At midnight, my high school’s former ‘Banhua’ suddenly called me. “Kira Maxwell, what’s your deal? I’m getting married tomorrow, and everyone else from our class agreed to come. Why are you playing dead in the group chat?” I work for a highly classified agency, and getting cleared to leave is extremely difficult, so I forced myself to stay awake and politely refused. “I’m sorry, but my agency doesn’t grant leave for personal events.” Tiffany Bell’s voice immediately sharpened. “What kind of trash agency doesn’t give you leave?!” “Let me tell you, my fiancé is the richest man in the entire state! You can quit your job, but you *will* come. I want every single one of our old classmates to know that all your good grades meant absolutely nothing. I can live off my looks and still beat you a hundred times over!” “If you don’t show up tomorrow, I’ll tear your house down!” She hung up without waiting for my reply, then sent me a digital invitation via SnapChat. When I saw her fiancé’s picture, I froze. Isn’t this Victor Thorne, the man who only became the richest and most powerful in the state because of the strategic alliance our marriage represented? My sleepiness vanished instantly. I immediately SnapChatted Tiffany back: “Fine. I’ll be there for your wedding tomorrow, right on time.”

The next morning, I received a message from Victor. “My dearest wife, I have an important event today. Too bad you’re not here.” “Remember to come home and see me when you get your vacation. I really miss you.” Due to the sensitive nature of my work, I rarely have contact with the outside world. So, for three years, my marriage to Victor has been mostly long-distance. But he always shared his daily life with me and expressed his longing. I thought he genuinely loved me. Now, thinking back, it all just feels ridiculous. After securing special leave from Director Hayes, I drove my agency’s specially assigned vehicle, which he personally approved for my use, to Tiffany’s hometown, following the wedding location on her digital invitation. From a distance, I could see a huge red banner hanging above Tiffany’s family home. “Warmest welcome to Mr. Victor Thorne, CEO of Thorne Industries, for the groom’s arrival!” Beneath the banner, Tiffany was dressed in a pristine, custom-designed white wedding gown, eagerly awaiting her groom’s arrival. She was surrounded by a group of our old high school classmates. “Tiffany, you kept this quiet! We had no idea your man was the richest person in the state until your wedding!” “Seriously! I heard Mr. Thorne isn’t just wealthy; he wields absolute power, virtually untouchable. You’re truly something, landing such an excellent, top-tier man!” “Tiffany, you’re about to be the richest man’s wife! Don’t forget us old classmates when you’re living large!” Even our high school homeroom teacher, Mr. Harrison, fawned over Tiffany. “Tiffany, the first time I saw you, I knew you’d achieve great things.” “That’s why, even when your grades weren’t the best in high school, I never criticized you. I knew you were destined for a life of luxury and power; you never needed grades to prove yourself!” Bathed in everyone’s compliments, Tiffany’s lips curled into a wide smile, her eyes sparkling with pride and enjoyment. Victor wasn’t actually that capable. If it weren’t for the strategic alliance our marriage provided, keeping his powerful rivals at bay, he would have been completely devoured, leaving no bones behind. He certainly wouldn’t be sitting in the position of the richest man. It was ironic that this was now Tiffany’s capital for showing off and being praised. When they saw me arrive, the classmates who had been enthusiastically flattering Tiffany instantly frowned, looking at me with disdain. Brittany, one of the popular girls’ followers, saw the car behind me and immediately scoffed. “Oh, look, it’s Kira Maxwell, the academic superstar! Haven’t heard from you in ages. I thought you’d be doing so much better, but you’re driving some cheap, junky domestic car?” The others burst into laughter. “Hilarious! I’d rather die than drive such a low-class piece of junk!” “But why does her license plate have those special digits? Those are federal plates, you can’t just buy them!” “It’s clearly a fake plate she bought to show off! How could her old beat-up car have such a plate?” “No wonder she had the nerve to show up; she probably put on a fake plate to try and act important! What a joke!” Facing their insults, I remained expressionless. “The license plate is real.” “And this isn’t a junk car. It’s a specially armored federal vehicle.” The words were barely out of my mouth when Tiffany suddenly strode up to me. She slapped me hard across the face. “Of course, that plate is real! Because it’s my husband’s car!” “I’ve suspected my husband was keeping a mistress, but I never thought it would be you, you tramp!” “You shameless home-wrecker, how dare you drive my husband’s car to my wedding to provoke me, his *real* wife?!”

Tiffany’s words made the classmates’ eyes widen. “Tiffany, this car is your husband’s? Really?” Tiffany looked smug. “What do you mean, really?!” “My husband used to drive this car to pick me up. I even took a few pictures of its unique license plate back then!” With that, she pulled out her phone and showed several photos of her and Victor. There were intimate, cheek-to-cheek selfies taken inside the car, and photos of them leaning against each other on the hood. The car’s interior details and the license plate were clearly visible in the photos. It was identical to my car. Seeing this, everyone instantly gasped. “It really *is* Tiffany’s husband’s car! No wonder it has such a badass plate!” “In that case, Kira Maxwell is definitely the mistress!” Tiffany’s eyebrows shot up in anger, and she spoke with a cold fury. “No wonder you’ve been out of touch all these years; you’ve been busy being a mistress.” Hearing that, the others glared at me. “I can’t believe it! Kira Maxwell looks so prim and proper on the outside, but she’s doing despicable things like being a mistress!” “Exactly! I even thought she was a cool, high-achieving student in high school and wrote her a love letter. Thinking about it now makes me sick!” “Some people act all cold and pure on the surface, but secretly they’re probably just a slut, throwing themselves at any rich guy who looks her way!” “And she even dares to drive her sugar daddy’s car to provoke the official wife! I bet she’s just jealous that Tiffany is marrying well, and she’s here to ruin the wedding on purpose!” Even Mr. Harrison looked at me with disdain, disgust plain on his face. “Kira Maxwell, from now on, don’t ever tell anyone you were my student.” “I’ve never taught such a morally corrupt student!” The crowd’s gossip and accusations drew many onlookers, who pointed fingers at me. Some even took out their phones to photograph and record me, even spitting at me. I took off my jacket and tossed it into a nearby trash can. Then I faced Tiffany directly. “You’re assaulting someone in public before getting the facts straight. You truly have no regard for the law!” Tiffany was arrogant. “So what if I hit you? So what if I have no regard for the law?” “I’m about to be the richest man’s wife; I can do whatever I want in this city!” With that, she looked at the car behind me. “Just thinking about my husband’s car being driven by a cheap hussy like you makes me sick!” “Something that’s been dirtied, I’d rather destroy it than let a low-life like you use it!” Saying that, she picked up a brick from the roadside and started smashing my car with all her might. The windows, headlights, hood—nothing was spared. “Tiffany is about to be the richest man’s wife! We can’t let her be bullied by a low-class mistress like Kira Maxwell!” Someone in the crowd of classmates yelled. Everyone then grabbed whatever they could find and enthusiastically started smashing my car. But my car was bulletproof. They smashed it for a long time, only managing to add a few scratches. There was no other damage. This infuriated them. “What kind of car is this? Why is it so tough?!” I looked at them and warned them seriously. “I advise you to stop. This isn’t just any car. Damaging it isn’t something you can just pay your way out of.” Hearing this, Tiffany grew even angrier. “This is my husband’s car! I’ll smash it if I want to! What’s the big deal?” The next second, she and the others yanked open the car doors, clambered inside, and started wildly slashing at the seats and interior. The originally neat and clean car interior was instantly shredded. Watching this group of lawless lunatics, I silently pulled out my phone and dialed Director Hayes’ number. “Director, the specially assigned vehicle my agency provided me has been vandalized.”

Before the person on the other end of the line could speak, Tiffany’s follower suddenly snatched my phone and smashed it to the ground. “Still trying to tattle? You’re just a mistress who only knows how to seduce men, where do you get off being so arrogant?!” “Are you going to call your sugar daddies to come crush us all? Hahaha!” “Seriously, she’s so addicted to pretending. We’re all old classmates, who doesn’t know what you’re really about?” “Exactly, were you born in a dumpster? So full of trashy pretense?” The old classmates once again burst into arrogant laughter, freely mocking me. I looked at my shattered phone on the ground and said coldly, “I hope you’re all still laughing as happily in a little while.” Hearing that, Tiffany grabbed my collar. “You tramp, still trying to threaten us?” As she spoke, Tiffany suddenly noticed the jade pendant necklace around my neck. Her eyes lit up, and she quickly reached out and yanked it off. “This necklace looks expensive. Did you buy it with my husband’s money too?” Seeing this, my face changed dramatically. “Give me back my necklace!” Noticing my sudden tension, Tiffany smirked at me. “So nervous? This necklace must be worth a fortune, huh?” I was desperate and quickly said, “It’s not worth much money, but it’s very important to me. Give it back now!” With that, I reached out to snatch it. This jade pendant necklace was the only memento my parents left me. They were heroes, and they were my role models. The last time I saw them was the day before my eighteenth birthday. They said that once they completed this mission, they would come back to celebrate my birthday. But I waited and waited at home. I never saw them again. Instead, I only received two urns of ashes and this necklace. Director Hayes told me that before they died, my parents instructed him to give me this necklace. My parents sacrificed their lives for our country. They left this necklace for me. It was their belated birthday gift. And it was my most cherished, deepest vulnerability. I would never allow anyone to destroy it! “The more you want it, the more I’ll destroy it!” Before I could even touch it, Tiffany violently slammed the necklace onto the ground. With a crisp sound, the jade pendant shattered into a million pieces. Pieces scattered everywhere. “No!” Watching the only memento my parents left me shatter like that, my heart twisted in agony, and I found it hard to breathe.

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It had been ten years since I became a replacement bride, and then, my sister suddenly came back. My whole family stared at her in stunned silence. She yawned, casually remarking: “Thirteen countries, I’m absolutely exhausted from all that traveling.” “And where’s Leo? He must be in elementary school by now. Why isn’t he here to greet his real mom?” Leo was my sister Stella’s son. Ten years ago, Stella gave birth, then faked her death on her wedding day, abandoning her son and her fiancé. The Sterling family was old money, part of the city’s elite. My parents didn’t dare offend them, so they decided to package me, fresh out of college, and send me to the wedding. For ten years, I’d been a dutiful wife, a responsible mother. Seeing Stella’s self-righteous demeanor, My parents’ eyes fell on me. I offered a faint smile: “Leo is on a trip to the coast with his dad.” At my words, Stella Reed’s eyebrows knitted together in a frown of displeasure. “Didn’t I tell you I was coming home in advance? Didn’t you tell Julian that I was returning?” I calmly sipped my tea. Years of quiet resilience had transformed me. I was no longer the invisible girl who lived in my sister’s shadow. My silence completely infuriated Stella. She abruptly stood up, her sharp voice piercing the air: “Amelia Reed! What do you mean by this? Don’t forget, I was the one engaged to Julian Sterling! Now I’m back. Do you honestly think you can keep playing the role of Mrs. Sterling?” I glanced at her, a small smile playing on my lips. “Sister, I’m not sure what you’re talking about. My husband and I have a wonderful relationship.” Over these past years, I had accompanied Julian to countless charity galas and business events. Our reputation as a loving, devoted couple spread throughout our social and business circles. Julian’s image as a devoted husband had earned him respect and appreciation from many business partners. Perhaps Julian and I didn’t share passionate romance, but we had a connection far stronger than mere love. It was mutual benefit. That was why I felt so confident. Stella looked utterly incredulous. She pointed at me, shouting: “Amelia Reed! Have you no shame? He’s practically your brother-in-law!” I slowly set my teacup down, my smile unwavering and dignified. “No, we’re legally married.” My gaze was firm. I stood up, unwilling to prolong this charade. My parents stood nearby, looking utterly helpless. Stella suddenly rushed over, grabbing my mother’s sleeve. “Mom, Amelia’s lost her mind! Julian and I were college sweethearts! If it weren’t for me, if it weren’t for the Sterling family, how do you think our company grew so much?” My parents had always favored Stella since we were children. But this time, Mom secretly observed my expression, her voice softening. “But… you ran away from the wedding, and you faked your death. For all these years, we didn’t hear a peep from you.” “There was no bride at the wedding! If it weren’t for your sister, the Sterling family would have been publicly humiliated. They wouldn’t have let it go, and our company would have been ruined!” Stella’s face froze for a moment, then she stammered an explanation: “I… I just wasn’t ready for marriage back then. But I’m back now, aren’t I?” “Besides, you know how arrogant the Sterlings are. They never really thought highly of our family, and I was pregnant out of wedlock. If I had married into their family back then, I would have just been marrying into a life of being looked down upon and mistreated!” My eyes were cold as I asked, “Why are you back?” Stella looked utterly reasonable. “Now that the Sterling family has accepted you, they can certainly accept me too, right? It’s perfect!” “If I marry Julian now, his parents surely won’t treat me too badly. And Leo can finally meet his real mom. It’s good for everyone!” With that, she took a few steps forward, gripped my hand tightly, and looked at me with what she imagined was sincerity. “Amelia, you’re free! You can go find your own happiness now.” I stared expressionlessly into her eyes. In those almond-shaped eyes was the naivete born of a lifetime of pampering and favoritism. Her innocence was almost cruel in its self-centeredness. She genuinely believed that I, her overlooked sister, was meant to sacrifice everything for her.

I pulled my hand away with a cold laugh. “I’m very happy with my life, Stella. It’s time for you to face reality.” With that, I turned and left that emotionally barren house. I don’t know what Stella’s mood was behind me, but I knew it wouldn’t be good. But I also knew that Stella, with her stubborn and capricious nature, wouldn’t give up easily. I dragged my exhausted body back to the Sterling mansion. These past few days, I had been swamped with a project, almost always working late into the night. I walked in, rubbing my temples. An hour earlier, I had received a SnapChat from my parents saying my sister had returned. At the time, my body had frozen. I had always known Stella would come back, but when the day finally arrived, I was still momentarily stunned. I hung my bag on the coat rack and looked down to see a pair of men’s shoes on the floor. I paused for a second, then instantly put on a polite smile. “You’re back?” a gentle voice asked. I turned to see Julian in a simple black silk pajama set. Even in casual wear, his broad shoulders and narrow waist, tall physique, and handsome face were evident. His gentle eyes peered from behind gold-rimmed glasses. He frowned slightly, looking at me with concern. “Why are you so tired? Haven’t you been resting well these past few days?” I smiled. “Work’s been crazy. Did you and Leo have fun these past few days? How is he?” Julian stepped forward and gently pulled me into his arms. His chin rested on my shoulder, his warm breath fanned my neck, and his long, slender fingers gently stroked my back. He whispered: “Leo had a great time, he’s already asleep from exhaustion. The only regret was that you weren’t there. Next time, the three of us will go together.” “I missed you,” he murmured, his voice laced with an intimate undertone. I felt the warmth of his chest, but my heart remained chillingly cold. I felt something soft press against the back of my neck. My body stiffened, my mind replaying Stella’s words from earlier today. I didn’t respond to him like I used to. I subtly pushed against him, creating a small distance between us. “I…” My words trailed off, because I distinctly felt Julian’s body stiffen for a moment. I keenly sensed his displeasure.

After a long pause, Julian smiled and smoothly picked up my thought: “You’ve been too stressed lately. Take a shower and get some good rest.” He had found an excuse for me. Then, he leaned down and pressed a soft kiss on my forehead. I nodded and turned to go upstairs. Behind me, the man hidden in the shadows had a darkened, unreadable expression. The air around him seemed to thicken with unspoken tension, his gaze fixed intensely on my preoccupied retreating figure. The next day, I headed to work as usual. Just outside our gated community, I saw a familiar figure. My hands tightened on the steering wheel, my brows furrowing. Stella saw my car too. She suddenly darted in front of it, forcing me to stop. The car behind me blared its horn incessantly. It was rush hour. The security guard rushed to pull Stella away. But Stella was relentless. Even as she was being pulled back, she screamed desperately: “Amelia Reed! Don’t play dead! You’re taking my fiancé, have you no shame?!” Her shrill, piercing voice drew everyone’s attention. I pulled my car to the side, ensuring I wasn’t blocking anyone, then stepped out. I watched her with a cold expression. Stella flashed a triumphant smile, running a hand through her messy hair. She chuckled: “What? Embarrassed? Or are you afraid Julian will find out I’m back and ditch you?” My voice was like ice. “Stella Reed, you are severely disrupting my life. This is my final warning: stop coming to find me.” Stella completely ignored my warning. She sported a look of absolute certainty. “Don’t pretend, you’re just scared. After all, you’ve always lived in my shadow, jealous of me, wanting to replace me—it’s only human nature.” She paused for a moment, then took a few steps closer and whispered in my ear: “But a usurper will always be kicked out. I’ll wait here. Once I see Julian, I’ll explain everything. He’ll forgive me, I know it.” “And Leo, he’s *my* child. We have an unbreakable blood bond. You’ll never replace me!” I said nothing, just turned and got back into my car. This time, Stella didn’t stop me. In the rearview mirror, I saw her watching my car, a faint smile playing on her lips. A shiver ran down my spine. Stella had been pampered since childhood. She was impulsive and utterly devoid of self-restraint. If anyone dared to displease her, she’d throw a monumental tantrum, like a spoiled child. I took a deep breath, forcing my thoughts away from her. These past years, I had painstakingly built my marriage and my career. If I divorced, it wouldn’t just be me, but Julian too. Our interests would suffer a severe blow. Julian, at least, had a fallback. I had only myself. I sat in my office, my mind drifting far away. In elementary school, every summer and winter break, Stella would run wild like a little tomboy. By the time school started, her homework would be untouched.

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After my thirty-second round of IVF, I was finally pregnant with Julian Thorne’s child. But the very night I told him the good news, he slipped abortion pills into my milk. I collapsed in a pool of blood, my eyes burning as I asked him why. He looked utterly indifferent. “Seraphina is already pregnant with my child through artificial insemination. I owe her too much; her child *has* to be the sole heir to the Thorne family.” I angrily demanded to know why my baby had to die just because Seraphina was pregnant. Julian Thorne sneered. “Whose fault is it that you tried for years and failed to conceive?” “Seraphina was just trying to help me have a child; I can’t betray her good intentions.” “Besides, haven’t I already given you the title of Mrs. Thorne? You have more than enough; you have no right to compete with Seraphina anymore.” My tears ran dry, and I closed my eyes. “If that’s the case, I don’t want the title of Mrs. Thorne either.” “Julian Thorne, let’s get a divorce.”

The words barely left my lips when Julian’s mother, Martha, who had always been so cold towards me, suddenly lunged forward and slapped me across the face. “Divorce? What right do *you*, woman, have to talk about divorce with my son!” “If it weren’t for marrying a barren hen like you, my son wouldn’t be in his thirties without a child!” “I had Seraphina’s baby checked — it’s a boy! Who knows what you even had in your belly; if it was a girl, what right would she have to compete with my grandson for the inheritance!” Martha’s questions came out like a machine gun, leaving me no room to defend myself. In the past, when she bullied me like this, Julian would usually say a few words in my defense. But this time, he just watched me cry with a cold, detached expression. “Clara, you’re becoming increasingly unreasonable. You even dare to talk about divorce.” “Why are you always so emotional? You never think about me.” “Seraphina is much more considerate than you are. She doesn’t even ask for a title, only wants to help me with my worries, and she even offered to let you raise the baby after it’s born, saying it wouldn’t threaten your position.” His tone was so self-righteous, as if everything was my fault. I stared in shock at the man I had loved for over a decade, feeling like he was impossibly distant and unfamiliar. We met in college. Back then, Julian Thorne was a poor student receiving scholarships, while I was the sole heiress of a renowned corporation. From falling in love to getting married, I endured countless whispers and judgments. I poured my money and effort into him, helping him complete his studies, then slowly building a company with him. I grew Thorne Corporation from a small startup into a top-ten enterprise nationwide. He once told me, tears in his eyes, that I had illuminated his once-struggling life, and that he wouldn’t be who he was today without me. When I first started IVF, Julian would accompany me, running around and taking care of me. But after thirty-one consecutive failures, his patience for me dwindled. I don’t know if he was influenced by his mother’s nagging. He came to believe that the responsibility for not conceiving rested solely on me, and that I deserved all the suffering and pain that came with it. During my thirty-second IVF attempt, the doctor saw my abdomen, covered in bruised needle marks, and couldn’t help but tear up. Lying on the operating table that day, I silently swore to myself that if I could successfully have a child, I’d willingly sacrifice ten years of my life. But when I finally had the chance to be a mother, it was snatched away by the man I loved most. I lay in a pool of blood, my voice hoarse as I whispered. “Julian Thorne, that wasn’t just *my* child, it was yours too.” “Don’t you feel any pain abandoning this baby?”

I lay on the cold floor, blood still seeping out from beneath me. Julian Thorne’s gaze fell on my lower abdomen, his Adam’s apple bobbing, as if a flicker of reluctance had crossed him. But that reluctance lasted less than half a second before he looked away, his voice turning cold again. “Clara, it’s not that I’m heartless; you have to think about me.” “Seraphina has been on the operating table three times for this baby. Each egg retrieval was painful enough to make her cry, yet she didn’t ask for a single penny in compensation and even comforted me not to be stressed.” “She’s given up so much, not even asking for a title, so I can’t let her child be wronged, can I?” He knelt down, finally meeting my gaze. “Our Thorne family only has one male heir this generation, and my mom has been longing for a grandson for years. You know that.” “Just be reasonable, stop making a scene, okay?” Reasonable. Those two words pierced my heart like needles. I thought of the past decade and more, how I gave up the chance to study design abroad to stay home and help him manage the company, all for the sake of being “reasonable.” For the sake of being “reasonable,” I bit my tongue and remained silent when Martha insulted me for being barren in front of relatives. For the sake of being “reasonable,” I endured the intense pain of IVF, lying on the operating table again and again. It turned out my “reasonableness” meant nothing to him, only brought out as a bargaining chip when he needed me to compromise. I wanted to laugh, but as my lips twitched, it pulled at the pain in my lower abdomen. The sharp pain made me gasp, and tears welled up again. Seeing me like this, Julian didn’t reach out to help me. Instead, he frowned. “Don’t act so wronged. You’ve always had trouble conceiving, and this was only successful after over thirty attempts. How good could the embryo quality be?” “Last time during the prenatal screening, didn’t the doctor say the risk was high? What if this child was born with cerebral palsy or Down syndrome, or developed a congenital heart defect later? Am I supposed to hand over the Thorne Corporation’s legacy to a defective person?” He actually used “defective person” to describe *our* child. All the blood in my body seemed to freeze at that moment. I couldn’t even feel the pain anymore, only a chilling emptiness. I stared at that face, which had once made my heart race countless times, and now it felt terrifyingly alien. He continued to ramble, as if searching for more excuses for his cruelty. “Actually, I’m doing this for your own good. Think about it, your body is so weak, even if you carried this child to term, you might not be able to raise it properly.” “Now it’s fine, you don’t have to suffer the pain of childbirth, and you’ll still have a son to dote on. Seraphina is generous; she won’t mind.” I had lost my own child, but he expected me to accept another woman’s child as my son, and to gratefully accept his charity. I couldn’t take it anymore. Clutching my lower abdomen, I mustered my last ounce of strength to sit up from the floor. The pain persisted, but my heart was already dead. “I used to think that if I just held on a little longer, if I could just get pregnant, you’d go back to being the man I loved.” “Now I know how wrong I was. How incredibly wrong.” I slowly moved to the bedroom and pulled out a divorce agreement from the very bottom of a dusty old box – the one he’d given me when we first got married. Back then, he said that if I ever felt he wasn’t good enough for me, I could use this agreement, which he had already signed, to regain my freedom. I signed my name and placed the agreement in front of him. “We’re done.”

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Celeste faced financial ruin, supposedly owing five million dollars. The day our wedding had to be postponed, she told me she had a serious illness. So, to pay for her medical treatment and settle her ‘debts,’ I started juggling four jobs a day. Until this one day, I got a part-time gig at an amusement park. I heard some rich heiress had rented out the entire park to celebrate her male assistant’s birthday. All I had to do was spend a day in a mascot costume under the scorching sun, and I’d get three hundred bucks. Three hundred bucks – that would cover two days of Celeste’s hospital bills. But the moment I put on the mascot head, I saw Celeste, who was supposed to be in a hospital bed. She was leaning into her male assistant, Tyler, nibbling ice cream from his hand. Just then, the ice cream in Tyler’s hand dropped, splattering onto his shoe. Before I could even process the shock, Celeste waved me over. She pulled out a wad of cash, tossing it at my feet. “Wipe my boyfriend’s shoe clean, and this money is all yours.” Realizing what was happening, my body started to tremble uncontrollably. Watching Tyler’s foot extend towards me, I instinctively wanted to rip off my mascot head and demand an explanation from Celeste. But then, Tyler spoke up: “Sis, you’re celebrating my birthday today, what about Liam? What if he goes back to the hospital and finds you gone?” Hearing that, my hand froze. Celeste leaned in close to him, sticking her tongue out to playfully lick the ice cream from his fingers. “He won’t find out. When he left this morning, he specifically told me he was taking on a part-time job, earning three hundred bucks for the day.” Tyler suddenly burst out laughing. “Three hundred bucks? Sis, how much did you spend to rent this entire amusement park today? Two million?” “More than two million, but as long as you’re happy on your birthday, I don’t care how much it costs.” Celeste said, then stood on her tiptoes and passionately kissed Tyler’s lips. My hands clenched into tight fists inside the mascot costume. For three years with Celeste, she always claimed to be the shy, modest type, never even initiating holding my hand, let alone such a passionate kiss. After the kiss, Tyler wore a smug, sated look. Seeing me standing there, dumbfounded, he kicked my leg. “I gave you such a big tip to clean my shoe. What are you standing there for?” I stumbled and fell. Tyler then wiped his foot on me a few times before taking Celeste’s hand and walking away, high and mighty. I stared blankly at their retreating figures. It took a long time before I finally took off the mascot head, the suffocating pain almost keeping me from getting up. I looked at the scattered bills on the ground. Scattered bills and loose change. One crumpled twenty-dollar bill had a smudged oil stain on it. I remembered that bill. Yesterday, when I was hustling at my street cart, a drunk guy knocked over my produce. He tried to leave, and I stopped him. He sneered, pulled out that twenty-dollar bill, and tossed it onto my stand. I crouched down and picked up all the money. It wasn’t much, just two hundred and sixty-five dollars in total. All cash from my street sales. Yesterday, I’d given that money to Celeste. I knew her credit cards were frozen due to her supposed debts, so I’d saved that cash for her to buy food and drinks when I wasn’t around. “Liam, I honestly don’t know what I’d do without you. Once I’m well, we’ll get married.” Yesterday, when she got the money, Celeste was crying her eyes out. But today, she’d casually used that same money as a tip for Tyler to clean his shoes. I wandered the streets in a daze. Clutching those two hundred and sixty-five dollars tightly in my hand. Passing a small diner, I walked in without hesitation. After ordering a few dishes, I devoured them. Since Celeste got ‘sick,’ I’d often bought myself cheap microwave meals to save money for her treatment. In just one year, I’d lost thirty-three pounds. Now I knew it was all an act. If she could spend over two million to rent an entire amusement park just to make Tyler happy on his birthday, how could she be deep in debt? My tears fell into my food. I knew Celeste and I were over. When I returned to her hospital room that evening, Celeste was already back. She lay in bed, looking at me with a serene and innocent expression. A complete contrast to the arrogant and entitled heiress I’d seen that day. Noticing my grim face, she took my hand, gently tracing the calluses and rough patches on my hands, marks from all the odd jobs and hustles I’d taken on. “Are you tired today? You don’t look so good.” Hearing that, I let out a cold laugh. “And you? Were you tired from playing at the amusement park today?” Celeste’s face stiffened. “What amusement park? Did someone tell you something? I’ve been in this room all day because I’m sick…” Before she could finish, I pulled out the two hundred and sixty-five dollars from my pocket. The moment she saw the money, Celeste’s face went utterly pale. After a long pause, she asked, “Was that you in the mascot costume?” “You figured it out?” I nodded. Before I could speak, Celeste quickly said, “Okay, I admit it, I’m not broke, and I’m not sick. But you know my family is very wealthy. Marrying me isn’t easy; you have to pass our family’s test.” “I didn’t mean to deceive you, it’s just that my family wants you to treat me well. They want to see your sincerity.” She looked at me anxiously when she finished. “Actually, you should be happy, right? Knowing I’m not sick means you won’t have to work so hard anymore. I can tell you now, you’ve passed our family’s test. You can marry me.” She flashed me a dazzling, saccharine smile. In the past, hearing her say she wanted to marry me would have thrilled me. But now, I felt our relationship was nothing but lies and deceit. “No need. We’re breaking up.” “And all the medical bills and ‘debts’ I paid for you over the years, you need to pay me back.” Hearing me say that, Celeste panicked. “I can give you the money, but breaking up is absolutely not an option. We’ve been together for so long, and we’re about to get married. How can we break up now? I know you’re upset about this, but I’ll make it up to you, I promise.” She said, pulling out her phone to transfer money to me. But just then, Tyler’s FaceTime call came in. Almost instantly, Celeste answered. “Sis, I feel awful. Can you come stay with me?” Tyler’s drunken voice came through the phone. Celeste immediately became flustered. She didn’t even care that she was wearing a hospital gown, rolling out of bed. I stopped her, asking, “You said you’d compensate me.” Celeste shot me a disgusted look. “Money, money, money. Is that all you care about? Didn’t you hear Tyler’s drunk? What if something happens to him?” “I don’t think you passed my test at all. You’re just after my family’s money. The test has to continue.” With that, she strode out of the hospital room. I watched her retreating back with a cold smile and dialed a number I hadn’t called in a long time. Celeste, what makes you think I can’t live without you? What makes you think I care about your so-called test? 2 After hanging up, I went back to the luxury apartment Celeste and I shared. It was a sprawling two-thousand-square-foot flat, costing four thousand five hundred dollars a month in rent. Before Celeste’s supposed bankruptcy, I owned a three-bedroom house. But after she ‘went broke,’ I sold that house to help her pay off her supposed debts. Originally, I thought we could rent a two-bedroom apartment to save money for her treatment. But she insisted on this large apartment. She said living in a cramped two-bedroom would make her unhappy, and her condition would worsen. Knowing she’d been spoiled rotten since childhood, I gritted my teeth and rented this apartment at four thousand five hundred dollars a month. I hadn’t been home long when the door opened from outside. I looked up to see Celeste helping a drunken Tyler inside. Tyler was completely sloshed, practically hanging off Celeste. Seeing me stare at them, an annoyed expression flashed across Celeste’s face. “What are you standing there for? Aren’t you going to help?” I almost laughed in anger. “Celeste, what is the meaning of this? You’re not even pretending anymore? You’re bringing him directly into our home?” “What are you jealous about? Can’t you see Tyler’s drunk? I remember you can make hangover soup. Go make some for him now.” She said, settling Tyler onto the sofa. Tyler, still drunk, wrapped his arms around her waist and rubbed against her chest. “Sis, don’t bother Liam. It’s late, and he’s been busy all day. I’m not that bad. I’ll be happy as long as you’re with me.” Seeing me standing aside, staring at them coldly, Celeste’s face immediately darkened. “Is it so hard for you to make Tyler some hangover soup? How do you expect to pass my test like this? My family would never allow a narrow-minded man like you to marry me.” Hearing that, I let out a low laugh. “Celeste, what makes you think I still want to marry you?” Celeste’s face fell. A moment later, she suddenly burst out laughing. “Liam, there’s a limit to your jealousy. If you didn’t want to be with me, why would you follow me around like a puppy? When I said I was broke, you sold your house to pay my debts. When I said I was seriously ill, you worked four jobs a day for my treatment. Didn’t you do all of that just to marry me and be with me?” “I’m telling you now, if you just make this bowl of hangover soup, I’ll consider you passed my test. How about it?” Celeste looked at me triumphantly, as if she had me completely figured out. But I just sneered. “This apartment is rented in my name. We’ve already broken up. Please take Tyler and get out. Otherwise, I’ll call security to kick you both out.” At that moment, Tyler, lying on the sofa, suddenly chuckled. “Kick us out? Liam, don’t you know this apartment is in my name?” After saying that, he suddenly looked at Celeste somewhat timidly. “Sorry, Sis, I just remembered you didn’t want me to tell Liam.” “Liam, you probably didn’t know? This apartment used to be in Sis’s name. But today, for my birthday, Sis gave it to me. Next time you pay rent, you can just give it to me.” 3 I froze, staring at Celeste in disbelief. Celeste clearly hadn’t expected Tyler to blurt that out. A flicker of panic crossed her eyes. I gave a cold laugh. “No wonder you insisted I rent this apartment. Back then, I was paying off your debts and earning money for your medical expenses. The pressure was immense. You *insisted* on living in an apartment with such high monthly rent, Celeste. Do you know? At that time, I even considered selling my blood!” “And now you tell me this apartment was yours all along? Is it really that fun to toy with me like this?” Seeing the sheer brokenness in my eyes, a clear look of distress appeared on Celeste’s face. “Celeste, forget about any ‘tests.’ Did you ever truly love me?” “I…” Celeste was speechless. Tyler, however, stood up. “So what? Liam, isn’t it what you’re supposed to do for a woman you love, suffer for her? Besides, testing you was the Song family’s idea. You’re a poor nobody, but the Song family is an old-money dynasty. If you don’t pass their test, what right do you have to be their trophy son-in-law? Having a chance to marry Sis means fifty fewer years of struggle. What’s not to be satisfied about?” His words made the flicker of distress in Celeste’s eyes vanish. I looked at Tyler, a cold smile on my face. “In that case, that trophy son-in-law position is all yours.” With that, I grabbed my jacket from the sofa and walked straight out the door. Celeste was about to call out to me, but Tyler stopped her. “Sis, I’m still feeling a bit dizzy…” The moment he mentioned dizziness, Celeste’s face immediately filled with worry. Just as I reached the complex gate, a Maybach pulled up in front of me. The driver got out and bowed respectfully. “Young Master, you’ve finally come to your senses and cut ties with that nouveau riche Song family.” “Ms. Lin, your fiancée, will be flying back from Northern Europe tomorrow. I’m just waiting to celebrate your engagement.” Over the next few days, Celeste didn’t contact me. I returned to the Gu family estate and was lectured by Grandfather, who wielded his cane. Years ago, I fell for Celeste at first sight and was determined to pursue her. Grandfather, furious, cut off all my cards, leaving me only with a three-bedroom house. Back then, I’d vowed to win the girl and prove Grandfather’s judgment wrong, but now I had to admit defeat. My meeting with Aurora went smoothly. Both families were eager, so the engagement party was set for three days later. The Lin and Gu families were both top-tier dynasties. On the day of the engagement, many guests arrived. As Aurora and I stood at the entrance greeting them, I suddenly heard Tyler’s voice: “Sis, the Gu Group heir’s name is also Liam? What a world of difference!” “Why are you bringing him up for no reason?” A flicker of annoyance crossed Celeste’s face. “He really hasn’t contacted me all these days.” “Sis, don’t worry. He’ll come back to you eventually. After all, he’s just a gold digger. He spent so much money on you, he’ll definitely come back for it. He’s just playing hard to get right now.” Tyler said, pulling her into a hug to comfort her. “Sis, I’m a man, I understand guys like him and their little games.” Celeste’s expression softened, and she followed Tyler towards us. Aurora knew about my past quarrel with Grandfather over Celeste. She came over, linked her arm through mine, and whispered in my ear: “Is this the girl you gave up the entire Gu family for? She doesn’t seem worth it.” My face darkened. Just then, Tyler saw me. “Liam, what are you doing here?” He eyed me up and down. “What are you wearing? Don’t tell me you’re here working as a server?” Celeste’s gaze, however, was fixed on Aurora beside me. “Liam, what is this supposed to mean? You knew I was coming to this event, so you brought a woman just to spite me? Let me tell you, if you think this will make me jealous, you’re wrong.” Aurora covered her mouth and chuckled softly. She leaned into my ear. “Your ex-girlfriend certainly is interesting.” Seeing our intimate gestures, Celeste clenched her fists hanging at her sides even tighter. From her perspective, I was constantly provoking her. “Is this the kind of place a poor nobody like you can come to? Are you here crashing for free food and drinks, or working as a server? And bringing a woman, too.” Celeste rolled her eyes at Aurora’s long red mermaid dress. “Country bumpkins have no manners, don’t they know what day it is? Wearing a bright red dress? Today is the engagement of the Gu Group heir and the Lin family heiress.” Then she looked at me. “Liam, are you just trying to scam people by claiming to share the same name as the Gu Group heir?” “I think so too. I’ll get the security guards right now and have these two poor nobodies kicked out. Do they really think this place is for just any random person off the street?” Tyler echoed Celeste. In their eyes, I was that pathetic. As if my poverty was a crime. Yet, it was this same person they looked down on so much who, when Celeste lied about being broke, sold his house and worked four jobs a day to help her pay her debts. When a person is pushed to their absolute limit, they truly do laugh. Tyler made good on his word. He grabbed a patrolling security guard, pointing at Aurora and me. “These two don’t have the right to attend the Gu and Lin family engagement party. They might be here to scam people. To ensure the safety of our guests, you should kick them out immediately.” The security guard looked at him as if he were an idiot, then bowed to Aurora and me. “Mr. Gu, Ms. Lin, should we escort this disruptive gentleman out?” I waved my hand. “Since they’re here, they’re guests. They’re just trying to freeload, no need to worry about it.” Hearing me, the security guard eyed Tyler, who had widened his eyes in shock mixed with fear, then respectfully said to me, “Understood, Mr. Gu. If you need anything, please call us immediately.” I nodded, ignoring Tyler’s stunned and somewhat fearful gaze, and turned back to Aurora, only to find she had already extended her hand to Celeste. “Hello, I hear you’re Liam’s ex-girlfriend, right?” “I’m Liam’s fiancée, Aurora Lin.”

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While we were waiting for rescue, a small cub wandered into our camp. Everyone instinctively recoiled from the bear. Only my girlfriend Brittany’s friend, Derek, stepped forward, scooped up the cub, and glared at us with open disdain: “You uninformed fools. Bears are our friends. What are you so scared for?” My girlfriend, Brittany, echoed, “Derek’s got guts. Bears on TV even protect the forest with people!” Seeing Brittany, the CEO’s heiress, speak up, the others eagerly chimed in, sucking up to her. I immediately tried to stop their reckless behavior, even pulling up bloody videos of grizzly bear attacks on humans to try and shake some sense into them. Only because of my insistence did they finally release the cub. After we were rescued, everyone joked about Derek, saying he acted like he knew it all when he clearly didn’t. To prove them wrong, Derek went back to hug a grizzly. He was mauled to death. Brittany was heartbroken. She kicked me out of the car. “It’s all your fault for running your mouth! Otherwise, Derek wouldn’t have died. I want you to die with him!” Ultimately, the grizzly bear caught up to me and tore me to shreds. Then I opened my eyes again. I was back to the day Derek wanted to befriend the grizzly. … “Are you kidding me? You’re calling this adorable little cub vicious?” “You’re not only ignorant, you’re utterly heartless. Anyone with an ounce of human decency wouldn’t use such a word to describe this cute animal.” Derek’s cold mockery rang in my ears, and I jolted awake. I pinched my thigh, the sharp pain confirming that I had indeed been reborn. “Julian, if you don’t know, don’t pretend you do. Is Derek ever wrong?” “And spouting nonsense about a mother bear attacking if we took the cub!” “We’re taking care of its baby, it should be grateful! Why would it attack us?” “Don’t you watch TV? Bears on TV protect the forests with humans. Bears are our friends, don’t you get it?” Brittany’s eyes were blazing with anger, as if disagreeing with Derek was a death sentence. The others, seeing the CEO’s daughter speak, immediately piled on, glowering at me with hostile eyes. I merely smiled. “I was truly shallow just now. You’re right, bears are our friends. They would never harm us.” “This cub wandering into our camp means we’re connected by fate.” “Let’s raise it well. Who knows, its mom might even come to thank us!” Hearing me say that, Brittany’s expression softened considerably. “Good that you realize your ignorance. Otherwise, I’d really want to smack you!” I couldn’t be bothered arguing with these idiots. My mind raced, figuring out how to ditch them and escape on my own. Our trip to this remote mountain region involved two cars and six people. Originally, Brittany and I were in one car, and Derek was in the other with three others. But then Brittany insisted on catching up with Derek and moved to his car. Because of the weight difference, my car was stuck less deeply. If I just cleared some sand, I could drive out. In my previous life, I told them that if there was a cub around, the mother bear had to be nearby, and we couldn’t just wait here to die. I asked them to help me clear the sand, but they were reluctant. They said rescue would arrive soon, and there was no need to work themselves to the bone. Knowing how critical the situation was, I didn’t argue. I cleared the sand pit by myself. They stood by, not only refusing to help but also eating all my emergency rations. The moment I got my car out, the mother bear showed up. Leaving me to escape while hungry and thirsty. This time, I couldn’t care less about these pathetic fools. Let them go befriend the grizzly bears. 2. All I had to do was quietly clear the path for my car while these morons weren’t looking, then drive to the nearest rescue station. That would be my escape. Since this place was so remote, it would take two days to reach the rescue station. To be safe, I activated the specialized GPS tracker my dad had given me and sent him a distress signal. That way, I’d have an extra layer of protection, even if something unexpected happened on the way, I’d have backup. Watching them happily playing with the cub, I prepared to get in my car, grab my tools, and quietly clear the sand from under my wheels. Just as I reached for my tools, Derek came over, cradling the cub. He slapped my trunk, yelling, “The cub’s hungry! Open the trunk and get something out to feed it!” The moment I heard that animal wanted my emergency food, I became instantly wary. I only had three bottles of water and four packs of crackers in my car, barely enough to get me to the rescue station. If that animal took them to feed the cub, my whole plan would be ruined. I put down my shovel, walked over to Derek, and gave him a glacial stare. “I don’t even have enough food for myself. Where would I get food to feed a bear?” Hearing that, Derek’s face twisted in contempt. “You’re seriously heartless! I clearly saw you had a big bag of crackers. How is that not enough for you?” “Are you really going to let this adorable little guy starve?” I smirked. “If you’re so caring, why don’t you feed the cub your own food? Why do you have to take mine?” “If I remember correctly, your car is stocked with enough food and water for five people. Much more than mine.” Just then, Brittany walked over. She held out her hand to me, looking impatient. “Give me your car keys.” I knew she was going to back Derek up again. Though fury raged inside me, I had to suppress it. After all, she was the company’s nominal successor and the financier of this whole trip. If I started a fight, these people would definitely side with her. “Brittany, it’s not that I don’t want to. I truly don’t have much left. I barely have enough for myself…” “I think you’re just selfish and inhumane! The rescue vehicle will be here any minute. Are you really going to be short a few crackers then?” Derek sharply cut me off before I could finish. The others chimed in, echoing him. “This small incident just shows how incredibly selfish Julian is. He’s arguing over a few crackers like this; imagine if there were real conflicts of interest, he’d probably kill us!” “He’s not just selfish, he’s inhumane. The cub is starving, and he won’t even give it a few crackers.” “Besides, are these crackers even his? He’s a leech who lives off women. Every penny he has comes from Brittany’s family!” “If it weren’t for Brittany’s family paying his salary, how would he afford a car, or even crackers? And now that Brittany’s asking for the keys, he’s dragging his feet. What a pathetic jerk!” Me, a leech who lives off women? Every penny I have comes from Brittany? If my dad hadn’t been secretly funding the Hao family, they would have gone bankrupt centuries ago. How else would they have money to pay for these freeloaders to go on vacation? To protect Brittany’s pathetic pride, I lowered myself to work as a junior employee in her company. And they thought I was dependent on her? Fine. Once I get out of here, I’ll show them how miserable they’ll be without this ‘useless’ me. Seeing I had no intention of handing over the keys, Brittany gave them a look. “Since he won’t listen, just take them.” At Brittany’s words, Derek and his three useless friends became even bolder. They lunged at me, trying to grab me. I quickly dodged, warning them with a stern face. “This is robbery! It’s illegal! Aren’t you afraid I’ll report you?” Derek scoffed, pointing at the surrounding wilderness with a chilling smirk. “Report me? Take a look at where we are!” “Out here in the middle of nowhere, forget robbing you. I could kill you, and no one would ever know.” Hearing him, his three useless friends became even more reckless, rushing forward and pinning both my arms. 3. Derek sneered as he patted me down and snatched my car keys, muttering curses under his breath. “Such a pathetic jerk, always needing a firm hand.” He opened the trunk, grabbed a bottle of water, twisted it open, and poured it right into the cub’s mouth. Gulp, gulp, gulp… The cub greedily lapped at the water Derek was pouring, but most of it just spilled onto the ground. Seeing my survival supplies being wasted like this, I felt a surge of panic. I struggled to break free and stop that bastard Derek, but his three disgusting friends held my arms in a death grip. After one bottle, he grabbed another, ready to continue. The fury building inside me made me want to tear that animal Derek limb from limb. But my strong will to survive forced me to humble myself and plead. “Derek, that’s my food and water for the next few days. Please, stop feeding it, okay?” “I have no quarrel with you. Why are you making this difficult for me?” Derek stopped, his face twisted into a dark scowl. “No quarrel? If you hadn’t seduced Brittany while I was abroad, she and I would be married by now.” “I was generous enough not to confront you. Now you’re arguing with me over two bottles of water? You’re truly ungrateful!” Me, seducing Brittany while he was abroad? It was him who fled the country and dumped Brittany when her family faced bankruptcy and debt, terrified of being entangled. Now that the Hao family was rich again, he wanted to come back and spend their money, and he was slandering me, claiming I seduced Brittany? Hearing his words, Brittany not only didn’t defend me but even looked smug. As if being fought over by two men was the ultimate validation of her boundless charm. As he spoke, he tore open another pack of crackers and started feeding them to the cub. Watching my escape provisions being wasted by that animal, my anger shot up, and I didn’t care about anything else. Using the two cronies’ support, I flew my leg up and kicked Derek hard in the waist. “Don’t you dare touch my supplies again, or I swear I’ll fight you to the death!” Derek’s face contorted into a vicious snarl, and he raised his fist, ready to punch me in the face. *Howl!* Just then, the howl of a fierce beast echoed from nearby. Derek, who had been looking so ferocious and was about to punch me, stopped dead in his tracks at the sound. Everyone’s gaze snapped towards the source of the noise. A massive, dark-furred creature suddenly appeared on a nearby slope. It bounded towards us. Seeing the grizzly bear charging, Derek shouted excitedly at his two idiotic friends. “Look, everyone! That’s a grizzly bear! Our country’s wild treasure!” At Derek’s shout, the three of them grew excited and unconsciously loosened their grip on me. I already knew how dangerous grizzlies were and immediately ducked into the car. Derek waved at his three foolish friends. “Come closer, I’ll take a picture of you with our national treasure.” The three of them actually walked towards the grizzly. One of them even turned back and shouted at us. “Get a clear shot…” *Splatter!* He didn’t finish his sentence before the grizzly pounced on him, sinking its teeth viciously into his face. His entire face was ripped off in one bite, leaving a gaping, bloody cavity. Seeing this, everyone finally understood the grizzly’s power and scrambled back into the car in terror. Inside the car, we could still clearly hear the man who had been pounced on by the grizzly wailing on the ground. “Help me… it hurts so much…” “It’s eating me! Save me…” After pinning the man down, the bear didn’t continue attacking his head but shifted its target to his stomach. In a few swift movements, it shredded the man’s clothes and buried its head, tearing and biting at his stomach. The man let out a final shriek, then fell silent, likely having passed out from the pain. The grizzly didn’t care, it ripped open his stomach and began gnawing. As we held our breath, watching the grizzly outside the car window, suddenly a “howl” erupted inside the car. Only then did I realize that reckless idiot Derek had actually brought the cub into the car. Wasn’t this just asking for death?! 4. The mother bear, still tearing at its meal, heard the cub’s cry, immediately abandoned its food, and turned to walk towards our car. I knew this was bad and quickly urged Derek. “Let the cub go! Otherwise, the mother bear won’t spare us!” Derek’s face twisted in fury. “Shut your damn mouth, what the hell do you know?” “Do you know how much this cub is worth? I finally caught it; how could I just let it go?” So that animal’s motive for catching the cub wasn’t pure from the start. And he had been spouting so much moralistic nonsense! *Bang! Bang! Bang!* Seeing her cub inside the car, the mother bear began a frenzied attack on the vehicle. Her massive paw slammed onto the car, instantly leaving a huge dent in the body. Luckily, she didn’t hit the glass, or the consequences would have been unthinkable. *Growl, growl, growl…* After the first round of attacks failed, the mother bear growled at the cub inside the car. Her bear eyes fixated on us inside the car. The cub, seeing its mother, yelped in response. Hearing the cub’s cries, the mother bear jumped in agitation, raising her huge paw and smashing it onto the car again. *CRUNCH!* With a resounding *CRUNCH*, a huge crack appeared in the car roof. After this barrage of attacks, Brittany and the others frantically shouted at Derek. “Let the cub go! Otherwise, we’ll all die here!” Derek looked at the cub in his arms, hesitated for a moment, then finally chose to open the car door and let the cub out. The cub ran out, yelping as it pounced on its mother. The mother bear, seeing her cub, affectionately licked its fur, all the ferocity in her eyes melting into maternal tenderness. Just when we thought we could finally breathe a sigh of relief, the mother bear slammed another paw hard onto the car roof. *CLANG!* A huge crack appeared in the car roof. It seemed this mother bear wasn’t going to let us off so easily. Looking at the crack on the car roof, a wave of worry washed over me. If it hit us again, this roof would definitely be totaled. “Someone needs to go out and draw the bear away. Otherwise, we’ll all die here.” Derek said this, his eyes fixed on me with a dark glare. Before I could react, Derek had pulled out a cold knife and pressed it to my throat. “Get out there, now! Draw the bear away, or I’ll kill you right here!” Brittany also chimed in, persuading me, “Julian, you said you’d die for me. Now’s your chance to prove it. Go!” As she spoke, Derek pressed the knife harder against my neck. I felt a cold sensation on my neck, and a trickle of blood ran down my body. “Get out there, now! Or the next cut will be straight through your throat!” I had no choice but to follow his orders and get out of the car. The moment I stepped out, the mother bear lunged straight for me. I dodged with a quick move, and behind me, I heard the violent crash of the mother bear colliding with the vehicle. I didn’t hesitate, bolting straight for the other car, hoping to take refuge inside. Just as I reached for the handle, preparing to open the door, the headlights flashed, and the door locked. Derek’s shout came from behind me, “The car’s locked! Run, hurry! Draw the bear away for me!” I cursed his entire family to hell in my mind, but for now, I couldn’t act on it. My priority now was to escape with my life. I scanned my surroundings. There was no suitable cover anywhere. Trying to run in this situation would basically be a death sentence. So I decided to circle between the two cars and try to outmaneuver the mother bear. After all, it was clumsy due to its size; maybe there was still a sliver of hope. Before I could even steady myself, the mother bear charged at me. Seeing the mother bear lunging for me, Derek and the others, safe inside the car, actually cheered loudly. I used my agility to circle the car, evading the mother bear for several rounds. I actually managed to dodge the mother bear’s attacks several times. Repeatedly outsmarted, the mother bear pounded its chest in frustration. Suddenly, it bent down, lifted the car, and flipped it directly towards me. Too slow to dodge, I was pinned by the car, my leg trapped. Watching the mother bear about to deliver a fatal blow, Derek and the others not only didn’t help but actually cheered loudly from inside the car. Just as I thought I was about to meet my end. The roaring of helicopter blades suddenly echoed overhead, and the entire ground shook from the fierce winds stirred up by the rotors.

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His Gentle Touch, A Cruel Deception Two years into my marriage with Julian, a car accident left me quadriplegic. My parents immediately cut ties with me. My former friends and relatives? They couldn’t distance themselves fast enough. Only Julian remained, steadfastly by my side. An esteemed professor, he began taking on private tutoring gigs and even filming short online comedy skits just to pay for my medical bills. His colleagues and alumni, proud of their Oxford roots, scoffed, calling him a disgrace, saying he’d sacrificed his dignity. He ignored them all, continuing to do my laundry, cook my meals, and clean up after my incontinence. I couldn’t bear to be a burden on his life, so I suggested a divorce. Julian fell silent for a moment, then smiled, gently taking my hand. “We swore an oath when we got married.” “For richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, we promised to never leave each other.” “Naomi, I love you, and I will never leave you.” In the years that followed, Julian faithfully kept his promise. And under his devoted care, I miraculously regained sensation. Just as I was about to share this incredible news with Julian, I overheard him talking to a female student. “Julian, I’m pregnant.” “If you don’t take responsibility, I’ll end both my life and our baby’s right in front of you!”

My hand, newly restored with sensation, trembled. Before I knew it, I slipped and fell into a murky puddle in front of me. Foul-smelling muddy water seeped into my nose and mouth. The air in my lungs was cut off at my neck. It was excruciating, agonizing. Instinctively, I wanted to cry out for Julian. But the dirt choked my throat, and no sound escaped. At the last moment, Julian turned and saw me, rigid and lifeless. “Naomi!” He frantically hung up the phone and pulled me back from the brink of death. Then, with shaking hands, he held me close, carefully wiping the grime from my face. Over the years, similar incidents had happened countless times. Julian had grown accustomed to it. And I, too, had long grown numb. The car accident ten years ago had left me quadriplegic. Everything below my neck was utterly devoid of sensation. Every moment, I needed constant care. Julian had hired caregivers and sought out doctors for me. But everyone just shook their heads, helpless. Doctors had given me death notices more than once, declaring I wouldn’t live past three years. Yet Julian refused to give up. He worked himself to the bone, taking on countless side jobs and tutoring classes to earn money for my medical expenses. A man with a meticulous nature, day in and day out, he had to turn me and massage my limbs. He cleaned up after my incontinence, the waste flowing out beyond my control. A man with a brilliant future, he repeatedly sacrificed opportunities for promotions and raises. He carried the burden of my care, relentlessly searching for doctors and experimental treatments. He was only thirty. Yet, gray hairs already speckled his temples. A thin layer of calluses covered his hands. His once tall, upright posture had gradually stooped under the immense weight of his life. More than once, I saw him sighing over his past glories, or shedding tears at the cutting remarks of his peers. When I asked him about it, he would just smile and say, “Naomi, I have no regrets.” “As long as I’m with you, I’ll never regret anything I do.” But at this moment, I regretted it. I regretted living this ugly, undignified existence. I regretted that my momentary desire had burdened Julian’s entire life. I lowered my head, the only part of me I could move, and spoke softly. “I heard everything you and Serena said.” “Julian, let’s get a divorce. You’ve done more than enough for me.”

Julian froze. Large, heavy tears streamed down his face. He gripped my hand tightly, repeating over and over, “Naomi, I won’t divorce you.” “Serena and I, it was just an accident. I love you, only you.” “Please don’t make me leave you…” He explained frantically. There was no real affection between him and Serena. “The boss of that tutoring center forced me to drink last time. I drank too much, and when I woke up, I found myself in Serena’s bed.” “Naomi, please don’t be angry with me. I truly… truly never meant to betray you.” Julian explained, fumbling for words. But he didn’t even notice the profound tenderness in his eyes when he spoke of Serena. Long ago, when we first met. He had looked at me with that same tender, ardent gaze. But after I became paralyzed. Throughout these ten years of torment. The look in Julian’s eyes when he saw me was nothing but deep weariness. He pretended to still love me, pretended he couldn’t leave me. Only then could he convince himself to grit his teeth and carry on. Only then could he prevent his decade of sacrifice from seeming like a joke. Julian thought he was an excellent actor. But he forgot. Before my paralysis, I was an outstanding psychology PhD. I knew better than anyone what he was truly thinking. I sighed softly, speaking in a low voice. “But I’m tired.” “I don’t want to live with this guilt, like an empty shell, devoid of dignity, utterly numb.” “Julian, if you truly love me, then find me a serene, beautiful place, and let me spend my last days in peace.” Julian was reluctant. When I first became paralyzed, Julian had hired many nannies and caregivers for me. The first nanny poured boiling water onto my legs. Although I felt no sensation. My scalded flesh stuck to my clothes, and I almost died from a high fever and infection. The second nanny, worried about me, kept me locked in a dog crate all day. When Julian came home from work and saw this, he nearly broke down. This usually gentle and polite professor lost his temper in public for the first time. “My Naomi is a human being, a person with flesh and blood, dignity, and feelings. How could you treat her like an animal!” The other person scoffed indifferently. And sneered, “Living like that, she’s worse than an animal.” Julian couldn’t endure such humiliation. He fired the nanny on the spot and from then on, took care of everything himself. For ten years, I never developed a single bed sore. That alone was enough to show his dedication. He had done more than enough for me in this lifetime. Our love was utterly drained. I couldn’t selfishly trap him by my side any longer. I started a hunger strike, threatened to end my life. Julian, initially resolute, slowly began to waver and compromise. Finally, he withdrew all his savings and arranged for me to stay in a high-end rehabilitation center. When filling out the admission papers, Julian refused to let go of my hand. He told me again and again. “Naomi, I won’t divorce you, and I’ll never abandon you.” “Just give me some time. There are many excellent medical resources abroad.” “When I return, I’ll come straight away to take you home, and I’ll find a way to cure you.” A quadriplegic patient, abandoned by her family, with no relatives, was left in a rehabilitation center. Her fate was predictable to anyone. Yet Julian and I both tacitly agreed to deceive each other and ourselves. He swore he would come back for me. And I nodded, as he wished. However, on the very night Julian left, another accident occurred.

The patient in the next room, suffering from dementia, accidentally set fire to the curtains in my room during his afternoon nap. I was quadriplegic, unable to move. I could only watch as the intense flames rushed towards me. By the time the caregiver found me, I had extensive burns all over my body, my flesh rotting, with only a breath left in me. Receiving this news, Julian immediately canceled his flight and rushed back to my side overnight. I lay in the intensive care unit, listening to his furious shouts. This man, who had been respectable his whole life, always speaking with a gentle tone. He screamed and yelled like a madman in the hospital corridor. “Is this how you care for my wife?” “She was such a beautiful woman, so fond of her appearance. How can she live like this now?” He tore up the appointment letter from the overseas prestigious university. He stayed by my bedside, not leaving for a moment, expressing his deep regret. I had ruined his life again. But there was nothing I could do. I could only squeeze my eyes shut, pretending not to hear his tormented voice. Until one quiet afternoon, Serena burst into my room. She grabbed my hair and slammed my head viciously against the bed frame. Then she dragged me along, pulling me to stand before a mirror. The grotesque and terrifying face in the mirror startled me. But before I could speak, Serena suddenly broke down in tears. She punched my thigh repeatedly, muttering, “Why aren’t you dead yet? Why are you still alive?” “Why did you call him back at the last minute?” “Julian had already agreed to go abroad with me. Why won’t you just let him go!” “Naomi, how can you be so selfish? Do you know I’ve waited for him for ten whole years!” Julian hadn’t lied to me; his acquaintance with Serena was indeed an accident. But this accident hadn’t happened recently. It was ten years ago. At a dinner party ten years ago, they met for the first time and fell in love. Julian had considered divorcing me and marrying her. But in the end, he chose me over love and responsibility. He told Serena that, according to the doctors’ diagnosis, I wouldn’t live for many years. He had to fulfill his duties as a husband before he could be with Serena with a clear conscience. Serena agreed. But that wait lasted for a full decade. Julian had wasted his years and delayed his future for me. Serena, too, had spent the most beautiful years of her life waiting for him. Her eyes were filled with helplessness and resentment. Her voice became choked with emotion. “Naomi, please, let him go.” “It’s been ten years. Julian and I are not young anymore.” “This one in my belly, it might be the only child we’ll ever have. Can you really bear to see us lose our chance at a family?” “He’s done enough for you over the years.” “I beg you, give him, and give my unborn child, a chance at life.” Serena told me many things. She spoke of the humiliations Julian endured to earn money for my medicine. She spoke of how he fainted several times in his office from overwork. “Three years ago, a client, just to humiliate him, forced him to drink.” “He drank until he had a stomach hemorrhage, and still, enduring the shame and pain, he picked up the scattered payment notes from the floor, one by one.” “Watching his reddened eyes, my heart nearly shattered.” “But he… he said that with that money, he could buy better quality medicine for his wife, so you could sleep peacefully at night.” Serena cried harder as she spoke. Her eyes, as she looked at me, held both jealousy and blame. “Many times, I wished he could be a little crueler, a little less responsible.” “But he just… couldn’t let you go.” “He’s such a proud and brilliant man, and now, because of you, look what he’s become…” A cheating man wanting to bear the responsibility for two women’s lives. In the end, he only brought pain to everyone. I should have hated him. But ironically, I was the one person in the world least qualified to blame him. Julian’s mistake was betrayal. His greater mistake was taking such good care of me. I lowered my head, murmuring, “What do you want me to do?” Serena suddenly stopped crying. She stared straight at me, saying without hesitation, “I want you to die!”

“If you don’t die, Julian will never find peace.” “If you don’t die, none of us will be happy.” With that, Serena grabbed my neck. And said, almost cruelly, “Look at you now, like a monster. What’s the point of living?” “Just die, okay? Die!” Serena’s grip tightened. And in that pain, I actually felt a sliver of release. I slowly closed my eyes, waiting for the nightmare to end. But Julian, once again, saved me. He embraced Serena, holding her tightly. “Serena, are you insane? Why would you do that?” “Do you realize you nearly took a life just now?” “You have such a bright future ahead of you. Is it really worth ruining your life for someone like this?” At that moment, Julian finally, unconsciously, blurted out his true feelings. To sacrifice his entire life for “someone like me.” It wasn’t worth it. He loved Serena. Loved her so much he couldn’t bear to see her destroy her future, ruin her life for “someone like me.” And I, like forgotten trash, Lay quadriplegic on the cold floor. Spying on the happiness that once belonged to me. Tears streamed down my cheeks and into my ears. But I couldn’t even lift a hand to wipe them away. I could only wait for Julian to help me up with his pitying gaze. This time, in front of me, he broke things off with Serena. Serena didn’t try to stop him, she silently got up and left. As if this kind of scene had played out between them a thousand times before. They both knew. Neither of them would truly leave. In the days that followed, Julian and I continued our ‘normal’ lives. He tacitly stopped mentioning going abroad. I, being ‘sensible’, didn’t press him about his relationship with Serena. We carried on just as before. Calmly, deceiving ourselves and each other. But I could see it. Julian was truly exhausted. He dared not leave me with anyone, nor even let me out of his sight. Even when he taught classes, he brought me along. The university, aware of Julian’s situation, didn’t object. But I, more than once, suffered incontinence in front of everyone. In the meeting room, in the classroom. As the foul odor permeated the air, Everyone’s eyes would turn to me, piercing my soul like knives. Julian, however, acted as if he smelled nothing, routinely cleaning and tidying up after me. “Professor Julian is so noble! His wife is like this, and he still doesn’t give up. If it were me, I really couldn’t do it.” “I say Professor Julian and Ms. Serena are a match made in heaven. That woman is like a ghost, clinging to Professor Julian.” “Look at her face, wouldn’t you have nightmares at night?” Facing all these whispers, Julian acted as if he heard nothing, continuing to push me around the campus. Watching the sun dry my urine-soaked clothes. Everyone thought he loved me dearly. But I always felt it was an unspeakable form of revenge. Until one day, our story attracted the attention of reporters. The reporters weren’t interested in anything else, instead digging deep into the complicated relationship between the three of us. Gossip and speculation abounded. Such humiliation was more painful than torture for a proud man like Julian. Serena was the first to break. She had an abortion, went abroad alone, and left Julian’s world forever. Upon receiving the abortion photos, Julian also broke down. His eyes red, he glared at me, furious. “It was you, wasn’t it? You called the reporters?” “Haven’t I been good enough to you? Why, why would you do this to me?” “Even if I owed you in a past life, these ten years should have paid it back, right? Why won’t you just let me go?” “Naomi, I’m truly tired. Serena’s presence was like the last light in my life, my only solace.” “Why, why would you take away even this last bit of hope!” Overwhelmed by emotion, Julian randomly grabbed a handful of sleeping pills and shoved them into his mouth. He then turned on the gas taps in the house, intending to die with me. I smiled helplessly. And as I smiled, tears welled up in my eyes. He didn’t need to do this. My death alone would have been enough. I hadn’t told Julian that my right hand could move. I could control my wheelchair myself. And I could choose whether or not to continue living. As the sleeping pills began to take effect, I bit down on Julian’s collar with my teeth. Maneuvering my wheelchair, I slowly pushed him out. The moment Julian’s body was propelled outside the house, Sparks from the wheelchair’s mechanism instantly triggered the explosion. Raging flames instantly consumed everything. I smiled and closed my eyes. Julian. This time, we both can finally find release. I hope that after I die, you can find the happiness you desire.

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My husband could see everyone’s death countdown. As soon as he found out, he immediately told me I only had two years left, that I was going to die in two years. To ensure I’d have no regrets, he quit his lucrative corporate job, wanting to take me on a trip around the world. At first, I didn’t believe him. Not until my dad became the first person to die exactly as Arthur predicted. Then, when I died bungee jumping the following year, I understood. He hadn’t lied to me. But when I opened my eyes again, I found myself reborn. This time, I seemed to have the ability to foresee death too. Still, seeing “Eighty Years” above my own head made me pause, deep in thought. Wasn’t I supposed to live eighty years? So how did I end up dying in the second year? “Clara, let me spend these last two years really being there for you, okay?” “You’ve always wanted to travel the world, right? How about we leave tomorrow?” My husband, Arthur, looked at me with such intense affection, yet I could detect an unspeakable sorrow hidden deep in his eyes. I opened my mouth to reply, but my gaze was suddenly drawn to a line of red numbers floating above Arthur’s head. *Lifespan Remaining: Two Years* I froze, a wave of confusion washing over me. How could this be? In my previous life, hadn’t he lived to be a hundred, passing away peacefully with a smile? For a moment, I couldn’t process anything he was rambling about. I bolted from the couch and rushed into the bathroom. Through the mirror, I saw it: my own remaining lifespan was still eighty years. But last time, I had only lived for two years. What in the world was going on? And why was Arthur telling me I only had two years left? Seeing my strange behavior, Arthur followed me into the bathroom, trying to gently comfort me. “Clara, don’t you believe me?” “Didn’t your dad’s death prove it?” “I know it’s hard to accept right now, but this day was always going to come.” I took a deep breath, pushing down my growing confusion, and forced a smile, shaking my head. “No, I believe you.” I paused, then asked again, my voice laced with uncertainty. “But… do I really only have two years left?” A flicker of something—something quick—crossed Arthur’s eyes, but his voice remained firm. “Of course, Clara. I would never lie to you.” I masked the emotions in my eyes, then casually asked, “What about you? How many years do you have left?” Without a moment’s hesitation, he blurted out, “Three years.” Hearing that, I instantly knew he was lying to me. As if to make me believe him, he even added with a wry smile, “It must be that fate can’t bear for you to be alone down there. It’s arranged for me to take care of your affairs, then come join you.” His words were exactly the same as in my past life. But this time, it was different. Before, I had foolishly believed him. Now, it seemed my husband wasn’t as sincere as he appeared. Besides, there was one question I absolutely had to get to the bottom of. Why did I have an eighty-year lifespan, yet I truly died in the second year? And why did *he*, with only two years left on his life clock, live so many more years in my previous life? 2. Countless questions swirled, making my head spin. Arthur, on the other end, heard my faint “Mhm” and immediately went to discuss resigning from his job. As soon as he hung up, he started planning our trip. It wasn’t long before he had our first destination picked out. “Clara, how about we go surfing first? You’ve always wanted to go to the Maldives, right?” My brow furrowed at that. In my past life, I hadn’t noticed this issue. Someone who was always so careful with our money, almost stingy, was suddenly willing to splurge on surfing in the Maldives. That trip alone would easily cost hundreds of thousands. Noticing my lack of response, he started to explain. “Didn’t you always mention this place? A little expensive is fine, I just want you to be happy during your last days.” His words made me uncomfortable; I just found him incredibly hypocritical. Our combined income wasn’t low, we brought in a significant amount each year. Aside from family expenses, we had practically no financial stress. So, over the years of our marriage, we’d saved up a small fortune. Of course, one reason for that was his meticulous budgeting, which meant that money rarely got spent. But what was strange was that whenever I brought up these trips before, he always refused. Now that I was supposedly dying, he was suddenly so generous. A nameless irritation flared inside me; I couldn’t tell if he was feeling guilty or if he’d had a change of heart. The next day, he booked our tickets, and we were off to the Maldives. As soon as we landed, he was impatiently trying to drag me to go surfing. His behavior was far too strange. I pulled my hand out of his grip, my expression annoyed. “What’s the rush? We just arrived, can’t we rest for a bit?” He hadn’t been this eager in my previous life. Strange! An indescribable strangeness. He paused, then explained with a hint of grievance, “Clara, it’s not that I’m rushing. It’s a once-in-a-century tide, surfing now would be amazing! Don’t you love thrills?” He glanced at me, then continued, “If you don’t want to go now, that’s fine. We can go in a few days.” But after a moment’s hesitation, I agreed. I wanted to see what exactly he was up to. After dropping our luggage at the hotel, we headed straight for the surfing area. The waves were so massive they could almost engulf a person instantly. It was already evening when we arrived, and there were far fewer surfers. The ocean water was chilling. Arthur didn’t say a word, just pulled my hand and headed out, an undeniable urgency in his demeanor. His actions were incredibly odd, but to figure out the reason, I still got on the surfboard. Yet, nothing strange happened during the surfing. I couldn’t help but wonder if I had misjudged Arthur. It was while I was deep in thought that Arthur came over. Without a single wasted word, he got straight to the point. “Clara, we’ve had enough of surfing. How about we leave tomorrow?” “Didn’t you say you wanted to go bungee jumping before? Should we leave tomorrow? I’ll book the tickets now.” I remained silent, offering no response. Arthur was too hasty, so hasty that I couldn’t fathom what he was thinking. This was a completely different pace from my previous life. I exhaled, meeting his gaze directly, and casually asked, “We just got here, didn’t we? Only staying one night and then leaving?” It seemed Arthur only then realized we had just arrived today. After a moment of surprise, he quickly changed his plan, directly sidestepping my question. “Then let’s stay a couple more days. Since we’re here anyway, I’ll go downstairs and extend our room.” With that, he walked straight out the door. I was tired after a day of activities, so I had no energy to keep guessing. I lay down. The next day, I didn’t wake up until almost noon. His presence was already gone from the room. As I got up, preparing to splash some water on my face to wake myself up, I suddenly noticed that the numbers above my head in the mirror had changed. A full year had vanished. 3. My mind inexplicably flashed back to how eager he’d been to drag me surfing yesterday. A ludicrous idea instantly formed: He was exchanging lives. To test my theory, I frantically grabbed my phone and called Arthur. It wasn’t until my fifth call that he slowly picked up. But before I could even say a word, the call was disconnected. The next second, the room door was pushed open. It was Arthur. My eyes immediately locked onto the numbers above his head. It had turned to *Three*! Just as I suspected, there was no difference from what I’d imagined. You manipulative Arthur! No wonder you suddenly splurged on this Maldives trip. So, you really did have some unspeakable agenda. He stood at the doorway, holding up his phone, asking with a worried expression. He was breathing heavily as he spoke, looking like he’d just run back. The air carried a dusty scent that I couldn’t quite place. “Clara, why are you suddenly calling me so much? Is something wrong?” “I was just downstairs having fun, and I thought something might have happened to you, so I rushed back.” It dawned on me; I had indeed been too eager to verify the truth. Not wanting Arthur to notice anything amiss, I suppressed the anger churning inside me and responded with a fake smile. “Nothing, I just wanted to ask you where you planned for our next destination.” He eyed me, a hint of suspicion in his gaze. “Really? Asking about one destination is worth five phone calls?” Faced with his persistent questions, I felt an inexplicable irritation, and my tone wasn’t particularly pleasant when I spoke again. “What else? What could possibly be wrong with me?” That seemed to alleviate Arthur’s doubts. He gave a small, wry laugh, walked over, and ruffled my hair as he answered my question. “Alright, I was just asking. If there’s nothing, there’s nothing. My next destination was planned for bungee jumping in Switzerland. Since you’re so eager to know, how about we go tomorrow?” I scoffed inwardly. He was the one desperate to go, not me. What did it have to do with me? Didn’t he want to go so badly just to take my life? “Fine, go ahead and book the tickets.” I agreed readily, but I wasn’t going to my death again. I wouldn’t go bungee jumping, and I certainly wouldn’t go to Switzerland. The next morning, as soon as we arrived at the airport, I used the excuse that I’d left my ID at the hotel, wanting to turn back. But Arthur grabbed my arm. Without a word, he wanted to leave with me. But there was no way I’d let him have his way. I pried his hand off and took a step back. “Don’t come with me. You go on this flight, I’ll just buy a ticket for the next one.” “Changing two tickets isn’t cheap. I’ll be back quickly; the next flight isn’t much later.” I had to play the part convincingly. To avoid his suspicion, I even pulled out my phone and browsed recent flights. Arthur, of course, was reluctant to let his valuable asset leave; his expression was hesitant. I wasted no more words, making my decision firm. “This trip has already cost a lot. We should save where we can. I’ll leave by tomorrow at the latest.” Fearing he’d cling to me, I didn’t give him another chance to speak. I grabbed my suitcase and turned to leave. I had never lied to him before, so for the first time, he believed my lie and didn’t follow. He even sent me a message. “I’ll wait for you in Switzerland.” I didn’t reply. The same day, he flew to Switzerland, and I flew back home. The next day, I leisurely sent him a message, telling him I wasn’t so keen on Switzerland anymore and had gone home instead. Just as I expected, he called me, fuming, one call after another, demanding an explanation. I gave him a couple of vague answers, then put my phone on “do not disturb” and fell asleep. But when I woke up the next morning, I found that another year had been taken from my lifespan. 4. What was happening? I didn’t even go, did I? Why was my lifespan still decreasing? At the same time, Arthur sent me a message. “I expect an explanation!” All these confusing events were making my head ache. I couldn’t for the life of me figure out why my lifespan was still dwindling. Not long after, Arthur pushed open the door, bringing a chill with him. His clothes carried a faint smell of something burnt. It was very similar to that smell in the Maldives. As he looked at me, I looked at him too. The lifespan above his head had indeed increased by a year. But what exactly was going on? The more I thought about it, the stranger it became, making it impossible to wrap my head around. What was I missing? “Clara, an explanation? Didn’t we agree to go to Switzerland together?” He cut me off, his gaze complex, tinged with suspicion. I let out an “Ah,” and continued to fob him off with my previous excuse. “I just didn’t want to go. There’s no big ‘why’.” “But you, why are you so desperate for me to go? What would happen if I didn’t?” He fell silent for a moment, realizing his emotions had gotten the better of him. He immediately changed his expression, reverting to his usual gentle demeanor, and responded with a smile. “Nothing would really happen if you didn’t go. I was just too hasty.” His words carried a double meaning, and I instantly understood what he implied. *Nothing would happen if I didn’t go*… Did that mean my lifespan would still decrease even if I stayed home? Was there truly no way to stop it? In just two short days, my lifespan had already decreased by two years. At this rate, wouldn’t I die in not two years, but just eighty days? But in my previous life, how did it take him two years to steal my lifespan? The more I tried to sort it out, the more tangled my thoughts became, the confusion almost driving me insane. Perhaps my initial assumption was wrong. This “extreme sport transfers lifespan” idea wasn’t it at all. Just as I was consumed by frustration, Arthur sent another message. “Clara, let’s put that aside for now. Your mom’s been hospitalized.” I pushed my chaotic thoughts away and, in a flurry, followed him to the hospital. My mom had suffered a sudden heart attack last night and had just come out of surgery. Arthur suddenly raised a hand and rested it on my shoulder, speaking softly into my ear. “Clara, I see your mom only has two months left to live.” “She might not be comfortable staying alone in the hospital. Why don’t you take her out for a bit?” Hearing that, I sharply looked up at him. He was lying again. My mom still had twenty years left to live. How could he still be deceiving me? But his tone was so absolutely certain that if he said two months, it must mean my mom would only live for two months. My eyes flickered, and I swallowed, my voice hoarse. “Really? Only two months left?” He didn’t rush to answer me, just looked at me. After a long moment, he slowly nodded, his voice resolute. “Really, Clara. You know I would never lie to you.” Those familiar words almost made me forget. When my dad passed away, he had said the same thing, and he had even suggested a trip then too. My brain started racing frantically, replaying everything that happened before and after my dad’s death like a slideshow. Then I thought of my own rapidly diminishing lifespan. A chilling connection clicked into place. I knew what was going on!

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My ex-fiancée, Jessica, used my mother’s last memento to force me to marry a comatose woman so she could run off with my uncle, Victor. I agreed. I let them go, wishing them a happy life abroad, while I married the comatose woman and got our marriage certificate. What I never expected was that the day after we registered our marriage, I became a billionaire. And my comatose wife slowly began to wake up. But the good times didn’t last long. My ex-fiancée and uncle had their fun. They came back for me, wanting to switch everything back: “Those assets were always meant for Victor, not a worthless piece of trash like you. What right do you have to them?” Victor was even more outrageous: “Letting you be a father to my son for free? You should be thanking me! If you don’t step aside and give Victor his place back, I’ll go to the police and accuse you of killing your wife.” Even the family members who forced me into that marriage called me a beast, plotting to kidnap me and have me trafficked to some godforsaken place. Yet, just as I was being secretly driven to the airport, bound and gagged. My wife, armed with a gun, almost killed everyone. “How dare you try to send my man away? Do you really think I’m dead?”

My ex-fiancée, Jessica, held my mother’s urn, threatening to destroy it if I didn’t marry Rhea in Victor’s place. “Victor and I are true love! You’re just a loser, you don’t deserve to marry me!” “Either take this fifty bucks and go marry her, or you and your deadbeat mom can get out of our family and rot on the streets!” I was furious, but also terrified. Under the immense pressure from my entire family, I still agreed to their demand. The very next day, I married Victor’s fiancée, Rhea Hayes. The Hayes family wasn’t thrilled about the last-minute switch. They even planned to pay me a huge sum annually, just to humiliate me. After all, I was just a placeholder groom, a formality. I never imagined that after only five days, their daughter would transform completely. Even the doctors said that because the patient had been receiving excellent daily massages, her muscles were getting proper training, and all signs of previous atrophy were gone. Facing my in-laws’ questions, I scratched my head, a little embarrassed. “Well, a girl needs to be clean, right? I wash her hair, do her skincare. I was worried her muscles would atrophy from not moving, and I happened to have learned massage techniques before, so I just used them.” They didn’t say much. That same day, they let me move into the Hayes’ mansion. And they even put me in Rhea’s room. I was surprised. Back at the Millers’, I could only live in a small storage room. My father’s new family had taken over all my things. As a kid with a cold father and a dead mother, if I dared to fight back, they’d just kick me out to sleep in the yard. The storage room was small, but at least it was sheltered from wind and rain. I didn’t touch Rhea’s belongings. I just cleared a small area for myself to sleep. I woke up promptly at five in the morning to prepare breakfast for the Hayes family. Bread, milk, and some jam. Once it was ready, I went to clean the house. When the Hayes family woke up, they saw steaming hot food on the table. They looked surprised. “Didn’t Mrs. Jenkins take the day off today? And there’s bread and milk…” I couldn’t quite read their tone. I thought maybe they were used to the housekeeper’s breakfast and didn’t like mine. After all, I’d made it according to the Hayes family’s usual preferences, so it was normal for others not to like it. I swallowed nervously, carefully answering, “If you don’t like this, Mr. and Mrs. Hayes, I can make other things, like oatmeal, or even steak…” They looked me up and down, seemingly a little astonished. “Sit down and eat with us.” The real turning point was when Mr. Hayes had a heart attack and forgot his medication. Noticing it, I carried him on my back and ran two kilometers to the hospital. He called me ‘Alex’ for the first time. “From now on, this family will need your help to keep it strong.” I knew then that he recognized me as his son-in-law. That same year, Rhea woke up. She just smiled at me. “So this is my hubby, huh? You look so young.” “Just a little soft-tempered. I’ll have to protect him well from now on.” She handled outside matters, and I handled inside. I took care of the home, while she traveled for work, disappearing for days at a time, only to return with various gifts for me. Life was sweet and warm, until my ‘ex-fiancée’ and uncle came back.

“Those assets were always meant for Victor, not a worthless piece of trash like you. You’ll burn your hands holding onto them.” Jessica, my ex-fiancée, held a one-year-old child, looking at me with undisguised contempt. “Now that Rhea is awake, you should return Victor’s fiancée to him.” “I’ll reluctantly agree to marry you again. You’ll even get an extra child. Consider yourself lucky.” So they had a child together. And they wanted me to be a father for free? “Aren’t you going too far?” “You forced me to marry a comatose woman, and now you’ve had your fun and want me to take care of your child? What do you take me for?” Grandpa and Grandma Miller sat at opposite ends of the table. Hearing my words, they raised their canes to strike me. I dodged. When they missed, they swung again, snarling. As they struck, they glared at me with malice. “You beast, you stole Victor’s good life, and now you want to slander us? Today I’ll beat you to death!” “If we kill you, that Rhea woman will be single again! Then no one will want her, and she’ll have no choice but to marry our son!” My back was covered in welts, one after another, until the restaurant staff noticed something was wrong and came to intervene. “Sirs, ma’ams, this is a restaurant. If you want to fight, take it outside.” I didn’t want to get tangled up with them. In the brief pause given by the staff, I bolted outside. But at the door, a middle-aged man grabbed me firmly. “You brat! You got rich and now you don’t recognize your old man, huh?” “Today, I’m going to beat you to death!” It was my father and stepmother, Brenda. They flanked me, dragging me into a narrow alley. Brenda used to do farm work, and her grip was astonishingly strong. She pinned me down and told my father to whip me with his belt. “A son who forgets his father deserves a good beating. One good beating will make him remember everything!” The belt whistled through the air, each lash tearing into my back. Ever since I moved in with the Hayes family, I hadn’t been hit in ages. Living a pampered life, I had long forgotten what pain felt like. My father’s belt strikes were full of viciousness, making me scream out. “Stop! Stop, Dad!” “I’m hurting, Dad!” But after a few pleas, I stopped. I remembered. When Brenda used to falsely accuse me of things, I’d get whipped too. Back then, whenever I begged for mercy, they’d just hit me harder. The worst time, they broke two of my ribs. They were literally trying to kill me. I don’t know how many times they hit me before I completely passed out. My father pulled out my phone, using my thumbprint to unlock it. He saw a message from Rhea. “When are you coming home? I’m flying in tomorrow and have a gift for you.” My father sneered. “She’s really living the good life, bringing gifts back from business trips.” He replied simply and directly on my behalf. “Come straight to my parents’ place tomorrow. Time to meet the family.” Then he just dragged me into the trunk. Grandpa and Grandma Miller also got into the car, still grumbling. “Are we really taking him back?” Facing Grandpa and Grandma Miller, my father’s demeanor completely changed. He plastered on a fake smile, trying to butter them up. “Don’t we want Victor to get close to that Hayes woman? We need to get some information about her preferences from him.” “And the money he has? We can’t let him have all those good days for nothing, can we? His money is Victor’s money, isn’t it?”

Grandpa and Grandma Miller were satisfied with his explanation. They didn’t say anything else until we reached the house. The car stopped, and I was dragged into my father’s workshop yard. At night, it was deserted. He threw me onto the concrete, then dumped a bucket of saltwater straight over my head. Blood mixed with saltwater, stinging my entire body. “Wake up, you coward, are you awake?” “If you’re awake, hurry up and write down all of Rhea’s preferences for Victor.” “So when Rhea comes tomorrow, those two original fiancés can pick up where they left off.” I shivered uncontrollably, like a heap of broken meat, sprawled on the cold concrete. I trembled, my voice shaking as I refused. “Dad, I beg you, just this once. I finally found someone I can spend my life with.” “Don’t take her away and give her to Victor.” “Aren’t Victor and Jessica happy together? Why can’t you just leave me alone?” My father grew even angrier. He picked up a plastic ladle from the ground and smashed it against my head. “You piece of trash, you think you can bargain with me?” “Victor is the only one in our Miller family who went to college, he deserves the best. You, you just deserve his scraps.” I was locked in the factory’s chicken coop. Victor, toothpick in mouth, looked annoyed. “This useless guy is surprisingly tough.” He looked at my father, his voice full of complaint. “Big bro, if this worthless kid won’t budge, what if that bitch of a woman is set on him?” “It’s so annoying. I want my things back, why do I have to get this trash’s permission?” Grandpa and Grandma Miller hastened to comfort him, afraid Victor would get too upset. “It’s all yours, it’s all yours.” “Don’t be angry, my boy.” My father also tried to soothe his brother. “He’s tough-mouthed, but his body isn’t. “Later, I’ll contact someone to have him trafficked to the US by tomorrow. When that woman comes tomorrow, tell her directly that Alex Miller beat you up and stole your engagement, all for the Hayes family’s money.” “I heard the Hayes family hates liars more than anything.” His shamelessness shocked me. But I didn’t believe Rhea would change her mind about me just because of their words. The next day, Rhea returned from abroad. She came straight to the Millers’ house, carrying bags full of luxury items. She saw the living room packed with Miller family members, but I wasn’t there. Victor saw her and greeted her with a look of feigned delight. “Rhea, I finally see you again.”

“So you’re saying Alex Miller stole your engagement?” Victor’s face clouded with false sorrow. “I never imagined my nephew could be so twisted.” “He already had a fiancée, but he chose to go after someone wealthier.” I was tied up in the old storage room. Powerless, I listened to their slander. Rhea’s face was grim. “You’re saying he only cared for me for the money?” Victor nodded, continuing his lies. “Who knows if he genuinely cared for you, or just waited for you to die so he could inherit everything?” “He’s been rotten since childhood, always trying to steal my things.” “Even my spot in college — if I hadn’t fought tooth and nail to keep it, he would’ve stolen it long ago.” I whimpered in helpless indignation. That college spot was mine. I was the one who got in. Victor impersonated me. I tried to sneak away to attend college, but he and my father broke my leg. My father chimed in from the side. “This son of mine has been unfilial since childhood. He beat his grandparents, and even I, his father, got hit by him plenty. When he was a kid, I wouldn’t buy him candy, fearing he’d get cavities. He went into the kitchen and grabbed a carving knife to chase me.” When Victor was a kid, he loved candy, but his teeth couldn’t handle it. When my father, his older brother, stopped him from eating more, he grabbed a carving knife and chased him all over the yard. Beating his grandparents, harming people, torturing small animals – those were all things Victor did, but the Millers blamed them on me. And Victor, he was always blameless. Victor pulled up his sleeve, revealing a large bruise, his expression mournful. “My body had just barely recovered when I tried to come and reveal the truth to you, but he found out.” “He was afraid of losing this good life, so he beat me like this.” Rhea slammed her hand on the table, rising to her feet. “He lied to me to this extent!” She looked at Victor, a hint of pity in her eyes. “You’ve suffered all these years. I need to give you an explanation.” She pulled out her phone and called mine. But it wouldn’t connect. My father had it, and he’d turned it off early, fearing exposure. Rhea then opened my SnapChat and sent me a voice message. “Alex Miller, if you don’t come out and explain yourself, I’m divorcing you!” My heart sank like a stone. —She didn’t believe me. Victor shook his head, his eyes red. “It’s okay, I’m used to it.” With that one sentence, he painted himself as someone who had suffered for years. “You probably won’t reach him. He’s terrified of me, terrified of you getting to him. He’s probably long gone by now.” Rhea didn’t answer. She called Mr. and Mrs. Hayes. The call was on speaker, and I clearly heard my in-laws’ shocked anger. “He’s been lying to us all this time! We treated him like a son-in-law!” “We even thought about letting him inherit our fortune, but it turns out he was scheming for it from the start!” “We’ve blamed Victor all these years, Rhea! You must compensate Victor well! And when Alex gets back, I’m going to break his legs…” My three years with Mr. and Mrs. Hayes, from strangers to their heartfelt affection. I thought they had come to see me as their own son. When Rhea was still in a coma, I secretly vowed to care for them in their old age, to treat them like my own parents… but it turned out I had never truly entered their hearts. I lost my last bit of strength to struggle. My gaze was empty as I looked at the cobweb-filled storage room. It seemed that, from beginning to end, I was still alone. Victor left, a satisfied smile on his face, the check clutched in his hand, without even cashing it. The storage room door reopened. Victor patted my face, malicious glee in his eyes. “They’re here to pick you up. Don’t blame your uncle, blame yourself for holding onto what was his!”

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My husband, Mark Stone, got into a car crash while he was using the bathroom at home. He’d just finished hitting me and went to the toilet, his mistress, Lily, cozying up outside the door, laughing and badmouthing me with him. Suddenly, a deafening crash. A runaway semi-truck plowed through our yard, straight over my husband and his mistress. Doctors were sifting through the wreckage for his mangled body. From the corner, I spotted a small battery that had fallen out of his pocket and casually kicked it towards them. His face was ashen, eyes wide and filled with unspoken words, but he couldn’t scream. At the hospital, the doctor said: “His left leg is a comminuted fracture, not much hope of saving it. If we were to use—” “No money. Just cut it off.” During the time I was gathering evidence, my husband, Mark, who I’d worked hard with to become wealthy, brought his mistress to our home and beat me, all to force a divorce. I refused to sign, driven by a burning desire to avenge our lost child. He got tired of hitting me, went to take a dump, and then… the crash. Karma’s a bitch, and it came like a tornado. Twenty minutes later, traffic cops, insurance adjusters, doctors, nurses, and a swarm of reporters were snapping photos as he lay on the ground, butt-naked and moaning. For all our shared history as husband and wife, the ‘good thing’ the doctors couldn’t find for him, I kicked it over. That was his life-sustaining item, after all. As for his mistress, Lily Miller, besides a slightly soiled dress, she had no other injuries. When Mark used to hit me, he’d brag about her incredible flexibility as a dancer, claiming she could master any dance style. Now she was twisted up like a pretzel, so she should be just fine, right? At the hospital, the doctor asked for an upfront payment of $100,000. I pulled out my bank card. Balance: $10. “Doctor, just stitch him up for now. His mom knows a miracle doctor, she can save him for free.” “What miracle doctor? Where is he? Quick, call him!” “Church. God.” “…” The doctor sighed. “Let us try a little harder.” “Alright.” I then asked, “If I sign organ donation papers now, can it be deducted from the medical fees?” “No.” The doctor looked at his scans. “However, his left leg is a comminuted fracture. There’s little hope of saving it. If we use—” “No money. Just cut it off.” The young nurse beside me winced. “Put aside any grudges for now. Money can be earned again.” Fine. “Actually, we’re not really broke.” I patiently explained, “He transferred all his money to his mistress. If you could just wake her up and ask for her bank card password?” The nurse glanced at Lily. “Spinal fracture. She might never wake up.” I threw my hands up. “Doctor, please saw gently.” *** PAYWALL

When the accident report came out, other people’s faces were blurred out. My husband’s butt was censored. The doctors operated on him for five hours, finally pulling him back from the brink of death. The moment he woke up, I stopped his pain medication. “Just bear with it. Earning money isn’t easy, save wherever you can.” I’m sure he agreed with that. After all, those were his exact words to me once. The result? Amidst his screaming and yelling, he spilled the beans about all his hidden assets, holding nothing back. Unable to move, he pursed his lips and ordered me to get the money from his mistress. Honestly, it’s just a leg being sawed off. Why’s he being so dramatic? What’s a little suffering for love, right? Just as I submitted documents to the court, froze Lily’s bank accounts, and was about to retrieve the money, Mark died. It was early that morning. He’d been transferred to a regular ward, fully conscious, his eyes still able to move. The truck driver, the one who caused the accident, rushed into the room and knelt, sobbing, asking me: “Can I get a family letter of forgiveness?” “Sure,” I said, “how many do you need?” The bed suddenly shook. My husband, Mark Stone, let out a hoarse cry, a few strangled sounds, and with that, he was dead—furious at me. The emergency doctors rushed in, ushering me and the driver out. “Wait,” I stopped a doctor, pulling out my phone, “I need to record a video.” Documenting the beautiful moments of life. Outside the ward, the truck driver knelt, weeping. “I’m a sinner, I’ll pay, I’ll pay, but I only have two million dollars…” I quickly helped him up. “Get up, angel.” “He’s an unemployed bum, what’s he worth, two million?” I wasn’t trying to intentionally insult my deceased husband. But to force me to leave with nothing, he’d not only transferred all his assets but also made his mistress, Lily Miller, the official owner of his company. He’d declared himself unemployed, refusing to give me a single cent, and even demanded I transfer my meager remaining salary to him. Accident compensation is tied to the victim’s income. Hitting and killing a CEO is not the same as hitting and killing an unemployed bum.

Because I’d signed the organ donation papers in advance, after Mark took his last breath, the doctor gave his body a respectful bow. Then his corneas, heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys were all harvested. Originally, his body could have been preserved in formaldehyde as a teaching specimen. However, the accident damage was too severe. He was just medical waste, and I brought him to the crematorium, sending him into the furnace. Mark’s hair, fat, and oils, in the raging fire: Spinning, jumping, his eyes were closed; The compensation money he’d never know, while I got lost in counting the dough; Through snowy days and summer nights, I wouldn’t slow; All of it, his inheritance, a past I crushed and let go. I was so happy I wanted to jump and do a 360-degree spin right there, then land in a split on the truck driver’s head. A mortuary assistant called me back to reality as I was about to place a small flower. She said, “We have urns for $5,000, $6,000, $7,000.” When it was time for cremation, I ordered KFC delivery. I pulled out a KFC bucket with Colonel Sanders on it and shook it out. “Put it here.” The assistant rolled her eyes. “What grudge could be this deep? We have a plastic urn on discount for just $200.” “Revenge for my child. Is that enough?” The assistant paused, then said, “I’ll help you crush the ashes finer.” I picked up Mark’s ashes, opened my backpack, and put them next to the organ donation documents. For the first time, I felt that marriage had three great perks: pulling the plug, signing the papers, and a feast of inheritance. Just outside the crematorium, I got a call from the hospital. The mistress, Lily, had woken up. Lily Miller didn’t come from a wealthy background, but she loved to dance. Her parents went into debt to support her passion. But dancing isn’t just about love; it requires talent. Without reaching a top-tier level, graduation meant unemployment. So she latched onto Mark. Money, a company, love… and quadriplegia. I dangled the documents in front of her. “All the properties under your name have been seized. The $8.62 million Mark transferred to you? It’s already back in my account. No offense, just wanted to show off a little.” “I don’t believe you! I want to see Mark! Make him get his ass over here!” I placed Mark’s ashes on the pillow next to Lily. “With the bucket, it weighs about three pounds. He’ll never leave you now.” Truly, a pillow-person! Lily screamed hysterically in the hospital room. Oh, she screamed too soon. This was just the beginning. The real angels were still on their way.

“Please, save me! Don’t take all the money! I need surgery! I still want to dance!” Lily cried as she spoke. I tilted my head, a cold smile playing on my lips. “If my child hadn’t been tortured into a miscarriage by you two, she might have had a chance to dance too.” “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry! But I don’t want to lie in bed for the rest of my life. Save me, please! I’ll atone for my sins for the rest of my life!” Lily, a quadriplegic, could only move her head. She wept and pleaded, helpless as snot streamed into her mouth. Sigh. Just days ago, she was a graceful swan, shining brightly on stage. “Don’t worry,” I consoled her. “Things aren’t entirely without hope.” Lily’s eyes suddenly lit up, looking at me with desperate expectation. I smiled. “I’ve notified your parents. About you being his mistress and everything. They’ll be here soon. Don’t worry, even if I don’t save you, they’d sell a kidney to save you.” Lily’s eyes widened, glaring at me with hatred. Then she screamed again: “Ava Stone, you’re not just killing me, you’re crushing my soul! You’ll die a horrible death! Hmph, *spit, spit*!” With only her head movable, Lily could only spit at me. Her aim wasn’t good enough. “Ava, please! I’m begging you!” Lily, like a madwoman, finished spitting and then burst into fresh tears. “Don’t let my parents see me like this! I’m begging you! Just kill me if you have to, but don’t let my parents come! Waaah!” I heard footsteps in the hallway. Lily froze, too scared to make a sound. *Bang!* The door opened. It wasn’t Lily’s parents. “Oh,” I remembered, “I also notified Mark’s family.” It was my ex-mother-in-law, Brenda, and a young woman, Carly, holding a six-month-old infant. I specifically pointed at the baby. “Allow me to introduce you. This is Mark’s child.” Lily looked at the baby, then burst into desperate sobs. “You animal! Mark Stone, you’re an absolute animal! You lied to me! I thought I was the mistress, but I was the fourth! You animal, you ruined me!” Carly rolled her eyes at me. Still holding the baby, she reached out and slapped Lily across the face. “What are you crying for? Where did you hide all of Mark’s money?” Lily scoffed, probably fueled by extreme hatred, and shouted defiantly: “Get lost! I’ll die before I tell you! Go dumpster diving with your child! You shameless mistress, *spit*!” After being spat on, Carly said nothing, but my ex-mother-in-law, Brenda, stepped forward. *Slap, slap, slap, slap, slap, slap, slap, slap, slap, slap!* She delivered ten resounding slaps to Lily’s face. Lily’s nose bled, her cheeks turned crimson, and she wailed in pain. “It’s… it’s with her,” Lily looked at me. I suddenly felt like testing Brenda. I spread my hands innocently. “I just asked her. Mark only transferred $100,000 to her. When we get it back, I’ll give you $50,000.” Lily’s eyes widened. She started to curse: “You bitch—Aaagh!” Just as Lily was about to insult me, Brenda grabbed her mouth, pulling her lips so hard they looked like they might reach her ears. I watched, feeling a phantom pain. It was truly brutal. “My son couldn’t have only $100,000!” Brenda began her interrogation. “His company makes millions a year, and he has a huge villa! Tell me now!” My heart turned cold. Mark had always told me his company was losing money. Turns out, everyone knew everything but me. Carly, holding her baby, kindly advised: “You might as well tell them. Mark and Ava have a marriage certificate. Mark and I have a child. You’re not going to get anything good out of this anyway.” Poor Lily was immobile, at their mercy. She cried out in pain, tears and snot streaming down her face.

*Bang!* The door opened again. “My daughter!” This time, it was Lily’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Miller. Seeing their daughter lying on the bed, being abused, the couple, both over fifty, immediately lost their minds. “You old hag, let go of her!” Mrs. Miller shoved Brenda away. Mr. Miller was furious. “You’ve harmed our daughter like this, we’re going to sue you!” Carly quickly placed the baby on the next bed, rolled up her sleeves, and shouted back at Mr. Miller: “Your daughter was mistress to my child’s father! What nerve do you have to sue? She deserves to be paralyzed! You couldn’t raise your child right in her first half of life, now you can change her diapers for fifty years in her second half! Just make sure you don’t die before her!” Those lines were toxic. But I heard them and wanted to jump up and applaud. Mr. Miller slapped Carly across the face, knocking her to the ground. “How dare you lay a hand on her? My old lady will fight you to the death!” Brenda retaliated, not to be outdone. But surprisingly, she didn’t hit Mr. Miller. Instead, she spun around and grabbed Lily’s neck. “I’ll strangle your daughter!” Lily: “…” Her eyes rolled back, and her tongue lolled out. Mrs. Miller rushed to pull Brenda off, but Brenda wouldn’t let go. Both women pulled with all their might. They dragged the quadriplegic Lily from the hospital bed onto the floor. Mr. Miller threw another punch, and Carly quickly got up to join the fray. The four of them erupted into a chaotic brawl in the hospital room. The baby, startled, began to cry. Lily, twisted on the floor like a crumpled painting, also wailed loudly. The four fought, cursed, and yelped in pain. What a spectacle. I felt like I owed them a movie ticket; these five actors were truly delivering a performance. My ex-mother-in-law, Brenda, was the worst. I don’t know if it was intentional. But during the pushing and shoving, she kept stepping on Lily’s hands, arms, and ribs. Quadriplegic Lily couldn’t feel the pain, but the damage was minor, and the humiliation was immense. That pretty face, which had once seduced men away from their homes, was now tear-streaked and as pitiful as a squashed tomato. I truly believe she genuinely regretted being Mark’s mistress.

You know, men just have more strength. My ex-mother-in-law, Brenda, was beaten black and blue, her head wrapped in bandages, lying in the hospital bed next to Lily. They lay shoulder to shoulder, both panting, but not a word between them. Lily’s parents were taken away by the police. Carly, needing to care for her baby, escaped unscathed. When she found me again, she was limping. “You’ve already retrieved Mark’s money, haven’t you?” “Yep.” “Then why did you lie earlier and get us all beaten up?” Carly’s left eye was swollen shut, looking like a bruised child’s butt on her face. I smiled. “I was just joking with the mistress. Why did you hit her?” “What right do you have to hit her?” “I was Mark’s wife. Who are you?” “What does Mark’s inheritance have to do with you?” I rattled off a string of questions, and Carly was speechless. Exactly. She kept claiming the child she held was Mark’s, but she and Mark had no direct legal relationship of inheritance. Carly was the product of my ex-mother-in-law’s wild youth, running off with some random guy. Brenda, unable to handle hardship, ran off again when Carly was five. She remarried later and then had my husband. It wasn’t until about a decade later that Brenda and Carly reconnected. Reluctantly, I guess she’s my ex-sister-in-law. “But the child I’m holding *is* Mark’s,” Carly said with a smug smile. “She and my mom both have inheritance rights.” Now this was a tricky problem. Carly inherited her mom’s excellent traditions. At a young age, she was messing around with a handsome hairdresser. When she got pregnant, they planned to get married. But as they planned, the hairdresser disappeared with his two big pairs of scissors. By then, Carly’s belly was big. Reputable doctors wouldn’t perform abortions on healthy fetuses in late-term pregnancies. She cried to Brenda, begging for money to get an abortion at a private clinic. Brenda, uncharacteristically, persuaded her to keep the baby, and demanded that the child be registered under Mark’s name. This way, the child would be saved, it wouldn’t hinder Carly from marrying a rich man later, and the child could even get official city status. Three birds with one stone? No, five birds. Brenda not only saved the abortion fee but also prevented me from getting Mark’s assets in the future. If I ever dared to stir up any trouble, she could extort child support from me again. Thinking about it, my ex-mother-in-law truly never loved either of her children; she just gave birth to two tools. At the time, I was consumed by the grief of my miscarriage. Mark tried every sweet talk to make me adopt this child. I refused point-blank. But when Carly gave birth, he secretly went to the hospital and registered the birth certificate, with “Mark Stone” written in the father’s column. A birth certificate for a child doesn’t require a marriage certificate, just the parents’ IDs. But to officially adopt the child and get them registered in our family record, that would need my approval. Mark argued and pleaded endlessly to register the child under his name. No matter how much I talked or fought, he wouldn’t budge. When the argument got heated, I blurted out: “You can take the kid and go on dates with your mistress! While you’re at it, teach her how to be a stepmom, see if she still brings you your milk!” Mark froze, then quickly pulled out his phone and called Brenda. “Mom, Ava said if this child enters our house, she’ll choke me to death! I have a meeting, goodbye!” A problem I’d argued and pleaded with him about for six months, he rejected in ten seconds, just because I mentioned the mistress. I truly never expected that one day, I’d benefit from the mistress’s presence. It was from that moment on that my heart grew cold. I started collecting all kinds of evidence of Mark’s illegal and immoral activities. Mark tried to force a divorce several times but failed, until he lost all patience, brought his mistress home to beat me up, and then got hit by a semi-truck while on the toilet.

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My wedding dress disappeared moments before the ceremony. Then I saw my mother-in-law walk out of the dressing room, wearing it. “You might be younger than me, but this dress fits my figure better. I’ll look more appropriate standing next to my son.” Her theatrics delayed our ceremony by thirty minutes. I gently pointed out how inappropriate this was, suggesting people might misunderstand their relationship. “Only dirty minds see dirt everywhere,” my mother-in-law sneered. My husband chimed in, “You’ll have children someday! Would loving your own child make you abnormal too?” Fine. Do whatever you want. I’m done playing this game. After the divorce, my ex-husband kept hounding me, begging me to come back. The wedding ceremony was set to begin at noon, but I couldn’t find my wedding dress anywhere. My cousin, Jessica, who was in charge of the gowns, was practically in tears. “I just went to the restroom for a few minutes, and it was gone!” I tried to calm her, saying maybe it was left in the wedding car or somewhere in the hotel. My mom got all our family who were there to help search. Finally, the dress was found in the dressing room. But it was on someone else. The person wearing the wedding dress was my mother-in-law, Brenda. Everyone present froze. Brenda was almost sixty this year, but she maintained a slender figure. In the wedding dress, she truly didn’t look sixty. If she had on bridal makeup, some might even mistake her for the bride. Seeing our stunned faces, Brenda twirled the skirt in front of the full-length mirror, a smug smile on her face. “I think this wedding dress suits me better. Look at this waistline, it fits me perfectly. Paired with Mark’s tailored suit, it’s an absolute match!” As she said this, her eyes in the mirror met mine. I don’t know if I was overthinking, but I saw a blatant challenge, a smirk in her eyes. My mom stepped forward, smiling. “Brenda, you really do keep yourself in great shape. But today is a big day for the kids, and the ceremony is about to start. We should let them get ready.” “Go on,” Brenda said grandly. “You don’t need to stay with me, go do what you need to do.” How could we go? The main wedding dress was still on her. It took a lot of pleading and cajoling to finally get her to take the dress off. She was clearly unhappy and her movements were rough. When the makeup artist and Jessica rushed to help me put on the dress, we found the underarm seam was ripped right open, a long, nasty tear. The scheduled ceremony time had already passed by half an hour. With no other option, we had to hastily pin it up. Just as I was about to walk down the aisle, we realized my veil was missing. There was no time to worry about it. The makeup artist quickly placed a tiara as a substitute. Ten minutes later, the stage lights dimmed, the music swelled, and I finally stood at one side of the stage with my husband, Mark. I thought the wedding dress disappearing before the ceremony was just a small hiccup. But I never imagined that in the middle of the ceremony, Brenda would pull another one of her stunts.

It was time for the parents’ speeches. The moment Brenda walked onto the stage, I gasped again. Though she wasn’t wearing a wedding dress, she had on a white cocktail dress, a semi-backless style. From afar, it absolutely looked like a bride’s outfit. And the veil I couldn’t find earlier? It was tied to her head. The entire room of guests froze, stunned into silence. But Mark was beaming at her, whispering to me, “My mom’s really showing off today, isn’t she?” I couldn’t help but frown. David, my father-in-law, began his congratulatory speech to us. Meanwhile, Brenda and Mark linked fingers, gazing lovingly into each other’s eyes. Brenda had a smile on her face, but her eyes were brimming with tears. She stared intently at Mark, even leaning her head on his shoulder. It didn’t look like the joy of a son finally getting married. It looked more like a mother heartbroken her son was about to jump into a fiery pit. Mark responded to Brenda’s gaze with a gentle expression, and when her tears slowly streamed down, he gently raised his hand to wipe them away. The mother and son were so engrossed in each other that they didn’t even notice David had finished speaking. Hundreds of guests in the ballroom wore expressions of utter disbelief, as if silently asking, “What did I just witness?” But those two were completely oblivious. I felt absolutely sick to my stomach. I knew Mark and his mom were close. Three SnapChat video calls a day were the bare minimum. Besides reminding Mark about his daily clothes, food, and travel, Brenda would specifically warn him against briefs, Coca-Cola, even tofu and celery, claiming they were “bad for a man’s… vitality.” But at the same time, she’d also lecture him to “stay strong, don’t let ‘loose’ girls corrupt his purity,” even if he had a girlfriend. When they video called at night, they’d even be barely dressed, fresh out of the shower. The first time I learned about their conversations, I was so shocked I couldn’t speak. There’s a saying: a daughter should avoid her father’s direct presence as she grows, and a son his mother’s. It’s about respecting boundaries. After I turned ten, my dad always knocked before entering my room. If he had something specific to tell me, he’d ask my mom to do it. He wouldn’t even walk around shirtless at home in the summer; if I was home, he’d at least wear a sleeveless undershirt. Was Mark and his mom’s relationship just too close? Yet, if his mom wasn’t involved, Mark was the perfect boyfriend, the ideal future husband. He’d take me to the doctor when I had a cold, instead of just saying “drink more hot water.” He’d make me ginger-brown sugar tea for period cramps and even took me to an acupuncturist. He was always so calm, never once got mad or upset with me, no matter what happened. Beyond that, he was hardworking and steadily advancing in his career. Everyone said I’d found a great man and could confidently marry him. Brenda and we didn’t live in the same city, so we didn’t see each other much before, and wouldn’t live together in the future. My concerns were minimal. But now, seeing Brenda’s actions and her interactions with Mark firsthand, I couldn’t deny it: a knot formed in my stomach.

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