, enough with the act,” I said, glancing around. My gaze landed on the antique painting on the wall, which was supposedly a family heirloom. “Isn’t this what you wanted?” Jasper and Willow’s breaths hitched simultaneously. Jasper quickly suppressed the greed in his eyes, frowning. “Anya, what are you talking about? I just love you. This has nothing to do with your family’s things.” [How did she know? Did someone spill the beans? No, I have to keep her calm.] I couldn’t be bothered with their nonsense anymore. I walked directly towards the painting. “If you want it, you’ll have to earn it,” I turned back, flashing them a dazzling smile. “Otherwise, I’d rather burn it to ashes than let you get your grubby hands on it.” With that, I turned and headed upstairs, leaving two ashen-faced figures in the living room. Back in my room, I locked the door. All the strength seemed to drain from my body, and I slid down the door to the floor. My heart was still pounding. Not from fear, but from the immense relief of escaping and the boiling rage within me. What they truly wanted was the treasure map hidden behind that ancient painting.

In the original story, they sweet-talked me, and I傻乎乎地 (stupidly) handed the painting over to Jasper. He then used the treasure to rise as a rising star among the city’s elite. After that, he dumped me cold and rode off into the sunset together with Willow. As for me, after they’d drained me of everything, they conspired to have me committed to a psychiatric hospital. This time, I wouldn’t let them succeed. I pulled out my phone and dialed a number. “Hello, is this the National Heritage Museum? I have a family heirloom that I would like to donate to the nation, free of charge.” There was a moment of silence on the other end, followed by a voice, surprised yet restrained. “Ma’am, are you sure you want to donate it without compensation?” “Absolutely,” I said calmly. “Tomorrow morning at nine, I’ll be waiting for you at home.” I hung up, deleted the call record, my mood strangely calm. Since you two want it so badly, I’ll send it somewhere you can never touch. The next morning, I specifically chose a vibrant red dress and applied exquisite makeup. Downstairs, Jasper and Willow had already arrived, sitting on the sofa with my parents, Richard and Eleanor. When I came down, Jasper immediately stood up, his face showing the perfect amount of concern. “Anya, I was too impulsive last night. Please don’t be angry anymore.” [This stupid woman. I have to get that painting today.] Willow, her eyes red-rimmed, spoke timidly, “Sister, I’m so sorry…” [Just hand over the painting already, I can’t keep this act up.] My father, Richard Callahan, glared, slamming his hand on the table. “Anya! Apologize to Willow and Jasper!” [This ill-mannered girl. If it weren’t for her grandfather’s shares, I would have kicked her out long ago.] My mother, Eleanor, wiped her tears. “Anya, how could you become like this? Willow is your sister!” [My sweet Willow is suffering. Anya is such an ungrateful viper.] This family was truly a picture of perfect harmony. I smoothed my dress and sat opposite them, as if I hadn’t heard my father’s outburst. “Dad, Mom,” I said, smiling. “I’ve invited some very important guests today. You should really watch your behavior, or you’ll embarrass the Callahan family.” Richard paused, bewildered. “What guests?” Jasper and Willow exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with wariness. Just as I finished speaking, the doorbell rang. I got up to open the door. Standing outside were several elegantly dressed middle-aged individuals in uniforms. The leader extended his hand to me, his voice filled with excited restraint. “You must be Ms. Callahan? I’m the director of the National Heritage Museum. Thank you so much for your support of our national cultural preservation efforts!” I smiled and shook his hand. “You’re too kind. It’s the least I could do.” The four people in the living room, upon seeing the IDs pinned to the visitors’ chests, instantly turned pale. Especially Jasper. He stared at me, his eyes practically spitting fire. [She actually donated the painting?! This lunatic! How could she?!] Willow was also dumbfounded, covering her mouth, trembling all over. [It’s over, it’s over, my billionaire dream… No, there’s still a chance. She must be lying!] My father, Richard, was the first to react. He shot up, pointing at me, his lips trembling with rage. “Anya! You… what have you done!” I turned back, my smile even brighter. “Dad, I donated the family heirloom to the nation. This is a truly honorable act, a boost for national pride. You should be proud of me.” The museum staff clearly hadn’t anticipated such a tense, hostile scene and looked a bit awkward. Ignoring my father’s murderous glare, I stepped aside. “Please come in, gentlemen. The painting is right there on the wall.” The director and the experts carefully took down the antique painting and began their on-site appraisal.

The atmosphere in the living room was thick enough to cut with a knife. Richard’s chest heaved with suppressed fury. Eleanor wept incessantly. Willow and Jasper looked as though their souls had been sucked out, their faces ashen. Soon, the experts delivered their verdict. “Ms. Callahan, this is indeed an authentic work by the former master, Master Xu, *Autumn Mountain Journey*. Its market value is estimated to be at least nine figures. And yes, there’s something hidden in the back lining of the painting… it appears to be a map?” The expert’s words were a heavy hammer, striking Jasper’s heart. [A map! It really was a map! That b*tch Anya! She ruined everything for me!] I watched his twisted face, a wave of satisfaction washing over me. The donation ceremony went smoothly. The director personally presented me with a certificate of honor and a banner. Reporters snapped countless photos of me. “Ms. Callahan, your spirit of selfless dedication is truly admirable and an example for us all!” “Indeed, to have such foresight at such a young age, Mr. Callahan has certainly raised his daughter well!” The reporters’ words made my father’s face change from white to green, then to purple, a truly spectacular display. He wanted to erupt but was constrained by the cameras, managing only a smile uglier than a cry. “It’s… it’s nothing…” After seeing off the museum staff and reporters, as soon as the living room door closed, Richard’s palm swung towards my face. “You ungrateful daughter!” I had anticipated it, dodging aside. His slap missed, making him tremble with even greater rage. Jasper also finally shed his pretense. He rushed forward, grabbing my shoulders and shaking me forcefully. “Anya! Why would you do this?! Do you have any idea how important that painting was to me?!” [I’ll kill her! I swear I’ll kill this woman who ruined my future!] I felt dizzy from his shaking but still met his gaze with a cold sneer. “How important? More important than your life?” Willow cried out, rushing to pull him away. “Jasper, don’t be like this. Sister surely didn’t mean to…” [What do I do? What do I do? Without the treasure, will Jasper still want me? No, I can’t lose him!] “Get off me!” I flung her hand away, my gaze as cold as ice. “Stop your sickeningly sweet act. It’s disgusting to watch.” Eleanor shrieked, rushing over to embrace Willow, who I’d pushed to the floor. “My Willow! Anya, you viper! She’s your sister!” I looked at this family, twisted and deceitful, and my heart finally turned to stone. “From today onwards, I am cutting all ties with the Callahans.” I pulled out the documents I’d prepared earlier from my bag and slapped them onto the table. “This villa was left to me by my grandfather. My name is on the deed. Now, all of you, get out of my house immediately.” Richard’s eyes turned red as he stared at the photocopy of the property deed on the table. “You… what did you say? This is the Callahan family’s house!” “It’s written in black and white,” I said, looking at him coldly. “If you can’t read, I can invite a lawyer to read it for you.” [This little b*tch! When did she get her hands on the property deed?! No, she can’t have this villa!] Eleanor was also dumbfounded, clinging to Willow and wailing, “Anya, how can you be so heartless? Where are we going to live?” [Without this huge villa, how will I face all those wealthy ladies?] It was laughable. They were never worried about me, only about their own lavish lives.

Jasper’s face was utterly grim. He had always believed that everything belonging to the Callahan family would eventually be his, but he never expected I had already pulled the rug out from under him. “Anya, were all those years of our relationship fake?” He tried one last desperate attempt to salvage the situation, his voice trembling slightly. [Keep her calm first. As long as she still loves me, there’s still a chance. Once I’m back on my feet, I’ll deal with her properly!] “Relationship?” I laughed as if I’d heard the biggest joke. “Jasper, are you even worthy of talking about relationships?” My gaze was so cold it made his heart tremble. “Anya, don’t you dare regret this!” Richard pointed at me, enraged, spitting out threats. “My biggest regret is ever meeting any of you,” I delivered my final ultimatum. “I’m giving you three hours. If you’re still here after three hours, I’m calling the police and reporting you for trespassing.” With that, I didn’t spare them another glance. I grabbed my car keys and walked out of that suffocating house. The sunlight outside was a bit harsh. I drove aimlessly through the streets. My phone vibrated furiously on the passenger seat. I didn’t even need to look to know it was calls from them. I simply turned it off. The world went silent. But what next? Where should I go? The original plot had been completely derailed by me. Jasper had lost his biggest advantage, and he wouldn’t just give up. Given Richard’s temper, he would definitely try every trick to reclaim the villa. While I had some ability to protect myself, facing their combined suppression, I was ultimately outmatched. I needed backup. A powerful enough backing that would make Jasper and the Callahans wary. A name flashed through my mind. Sterling Thorne. The biggest villain in this book. A ruthless, vengeful maniac. He was also Jasper’s mortal enemy. In the original story, Jasper had barely managed to gain an advantage over Sterling thanks to the treasure. Now, Jasper’s wings had been clipped by me. And I held secrets about all of them that they didn’t know. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. I turned my car around and headed towards the tallest, most prominent building in the city center. Thorne Enterprises Headquarters. Thorne Enterprises’ security was even tighter than I’d imagined. The young lady at the front desk, with a professional smile, politely stopped me. “Miss, do you have an appointment?” “I’m here to see Sterling Thorne.” “May I ask your name?” “Anya Callahan,” I stated my name, watching her dial an internal line. Sure enough, a few seconds later, she shook her head apologetically. “I’m sorry, Ms. Callahan, Mr. Thorne is not seeing visitors today.” An expected answer. Someone like Sterling Thorne wouldn’t be accessible to just anyone. I didn’t insist, merely looked at her calmly. “Please try again. Tell him I know where the ‘New Energy Project Proposal’ that Jasper has been searching for is.” The receptionist’s expression flickered with hesitation, but seeing my resolute gaze, she dialed again. This time, as she listened to the phone, her face changed slightly. After hanging up, she looked at me with a mix of curiosity and a hint of reverence. “Ms. Callahan, Mr. Thorne will see you. Top floor, CEO’s office.” Riding the private elevator straight to the top floor, the doors opened to reveal a man in a black suit, his expression cold and imposing. “Ms. Callahan, I’m Mr. Thorne’s assistant, Mr. Hayes.” “Hello.” Mr. Hayes led me down a long corridor and pushed open a heavy black wooden door. The office was astonishingly large, with a wall-to-wall window offering a panoramic view of the entire city. A man stood with his back to me, gazing out the window. He wore a perfectly tailored black suit, his figure as tall and straight as a pine tree. Just his back exuded an aura of untouchable intimidation. He slowly turned around.

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When someone from my ancestral line reaches the peak of emotion, a unique, soft fur sprouts from the tip of their tailbone. Legend says, if a man can pluck one, his fortune will multiply. For seven years, Caleb plucked countless strands of my fur. His wealth exploded, multiplying beyond measure. He was always overcome with desire for me, obsessed to his very core. Until the day he became the richest man in the entire city. That’s when I accidentally walked in on him and that heiress, tangled together, dripping with sweat. When I angrily confronted him, he just scoffed back: “You honestly thought I loved a freak like you? I kept this ‘thing’ for over a decade, just for the money, obviously.” Caleb gloated to Cassandra, as if showing off a prize: “This fur is gold, trust me. I became the richest man in the city by sleeping with her. And the best part? She just melts into a puddle, and her power activates…” Afraid Cassandra wouldn’t believe him, he pulled out our intimate videos, threatening to force my power to activate right then and there, just to strip me of more fur. That day, I fought back until I was bleeding and bruised, only to be abandoned at the hospital. Meanwhile, Caleb spent the entire night with Cassandra in our bedroom. The next night, he came home reeking of her sickeningly sweet perfume: “Cassandra’s so pure-hearted, and it’s just a few measly strands of fur she needs. Do you really have to be so petty?” “Her mom is sick; she needs thirty million. The fur I got yesterday was sold at auction for sky-high bids. Hurry up and pluck a few more for me. Don’t be so unreasonable!” I smiled and said, “Okay.” But he didn’t know that every single strand of my power-infused fur, once love turns to ashes, carries a curse.

“…Softer… Caleb… Tell me, isn’t my body… softer than Elara’s?” Cassandra’s sickly sweet voice floated through the air. Caleb buried his face in her neck, mumbling a reply: “Little vixen… don’t ruin the mood by talking about her…” Cassandra let out a playful laugh. “But it’s true!” Her eyes, hazy with desire, glanced towards the doorway, as if only just noticing me standing frozen there. “Ah! Caleb, someone’s there! Someone’s watching!” Caleb’s movements suddenly stopped. He lifted his head, breathing heavily. When he saw it was me, the lust on his face instantly curdled into annoyance. “Get out.” My feet felt rooted to the spot. I wanted to turn away, but I couldn’t move an inch. He pushed Cassandra away, rolling off the bed. He grabbed a bath towel from the floor and wrapped it around his waist. He spoke softly to Cassandra, “Baby, you go outside first.” Cassandra pouted, slowly making her exit. The sickening perfume, mixed with the acrid scent of their intimacy, churned my stomach. Seven years… This was the man I had loved for seven years, the man I had given my entire heart and soul to. Caleb saw that I hadn’t moved and clicked his tongue in irritation. “Good, you’re back. Cassandra’s mother is sick and needs thirty million.” His eyes held nothing but naked demand. “Yesterday, I put your fur up for auction, and people were desperate for it, bidding sky-high. Hurry up, give me a few more strands!” The bloodied scars from where he’d forcibly plucked my fur last time hadn’t even healed. Before, whenever he wanted to pluck more strands, I’d practically beg, trying to sweet-talk him into waiting until it grew back a bit. I’d even use my body to smooth things over, just to escape the immediate pain, risking a few harsh words in return. I tried to reason with myself, but my body wouldn’t obey. For seven years, I’d been by his side, from a struggling medical student to the city’s wealthiest man today. In that moment, an overwhelming wave of exhaustion washed over me. I was suddenly just… tired. “Okay.” Caleb froze, surprised by my compliance. “That’s more like it,” he said. “Once we have kids, I’ll make you my wife publicly.”

Leaving the house, I went to see Grandma Eleanor. “Grandma,” I said, my voice barely a whisper. “I want to leave.” Grandma Eleanor looked stunned. “Elara? Is Caleb acting up again?” I shook my head. My fingers unconsciously brushed against the tip of my tailbone, where a barely perceptible rough patch remained. “The fur is connected to my very essence. Forcibly plucking it is like draining my lifeblood, shortening my lifespan.” “Caleb has been insatiable all these years, plucking far too much.” “I… I might not be able to have children anymore.” The old woman’s hand trembled fiercely as she clasped mine. “Elara… you two have supported each other through so many years. Can’t you…” Grandma Eleanor’s voice was filled with a desperate plea. Before she could finish, Caleb’s call came through. “Grandma?” Caleb’s voice echoed from the phone. From his end, Cassandra’s provocative giggles almost pierced my eardrums. Grandma Eleanor’s lips trembled, words caught in her throat. Caleb said impatiently, “No wonder that creature wasn’t making a fuss today. So she went to you to demand status?” His voice was full of contempt. “The ungrateful thing. If it weren’t for your kindness back then, nursing her back to health, she wouldn’t even be here to make demands now!” “Just ignore her.” The call ended. I returned home, intending to pack my things. Pushing open the bedroom door, I saw Caleb standing in the bathroom, hand-washing a woman’s underwear. Lacy, sheer… definitely not mine. I stood in the doorway, speechless. He was a doctor; he’d always been a germaphobe. When we were intimate, if the blood from my plucked fur got on his clothes, he’d get agitated, strip them off, throw them in the trash, and shower for at least half an hour. Coming back to reality with a jolt, Caleb saw me. He dried his hands as if nothing was wrong. “Elara,” he said. “You’re back?” He reached out to embrace me. In the past, I would have wagged my tail and clung to him, but today I sidestepped, avoiding his touch. He paused, then blocked the doorway. “Will you just stop acting up, Elara? Grandma Eleanor just scolded me. She said you… you can’t have children anymore?” “Elara,” he reached out and gripped my shoulders. “I really only slept with Cassandra today because I want a child so badly.” He leaned closer. “Please, forgive me this one time, okay?” His other hand slid unbidden to my lower back, attempting to lift my nightgown. “Let’s just let nature take its course, try again? What if…” Once, I’d feared Caleb like this. His hot-and-cold treatment would make me feel like a fool, spiraling into self-doubt. But now, I didn’t care anymore. Caleb’s familiar touch now only filled me with revulsion. “Don’t you feel disgusting?!” I ripped his hand away. The tenderness on Caleb’s face faded. “Elara, you’re really pushing your luck, aren’t you?” He didn’t even bother to pretend anymore, his voice turning commanding. “Tomorrow night, Mr. Davies and Mr. Thompson are coming over for a party.” “Do you know how popular your ‘fortune fur’ is in this circle? Several big shot investors are desperate for it!” “Just giving them the fur isn’t enough anymore. Some are calling it fake!” “Tomorrow, you must cooperate fully. I’ll record a more ‘detailed demonstration’ for them!” His words pierced my heart. Watching him loom over me, his hand reaching under my nightgown, I screamed in a崩溃大吼: “You want the fur?! Fine, take it! Just don’t touch me, you make me sick!” The scent of his perfume made me dizzy, sick to my stomach. My fingers plunged towards my tailbone, seizing the soft fur without mercy, and yanked hard! A ripping sound, then a blinding, bone-deep pain. I shoved the blood-stained strands of fur into his hand. “Get out!” Caleb just watched me in silence, his eyes holding a chilling calculation that I couldn’t decipher. Just then, his phone rang. “Cassandra? What’s wrong?” He turned and walked away, his voice filled with uncontrollable joy: “Pregnant?! That’s amazing!!” “When our son is born, the entire Shen Corp will be his!…” I glanced at the bleeding wound and lowered my head, laughing through my tears. Caleb had no idea his good fortune was about to run out. If I plucked five consecutive strands of this special, cursed fur—the fur that only grows after love has died—everything he gained through me would be systematically stripped away.

The party was held in the villa’s largest banquet hall. Mr. Davies, cigar clamped between his teeth, his gaze lingering on me: “Mr. Shen, a recording isn’t much fun, is it? We need Miss Elara here, let us guys get a feel for the real thing!” Mr. Thompson immediately chimed in, “Exactly! Caleb, let Miss Elara demonstrate!” Caleb’s smile stiffened. He instinctively glanced at me. “Mr. Davies, Mr. Thompson,” “Elara… isn’t feeling well. She probably can’t demonstrate…” Mr. Davies slammed his hand on the table. “We’re signing contracts, injecting capital, and we just watch?” Mr. Thompson squinted at Cassandra beside Caleb. “Is Mr. Shen getting soft? Well, then, let Miss Cassandra here join us for a few drinks!” As he spoke, he reached out for Cassandra. Caleb shot up, his face ashen, pulling Cassandra protectively behind him. My heart plummeted into an icy abyss at that moment. Sure enough, Caleb only hesitated for a few seconds before his gaze shifted to me. “Elara, you go.” Caleb walked up to me and said in a voice only I could hear: “Stop making that face! Cassandra is kind and pure. If those dirty hands touch her, she’ll never recover!” “You’re different. Who cares who you sleep with? Aren’t you just a natural-born… pleasure-giver? Just make sure these gentlemen are well-entertained tonight, make them happy.” “If you can persuade them to add more investment…” He paused, then dangled the one promise I used to desperately crave. “If you succeed, I’ll make you Mrs. Shen.” “After all, marrying into the Shen family is quite a step up for you, isn’t it? If you show off your real talents, you’ll feel better about yourself, right?” After he walked away, arm around Cassandra, Mr. Davies eagerly tried to wrap his arm around my waist. “Miss Elara, Mr. Shen’s recording was amazing, it made us all so excited! Quick, show us how you activate your power and grow your fur…” I suppressed a wave of nausea, my voice trembling. “Gentlemen… just like this… how boring? How about… how about we play something more exciting?” Mr. Davies narrowed his eyes. “Oh? How exciting?” “I… I know a special method,” I licked my dry lips, a hint of allure in my eyes. “With some special alcohol… and incense… Elara can serve you better.” It was late night. The heavy stench of alcohol mingled with an cloyingly sweet, suffocating fragrance. Mr. Davies, Mr. Thompson, and several other burly men were now sprawled on the floor, snoring loud enough to shake the entire room. My back pressed tightly against the wall, trying to calm my trembling breath. I gritted my teeth, hatred boiling within me. Caleb… just three more days… My phone vibrated. I checked the new message. “Your blood type is highly compatible with patient Louis, who is awaiting a kidney transplant at our hospital. Please reply by phone as soon as possible…” Tears immediately welled up. Grandma Eleanor was old. After her sudden kidney failure that day, I had decided to repay her kindness before I left! A few days later. I lay on the operating table. Seeing a familiar face, I wasn’t afraid anymore. Caleb himself was going to perform my kidney removal surgery. The operating room was crowded, and if he dared to take my life on the spot, he wouldn’t escape responsibility afterwards. While waiting for the anesthetic to take effect, he asked: “Why do you want to donate a kidney?” I knew Grandma Eleanor hadn’t told him about her condition because she was afraid he’d worry. Since I had already been successfully matched, there was no need to hide it anymore. Before I could finish explaining, I drifted off. Where I couldn’t see, his eyes were cold. In the past two years, my biological parents had found me, and Caleb only assumed I was doing this for my own family. That’s why he specifically inquired about my surgery, just so he could personally perform it. I don’t know how long passed before I groggily opened my eyes, the anesthetic not yet completely worn off. I heard Caleb’s conversation with the doctor:

“…Failed? Didn’t you say the mechanical kidney has a high success rate abroad? How am I going to explain this to Elara?!” Caleb’s voice suddenly rose. “Do you know what day tomorrow is?! Shen Corp Bio-Tech’s IPO launch event! Global live broadcast!” “And you’re telling me now that she’s dead?!” My heart plummeted. Not because of his outburst, but because of that phrase, “she’s dead.” The surgery… failed? What about Grandma Eleanor? I couldn’t believe my ears! “Mr. Shen, this is a medical malpractice…” “Shut up!” Caleb roughly interrupted. “I’ll pay you double, just keep this quiet! Especially don’t tell Elara!” “Just tell her the surgery was a success and her grandma is recovering at the sanatorium!” The doctor outside meekly agreed. Footsteps receded from the door, and Cassandra’s delicate sobbing floated in. “Should we really have used Elara’s kidney to ‘bless’ our dog? I mean, that ‘expert’ said it would bring wealth to our baby, but what if he was lying…?” “Stop talking nonsense!” Caleb’s voice was irritable. “The expert was right. Her unique lineage guarantees wealth. It’s just one kidney; it’s worth a lifetime of prosperity for our son. It’s a bargain.” I struggled to crawl to the door, my lips trembling with rage. “Caleb, you’re insane!” “Grandma Eleanor’s kidney failure means she could get a transplant right away! And you did this for that wretch… you…” Both of them outside jumped in shock. Caleb’s eyes blazed with fury. “What are you talking about?!” “Grandma Eleanor’s always been perfectly healthy! Are you always thinking about her inheritance? You’re absolutely evil!” “I’m not! Grandma Eleanor, she…” Cassandra shrieked, cutting me off. “Elara! You can’t have kids, and now you’re cursing Grandma Eleanor to die!” “…No wonder heaven wouldn’t let you get pregnant. It was afraid you’d give birth to someone as malicious as you are!” I trembled with rage. Caleb held Cassandra tighter, looking at me with disdain. “Elara, you really are crazy. So your poor old grandma from the countryside died, huh?” “Fine! Tomorrow, at Shen Corp Bio-Tech’s IPO launch, I’ll make you my wife publicly! Is that enough?!” “The expert said it would cleanse you of all that bad luck. So you’d stop talking nonsense!” “And it’ll show everyone how charitable the Shen family has been with you, our foster child!” After saying this, he couldn’t be bothered to look at me again. He carefully helped Cassandra leave. As Cassandra turned her back, her eyes held an unreadable expression. The hospital room door slammed shut. My lips slowly curved into a tearful smile. Tomorrow night. That’s when your nightmare begins. The next day, at the city’s wealth forum, Caleb stood backstage. Suddenly, his phone vibrated. “Hello?” he answered impatiently. “Mr. Shen!” his assistant almost cried. “About the funeral…” “I’m busy right now!” Caleb cut him off directly. “Just find some ditch and bury that old woman from her family!” He quickly hung up. The assistant called repeatedly, the phone buzzing in Caleb’s hand. He casually turned his phone off and tossed it onto the sofa. As the press conference was about to end, Caleb walked out, his arm linked with mine. Everyone praised us as a perfect match, saying Mr. Shen’s had his secret beauty hidden away for years, and now he’s finally decided to show her off! Just then, my image suddenly appeared on the massive 4K surround screen. My clothes were disheveled, and I was surrounded by several burly men: “Gentlemen, how about we play something more exciting?” “I know a special method, that can help Elara serve you better.” The camera suddenly cut to a more private, even more indecent scene. Every detail of me writhing under a man, groaning softly, was captured in perfect clarity. My face was shown in extremely high definition, while the men on top of me were always cleverly hidden in the shadows. The entire banquet hall fell silent instantly, then exploded into chaos! “How many men has she… slept with?!” “Is she some kind of… escort? Has Mr. Shen been duped?” Caleb’s mother, a socialite who rarely bothered with anything, now had wide, furious eyes. She delivered a resounding slap across my face: “You disgusting wretch! I will never allow you to marry into the Shen family!” Filthy insults filled the hall: “So promiscuous, she must be riddled with diseases!” “Damn! She’s definitely trash, whoever touches her is cursed!” The waves of ridicule from below grew louder and louder. After a long silence, Liam’s voice was hoarse, but firm: “No matter Elara’s past, or what she becomes in the future, I, Liam, will marry no one but her in this lifetime.” “I love her, and I will love all of her.” The sounds of pity and curses from below continued for a long time: “Mr. King is young and promising, but it’s a shame he’s completely blinded by love.” “Exactly, that promiscuous woman, probably riddled with diseases, is she even fit to step foot in the Shen family home?” Caleb’s eyes were firm and determined as he tried to slide a ring onto my finger. I ripped my hand away, grabbing the microphone in front of me. “You want to marry me, but have you even asked if *I’m* willing?” Caleb’s face instantly darkened. He tried to snatch the microphone from me. “Elara! Are you crazy?! Assistant! Get Mrs. Shen out of here first!” I sidestepped his hand.

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In the ten years since the apocalypse hit, I’d awakened my spatial powers and become the toughest supply hunter our base had. During one mission, I put myself in harm’s way to save my boyfriend, only to be swarmed by zombies. But instead of helping, he just ran, taking my best friend, Briar, with him. Three months later, I fought my way back, covered in blood and fury. I kicked open the War Council chamber doors, only to see Briar. She was wearing my combat uniform, distributing supplies like she owned the place, like she was the deputy commander. The moment she saw me, Briar shrieked, instantly defensive. “You’re supposed to be dead! How are you even *here*? Are you infected?” She scoffed, a smug look on her face. “Fine, out of old mercy, I’ll let you stew in the isolation zone. You need to see how things work now. This is *our* base now.” “Oh, and don’t even *think* about causing trouble. I’ll be the first to gun you down like a zombie.” I ignored her, my eyes locked on the water bottle clipped to her belt. She instinctively shielded it, then flaunted it at me. “What are you staring at? Never seen a spatial water bottle before? My boyfriend gave it to me! The water inside can purify your body.” Hah, a spatial water bottle? That was just a little trinket I’d casually conjured, a mere *trick*. That measly bit of water? It was just some of the cheapest healing spring water from my spatial dimension. Briar really thought she’d found a treasure, but she had no idea – the *real* riches were still far beyond her grasp! I snatched the bottle from her belt, unscrewing the cap. “My space. You really think you’re worthy?”

Briar’s face drained of color. She shrieked, trying to grab it back. “What are you doing! Give it back!” I tilted my head back, chugging the water down in one go. “Ahhh—” A sigh of pure satisfaction escaped me. “My water. Still tastes so good.” “Cassidy! You absolute psycho!” Her piercing scream drew a crowd from outside the War Council chamber. Footsteps pounded closer, and a tall figure appeared in the doorway. It was Jax, my ex-boyfriend. When he saw me, his face just… froze. For a split second, it was like his perfect facade cracked. “Cassidy?” Briar found her anchor. She instantly threw herself into his arms, sobbing. “Jax, she’s back! She stole the water bottle you gave me and drank all the water!” “She must be infected! That’s why she’s acting so violent, so completely unhinged!” Jax held Briar close, his shock twisting into wariness, then pure disgust. “What are you doing back here?” “This is my home. Why shouldn’t I be back?” I shot back. “Your home?” Jax sneered. “You’ve been missing for three months. You were declared dead weeks ago. Your pension, your room, your position – Briar’s inherited all of it.” “Now, you’re just an unknown returnee. You have to undergo examination.” He waved his hand. “Guards! Take her to the isolation zone!” The combat team members hesitated. They were my former teammates. I’d helped them out countless times. One of them, a guy named Milo, couldn’t help but speak up. “Captain, Cassidy… she doesn’t look infected.” Jax’s face clouded over. “What? Are you defying my orders?” “She vanished into a zombie horde for three months. Who can guarantee she’s 100% clean? What if she’s carrying a new virus and infects the entire base? Are *you* going to take responsibility for that?” Milo fell silent, looking down. “I’ll go myself.” I tossed the empty water bottle to the ground. “Jax. Briar.” I called out their names, making sure they heard every word. “I clawed my way out of that horde once, and I’ll do it again. You two better pray I *am* infected, because if I’m not…” As their faces contorted in ugly expressions, I turned and walked towards the isolation zone. Behind me, I could hear Briar’s voice, thick with feigned tears, yet brimming with triumph. “Oh, Jax, I’m so scared. She looked terrifying just now. What if she comes back for us?” “Don’t worry, I’ve got you. A washed-up power user like her won’t be stirring up any trouble.” Washed-up power user? They thought my spatial powers were just that little water bottle?

The isolation zone was the farthest, most desolate corner of the base, fenced off with barbed wire. It housed suspected infected individuals and exiles banished for severe crimes. I was shoved into a dilapidated metal shack, the heavy door clanging shut and locking behind me. I found a relatively clean corner, slumped down, and closed my eyes, trying to conserve energy. Later that night, the shack door creaked open a crack. Milo slipped in, clutching two hard, black loaves of bread and a bottle of water. “Cassidy, you need to eat something.” He pressed the items into my hands. “I’m sorry, Cassidy, we…” “It’s not your fault.” I cut him off. “Jax is the captain now. You’re supposed to follow his orders.” Milo sighed. “Cassidy, you don’t know what Captain Jax and Briar said after you went missing.” “They told everyone you willingly charged into the horde to cover our retreat, detonating all your explosives, going down with the zombies.” “The base even held a funeral for you and declared you a hero. Everyone was heartbroken.” “Captain Jax… he really looked devastated, holed himself up for days. It was Briar who finally coaxed him out. Then, he started telling everyone – and himself, I guess – that he had to be strong, to carry on your legacy, to lead the base in your honor.” “That’s how he convinced himself, and that’s how he convinced everyone else. Now, they all believe they got together to inherit your will. Briar smoothly stepped into your position as deputy commander and even moved into your room.” “And Jax? He handed over *all* my gear, *all* my supplies, to her.” I gnawed on the dry, hard bread. So, in their version of the story, I’d become a great sacrifice. My death, a stepping stone for their love and power. “Cassidy, you need to be really careful now that you’re back,” Milo warned. “Captain Jax… he’s like a different person. He’s got a lot of animosity towards you.” “I know.” “And Briar, she’s the toast of the base right now. Everyone sees her as the new hope, believing she’s carrying on your legacy.” Inheriting my legacy? Not even close. Milo shared more about the base’s changes over the past three months, then left. I swallowed the last bite of bread, feeling the energy flow through my body. The healing spring water was still working its magic; my injuries were mending. Now, all I needed was an opportunity. An opportunity to walk out of here, head held high, and reclaim everything that was mine.

The next day, the iron door of the isolation zone was kicked open. Briar sauntered in, surrounded by a crowd of sycophants. Finally, her gaze landed on me. “Well, well, if it isn’t our great hero, Cassidy.” The other prisoners in the isolation zone shrank into the corners, not daring to utter a sound. I leaned against the wall, eyes still closed. My blatant disregard infuriated her. “Cassidy, I’m talking to you! Are you deaf?!” She stalked over, looking down at me. “Don’t you dare think you can be as arrogant as before. Now, you’re nothing but a suspected infected prisoner, a captive. Your life is in my hands.” She pulled a dagger from her waist—my dagger. My initials, CL, were still etched into the hilt. She used the tip of the blade to lift my chin. “Do you know? Since we were kids, everyone only ever saw *you*! Now, it’s finally *my* turn!” “Jax is mine, the deputy commander position is mine, your room, your glory – it’s *all* mine!” “After we ran that day, Jax was so riddled with guilt, so much pain. It was *me*, I was by his side day and night, comforting him, helping him through it until he finally pulled himself together.” “He said he must have been blind to ever have fallen for a butch, battle-hungry woman like you.” “He said *I* was the woman for him. Gentle, caring, and capable.” “Are you done?” I finally opened my eyes, looking at her with cold indifference. “Done? Get lost.” Briar’s face turned an ugly shade of green. “You… you dare talk to me like that!” “I came here today to tell you one thing.” She gritted her teeth. “Jax, and everything you once had, is mine now. You came back, but you can’t change a thing.” “Oh really?” I scoffed, a faint smile playing on my lips. “Briar, do you truly believe you have everything?” “You’re just a thief, a pathetic worm who clawed her way up through lies and betrayal.” “You!” Briar raised the dagger, ready to strike. But I was faster. My hand shot out, seizing her wrist, the one clutching the dagger. With a sickening *CRACK*, her scream ripped through the air as her wrist snapped under my grip. The dagger clattered to the ground. “Ahhh—! My hand!” Briar cradled her broken wrist, writhing on the ground in agony. The people who came with her were frozen in terror; no one dared to step forward. I picked up the dagger from the ground. “Stolen things, eventually, have to be returned.”

Jax stormed in shortly after, a squad of his men hot on his heels. When he saw Briar’s horrific state, his eyes practically bugged out with rage. “Cassidy! You audacious bitch!” But his raised hand froze mid-air when his eyes met my utterly cold stare. The team members behind him exchanged uneasy glances. Jax took a deep breath, forcing down his fury, and managed a cold, twisted smile. “Cassidy, you’re still as impulsive as ever.” He turned to the fearful prisoners in the isolation zone, his voice rising. “You all saw it. Cassidy disappeared for three months and came back changed, extremely aggressive.” “But I, Jax, am not one to forget old ties.” “How about this, I’ll give you a chance.” He looked at me. “The base urgently needs a batch of medical supplies, especially those gene-enhancement serums from Central Hospital.” “I know you’re strong. If you’re willing to participate in this mission, atone for your actions, and succeed, I can overlook everything and grant you your freedom.” “Of course, the mission is extremely dangerous. A mutated Alpha zombie has taken root in that hospital.” His words plunged the entire isolation zone into a dead silence. Central Hospital. Alpha zombie. That was a recognized death trap. He was clearly sending me to my death. Briar, clutching her broken hand, wore a venomous yet triumphant expression. She knew. Jax was trying to get rid of me. “Jax, don’t let her off that easy! She broke my hand!” Briar shrieked. Jax patted her back reassuringly, but his voice was cold. “She’s a dead woman walking. Why bother with her?” He looked at me again. “Well? Cassidy, this is your only chance.” “I’ll take it.” I replied. Jax’s face registered surprise, then his smile twisted into something grotesque. “Very good. I hope you don’t disappoint me.” He ordered someone to take away the still-wailing Briar, then turned and left. His back radiated arrogance. He thought he’d set a trap. But he had no idea, I was waiting for one too. Central Hospital, mutated Alpha zombie? Perfect. Time to test my new skills from the past three months. The sky was overcast on the day of our departure. We, the ‘cannon fodder’ from the isolation zone, were assigned to the very outer perimeter of the convoy, armed with rusty knives and short spears. Jax stood on the roof of an SUV, delivering a pre-mission pep talk.

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The first time my boyfriend and I got intimate, he actually *complained* that my sounds weren’t sexy enough. Then he had the audacity to suggest playing a recording from his phone. The sounds from his phone were undeniably arousing, so much so that even I felt a strange thrill. But a crushing wave of insecurity hit me instantly. I looked at his eager eyes and his burning body, silent for two agonizing seconds. I loved him. I didn’t want to ruin the mood, so I swallowed my pride and reluctantly agreed. But that night, I didn’t feel anything good. Not even a spark. From then on, I secretly practiced making sultrier moans when he wasn’t around. I’d even find myself laughing at how ridiculous it felt. One day, I snuck his phone, wanting to transfer that recording to mine so I could practice along. But when I saw the note for the recording, my heart skipped a frantic beat. [Chloe’s Little Siren] Chloe. The same Chloe who had made my life hell in college. And the same Chloe he’d chased for four years and never got. That very night, he was playing that recording on repeat in the bathroom. When he came out, he was already throbbing with desire. He grabbed me, pulled me into the bedroom, and covered my face with a new lace mask. The moans from his phone were still echoing on loop. He frantically started tearing at my clothes, muttering, “I can’t take it anymore. Put this on properly, so I don’t accidentally knock it off when things get wild.” As his words sank in, my heart felt like it had been violently stomped on. A suffocating feeling choked me. Liam, what do I even mean to you?

Tears streamed down my face, hot and scalding, a stark contrast to my icy heart. I could hear my tears wetting the sheets, and a bitter ache twisted in my chest. After he’d stripped me naked, he turned up the volume of *her* moans. “I’m just doing this to enhance the experience. You get that, right?” My heart was shattered beyond words. I couldn’t answer him. The mask hid my despair, but the excitement on his face was impossible to hide. Seeing my lack of reaction, a flicker of annoyance crossed his handsome features. “Just this once, okay? This sound is so… stimulating. I really can’t help myself…” I had loved him for seven years, chased him relentlessly for four. I really didn’t want to throw it all away over this. But I couldn’t stand him trampling on my dignity either. I bit down hard on my inner cheek, the metallic taste of blood instantly filling my mouth. “Either turn off that recording, or you can take care of yourself.” “Are you serious, Anya?! It’s just a recording! I’m not stopping you from making noise; just keep your voice down. Don’t drown *her* out.” I didn’t say anything. I just silently picked up the clothes he’d just ripped off me, sat up, and slowly started putting them back on. The moment the mask fell from my face, his tone softened. He reached out a hand, wanting to wipe away my tears. “Why are you crying? Did I hurt you just now?” I tilted my head, dodging his hand. My face was expressionless as I pointed to my heart. “Here. It hurts here.” He looked utterly confused, his brow furrowed. “It’s just a recording. Why are you getting jealous? It’s no different than watching an adult film, just adding to the mood.” I continued to dress with cold indifference, not giving him a single glance. Seeing my lack of response, he raised his voice a few notches. “If you really don’t want this, we won’t do it again in the future. I promise you, today is the last time.” I glanced at his already aroused lower half again, letting out a cold, bitter laugh. He instantly exploded. “What are you laughing at?! That’s incredibly disrespectful!” “Disrespectful? Have *you* shown me any respect?” I shot back. “You know whose voice that is in the recording.” His expression suddenly froze, but he stubbornly refused to admit it. “It’s just taken from some adult film.” He was silent for five seconds, then continued, “Fine. If you don’t want to be with me, I won’t force you.” The moans continued to play, grating on my nerves. I finished dressing and stood up, staring at him with a complex gaze. My voice trembled. “Chloe’s moans must really hit the spot for you, huh? You’ve been playing it on loop for over half an hour, can’t even bring yourself to turn it off.”

He started to panic, quickly standing up and towering over me with his six-foot-three frame. “You looked at my phone? Do you have any idea how out of line it is to snoop through someone else’s phone?! Where’s your upbringing?!” My heart tightened. He knew. He knew my mother had died in a car accident just a week ago. He’d been with me at the cremation. He’d watched me cry until I was oxygen-deprived and almost ended up in the hospital. He’d even offered to pay for my mother’s burial plot to comfort me. So why now, *why* was he twisting the knife in my fresh wound? I froze, tears welling up and blurring my vision. He realized he’d messed up. Guilt washed over his face, along with a complex expression I couldn’t quite decipher. He pulled two tissues from the nightstand and leaned in to wipe my tears. “I’m sorry. I’m really sorry. I misspoke.” He paused, then added, “For the sake of me buying your mother’s burial plot, please forgive me!” I slapped his hand away, my body trembling as I stumbled out of the bedroom, slamming the door shut behind me. Through the closed door, I heard his feeble explanations. “Chloe and I are innocent! I haven’t had feelings for her in ages. I just thought her moans sounded good, that’s all!” I locked myself in the bathroom, leaning against the wall. My legs gave out, and I slid to the floor, collapsing in a heap. I buried my head in my knees, weeping silently. My chest ached, and my heart felt like it was being ripped apart… I needed a drink. I struggled to my feet, opened the bathroom door, and walked out. From the bedroom, I could hear his laughter, wave after wave, as he scrolled through TikTok. A primal scream tore from my throat. I burst into tears, flung open the apartment door, and walked out into the night. On the way to the bar, he called me five times. I ignored every single one. The noise inside the bar was deafening, yet it couldn’t drown out the sound of my shattering heart. One shot of liquor after another went down, offering a temporary numbing. But soon, the contents of my stomach began to churn violently. I’d never drunk so much before. Only now did I understand: drinking numbs the heartache because your stomach hurts more afterward. I let out a self-deprecating laugh and stumbled to the bathroom, throwing up until I was empty. As I turned around, I bumped right into Chloe. “Well, well, Anya. Don’t you ever come to bars?” She smirked, peering out past me into the bar. “Liam not with you?” Remembering that recording, pure hatred surged through me. Fueled by the alcohol, I slapped her across the face. “You’re insane?! What’s wrong with you?! Why’d you hit me?!” She clutched her stinging cheek. A wave of satisfaction washed over me, and I almost went for another slap. But in the next second, my legs suddenly gave out. I have a mild alcohol allergy, and I collapsed to the floor again. Chloe looked around. Seeing no one, she stepped on my hand with her high heel, twisting the heel into my knuckles. I screamed in pain. She then started slapping my face with both hands, hitting me again and again, spitting venomous words. “You bitch! You messed with me in college, and you’re still messing with me after graduation? What? Does it feel good to be betrayed by your boyfriend?” She kept hitting me. “When you seduced Noah back then, did you ever think you’d have a day like this?!” Noah was Chloe’s ex-boyfriend from college. She’d been madly in love with him. And it was because of him that she’d always rejected Liam’s four-year pursuit. Her face contorted in a grimace. The angrier she got, the harder she hit. Strangely, I couldn’t feel the pain on my face anymore. “If you hadn’t stirred up trouble, Noah would never have broken up with me! If we hadn’t broken up, I’d be a rich man’s wife right now! I wouldn’t be scrambling for jobs after graduation!” Chloe had always been high-maintenance in relationships. During their three months of dating, she’d broken up with Noah fifty-eight times, blocking his number every single time. I remembered it so clearly because Noah would always SnapChat me afterward, asking about Chloe and trying to get her back. He’d made me promise to keep it a secret. Until later, when Noah finally couldn’t take it anymore and broke up with Chloe for good. And that’s when the whole thing became public knowledge. I became Chloe’s scapegoat, the reason Noah had broken up with her. Seeing me remain silent, she kicked me squarely in the chest. The nausea in my stomach surged into my throat again. I tried to stand up to throw up in the toilet, but she pressed her foot down on my hand again, hard. The pain was so intense I couldn’t move. I couldn’t hold it in. I threw up all over the floor, some of it splashing onto the shoes of a girl who had just walked into the bathroom. Seeing someone enter, Chloe quickly released my hand and took a step back. I immediately reached out to wipe the girl’s shoes, my hand already stained with blood. Chloe gave me a disgusted look, covering her mouth and nose. Then, right in front of the other girl, her face completely changed. “Are you okay? How could you drink so much? Do you need me to take you home?” I wiped the residue from my mouth and spat at her. “Don’t pretend to be nice. You’re more disgusting than my vomit.” Chloe’s face crumpled in a show of hurt. “I was just trying to be kind. Why are you like this?” The other girl scoffed, then warned Chloe, “Stop acting like a good Samaritan.” She pointed at my face. “Those red handprints on her face? Weren’t those from you? Do you think I’m blind?”

I had never expected that reaction from a stranger. My heart, wounded by someone I knew, was suddenly warmed by a complete stranger. I looked up, studying her face. From this angle, she seemed to merge with the warm light of the bathroom, shining brightly. But I knew the consequences of crossing Chloe. I couldn’t drag this girl down with me. “Mind your own business! You’re blocking my light. Get lost!” The girl looked confused, but she just shook her head. After she was done, she glanced at me and walked out of the bathroom. Chloe slapped my face hard again. “Smart move. But that slap you gave me? We’re not done.” Then she made a call. “Hey, you three. Come over. I’ve got another gift for you.” After hanging up, she blocked the bathroom doorway and lit a cigarette. The smoke drifted in with the draft, making me cough uncontrollably. I suppressed my physical discomfort, stood up, grabbed cleaning supplies and paper towels, and cleaned up the vomit on the floor. As soon as I finished, Chloe grabbed me by the scruff of my neck and dragged me out. Just outside the bathroom door, three men were waiting, their faces leering. They were all under five-foot-seven, with eyes that were too small, each ugly in his own unique way. The stench coming from them was worse than a public restroom. One of them pulled a rag from his back pocket and violently shoved it into my mouth. The other two held me down. After gagging me, he turned to Chloe, joking, “This little thing, she’s got a big ass, and a D-cup, right? Way better than the last ones!” My heart dropped. Chloe did this often? She rolled her eyes at the man, her voice light and flirtatious. “Take her to my place. And you three, don’t be gentle with her. Have fun with her!” Her voice then dropped to a low whisper. “But don’t kill this one. There’s a good show to watch tonight!” “Alright!” “Tonight’s gonna be great! Haven’t played with one this good before!” “Yeah, I’ve been holding it in too.” The three men spoke excitedly, dragging me out of the bar. I was terrified and in pain, whimpering for help. But the bar music was too loud. No one would hear me. As soon as we were out the bar door, I was roughly thrown into the back seat of a car. Unbeknownst to me, I blacked out. The next time I woke up, I was in a strange room. Only those three men were with me. They were rubbing their hands together, naked. I screamed in terror. “Look who’s finally awake, you little vixen. It’s no fun if they’re dead.” “Are you gonna take it off yourself, or should we help you, huh? Hahahaha!” “Come to Big Bro’s arms, let me take good care of you!” I scrambled off the bed, my body trembling as I ran towards the door. I hadn’t even taken a few steps before they violently slammed me back onto the bed. “Damn it, you haven’t even entertained us yet! And you think you can just leave?!” I shrieked and screamed, pure terror seizing my heart. Suddenly, the door opened from the outside. The three men frantically pulled up their pants and rushed out. It was Chloe. And a furious Liam.

His face was thunderous. He pointed at me, yelling, “You didn’t answer your phone, and you ran off to mess around with three ugly losers like them?! You really are as disgusting as the rumors say.” After Chloe and Noah broke up, her hatred for me only intensified. She started spreading rumors that I was sleeping with two men. Soon, the gossip spread like wildfire. No matter how I explained myself or tried to stop it, people just found it amusing and spread it further. Eventually, I stopped trying to defend myself and just let it be. But I never imagined that rumor would become a scar in Liam’s mind. And today, he brought it up again. Seeing me silent, he sneered. “No answer means you admit it?” I was mentally and physically exhausted. I wearily looked up at him. “Open your eyes, Liam. This is Chloe’s place. She’s the one who brought those men here. I have no idea how I even got here.” Chloe’s expression instantly panicked. She quickly explained, “I saw you were drunk, so I kindly brought you to my place to rest. I even turned around and told Liam to come pick you up! But then you brought three men back to my house! I haven’t even settled scores with you, and you’re still trying to slander me?” Chloe was a master of turning the tables. I was too tired to explain. I just wanted to escape that room. I didn’t say anything. I just started walking towards the door. After just one step, Chloe blocked my way and shoved me hard in the chest. “You’re just going to leave without explaining things to your boyfriend? Looks like you don’t want this relationship to work out.” I looked up and met Liam’s eyes. They were cold, alien to me. My heart finally went completely numb. “Let’s break up, Liam.” Chloe burst into laughter, doubling over. “Did I hear that right? You want to break up with him? You’ve liked him since freshman year of high school, and you chased him desperately for four years in college.” She continued, “Your mom tried to stop you from being with him, but you pushed through all of it. You must have spent at least two hundred thousand on him, right? How could you possibly bear to break up?” I couldn’t bear it, but what I couldn’t bear to lose wasn’t him. It was the brave, loving person I used to be. Before my mother died, she told me: love yourself first, and never let the person you love hurt you. Mom was right. I shouldn’t have been with Liam. I should have listened to her. “Break up. I’m not joking. I’m serious.” I bit down hard, forcing the words out. Liam’s face turned green. He squeezed my arm hard. “You don’t have to threaten me with a breakup. You just want me to coax you, don’t you?” He paused, his voice turning accusatory. “But *you* did something wrong here. You went behind my back and found other men. You should apologize to me.” He lifted his chin arrogantly. “If you’re sincere, I’ll forgive you. Because nothing *actually* happened today.” I smiled bitterly, shaking my head. I pulled my arm from his grasp and said, word by word, “Don’t you understand, Liam? I said, we’re breaking up.” His face flushed a deep purplish-red, but then he laughed. And slowly, he uttered the words that would shatter me completely… “What are you, some kind of saint? I only got with you because you had a good body and I had fun. I absolutely despise pathetic lapdogs, and that’s *exactly* what you are!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “298463”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #惊悚Thriller #魔幻Magic

After the girl he put on a pedestal fell to her death, my stepbrother hated me for ten years. Even after I used despicable means to completely claim him. He never truly forgave me. Until, in a fit of pique, I ran off abroad and got caught in a riot. But my brother, without a moment’s hesitation, shielded me, taking the bullet and dying. His last words, whispered in my arms, were: “I spoiled you.” “I truly regret… becoming your brother.” Everyone called me a lunatic. They said I was the one who destroyed my brother, a man of integrity, upright and self-controlled. So, I knelt on those long stone steps for fifty years. Begging for a chance to start over. This time, I would complete him. All I wanted was for him to live a life of peace and happiness. “Stella, just look at the things you wrote! Don’t you feel sick to your stomach?!” “How could you… have such thoughts about your own brother?!” That voice, so familiar, so cherished, echoed in my ears. My eyes snapped open. I saw Julian holding my diary, his face blazing crimson with fury. That diary was filled to the brim with my— Desires for him. But at that moment, I felt no shame from being exposed. Instead, I burst into grateful tears. I had truly been reborn. Reborn to the first time Julian and I ever argued, the moment he discovered my forbidden feelings for him. My brother, vibrant and alive before me, made my body tremble uncontrollably. It was too good to be true. He was alive. Julian noticed my strange reaction. The fire that had been burning in him immediately died down by half. He pointed to the floor. “All of this… take it and burn it.” In my previous life, after hearing those words, I became completely hysterical, grabbed him by the collar, and kissed him. Julian, his eyes wide with shock, fled in a panic, slowly distancing himself from me. And all my obsessive desires, fueled by that outrageous kiss, broke through their chains. Making me hate Lena, the girl who stole my brother, even more. Leading to all the tragedies that followed. So this time, I furiously wiped the tears from my face. And picked up the box full of diaries. “Okay.” “I’ll go burn them.”

My diaries chronicled more than a decade of my life with Julian. My mom and Julian’s mom were best friends. But my mom was a total romantic, always blinded by love, and she ended up marrying a monster who abused her. When I was five, my mom passed away despite all efforts to save her. My dad, a chronic alcoholic, fell into a ditch on his way to turn himself in to the police and died. Julian’s Aunt took me in. And then she passed away when Julian and I had just started middle school. From then on, it was just Julian and me in the large villa, with only a few house staff. Julian was only a few months older than me. But I was a complete magnet for trouble, and Julian was always like a miniature adult. So, from childhood, he followed me around, cleaning up my messes. Julian’s Aunt was always very busy with work. And the housekeepers and nannies often took days off. When I had a terrible stomach bug, he stayed by my side all night while I was hooked up to an IV. When I got into a fight, he always had my back. When it stormed, he’d grab his pillow and blankets and squeeze into my bed with me. Even when Lena fell to her death because of me. Julian hated me to his core. But when the riot broke out, he still didn’t hesitate for a second, stepping in front of me to shield me. My brother was perfect in every way. Except his love for me was family. My love for him… it felt like a sin I couldn’t confess. In my previous life, Mrs. Davis was inconsolable when she heard about Julian. Mr. Peterson, though, he pointed a finger right at my face and screamed, “Stella, you’re nothing but a jinx, a curse! Are you only happy when everyone around you is dead?!” I remembered Julian’s last words to me: “I spoiled you.” “I truly regret… becoming your brother.” He regretted it. Actually, I regretted it too. The secluded monastery tucked away in the northern hills was rumored to grant wishes, to answer prayers. I wanted to ask for a next life where Julian would never meet me again. But perhaps I was too wicked. The abbot refused to see me. So, I knelt year after year. The dark, mottled stains on those stone steps? Each one was a mark of my forehead, a desperate plea. From my youth until my hair turned white. Finally, when I was frail and old. The abbot agreed to see me. He said: “What has already happened cannot be changed, but perhaps there can be a new beginning.” “You are his fated hurdle. If it’s not resolved, all your efforts will be in vain.” Then, he slipped a small silk pouch into my wrinkled hand. “It will guide you to the moment of your rebirth.” When I woke again, the pouch clutched in my hand told me it wasn’t a dream. This time, I wouldn’t repeat the same mistakes. I would pay any price, as long as my brother was safe and happy.

The next day, when we went to school, neither of us mentioned what had happened the night before. A suffocating silence hung in the car. When we got out, Julian finally broke the quiet. “You hurt Lena a few days ago. Go apologize to her today.” His tone was stiff, almost forced. It was as if he expected me to throw a tantrum again before he even spoke. But I just nodded calmly. “Okay.” Julian looked at me with a hint of surprise. But in the end, he didn’t say anything more. During lunch break, as promised, I went to find Lena to apologize. But after searching around, I found her with Julian. The bustling afternoon was warm and bright. Lena giggled, playfully tapping Julian’s chest. The next second, her eyes flickered over to me, and she immediately cowered behind Julian, clutching her bandaged hand. Julian’s arm instantly shot out, shielding her. “What are you doing here?” His voice was slightly distant. He’d already forgotten he’d told me to come apologize that morning. It wasn’t really my brother’s fault for being on edge. I truly was a lunatic. I had an almost savage possessiveness over Julian. He was handsome, and kind. Plenty of girls liked him. And I’d scared every single one of them away. I interpreted Julian’s silent consent as: *He has feelings for me too*. Just like in my previous life, I’d put something in his drink. Forcing him to cross a line. He resisted my touch, yet I could discern a twisted pleasure in his fragmented gasps. But I’d ignored that it was just an uncontrollable physical reaction. Lena was special to him. Even ten years after her death, Julian still hadn’t forgiven me. I forced down the bitter pang that threatened to overflow in my heart and let out a shaky breath. Then, I gave Lena a deep, abrupt bow. “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have hurt you a few days ago, and I shouldn’t have publicly insulted you and humiliated you.” “Can you… forgive me?” Lena cautiously glanced at Julian. Seeing he said nothing, she finally replied, “It’s okay. Don’t worry about it. I forgive you.” I straightened up, meeting Julian’s eyes. They churned with an emotion I couldn’t quite decipher.

In my previous life, there was another reason I hated Lena. More than once, I’d seen her acting close with Brock, the school bully and my brother’s archnemesis. Brock had a terrible personality and loved to trip Julian up. I seriously suspected Lena was sent to deceive my brother’s feelings, so I targeted her at every turn. This time, no matter what the truth was, I had to find out. I needed to put the two people who were meant to be together back on track. So, I started clinging to Lena, telling her how remorseful I was and how much I wanted to be her friend. At first, she was wary. But when she saw I genuinely had no ill intentions, she let her guard down. I casually probed her, “What do you think of my brother?” A blush crept up Lena’s ears. “Julian, he… he helped me a lot. And he really loves small animals. He used to feed the stray cats around here all the time and even got them spayed and neutered.” “I think he’s incredibly kind.” Sure enough. They loved each other back. Lena was actually pretty amazing. Her family wasn’t well off, but she was incredibly diligent, studying on a scholarship. She was the picture of a resilient girl from a humble background. My brother was handsome, the top of his class, and had a large inheritance left to him by Julian’s Aunt. Anyone looking at them would say they were a perfect match. Even though I’d long known this, my stomach still twisted with jealousy. That evening, Julian knocked on my bedroom door for the first time in ages. He didn’t dare to come in. The last time, it was because he’d suddenly walked into my room that he discovered my shameful thoughts. I spoke first, “I’m just looking at schools to apply to, nothing else…” Since my rebirth, I’d felt Julian was constantly distancing himself from me. Even without that kiss, he couldn’t accept that the sister he’d raised liked him *that* way. And even without that kiss, I couldn’t let Julian go. He cleared his throat unnaturally. “Why haven’t you been coming home with me lately?” I was a bit surprised he was asking about that. *Because I need to quickly get used to life without you*. I silently replied in my head. Even today, I was thinking of finding a school far away from Julian. Anyway, he and Lena had good grades, so they’d definitely go to the same university later. As for me, the further from him, the better. I casually threw out an excuse. “Lena and I actually get along pretty well, so we agreed to go home together. We can chat.” As soon as I said it, even I didn’t quite believe it. Julian stared at me intensely, making my scalp prickle even more. I stiffened my neck and challenged him, “Am I… bothering you two?” He frowned, then tapped me on the forehead. “What are you thinking? Of course not.” Then, he raked a hand through his hair, slightly agitated. “Forget it, you… it’s good to make more friends.”

Today, I walked home with Lena as usual. She’d opened up to me quite a bit, and I wanted to figure out the real reason for her fall in the previous life. Everyone thought I had pushed her off the building. Even Julian believed it. After all, I had a long history of acting out. But I hadn’t. I hadn’t even touched a single thread of her clothes. She just started crying and jumped. I wondered if something terrible had happened to Lena’s family, causing her to think of taking her own life. “Lena, if anything’s wrong, you have to tell me. If you’re in trouble, let me know, I’ll help you fix it!” Lena first froze, then her eyes welled up. She *was* in trouble. Just as she was about to speak. Suddenly, a group of thugs burst out from the alleyway beside us. They looked menacing, brandishing metal pipes they’d apparently ripped off school desks. I’d learned some self-defense when I was little and managed to hold my own against them. Lena, however, wasn’t doing so well. Seeing a pipe about to land on her, I didn’t think twice and shielded her. Then, my vision went black. When I woke up again, the back of my head and my back throbbed with a burning pain. I was covered in mud, but the scene before me was so shocking I couldn’t even register my own pain. Lena lay naked beside me. “Hey, Lena, what happened to you?” My voice trembled. Without thinking, I frantically searched for my phone. I just wanted to reach my brother as fast as possible. But my phone was shattered, completely unresponsive. Just then, a blinding light suddenly shone on my face. I instinctively lowered my head, squinting my eyes. The piercing wail of police sirens tangled with Julian’s furious shouts. I felt a force shove me away, sending me stumbling against a nearby step. “Stella, I really thought you’d changed, but I guess you were just biding your time for today, weren’t you?!” Julian’s eyes were bloodshot. I stared at him blankly, only then realizing. He’d misunderstood. “Julian, no, it wasn’t me.” Julian scooped Lena into his arms. “You’re holding your phone and saying it wasn’t you?! Delete all those photos, I’ll deal with you when we get home!” I watched his retreating back numbly, tears welling up in my eyes. “It really… wasn’t me…” Finally, all the strength drained from my body, and my vision blurred into darkness once more.

I dreamed of the previous life, when Julian had been just as angry with me. When Lena fell to her death, and I was taken in for questioning. Julian hit me for the first time. A loud, stinging slap. “How could you do something like this…?” “I’m so disappointed in you.” “I wish I never had a sister like you.” His eyes held an emotion so profoundly sad, it was almost serene. I couldn’t blame him. After all, only Lena and I were on the rooftop that day. No one would believe that a graduating student with a bright future would just jump off a building for no reason. But even if Julian didn’t believe me. He still found me the best lawyer. There were no security cameras on the rooftop, no direct evidence proving I pushed Lena. Besides, my fingerprints weren’t found on her body. But there was still the possibility that I had incited Lena to jump. Ultimately, the incident was ruled an accident. Julian paid Lena’s mother a large sum of money. But she still came to the school every day, causing a scene. So, Julian proactively took me out of school. I truly ruined his life. If it weren’t for me, what a brilliant life he would have had. No matter how the outside world speculated about the incident. For Julian, his sister had killed the person he loved. From that day on, there was no going back. I woke up with a jolt from my dream. Before my eyes was my familiar bedroom. Julian was sitting by my bed, looking haggard, dark circles under his eyes. When he saw me wake up, a glimmer of light appeared in his eyes. Then, he hugged me tightly.

It turned out, Lena had woken up before me. She recounted the entire story. I had been knocked unconscious while saving her. The group of thugs had taken pictures of her and fled. Julian held me, his body trembling uncontrollably. He kept repeating apologies. “I’m so sorry, Stella, I’m so sorry.” “It’s my fault for misunderstanding you.” “I didn’t take good care of you, and I accused you without a second thought. You should hit me…” His trembling was obvious and clear, and his body heat seeped into me, making my eyes well up with warmth. Days of accumulated grievances burst forth. My tears and snot plastered all over Julian’s shirt. “Julian! It’s all my fault!” “If I hadn’t been such a mess before, you wouldn’t have doubted me!” I desperately shook my head, wanting Julian to believe my promise. “I’m truly sorry. I’ll never cling to you and make things difficult again!” “I’ll never yearn for you like that again. I just want to be your sister, always your sister!” I felt my brother’s body stiffen for a moment. Then, his hand gently patted my back. We hugged like that for a long, long time. It was as if all the previous distance between us had simply vanished. Julian brought over a bowl of porridge from the side. “Eat something first.” He tied up my hair and grabbed his jacket. “I’m going out to buy you your favorite tarts as an apology.” “Wait for me to come back. I have something important to tell you.” I gazed at Julian obediently, sensing something was different about him. As if he’d made some kind of decision. But I waited a long time, and my brother never came back. Instead, I first received a message from Lena. 【Stella, please, come find me on the school rooftop.】 【Only you.】 【Please…】

I ran out of the house like a madwoman. Why was it still happening? The abbot’s words echoed in my mind. *What has already happened cannot be changed.* Was I truly unable to change anything? Then what was the point of me being reborn?! But Lena’s message to me was different from the previous life. In my previous life, she’d sent me a taunting message. Lying that she and Julian were secretly meeting on the school rooftop. This time, though, it was different. I felt like the truth was within reach. On the rooftop, Lena was crying, just as she had in the previous life. “Lena, what the hell are you doing?!” *Does this building just have to be jumped off of?!* Lena looked at me, then dropped to her knees with a thud. “Stella, I can’t escape this. The people who hurt us that day were Brock’s men. They took so many photos and videos of me… I’ve been trapped for so long.” My blood immediately rushed to my head. “You knew this? Then why didn’t you tell the police? You’re the victim! It’s not your fault!” Lena screamed, looking completely on the verge of a breakdown. “It’s no use, Stella!” “I fought back, but it was useless…” “They threatened my mom and my younger siblings. Brock’s family has serious connections, we can’t go against him at all.” “He’s a monster. He’s always been toying with us. He wants to ruin Julian, that’s why he tried to get to him through you.” “I’m so sorry. You and your brother have both been so kind to me.” “Don’t come near me. As long as you don’t touch me, they won’t find any evidence on you.” “Julian cares about you so much, he’ll find a way to protect you, no matter what.” “But if I don’t listen to Brock, my family won’t have a chance to live. If I die, maybe it’ll blow up and get enough attention.” “I only ask one thing, please, after I die, look after my family, just for the sake of our short month of friendship…” I didn’t let her finish. I rushed forward, grabbed her by the collar, and pulled her to her feet. I could only hear my own roar echoing. “Then do you know what will happen to my brother after you die?! He’ll spend his entire life mourning you!!” It was only then that I realized I was a complete mess, tears streaming down my face. Lena stared at me blankly. The small silk pouch in my pocket *clattered* onto the floor. It lay there quietly. I vaguely remembered the warmth that had spread through my palm the first time I held it. *If I’m Julian’s fated hurdle.* *Then without me, he’d be happy, wouldn’t he?* …So, that’s what it meant. I finally understood. “So, we just need to make a big scene, right?” I turned and ran towards the edge of the rooftop. At first, it was a light, floating sensation. Then, a heavy, plummeting feeling. I chose the abyss. So I fell into the abyss. *Thud—!* A deafening sound, followed by a piercing shriek. It shattered the quiet of the night. At the same time, Julian, who was just a street away from the school, was so startled by the sudden loud noise that he almost dropped what he was holding. It was the last box of tarts. The bakery he usually went to was closed. He’d gone to several places before finding this newly opened one near the school. The crowd around him gradually grew louder. “Someone died!” “Someone jumped! A female student!” Julian turned his head, looking towards the school. He suddenly remembered the sharp pang he’d felt in his chest when he heard that loud thud.

Julian, as if compelled by some strange impulse, walked towards the school. He was never one to be curious about crowds. But that day, a voice inside him seemed to say: *You should go see.* He saw Lena. She was crumpled on the ground, crying, calling Stella’s name. *Why would she call Stella’s name?* Julian’s heart pounded with growing dread. He couldn’t control his hands, desperately pushing through the crowd. The person lying on the ground. He couldn’t *not* recognize her. No matter what she looked like, he would know her at a glance. But his sister should be lying in her room right now, waiting for him to come home with tarts. She shouldn’t. She shouldn’t be lying there, broken and shattered, on the ground. Lena confessed everything. She cried, saying she had killed Stella. “When I was injured before, I deliberately framed her. That day, she came to find me, furious, and I intentionally placed a cup near her. She accidentally knocked it over and broke it, and I pretended she pushed me and cut my arm.” “She actually believed it. She even apologized to me, even though she was the only one who ever treated me like a friend…” Julian stared at her blankly, it took him a long, long time to find his voice. “What did she say, in the end?” “She said, if I died, you would mourn me your whole life.” Julian felt as if someone was choking him, making it impossible to breathe. He finally realized: The one who killed his sister, was himself. Julian still clearly remembered the day he told Stella to burn the diaries. She stood in the yard, burning them and wiping away tears. His heart twisted with pain. He told Mrs. Davis to call Stella back inside. But he found himself uncontrollably walking towards the pile of ashes. There was one diary that hadn’t completely burned. He stomped out the flames. Inside, the elegant handwriting was something he had taught her, stroke by stroke. *Would Julian be disgusted if he knew I loved him?* In that moment, he felt nothing else mattered. He shouldn’t have blamed her. He had no right to blame Stella. In this world, no matter what mistakes Stella made. His own sin was far greater. He was just too afraid to take that step. If one day, Stella no longer loved him. If she saw a better, wider world. If men out there made her realize her brother was actually insignificant. Then they wouldn’t even be able to be siblings anymore. The step he took would damn him forever. That night, he even had a twisted thought: *It would be better if he and Stella had a blood relation.* At least that way, there would be an indelible mark between them. He was terrified. So, when he realized Stella hated Lena. For the first time, he didn’t distance himself from someone his sister disliked. He thought, *just let Stella give up on me.* She would grow up eventually. She would leave him eventually. But when Stella had been unconscious for several days, then woke up crying and apologizing, saying she was a jerk. He just wanted to say: *He* was the jerk, a thousand times worse than her. Not only that, he was a coward. Letting Stella bear the burden of their shared sin alone. Julian finally understood. He would tell Stella: *It’s fine. We can just go somewhere no one knows us.* But it was his moment of hesitation that made him lose his sister forever. … By the time Julian came back to his senses. He had already handled Stella’s funeral. That small urn held the person he loved most. She was so lively and active. How could she bear to stay in such a cramped space? His senses seemed to return belatedly. Thousands of razor blades seemed to sprout from his internal organs. He desperately dry-heaved. The blades sliced his esophagus, his throat. But nothing came up. He could only spend his days in Stella’s room. It was the only place in the world that still carried her scent. He didn’t know how much time had passed. His life had ended the day his sister died. Behind the wall, Mr. Peterson and Mrs. Davis were incredibly anxious. “We’ve found so many therapists, but nothing helps!” “He looks like he’s lost his soul. I heard that monastery in the northern hills is very spiritual…” I didn’t expect to wake up again. In a dimly lit rented apartment. There was an admission letter. The name on it was “Stella.” I had been reborn into a body with the same name.

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