My best friend’s son’s eyes are identical to my husband’s. I was holding little Alex, who is three, and watching him laugh. The curve of his smile, the shape of his eyes, even the way they crinkled— I froze. “Godmother, what’s wrong?” I heard my own voice tremble. “Nothing,” I said, putting the child down. I watched him run towards Sarah. Sarah. My best friend of twenty years. She picked up Alex and smiled at me. “Look how much he loves his godmother.” I smiled back. But my palms were drenched in sweat. 1. Sarah and I have been classmates since middle school. Twenty whole years, from the age of thirteen until now. She was my bridesmaid when I got married. When she suffered a postpartum hemorrhage, I was the first to rush to the hospital. Three years ago, she suddenly told me she was pregnant. “Whose?” She just smiled, saying nothing. “You’re not going to tell me?” “It doesn’t matter,” she said, touching her belly. “I can raise him myself.” At the time, I thought she was so cool. A single mother, an independent woman. I helped her find the best obstetrician. I accompanied her to every prenatal check-up. When she had morning sickness, I made her porridge. On the day she went into labor, I was with her in the delivery room. “I’ll definitely pay you back when I have money,” she said from her hospital bed, gripping my hand. “Don’t be silly,” I laughed. “What kind of relationship do we have?” She cried. “You’re the best friend I’ll ever have.” I cried too. I believed her. During her month of postpartum confinement, I was at her house almost every day. Cooking soup, cleaning the room, washing the baby’s diapers. My husband, Harold, said I was too devoted. “She has family, doesn’t she?” “Her parents aren’t local, and she’s all alone. If I don’t help her, who will?” Harold didn’t say anything more. On the day of Alex’s full-month celebration, I gave a set of gold locks and bracelets, worth over thirty thousand. Sarah held the baby, prompting him to call me. “Say ‘Godmother.’” Little Alex babbled, drool running down his chin. I took him, my heart melting completely. “Godmother will buy you delicious food, toys, and send you to school.” Sarah stood by, her eyes curved in a smile. “You’re better to him than his own mother.” At the time, I thought this was the most genuine friendship in the world. When Alex was one, Sarah moved. The new apartment complex was very close to my house, a ten-minute walk. “This way, it’s easier for you to see Alex,” she said. I didn’t think much of it. Sometimes, when Sarah worked late, she’d drop Alex off at my house. Harold initially found it annoying. “Again?” “Just a few hours, can you watch him for me?” Later, he stopped complaining. He even started asking, “Alex isn’t coming today?” I said, “Sarah isn’t working late today.” He “oh-ed” and looked down at his phone. Now that I think about it, was he chatting with her then? For Alex’s second birthday, I gave him a big red envelope. At two and a half, I enrolled him in an early childhood education class, eighteen thousand. Sarah said she felt bad, but I said it was fine. “It’s not easy raising a child alone; I’ll help you.” She looked at me, her eyes red. “I don’t know how to thank you.” “Don’t say such things.” I was sincere. I didn’t have children. Five years of marriage, and I still couldn’t conceive. Harold said not to rush, let nature take its course. My mother-in-law’s expression grew worse and worse, but she didn’t say anything to my face. Alex, in a way, filled that void for me. I loved him as if he were my own son. But I didn’t know he might actually be my husband’s “own son.” The change started when he turned three. One day, I went to Sarah’s house to pick up Alex. He was eating watermelon. Red juice ran down his chin. He looked up and smiled at me. I froze. That smile. Those crinkling eyes. That unconscious head tilt. Exactly like Harold. I told myself then: You’re overthinking it. All kids look somewhat alike. But from that day on, I couldn’t help but observe. Alex’s ears. Harold’s ears had that same shape, with a little point at the top. Alex’s fingers. Slender and long, just like Harold’s. Alex would purse his lips when he was angry. Harold did too. Once was a coincidence. Twice was a coincidence. What about three, four, five times? I started losing sleep. That night, I lay in bed, tossing and turning. Harold was already asleep. I looked at his profile, suddenly feeling like he was a stranger. I quietly picked up his phone. His phone was never password-protected; we had agreed on mutual trust. I opened WeChat and found Sarah’s chat. The most recent messages were from three days ago. “Alex has a cold, do you have time to come see him?” “Okay, tomorrow.” That was it. Ordinary. I scrolled back further. All everyday conversations. No flirtation, nothing suspicious. I breathed a sigh of relief. I must be overthinking. It had to be. The next day, Sarah called. “Lily, Alex misses you. Coming over for dinner today?” “Okay.” I hung up and saw Harold standing at the door. “Going to Sarah’s?” “Yes.” “I’ll come too,” he said. “I can bring Alex a toy.” He used to find it annoying, and now he’s volunteering? I looked at him, saying nothing. He smiled. “What’s wrong?” “Nothing.” I averted my gaze. Telling myself: Don’t be paranoid. During dinner, Alex sat next to Harold. Harold served him food, wiped his mouth. “Uncle Harold is so nice,” Alex said. Sarah laughed. “Harold cares more about Alex than you, his godmother.” Harold said, “Kids are always likable.” I ate silently, my head down. But my eyes were constantly watching. Watching Harold serve food. Watching Alex eat. Watching their profiles side by side. Similar. They were so similar. Sarah suddenly spoke, “Lily, what’s wrong? You don’t look so good.” “Nothing, just a little tired.” She looked at me with concern. “Maybe you should go home and rest?” “No, I’m fine.” I smiled. But inside, a storm was brewing. On the way home, I asked Harold, “How long have you known Sarah?” He paused. “Through you, about six years now.” “Do you two contact each other often?” “Not much, just when she asks me to help fix her computer or something.” “You’re really good to Alex.” He smiled. “That kid is charming.” I didn’t say anything else. After getting home, he went to shower. I sat on the sofa, staring at the wall, lost in thought. Fix computer. Did Sarah ever ask him to fix her computer? Why don’t I know about that? That night, I couldn’t sleep. At three in the morning, I got up and took Harold’s phone again. This time, I searched more thoroughly. No WeChat messages. No texts. Call history… I froze. The call history with Sarah. More than I expected. At least three or four times a week. Sometimes ten minutes, sometimes half an hour. But it didn’t show up on WeChat because they only sent voice messages, never typed. I put the phone back, lay back in bed, and stared at the ceiling until dawn. 2. I started paying attention to more details. That photo of Alex at 100 days old at Sarah’s house. I leaned in, looking at his eyebrows. Thick brows, connected in the middle. Harold had them too. And that dimple. On his left cheek, appearing only when he smiled. Harold had one too. I asked Sarah, “Whose dimple does Alex have?” She paused, then smiled. “I don’t know, maybe his dad’s.” “His dad has a dimple?” “I don’t remember,” she said. “It’s been too long since we broke up.” I stared at her face for a few seconds. Her smile froze for a moment. Then quickly returned to normal. “Oh, by the way, can you check Alex’s foot? Is it a bit flat-footed?” The topic was changed. But I remembered that frozen moment. After that, I started “accidentally” looking through Harold’s things. His computer. His drawers. His bank statements. Then I found a transfer. Five thousand every month, on a fixed date, transferred to an unfamiliar account. “What’s this?” I asked him. He glanced at it, his expression unchanged. “Helping a friend out. He said he’d pay me back in installments.” “Which friend?” “You don’t know him.” I didn’t ask any more questions. But I noted down the account. That night, I used my own channels to check. Account holder: Sarah. My hands were trembling. Five thousand every month. Transferred for three years. Three years, thirty-six months, one hundred and eighty thousand. I never knew. He was transferring money to her, behind my back. Why? Helping a friend out? Was she his friend? Or my friend? I took a deep breath. Told myself to calm down. I couldn’t be sure yet. Maybe it really was just a loan. Maybe Sarah was having difficulties and was too embarrassed to ask me. Maybe… But why hide it from me? The next day, I asked Sarah out for coffee. “Are you tight on money lately?” “I’m okay,” she smiled. “Why?” “If you need money, you can tell me.” “No, no,” she waved her hand. “I have enough.” “Really?” “Really.” She looked at me. “Lily, what’s wrong with you today?” “Nothing,” I smiled. “Just worried about you.” “Silly girl.” She squeezed my hand. “With you as my best friend, what do I have to fear?” Her hand was warm. Her eyes were sincere. I almost believed her. But one hundred and eighty thousand. She said she had enough. Then where did Harold’s money go? I started checking more things. Harold’s schedule. He said he had a business trip this weekend, and I said okay. But I didn’t tell him I had put a tracker on his car. That weekend, the tracker showed him in the city center. Not the city of his business trip. But a hotel. A five-star one, very close to Sarah’s house. I sat at home, watching the little dot on my phone. He stayed there for three hours. Then he came home. “How was the business trip?” I asked him. “It was alright, a bit tiring,” he yawned. “I’m going to shower first.” I watched his back. Business trip. A bit tiring. What made you so tired? That night, after he fell asleep, I took his phone again. This time, I found a hidden album. It required a password. I tried his birthday, incorrect. Our wedding anniversary, incorrect. His mother’s birthday, incorrect. Finally, I tried Alex’s birthday. It opened. Inside were just a few photos. Sarah’s. Selfies, candid shots. And one photo of the two of them together. The background was a hotel room. Sarah leaned on his shoulder, smiling sweetly. The date was in the bottom right corner. Two years ago. I put the phone back. Walked out onto the balcony. It was dark outside; I couldn’t see any stars. I stood there for a long time. I didn’t cry. I couldn’t cry. I just felt cold. Cold from the inside out. My best friend of twenty years. My husband of five years. The two people I trusted most. Had been betraying me all along. I remembered what Sarah had said. “You’re the best friend I’ll ever have.” I remembered what Harold had said. “We agreed to trust each other.” So laughable. 3. The next day, I didn’t say a word. I made breakfast as usual, and saw Harold off as usual. “What do you want for dinner tonight?” I asked him. “Whatever, you decide,” he kissed my forehead. “My hardworking wife.” I smiled. Watched him drive away. Then I closed the door, leaning against the wall. Every breath hurt. But I told myself: It’s not enough yet. Photos can be faked. I needed more definite proof. I made a decision. A DNA test. Sarah had called saying Alex had a cold, so I offered to visit. I brought toys, fruit, and a cotton swab. “Let me see Alex’s throat.” Sarah didn’t think much of it and brought the child over. I took the opportunity when she turned to get water to swab inside Alex’s mouth with the cotton swab. “What’s Godmother doing?” “Checking if you have any inflammation,” I said, smiling. “Nothing, you’re very healthy.” Alex grinned. I put the cotton swab in a bag and tucked it into my pocket. Harold’s sample was easier to get. His razor. His toothbrush. His hair on the pillow. I collected enough samples and sent them to a testing agency. “It should take about a week,” the staff said. “Okay, I’ll wait.” A week. Seven days. For these seven days, I had to pretend I knew nothing. These seven days passed slowly. Every day, I cooked, went to work, and talked to Harold as usual. He didn’t notice anything unusual. Because I was acting very well. Or rather, he simply didn’t care. That Thursday, he said he had another business trip this weekend. “Where are you going this time?” “Shanghai, to meet a client.” “How many days will you be gone?” “Two days, I think.” I nodded, saying nothing. But I knew he wouldn’t be going to Shanghai. He would be going to that hotel. Friday evening, Sarah called. “Lily, come over for dinner this weekend, I’m making dumplings.” “Okay.” “What about Harold? Tell him to come too.” “He’s on a business trip.” Silence on the other end of the phone for a second. “Oh, then just come by yourself.” I hung up. Business trip. They think I don’t know. They think I’m still that fool. Saturday, I didn’t go to Sarah’s house. I went to that hotel. I wanted to see it with my own eyes. I sat in the lobby for two hours, then I saw them walk in together. Harold had his arm around Sarah’s waist. Sarah leaned on his shoulder. Both were laughing and chatting. Like an ordinary couple. No, like an ordinary married couple. My phone captured the scene. Then I left. I didn’t rush up to them. I didn’t make a scene. Because it wasn’t time yet. Sunday evening, Harold returned from his “business trip.” “Are you tired?” I asked him. “Not really,” he put down his luggage. “The client was difficult; it took two days to finalize.” “That sounds tough.” “My wife is so thoughtful.” He smiled and kissed me. I smiled too. I let him kiss me. Then I said, “Promise me something.” “What?” “You and Sarah…” His body noticeably stiffened. “You and Sarah should limit your contact from now on,” I said. “I don’t really like you two being too close.” He breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. “You’re overthinking it. What could possibly be going on between us? She’s your best friend, and I’m just helping out.” “Really?” “Really.” He looked into my eyes. “Wife, have you been too tired lately? You’re being paranoid.” I looked into his eyes. Those eyes that once made me feel so secure. Now I just found them disgusting. “Maybe,” I said. “I’m just overthinking.” He hugged me. “Silly girl, how could I ever do anything to betray you?” I leaned on his shoulder. Closed my eyes. Okay. I’ll give you one more chance. If the DNA results are negative, I’ll pretend nothing happened. If they’re positive… 4. A week later, the results were out. I went to pick up the report alone. The staff handed me an envelope. “Read it yourself or shall I read it to you?” “I’ll read it myself.” I opened the envelope. My hand was trembling. My eyes found the line of text. “Probability of paternity: 99.9999%.” “Conclusion: Supports Harold as the biological father of Alex.” I stared at those words for a long time. Then I folded the report and put it in my bag. Walking out of the testing center, the sunlight was blinding. I stood by the roadside, and suddenly I laughed. 99.9999%. Biological father. I helped her during her confinement. I bought gold locks for the child. I spent twenty thousand to enroll the child in early education. I loved him as if he were my own son. It turns out, he really was my husband’s “own son.” I didn’t go home. I found a coffee shop and sat there all afternoon, sorting through everything. Alex is three. They’ve been together for at least three years. Maybe longer. Harold and I have been married for five years. Which means… from the very beginning of our marriage, he was betraying me? I remembered what he said when he proposed. “I will only love you in this life.” I remembered what Sarah said when she was my bridesmaid. “Lily, you must be happy.” Happy. She slept with my husband and wanted me to be happy. What a huge joke. When I got home that evening, Harold was already there. “Where were you? You didn’t answer your phone.” “Shopping with colleagues; my phone died.” “Oh.” He breathed a sigh of relief. “I thought something happened.” Something happened? Something big happened. I looked at him and smiled. “Nothing, just shopped for too long.” “Are you hungry? I ordered takeout.” “Yes, I’m hungry.” I sat down to eat, chatted with him, and watched TV. As usual. Nothing changed. Only my heart had grown cold. Over the next few days, I continued to gather evidence. I found their chat history. Harold had replaced his phone once, but he had a habit of backing things up. I found all their chat records in his cloud drive. Starting from four years ago. “Miss you.” “Me too.” “When can we be openly together?” “When the time is right.” “Alex called me ‘Daddy’ today.” “Really? Send me the video.” I read them one by one. My hands were shaking. So they had planned it all along. Waiting for the “time to be right.” What time? For me to die? Or for them to save enough money to run away? There were also transfer records. Besides the five thousand a month, there were others. Money for the child’s formula, toys, early education fees. Some I paid, some he paid. The two of us, together, raising his illegitimate child. I remembered one time, Sarah said she was short on cash and wanted to borrow money from me. I transferred twenty thousand to her. She said she’d pay it back when she got paid. And she did. But that month, Harold also transferred twenty thousand to her. She used Harold’s money to pay off her debt to me. What a well-played game. I compiled all the evidence. The DNA report. Screenshots of chat records. Transfer records. Hotel photos. Hotel stay records—which I had someone pull. Three years, they booked rooms 87 times. 87 times. An average of two to three times a month. I calculated, it was probably when I was on business trips, when I was working overtime, when I thought he was also working overtime. I printed all these out, bound them. Two copies. One for Harold. One for Sarah.

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When Samuel asked me to deliver ultra-thin condoms again, my mom saw it. She paused and said, “I’ll deliver it for you.” “I had you when I was forty. No amount of love is too much. I can’t bear to see you wronged, so I’ll deliver it for you.” At that moment, I decided to give up on Samuel. Later, everyone was surprised I no longer revolved around Samuel. Some asked me why. I stayed silent for a long time, only pressing my lips together. “My mom would be heartbroken.” Samuel forgot to bring ultra-thins to his hotel room again. By the time the message reached me, it was already eleven at night. And I happened to be in the shower, so my mom saw the message. When I came out, the air felt particularly stagnant. The message on the phone on the coffee table was glaring. [Mia likes strawberry-flavored ones. Get them to me within half an hour.] My mom didn’t know many words. But he had sent a voice message. Probably still resentful that I had stolen Mia’s client last time, his message now was particularly explicit. The air grew heavy. Mom hung her head, lost in thought. After a long silence, she said to me: “If this is the boy you like, then I’ll deliver it for you.” “I had you when I was forty. No amount of love is too much. I can’t bear to see you wronged, so I’ll deliver it for you.” The light in the room was dim, but the white hair on her head was particularly conspicuous. I started liking Samuel in high school. I followed him to a university in Northbridge. Later, I joined his family’s company and got a high-paying job. He treated me well—gave me birthday gifts, paid me a high salary. When I first started and got bullied during business negotiations, the person came to apologize to me the next day. Some people were jealous and made snide remarks to my face: “Connections sure make a difference. Someone’s going to be Mrs. Samuel.” I half believed it myself. Many people came and went around him. When he needed something, I’d deliver things to him. When he didn’t, I’d take money and handle everything for him one by one. Only Mia lasted the longest. Samuel liked her so much he wanted to marry her. Following him all these years, I’d suffered plenty. But at this moment, I suddenly felt it was all rather pointless. “I’ve decided to give up on him,” I told my mom. As I said this, I blocked Samuel. His call came through the next second. His tone was particularly casual: “What’s this about? If you’re going to throw a tantrum, now’s not the time. I need these right now.” “Oh, and when you come, apologize to Mia in person.” The apology was because I had closed a big deal, but Mia claimed that was her client. The girl cried, and Samuel lost all reason. He docked two months of my salary, fired my entire department, and transferred me to a different position. Six months of hard work on my project went down the drain. When I confronted him about it, he laughed lightly. “You got your job through connections anyway. What’s there to regret?” “As for those people, what good projects could they do following you? If they had real talent, they wouldn’t be working on your projects.” It had been several days, but thinking about it still left me breathless, my heart twisting in pain. Humiliating and mortifying. I lowered my eyes and replied: “I won’t apologize to her. If she’s really that upset, just fire me.” He was silent for a moment on the other end, then laughed casually, displeasure evident in his tone. “Fine, as long as you can let it go.” I didn’t know if he meant the job or him. I’d been chasing after Samuel for ten years. Anyone with eyes could see I liked him desperately. He was a transfer student who came back from Northbridge in our senior year of high school. Northbridge didn’t allow day students to take the college entrance exam, so he returned. Elegant, distinguished. That was everyone’s first impression of him. That year was also when I was at my most pathetic. My face was covered in acne. I was withdrawn and unlikeable. My family was poor, and we rented a dark apartment where the laundry never saw sunlight. My clothes always had a fishy smell, and no one in class liked me. But he volunteered to be my deskmate. Perhaps out of pity or sympathy, he would always help me with problems I couldn’t figure out no matter how hard I tried, then say: “I think you’re really smart.” When people gossiped about me, he would hand me an earbud. It wasn’t music playing—it was a niche radio program where a comedy performer was saying in a shocking voice: “People like that deserve to be struck by lightning! Don’t you all just die!” He would also load two thousand dollars onto my meal card when I was chugging cold water to save five dollars on food. Then he’d say casually: “It’s just the price of one outfit for me. Pay me back when you’re earning money.” At first, I was anxious and uneasy. I felt I didn’t deserve this kindness. Later, I comforted myself that perhaps my luck had been so terrible, so bad, that fate arranged for Samuel to save me. After that, we talked about everything.

The year I graduated from college, I was looking for work. At the time, a saying circulated online: good jobs only flow through connections and bloodlines. Unable to suppress my frustration, I mentioned it to him once. He just stayed silent for a while, then raised his eyebrows slightly and adjusted his collar. “I’m your connection. You can work with me.” He was my best friend. Naturally, I liked him. I was too ashamed to say it out loud. But perhaps I was too obvious, or perhaps he was naturally perceptive and could see through people’s hearts. One night, he called me. “Emergency. I just fell for a girl at first sight, but I don’t have what I need. Can you bring it to me?” My mind went blank with a buzzing sound. My throat went dry, and I couldn’t speak. After a long silence, I asked him: “Why me?” He laughed lightly: “You’re my best friend. If you don’t help me, who will?” Finally, he asked seriously: “You’ll come, right?” In the adult world, some things only need to be hinted at. By saying this, he was telling me to put away my feelings. If I had cursed him out and hung up then, we would never have crossed that line. We would have remained just friends forever. But for some reason, I still went. It was pouring rain that day. The drainage system was overwhelmed, and water rose almost to my calves. Perhaps it was my body’s self-defense mechanism—I forgot how I awkwardly handed him the item under Samuel’s ambiguous gaze. I also forgot how I left that hotel. I only remember the woman in the room asking curiously: “Who’s that?” Samuel scoffed lightly: “Just an ordinary employee.” “Ah, working people really have it rough.” The subway had stopped running, and the rain was too heavy to catch a cab. I didn’t have my ID, so I couldn’t get a hotel room. I could only stumble through the flooded streets toward home. The wind in Northbridge cut across my face like a dull knife. My whole body was numb. From the hotel to home, I walked for three hours. After I got back, I developed a high fever. Later, I got otitis media. That same day, my mom called me. She said she wanted to come keep me company. On the other end of the phone, I also heard Samuel’s voice. As frivolous and certain as always. “You’ll come, right?” I didn’t respond. I just hung up. I wouldn’t go. I would never go again. Outside, rain was pouring down. My ear started hurting again. The pain spread quickly, even my scalp throbbed viciously. I instinctively pressed my temples. Mom stood there, looking somewhat at a loss. These past few years, she hadn’t been happy in Northbridge. She always did things cautiously. She always felt guilty for not being able to help my career, so while I was supporting her, she somehow learned to read my moods and act accordingly. It was completely backwards. I forced myself to sit up and act unconcerned: “Don’t worry about me. He’s not someone I like—he’s purely a capitalist boss.” “You know how it is in the city—it’s cutthroat. Some of my friends even have to babysit their boss’s kids after work.” She didn’t respond, and her expression didn’t relax. I knew she didn’t believe me. After all, I’d climbed so high in this city over the years. Even the leadership had to give me some respect and wouldn’t give me attitude. But I really didn’t have the energy to explain anything more. When I was in school, I used to tell her everything—what I ate, what I drank, what happened at school. But during these years of single-mindedly chasing Samuel, she and I gradually grew distant, like there was a wall between us. Separated by an invisible distance, I couldn’t open my heart to her. I didn’t know what to say to her. I just said softly: “Mom, really don’t worry about me. I’ve wanted to quit for a while now.” “It’s late. Let’s both go to bed.” I turned around, but behind me came a nearly choked voice. “But I can’t help but worry.” “I went to your company to find you. That time, I saw him bullying you.” My head hurt more and more. I couldn’t spare the mental energy to think about which time it was. “I went to him. I wanted him to treat you better. But he told me that you got into the company through connections anyway, that you’d already achieved more than most people could reach, that suffering a little was a privilege, and that at least you were smart.” “But having me as a mother—it’s really unlucky.”

Resigning required following proper procedures. When I got to the company, I discovered my workstation had already been taken by Mia. When she saw me, she smiled with a sense of entitlement: “I only shed two tears, and Samuel gave me your position. He said I’m his favorite canary.” I wasn’t angry. I asked calmly, “Doesn’t Samuel only want you? Aren’t you two getting married? Why are you still calling yourself a canary?” “What? Are you so used to being a mistress?” “Don’t you dare look down on me!” Hearing this, she seemed to have hit a sore spot. Her young face contorted strangely. “You don’t even know what Samuel says about you, do you? He said your motives are impure, your abilities are lacking, and he’s wanted to get rid of you for ages!” “You don’t need to feel it’s unfair. After all, the capable rise to the top.” “Whether in the office or in bed.” Originally, she was keeping her voice down, but her anger got the better of her, and her voice grew louder and louder. That “in bed” came out in an almost shrill voice. The Samuel Corporation was intensely competitive. Most people were so busy they couldn’t even drink water all day. But at this moment, everyone stopped what they were doing and turned their attention to us. Sticky, suffocating. She sensed everyone’s gaze and her whole face flushed red. It reminded me of when Samuel first took a liking to her—she was just as startled and flustered then. Her schemes were shallow, her methods of provocation brainless. I often wondered when Samuel would have me give her the breakup money. Samuel wasn’t patient. He liked novelty and never lacked girlfriends. Every visible part of his body was covered in women’s kiss marks. Maybe this time was true love. Even now, I still didn’t understand why Samuel liked her so much. Mia gritted her teeth but didn’t dare say anything more. She grabbed the thermos from the desk, intending to throw it at my face. But she forgot she was wearing high heels and a pencil skirt. In earlier years, when Samuel hadn’t yet secured his position in the company, I often attended business dinners for him. I wore either high-slit dresses or pencil skirts, always in stiletto heels. I hated it, so when I gained some authority, I immediately changed the dress code—formal occasions required pantsuits, and casual wear was fine for daily work. So her movements were slow. The skirt prevented her from taking big steps. I almost effortlessly snatched the thermos from her. Then I swung it forcefully toward her face. When it was five centimeters from her face, I stopped. Looking at her terrified eyes, I smiled. “Sorry, this is my thermos.” “Jennifer, I didn’t know you had it in you.” Behind me came a scoff. I turned around to meet Samuel’s slightly mocking gaze. Mia seemed to snap out of it. Tears fell quickly. “She’s too arrogant. She was going to hit me.” “Why are you crying? Want me to let you hit her back?” Mia’s tears turned to smiles. She walked up to me aggressively, ready to slap me. But I remained perfectly calm. I didn’t know what I represented to Samuel. I figured he must be so pickled in love that he shamelessly used me as a tool to please Mia. So this time, the thermos didn’t hit Mia. It hit Samuel’s face. Mia urgently covered Samuel’s face and said sharply: “Are you crazy?” Chaos erupted around us. Looking at Samuel’s disbelieving eyes, I said: “If you want to call the police, I’ll cooperate. Injury assessment—I’ll pay the medical bills.” “This job—I quit.”

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After getting roasted by my advisor at our group meeting, I sent my online boyfriend a photo of my legs. 【Show it to your master right now!】 I looked up. My usually cold and aloof sharp-tongued advisor suddenly had his Adam’s apple bobbing, his ears flushed red. Curious, I sneaked a peek at his phone screen. There was the message I had just sent. Ah!!! I was instantly dumbfounded. But my hand had already initiated a video call with him… 0 The buzzing of Ethan Ford’s phone vibrating was particularly jarring in the oppressively tense atmosphere of the group meeting. I never would have dreamed in my wildest imagination. That my cold-blooded, ruthless advisor was the online boyfriend who would cry while calling me master! Ethan Ford’s fingertip moved toward his phone screen. My heart leapt into my throat. Was he about to answer the video call? Yes, answer it! Hurry up and answer! Ten minutes ago, he had just publicly berated me, calling my fifth-draft thesis a pile of garbage. Once he realizes I’m his master, he definitely won’t hold up my thesis anymore! Oh heavens! How exciting! Brother, I finally have hope of graduating! I immediately sat up straight and proper. The next moment. The video call was rejected. 185 Dumb Rich Guy With Abs (the nickname I’d given him) sent messages in quick succession: 【Baby, I’m in a group meeting right now, it’s not convenient to show you.】 【I’ll contact you later, okay~】 【Transfer $52,000】 【Puppy loves you·jpg】 I paused. The smile hadn’t even left my face yet. When my advisor Ethan Ford’s stern reprimand suddenly rang in my ears. “Vincent Scott! What are you grinning about?” I jumped in fright. Hastily looked up. Right into Ethan Ford’s cold, sharp gaze. Ethan Ford seemed furious to the extreme, staring at me without giving me any face: “During your undergraduate years, you neither participated in any major research projects nor had any relevant academic background. I didn’t even want to recruit you into the group back then. It was your academic counselor who strongly recommended you to me, saying you were a promising candidate worth cultivating.” “And the result?” “Your experiments are a complete mess, your thesis writing is utter nonsense, you don’t say a word during group meetings, and now you dare to play with your phone!” “Do you even want to graduate?” This is bad, this is bad. I think I’ve really messed up big time. My heart trembled with fear. The other students were also too scared to breathe, but they all unanimously looked at me. Their gazes were sympathetic, confused, relieved it wasn’t them getting chewed out… Since childhood, I’d excelled academically, making it all the way through university graduation on a steady diet of teacher praise and classmate admiration. But after starting graduate school, from my proposal defense to my thesis, I’d lost count of how many times Ethan Ford had berated me. My face burned with embarrassment. Hot tears welled up in my eyes. But Ethan Ford is so gentle with me online. He even acts coquettish with me, saying things like “baby give me kisses” and “love master the most”… I tried to explain to him. But my voice shook like a sieve from grievance and nervousness. “I was just… messaging my boyfriend. My boyfriend is actually…” “Zero people present care, zero people want to know about your relationship drama!” Ethan Ford coldly interrupted me: “Next time you can’t distinguish time and place like this, go apply for a new advisor. I won’t supervise you anymore.” Ethan Ford wasn’t just the youngest master’s degree advisor at the school—his father was also the CEO of a publicly listed company and even had shares in the university. If he refused to supervise me, the other advisors would be afraid of offending him and definitely wouldn’t take me on either. Then I’d be completely finished. My blood ran cold. After a long while, I stiffly squeezed eight words from my throat. “Understood. It won’t happen again.” 0

As soon as we left the academic building, my senior Ryan Jenkins asked me with a worried expression. “Vincent, how did you dare to make a video call during the group meeting today?” Because I discovered Ethan Ford is my online boyfriend. I was so happy I nearly lost my mind in that moment. But thinking about it now, it’s very strange. I looked around to make sure no one was nearby, then lowered my voice and asked, “Do you think Professor Ford could possibly be dating a guy online?” Ryan froze for a moment, then laughed: “Professor Ford is famously an aloof ice prince. He doesn’t even get close to women, let alone date guys online.” His expression changed, and he asked me seriously: “You’re not believing those online posts about confessing to your advisor about online dating when your thesis won’t pass, are you?” “Those are all clickbait. Don’t believe them.” “Professor Ford is already dissatisfied with you. If you go and offend him with pranks, you really won’t be able to graduate.” My heart sank with a thud. I thought I’d hit the jackpot being in an online relationship with Ethan Ford. But from Ethan Ford’s perspective, it really does look like I’m deliberately retaliating against him. After all, I made him call me master and wear a chest chain while showing off his abs. Just now, I even asked him to show it to me! Oh god, how humiliating, how terrifying. I absolutely cannot let Ethan Ford know it was me he’s been dating online! I feigned composure: “I’m just curious. I wouldn’t do something like that.” Only then did Ryan relax. Shortly after I returned to my apartment, Ethan Ford sent me a message. 【Baby, I’m free now. Should I show you now?】 Ah! Just thinking about how Ethan Ford is cold and cutting in person, with his shirt buttons always fastened to the very top. But privately he’s gay and shameless enough to want to pull down his pants for me to see. The contrast is just too huge. And he’s my advisor! How could I still dare to mess around? Me: 【No need.】 Ethan Ford panicked: 【Why not?】 【Am I not attractive to you anymore?】 【Or are you angry I didn’t agree immediately?】 【No wonder you haven’t accepted the money.】 【Baby, I was wrong, I was really wrong. I’m begging you, give me a chance to show you.】 Then a video call came through. My heart trembled along with the ringtone. Perhaps because Ethan Ford had been so harsh with me, seeing him so humble now stirred a huge sense of satisfaction in me. I even wanted to make him more miserable. I wanted to humiliate him, then dump him. But looking at the $52,000 he’d transferred… …forget it. I’ll keep being the dominant one and continue this relationship for now. However, the humiliation cannot be skipped. I answered the video call. We tacitly didn’t show our faces as usual. “Baby, are you angry?” His clear, deep voice drilled into my ears. Before, I hadn’t thought about connecting it to Ethan Ford. Now hearing this voice, it really was the same as Ethan Ford’s. I was afraid he’d recognize my voice. I typed back to him: 【Not angry. You do your thing, I’ll watch.】 Ethan Ford breathed a sigh of relief. His tone became cheerful. “Okay, then I’ll start.” 0

I stared intently at the screen. Ethan Ford unbuckled his belt… “Ah!” I couldn’t control my outcry and even dropped my phone on the bed in fright. Though I talk dirty all the time, am attracted to men, and love reading erotic fiction to decompress. This was the first time in my 24 years of life seeing another man’s… and it was Ethan Ford’s, no less. It was simply too shocking. Ethan Ford’s voice carried a trace of anxiety. “Baby, what’s wrong?” “Did I… scare you?” I patted my burning cheeks. Ended the video call. Deliberately asked: 【Did you not develop properly?】 Ethan Ford: 【?】 Me: 【In novels, the male leads are all 30.】 Ethan Ford didn’t understand: 【30 what?】 Me: 【Centimeters.】 Ethan Ford: 【…】 Ethan Ford: 【Novels are all made up. My 21 is already very impressive.】 【In fact, I’m even worried you won’t be able to handle it (awkward.jpg)】 This horny dog… My cheeks burned even hotter. 【Indeed can’t handle it.】 【You’re too old.】 【I like pink.】 【Maybe I should find a younger boyfriend.】 Ethan Ford was already 30 years old—this was enough to devastate him. Sure enough. Ethan Ford immediately called via video. Seeing that I rejected it, he sent a voice message, saying anxiously: “Baby, you can’t find another man.” “Whatever color and shape you want, I can get surgery to achieve it.” “Please.” “You can’t abandon me.” “Master.” By the end, his voice was trembling. Hahaha. I was extremely satisfied. Thinking I still needed to revise my thesis later, I deliberately tormented him, saying: 【Depends on your performance.】 【I need to get busy now.】 Ethan Ford was very nervous: 【What are you busy with? Can I help you with anything?】 Of course he could help. But I didn’t dare tell him. 【Something I wrote got called shit. Now I have to rewrite it.】 Ethan Ford felt so sorry for me: 【Then that person really has no taste. Sounds like trash.】 Huh? Cursing himself. I burst out laughing. 【Baby, send me your address. I’ll come back you up and make sure he apologizes to you.】 As if. He clearly just wants to trick me into meeting in person. 0

Ethan Ford and I met in a livestream room. I’m a faceless sleep-aid streamer. He’s my fan. My parents both know I’m only interested in men. They wanted me to start working early and earn more money while I’m young. In case no one takes care of me when I’m old, at least I’ll have money to support myself. But high-paying jobs also have high educational requirements. So I lied to my parents about having a job when I’m actually secretly pursuing my master’s degree. Besides needing to earn my own tuition and living expenses, worried that living in the dorms would expose me, I even rented an apartment off-campus. I really desperately needed money. After discovering that Ethan Ford was very dependent on me and very wealthy, I started reeling him in. For example: deliberately not replying to his private messages, or not streaming for several days in a row. When asked, I’d say I took on private clients. That’s when Ethan Ford would transfer money to buy my time. I smiled and played hard to get: 【There are people bidding higher than you. Why should I agree to you?】 Ethan Ford’s tone was pitiful: 【Then what do you want?】 Me: 【I want an obedient puppy that belongs only to me, the kind that calls me master.】 Ethan Ford coldly replied with 【Oh】. I thought I’d overplayed my hand. Then he asked: 【Do you need me to sell my body?】 【Would you want to see my eight-pack abs?】 Eight-pack? I thought he’d fool me with stock photos from the internet. I didn’t mind stock photos either. 【Yes.】 Ethan Ford sent a voice message. His voice was low and seductive. “I only show my boyfriend.” “Be my boyfriend, and I’ll agree to anything you want.” And so, we established our romantic relationship. But I only held the mindset of working to earn money. To protect my privacy, we agreed not to send face photos or reveal our names. But who could have imagined he was Ethan Ford? 0

I pretended to complain: 【Afraid you’ll show me something ugly.】 【Don’t come.】 【Don’t bother me today, or I’ll block you.】 Ethan Ford indeed quieted down. I took the money and put down my phone. But as soon as it passed midnight. Ethan Ford, as if he’d been watching the clock, sent me crying voice messages. “Baby, it’s a new day now.” “Are you asleep?” “I can change whatever you don’t like about me.” “I need only you. I want you to be my wife.” “Please don’t abandon me.” “Masters can’t abandon their puppies.” “Master, please, just reply to one message.” … I was still up late revising my thesis since I had to submit it to him tomorrow. Originally full of resentment. But hearing Ethan Ford crying that he needed only me and wanted me to be his wife. It was like being hit by a sugar-coated bullet. My heart sweetened. My resentment immediately dissipated by more than half. I asked him: 【Am I really that important to you?】 Ethan Ford’s voice was hoarse yet exceptionally firm: “Extremely important.” “You’re like the ray of light that illuminates my life.” “These two years with you, every single day I’ve been so happy.” “You’re more important to me than my own life.” “Let’s meet. I want to see you every day, take care of you, and spend my whole life with you.” My ears burned hot hearing this. My heart melted completely. Although Ethan Ford was usually cold, cutting, and harsh—making one regret that such a handsome guy had to open his mouth. But thinking about his face, money, abilities… and his current obedient clinginess. I really hit the jackpot. I happily replied: 【I understand. Let’s talk about meeting in June.】 I need to get my diploma first before meeting. Ethan Ford was very happy. The next morning, I went to the academic building to find Ethan Ford on time. Ethan Ford frowned at his computer screen. “Are you sure you revised this according to my comments?” My heart panicked. I leaned toward the computer screen. “Yes. Is it wrong again?” Ethan Ford’s face was cold, the pressure around him frighteningly low. I anxiously wrung the hem of my clothes. “…Then should I revise and send it again?” “But I think… I can’t revise it anymore.” Ethan Ford glanced at me. “Believe in yourself. Consider it fate’s way of testing you with obstacles.” Ah, I was stunned for a moment, not expecting Ethan Ford to change from his venomous style and comfort me. Could it be that thinking about meeting me, he’s being nice to the whole world? The little bit of joy in my heart hadn’t even had time to spread. When Ethan Ford poured cold water right over my head. “But fate seems to think you’re a donkey that needs constant grinding.” Me: “…” Ethan Ford pointed at a section of the document with his mouse. “What is this paragraph? Did AI write it?” “No, I wrote it myself.” “You wrote it yourself?” Ethan Ford scoffed lightly, his tone bone-chillingly cold: “Next time you show me this, I won’t let you enter the review and defense stage. Just apply for delayed graduation then.” A long ringing filled my head. I was already under tremendous pressure, secretly pursuing my master’s degree behind my parents’ backs. If I can’t get my diploma, haven’t these three years been completely wasted? How would I explain this to myself and my parents? And Ethan Ford said last night he’d back me up, but now he’s the one driving me crazy! I felt like Ethan Ford had stabbed me right in the armpit. It really hurt so much, yet was so absurd. In truth. I had completely broken down. I slammed his desk hard, saying: “Ethan Ford! Are you really going to prevent your wife from graduating?” Ethan Ford paused and looked up at me sharply.

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I suspect the nanny has been drugging my mother-in-law with sleeping pills. Even though we don’t get along, I still wanted to warn her. But when I went to find her, I overheard her on the phone with an old friend. “I deliberately picked a young, pretty nanny. My son is in his prime—there’s no way he can resist her!” “My daughter-in-law’s pregnancy is already unstable. When she gets upset, she’ll definitely miscarry!” “She dared to cross me—this is what she gets!” Listening to my mother-in-law’s triumphant voice, I wasn’t even angry. After all, the person who snuck out of the nanny’s room in the middle of the night last night wasn’t my husband. I’m somewhat responsible for my mother-in-law’s broken leg. I accidentally spilled water on the floor while getting a drink. A delivery arrived that I needed to sign for, so I didn’t have time to clean it up. But I never expected such a coincidence—my mother-in-law also went to get water, stepped right on the wet spot, slipped, and even fractured her leg. After that, our already strained relationship became downright tense. Although I didn’t think it was entirely my fault, I had spilled the water, so I put up with her passive-aggressive comments during this time. Besides that, I found myself paying more attention to her, and that’s how I noticed something odd. My mother-in-law has diabetes and always gets up once or twice during the night to use the bathroom. I’m pregnant too and need to pee frequently, so we often ran into each other in the bathroom. But a few days after the nanny arrived, I stopped seeing her at night. At first, I didn’t think much of it. I figured we were just going at different times. Until one night, after my mother-in-law took her medicine, the nanny took the cup to the kitchen to wash it. I saw white powder at the bottom of the cup. The next day, when the nanny went to wash the cup again, I pretended to look at my phone but actually turned on the camera and zoomed to 10x. Sure enough, the powder in the cup was crystal clear. I thought about it for a while. The nanny probably didn’t want to get up at night to take care of my mother-in-law, so she was giving her sleeping pills. This could be a big deal or a small one, so I wanted to tell my mother-in-law first and see if she’d fire the nanny or call the police. But I never expected her to harbor such vicious intentions! I touched my belly, trembling with anger. This was her own grandson! In the room, my mother-in-law was still gleefully describing to someone my “miserable state” after the “miscarriage.” I sneered silently. The person who snuck out of the nanny Linda’s room in the middle of the night wasn’t my husband. I’d like to see who ends up miserable! Linda and my father-in-law were being quite careful. If I hadn’t gotten up to use the bathroom last night and caught them, I still wouldn’t know they’d gotten involved. But no matter how careful, they’d eventually slip up. The shirt Linda wore today had a rather large collar, and when she moved, you could inadvertently see the red marks below her collarbone. My mother-in-law asked with feigned surprise, “Linda, what happened there? It’s so red!” Linda’s face flashed with panic as she nervously explained, “It must be mosquito bites.” My mother-in-law looked at me meaningfully. “Well, you do have such fair, tender skin—you attract mosquitoes!” I pretended not to understand and calmly continued eating. Seeing no reaction from me, my mother-in-law started praising Linda’s beauty, figure, and cooking, pointedly saying that any family who married such a daughter-in-law would laugh in their sleep. Linda blushed shyly throughout, as if embarrassed by the praise. Compared to her bold behavior at night, I almost couldn’t help laughing. This woman was quite interesting. After my mother-in-law went for her afternoon nap, Linda came to find me. She said, “Grace, you know a lot of people. If there’s anyone suitable, could you introduce me to someone?” “I like men older than me—more experienced, stable, and they know how to care for a woman.” This was practically spelling it out. I was quite surprised. Although young women nowadays joke about “old men being low-maintenance with benefits, and you can find someone new when they’re gone,” everyone knows that’s just a meme. But listening to Linda now, was she serious? My father-in-law is fifty-one this year, and Linda just turned thirty! I probed, “I do have someone in mind, but he’s twenty-one years older than you. Could you accept that?” Linda smiled. “I could accept that.” Our eyes met, and we both understood each other’s unspoken meaning. If Linda wanted to climb up the social ladder, she’d naturally deal with my mother-in-law herself—no need to dirty my hands. I was satisfied. And by pulling in me, the daughter-in-law carrying the Lee family heir, beforehand, she was satisfied too. That left only one question: should I tell my husband about this?

I didn’t need long to make my decision. To me, my child was definitely the most important. But to my husband Ryan, I wasn’t sure who mattered more—his mother or an unborn child. I didn’t want to gamble on that. I decided to say nothing, but this left me feeling somewhat guilty toward Ryan. So when he came home drunk from another business dinner, even though the heavy smell of alcohol and smoke on him made me nauseous, I still took care of him personally. I wiped him down with a hot towel and changed him into pajamas. He mumbled groggily, “Honey, you’re so good to me.” “How’s the baby? Today I…” Before he could finish, he fell asleep and started snoring. As I took his changed clothes to put them in the hamper, my gaze suddenly stopped on his shirt collar. Only the size of a fingernail, the color quite faint, but the red was glaring. I reached out to touch it, then smelled it. Instantly, I was certain—it was lipstick. Thinking about how guilty I’d felt all day, I found it utterly ironic. After a long moment, I tossed the shirt into the hamper, then took Ryan’s phone from his pocket. Using his fingerprint to unlock it, I opened his messages. I found it quickly. That woman’s profile picture was a glamour shot—a typical Instagram face with a curvy figure. I clicked into their chat history. The earliest message was from five months ago. I remembered that date clearly, because that was the day I found out I was pregnant. That day, Ryan had cried tears of joy. I expressionlessly took screenshots of all the chat records. After finishing everything, I lay down in bed. Ryan had cheated. The marriage was definitely over. But the baby was already over six months along. He could move in my belly now. I couldn’t bear to give him up. But if I kept the child, would Ryan fight me for custody? And there was my father-in-law. He was particularly obsessed with bloodline and legacy, so he definitely wouldn’t easily let me take the child away. The divorce needed careful planning. I needed a foolproof solution. I ran through all the people and situations in my mind, and finally realized the key to breaking this deadlock was Linda. I quickly formed a plan, and I believed Linda would definitely cooperate. The next day, I found an opportunity to tell Linda my plan. Linda agreed immediately, because our goals were aligned to some degree. After laying our cards on the table, I couldn’t help being curious. “Why didn’t you choose Ryan?” If nothing else, Ryan was at least young! Linda raised an eyebrow. “Because he’s too young.” I paused, then understood. Linda came from a poor family with little education. Her only asset was being young and pretty. That was an advantage to my father-in-law at his age, but not much to Ryan. Linda said mockingly, “Margaret told me outright that someone like me serving her son was my good fortune!” “She’s just looking down on me because of her husband’s status. If that’s how it is, then I’ll take everything from her. I’ll make her regret it!” Linda’s eyes filled with tears, looking like someone who’d endured endless humiliation and was finally fighting back. But she didn’t mention at all that my father-in-law had built his fortune from scratch and was the undisputed authority in the family, while Ryan was just a spoiled rich kid living off his parents—no power, no money, no ability. But I just smiled and said nothing, pretending to believe her.

After that, I focused on my pregnancy while patiently waiting for news from Linda. Every night, she continued drugging my mother-in-law as usual, then meeting secretly with my father-in-law. The two of them got increasingly bold. A couple of times they almost got caught by Ryan, but fortunately I reacted quickly and covered for them. Before long, Linda told me—it worked! Looking at the clear two lines on the pregnancy test, my feelings were complicated. She got pregnant so quickly, and my father-in-law was fifty-one! When Ryan and I got married, we tried for three years without success. I drank Chinese medicine like water. When I finally got pregnant, my morning sickness was severe. I couldn’t keep anything down. Partly because this child came so hard-won, even though I knew aborting him would make the divorce easier, I couldn’t bear to let him go. Thinking of this, I asked Linda, “Have you thought this through?” “What if things blow up and he doesn’t acknowledge the child, or takes it out on you?” Linda touched her belly, saying nonchalantly, “If he acknowledges it, this is his son.” “If he doesn’t, then this is evidence that he forced me.” I began to feel grateful that Linda and I were on the same side now. Otherwise, someone like Linda—not just my mother-in-law, but even Ryan and I together couldn’t match her! I looked at her and said softly, “Let’s do it tonight.” Any longer, and I was afraid Linda might get rid of me too. Besides, today was my mother-in-law’s birthday. What better day to give her a big present on this special occasion? My mother-in-law was very happy today. She did her makeup, got her hair done, sprayed perfume, and even though her leg was still in a cast, she changed into a custom-made dress. She ordered a huge spread from a five-star hotel—lobster, king crab, Buddha Jumps Over the Wall… basically whatever was most expensive. The whole family ate and chatted. The atmosphere was lively. My mother-in-law was delighted and even opened a bottle of wine my father-in-law had brought back from abroad. Smiling, she told Ryan to drink more. “Once the bottle’s open, you can’t keep it. No sense wasting it.” “Besides, you’re at home. If you get drunk, you can just go rest.” Ryan had been eyeing this bottle that cost hundreds of thousands for a long time. Hearing my mother-in-law’s words, he drank freely, finishing almost the entire bottle himself. His eyes lost their clarity, and his speech became slurred. “You *#% I have ¥# separately have &…” My father-in-law had also drunk quite a bit. Probably tired, he said, “Let’s call it a night. Everyone go rest.” Linda pushed my mother-in-law’s wheelchair to take her to her room, with my father-in-law following behind. My mother-in-law instructed Linda, “Ryan drank a lot. Grace is pregnant and it’s inconvenient for her, so help take care of him.” My father-in-law said impatiently, “If he’s drunk, he’ll just sleep. What’s there to take care of?” Linda gave my father-in-law a grateful smile. Their gazes were so suggestive you could practically see sparks flying. My father-in-law, probably drunk and forgetting Ryan and I were still in the living room, put his hand on Linda’s waist, with clear intentions to move lower. My mother-in-law sat in the wheelchair, oblivious. I poured a glass of honey water for Ryan. “Drink this, you’ll feel better.” He took it and drank more than half, then wobbled into the bedroom. I poured the remaining half down the kitchen sink and washed the glass clean before returning to the bedroom. Ryan was already asleep. I turned off the light and got into bed. Ryan slept restlessly, first tossing and turning constantly, then mumbling about being hot. After a while, he got up, opened the door, and went out. I heard the sound of flushing water. He must have drunk too much and gone to the bathroom. But he didn’t come back. In the darkness, I opened my eyes and listened carefully to the sounds outside. “Ahh!” A shrill scream suddenly rang out, shattering the peaceful night.

When I came out of the room, my in-laws’ bedroom door had also opened. My father-in-law’s face was ashen. He didn’t even put on shoes as he strode toward the living room. My mother-in-law sat on the bed, anxiously asking, “What happened? What’s going on?” I looked at her deeply, then also headed to the living room. The living room light wasn’t on—only the streetlight outside provided dim illumination. You couldn’t see clearly what was happening. But the crying and calls for help explained everything. “Ryan, let go of me!” “Please, I’m begging you.” I reached out and flipped the switch. With a “snap,” the light came on, illuminating everything in the living room. Linda’s clothes were disheveled as Ryan pinned her on the sofa, struggling desperately. Seeing us, she cried out, “Help me!” My father-in-law pulled Ryan off and slapped him across the face. “You animal!” Then another slap. “What kind of drunken madness is this!” After two consecutive slaps, Ryan seemed to sober up a bit, looking at my father-in-law in confusion. “Dad?” Linda sobbed uncontrollably. “I came out to use the bathroom, and he suddenly grabbed me. He even…” “I didn’t want to, but I couldn’t fight him off.” Just then my mother-in-law dragged herself out with her broken leg. Seeing the handprints on Ryan’s face, she demanded of my father-in-law, “Why are you hitting our son?” “She’s just a nanny—so what if our son slept with her? It’s no big deal!” Linda said aggrievedly, “Just because I’m a nanny means anyone can abuse me?” My mother-in-law responded righteously, “What else?” “If my son hadn’t been drunk, you think he’d look twice at you?” “Him sleeping with you is your good fortune!” Although I already knew what kind of person my mother-in-law was, hearing these words directly still shocked me with her shamelessness. My father-in-law was furious. “What are you saying!” Just as my mother-in-law opened her mouth to respond, Linda suddenly clutched her belly and looked at my father-in-law. “James, my stomach hurts so much.” “Please save our child.” I looked at my mother-in-law. She stood frozen like she’d been struck by lightning. My father-in-law was both shocked and delighted. “You’re pregnant?” Linda nodded through tears. “James, will the baby be okay?” “My stomach really hurts. Am I going to lose him?” My father-in-law quickly said, “Don’t talk nonsense. I’ll take you to the hospital.” He half-supported, half-carried Linda out the door. My mother-in-law instinctively tried to follow but forgot about her broken leg. She stumbled and fell. Her face contorted in pain, yet she still managed to call out, “What do you mean ‘James’?” “What child?” “Linda, you bitch!” “Ah, my leg! It hurts so much!” I sighed and took out my phone to call 911. See? How kind I am. Then I looked at Ryan. He’d actually leaned back on the sofa and fallen asleep. Did they use too much of that drug? Would the paramedics be able to tell when they arrived? I shook him hard several times, then avoiding my mother-in-law’s line of sight, pinched his arm hard twice. He groggily opened his eyes. I said with concern, “Ryan, Mom’s leg needs medical attention. You’ve had too much to drink, so stay home. I’ll let you know if there’s any news, okay?” I coaxed him into the bedroom. The drug must have worn off because he didn’t make a fuss. As soon as he lay down, he started snoring. I looked at him deeply, then closed the door and came out. Soon, the ambulance arrived. As she was being loaded into the ambulance, my mother-in-law kept cursing. “That bitch!” “I’ll kill her!” “I’ll kill that bastard child!” The doctor efficiently hooked my mother-in-law up to equipment while exchanging glances with his colleague. The drama was right in front of them, but they couldn’t fully enjoy it. I imagine they were dying of curiosity. At the hospital, the doctor wheeled my mother-in-law off for examination. After a while, the doctor told me her leg was fine, but her tailbone was fractured. Also, my mother-in-law’s blood pressure was too high—it had shot up to 180. The doctor said for a long time to come, my mother-in-law would need bed rest and to stay calm and avoid stress. I said gratefully, “Thank you, doctor. I understand.” Looking at my mother-in-law in the hospital room demanding to be discharged, my eyes were full of mockery. What to do? The days ahead held nothing but stress for her!

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Xavier Stone announced at the full moon banquet that he was going to hold a Marking ceremony, and the entire hall erupted in applause. But I never expected that before the banquet even ended, I would see a projection screen on the wall outside the lounge. On the screen was a massive Excel spreadsheet. Behind the names of dozens of candidates, densely packed evaluation criteria were listed: bloodline, value to the Pack, performance in bed… In the baseline column, my name was prominently written: Violet. “People around you,” he said, swirling his wine glass casually, “also need regular evaluation. Survival of the fittest.” So seven years of companionship meant I was just an investment that had lost its value in his eyes. I didn’t push the door open to confront him. Instead, I took out my phone and sent a message to that person: “Come pick me up.” Three seconds later, came the reply: “Everything settled? I’ll be right there. The Marking ceremony is ready.” Violet’s POV Xavier had just publicly announced the Marking ceremony on stage, and everyone was applauding in celebration. Even I thought he was finally going to give me an official status. But I never expected that before the banquet even ended, I would overhear him at the lounge door discussing how to dump me. The door wasn’t fully closed. I had come to deliver something, but the moment I looked up, I saw the projection screen on the wall. A massive Excel spreadsheet glowed on the screen. “Alpha Xavier, is this really how you choose your mate?” His deputy, beta Jason’s voice came through, carrying a hint of mockery. “You’re practically running a talent show with scoring for the future Luna.” I stopped in my tracks and peered through the gap in the door. A complex Excel spreadsheet was projected on the wall. The spreadsheet listed dozens of names, each followed by densely packed evaluation criteria: bloodline background, value to the Pack, fertility assessment, and even a rating for bedroom performance. Beta Jason held a cigarette, pointing at the data analysis on screen: “Look at this candidate No.19, Amber, right? The alpha’s daughter from Frostveil Pack. Obedient, sensible. Her score already completely exceeds your required threshold.” In the baseline column, my name was prominently displayed: Violet. Jason exhaled a smoke ring, his tone becoming somewhat hesitant: “However, Violet has served the Pack for seven years. Everyone considers her the future Luna. If we replace her directly, won’t it upset the pack members? Won’t other packs think we lack contractual integrity, affecting Moonclaw’s prestige?” Silence fell in the room for two seconds. Xavier sat in the main seat on the sofa, swirling half a glass of red wine, his face showing no trace of intoxication. He looked up and scanned the data on screen, his eyes cold. “The people around you need to be changed up too, to keep my interest.” He tilted his head back and took a sip of wine. “Violet and I haven’t held a Marking ceremony yet… This so-called mate thing is just her wishful thinking.” “That’s too cruel to Violet.” In the lounge, beta Jason’s voice carried some hesitation. Xavier’s tone was casual: “She has no value to the pack anymore. I’ll give her two more months. If she can recognize her position and leave on her own, that works too. Or… if she’s willing to be my mistress, I can accommodate that.” Standing outside the door, the hangover soup I had specially made for Xavier spilled out. I didn’t feel the pain, only felt like a joke. Seven years of companionship, all-in support—in his eyes, I was just an old thing that had lost its value. Since I was already a burden in his eyes, I might as well actively sever all of this. I didn’t push the door open to confront him. I walked to the trash can at the end of the hallway and dumped what I was holding into it. Then I took out my phone and found that contact that had been forcibly added to my phone. My finger hovered over the screen without any hesitation as I typed a message: “I’m ready.” Message sent. I reapplied my lipstick using the brass mirror in the hallway. A few minutes later, Xavier came out of the lounge. He casually put his arm around my waist, leading me toward the center of the banquet hall. The spotlight fell on us. With a smile on his face, he whispered a warning in my ear: “Smile. Don’t make a scene.” When his fingers touched my waist, I stiffened physiologically. Then I avoided his touch, pulling the corners of my mouth into a standard social smile. The next morning, I was at Moonclaw Pack’s training camp, training the young wolves. Because these young wolves hadn’t fully adapted to their bodies yet, they needed some gentle, playful training. This was originally one of the responsibilities of the pack’s Luna, and I had been handling it all these years. Even though I had already decided to leave, until then, I still had to be responsible for these young wolves. At that moment, gamma Silas came over to me and said: “Violet.” Because Xavier and I had never held a Marking ceremony and I hadn’t been officially recognized as alpha Xavier’s mate. So Silas only called me by my name. “A young lady from Frostveil Pack specifically requested to see you.”

Violet’s POV I looked toward the training camp’s main entrance. That girl was carrying a limited-edition Hermès bag with an antique necklace around her neck. It was the one Xavier claimed he accidentally lost last week. “Let her in.” Gamma Silas nodded and brought the girl in. Amber stood before me. Nineteen years old, young, tight skin, wearing a suit that was obviously trying to imitate my clothing style, her eyes full of eager ambition. I waved my hand, signaling gamma Silas to take the young wolves to play. Only then did I ask Amber what she wanted. She handed me a crumpled receipt. “Miss Violet, Alpha Xavier accidentally spilled red wine on my dress last night. He said you should handle it and told me to come to you for reimbursement of the cleaning fee.” I glanced at the amount on the receipt: $1,800. Then I glanced at the dress she was wearing. I didn’t take the receipt. Instead, I took out my phone, opened the payment code, and transferred $2,000 to her. “Keep the change.” I smiled at her. Amber froze, clearly not expecting this reaction from me. She crumpled the receipt into a ball and threw it hard at me: “What are you so smug about! Xavier said you’re a loose, boring, useless woman! He said seeing you makes him sick!” I raised my hand and slapped her face to the side. Amber covered her face, looking at me in shock. “Use the extra money to buy mouthwash. A dirty mouth makes people look down on you.” I pulled a tissue from my pocket and carefully wiped my right hand that had just struck her. “Acting so arrogant before you’ve even gained a foothold—that’s asking for death.” Amber’s eyes instantly reddened. She pulled out her phone, took a photo of me, and sent a voice message with a tearful voice: “Xavier, that woman hit me… She’s so mean, I’m so scared.” After sending the voice message, she glared at me viciously. “Xavier said you’re a nanny.” This sentence echoed in my mind. Seven years ago when Xavier was injured, I stayed by his bedside all night. Back then he said: “You’re my angel.” Now the angel had become a nanny. Only youth and fresh bloodlines had become the only hard currency. I threw away the tissue in my hand. That slap was just interest.

Violet’s POV When I got home, it was already dark. There was an extra pair of pink slippers on the shoe rack, like a territorial declaration. Xavier sat on the sofa, holding a tablet. Hearing the door open, he didn’t even look up. His first words were a rebuke. “How can you argue with an immature young girl? Amber sent me a photo. Her face is swollen. Can’t you be more magnanimous?” I ignored him and walked straight to the bedroom, pulling out my suitcase. Xavier followed me in, leaning against the doorframe, his brow furrowed: “I’m talking to you! Violet? Amber is from Frostveil Pack, an important marriage alliance choice. I’m just giving her a chance. You’re abusing your power.” I opened the closet, took down the clothes hanging inside one by one, and threw them into the suitcase. “I don’t have time to listen to your nonsense.” I swept my skincare products into my makeup bag. Xavier finally realized something was wrong. He stepped forward and pressed down on my suitcase: “What are you doing? Running away from home again? I already told you it’s nothing. Can you stop being so unreasonable?” I backhanded him with a slap. This slap was heavier than the one I gave Amber during the day. Xavier’s head jerked to the side from the blow, five finger marks quickly appearing on his face. He covered his face, looking at me in astonishment. “That slap is the interest for me leaving.” I said. Xavier took a deep breath, his eyes turning cold: “Fine, Violet, you’ve got some nerve now. Since you want to make a scene, let’s settle the accounts. Everything you have now—which of it wasn’t given by me? You want to leave? Fine. Don’t expect me to beg you to come back. Also, that credit card in your hand—I’m canceling it. Consider it punishment for going crazy today.” “Whatever.” I closed the suitcase. “Anything related to you, I don’t want anymore.” “Don’t regret this!” Xavier pointed at me. “Once you walk out that door, don’t expect me to give you anything ever again!” After saying that, feeling he’d lost face, he slammed the door and left. I surveyed this house filled with seven years of memories. I took out a stack of yellow sticky notes and labeled all the furniture, appliances, and decorative paintings I had purchased myself. After finishing all this, I dragged my suitcase, took one last look at this house, and turned to leave. As I drove away from the area, I saw Amber’s figure. Sure enough, the moment I left, she couldn’t wait to move in. An hour later, I arrived at the small apartment I had purchased myself. In a human community. Far from Moonclaw Pack, where no one would find me. The first thing I did was open my computer and connect with Lucas. Yes, my fated mate was the son of the alpha King, that notoriously fierce Lucas. The screen lit up. Lucas’s background showed he was in a car. He raised his hand, signaling the people beside him to leave, focusing on the camera. “Am I disturbing you?” I asked. Lucas stared at me: “Nothing is more important than you. Have you handled everything? Think carefully—once you come to my side, I won’t let you go.” “I’m certain.” I looked at him. “I want to be with you.” Lucas couldn’t suppress the smile at the corners of his mouth: “I’ll come get you right away.” “Okay, I’ll wait for you.” The video call ended. I sat alone on the carpet. A few days ago, while handling diplomatic affairs for Xavier, I happened to encounter Lucas, who was also out. The special thread of fate between wolves drew us together, making us understand the moment we locked eyes. We were fated mates arranged by the moon goddess. But at that time, I still loved Xavier, so my wolf and I had a huge fight, finally agreeing to give me one week. If within that week Xavier was willing to hold a Marking ceremony with me, I would refuse Lucas. I knew this wasn’t good. After all, Lucas had been searching for his fated mate for nine years. Any wolf who gets rejected after nine years of searching wouldn’t feel too good about it. In the worst-case scenario, he might directly kill Xavier. Well… maybe he wouldn’t, at least that wouldn’t be wise. Fortunately, Lucas had something very important to deal with urgently at the time, so he temporarily agreed to my request to stay at Moonclaw pack for one more week. But now, just three days later, I had decided to be with my fated mate. The destiny arranged by the moon goddess was indeed correct.

Violet’s POV Early the next morning, I went to the supermarket downstairs to buy necessities. At checkout, I handed over the card I usually used. A few seconds later, the cashier awkwardly handed the card back: “Miss, the transaction was declined.” The customers queuing behind me cast strange looks. I took back the card. My phone immediately showed a message from Xavier: “Card’s canceled. Want to spend money? Come back and apologize.” I switched to my own savings card to pay, picked up the shopping bag, and walked out of the supermarket. As soon as I got home, my phone vibrated. It was a bank text message: Your joint account ending in 8899 has been forcibly redeemed and $200,000 transferred out. The note said household expenses. That was our joint account. Most of the money in it was from my early savings. Including what my father gave me and what I earned from working. Xavier was openly robbing me. The phone call came immediately after. “Violet, did you see the deduction notice?” Xavier’s voice was self-righteous. “This is a fine for your tantrum. That two hundred thousand dollars is compensation for Amber. Don’t feel wronged. When you do something wrong, you pay the price.” Amber’s voice came through in the background: “Xavier, how do I turn this on? Can only your girlfriend use it?” Xavier hurriedly brushed it off: “Think it over carefully. Contact me when you’ve come to your senses.” With that, he hung up. I took a screenshot of that deduction text and sent Xavier a message: “Illegally transferring money from my account—24 hours to return it, or I’ll file a complaint with the werewolf council.” Protection of property in the werewolf world was clearly regulated by law. It was enacted twenty years ago after two packs went to war over a financial dispute, when the alpha King issued a new law. The purpose was probably to prevent packs from going to war over such small matters. Although I believe the werewolf world has become peaceful recently purely because Lucas’s mediation methods are too terrifying—and everyone can’t beat him anyway. After returning to the apartment, I opened my computer and pulled up the spending records from all these years. Thanks to Xavier’s habits—he had an extremely strong need for control and required every large expenditure of mine to be recorded, which conveniently left me with perfect evidence. Late at night, a post popped up on social media. The profile picture was Amber’s. The photo background was my former bedroom. She wore my pajamas, taking a selfie in front of the mirror. Caption: “The old owner’s taste isn’t bad, but now it’s mine.” Immediately after, a private message lit up. “I used all your skincare products for you. No sense wasting them. He’s sleeping so soundly next to me.” I calmly typed a reply: “I wore those pajamas when I had a skin disease and didn’t wash them. The skincare products expired three months ago. Enjoy using them.” The other side immediately showed “typing…” for a long time, but ultimately sent nothing. What I said was of course fake, just to disgust her. Looks like I succeeded. At 3 AM, I had insomnia. I got up and stood by the window for a while, then contacted a werewolf lawyer. These legal team members, uniformly trained by the Kingdom Academy, usually handled interpretation of various laws issued by the alpha King. They also took on some legal business. By the way, because they belonged to the alpha King, no one dared to retaliate against them when dissatisfied with litigation results. After handling these matters, I went back to bed to sleep. In my dream, Xavier gave me his first gift, swearing to treat me well for a lifetime. When I woke up, my phone showed a bank deduction text. That lifetime turned out to be only seven years. You want to talk money? Then let’s settle accounts one by one.

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My best friend disguised herself as a nurse and artificially collected my husband Gideon’s sperm during his medical checkup. She got pregnant. All because Gideon’s grandfather, the world’s richest man, made an announcement before his death. Whoever gave birth to the future heir of the family would inherit his trillion-dollar fortune. But I had fertility issues. Three years of marriage, and still no pregnancy. After my best friend got pregnant with my husband’s child, she moved the delivery room right into Grandfather’s hospital room and gave birth to a boy on the spot. “Wren, I’m doing this for your own good. The family needs an heir.” “Besides, I’m a traditional woman. Since Gideon took my virginity, he has to take responsibility.” “As for you, if you agree to leave with nothing, I might let you be the child’s godmother.” Triumph filled her eyes as she slapped the prenatal paternity test report in my face. I looked at her paternity test. It clearly stated: “Test results support biological father-son relationship between the parties.” Everyone thought I was about to be kicked out of the family. But I just smiled as I looked at a line of text in the corner.

The paternity test report slapped against my face, papers scattering everywhere. At Grandfather’s funeral, everyone wore mourning clothes—except for my best friend Vanessa, who wore a bright red dress and held her newborn son. Her smile stretched from ear to ear. She looked nothing like someone attending a funeral. “After I found out I was pregnant, I moved into the family estate to take care of myself.” “Don’t blame Gideon. After all, the baby in my arms is the family’s only son. Naturally, he has to be recognized as the rightful heir.” The air fell silent for a moment. The mourners all looked at me, waiting for my reaction. But I just smiled at a line of text in the corner. Then Vanessa’s phone rang. Gideon’s mother’s voice burst through the speaker, overflowing with joy. “Vanessa, is it true? Our family has an heir? I have a grandson?” Vanessa looked at me triumphantly and went on and on about how adorable her son was before hanging up with her chin held high. I looked at her and spoke calmly. “This child will never inherit the trillion-dollar fortune.” Vanessa sneered, thinking I was just desperately grasping at straws. “Wren, don’t tell me being a daughter-in-law has made you stupid.” “The paternity test clearly states that it supports Gideon as Asher’s biological father.” “According to the will, only Asher is the family’s bloodline.” “If you leave with nothing now, I might let Asher recognize you as his godmother.” An hour later, Gideon’s mother stumbled into the funeral, not even having time to grab a coat. The moment she saw the baby’s face, she couldn’t stop praising: “He looks just like him. Exactly like him.” Gideon’s mother was afraid I might lose control, so she had people block me. “This is a precious treasure. We must take good care of him.” Then she pulled Vanessa aside: “Vanessa, you haven’t finished your postpartum recovery yet. Sit down and rest. Don’t tire yourself out.” “I’ll call the lawyer right now to transfer the inheritance to you!” Then she turned and glanced at me with disgust: “Unlike some people who couldn’t produce anything in three years.” “If I were you, I’d pack up and leave now before being thrown out and humiliated.” But I just stared intently at the baby in the nanny’s arms. “No need to call the lawyer, because she won’t get a penny of that inheritance.” Vanessa looked me up and down, then spoke as if bestowing charity: “Wren, face reality. You can’t have children because you’ve done too many bad things. You seduced Gideon in college, wearing those tank tops and short skirts. What kind of decent woman dresses like that?” “Only a proper woman like me deserves to give birth to the family’s son.” Many people came and went through the funeral hall, everyone with different thoughts, their eyes constantly shifting between Vanessa and me. After all, this was the world’s richest man’s fortune. So many people were envious. Whoever could get it would basically be set for life. “This is a funeral hall. What are you all doing?” Gideon’s father strode over. When he saw Vanessa, his face relaxed. He looked utterly kind: “Vanessa’s here. The lawyer will arrive soon, and we’ll announce the heir directly.” “This is freshly made chicken soup. Drink up.” “That’s right, you’re our family’s greatest benefactor. You must nourish your body properly.” “After the inheritance transfer, go to a private postpartum center to recover for six months.” Gideon’s mother hastily scooped up a spoonful of chicken and brought it to Vanessa’s lips. I looked at the three of them in front of me, acting like a harmonious family, and felt it was painfully glaring. “Uncle, Aunt, putting aside the fact that Gideon and I aren’t divorced yet.” “Aren’t you celebrating a bit prematurely? What if she can’t get Grandfather’s inheritance?” Hearing this, Vanessa almost spat out the blood chicken in her mouth. She pushed past Gideon’s father and mother, holding the child, teasing him while glaring at me. “So what if you’re married? The family won’t want a slut who can’t have children.” “Who knows what you were doing, coming home at ten o’clock every night. You probably slept around so much you became infertile.” “In the future, when my son grows up, he’ll never marry a woman with such a messy private life like you.” Gideon’s mother helped Vanessa sit down, glanced at me, and sneered: “This little baby is definitely our family’s bloodline. He looks exactly like Gideon when he was little.” Vanessa’s face filled with triumph again: “Wren, I know you’re upset that I gave birth to Gideon’s son.” “But you’re talking nonsense. Have you gone crazy from not being able to have children?”

Every word was baseless slander. Yet it attracted the attention of the family’s distant relatives. “Gideon married a woman with a messy private life? No wonder she couldn’t get pregnant for so long.” “Good thing Vanessa had a son, otherwise the family wouldn’t have an heir.” “But Wren seems so certain. Could it be the child really isn’t his?” Hearing this, Vanessa’s eyes immediately reddened. She clutched Gideon’s mother’s arm, looking aggrieved: “Whether the child is his or not, you can tell just by looking.” “I know you’re all looking out for Gideon.” “If you don’t believe me, I’ll take Asher for another paternity test.” Vanessa’s face was full of grievance, as if she would burst into tears the next second. Gideon’s mother’s face wrinkled with distress, and her voice immediately grew louder. “I’d like to see who dares make my grandson suffer.” “Those eyes, that nose—exactly like Gideon when he was little! If he’s not our biological grandson, whose could he be?” “You don’t need to test anything, Wren. This grandson, our family has claimed!” Looking at Gideon’s mother’s twisted face before me, my heart stung with pain. The Gideon’s mother of the past had always been kind and warm to me, always smiling. I had treated her like my closest family. But now, with Vanessa’s manipulation, she looked at me with pure hatred. Gideon’s father couldn’t hold back anymore and waved for people to remove me from the funeral hall. “Because of one sentence from you, you made Vanessa, who just gave birth days ago, cry like this.” “Get her out of here.” I looked around, staring hard at Gideon’s father and mother, speaking each word clearly: “Do you really think just because Vanessa had a son, she can get the inheritance?” “Even if the lawyer comes, she won’t get a single penny!” The air froze for a moment, so quiet you could only hear breathing. Gideon’s father stomped his cane heavily, his face flushing red with anger: “Get her out! I don’t want to see this lunatic anymore!” Two security guards immediately came forward, grabbing my arms. I suppressed my anger and shook them off hard. “Don’t touch me. I’m pregnant.” With that, I pulled out the pregnancy test report from my bag. Black and white, clear as day: 12 weeks pregnant. Gideon’s father and mother exchanged glances and laughed coldly. Vanessa reached out and snatched the pregnancy report from me. After looking at it for a few seconds, she laughed: “So what if you’re pregnant?” “You’re only three months along. You don’t even know if it’s a boy or a girl.” “What right do you have to compete with my son Asher for this inheritance?” “Today, I’ll make you see the contents of the will clearly.” Half an hour later, the lawyer got out of his car carrying a briefcase. Everyone’s eyes locked onto the lawyer. They watched him walk into the main hall, pull the will from his briefcase, and read it clearly, each word hammering into the entire funeral. “Given that the testator is advanced in age but currently of sound mind and able to express his will freely.” “The testator wishes, through this will, to transfer all his property to the biological mother of Gideon’s first son.” Vanessa triumphantly snatched the will and shoved it in my face. “Did you hear that? The biological mother of his first son!” “Even if you have a son, he’ll only be fit to carry my son’s shoes!” The way Gideon’s mother and father looked at me pierced my heart. “I heard it. I heard it very clearly.” I looked at the short line of text on the will, my gaze falling on “biological mother of the first son.” Then it fell on Vanessa’s face. “When you can’t get the inheritance, let’s see how long you can keep acting smug.”

Gideon’s mother comforted Vanessa while Gideon’s father jabbed his finger at my face: “How can your heart be so black? Just because you can’t have children, you curse Vanessa.” “Do you have to see our family without children before you’re satisfied?” “This is Grandfather’s will! Not child’s play!” Gideon’s sister walked over, pretending to be concerned: “Usually hiding things from Gideon and having your fun is one thing, but this is family business. You can’t mess around.” “Even if you’re jealous of Vanessa, you can’t be this vicious.” Word by word, they slandered me, painting me as a jealous shrew. The whispers around me reached my ears. “Exactly. With a child here, who knows where Gideon’s heart will be.” “The family treated Wren like their own daughter-in-law, who knows how wild she’s been behind the scenes.” “She should sign the divorce papers right now!” I clenched my palms, my knuckles turning white. After a long moment, I raised my phone and called the family doctor. “Dr. Lee, bring a full set of testing equipment to Grandfather’s funeral. Give Vanessa’s child another complete examination.” Before I finished speaking, Gideon’s father slapped the phone out of my hand, furious: “What examination? My grandson is perfectly healthy!” “How can your heart be so malicious? You’re actually cursing a newborn child to die!” The phone screen shattered, and my hand turned red. “After Dr. Lee examines him, you’ll understand what I meant.” Gideon’s father glared at me with a dark expression. “Fine! I want to see what tricks you can pull.” “If nothing’s wrong with the child, I won’t let you off!” Half an hour later, Dr. Lee walked in quickly with two assistants behind him, looking anxious. I stared hard at the child in Vanessa’s arms: “Full examination. Check him thoroughly from head to toe!” Gideon’s mother anxiously grabbed Dr. Lee’s hand. “Dr. Lee, there won’t be any problems with the child’s heart and lung function, right?” Dr. Lee said nothing, just took the child. His assistants set up the equipment and began a thorough examination. Everyone around held their breath, waiting for the results. Soon, Dr. Lee removed the stethoscope: “The child’s heart and lung function is very healthy. No damage.” Vanessa visibly relaxed. “See, I told you. During pregnancy, I went to a rural village for a traditional remedy passed down for three thousand years.” “I drank my father-in-law’s morning urine for three hundred days. How could there be any problems with the child?” “For this child, my father-in-law also made great efforts, drinking a liter of alkaline water every day.” Gideon’s mother patted her chest and breathed a heavy sigh of relief. Gideon’s father glared at me, his eyes wide with rage. ‘Slap!’ He hit me so hard my ears rang. “Wren, I’ve treated you well for three years as our daughter-in-law. Don’t push your luck!” “My grandson is perfectly healthy. If you curse him again, our family isn’t to be trifled with!” He threw divorce papers in front of me. “Sign it, then get out.” The slap on my face burned with pain. But no matter how much it hurt, it couldn’t match the coldness in my heart. “I won’t sign unless we do another paternity test.” At those words, Gideon’s mother also became furious. “Crazy woman! Gideon’s eyes, Gideon’s nose—can’t I, his own mother, recognize them?” Vanessa’s eyes turned red. She rushed up and gripped my shoulders tightly with both hands. “You think I faked the paternity test? You think everyone’s as disgusting as you?!” “Fine, I’ll let you die with clarity today!” She turned and shouted at Dr. Lee: “You want a paternity test? Let’s do it now!” Then she glared at me viciously, like a demon from hell: “If the test results come back confirming that Asher is Gideon’s son.” “You, Wren, will abort the baby in your belly, sign the divorce papers, and leave the family completely!”

Neither Gideon’s father nor mother objected. The pain on my face hadn’t faded, shooting all the way to my heart. I clenched my fists tight as unprecedented emotions surged through me. If I backed down now, Gideon would unknowingly have his wife switched and gain a son who couldn’t even inherit. Before I could agree, Gideon’s sister grabbed me with disgust on her face and dragged me to the medical room. “I want to see what else you have to say!” Dr. Lee sensed the heavy atmosphere and tactfully collected samples to send for testing. Soon, Gideon’s toothbrush was sent over. During the wait for results, the scene was deathly silent. All of Gideon’s elders sat in a row, staring at me with dark expressions. As if I wasn’t the family’s daughter-in-law, but some heinous criminal. I looked at those hateful faces before me, unable to suppress the turmoil inside. A family aunt sneered with narrowed eyes: “When the results come out, let’s see what you have to say.” I don’t know how long passed before the machine emitted a cold beeping sound. One test report after another was printed out. A sharp beep sounded. The top one clearly displayed: “Test confirms parental relationship exists between Asher and Gideon.” Gideon’s mother was first to rush up and snatch the report from Dr. Lee’s hands. After seeing the words clearly, she laughed loudly: “See that? This is my biological grandson!” She held the report up to everyone’s faces one by one. Gideon’s father was so happy his mouth wouldn’t close, holding the baby and rocking him constantly. Gideon’s sister snorted coldly, grabbed my hand, and tried to stuff me into the car. “Today I’ll watch you abort that baby!” “Wait…” I struggled desperately. This was the child I’d begged for three years to finally conceive. I absolutely wouldn’t allow anything to happen to him. The family’s cold faces filled my vision. Words filled with hatred assaulted my eardrums: “How dare she insult the mother of the family’s future heir. Teach her a lesson!” My shoulders shook back and forth, my wrists twisted hard, trying to break free from Gideon’s sister’s grip. “Her child isn’t what you think at all!” I opened my mouth and bit down hard on Gideon’s sister’s arm, then turned and shouted at Dr. Lee: “The paternity test report, Dr. Lee, the line below…” “Stop struggling. Today, you’re getting that abortion!” Vanessa kicked me hard from behind. My eye socket hit the car window frame, and everything went blurry. But I ignored the pain, only turning to look desperately at my last hope. Dr. Lee met my gaze. Seeing the desperate hope in my eyes, he froze for a moment. His heart softened, and he bent down to pick up the paternity test report from the ground. The moment he saw the contents, his breathing became rapid and he frantically tried to stop them. “Wait! Stop!” “You can’t abort the baby!” The car started. He rushed frantically to the front of the vehicle, pounding on the glass. “This child is the last hope. You can’t abort it!” “No one can leave!” The car stopped. Gideon’s father looked impatient. “Dr. Lee, you did the paternity test yourself. What problem could there be?” “Asher is the family’s only heir!” Dr. Lee swallowed hard and handed over the report in his hand. “You should look at this before making any decisions.” “Hmph! Let me see what other tricks you can pull!” Gideon’s father impatiently took it. The next second, his eyes suddenly widened!

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After the scholarship student Lily appeared, my three childhood friends stopped clinging to me. At a banquet, my dad suddenly asked me: “Sienna, tell Dad who you like, bring him over, and I’ll arrange your engagement today!” As soon as he finished speaking, everyone at the banquet looked toward the three wealthy heirs who used to dote on me. But they acted as if they hadn’t heard a thing. Ethan was feeding Lily food, Lucas was making Lily laugh, and Ryan was massaging Lily’s shoulders. The scene became awkward, and Dad’s expression stiffened. I quickly spoke up: “Dad, my boyfriend is overseas. I’ll bring him to meet you when the time comes.” The three childhood friends heard my words and scoffed mockingly, glancing at me. I knew they didn’t believe I had a boyfriend. They thought I was just trying to save face. But actually, I really did have a boyfriend. The next time I went to the three childhood friends’ homes, it was to deliver my wedding invitations. While I was having tea with Mrs. Ashford in the living room, Ethan came downstairs. Mrs. Ashford called to him: “Ethan, we were just talking about Sienna’s wedding—” Ethan, exuding the aura of a CEO, glared at me coldly: “Sienna Walsh, who said I was going to marry you?” “Don’t ask my mom to be your mediator. I told you I’m not interested in you. You better give up on that idea!” After saying this, he left the house impatiently. Mrs. Ashford sighed helplessly: “This child only hears half of what people say. Who said she was marrying him?” She looked at me apologetically because of Ethan’s rudeness. “Sienna, I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s gotten into Ethan. He used to care for you so much, competing and arguing with those other two boys to treat you well.” “I originally thought if you were to become my daughter-in-law, Ethan would have to work hard to beat those two boys, but who would have thought…” I smiled and shook my head: “If there’s no chemistry, there’s nothing we can do. Well, Auntie, I’ll be going now.” “Alright, we’ll attend your wedding.” After leaving the Ashford home, I went to the Sterling residence. When the servant led me in, Lucas was on a phone call. When he saw me, a mocking smile curved at the corner of his mouth. He walked over: “Ethan just called saying you went to his house trying to force him into marriage, and now that he rejected you, you’ve come to me?” He had always worn a mask of gentleness: “Sienna, I thought the last banquet made it very clear. We don’t like you and won’t marry you. You shouldn’t pester us like this.” I smiled and nodded: “That’s why I’m just here to deliver my wedding invitation.” He froze, then mockingly curled his lips: “Is Sienna trying to pull the same stunt your dad did last time, announcing things without asking first, then appointing one of us as the groom at the wedding, thinking we won’t embarrass you and will help you stage a fake wedding?” “Tsk tsk, Sienna, haven’t you learned your lesson from last time?” “I’ve told you, we don’t like you. To avoid Lily misunderstanding, we won’t give you face. When you can’t get off the stage, it’ll be too late to make up another fake boyfriend.” I shook my head and was about to speak when his phone rang again. When he saw the caller ID, his expression softened. He answered: “Hello, Lily.” “Okay, I’ll be right there.” After responding gently, he looked at me, silently mouthed “take care of yourself,” and walked past me to leave. I sighed helplessly. It seemed that because of the incident at the last banquet when my dad asked me to publicly acknowledge a boyfriend, they were convinced I was trying to force one of them to marry me this time too. Whatever. They’d find out eventually. Mrs. Sterling came out, warmly received me, accepted my invitation, and sighed, “My Lucas doesn’t have the good fortune.” I came to deliver the invitations in person because, setting aside the friendship between me and the three childhood friends that no longer existed, their parents had treated me extremely well. When Mom died and Dad was busy with his career, I had rotated between their three homes. I wouldn’t forget the warmth from those times. I suddenly saw Lily’s social media post—she had posted photos of the four of them at an amusement park. So I felt confident going to the third childhood friend’s home.

While I was in the living room with Mrs. Blake, I was just saying: “The wedding date is next month—” “Mom, how could you casually decide on my marriage to Sienna Walsh! This is my girlfriend, Lily!” Ryan suddenly rushed over, pulling Lily along. “Mom, I know we used to play house a lot, and you’d joke about making Sienna our family’s daughter-in-law, but that was just when we were young and didn’t understand.” “Now we’re all grown up. You should respect my choice!” Mrs. Blake was stunned: “No, Ryan—” Ryan, who had never had a good temper, glared at me: “Sienna Walsh, can you stop pestering us? Do you think having the elders pressure us will make one of us accept you?” “Can’t you see how much we all detest you now, how we avoid you?” “Ryan!” Mrs. Blake angrily scolded him. But Ryan kept a cold expression and wouldn’t listen to anything Mrs. Blake or I said: “Anyway, the person I like is Lily. I will absolutely never marry Sienna Walsh. Just wait for the wedding to fall through!” With that, he pulled Lily away. Mrs. Blake sighed: “Sienna doesn’t even like him. Where does he get the confidence that you want to marry him?” I smiled and shrugged: “He probably dislikes me so much right now that he can’t be bothered to listen to what I say. Anyway, they’ll all understand eventually.” When I left the Blake villa, all four of them—Ethan, Lucas, Ryan, and Lily—were actually outside. Following their claim that they detested me, I acted as if I didn’t see them and left directly. “Sienna!” But Lily suddenly came forward and grabbed me. “Don’t misunderstand. Ryan just asked me to pretend to be his girlfriend.” “Lily, why are you explaining to her? I only did that to get rid of her!” Ryan said impatiently. “Ryan, don’t be like that. We’re all very good friends. I only got to know you guys because of Sienna. I really miss the days when the five of us used to hang out together.” “Sienna, please stop being angry at everyone, okay? I really hope you can continue hanging out with us.” As Lily spoke, her fingernails suddenly dug into my flesh where she was holding my hand. I hissed and shook off her hand. “Ah!” She fell backward as if I had violently thrown her off. “Lily!” The three of them rushed over nervously to support her. “Sienna Walsh! Lily is so kind, and you won’t appreciate it—that’s one thing—but you actually pushed her? Have dogs eaten your conscience?” Ryan said furiously. Lucas also had a cold expression: “Lily always hoped you could return to our group, but it seems you really don’t deserve it.” “Apologize to Lily right now, Sienna Walsh!” Ethan said in a deep voice. Lily leaned against Ethan’s chest, looking wronged and fragile, but her eyes held a familiar smugness and provocation as she looked at me. I patted my arm and looked at them coldly: “I’m so terrible, why would I apologize to her?” “So just take her far away from me, won’t you? Then she won’t get hurt, right?” With that, I turned and left directly. “Sienna Walsh, if you still can’t learn to be friendly toward Lily, then we’ll have no more friendship to speak of!” Ethan said coldly from behind. The corner of my mouth twisted sarcastically, and I left without paying any attention. Ever since Lily appeared, when had there been any friendship left between us?

That evening, following Mrs. Ashford’s request, I delivered medicine to the suburban vacation villa for her, only to discover that only Ethan, Lucas, and Ryan were there. We then realized we had all been tricked into coming here by our parents. Moreover, our cars had all been driven away, and late at night like this, there was no way back to the city. Mrs. Ashford said on the phone that she hoped we could find our childhood memories at this place where we used to play often, and reconcile. Ryan scoffed: “How boring and such a waste of time. I wonder if Lily will be okay without us.” His words made both Ethan and Lucas frown with worry. I agreed it was a waste of time, but looking at this familiar villa, I still felt a bit dazed. I walked over to a piano. It had been here for over ten years, hadn’t it? I remembered once, the four of us played eight-handed pieces together. Ryan was always causing trouble, making us argue noisily, while the aunties and uncles watched us with smiles, taking many photos of us sitting at this piano. “Lily’s been learning piano lately. Look at this video I took of her.” Ryan pulled out his phone and played a video. Ethan and Lucas quickly gathered around to watch. The intermittent sound of piano playing and a sweet voice came through. The three of them watched seriously, their faces full of smiles. I stepped out of the villa. The lights illuminated the pool area. I hazily remembered that year when the three of them competed in the pool to see who could hold their breath the longest. Young and naive, I didn’t understand and thought they were drowning. I was so scared I jumped into the water to save them. “Ethan, Lucas, Ryan, don’t be scared, I’m here to save you—” But when I jumped into the water, I swallowed several mouthfuls. The three of them pulled me up together, wanting to laugh at me but also feeling helpless. “Sienna is both cute and silly. We must protect you well from now on.” Their words still echoed in my ears. They truly protected me as they said, all the way through growing up. Blocking all the dangers I faced as a child, taking me to eat good food, taking me to play… My vision seemed filled with many happy voices and laughter. Suddenly a voice from reality broke the illusion. “Lily, don’t be scared, we’ll come keep you company right away!” Ethan answered a call from Lily, extremely anxious. “There’s thunder in the city, and Lily was so scared she cried. We need to go be with her!” Ethan said anxiously to the other two, and they were also frantic. They rushed out of the villa, looking left and right. “There’s not a single car!” “No, I can’t wait anymore. I’m going to walk back!” Ryan gritted his teeth and immediately rushed outside. The other two also anxiously rushed into the night. “Wait.” I called out to them. Ryan turned and glared at me: “Sienna Walsh, Lily is so scared she’s crying, and you’re still jealous here trying to stop us?” Ethan and Lucas also glared at me disapprovingly. My expression was indifferent: “If you walk back like this, the thunder will have long stopped, and Lily will have already gotten over her fear.” “Then what should we do? We can’t just wait here doing nothing!” Ryan gritted his teeth and was about to rush into the night again. Lucas calmed down and stopped him: “Let’s contact someone to pick us up first, and also look for any transportation.” They searched around the villa anxiously with their phone flashlights. We were familiar with every corner of this place because we had played countless games of hide-and-seek here before. “There’s an abandoned car here that can be driven.” My phone’s flashlight shone on a broken-down car in the corner. They immediately rushed over. The broken car was pushed out, and Ethan got in the driver’s seat. Lucas and Ryan got in the back, but the space was cramped. They were tall and large, and there was no room for a third person. They hesitated and looked at me. I shrugged: “I never planned to take this back to the city with you anyway. Do as you please.” “Sienna—” Lucas began. I said coolly: “Lily might really be terrified by now.” When they heard this, they immediately became anxious and couldn’t care about anything else. “Sienna, we’ll send someone to pick you up.” I calmly watched them disappear into the night, rushing with all their might toward the girl they cared about. Along with them disappeared twenty years of memories. “Goodbye, Ethan, Lucas, Ryan.” A car suddenly drove up, and the man who got out had just gotten off a plane to rush here. I smiled and ran over, throwing myself into his arms.

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Everyone says I was the twin who took everything in the womb, so I owe my sister Winnie my whole life. Growing up, she got the big sunny room while I lived in a tiny space next to the servants’ quarters. She wore new clothes while I got her hand-me-downs. My parents told me this was fate. I had to accept it. Later, I met Adam Cooper. He pulled me out of the gutter and told me I didn’t owe anyone anything. He promised me a grand wedding and said that once I was pregnant, he’d take me home to meet his family. I thought he came to save me. Until I heard him tell my parents, “Once she gives birth, I’ll marry Winnie.” That’s when I understood. I wasn’t a beloved wife. I was just a tool to bear my sister’s child. The marriage was fake. Five years of love was an act. Even my afe’s work was stolen, destroyed, and trampled into the ground. Now I’m lying in a hospital bed. I lost the baby, and the whole world is cursing me. But this time, I’m done being patient. Hazel POV After three years of secret marriage, I was finally pregnant. For three years, Adam Cooper had sex with me almost every night. He said once I got pregnant, he’d officially bring me home to the Cooper family and make up for it with a grand wedding. I was ecstatic. I ran through the pouring rain to his company to surprise him. The door to the CEO’s office was slightly ajar. Inside, I could hear Adam talking with my parents. My heart sank. My relationship with my parents had always been bad, and Adam rarely interacted with them either. Why would they come looking for him? I was about to push the door open when my father’s words froze me in place. “Winnie is coming back tomorrow. Hazel still isn’t pregnant. Adam, what are you planning to do?” I went rigid. Winnie was my twin sister. What did her return have to do with my pregnancy? Adam spoke unhurriedly, his tone nothing like the cold distance he usually showed my parents. “I’ll work hard to get her pregnant as soon as possible so Winnie can marry me sooner.” My mind went blank. What did he mean, “so Winnie could marry him?” What was he talking about? My mother’s voice came through, tinged with complaint. “If Winnie’s health wasn’t so poor that she couldn’t have children, you wouldn’t have had to put on this act for Hazel all these years or go through that fake marriage with her.” I could barely stand. My whole body trembled. Fake marriage? An act? I shook my head desperately, unable to believe what I was hearing. Adam was silent for a moment before speaking again. “The Cooper family is strict. Only if Winnie has a child will my grandfather agree to let her marry into the family. “It’s just… Hazel has had to suffer for it.” My father snorted coldly. “What does she have to complain about! It’s all Hazel’s fault anyway. She took everything in the womb before Winnie was even born, leaving Winnie weak and sickly her whole life. Having her bear a child for Winnie and help her marry you is what she owes Winnie!” I closed my eyes. Tears fell heavily. I looked down at the ultrasound report. The words “intrauterine early pregnancy” stung my eyes. I turned and ran out of the Cooper Corporation building. The rain came down harder, pouring mercilessly on me. I couldn’t feel anything anymore. Winnie and I were twin sisters. I was born healthy and strong. Winnie was severely malnourished and has been weak and sickly since childhood. My parents decided I had stolen my sister’s nutrients in the womb, so they favored Winnie from an early age. The Jones family wasn’t poor, but I never had a good life growing up. All the good food went to Winnie. I could only wear her hand-me-downs. Winnie got the big sunny room. My bedroom was next to the servants’ quarters. Even the household staff looked down on me. I never fought back. Never competed. Because my parents told me every day: “Winnie is the way she is because of you. You’ll owe her for the rest of your life.” I was young then. I believed whatever my parents said. After college graduation, Winnie went abroad for treatment, and I moved out of the Jones house. That life finally ended temporarily. Later, I met Adam. That night I worked late. On my way home, two thugs cornered me in an alley. Adam drove by. He got out and chased them off with just a few moves. He stood under the streetlight in a crisp suit, his features sharp and cold, like salvation descending from heaven. Adam was good to me. I’d always been used to depriving myself, wearing clothes from thrift stores that cost just a few dozen dollars. Adam sent haute couture piece after piece to my home. I rarely ate proper meals. Adam cooked every meal himself and wouldn’t eat until he’d made sure I was full. During my period when my stomach hurt, Adam would keep his palm pressed against my lower abdomen all night. I’d always loved dogs, but Winnie didn’t like them, so I never had one. When Adam found out, he rescued a stray dog with me. We named it Lucky. Every day we’d walk Lucky together and give it baths. He told me, “You don’t owe anyone anything. Parents who don’t love you don’t deserve your love in return. Not every parent is worthy of their child’s love.” Two years of dating, three years of secret marriage. Adam made my life better and better. Adam taught me that I wasn’t born owing anyone. I deserved better too. It was just that the Cooper family was the top elite family and looked down on the Jones family. His grandfather was old-fashioned and stubborn. Three years ago, we married. He said once I got pregnant, he’d take me and the child home to the Cooper family. When his grandfather saw the child, he’d relent, and then we’d have a proper wedding. I cried with gratitude. I didn’t feel wronged at all. Instead, I felt sorry for him being caught in the middle. Today I finally got pregnant. I thought my suffering had ended, but this was the answer I got instead. The marriage was fake. Getting me pregnant was so I could bear Winnie’s child. I wanted to ask Adam. What was real? Was all the good he’d shown me just an act? Did he only see me as a tool for bearing children? I thought Adam was my salvation. I never expected he’d drag me into another abyss. Rainwater ran down my hair, mixing with the tears on my face. I couldn’t tell which was colder. Adam, since you never really wanted to marry me, then I don’t want to marry you either. Mom and Dad, since you’ve never really cared about me, then I won’t care about you anymore either.

Hazel POV I stumbled home in a daze. The moment I pushed open the door, Lucky came bounding over, tail wagging. I crouched down and hugged Lucky, remembering that winter three years ago. That day, Adam and I found Lucky on the roadside. It was so thin its ribs showed, shivering in a cardboard box. Adam didn’t hesitate. He took off his suit jacket and wrapped it up. “From now on, it’s ours.” Thinking of this, a glimmer of hope rose in my heart. Was there any chance I’d heard wrong? Was there any chance Adam was just lying to my parents? Five years together, so many days and nights. How could it all be fake? I let go of Lucky, got up, and went to the study. I pulled out our marriage certificate from the back of the drawer. I’d always kept it locked away carefully in the deepest part of the drawer. I went online and checked the state’s marriage records database, typing in my personal information. During those few seconds waiting for the results, I clutched the certificate tightly to my chest. My heart felt like it was about to jump out of my chest. It had to be real. It had to be. The page loaded. The screen clearly displayed: “No marriage registration data found.” I stared at those words. My vision gradually blurred. It was fake. I hadn’t heard wrong. I laughed. As I laughed, tears fell. My phone suddenly lit up. A conversation window that hadn’t moved in years popped up with a message. Seeing Winnie’s profile picture, I couldn’t help trembling. Winnie wasn’t just my twin sister. She was my lifelong nightmare. At first, though my parents favored her, they weren’t that bad to me. It was Winnie who framed me again and again. She would slap herself hard, then run crying to our parents saying I’d hit her. She would hide her own things in my room, then find them in front of our parents. She would eat peanuts she was allergic to until her face turned red, then say I’d tricked her into eating them. She would roll down the stairs, sobbing uncontrollably, saying I’d pushed her. The worst time was when we were both supposed to go to school, but Winnie came home very late that day. Her clothes were torn, she was covered in injuries, crying that I’d found several thugs to assault her and she’d barely escaped. That day, Dad broke a clothes hanger on me. Mom stood there the whole time without stopping him once. Frame after frame, in my parents’ eyes I went from the older twin who’d stolen nutrients to a born villain who wanted her sister dead. Winnie and I had identical faces but completely different hearts. I thought moving out of the Jones house would let me escape this nightmare, but only now did I understand. The nightmare had never ended. I clicked on the conversation. It was a link to a social media profile. I clicked the link. It was Winnie’s private account. The posts went back to college days. As I scrolled through the photos, my fingers grew stiffer and stiffer. So Winnie and Adam had known each other since college. Adam cooked every meal for Winnie himself and wouldn’t eat until she was full. When Winnie had period pain, Adam would keep her stomach warm all night. Every time luxury brands released new items, Adam immediately bought them for Winnie. Everything was exactly the same as what Adam did for me. Even many of the things Adam gave me were the same as what he’d given Winnie before. So all his kindness to me was just skills he’d practiced on Winnie. And what Adam did for Winnie was far more than what he did for me. Adam personally learned to make birthday cakes for Winnie. Adam carried Winnie on his back up a mountain for three hours just so she could watch the sunrise from the peak. The year Winnie went abroad for treatment, he flew over dozens of times. Adam had never done any of these things for me. I watched and cried. As I cried, I laughed. I turned off my phone screen. Without further hesitation, I went out early the next morning to apply for a visa. At the end of this month, the results of the IDA International Emerging Jewelry Design Awards would be announced. It was a competition I’d been preparing for half a year. It was crucial for my career, and I was very confident. Once the visa came through and the competition results were out, I would leave this place. Leave Adam. Leave Winnie. Leave all of them. As for the baby in my belly, I hadn’t decided yet. After all, it wasn’t just Adam’s child. It was also the little life I’d been looking forward to.

Hazel POV Before I’d even left the visa center, Adam’s call came through. “Hazel, where are you?” Before I could answer, a staff member’s voice came from behind me: Your visa materials have been collected. Processing will take approximately ten business days. “What visa?” Adam’s tone tightened sharply. “You’re applying for a visa? What for?” I gripped my phone, trying to keep my voice normal. “I want to travel and gather inspiration for my designs in a little while.” Adam seemed to believe me. His tone relaxed. “I’ll go with you when I’m done with work.” He paused, then continued, “Come home today. Your place, I mean. Your sister is back. It’s her birthday today. We need to go over.” My hand clenched my clothes. In the past, Adam never proactively made me go back to the Jones house. He always said, “If the Jones house makes you unhappy, you don’t have to go. That’s not your home.” As soon as Winnie came back, he changed. I said softly, “I don’t want to go.” “Don’t be difficult.” Adam’s tone grew heavy. “She’s your sister. You’re still part of the Jones family.” So with Winnie back, I was part of the Jones family again. Adam didn’t give me a chance to refuse. He picked me up and brought me back to the Jones house without question. The Jones family living room was piled high with gifts for Winnie. As soon as I walked in, Winnie came up to me, opening her arms to embrace me. Her tone was sickeningly sweet. “Hazel! I haven’t seen you in years. I missed you so much!” My body went rigid. I struggled to maintain calm. Dad snorted coldly. “Why the long face? Your sister finally came home. Can’t you show a little warmth?” Mom took Winnie’s hand and turned to Adam with a smile. “Winnie, this is your brother-in-law, Adam.” Winnie blinked, speaking sweetly. “I love the necklace Hazel gave me. Thank you!” Adam looked at her, his expression gentle. “I’m glad you like it.” I stood to the side, my nails digging into my palms. At dinner, Adam instinctively sat next to Winnie instead of beside me. I glanced at the dishes on the table. All things I didn’t like. I wasn’t surprised. Winnie loved spicy food. When she was home, the dinner table was always dominated by spicy dishes. I couldn’t handle spice. As a child, I often could only drink water. Nothing was different now. Like before, I drank water without eating. I didn’t make a sound. Adam had taken good care of me for five years, but with Winnie back, I’d become that Hazel in the corner again. The one no one cared about. “Hazel, you can’t just drink water without eating anything.” Winnie looked at me with a smile. “Come on, eat. Have more.” Mom glanced at me irritably. “Leave her alone. She’s perfectly healthy. She doesn’t need to eat! Winnie, you eat more!” Adam was focused on taking care of Winnie. He’d completely forgotten about me. The birthday cake was brought out. The whole family raised their glasses to wish Winnie happy birthday, having her blow out the candles and make a wish. Adam smiled, his gaze following Winnie the whole time. I held my water glass, sitting quietly in the corner. The maid brought out a new hot dish. It was scalding. There was water on the floor. The maid slipped, and the bowl flew straight toward Winnie. Adam reacted instantly, swatting the bowl away and pulling Winnie firmly into his arms. The scalding food, deflected by Adam, splashed onto me. I cried out. My arm turned bright red over a large area. Only then did Adam notice he’d splashed the food onto me. His expression changed sharply. “Hazel! I’m sorry. Are you okay?” In the past, if I cut my finger even slightly while chopping vegetables, he’d be so distressed he’d never let me touch a knife again. Adam let go of Winnie and was about to come check on me. Winnie cried out at just the right moment. Some of the soup had splashed onto her fingertip. Adam’s attention immediately shifted. He held Winnie’s hand, examining it carefully. “Does it hurt? Don’t be scared. Let me see.” Mom rushed to stand up. “I’ll get the burn ointment! Winnie, hang in there!” Dad looked at me with disgust, scolding coldly. “So clumsy! Stop embarrassing yourself. Go change your clothes!” I stood there. The scalding soup dripped down my arm. My skin had already turned bright red. No one asked if I was burned. No one asked if it hurt. The whole family bustled around Winnie’s single finger. Adam lowered his head, bringing Winnie’s finger to his lips and gently blowing on it. I looked down, turned, and went upstairs. My arm burned with pain. But my heart hurt even more than my arm.

Hazel POV That night, Mom and Dad made us stay over. Mom’s reason was that she hadn’t seen me in a long time. It was rare for us all to be together. I knew clearly that Mom wasn’t asking me to stay. She was keeping Adam there for Winnie. I went back to the guest room early. My room at the Jones house was no better than the servants’ quarters, but Mom and Dad would never make Adam stay in a servants’ room, so tonight they’d arranged the best guest room. Late at night, I felt thirsty and went downstairs for water. Passing Winnie’s room, warm yellow light spilled from the gap under the door, along with voices talking. It was Adam and Winnie. “You were so worried about her earlier. Have you fallen in love with her?” Winnie’s tone was pitiful. Adam’s voice was as gentle as if coaxing a child. “Don’t think like that. I only love you. Being with her is just to have her bear your child. All these years, looking at her face, I’ve only thought of you.” I leaned against the wall, my body trembling slightly. So for these five years, looking at my face, he’d been thinking of another woman. Those late-night embraces, morning kisses, every moment I thought our hearts were connected. He was thinking of Winnie. All the sweet words he’d said, all the gentle looks he’d given me. None of it was meant for me. “When will you leave her?” Winnie’s voice choked with tears. “It hurts so much to see you holding her hand. I’m supposed to be your love.” From inside the room came a man’s low sigh. Even through the door, I could hear the heartache in it. And who it was for. “Soon. Once she’s pregnant and gives birth, I’ll take the baby to you, and we’ll get married.” “What about Hazel? Won’t she be sad?” A long silence. “I’ll give her money and send her away, so you won’t be upset seeing her.” I see. Money could pay off five years. Even though I already knew the truth, my chest still felt like something was gripping it, squeezing again and again without rest. I didn’t listen any longer. I slowly walked to the kitchen for water. The water overflowed the cup. I didn’t notice. The hot water spilled over the rim and burned my hand. Water splashed everywhere. I crouched down and quietly cleaned up by myself. No one knew. Before, when I was designing, if a thorn pricked my hand, Adam would frown and spend ages pulling it out for me. Now I was burned, and he was in the next room comforting another woman. Later, Adam came back to the guest room. As soon as he entered, he pulled me into his arms, calling me softly by name, leaning down to kiss me. For three years, as long as I wasn’t on my period and he wasn’t working late, he wanted me every night. I used to think it was because he loved me, wanted me. Now I understood. He was just eager to get me pregnant so I could bear Winnie’s child. I decided this child, I would definitely take with me. I would never leave it for them. The moment Adam drew close, I smelled Winnie’s perfume lingering on him. Sweet, cloying. Nausea rolled through my stomach. I turned my head to avoid him. Adam noticed my evasion. He frowned. “Hazel, what’s wrong?” I didn’t look at him. I spoke softly. “Adam, what if I don’t want a child anymore…” Before I finished, Adam’s face darkened. “Don’t be difficult, Hazel. I can indulge you in anything except this.” I asked again, “Then, I want to have the wedding right away. Can you do that for me?” Adam’s frown deepened. He was silent for a while, then finally sighed. “You know my family’s situation. It’s not that I don’t want the wedding. I don’t want my grandfather to make trouble for you. Be good. Let’s focus on trying for a baby, okay?” After he spoke, he tried to approach again. For the first time, I coldly pushed him away. Adam froze. Confusion and panic flashed in his eyes. “Hazel, what’s wrong with you?” I looked at the pitch-black night outside the window and spoke calmly. “Today is my birthday.” Adam went rigid. Winnie and I were twins, born on the same day. Today everyone remembered Winnie’s birthday. Not a single person remembered today was my birthday too. Every year on my birthday, Adam prepared flowers, gifts, and cake in advance. On the day itself, he’d clear his entire schedule and cook for me personally. This year, he’d forgotten completely. Adam stood frozen, hastily reaching for my hand. “I’m sorry, Hazel. I’ll make it up to you tomorrow. I’ll take you to the beach, okay?”

Hazel POV Early the next morning, Adam and I had just changed clothes and were about to leave when Winnie followed us. She stood in the entryway, fingers twisting her hem, looking pitifully at Adam. “Hazel, are you going out? Can I come with you?” Adam’s brow furrowed slightly. His tone softened. “Winnie, be good. Your health isn’t good. Stay home and rest.” Winnie’s eyes immediately reddened, her voice full of grievance. “I don’t have any friends here. If you won’t take me, I’ll just be stuck at home alone.” I didn’t keep listening. I turned and walked outside. Because I knew Adam would definitely give in. Sure enough, less than a minute later, Adam followed with Winnie in tow. I opened the passenger door and had just sat down when Winnie came to the window, looking pitiful. “Hazel, can I sit in front? I get carsick in the back.” I glanced at Adam. His expression was unreadable. He said nothing. I quickly nodded, pushed open the door, and moved to the back seat. Adam seemed momentarily stunned, as if he hadn’t expected me to agree so readily. The car pulled out of the Jones family gates. Winnie sat in the passenger seat, chattering nonstop about stories from abroad, college memories, and the shows she was watching. Adam looked at her with a smile, occasionally responding gently. They both seemed to forget there was another person in the car. I leaned back in my seat, eyes closed, palm covering my lower abdomen. At a turn, an oncoming truck ran a red light and headed straight for us. Adam jerked the steering wheel, instinctively pulling Winnie in the passenger seat into his arms. In the massive crash, my forehead slammed hard against the window frame. Warm blood ran down from my brow bone. My vision instantly turned red. Before losing consciousness, I heard Winnie crying, “Are you okay?” Adam responded urgently, “I’m fine. Winnie, are you hurt?” No one asked about me in the back seat. The ambulance came. The emergency personnel opened the door to check for injured. “There are two injured. We can only take one first. The one in back. Head injury, bleeding. Situation is serious.” “Take her.” Adam didn’t hesitate. He pointed at Winnie in the passenger seat. “Take her first.” The emergency personnel hesitated, looking at me in the back seat covered in blood, then at Winnie in the passenger seat with only a scraped arm. “Sir, the one in back-” “I said take her.” Adam repeated, his tone brooking no argument. That was the last thing I heard before losing consciousness. When I regained awareness, I smelled strong disinfectant. I hadn’t opened my eyes yet. My head felt like it was splitting. Then I heard movement nearby. Two nurses were talking in low voices. “These two sisters really have different fates. The other one just has soft tissue contusion and a tiny scrape on her arm. Her boyfriend not only had the ambulance take her first, but made all the doctors stand by to treat her first.” “Right? This one got eight stitches in her head, has a concussion, and almost lost the baby. She had to wait in line for over two hours before being brought in. She’s been here two days now and the father of her child hasn’t even shown his face.” “The one in the next room. Her boyfriend stays with her all day, bringing her water and tucking her in.” I smiled bitterly to myself. Boyfriend? Right. Adam had always been Winnie’s boyfriend, not my husband. I didn’t even have a real marriage certificate. I stayed in the hospital for five days. In those five days, Adam never came once. Mom and Dad didn’t appear either. I signed my own admission forms, paid my own bills, held onto the wall to go for tests. I moved slowly through the corridors alone. I didn’t feel sad. I’d been alone all my life. I was used to it. Then Adam came along, and I thought things had changed. Now I was just going back to life without Adam. On the fifth day, I completed discharge procedures and took a taxi home alone. The moment I pushed open the door, I froze. Winnie was wearing my pajamas, curled up on the couch I’d chosen, covered with my blanket, eating snacks and watching TV. The sound of a spatula came from the kitchen, along with a pungent spicy smell wafting out. Adam was cooking, clearly not for me. Winnie saw me and immediately came over with a smile. “Hazel! My health isn’t good. He said the air here is better and told me to move in for a while to recover. You don’t mind, do you?” Just then, Adam walked out of the kitchen carrying dishes. Seeing me, a flash of guilt crossed his face, quickly suppressed. “Hazel, you’re back. I was just about to go see you at the hospital. Come, let’s eat first.” I’d been lying in the room next to Winnie’s for five days, and he said he was “just about to” come see me? I didn’t respond. I gave a self-mocking smile. I didn’t see the familiar figure. Usually at this time, Lucky should have bounded over. My heart sank. I stared at Adam. “Where’s Lucky?”

Hazel POV Adam’s expression changed slightly. He quickly explained. “Don’t worry. Lucky is in the storage room. Winnie is afraid of dogs, so I temporarily put Lucky there.” I turned and ran toward the storage room. That cramped storage room was less than thirty square feet, with no windows, never seeing sunlight. He actually locked Lucky in there! Was this the same Adam who bathed Lucky and ran with it? No. The man who could unhesitatingly protect Winnie and leave me bleeding without care could naturally lock Lucky in a dark room for Winnie’s sake too. This was the real Adam. I pushed open the storage room door. Lucky was huddled in the corner. Hearing the sound, it couldn’t even wag its tail, just made a weak whimper. My nose stung with emotion. I picked up Lucky and looked back at Adam, who had followed. “Adam, how long did you lock it up!” Adam’s expression stiffened. He was about to explain. Winnie, who had followed behind, immediately shrank her shoulders, her voice tearful. “It’s all my fault. I made Lucky get locked up for two days. Hazel doesn’t want me here. I should just leave.” Adam immediately darkened, grabbing Winnie’s wrist. “Don’t talk nonsense. I’m in charge of this house. You stay as long as you want.” He looked at me with displeasure. “Hazel, Lucky is just a dog. Winnie is your sister.” I laughed coldly. “So these two days, you didn’t feed it even once, did you?” Adam’s brow furrowed tightly. He said nothing. Without another glance at him, I walked straight out with Lucky in my arms. I took Lucky to a familiar pet boarding facility. I knew Winnie well. As long as she lived there, there would be no peace in that house. If Lucky stayed home, it would only suffer. But seeing Lucky lying pitifully in a narrow cage, my heart ached. “My dog is also boarding here recently.” A young man nearby spoke up. “I come every day to walk it. If you’re comfortable with it, I can walk yours too.” I nodded gratefully. “Thank you.” After settling Lucky, I went back home. As soon as I entered the yard, I noticed the garden bed where I’d planted lisianthus had been completely dug up and replaced with the red roses Winnie liked. I just looked calmly for a moment before looking away and heading straight to my room. A few minutes later, someone pushed open my bedroom door. Winnie leaned against the doorframe. The sweetness she showed in front of Adam was gone from her face. She lifted her chin and walked in.”Hazel, you saw everything on Ins, didn’t you?” She lazily sat on the edge of my bed, crossing her legs. “Have you figured out your place yet?” I lowered my head and organized my vanity, ignoring her. But Winnie wouldn’t let it go. Her gaze swept around the vanity and stopped on a jeweled crown. It was the first jewelry piece I’d designed myself. I was saving it to wear at my own future wedding. Winnie casually picked it up and tossed it in her hand. “What are you doing? Give it back!” I stood up to grab it. Winnie stepped back a few paces. With a twist of her wrist, she gripped the crown in her hand and asked with a light laugh, “Hazel, after all these years, you still don’t understand? You can’t beat me at anything.” I stared at her hand. “That’s mine!” Winnie scoffed. “Who it belongs to is up to me.” The words had barely left her mouth when she scratched the back of her other hand viciously with her long nails. Her delicate skin immediately bled. She threw the crown on the floor. Winnie collapsed onto the ground, tears streaming down her face. “Hazel, I didn’t mean anything by it. I just wanted to look…” Urgent footsteps came from downstairs. Adam rushed upstairs. “Winnie!” He quickly bent down and helped Winnie into his arms. Seeing her bleeding hand, his eyes instantly reddened. “How did this happen?” “It’s all my fault. I wanted to look at Hazel’s crown without asking her permission. Don’t blame her. It’s all my fault…” Adam looked up, staring at me with fury in his eyes. “I never thought you could be this vicious!” Something pressed against the sole of his foot. Adam looked down and saw the crown on the floor. He lifted his foot and stomped down hard on the crown. Adam scooped Winnie up in his arms and left without looking back. I stood there quietly, looking at the scattered fragments on the floor. I once thought I would wear it as his bride. I looked at it for a long while. Finally, I slowly crouched down and gathered the remains into my palm. The sharp edges cut my palm. Blood seeped out. I would never love Adam again.

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It was our third wedding anniversary, and I rushed home. But when I pushed open the door, my workroom had been painted pink, and all the rare equipment my father left me had been thrown in the trash. In their place stood a pink piano. Ethan appeared before me with a woman in his arms. He said Melody needed the sunroom. Those pieces of junk were just gathering dust anyway. He also said he had fallen for her. If he’d met her earlier, he never would have married me. Five years ago, he dug me out of an avalanche with his bare hands until his hands were bloody and torn. Now he held another woman’s hand and dismissed what I loved as “junk.” The compass was shattered, my mother died, and the search and rescue dog had its leg broken. And the moment I fell into an ice crevasse and pressed the distress signal, he personally cut the connection. But he didn’t know. I didn’t die. Three years later, he knelt before me with bloodshot eyes. “Lily, I’ve searched for you for three years. I’ll give you my life to make it up to you, okay?” I looked down at him and smiled. “Ethan, your life is too cheap. I want you to live and watch me marry someone else.”

Lily’s POV When I pushed open the villa door, I still carried the biting chill of the snowy mountains. I had just finished a grueling two-week climb and rushed home filled with joy to make it back for our third wedding anniversary. The backpack straps dug into my shoulders painfully, but I touched the rare glacier stone I’d found at 23,000 feet in my pocket and still felt happy. Because Ethan once said that was the view he most wanted to see. But when I expectantly pushed open the equipment room on the second floor that belonged exclusively to me, the scene before me left me completely stunned. The walls that had been covered with ice axes, carabiners, and climbing ropes were painted a glaring soft pink. All the mountaineering equipment I treasured, the gear that had accompanied me through life-and-death situations, had completely vanished. In their place stood an expensive white grand piano and delicate sheet music scattered across the floor. “Who touched my things?” My whole body trembled. Footsteps sounded behind me. Ethan wore a well-tailored lounging outfit, his gold-rimmed glasses framing deep eyes that now held an unfamiliar coldness. Beside him stood a woman in a white silk dress with a delicate frame. The woman shrank behind Ethan like a frightened rabbit. “I had someone take them away.” Ethan’s voice held no emotion, direct and decisive. “Melody’s hands were injured. She needs a quiet, sunny room to practice piano. Your junk was just gathering dust there anyway. I had someone throw it all in the basement.” Junk? I was thunderstruck. Among that equipment was the rare vintage ice axe my late father left behind, and the first safety lock Ethan gave me when we first met! “Ethan, are you insane? That’s my equipment room! What right do you have to clear out my room for her?” I stared at this man I’d loved for five years. Melody gently tugged at Ethan’s sleeve. Her eyes instantly filled with tears, her voice so fragile it seemed the slightest breeze could scatter it. “Ethan, I’m sorry. This is all my fault. I didn’t know that was Miss Hayes’s room. I’ll move out right now. Please don’t fight with her because of me…” “Don’t move.” Ethan turned and grasped Melody’s hand, the gesture gentle as if handling a priceless treasure. When he looked back at me, his gaze was cold as ice. “Lily, stop making a scene. Melody has severe PTSD. She can’t handle stress. You’re never home anyway, gone for weeks at a time. That room was just sitting empty.” He paused, his tone calm yet cruel as he passed judgment. “Also, I’ve fallen for Melody. If I’d met her earlier, I wouldn’t have married you.” I staggered back a step, my back hitting the door frame hard as my heart ached until I could barely breathe. Fallen for her? Then what am I? Five years ago on that mountain during the avalanche, he dug me out of the snow with his bare hands until they were a bloody mess, nearly requiring amputation. He held my hand in the hospital bed and swore he’d only ever want me, that he’d wait at the base of every mountain for me to come home. But now he held another woman’s hand and dismissed what I loved as “junk.” “Say that again?” My whole body shook. Ethan frowned slightly, seeming annoyed by my loss of control. “I said it clearly enough. But don’t worry, I promised to take care of you for life, so I won’t divorce you. The position of Mrs. Clarke is still yours. Just don’t provoke Melody. She’s too fragile. She can’t handle your rough treatment.” Fragile? Rough? I watched him protect Melody and found it utterly absurd. I didn’t scream or cry. The extreme pain lodged in my throat, unable to come out or go down. I gritted my teeth hard, turned, and rushed to the basement, searching through the dark, damp corners for the equipment that had been thrown away like garbage. Ethan, so even the love you traded your life for only has a three-year shelf life.

Lily’s POV The basement lights flickered dimly. I crouched before dusty cardboard boxes, my hands trembling as I searched. The ice axe was there, the harness was there, but the old brass compass was nowhere to be found. It was the last thing my father left me before he died, and three years ago when Ethan and I got lost in a blizzard, it was the only thing that guided us away from death. “Looking for this?” A delicate voice rang out at the stairway. Melody stood on the steps, looking down at me from above. In her hands, she toyed with that brass compass. “Give it back!” I stood and rushed toward her. But Melody just laughed lightly and loosened her fingers. Crack. The brass compass fell onto the hard cement floor. The glass face shattered instantly, and the needle inside trembled violently a few times before jamming completely, never to turn again. My breathing stopped abruptly. My mind went blank. I crouched down and carefully gathered up the broken pieces. Glass shards pierced my palm and blood welled up, but I didn’t care. “You did that on purpose.” I looked up. “Melody, I’m going to kill you!” I stood and grabbed Melody by the collar. “Ah! Ethan, save me!” Melody immediately let out a shrill scream and deliberately fell backward, tumbling heavily onto the steps. The basement door burst open and Ethan rushed down. Seeing Melody trembling on the ground and me with blood all over my hands, he didn’t hesitate to shove me aside. Already exhausted, his forceful push sent me crashing into the rough wall, a sharp pain shooting through my shoulder. “Lily! What’s wrong with you!” Ethan held Melody tightly in his arms, shouting angrily. “She smashed my father’s compass!” I held up my hands covered in blood and broken glass, my voice becoming shrill. “Ethan, that compass led us out of the mountains! She smashed it!” Ethan’s gaze swept over that pile of junk, a flash of impatience crossing his eyes. He looked at me coldly, his tone full of disappointment and disgust. “Over a broken compass you’d assault Melody? Lily, when did you become so unreasonable and materialistic?” Materialistic? Unreasonable? I stared at him in shock as tears finally broke free. “Ethan, I didn’t mean to…” Melody hid in Ethan’s arms, crying with tears streaming down her face. “I saw that thing was so old, I thought it was trash and wanted to help Miss Hayes put it away. I didn’t expect my hand to slip… It’s all my fault. My hand was injured, I can’t hold things properly…” “It’s not your fault. She’s too aggressive.” Ethan gently comforted the woman in his arms, then pulled out his checkbook from his pocket, scrawled a series of numbers, and tossed it at my feet like throwing alms to a beggar. “One million. Enough to buy you a hundred top-of-the-line electronic navigation devices. Take the money and apologize to Melody.” That light check fell on my blood-stained shoes like a resounding slap across my soul. I didn’t look at the check. I just stared at Ethan, my heart feeling like it was being slowly carved open with a dull knife, the pain making even my breath taste of blood. “Ethan,” I smiled. “No amount of money can buy back something dead.” Not the compass, and not his love.

Lily’s POV From the day the compass shattered, my heart died with it. I locked myself in the guest room, making no noise or fuss. But from the master bedroom one wall away, I could often hear Ethan’s gentle voice coaxing Melody to sleep. Until three days later, an emergency call from the hospital shattered the silence. “Miss Hayes, your mother’s heart condition has suddenly deteriorated, triggering serious complications! The county hospital doesn’t have the equipment to sustain her. She must be transferred to a Manhattan hospital within three hours, or her life will be in danger at any moment!” My hand holding the phone trembled violently. All the blood in my body turned to ice. From here to Manhattan was at least a five-hour drive. The only chance was to use a medical rescue helicopter. And Ethan had access to a private medical flight route. I rushed out of the room but found the villa empty. I tremblingly dialed Ethan’s number. Once, hung up. Twice, hung up. By the fifth call, it finally connected, but it was Melody’s delicate voice that answered. “Miss Hayes? Ethan’s in the shower. Is there something you need?” “Let Ethan answer! Quick, let him answer! My mom’s dying!” I shouted, my voice hoarse. The other end fell silent for two seconds, then Ethan’s displeased voice came through. “Lily, what game are you playing now? Melody has a slight fever today. I don’t have time for your drama.” “I’m not playing games! Ethan, please, my mom has heart failure. I need your medical helicopter to transfer her right away! The doctor said she only has three hours. Please save her!” I was nearly going insane. Ethan laughed coldly on the other end. “Lily, if you’re going to lie, find a better excuse. I visited your mother at the hospital last week. The doctor said her condition was stable. You’d even curse your own mother just to get attention?” “I’m not lying! Call the hospital to confirm! Ethan, this is a human life! My mother’s life!” “Enough!” Ethan cut me off harshly. “I’ve already diverted the helicopter. Melody’s fever triggered a panic attack. I’m taking her to a private island retreat to recover. The flight plan is already approved. We’re taking off soon. Behave yourself and stop calling.” The phone was mercilessly disconnected. I felt like I’d fallen into an ice pit, my mind buzzing. The helicopter was diverted? For Melody’s slight fever, for an island getaway, he cut off my mother’s only lifeline?! I scrambled out of the villa and flagged down a taxi straight to Clarke Group’s helipad. All along the way, I frantically sent Ethan messages, sent the critical condition notice from the hospital, sent videos of my mother being resuscitated on a ventilator. But it was like throwing stones into the sea. No response at all. When I reached the helipad, I only saw the helicopter’s massive rotors whipping up a gale as it slowly lifted off. “Ethan! Come down! Give me back the helicopter! Ethan!” I broke through the security guards’ blockade and screamed desperately at the helicopter in midair. But the helicopter didn’t pause at all. Carrying that woman with just a “slight fever,” it flew mercilessly toward the azure sky. Ten minutes later, my phone rang. It was the hospital. “Miss Hayes… I’m sorry. We did everything we could. Your mother… didn’t make it.” The wind stopped. I collapsed to the ground. My phone slipped from my hand. I didn’t cry. I just stared blankly at the direction where the helicopter had disappeared, feeling like some part inside me had been completely hollowed out along with my mother’s passing.

Lily’s POV My mother’s funeral was simple and desolate. Continuous rain fell for three full days, as if even heaven was weeping for this absurd death. During those three days, Ethan didn’t appear once. Not even a single phone call. It wasn’t until the evening after the funeral ended, when I returned to that cold villa holding my mother’s urn, that the front door finally opened. Ethan walked in carrying the sunny atmosphere of a beach resort, followed by Melody with a rosy complexion and no trace of illness. Seeing the black-and-white memorial portrait in the living room and the urn in my arms, Ethan’s steps stopped abruptly and his expression changed instantly. “What’s going on?” He frowned, his tone holding no sorrow, only the displeasure of having his mood disrupted. I raised my head and stared at him. “My mom died.” “While you were taking her to the island for fun, my mom died in the hospital emergency room because she couldn’t get the helicopter.” Ethan’s pupils contracted sharply, a flash of shock and panic crossing his eyes. He opened his mouth, seeming to want to explain something. “I… I thought you were lying. I didn’t watch the videos on my phone…” “Ah!” Before he could finish speaking, Melody behind him suddenly clutched her chest and let out a terrified scream, collapsing into Ethan’s arms. “Ashes… a memorial portrait… so scary… Ethan, I’m scared. I can’t breathe…” Melody’s face turned deathly pale. She gasped for air in large gulps as if she might faint at any moment. The trace of guilt in Ethan’s eyes vanished instantly, replaced by extreme anxiety. He scooped up Melody and glared at me furiously. “You know Melody is timid and can’t handle being frightened! Why did you put these disgusting things in the living room?! Won’t you be satisfied until you’ve killed her too?!” Disgusting? My heart felt like it was being crushed by an invisible hand. The pain made my whole body convulse. My mother, who carried me for ten months, who raised me through hardship, had become a “disgusting thing” that frightened his beloved in this man’s mouth! “Ethan, are you even human?” I laughed through my anger, tears sliding down my cheeks. “That’s my mother! The mother whose lifeline you personally cut off!” “Life and death are normal. If the hospital couldn’t cure her, that’s their incompetence. Why are you blaming me?” Ethan’s tone was cold and cruel, as if discussing a minor mistake that had nothing to do with him. He coldly issued an order. “Put these things away immediately! Also, because you called frantically that day, Melody had a panic attack on the plane and hasn’t slept well for days. Now, apologize to her immediately!” I looked at this man before me in disbelief. Force me to apologize to my mother’s killer? “What if I don’t?” I gritted my teeth, each word bleeding. Ethan’s eyes turned completely cold, carrying undeniable authority. “Lily, don’t push it. If you don’t apologize, I’ll have your mother’s burial plot cancelled. You know that in this city, without my signature, you can’t buy cemetery space.” Using my mother’s resting place to threaten me! My spine bent sharply. Looking at Melody in Ethan’s arms with a subtle smirk of triumph at the corner of her mouth, I slowly closed my eyes and swallowed all the hatred and despair. “I’m sorry.” I spoke these three words numbly to Melody. Ethan snorted with satisfaction and carried Melody upstairs. I stood alone in the empty living room, holding the cold urn, as if I were in an endless hell.

Lily’s POV After my mother passed, my world completely collapsed. My only remaining emotional support was a retired search and rescue dog named Snowball. I’d brought Snowball back from an avalanche rescue. He’d accompanied me through countless lonely days and nights, and was the “child” Ethan and I once raised together. That afternoon, I was sitting in the yard brushing Snowball’s fur when Melody suddenly walked over. She wore an exquisite dress and carried a lace parasol. After just a few steps closer, she suddenly coughed violently and repeatedly retreated. “Cough, cough, cough… Ethan! Ethan, save me!” Ethan rushed out from his study at the sound, nervously supporting her. “What’s wrong?” Melody pointed at Snowball with tears in her eyes, gasping. “The dog. I’m severely allergic to dog fur… Ethan, I can barely breathe…” Ethan’s expression darkened. His gaze shot toward me like a knife. “Didn’t I say to lock that beast up when Melody’s around?!” I protectively hugged Snowball, my voice trembling. “Snowball’s always been in the yard. She walked over here herself! And you used to know that Snowball doesn’t shed!” “If Melody says she’s allergic, she’s allergic!” Ethan didn’t listen to any explanation and coldly passed judgment. “Someone! Throw this dog out! Send it to the stray dog shelter!” “No!” I widened my eyes and held Snowball’s neck tightly. “Ethan, you can’t do this! Snowball is a retired search and rescue dog. He saved people’s lives! He’s old now. He’ll die if he goes to a shelter!” “Better than Melody’s allergy!” Ethan waved his hand without mercy. Several bodyguards immediately stepped forward and roughly pulled me away. Snowball seemed to sense the danger. He barked at me anxiously but was grabbed by the throat with a thick rope and forcibly dragged away. “Snowball! Let him go! Ethan, I’m begging you. I’ll lock him in my room. I absolutely won’t let him out! Please don’t send him away!” I struggled frantically, my fingernails scratching bloody marks on the bodyguards’ arms, but it was useless. I watched helplessly as the car carrying Snowball drove out the gate, my desperate cries echoing throughout the villa. A trace of faint reluctance flashed in Ethan’s eyes, but it was quickly interrupted by Melody’s coughing. “It’s just a dog. I’ll have someone buy you a hairless cat tomorrow.” He dropped this cold statement and turned to help Melody back into the house. I didn’t cry or make a scene. I got up from the ground, didn’t even put on a coat, and rushed straight out the door. Heavy rain poured down. I ran through the storm, searching one by one for stray dog shelters in the city. Rainwater blurred my vision. The cold penetrated my bones, but all I could think about was Snowball’s desperate eyes as he was dragged away. A full forty-eight hours. I didn’t close my eyes or drink a drop of water. Finally, in an extremely remote, poorly maintained private dog slaughter facility in the suburbs, I found Snowball. The bodyguards hadn’t taken him to a proper shelter at all. They’d sold him directly to dog dealers! When I spent all the money I had on me to ransom Snowball, this once majestic search and rescue dog had already had one of his back legs broken. Covered in blood, he was curled up in the corner of an iron cage, barely clinging to life. “Snowball…” I knelt in the muddy water, trembling as I held his cold body. Snowball barely opened his eyes, stuck out his tongue, and gently licked the tears from my face. Then he slowly closed his eyes and never woke up again. In the pouring rain, holding Snowball’s corpse, the last trace of warmth in my heart froze completely into ice.

Lily’s POV I didn’t bring Snowball back to that cold home. I personally dug a pit next to my mother’s grave and buried Snowball there. When I returned to the villa, it was already late at night. The living room was brightly lit. Ethan sat on the sofa looking at a document, his brow slightly furrowed. Hearing movement, he looked up. Seeing me soaked through and covered in mud, disgust flashed in his eyes. “Where have you been? Missing for two days without even answering your phone. How long are you going to keep this up?” I didn’t answer. I just looked at him quietly. Ethan irritably threw the document in his hand onto the coffee table. “Fine. What happened with the dog was my fault. My subordinates didn’t handle it properly. I’ve already fired that bodyguard. This is the climbing permit for Mount Sumeru and a full sponsorship contract. Consider it compensation.” Mount Sumeru. It was the deadly peak my father never conquered before he died, and my greatest dream in life. To get this slot, I’d prepared for three full years and put in countless efforts. I numbly walked over and picked up the document. However, when I saw the name clearly on the contract, my heart trembled. In the climber column, it wasn’t my name but Melody’s. “What does this mean?” I asked. Ethan avoided my gaze and explained in a forceful tone. “Melody recently accepted a wilderness survival reality show. She needs a high-profile persona. Mount Sumeru is very famous. As long as she can take a helicopter to base camp and get some photos, she can establish a brave and strong image. This will greatly benefit her career.” “So you took my slot, my dream, and gave it to her for a publicity stunt?” I found it so absurd that I couldn’t help laughing. “Lily, be rational.” Ethan frowned and self-righteously accused me. “You climb just to satisfy your personal thrill-seeking and selfish desires. It has no value! But Melody is different. She’s doing it for her career, to convey positive energy to the public. As Mrs. Clarke, shouldn’t you make way for her?” Selfish desires? No value? I risked my life for that passion. I was obsessed with completing my father’s dying wish. But in this man’s eyes, none of it could compare to a few fake photos Melody posed for in front of cameras. “Ethan,” I looked at him and asked word by word. “Do you remember? You once said I was the freest eagle on the snowy mountains.” Ethan froze for a moment, seeming to remember something, but it was quickly covered by coldness. “People change. Your current stubbornness and selfishness only exhaust me.” “Fine. I understand.” I didn’t tear up the contract or argue hysterically. I calmly put down the document and turned to walk up the stairs. Where Ethan couldn’t see, I drafted a divorce agreement and signed my name at the bottom. I didn’t want anything anymore. Equipment, compass, mother, Snowball, dreams, and Ethan. I wanted none of it.

Lily’s POV The moment I signed the divorce agreement, I felt an unprecedented sense of relief. It was like carrying a thousand-pound burden through the snow for so long and finally setting down the pack. I didn’t immediately give the agreement to Ethan. Instead, I packed the simplest climbing backpack. I needed to go to a mountain. Not Mount Sumeru, but an undeveloped, treacherous wild snow mountain, a satellite peak of Muztagh Ata. I needed an extreme climb to bury the past, to say goodbye to the person I once was. At dawn, when the first ray of sunlight shone into the villa, I shouldered my pack and left silently. I didn’t bring my phone. I only brought a GPS emergency distress device linked to a private channel with Ethan. It was something Ethan had forcibly made me wear in the first year of our marriage. He said, “Lily, no matter where you are in the world, as long as you press this button, I’ll risk my life to save you.” How beautiful those vows sounded then, how cruel reality was now. Three days later, I reached the glacier zone at 20,000 feet. The weather forecast had made a fatal error. The originally clear sky was suddenly shrouded in black clouds. A once-in-a-century massive blizzard descended without warning. Winds whipped up the snow. Visibility instantly dropped to zero. The temperature plummeted to negative forty degrees. I struggled through the wind searching for shelter but accidentally stepped into empty space. My entire body plunged into an ice crevasse more than thirty feet deep! The violent impact fractured my lower leg. Icy water instantly soaked through my protective suit. In the desperate darkness, with trembling hands, I fumbled for the GPS distress device I kept close to my body. This was my last hope. Without hesitation, I pressed the red SOS button. But the next second. The red alarm sound stopped abruptly. At the bottom of the ice crevasse, I watched as the green light on the distress device that indicated “signal received” lit up, then instantly went dark, turning into the dead gray of “connection terminated.” I froze. Then a heart-wrenching pain spread from deep within, ten thousand times more intense than the agony of broken bones. He saw it. But he cut off the signal. He personally severed my hope of survival. The temperature in the ice crevasse continued to drop. My eyelashes frosted over. My consciousness began to blur. I could no longer feel the pain in my lower leg. A strange warmth began to envelop me. This was the sign of severe hypothermia. In the final moments of my life, what flashed through my mind wasn’t fear of death, but Ethan’s decisiveness in cutting off the signal. So this is what it means when love dies. You can watch someone go to their death without blinking. “Dad, Mom, Snowball… I’m coming to find you…” I slowly closed my eyes, smiling as I let endless darkness completely swallow me. I don’t know how much time passed. “There’s someone here! Quick! Lower the rope!” An urgent but powerful male voice pierced through the howling wind and snow, and I barely heard it. Then a beam of strong light cut through the darkness of the ice crevasse. Someone wrapped my cold, stiff body with their body warmth. Strong arms held me tightly. “Lily! Wake up! Don’t sleep! I’m taking you home!” That voice was deep and steady, with a barely perceptible tremor. It wasn’t Ethan. I tried to open my eyes to see who it was, but I lost consciousness completely.

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The first time Ethan Chase’s fiancée, Stella Grant, saw me, she was instantly hostile. One evening, I came out of Ethan’s bedroom wearing my pajamas. Stella glared at me viciously, then whispered to Ethan in private: “Is that foster daughter of yours deliberately trying to seduce you? She’s only twelve years younger than you. She’s a woman now.” From that point on, Ethan became very cold toward me. Soon after, they got married and left the country for their honeymoon. Ethan left me in the care of his younger brother, Jasper Chase. When Jasper saw me, his face was full of disgust: “So you’re the kid my brother adopted? Stella told me you’ve been trying to seduce him, huh?” I hurriedly explained: “No, that’s not true. That day I was washing my hair and the showerhead broke…” Jasper kicked the sofa with a sinister smile: “Cut the crap. Go make me dinner.” After that, he made me wash his sneakers in freezing cold water in the dead of winter. When I cooked, he complained it was too salty. When I made tea, he complained it was too hot. The worst time was when my teacher came for a home visit. He said: “Her? She came from an orphanage. No manners. You teachers need to keep a close eye on her.” I stood in the kitchen doorway holding a fruit plate, forcing back tears.

Steam swirled around me as I stepped out of the first-floor bathroom. The crystal chandelier in the living room was blindingly bright. I instinctively lowered my head, wanting to quickly slip back upstairs to my room, but a figure blocked my path. It was Ethan’s fiancée, Stella Grant. She wore a wine-red silk dress, her long curled hair casually draped over her shoulders. Her makeup was flawless, her nails long and beautifully painted. I clutched the corner of my pajama dress tightly. Under her scrutinizing gaze, I felt completely exposed. “Hello, Miss Grant.” I greeted her quietly. She didn’t respond. Those slightly upturned eyes swept over me from head to toe. There was no warmth in that gaze. It was like looking at a cheap decoration placed in the wrong spot. I was so embarrassed I wished I could find a crack in the floor to crawl into. The showerhead in the second-floor guest bathroom was broken, and Martha had told me to temporarily use the bathroom in Ethan’s master bedroom on the first floor. I hadn’t expected to run into his rightful fiancée at such an unfortunate moment. Stella finally withdrew her gaze and turned to Martha, her voice soft: “Martha, who is this?” Martha quickly explained: “Miss Grant, this is the young lady the master brought back from the orphanage recently… Miss Winters. Ava.” “Oh? An adopted child.” Stella drew out her words and gave a light laugh. “Ethan is so kindhearted. However…” She paused, her eyes contemptuous: “She must be sixteen or seventeen now, right? At that age, still living under the same roof as her guardian? That doesn’t look good for Ethan’s reputation.” My entire body stiffened. My blood seemed to freeze instantly. I could feel the malice wrapped in her words, like countless tiny needles stabbing into my fragile, sensitive self-esteem. Martha tried to help me: “Miss Grant, Ava is a good girl…” “Martha.” Stella interrupted her, her tone still gentle. “You’re just a housekeeper. When did it become your place to speak about Chase family matters?” Having said that, she gracefully walked over to the sofa and sat down, as if nothing had happened. I didn’t dare stay any longer. I practically fled upstairs and shut myself in my room. My heart pounded wildly in my chest. Stella’s words circled in my mind like a curse. I had only been in this so-called “home” for three months. To me, Ethan was more like a cold benefactor than a father. He gave me a place to stay, an expensive private school education, but withheld any warm glances. I desperately tried to minimize my presence, just to have a place where I belonged. But Stella’s appearance reminded me that I was ultimately an outsider living under someone else’s roof. From that day on, I began deliberately avoiding her. Whenever she came over, I locked myself in my room. I even avoided going downstairs for water. I naively thought that as long as I didn’t appear in front of her, we could coexist peacefully. Until that dinner, when Ethan was also present. In front of him, Stella pulled out a blue letter and placed it on the dining table.

My heart skipped a beat. I instinctively gripped my fork tighter. That letter was mine. I had written it a few days ago to thank Ethan and wish him a happy Father’s Day. Since he wasn’t home at the time, I had left it on his study desk. How did Stella get this letter? “Ethan,” Stella began, her voice like poison coated in sugar. “I know Ava is young and doesn’t understand things well. But we should guide her properly.” Hearing this, Ethan put down his knife and fork. His gaze shifted to me, his eyes probing. I was so nervous I could barely breathe. I hurried to explain: “Sir, that was a thank-you letter I wrote…” “A thank-you letter?” Stella laughed lightly, cutting me off. She elegantly picked up the letter, her slender fingers brushing the edge of the paper. Holding it up to the light, she read in an almost lyrical tone: “Thank you for giving me a home so I no longer have to wander. I will study hard and live up to your expectations.” She paused, then her tone sharpened, her eyes suddenly piercing: “Ava, these words are beautifully written. But how do you explain this last sentence?” I looked at her blankly. Then I saw her red lips part as she read in French: “I love you, and I want to be the one who holds your hand for life.” My mind went blank with a buzzing sound. “I didn’t write that!” I shot to my feet. The chair scraped loudly against the floor. “I never wrote anything like that!” “You didn’t?” Stella pushed the letter toward Ethan, pointing at the line at the bottom. “Ethan, look at this handwriting. How could it not be hers?” I rushed forward to grab the letter, but Ethan’s icy glare stopped me. His eyes lingered on the paper for a moment. His brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. “Sir, it really wasn’t me!” Tears welled up in my eyes. My voice trembled with fear. “The last line of my thank-you letter was wishing you a happy Father’s Day!” Stella let out a timely sigh, her tone full of helplessness and tolerance: “Ava, don’t be scared. I know you’re dependent on Ethan. That’s normal. But this kind of feeling is unhealthy and must be corrected early. You’re still young. You have a long road ahead. You can’t waste your thoughts on the wrong things.” Every word sounded like she was looking out for me. But every sentence was nailing me to the pillar of shame for “improper thoughts.” Ethan finally spoke, his voice devoid of warmth: “That’s enough.” He adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses. The lenses reflected a cold light. “Ava, your priority is your studies.” He looked at me, his gaze distant, as if looking at a troublesome stranger. “I don’t want anything like this to happen again.” My heart sank, cold as if it had fallen into an icy pit. He believed her. He didn’t even give me a chance to defend myself before condemning me. “Stella and I are going to Europe for our honeymoon next week.” Ethan’s voice was calm. “During that time, I’ll have Jasper move in to supervise your studies.” Jasper Chase. Ethan’s good-for-nothing younger brother who did nothing but fool around.

The day after Ethan and Stella left, the doorbell rang. I opened the door to see Jasper’s impatient face. He didn’t even look at me properly. He barged past me, bumping my shoulder, and walked right in. He casually tossed a suitcase into the living room. With a clatter, he threw a set of car keys at me. The sharp metal edges hit my cheekbone precisely. It stung painfully. “Hey, I’m staying in the south-facing room on the second floor. Take my stuff up there.” He gestured toward the suitcase with his chin, his tone commanding. “Don’t touch my things with your dirty hands. Use gloves.” He looked at me like I was garbage that spread disease. From that day on, my nightmare officially began. He would come home at midnight covered in mud after partying outside, then throw his limited-edition sneakers at my feet. “They’re dirty. Wash them.” It was winter. The water from the balcony faucet was as cold as ice. I scrubbed those shoes that cost more than all my clothes combined. My fingers turned bright red from the cold and nearly lost all feeling. He leaned against the doorframe watching me the whole time, a malicious smile playing at his lips. He would violently bang on my bedroom door in the middle of the night, demanding I make him a late-night snack. But after I finished cooking, he would complain: “This tastes awful! Like pig slop.” At first, I would argue back. Eventually, I became numb. I silently cleaned up the mess, telling myself I’d move out once I had the means. The real breaking point came the day Ms. Smith made her home visit. Ms. Smith praised me profusely, saying that although I was introverted, my grades were stable and I was a promising student. I kept my head down, nervously clutching my clothes, but felt a rare warmth in my heart. Then Jasper came downstairs in a tank top and slippers. He grabbed an apple from the table, took a bite, and smiled maliciously at my teacher: “Ms. Smith, you really need to give her a good talk. After all, she’s a wild child from an orphanage. My brother’s giving her a chance to study, which isn’t easy. She shouldn’t be getting improper ideas.” The smile on Ms. Smith’s face froze instantly. The home visit ended abruptly. The next day, rumors about me being an orphan somehow spread throughout school. My desk was vandalized with drawings. My textbooks were torn. People pointed and whispered about me in the hallways. That day after school, as soon as I walked in the door, Jasper cornered me in the entryway. He held a note in his hand—one my deskmate had written asking about a math problem. But he waved that note in front of my face, his tone both flippant and vicious: “Oh, can’t control yourself already? Hooking up with male classmates now? What, you planning to write him a love letter too?” “‘I love you and want to be the one who holds your hand for life.’” He deliberately mimicked Stella’s tone, humiliating me word by word. In that instant, all my pent-up emotions exploded like a volcano. The rational string in my mind finally snapped. I don’t know where the strength came from, but I shoved him aside, spun around, and grabbed the heavy jade sculpture from the entryway table. With all my strength, I hurled it at his face! “Shut up!” I screamed hysterically, tears flooding out. “Why does everyone keep bullying me! What did I do wrong!”

He dodged. The jade sculpture shattered at his feet. I stood there like a cornered animal, chest heaving violently, glaring at him with all my might. I expected him to rage like usual, to grab me by the hair and throw me out. But he didn’t. Jasper just stood there. The mockery and malice on his face slowly faded. For the first time, he looked at me with an expression I couldn’t read. Silence stretched between us, suffocating and oppressive. After a long while, he finally moved, turning and walking into the kitchen. Soon, a chaotic clattering sound came from inside, like a battle. Half an hour later, he emerged carrying a bowl of noodles and placed it on the coffee table in front of me. The bowl was… a disaster. The noodles were clumped together. Half-cooked vegetable leaves floated on top, along with a burned fried egg. “Today is your birthday, right?” His voice was stiff, with an unnatural awkwardness. “My brother told me to watch over you carefully. Keep you from learning bad things outside.” He explained clumsily, as if trying to find a lame excuse for all his previous cruelty. I looked at that bowl that was supposedly “longevity noodles.” My heart felt nothing. I said nothing. I turned and walked straight upstairs. That night, I finally understood everything clearly. Ethan’s adoption was nothing more than a charity show to boost his reputation. My father had been one of Ethan’s founding employees. He and my mother died in a car accident while on a business trip. I was sent to the orphanage. It was years before Ethan remembered me. He didn’t need a daughter. He just needed a prop to demonstrate his benevolence. Early the next morning, before dawn, I grabbed the worn duffel bag I had arrived with and left that luxurious prison without looking back. I returned to the orphanage. When the director saw my pale face, she sighed and pulled me into her arms, gently patting my back. “Ava, eat something first.” Just that one embrace broke me. I hugged her and sobbed uncontrollably. That evening, an international call came through. It was Ethan. His voice carried the tone of a superior placating a subordinate: “Ava, stop throwing a tantrum. Jasper doesn’t know better. I’ll discipline him. Wait until Stella and I come back to handle this.” I gripped the receiver, listening to him with unusual calm. “Mr. Chase,” I spoke softly, surprising even myself with how calm I sounded. “I just have one question for you.” There was a pause on the other end. “Do you really believe I wrote that French love letter? I’ve never even taken a French class at school.”

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