The first month of my marriage, a girl slid into my DMs claiming to be a victim. She flooded my inbox with the screenshots of her chats with my husband and intimate photos, advising me to dump the scumbag as soon as possible. Two weeks later, I found them both in our home. The girl was clutching his arm, acting like she was doing me a huge favor. “Don’t worry. I’m taking out the trash for you,” she announced. “You’re welcome.” … It was our one-month wedding anniversary. I carried a cake home, ready to surprise my husband Blake. I’d just finished setting up the candlelit dinner when my phone buzzed. A text from Blake, “Cassie, Mom took a fall. Heading over there now.” “But, do you know what day it is today?” I typed, but deleted it before sending. My intended accusatory tone changed to. “Is your mom okay? Do you need me to come and check on her?” “No need, just look after the store.” To play the part of a perfect, understanding wife, I ate the small cake alone and cleaned up the house. As I was getting ready for bed, my phone screen suddenly lit up. A strange girl was requesting to add me as a friend. Her profile picture was a serene, gentle-looking girl with long hair, holding a cat. “Who is this?” I asked first, not liking strangers in my contacts list. “I’m Blake Harrison’s girlfriend, and I have something to tell you.” How could Blake, a married man, possibly have a girlfriend? Curiosity piqued, I accepted her friend request. “I saw your contact info on Blake’s phone, and I’m adding you to tell you that you should get away from him as soon as possible. He’s been two-timing you behind your back, and I only just found out. I’ve been fooled by him too,” the girl got straight to the point. I tried to keep my voice steady. “What’s your name?” “Amber Jones. You’ve probably never heard of me, just like I never knew about you, or even that you two were married.” Her words instantly piqued my interest. So, she was his long-term girlfriend from his hometown? Amber then sent me a long chat history. Apparently, she knew that my husband had quit his job and started an escape room business. She also knew about his family background and members. She even knew his computer and phone passwords. … We kept cross-referencing information, and I realized Blake had been juggling his schedule to chat with her, sharing everything. I was sure Blake was hiding something from me, and this girl was no ordinary person either. Blake used to tell me he wanted to give each other private space after dating and marriage, claiming that trust was the foundation of a lasting relationship. So all along, it wasn’t about building trust for our marriage, was it? It was just to make it easier to contact his mistress! What a manipulative jerk! Before I could even process the existing information, Amber sent another intimate photo. She was nestled in Blake’s arm, just like the docile cat in her profile picture. The image on my phone flickered on and off, burning into my eyes, making them ache. My vision blurred, and tears streamed down my face. According to Amber, they had been together for many years. Could it be that I was the other woman? Blake came home the next afternoon. “You’re back so early? Is your mom okay?” I asked casually, pretending nothing had happened. His eyes darted to the right, a hint of guilt in his voice, “Yeah, it wasn’t serious, so I came back. The store just started making a profit, and now is a crucial time.” “Do you know Amber Jones?” I decided to lay it all out there. Blake paused, then chuckled, “Amber? No, I don’t think so. Why?” “Amber added me, and she said she’s your girlfriend.” I fiddled with the paintbrush in my hand, trying to keep my emotions in check. “Oh, her! I almost forgot. She’s my ex-girlfriend, yes. But we haven’t seen each other in ages. Why would she suddenly add you?” I didn’t answer, and Blake got anxious, adding. “She’s a bit intense and tends to exaggerate. I broke up with her ages ago, but she’s always clung to me. You have to believe me, Cassie. I’m a married man now.” He came over and put his arms around my waist, his breath warm on my neck, making me deeply uncomfortable. “I’ll play along for now. But if you’re playing games, you’ll regret it, Blake.” I turned to face him, staring into his eyes.

He must’ve had a guilty conscience because, after I agreed, Blake immediately went into the kitchen, fussing over the seafood he’d brought from his hometown, saying he’d make me a gourmet shrimp dish. I couldn’t just blurt out everything Amber told me. After all, I still couldn’t tell how much of her story was true or false, or how much truth this man in front of me was hiding. Chat logs could be faked, pictures could be Photoshopped. So, I decided to keep observing, to see how many more secrets Blake was keeping from me, and what they were truly up to. But in the following days, the more attentive and affectionate Blake became, the more uneasy I felt. After Amber intruded into my life, I often couldn’t sleep a wink. My mind replayed all the memories of how Blake and I first got together. During my senior year of college, I worked part-time as an NPC at the most popular escape room venue in town, often playing ugly ghost roles because they paid better. One time, I spent two hours on my makeup and put on a big red dress. A couple entered the game. After I dramatically appeared in the mirror, my job was to chase them to prevent them from completing their tasks. The girl was terrified and just sat on the floor, throwing a tantrum and refusing to play. Since my task wasn’t done, I continued to pretend to scare them. The boyfriend got angry, came up and slapped me across the face, glaring at me like he was avenging his girlfriend. That’s when Blake appeared. He stopped the player and even slapped the guy back. “If you can’t handle the game, don’t play. What kind of person bullies an NPC? Where are your manners?” After that, I added Blake on SnapChat, and we naturally became friends. He was five years older than me. After getting a job as a programmer at a major tech company, he was never satisfied with the status quo and always wanted to open his own escape room business. We talked about everything, and naturally, we became a couple. He used his savings and took out a bank loan to successfully open “The Labyrinth Escape.” To help Blake, I even considered going home and swallowing my pride to ask my parents for money, but he said having me brainstorm ideas and design things was enough. When I was applying for colleges, my parents secretly logged into my account and changed my design major to business administration, calling it “preparing me to run the family hotel someday.” Later, I pursued a double major in management and design in college but never took a dime from my family. I even snuck off to get married to Blake, taking my documents without their knowledge. Memories flashed through my mind, making it impossible to sleep. When I went to the living room for a glass of water, I saw Blake’s tablet on the table. I tried the password Amber had given me, and it unlocked easily. Once unlocked, I found Blake’s SnapChat still open. There was a pinned conversation, and the profile picture was identical to Amber’s. The SnapChat username was “Sweet Pea,” but Blake had saved her as “My Kitten.” Blake and Amber didn’t chat constantly, but he confided in her about all the major things. Juggling his wife and his girlfriend – turns out my own husband was a real time management guru. Learning of Blake’s lies, my hands clenched into fists.

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My fiancée’ s childhood best friend had tested me three times. The first time, when my fiancée Valerie was sick with a cold, he hid razor blades in my shoe. The blades cut deep into my soles, yet he made me deliver her medicine through the pain. He called it a test of whether my love could overcome any hardship. The second time, on our fifth anniversary, as I left work two hours early to cook, he sprinkled itching powder into my kitchen apron. By the time I finished dinner, I was covered in itchy welts. He laughed, claiming it was to prove my true intentions. Third time, when I returned exhausted from a two-week business trip, Valerie prepared a heartwarming bowl of noodles for me. Only he’d stirred two live earthworms into the broth. He smugly left a message, saying this was to test if I can swallow the bitterness of love without turning violent. Valerie always gently reminded me. “Derek used his college fund to cover my mom’ s surgery back then, which is why he couldn’t t study abroad.” “Even while we were living overseas these past few years, he was the one taking care of my mom in the nursing home.” “He made such a huge sacrifice for me, but in the end, I’ m marrying you. His heart is just broken. Please try to understand.” But what Valerie never knew was that the third test would turn her wedding into a funeral. …

“Caleb, what are these worms doing in the noodles Valerie cooked for you?” The earthworms floated on the surface of the soup. My mother-in-law, kneeling on the floor, gagged and asked, her voice laced with fury. Mom had quietly returned from the nursing home today, intending to surprise Valerie. But Valerie wasn’t home. On the table sat only a bowl of noodles, specially left for me. Mom was starving after her long journey and decided to eat something first. But with her first bite, she pulled out two slimy, half-cooked earthworms! Suddenly, Derek’s voice boomed from the living room’ s Bluetooth speaker. “Caleb, how do the worms taste?” “This is your third test.” “A little reminder that love has its bitter moments; it’s not always sweet!” Mom’ s body trembled with anger. “Derek put the worms in? What in the world is going on!” I forced a bitter smile. “Valerie said he paid for your surgery with his college fund and then took care of you.” “He loves Valerie, but she’s marrying me.” “So she allows him to vent his emotions like this.” Mom’ s voice hitched. “Nonsense!” “Derek gambled that money all away himself! What does that have to do with me!” “Caleb, call Valerie. Tell her to come home right now!” I called Valerie, but she never picked up. The atmosphere in the living room abruptly turned heavy. It was already late at night. Her being out so late was one thing. But now her phone was unreachable, as if she’d completely vanished. Mom’ s face was grim. Finally, after I’ d dialed her number ten times or so. A highly impatient voice answered from the other end. “Caleb, I let Derek put the worms in your noodles!” “Last time, he just came home to help me grab some clothes, and you beat him black and blue.” “This is a test, and it’s also a punishment!” I froze, disbelief washing over me. Last time, her childhood friend was clearly up to no good, installing a pinhole camera in my and Valerie’ s bedroom. I caught him. I couldn’t hold back anymore and taught him a lesson. But I certainly didn’t beat him black and blue. Before I could explain, Valerie rudely cut me off. “Enough! Are you going to say he was secretly filming again?” “Are you just slandering Derek because you’re jealous?!” “I’ve told you countless times, he’s been taking care of my mom, he’s done so much for us. So what if he tests you a few times?” “Do you really have to be so petty and hit him!” I’m an orphan. Mom had funded my education and taken great care of me in my past, she was like a second mother to me. So, whenever Valerie used Derek’ s ‘sacrifice’ as a reason to shut me down, I chose to endure it. But just now, Mom had told me the truth. Derek was a gambler! He never paid for Mom’s surgery. He gambled all his money away! I was about to tell Valerie the truth. But she didn’t give me any chance to speak, immediately hanging up the phone. Mom’s face beside me turned grim. “This is ridiculous! Absolutely ridiculous!”

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Eight months pregnant, my husband kicked me out of the house. My husband shamed me for quitting my career – the one I’d earned with my master’s degree – after I got pregnant. He accused me of doing nothing but lying around on my phone all day. “What kind of mother will you be if this is the example you set?” “I’m helping you get back to your career, helping you find your worth again.” Then he posted a photo of my retreating back, suitcase in hand. Caption, “Helping my wife get back into the workforce!” Comments poured in. “A husband who supports female independence is a good husband.” I tried to explain that severe anemia during pregnancy made it impossible to work. My doctor had ordered bed rest. But he posted a prenatal check-up report, showing everything was normal. Netizens called me “a lazy liar,” “a manipulative gold-digger.” No company dared to hire an eight-month pregnant woman. I could only find a temporary cleaning job, hoping to survive until my due date. Then one day, while mopping a restroom floor, my anemia finally took me. I collapsed headfirst against the toilet rim. Blood painted the tiles – two lives, gone in an instant. When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the moment he locked me out. He smiled encouragingly, “Sera, as long as you work for a full month, I’ll immediately take you to a postpartum care center!” I smiled and nodded. As soon as he closed the door, I hailed a cab and went straight back to my parents’ place. You don’t want me to be a housewife? Then you, this gold-digging freeloader who’s been feeding from my family’s pocket all these years, won’t taste another crumb.

My eyes fluttered open again. Brandon was bending over, packing my suitcase. His sister, Chloe who graduated from college two years ago and was still freeloading off our family, was sitting on the imported Italian leather sofa I’d air-freighted myself, snapping gum and scrolling through her phone, utterly engrossed in the drama. Seeing me standing there frozen, Brandon frowned and said impatiently. “I’m just asking you to go out and work for a month, do you really have to be so dramatic?” “Didn’t you always say you were an independent woman? You even skipped my parents’ birthday dinner just to close a deal back then.” “Now I’m helping you get back into your career, and you’re giving me attitude?” Chloe chuckled, adding snidely. “Exactly, Sera, you’re a Master’s degree holder from a top-tier university. Yet you’re not even half as mature or independent as Bethany. All that education, wasted.” Bethany, the housekeeper, walked over, pregnant belly protruding, carrying a cup of coffee. She smiled sweetly, handing it to Brandon, and gently linked arms with him, Her voice as soft as honey. “How can I compare to Seraphina? Seraphina has been pampered and spoiled her whole life, and married a good husband like you. She’s destined for a life of luxury.” She lowered her head, sighing lightly. “Unlike me, growing up in the countryside, learned hardship young. How could I ever feel at ease enjoying a comfortable life?” “Look at me now, seven, eight months pregnant, and still working to make ends meet.” At this, she looked up again, a fake smile on her face. “Oh, Brandon, don’t push Seraphina too hard. If she doesn’t want to go to work, then so be it. After all-you’re earning all the money.” Bethany’s words only added fuel to the fire. Brandon’s face instantly darkened. He turned and pushed me, along with my luggage, out the door. “Just because I’m from the countryside, does that mean I should suffer and support a family my whole life?” “You’re my wife, you’re supposed to build a life with me, through thick and thin, not find a servant to work for you while you eat, drink, and have fun!” He roared furiously. “The baby’s coming soon, how will you set an example for them like this? I have to cure you of this dramatic behavior before the baby’s born!” With that, he rummaged through my purse, pulled out my bank card, and sneered. “If you want to be independent, then you can’t use my money. Use your own salary card to support yourself.” “Didn’t you used to earn a lot? The money in your card should be enough for a month’s living expenses, right?” “Don’t tell me your card’s empty, and you’ve blown it all.” I clutched the bank card he’d tossed at me, and a flash of my past life crossed my mind. Back then, I was so angry I burst into tears, threw the card back at him, and we had a huge fight. The savings in that card had already been moved by him to gather the wedding funds. It was already empty. But all I got in return was Brandon’s cold sneer. He snapped the bank card in half right in front of me and said coldly. “The wedding funds were for you, weren’t they? Didn’t you say you’re a modern, independent woman? The wedding funds were just a formality, to stay with our family?” “What, you can’t come up with any money now? As expected, you just took all my hard-earned money to spoil your parents!” The words fell, and with a “bang,” he slammed the door shut. “You want money? Go ask your parents for it!”

I dragged my suitcase, penniless, and I didn’t even have my phone. Gritting my teeth, I walked over ten miles, desperately stopping strangers to borrow a phone to call my parents. But everyone I met either thought I was a scammer or looked at me with contempt. “Your husband already posted a video, saying you quit your job after marriage and did nothing at home.” “He’s trying to help you regain independence, giving you money to work for a month.” “And you? Instead of looking for a job, you’re trying to run back to your parents to complain?” I froze, my heart turning to ice. Only then did I realize that as soon as I was kicked out, Brandon had already posted an update on a local social media platform. The title was. “Can’t bear to see my powerhouse career woman wife turn into an entitled gold-digger. I gave her all the wedding funds, just hoping she’d go out and find a job to learn independence.” Below was a photo. My back, holding a suitcase, walking out of the house. I quickly explained that he hadn’t given me any money, and I was penniless. I resigned because I was unwell, and the doctor required bed rest, otherwise, I’d miscarry. I begged netizens to help me clarify and contact my parents. But before I could reach my parents, Brandon beat me to it. He posted another “prenatal check-up report” online. It stated, “Healthy, doctor recommends ‘more exercise, avoid prolonged sitting at home’.” He even attached a video clip. In the footage, he handed me a bank card, smiling, and said. “Sera, all the wedding funds are right here.” I trembled with anger. That prenatal check-up report wasn’t mine at all, and that video- He secretly filmed it when he first asked me to help him raise money! He ended up taking that card back, saying he wanted to personally give it to my parents. I still wanted to explain, but the comments section was already completely biased. The internet was flooded with insults, calling me a liar, an entitled gold-digger, saying I was ungrateful. Netizens contemptuously pushed me away, walking off without a backward glance. With nowhere to turn for help, I could only grit my teeth and look for a job, Thinking I’d earn some money, at least for a place to stay. But no company would hire a woman eight months pregnant. Finally, I found a cleaning job at a hotel. But I didn’t last a day. While mopping the bathroom, due to severe anemia, I collapsed by the cold toilet. Blood flowed everywhere-Two lives, gone. But this time, I wouldn’t engage in any useless arguments with him. I calmly gathered all my documents and bank cards, and made sure my phone was in hand. Turning, I saw Chloe’s gloating expression. I sneered, pointing at her. “You think I need to be independent, so you want to kick me out to find a job? Fine.” “Then you, who’s been unemployed for two years, eating my food and drinking my drinks, should also get out and find a job.” As soon as my words fell, Chloe’s face instantly twisted. She immediately jumped up and shouted. “What does it have to do with me?! I spend my brother’s money, what business is it of yours? My brother hasn’t said anything, who are you to tell me what to do!” I spoke directly. “This house was bought by me before marriage; your brother’s name was only added after we got married.” “The money your brother spends on you is also community property. Every penny you spend, half of it is mine.” “Didn’t you say you wanted independence? I, an eight-month pregnant woman, am being forced to be independent, So why are you, a college graduate with hands and feet, still lying around at home?” “Now, get the hell out!”

Before I could finish, a sharp slap landed heavily on my face. I froze, looking disbelievingly at Brandon. He was panting heavily, gritting his teeth, and said. “Enough! How dare you kick my sister out?” “You’re married to me now! This house is mine!” “My house, my money, I can spend it on whoever I want!” “You’re just a useless freeloader, who are you to tell me what to do with my money?” He said, pushing me out the door. “Get out! I was originally planning to take you back in a month. But now I regret it! You can only come back when you apologize to my sister. Don’t you dare show your face until she’s forgiven you!” Bethany feigned concern behind him. “Oh Brandon, don’t be angry, Seraphina just doesn’t know any better.” “But her ideas are indeed too selfish. You need to teach her properly, Otherwise, she’ll take all your money to spoil her family later on.” Chloe, who had been furious, now saw the red slap mark on my face. A hint of triumph flashed in her eyes. She pulled out her phone and recorded a voice message. “LOL, my high-and-mighty sister-in-law wanted to lecture me?” “She needs to realize who calls the shots in this house. My brother slapped her and she immediately shut up. Indeed, a wife needs to be beaten into submission. Otherwise, she’ll never listen.” I stared back with ice in my gaze. Empty-handed, I pocketed only my phone and ID. Then I turned and walked away without a word. A few taps on my phone, and I’d taken out a quick cash loan. I booked the next flight home—one way, same-day departure. Before sunset, I was already in the air. Fine, you want me to be an independent woman? Then you won’t be a kept man who’s been living off my family, anymore.

I went to the hospital and got a medical report for the assault, just for the record. By the time I boarded the plane, it was already dark. After landing, I covered my bruises and knocked on my parents’ door. Mom opened the door. When she saw me, she was first surprised, Then asked with concern. “Why are you back so suddenly? Did Brandon bully you?” Dad hugged me, only saying in a deep voice, “Eat first.” In just half an hour, Mom, Dad, and the housekeeper prepared a table full of dishes. Every single one is a dish I’ve loved since I was a child. Seeing that table full of steaming food, my eyes stung. For a moment, I thought I might break down right there. I told them everything. When I finished, my father slammed his hand on the table, his voice shaking with anger. “Bullshit! We never asked him for any wedding funds!” “He claimed he had it all ready, and we even told him to keep it. We never even saw a glimpse of that bank card!” I stood there stunned. Because Brandon had clearly told me that he personally handed the wedding funds to my parents. And he even held me, looking desolate, saying that the money put a lot of pressure on his family, And his parents were exhausted, making him feel unfilial. I believed him then. To lessen his burden, I voluntarily worked overtime to secure a project bonus worth hundreds of thousands. And because of that, I missed his parents’ birthday dinner. At that time, I even specifically transferred him ten thousand dollars as a gift, just for his parents. I clenched my fists. Brandon, I will never let you off the hook again. Dad slammed the table again, gritting his teeth. “Eat first, rest tonight. Tomorrow, Dad will go there and get justice for you!” That night, I slept incredibly soundly. The long-lost relaxation and sense of security made me feel lighter. The next morning, my dad, with a convoy of cars and a team of bodyguards, headed straight for my house just as dawn broke. At the door, the password had been changed. Without a word, my dad had the bodyguards kick the door open. Chloe jumped up from the sofa, startled. When she saw my parents and me walk in, her face twisted, and she pointed at me, screaming obscenities. “You bitch! You think running to your parents will save you?!” “You’re married to my brother, you’re part of our family now.” ‘My brother can do whatever he wants to you! If he slaps you, you take it. If he beats you so bad you lose that baby, you had it coming!” At her words, my parents’ faces instantly darkened. Mom walked over, her eyes red, and tenderly touched my face. Her fingertips brushing the spot I’d covered with concealer, tears welling up. “My child, why didn’t you tell us?” Dad’s face turned completely grim, and he said coldly. “Go, invite our ‘master of the house’ kept man back here.” Chloe tried to say something else, but the bodyguards had already stepped forward, grabbing her and pinning her to the floor like a rag doll. Chloe’s face was pale, and she dared not make another sound. Just then, Bethany walked in, carrying several large bags of luxury goods. The moment she saw me, she froze. Our eyes met, and a trace of panic flashed across her face. She instinctively used her bags to shield the jewelry and accessories she’d taken from my safe. I was also stunned. In just one night, she had transformed from her simple self to being decked out in flashy, expensive clothes. I demanded angrily, “Who gave you permission to touch my things? Take them off immediately!” Hearing my words, the bodyguards immediately stepped forward. Bethany immediately clutched her belly and shrieked. “Don’t touch me! I’m pregnant!” She cried, looking at me and my parents, shouting hysterically. “Ms. Seraphina, what are you doing? What kind of woman brings her family to make a scene? Aren’t you ashamed?! Besides, all these things were bought for you by Brandon.” “He said I could use them if I wanted! Even if you’re jealous, you shouldn’t disregard Brandon’s wishes!” My parents were trembling with anger. Dad sneered, pointing at the luxury items on her. “Only a black card could buy these things! Brandon, a poor kid from the countryside, where would he get the money to buy these?” “Take them off her! If you don’t, I’ll call the police and accuse you of theft! Tens of millions of dollars’ worth of items, you’ll be facing a lifetime in prison!” Hearing this, Bethany was too scared to cry out anymore. She could only sob as the bodyguards took off the items one by one. Just then, Brandon was escorted in by the bodyguards. His face was pale, his clothes disheveled. Bethany rushed over, crying, and embraced him, pleading. “Brandon, say something! Seraphina misunderstood our relationship and insisted on calling her parents to make a scene… Those people snatched the jewelry and even tried to tear my clothes…” But Brandon completely ignored her. He forced a smile, fawning over my parents. “Mom, Dad, why are you here? Why didn’t you tell me in advance? I would have picked you up! Look, they even came to my company for me, and I couldn’t even sign my contract.” My dad snorted coldly, “Sign what contract? I’m pulling all future funding I promised you. Even if you sign the contract, you won’t have the money to push it forward.” Brandon’s face instantly changed. His voice trembled, “Dad, you can’t do that! If you pull the funding, my company will collapse! I have so many orders waiting for capital turnover!” “What does that have to do with me?” My dad’s voice was as cold as a knife. “If you could make my daughter happy, I would naturally support you. But now, you can’t even do that.” “Your company, whether it lives or dies, what does that have to do with us?” Brandon panicked, quickly rushed to my side, Grabbed my hand, his voice pleading. “Sera, I just wanted you to be more independent! Before we got married, you told me that even after marriage, you wouldn’t lose yourself.” “I didn’t want you to become that kind of entitled gold-digger, I was really doing it for your own good!”

My dad sneered, “Her health was poor during pregnancy; she needed rest, which is why she stopped working.” “Not only were you not grateful, but you also resented her for not being independent?” “Let me tell you, our family’s money will all be left to my daughter. She could not work her entire life, and I could still support her.” “Whether she’s independent or not is her own business; it’s not for you to decide!” “Didn’t you always say you wanted to be independent? Fine, then you be independent first!” “You call yourself self-made? Every ounce of success you have came from my family’s money. How dare you stand there and lecture me about independence?” “The funding stops now.” “You didn’t pay a single cent for this house. Now you, your freeloading sister and your precious little housekeeper, all of you get out!” As soon as his words fell, Brandon dropped to his knees in front of me, clutching my legs. Tears streaming down his face. “I was wrong… Wife, I was truly wrong…I was confused, I was just anxious and made such a terrible mistake. Please, for the sake of how good I used to be to you, please forgive me.” Brandon wasn’t wrong, he really was good to me in the past. Back then, he would pick me up and drop me off every day, worried it wasn’t safe for me to go home too late. Whenever we argued, he was always the first to back down and console me. On his birthday, he even made a wish, saying he would make me happy for his entire life. It was precisely because his love gave me such confidence that I plunged into it without hesitation, disregarding his family background and marrying him despite his humble origins. But then I thought of my past life, falling headfirst into a pool of blood, a searing pain in my belly, amniotic fluid gushing everywhere. I struggled to get up and call for help, only to bump into Brandon and a flashily dressed Bethany, coming to the hotel for dinner. I cried out to Brandon, “Brandon, save me, the baby’s coming.” Brandon frowned, his face filled with disgust, and said. “Who’s this dirty beggar? She peed all over the floor, how disgusting. Security, get her out of here!” They left me behind without a second glance. Bethany, still clinging to him, simpered, “You didn’t give Seraphina a single cent, and you just kicked her out. Aren’t you worried?” Brandon sneered. “Worried about her? She’s got a princess complex. If it weren’t for her rich family helping my business, I wouldn’t have stooped so low to woo her for so long. Now that she’s married to me, I need to teach her some manners, let her suffer a bit. That way, when I finally take her back, she’ll be obedient.” Now, seeing Brandon’s expression of feigned regret, I knew it was all an act. If I forgave him this time, he would just find other ways to torment me. I looked at him coldly, without a trace of hesitation in my heart. He knelt on the floor, tears streaming down his face, clutching my hand. “Sera, believe me, I really didn’t mean it, I just wanted you to be better.” Seeing that I remained silent, my dad nodded and said. “Get them out of here.” The bodyguards immediately stepped forward. Brandon panicked, desperately clutching my leg, his voice trembling. “Sera! Don’t make me leave, I really made a mistake, I’ll change, okay?!” I spoke up, “Wait a moment.” He immediately looked up, hope rekindling in his eyes. “Sera, I knew you still cared about me.” Just as his words fell, I raised my hand and slapped him hard across the face. Smack-the sound was crisp and loud. I used all my strength. Brandon froze, looking at me in shock. I pointed at him and said. “Delete everything you posted on that local social media platform immediately, and come with me to the divorce registry now!” “Otherwise, I’ll have my parents completely destroy your company!” Brandon stared at me, his lips trembling. “Sera, don’t do this, we still have a child…” I interrupted him coldly. “The child is mine. From now on, they have nothing to do with you.” My dad snorted. “What are you waiting for? Do as my daughter says!” Brandon had no choice but to follow me to get the divorce. Before leaving, he looked at me with a pained expression and said. “I know I made a mistake, and I will use time to prove that I’ve learned from it.” “I hope you’ll give me another chance to pursue you again.” “I looked at him, said nothing, and just turned to leave.” He truly seemed to have turned over a new leaf, realizing his problems, and even dragged Chloe to apologize to me. He also continuously sent many expensive gifts and flowers. But I had them all sent back; the flowers went straight into the trash. Brandon then constantly posted public declarations of love for me on the local social media platform, saying that he was too chauvinistic, hurting his wife, and that he wanted to win her back. But I couldn’t be bothered with him.

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The company was thrown into disarray because of that troublemaker, Chloe. My husband, Derek, not only stopped me from firing her but demanded I pay her compensation for emotional distress. “She already has mental health issues, and she’s a divorced single mom. Don’t add more pressure to her.” “If you ask me, give her three million as compensation, and a long vacation. It would really show your generosity as a leader.” I stared at Derek, utterly disbelieving. If Chloe hadn’t used a baby bottle to serve a client during a meeting, the company wouldn’t have been targeted and plunged into this crisis. Watching her hide behind Derek, I sneered, “Anyone would think she’s your wife, not your employee.” “Since you’re so keen on protecting her, then get out of my company, both of you!” “And sign the divorce papers in the cabinet on your way out. My company doesn’t need imbeciles like you two.” My words had barely left my lips. Derek stood up, aghast. “How can you be so heartless? I’m just being empathetic to an employee, and you want to divorce me?” “The company’s in trouble, and instead of figuring out a solution, you’re picking on an employee. Victoria, do you even act like a boss anymore?” Watching his self-righteous display, I found it both laughable and pathetic. “Derek, you’ve probably forgotten that everything you have now, I gave you.” “You’re protecting Chloe so fiercely. Could it be there’s something shady going on between you two?” I was raised from childhood to be an heiress. Derek was just a man my father brought into our family business to assist me as my husband. I’d made it clear from the start that I didn’t want Chloe hired. She had a knack for stirring up trouble. Others would be working overtime on proposals, and she’d accidentally unplug the server. When asked to submit a plan, she’d claim her baby had a “rumbling tummy” and needed her. What was even more infuriating was when she put sick cats and dogs in the communal food storage area, leading to the entire staff being rushed to the emergency room. There was no way I was keeping an employee like that. But last month, while I was on a business trip overseas, Derek bypassed HR and shoved her into the client relations department. And then that troublemaker used a baby bottle to entertain an important client, successfully bringing disaster down on the company. Derek not only refused to fire her but demanded I pay her a hefty compensation. He was truly insane. “Victoria, how could you say such a thing?” Derek’s face flushed crimson, his shouting voice growing weaker. “We’re husband and wife! This company is our shared effort…” “Shared effort?” I cut him off, a cold laugh escaping my lips. “Don’t flatter yourself. Without the Albrights, you, Derek, would probably be couch-surfing or struggling on the streets somewhere…” Before I could finish, Chloe, who was hiding behind Derek, suddenly burst into tears. “It’s all my fault! I’m so sorry! I shouldn’t have caused trouble for the company, and I shouldn’t have made Mr. Johnson uncomfortable… Ms. Albright, Mr. Johnson is just too kind. Our relationship is completely innocent. Please don’t be angry, and please don’t argue with Mr. Johnson because of me…” As she spoke, she suddenly pushed Derek away and dashed towards the office’s floor-to-ceiling window. Chloe braced her hands on the windowsill, turning to look at us, her eyes bloodshot. “If my death can calm everything down, if it can help the company through this crisis, if it can make you two reconcile, then… then I’ll just die!” Derek’s face went ashen, and he exclaimed, “Chloe! Don’t do anything rash!” He rushed forward, pulled her down from the window ledge, and glared at me fiercely. “Victoria, Chloe just used a baby bottle to pour some water for a client, right? A baby bottle isn’t dirty. How hard is it for a divorced single mother with a child? Can’t you show some understanding?” “You’re not infertile yourself, are you, so you can’t stand to see anyone else doing well? Victoria, when did you become so vicious?” I raised an eyebrow, watching him flail desperately, my eyes full of scorn. “But I distinctly remember that it was *you* who got a vasectomy years ago. What do you mean *I* can’t have children?”

At my words, Derek’s arms, wrapped around Chloe, stiffened. The venomous look in his eyes instantly dissolved into panic. “Victoria! You… how could you bring up our private matters in front of everyone?! Are you insane?” I sneered, a chill seeping into my heart. He was the one who proposed it back then, to make me feel secure enough, that’s why he had the vasectomy. Watching his frantic rush to protect Chloe, I asked, “You didn’t tell her, did you? What, afraid she’d find out and wouldn’t like you anymore?” Chloe cried, stepping forward to grab my arm and explain, “Ms. Albright, I’ve already proven that Mr. Johnson and I have a completely innocent relationship. Why won’t you believe us?” “And how can you mock Mr. Johnson like that? Even if Mr. Johnson can’t have children, he’s still so decisive and efficient! If I were his wife, I’d never mock him like you do!” I shoved her away in disgust. I hadn’t used much force, but she tumbled to the ground. And she dragged me down with her. A sharp pain shot through my knee. I was about to demand an explanation when I saw Derek frantically shield Chloe’s stomach. Catching my gaze, Derek abruptly pulled his hand back. I gave a self-mocking laugh, staggering to my feet. He frowned as he watched me limp on my injured leg. The leg injury was from saving him. Back then, he was young, reckless, and always getting into trouble. I was kidnapped by his enemies, and the tendons in my leg were severed, leaving me paralyzed for a year. It was also because of that incident that he had the vasectomy. Derek reached out to help me, but I swatted his hand away. He looked displeased, then forcefully scooped me up and placed me on the sofa. “How long are you going to keep this up?” He pulled up my pant leg, looking at my seemingly uninjured leg, and sneered, “I knew it. I distinctly remember it healed ages ago, so how could it still hurt? Just stop pretending.” “Victoria, when did you become so petty and calculating?” Hearing his words, my heart completely died. Even if the skin on my leg showed no outward damage, inside it was riddled with scars. “Is Chloe’s child yours?” I asked directly what was on my mind. It wasn’t that I was being suspicious without cause. During the year I was recovering, Derek initially stayed by my side, consumed by guilt. But later, he started using the excuse of being busy with work to stay out all night. I looked at the pearl necklace around Chloe’s neck. Derek had paid a high price for it at an auction. I thought it was a holiday gift for me. But now it was on Chloe. Perhaps during that year I was recovering, he fell in love with Chloe and had a child with her. And the vasectomy was just a smokescreen. Derek looked at me, his face pale. “What nonsense are you talking about? Fine, I don’t have to keep her, I’ll just fire her…” Before he could finish, Chloe screamed, clutching her stomach. Seeing this, Derek scooped her up without another word and rushed out. I shook my head with a sarcastic smile and called my father. “Dad, Derek is tainted. Cancel all the company shares we were going to give him…” Before I could finish, I was suddenly struck from behind and everything went black.

When I woke up, I was tied up in an abandoned factory. The throbbing pain in the back of my head hadn’t subsided when one of the kidnappers inserted a needle into my finger. I wanted to scream from the pain, but my mouth was gagged. Just as the second needle was about to pierce my skin, a voice came from the shadows: “Stop.” I instantly looked up. Even though the person was masked and using a voice changer, I recognized him as Derek. He walked up to me, his exposed brows furrowing slightly when he saw the blood on my hand. But he quickly turned his back, clenching his fist as he spoke, “This is a small price for a boss with no empathy like you. Don’t forget where you came from.” So, he kidnapped me to get back at me for Chloe. Derek really had fallen for Chloe. But he forgot that everything he had was because of me. I pressed the emergency button on my wrist. In less than ten minutes, my exclusive security team would track my location. Just then, Derek’s phone rang. Chloe’s soft voice came through: “Derek, why does this bracelet you gave me keep beeping? It’s so annoying… Please come back, I’m scared…” Derek abruptly hung up, instinctively looking at me, then delivered a forceful blow, knocking me unconscious. My consciousness slowly faded. I never imagined Derek would secretly give my security bracelet to Chloe. When I woke up, I was back in the hospital. Derek sat by my bed, a solemn expression on his face as he held a bowl of porridge. The moment he saw my eyes open, he leaned closer. I turned my head, avoiding his hand, but he continued to scoop a spoonful to my lips. “Chloe had a miscarriage. The doctor said it was due to the stress you caused yesterday, combined with her hard work for the company…” Hearing his words, I slapped him across the face. He stared at me, a flicker of surprise in his eyes, which quickly darkened. “You can hit me or yell at me all you want, but Victoria, Chloe is so delicate. How could you unleash your nasty, overbearing side on her?” “Get out.” I gritted my teeth, hating him. Not exposing his kidnapping me immediately was a huge act of grace, yet he dared to blame me? He had no idea what he was doing. As Derek was about to say something more, my phone suddenly rang. He saw that it was my father calling and instinctively snatched the phone. “What are you complaining to Dad about now?” I sneered but didn’t stop him. Just as the call was about to connect, Derek’s phone in his pocket rang, and Chloe’s sweet voice came through. “Mr. Johnson, why aren’t you back yet? My stomach hurts so much…” Derek patiently soothed the person on the phone, then turned to me, his face full of reproach. “I’ll explain everything to Dad. You’re the one who was being stubborn and spiteful first, so don’t think you can play the victim.” With that, he hurriedly left the hospital room. I rolled my eyes and answered my father’s call. “My dear daughter, I’ve looked into everything. However, I’m still going to proceed with the press conference for the equity transfer.” I was confused and about to ask my father why, when he sent me a video. After watching the video, I immediately understood my father’s intention and nodded in agreement. As soon as I hung up with Dad, Chloe sent me provocative photos. One picture showed Derek intimately washing Chloe’s feet.

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I was ordered to attend a tutoring session while the fake daughter, Vanessa, was getting ready to head to a mountain spa resort with Mom and Dad. Vanessa pouted, “Chloe’s stuck studying, and I get to go out and have fun? What if she surpasses me in the next exam?” Mom and Dad immediately showered her with reassurances. They promised to find her top-tier private tutors when they got back, ensuring I’d never get a chance to outdo her. Watching the three of them walk off happily, a dark thought flickered in my mind: I wished they would just drop dead out there. I didn’t want a family like this. That evening, as I pushed open the front door, Mom and Dad stood in the living room, covered in mud. “There was a sudden flood in the mountains. We were accidentally swept away. Vanessa didn’t make it out.” The next moment, my phone vibrated. It was a message from Vanessa: “Mom and Dad and I were swept away by the flood. I was lucky enough to be rescued, but Mom and Dad drowned!” A shiver of dread ran down my spine. Because on my way home, I had received a call. A sudden flood in the mountains. Mom, Dad, and Vanessa were all dead, drowned in the deluge!

My phone was still vibrating. Vanessa was still sending me messages. “Rescue workers are trying to recover Mom and Dad’s bodies.” “You’d better come here.” Vanessa, who Mom and Dad said was dead, was asking me to go to the mountains. My throat felt dry. “Chloe, why are you just standing foolishly by the door?” Mom’s voice suddenly echoed above my head. She had walked up to me without me hearing a single sound. I jumped, startled, instinctively locking my phone screen. Mom grabbed my right hand, the one holding the phone, and stared intently at me. “Why did I just see Vanessa sending you messages?” “What did she say?” Her hand was impossibly cold, completely devoid of warmth. I remembered the call I’d received on the way home, telling me Mom, Dad, and Vanessa had all drowned in the flood. My eyes welled up with tears from fright. “Vanessa sent me a message, asking me to go into the mountains to find her.” “Mom, didn’t you say she was dead? How can she still be sending me messages?” My raw honesty seemed to soften Mom’s icy expression. “Someone must be pranking you with Vanessa’s phone.” “Don’t be scared, come inside. Look, your clothes are all wet.” Mom gently put her arm around my shoulder, guiding me into the house. I leaned into the cold comfort of her hug. Since they brought me back from the orphanage five years ago, she had never shown me such tender concern. All her affection and love had always been reserved for Vanessa. If Mom could always be this kind to me, then whether they were dead or alive didn’t matter. Just then, click. The front door closed, then locked. Dad reached out and snatched my phone, while Mom roughly pushed me away.

Before I could even steady myself, there was a loud bang. Dad violently smashed my phone against the wall. It instantly shattered into pieces. “Who said you could take your phone to tutoring?” “Tell me, were you even listening in class, or were you just playing on your phone the whole time?” Mom stood there, arms crossed, looking at me with undisguised disgust. This was the Mom and Dad I knew. So, the gentleness earlier was just a trick to get me inside. Swallowing down my bitter self-mockery, I obediently apologized, playing along with their accusations. “I’m sorry, I won’t play on my phone again.” “Dad, Mom, you must be hungry, right? I’ll go make dinner.” Years of verbal abuse and physical punishment had taught me that immediate surrender and apology was always the safest route. I had no leverage to stand up to them. I put down my backpack and hurried to the kitchen, moving through it with practiced ease to find ingredients. Mom and Dad’s eyes were dark and brooding, but seeing me dutifully cooking, they relaxed their watchful eyes on me, taking turns to change their clothes. Seizing the chance, I rolled up my sleeve and glanced at the smartwatch on my wrist. I had saved up money from odd jobs to buy it in secret. It could chat and make calls. I logged into my account, and Vanessa’s messages immediately popped up. “They still haven’t found Mom and Dad’s bodies. Don’t come over, I’m heading back.” “I heard that those who drown sometimes return home on a rainy night.” “You’d better not open the door for just anyone tonight.” I glanced at the drizzle outside the window, remembering Mom and Dad, covered in mud, when I opened the door earlier. A wave of icy dread shot through me. No, I had to get out of here, fast. However, I checked around and found that all the kitchen and living room windows were locked tight. I realized Mom and Dad were preventing me from escaping. I returned to the kitchen, my heart pounding harder and harder with each beat. Just as my heart was hammering in my chest, I suddenly caught the scent of burning incense. Mom placed an incense burner with three sticks of incense in the corner of the living room. “This is incense for warding off evil spirits and protecting our home.” “Vanessa drowned, there’s no telling if she’ll try to come home on a rainy night like this.” Dad comforted her, “Once tonight is over and we find her body, we can give her a proper burial.” They leaned on each other as they walked to the dining table. I noticed that their legs were stiff as they walked, moving as if they couldn’t bend. I swallowed hard. “Vanessa’s body hasn’t been found either?” “No, the flood was too big,” Dad paused, then asked, “Whose body hasn’t been found?” His gaze was filled with suspicion. A quiet alarm went off in my head, but I kept my face blank as I replied, “Just the other tourists who were in the mountains with you.” “I heard the flood was really bad this time, several people died.” Dad sighed, “Yes, it was.” After making dinner, while Mom and Dad ate, I continued to secretly check my smartwatch. Vanessa was still sending me messages, as expected. “I’m at the entrance of the complex.” “I can see our house.” “I didn’t bring my key, hurry and open the door for me!” The next moment, thump, the front door was knocked on.

Vanessa was back! I stared at the front door, my peripheral vision catching Mom and Dad eating. After a long moment, I took a deep breath and walked to the door, gripping the doorknob. Just as I was about to turn it, an impossibly cold hand suddenly clasped the back of my neck. I froze instantly. Mom’s face appeared from behind me, and as she spoke, a chilling breath brushed my face. “What are you doing?” My palms were sweating uncontrollably. “I heard someone knocking.” Mom’s voice was a hollow whisper, “Knocking in the rain, who knows if it’s a person or a ghost.” “Don’t open it!” She and Dad stared intently at the front door, their eyes glinting with a sinister coldness, as if preparing for a serious threat. After two more knocks, the outside fell silent. But Mom and Dad didn’t move. They just stood there stiffly by the door. Mom waved her hand. “Go back to your room.” I grabbed my backpack and ran. Back in my upstairs bedroom, I shut the door tightly, but still feeling uneasy, I reached to lock it from the inside. Just as I turned the latch, Dad’s low, menacing voice warned me. “Chloe, don’t you dare lock that door from the inside.” “Otherwise, I’ll take the door right off its hinges.” My breath hitched. I stared fixedly at the door. I could almost picture their pale faces, pressed tight against the door, listening for any sound from my room. When they sensed my intention to lock the door, they immediately gave their grim warning. I instinctively held my breath, not daring to move. It was a full ten minutes before I dared to open my door again. The lights downstairs were off. In the dim light of the hallway, I didn’t see Mom or Dad. They must have gone back to their room. I let out a soft breath, wiping the clammy sweat from my palms. I carefully closed the door again, locking it this time. Leaning against the door, I turned on my smartwatch screen. Vanessa’s message popped up right away. “Chloe, why aren’t you opening the door for me?” “It’s raining outside, I’m freezing to death.” “Hurry up and open the door, I have something important to tell you!” Was it really her knocking earlier? Could she still be waiting outside? I hesitated for a few seconds, then gritted my teeth, crept downstairs, and opened the door. Vanessa was really standing outside! Vanessa was soaked to the bone, her face deathly pale. Blood mixed with rain streamed down her cheeks, leaving streaks of crimson.

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The cable car hung suspended in mid-air. Over the intercom, a staff member’s voice crackled: “It’s past closing time for the park. You’re coming down this late, so you’ll have to pay me overtime.” “Let’s make it a flat fee of 7,000 bucks. That’s for the whole 7,320-meter cable car ride, I’ll even round it down for you.” “Transfer the money, and I’ll restart the cable car. If you don’t, you can all hang here in mid-air tonight!” I pleaded with the staff member to restart the cable car because two elderly people had suddenly collapsed from high blood pressure and were already unconscious. The staff member scoffed, “Then pay up for your lives, simple as that. No money? Then you deserve to die there!” Without warning, the cable car shuddered to a halt, leaving us dangling in the vast emptiness. The steel cables groaned and shrieked in the wind, a sound that grated on my teeth. Below, the valley plunged into an abyss, the twilight bleeding ink-black into the horizon, rapidly devouring the sky. Inside the cabin, our senior tour group of twenty elderly passengers, just starting to unwind from a day of sightseeing, were now plunged into the abyss of panic by this sudden stop. “What’s going on?” “Why did we stop? Is something wrong?” “Chloe, dear, is everything alright? This looks so scary…” My heart plummeted. I forced down my own rising anxiety, managing a reassuring smile. “Don’t panic, everyone. It might just be a temporary stop. I’ll ask what’s happening.” I immediately found the intercom button on the cabin wall and pressed it. “Hello? Control center? We’re passengers on the downhill cable car. Could you tell us why we’ve stopped?” After a brief static hiss, a young woman’s voice, laced with laziness and impatience, cut through. “Hello, hello, can you hear me? This is Amy from the mountain base control room. It’s already past closing time for the park, and you guys are coming down this late. That’s infringing on my private time, so you’ll have to pay me overtime!” Overtime? Everyone froze, stunned. The woman sneered, then slowly continued, “By the rules, it’s one buck per meter, and this cable car line is 7,320 meters long. I’ll round it down for you, let’s just make it 7,000 bucks. Transfer the money, and I’ll get the cable car moving again. There’s a QR code right next to the intercom, see it? Now, scan it and transfer the money, immediately!” “Money in my account, and I’ll send the cable car right down. If not…” Her voice suddenly turned chilling, “Heh, then you can all hang up here in mid-air and freeze your asses off tonight! The night wind up here can literally kill you!” The cabin erupted into chaos, the elderly passengers gasping in horror. “This… what kind of logic is this?” “This is robbery! It’s blackmail!” “This is outrageous!” “Are you and the park staff in on this together to scam us, tour guide?” I couldn’t help but frown. I’d led so many tours, been to this park thousands of times, and we usually descended around this time. This was the first time I’d ever encountered anything like this. I quickly calmed the seniors, suppressing my own anger, and tried to speak into the intercom in as steady a voice as possible: “Ma’am, what’s your name?” “Amy.” “Ms. Amy, I don’t know if you’re a new employee, but I’ve brought groups to this park so many times, I know your schedule by heart. We are not past closing time.” “Your demand is unreasonable and completely baseless. We’ve purchased valid entrance tickets and cable car tickets, and the park is obligated to transport us safely down the mountain. Please restart the cable car immediately. We can discuss any issues once we’re safely on the ground.” Amy instantly shrieked, “Discuss? Who’s discussing anything with you?!” “My time is money! Cut the crap, no money, no movement!” Just then, Margaret, an elderly woman from our group, tugged at my sleeve, whispering anxiously, “Chloe, dear, you need to look… Arthur and Eleanor… their faces aren’t right. Arthur looks… it’s making my heart race…” I turned back to look. Arthur was practically slumped in his seat, his face an unnatural, deathly gray, his lips a terrifying purplish-blue. One hand was clutched tightly to his chest, his breathing shallow and ragged, as if he might stop any second. His forehead was beaded with cold sweat. Eleanor gripped his other arm tightly, her aged face etched with immense fear and helplessness, her lips trembling. “Medicine… Arthur, where’s your blood pressure medicine? Your heart medicine?” Arthur shook his head slightly, with great difficulty, his eyes already unfocused, his voice barely a whisper. “Finished… last pill… forgot… to bring…” My heart plunged to rock bottom. Arthur suffered from severe high blood pressure and a coronary heart condition. This sudden fright and being suspended at this altitude were a fatal blow to him! I immediately rushed back to the intercom, yelling, “Ms. Amy, we have an elderly passenger in our group who has fallen critically ill because of your actions! He’s showing signs of oxygen deprivation and needs to be taken down the mountain for emergency medical attention immediately!” “You need to restart the cable car right now! Otherwise, if anything happens to this elderly man, you will be held fully liable in the eyes of the law! This is murder!”

Amy scoffed, full of contempt. “Legal liability? Murder? Who are you trying to scare? I don’t fall for that crap!” “Heart condition? Old man? So what? Just because they’re old and useless, they get to leech off society? A bunch of useless old folks just taking up space, they deserve to die! They die early, and they save the country some pension money!” “I’d actually be thrilled if my own in-laws, those two old farts, just had an accident and died! Save me the trouble of seeing their faces every day! Maybe their own family members think the same thing, just wishing they’d kick the bucket already!” Amy’s words instantly ignited the public’outrage among the seniors, who began to accuse her. “Who are you cursing to die?” “Exactly! Don’t you ever get old?!” “How can you be so vicious? What did your family elders ever do to you, that you curse them like that?” Just then, Eleanor, with trembling hands, pulled an old-fashioned flip phone from her pocket. “Chloe, dear, I… I’ll call my son. He… he might work at this park…” “He’s in security or something… he’ll definitely know what to do… he can definitely handle this person…” Her voice wasn’t loud, but the intercom was on speaker, and Amy clearly heard her words. Then, what answered us was just Amy’s sneering laughter echoing through the intercom, full of disdain. Eleanor clumsily used her shaking fingers, pressing one number after another, as if summoning all her strength, then hit the call button. The cabin instantly fell silent, so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Everyone held their breath, twenty pairs of eyes fixed on that small flip phone, hoping the sound of the call connecting would bring a miracle. The long waiting tone hammered like a heavy club on everyone’s heart. However, the hoped-for voice never came until the call automatically disconnected. “No… no one picked up…” Hope instantly dwindled by half. Margaret tried to comfort her. “Maybe he’s busy? What about your daughter-in-law? Call your daughter-in-law and ask.” Eleanor snapped back to reality and frantically picked up the flip phone to dial again. The phone rang a few times, then was answered. Eleanor excitedly said, “Amy! It’s me! Your dad and I are on the cable car going down the mountain, and it’s stopped, it’s not moving! Your dad’s having a heart attack, and he’s out of medicine. He can’t breathe, his face is turning purple!” “The staff member controlling the cable car is demanding money to restart it, 7,000 bucks, you…” The woman’s voice on the other end impatiently interrupted, “Mom, Daniel and I are busy making big money right now. Can we call you back when we’re done?” Before the call was cut off, everyone heard the other person mumble: “So annoying. Daniel is great in every way, except he’s blindly devoted to his parents. If I wasn’t afraid he’d argue with me, I would have gotten rid of those two old farts a long time ago.” Eleanor held the phone, dumbfounded. The cabin fell into a deeper silence again, broken only by Arthur’s heavy, gasping breaths. My brows furrowed sharply, and a chill snaked up my spine. That daughter-in-law’s voice on the phone… That sharp, arrogant, selfish tone… How could it be… so much like Amy’s voice on the intercom? They were practically identical! And Amy had just cursed her own two elderly in-laws… A wildly absurd, yet terrifying thought suddenly surfaced in my mind. Could this staff member, Amy, who was extorting us… Be Arthur and Eleanor’s daughter-in-law?! I forced down the stormy turmoil in my heart, knelt down, and gently held Eleanor’s cold, trembling hand. “Eleanor, please don’t fret. You just said… your son works at the park, so your daughter-in-law… is she… does she also work here?”

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The first time I met Valentina Rossi, she found me, battered and bleeding, after I’d been jumped by a street gang. Meeting my icy gaze, she tilted my chin up. “Handsome and tough enough, I like it. From now on, you’re with me.” Valentina taught me business and how to play the game, and she also taught me the art of love. Every time we wrapped up, she’d purr contentedly in my arms. “You’re good in bed. Want to spend the rest of your life with me?” The 200th time Valentina asked, I finally dropped all my defenses. I cupped the back of her head, pulling her in for a desperate kiss, and, breathless, I agreed. But our wedding date remained stubbornly unset. Until the debt collectors came knocking, and I said a few harsh words to a suave and charming man. Valentina’s face instantly went cold. She ordered her men to strip off my shirt and publicly whip me 99 times. “Be more polite to him from now on.” My back was a bloody mess, but I gritted my teeth, a defiant question escaping my lips: “Why?” Valentina tossed the whip aside, a sickeningly sweet smile gracing her lips as she interlaced her fingers with Julian Thorne’s. “Because I love him.” “I can pamper you, but you can’t use the fact that you look like him to disrespect him.” I clenched my fists so hard my knuckles popped, forcing a cynical laugh. “Fine. Then I wish you both happiness. We’re done.”

Valentina’s eyes flashed with instant fury. She stalked over to me, her face grim, and slapped me hard. Her voice was sharp, cutting. “You’re nothing but a stray dog I picked up. How dare you speak to your owner like that?” My head snapped to the side from the blow. The wounds on my back tore at my nerves, but it was less than a thousandth of the pain in my heart. Julian’s eyes flickered with triumph. He magnanimously pulled Valentina’s arm, drawing her into his embrace. “It’s okay, my love. A little hurt doesn’t matter to me. Don’t let yourself get upset.” Valentina snorted, but when her eyes met Julian’s, she softened into a tender smile. “Let’s go, darling. We’re dining at The Azure Willow Bistro.” My heart gave a sharp lurch. The Azure Willow Bistro was a new restaurant, specializing in dishes from my roots. I’d pestered Valentina for ages to go with me, but she always irritably refused. I thought she just didn’t like that kind of food. Turns out, she just didn’t want to go with *me*. The crowd dispersed instantly. Gritting my teeth, I forced myself to stand, enduring the agonizing pain as I headed home. I pulled out the first-aid kit to treat my wounds. Valentina’s words echoed in my mind, refusing to fade. Years ago, surrounded by thugs, I fought like a man possessed, taking on ten of them at once, utterly fearless. The thugs lay sprawled on the ground, beaten, and I was bleeding from a head wound, leaning against a wall, gasping for breath. Valentina, in high heels, crouched before me, a radiant smile on her face. That’s how she brought me home. Over the years, she gave me money and power, taught me everything, and even gave me her love. A bitter, self-mocking laugh escaped me. Perhaps it was just this face, slightly resembling Julian Thorne’s, that made her feel a spark of pity for me. My phone rang. I picked it up without thinking. From the other end, Valentina’s heavy, breathless gasps of passion filled my ear. “Liam, grab me a maid costume from the closet and bring it to The Grandeur Hotel. Hurry… please.” Then, I heard a man’s soft chuckle. The next second, the call abruptly ended. My head felt like it would explode, a pulsing vein throbbing in my temple. Valentina and Julian were at a hotel, and she wanted *me* to bring them a sexy outfit? I slammed my fist onto the desk. Then, I stormed into the bedroom and shredded every piece of clothing in her closet, tossing them out. An icy chill, however, settled deep within my chest. Valentina once smiled at me, her eyes crinkling at the corners. “Liam, I’m choosing you for life. These clothes, I’ll only ever wear for you.” A wave of revulsion surged through my chest, a suffocating pressure making me feel like I would explode. A message soon arrived. Julian had sent a photo. Valentina, her face prettily flushed and heavy-lidded, was asleep in his arms. [My love is too tired from our fun, she’s sleeping.] [If it weren’t for your face, she never would have brought you home.] [Remember, you’re nothing but a cheap imitation.] I sneered, a cold, harsh laugh escaping me, and immediately blocked and deleted him. Valentina didn’t come home that night. The next morning, I was treating my wounds again. The door pushed open. Valentina walked in, naturally taking the ointment from my hand. Her slender fingers gently applied the cream to my back. Every muscle in my body stiffened. Valentina’s voice was full of concern. “Liam, please don’t be angry with me. Yesterday was my fault. You must be in so much pain, aren’t you?”

I lowered my lashes, remaining silent, but a familiar ache started in my nose. Every time I was injured, Valentina would tend to me with red-rimmed eyes, and the tenderness in her gaze was undeniably real. Valentina continued to explain, “Julian was my first love. The Rossi Group faced difficulties back then, and he left me to go abroad. He only just returned.” “I’m just playing around with him right now. In my heart, you’re the most important. I want him to experience the sting of betrayal down to his very core.” A flicker of emotion stirred within me. After five years together, how could Valentina not care about me at all? We had already decided on each other. I was about to speak, but Valentina laughed again. “Liam, Julian says he wants a wedding. I’ve set the date for next week. I’ll need you to be his best man.” My heart plummeted, sinking to the very bottom of my gut. My throat was so dry I couldn’t utter a word. Ever since I agreed to Valentina’s proposal, she had kept putting off our wedding date. I wanted a legitimate status, a recognized place by her side. But Valentina just smiled, telling me not to rush. Yet, Julian had only been back a few days. One casual mention of wanting a wedding, and Valentina immediately took it to heart, setting the date. I gave a self-deprecating tug at the corner of my mouth, then stood up, pulling away from Valentina. I took off the diamond ring from my ring finger and tossed it in front of her. “What place do I have at your wedding? Here’s your ring back. I won’t bother you two as you live happily ever after.” The smile on Valentina’s face froze, her expression turning incredibly ugly. That ring was her own design, with our initials engraved on the inner band, a symbol of eternal unity. I once treasured it, but now I tossed it away carelessly. Valentina stared at me, her voice chilling with each word. “Liam Hayes, don’t test my patience.” A dull ache pulsed through my heart, but I refused to back down. Valentina’s phone rang. She glared at me, her face contorted in anger, but after answering, her expression changed dramatically. Forgetting our argument, she rushed out. I laughed sardonically. It must be Julian’s call again. I opened my phone and canceled all the luxurious jewelry and accessories I had already purchased. The planned trip to Switzerland was also canceled. These were supposed to be my wedding gifts for Valentina. But now, she wouldn’t need them. Once packed, I drove to the office. But when I arrived, I saw Valentina waiting for me, her face grim, with Julian beside her. Surrounding them was a phalanx of burly bodyguards. “Liam Hayes, get on your knees and apologize to Julian!” Utterly bewildered, I stood coldly rooted to the spot, making no move. Valentina’s dark pupils flashed with a cruel glint. She signaled the bodyguards to hold me down, then grabbed a golf club and swung it viciously at my leg. Excruciating, bone-deep pain shot through me, and cold sweat instantly broke out on my forehead. I collapsed to my knees. Two years ago, Valentina was involved in a deliberate car crash engineered by a competitor. In that critical moment, I shielded her with my body, taking the full brunt of the impact myself. She had aimed precisely at the injury I sustained then, the one I bore for her. “Liam Hayes, I already told you to stop harassing Julian, yet you still secretly went after him. Are my words meaningless to you? I have paid off Julian’s debts, so you have no right to threaten him ever again!” I instantly understood what had happened. Julian, in his pristine white shirt, wore a pained expression. But the flicker of triumph in his eyes did not escape me. I trembled with rage, squeezing out a few words through gritted teeth: “It wasn’t me!” Valentina, however, didn’t listen. She just stared at me with icy indifference. “Effective immediately, you’re fired. Julian will be taking over your position. I’ve coddled you too much, it seems, and you’ve forgotten your place.” I snapped my head up, looking at her in disbelief. A large group of employees had gathered outside the office, their hushed whispers clearly reaching my ears. “Liam Hayes on his knees looks just like a dog.” “Exactly! He thought being favored by Ms. Rossi meant he could mess with her true love. Serves him right!” “Hahaha, in the end, didn’t Ms. Rossi just kick him to the curb like garbage!” These words pierced my heart like a barrage of knives.

Valentina didn’t intervene, letting the employees openly mock and disparage me. When I first joined the company, someone once gave me a withering look. Valentina had slapped him then and there, firing him on the spot. Now, she wouldn’t lift a finger to defend me. “My love, I don’t have much experience. Taking on the Executive VP position directly might not be suitable,” Julian humbly offered, though his voice betrayed suppressed euphoria and excitement. Valentina caressed his cheek with tender affection. “Julian, you are very capable. I trust your abilities.” I curved my lips into a cynical smile. The projects I was managing were with partners notoriously difficult and demanding. I’d pulled countless all-nighters to craft proposals that finally won their approval. The projects were underway, and changing personnel mid-stream would surely anger them, potentially terminating their collaboration with Rossi Corp. But if Valentina trusted Julian so implicitly, then these were no longer my concerns. I met Valentina’s gaze directly. “Fine, I’m leaving. From now on, Rossi Corp and I have nothing to do with each other.” With that, I coolly shrugged off the bodyguards’ grip, stood up, and walked out of the office. Laughter echoed behind me, but I ignored it all. Driving home, I efficiently packed my belongings and moved out of Valentina’s house. After checking into a hotel, I drove to the beach to clear my head. I grew up by the sea and had a deep connection to it. I was lying under a sun umbrella, resting, when suddenly a splash of seawater hit my face. I frowned and opened my eyes, seeing Julian’s provoking grin. “Excuse me, could you move? This is my spot.” I stared at him with annoyance. “Get lost!” Julian’s face changed. He pointed at a figure approaching us in the distance. “If you don’t move, don’t blame Valentina if she gets rough with you later.” His tone again filled with smugness. “My love and I are getting married next week. She said she wants to do a hundred romantic gestures to mark our journey into marriage, to make it truly special.” I curled my lips into a cold sneer. No wonder Valentina had always refused my suggestions to come to the beach. Her “special gestures” were reserved for Julian all along. I spoke, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “What does that have to do with me? Get out. Don’t make me say it a third time.” Julian’s face hardened, his eyes blazing with fury, and he swung a fist at me. I sprang up instantly, grabbed his arm, and delivered a vicious uppercut to his gut. These past few years, I’d consistently trained, keeping my combat skills sharp. How dare a pampered pretty boy like him try to lay a hand on me? Julian’s face went ashen. He clutched his stomach, doubled over on the ground, groaning in pain. “Liam Hayes, you’re insane!” A sharp slap landed heavily across my face. I didn’t get angry; instead, I laughed, staring at Valentina, who was helping Julian up. “Why don’t you ask him how he provoked me first?” Valentina’s gaze was laced with venom. Without a word, she ordered the bodyguards to grab me and drag me towards the ocean. Then, she brutally forced my head under the saltwater. The salty, briny water rushed into my mouth and nose. I struggled desperately, but it was futile. Just as my consciousness wavered, nearing suffocation, I was yanked back to the surface. As soon as I caught my breath, I was plunged back under. This cycle repeated over and over, until Valentina’s voice, full of disgust, reached my ears. “Liam Hayes, you pathetic life, how dare you hurt Julian?” “If you didn’t look like him, I would have thrown you into the ocean for good.” After an hour of this torture, I was completely drained of strength. Only then did Valentina, with a magnanimous wave, allow them to release my dazed and disoriented body, before she and a smug Julian walked away. The terror of near-death still clung to my heart. I gasped for air, lying there for what felt like an eternity before I shakily managed to stand. Valentina, moments ago, had truly wanted me dead. I gave a bitter, hollow laugh, tears silently tracing paths down my face. Finally, my heart was completely dead. I pulled out my phone and sent a message. [I accept. Let’s set the wedding for next week.]

Back at the hotel, Valentina’s message arrived. [Liam, you’ve been very naughty lately. Don’t blame me for being so cruel to you.] [For Julian and my wedding, I still want you as best man. Repent properly, and we can go back to how things were.] I gave a self-mocking laugh and switched off my phone. Two days later, Valentina had someone deliver an incredibly valuable watch. “It’s Julian’s birthday today. You’ll present this gift from yourself as an apology.” I frowned, intending to toss it aside. But Valentina’s tone admitted no refusal. Suddenly, a sense of resignation washed over me. This is the last time, Valentina. After this, I won’t owe you anything more. Julian’s birthday party was lavish. I put down the gift, about to leave, when Julian, smiling, grabbed my arm. I frowned, a warning flashing in my eyes. “Let go of me!” Julian leaned closer, a glint of cunning in his eyes. Suddenly, a bracelet in his hand fell to the floor, and he let out a piercing cry. “Liam Hayes! I know you hate me, but you can’t deliberately smash the memento my mother left me!” His cry quickly drew everyone’s attention. Valentina walked over, her expression displeased. “What’s going on?” Julian’s eyes brimmed with tears as he choked out, “My love, this was my mother’s dying wish, meant for her future daughter-in-law. I was going to give it to you today, but Liam saw it, snatched it, threw it on the ground, and then intentionally stomped on it twice!” I folded my arms, my voice cold. “Are you done acting? We can just check the security footage to see if I broke it. Your feigned sincerity is sickening.” The words had barely left my lips when Valentina slapped me hard across the face. “Liam Hayes, are you truly not putting me in my place?!” Julian’s eyes were red-rimmed. He crouched down, his hands trembling as he picked up the bracelet. Valentina’s face was ruthless, and she raised her hand to strike me again. This time, however, I caught her wrist directly, forcefully pushing her hand away. “I’m telling you again, it wasn’t me!” Valentina hadn’t expected me to resist. She stared at me in disbelief. After a long moment, she curved her lips, her eyes filled with a malicious, triumphant smile, and slowly spoke. “Right, because you’re the son of a rapist, you grew up without a mother’s love, that’s why you’re so jealous of someone else’s mother leaving them something.” “Liam Hayes, you’re as inhumane as your rapist father. It serves you right that your mother didn’t love you and died early!” A wave of shocked murmurs swept through the room. Disgusted glances stabbed at me like knives. My mind went blank. The deepest, most hidden wound in my heart was brutally ripped open in public, laid bare in its most wretched form. I stumbled a few steps, barely managing to keep my balance. Valentina watched me like a victor, her gaze tearing at my heart repeatedly until it was a bloody mess. These were things I had only told her after completely opening myself up. I was afraid she would despise me. But back then, Valentina had just cupped my face, gently kissing away my tears, her voice tender and resolute. “Liam, it’s not your fault. From now on, I’ll be the one to love you.” Remembering those words, the pain was almost unbearable. Valentina had personally severed the last thread of affection between us. My face was ashen. I forced a smile at her. “Valentina Rossi, you win. From now on, I owe you nothing.” With that, I pushed through the crowd, stumbling out the door. A flicker of panic crossed Valentina’s eyes, but ultimately, she chose to comfort Julian. I returned to the hotel and deleted everything on my phone related to Valentina. From now on, we were strangers. The day before the wedding, Valentina sent someone to deliver a best man’s suit. I merely scoffed, throwing it directly into the trash can. In my closet hung a luxurious groom’s tuxedo. On the wedding day, Valentina anxiously watched the door, waiting for my appearance. Her assistant, sweat beading on his forehead, carefully spoke. “Ms. Rossi, Mr. Hayes… he’s also getting married today.” Valentina’s bouquet crashed to the floor with a thud. Meanwhile, my own wedding was just beginning. Just as we were about to exchange rings, a breathless figure burst into the wedding hall. “Liam Hayes, I forbid you to marry her!” Everyone’s gaze instantly focused on her.

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Three years into our marriage, my husband, David, now a major success, decided it was time to finally buy our wedding rings. But before the custom rings were even ready, I got a call from the jewelry store. “Mrs. Hayes, if the ring isn’t comfortable, you can bring it back anytime for adjustment.” I was completely baffled. I hadn’t even picked up the rings yet, how would I know if they were comfortable? I immediately called David to ask, but he stammered and mumbled. “How would *I* know? The jewelry store staff must have made a mistake, called the wrong number!” “Don’t worry, I’ve paid the deposit. If they can’t deliver, I’ll go settle the score with them myself!” My blood ran cold. I instantly knew something far more complicated was going on. David Hayes, so you get a little money and immediately jump into an affair? I’ll make sure you both pay for this, big time! 1 After hanging up, my heart ached with sharp, agonizing pain. I remembered three years ago, David was just a broke guy from a small town, new to the city. He’d been swindled out of all his money and was shivering, huddled on my doorstep in the dead of winter. He may have been down on his luck, but he was handsome. My heart softened, and I took him in. He didn’t have connections or a fancy degree, but he was incredibly charming and knew how to make people feel good. He charmed my entire family, and my dad, completely won over by his charisma and ambition, practically pushed me to marry him! To support David’s entrepreneurial dreams, my dad even sold our only family property for a million dollars to fund his investment. David didn’t disappoint. In just three years, he grew his company to a market value of a billion dollars, becoming a genuine business magnate. When we got married, he was just starting out, and times were tough. We only registered our marriage. Forget a wedding ceremony; we didn’t even buy wedding rings. Finally, with money in hand, he held my hand, full of gratitude, promising me the most magnificent wedding. And a pair of the most expensive custom rings. But now, just as I was eagerly anticipating our personally designed rings, they had been picked up by someone else. I didn’t even know who that woman was, yet she had impersonated me. My gut screamed that something serious had happened. I was going to find out exactly who this *bitch* was! Wiping away the cold tears on my face, I took a deep breath and drove straight to the jewelry store. I stormed up to the service counter, forcing down my anger, and demanded to know. “I’m Mrs. Hayes, who ordered custom wedding rings here a month ago. Who picked up my rings early today?” The sales associate looked up, her eyes wide with surprise. “Ma’am, you must be mistaken. Mrs. Hayes picked up the rings an hour ago!” “And the rings were finished a month early, we notified Mrs. Hayes to pick them up a day in advance. Who are you?” Just as I suspected, it wasn’t a mistake. Someone had deliberately impersonated me. “I am Mrs. Hayes! You let someone impersonate me and walk off with the rings without verifying their identity? What are you going to give me now?!” Seeing my tone turn harsh, the sales associate’s face showed some displeasure. “We have the customer’s registered phone number. She even came in with Mr. Hayes three days ago to ask if the couple’s rings could be rushed. How is that impersonation? And you, you keep saying you’re Mrs. Hayes, but we’ve never seen you before!” The sales associate’s words left me even more bewildered. 2 I suddenly remembered that when David said he wanted to get us custom rings, we were both away on a business trip. He’d tasked his secretary, Jessica Feng, with handling it. David had even sent our design requirements to his secretary in advance. So, the sales associate was right; I hadn’t shown up at all. But I had no idea that the imposter, the one pretending to be me, had actually come to the jewelry store with David, using my name? Now I was even more certain David was lying. He knew *exactly* who picked up those rings! I was furious, about to call David right there and then to demand an explanation. Just then, the click-clack of high heels echoed from behind me. I instinctively turned around and saw a woman in her twenties, draped in jewels. What really made my blood boil was the limited-edition handbag David had promised to buy me last month – the one he’d said was impossible to get – was slung over *this woman’s* shoulder! And I knew this person. It was Jessica Feng, David’s secretary! I was about to rush over and demand what she was doing here, but Jessica’s expression froze, and she spoke first. “Sarah? What are you doing here?” Before I could even open my mouth, the jewelry store sales associate scurried out from behind the counter. Beaming, she greeted Jessica. “Mrs. Hayes, you’re here! Are the rings the wrong size? We can adjust them for you right away!” The sales associate’s words made Jessica’s face change. She immediately walked over, grabbed my arm, and started pulling me out, lowering her voice. “Sarah, if you want to buy jewelry, I can introduce you to another store. This place’s styles aren’t great…” I instantly understood what Jessica was trying to do. She was afraid I’d expose her for impersonating me right there! I immediately stopped, my face cold, my eyes filled with sarcasm as I glared at her. “So eager to drag me away? I was just about to ask you: impersonating me and taking my husband’s and my wedding rings – what exactly do you think you’re doing?” My words were laced with fury, my voice loud and sharp. It instantly drew everyone’s attention. Several sales associates and dozens of customers browsing in the store all looked my way. Jessica’s face first contorted in extreme embarrassment, but then, in a blink, she launched into her performance. She pouted her lips, turning on the waterworks, and whimpered pitifully at the onlookers. “Sarah, how could you… I picked up *my* wedding rings, the ones *my* husband ordered for *me*. Why are you accusing me of stealing yours…?” Jessica’s sob story, combined with my aggressive stance, instantly had everyone wrapped around her finger. They started scolding me. “Where did this psycho come from? So aggressive! She’s taking her own ring, and this woman claims it’s hers?” “Yeah, I’ve been here the whole time, I heard it all. She ordered the rings with her husband, and this woman is trying to steal them?” “I think this crazy old lady must be having a meltdown. Is she even mistaking other people’s husbands?” Even the sales associates looked at me with smug pleasure, as if *I* were the crazy person trying to steal someone’s wedding ring. I couldn’t be bothered to waste words on these clueless bystanders and spoke directly to the sales associate. “It’s simple. Let’s both call our husbands right now, and we’ll know who’s telling the truth.” 3 I expected Jessica, the imposter, to get cold feet, but instead, she gritted her teeth and lifted her chin defiantly. “Fine, let’s call! The truth is the truth! Let my husband prove it himself!” She immediately pulled out her phone and dialed, putting the call on speaker. As soon as the call connected, she deliberately started crying into the phone, her voice full of grievance. “W-w-woobie, come quick to Happy Jewelers and save me! I just picked up the ring, and it feels a little loose, so I came to get it adjusted, but this crazy woman jumped out and said I impersonated her to take her wedding rings, and she won’t let me leave…” I clearly heard David’s furious voice explode from the phone. “Which psycho dares to accuse you of taking her ring? I’ll make her pay for this!” “Boo hoo hoo, I can’t even talk right now. Just come see for yourself!” With that, Jessica decisively hung up, her eyes full of provocation as she looked at me. “My husband is on his way. Let’s see who he acknowledges as his wife in front of everyone!” I was so angry my teeth ached. I couldn’t understand what gave Jessica the nerve to be so brazen. She knew David was married, she knew *I* was his wife and a company shareholder – we’d met plenty of times! While Jessica and I waited for David, the sales associate from the service counter approached. She rolled her eyes at me and spoke coldly. “Ma’am… you, who *claims* to be Mrs. Hayes, if you’ll permit me to say, you should leave now before Mr. Hayes arrives. Save yourself the embarrassment of being exposed. They could even sue you for fraud!” Several other sales associates chimed in, scoffing. “Yeah, ma’am, take a good look in the mirror. You’re old, fat, tacky, and ugly. You must be almost fifty, right? And you have the nerve to impersonate Mrs. Hayes? Do you even deserve it?” “Exactly! The real Mrs. Hayes is young and beautiful. Look at her outfit, all designer brands. That limited-edition handbag alone is worth over a million. Can *your* cheap clothes even fetch a hundred bucks?” “Who gave this old woman the courage to impersonate Mrs. Hayes and put on such an act? How embarrassing when she gets exposed!” I’d always known that some luxury store salespeople were snobby and judged people by their wallets. It seemed jewelry stores were no different. It was true, my family had poured everything we had into helping David start his company. But his specialty was quality control. All the market expansion and sales channels? I was the one running them. I was constantly out and about, entertaining clients, so I dressed for comfort, not style. I probably looked older than my thirty years. But it was precisely because I tirelessly built his sales channels and secured deals that we got order after order. And the comfortable life we now enjoyed. I was so focused on building the business that I neglected my appearance. Of course, I wasn’t as young and radiant as Jessica. But no one knew that once, I was a renowned beauty, the most popular girl in school. Lost in thought, a tall, imposing figure pushed through the crowd and strode quickly into the store. “Jessica! Where’s that crazy woman who was bothering you? I’ll teach her a lesson!” David didn’t even notice me. He rushed over and pulled Jessica into his arms, comforting her with doting eyes. My chest tightened in agony. I stared at the scene, unable to believe it, and spoke to David through gritted teeth. “So, David Hayes, tell me yourself, between me and this woman, who is your wife?” 4 If I still didn’t believe David and Jessica were having an affair, I would truly be the biggest fool on earth. I wanted to see how he would try to defend himself now that I had personally caught him red-handed with Jessica. I expected David to be shocked and ashamed when he saw me. Instead, his reaction completely shattered my bottom line. David froze for a second, then suddenly glared at me, his brows furrowed in rage. “Sarah Song, are you out of your mind? You’re just my cleaner, what are you doing impersonating Mrs. Hayes? Do I really need to come all the way here to prove that my wife is Jessica Feng?” “I know you’re ugly and old, and your small-town husband doesn’t want you anymore, but you can’t fantasize about being my wife and then bully my *actual* wife! You’re absolutely despicable!” David’s words stunned me into silence. “David Hayes, you… you say that again. I’m your cleaner? She’s Mrs. Hayes?” “I’ll say it a million times! What, are you so desperate to be Mrs. Hayes that you’ve gone crazy? Believe it or not, I’ll fire you right now! Now get home and scrub my toilets!” David’s aggressive stance intimidated everyone present, and people started pointing and cursing at me. “No way! Even cleaners are dreaming big now? Another one of those ‘CEO falls for the maid’ stories, I guess!” “Hahahaha, this is hilarious! Mr. and Mrs. Hayes are so unlucky to run into such a deranged cleaner!” “Hey, cleaning lady, stop making a fool of yourself. Go home and scrub those toilets, or you’ll really be jobless!” The store staff and customers suddenly erupted in a collective roar of laughter. It was as if I really was a cleaner fantasizing about a CEO, and my face instantly burned crimson. Jessica, so openly defended by David, walked right up to me, sneering. “I told you, Auntie Sarah, my husband himself has come to prove it. Are you going to stay here and make a bigger fool of yourself? Get lost!” Seeing me stand still, Jessica raised her leg and kicked me. I instinctively defended myself, raising my hand to push her away. But my hand didn’t even touch Jessica, when she let out an exaggerated shriek and fell to the ground. “David… my stomach hurts so bad, our baby…” The next second, David rushed over and scooped Jessica into his arms, then slapped me hard across the face. “Sarah Song! You’re a twisted, sick woman! Jessica just found out she’s pregnant with my child, and you push her? You did that on purpose, didn’t you?!” I stopped arguing, pulled out my phone, and dialed 91 “Hello, I’d like to report a crime. Someone here is impersonating me and has fraudulently taken wedding rings valued at ten million dollars. Also, my husband is having an affair and is suspected of transferring company assets to his mistress…” In the stunned silence of everyone present, I calmly hung up. David was completely bewildered, staring at me with rapid breaths. “Sarah Song, are you serious?” I silently took out our marriage certificate from my bag and displayed it for everyone to see. “In your mouth, everything is a lie, but my marriage certificate with you, that’s real.” My single sentence made all the onlookers’ eyes widen in shock.

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In my past life, I welcomed Ruby into our home as our adopted daughter. She, in turn, utterly destroyed my family. Mark and I poured every last penny into treating her illnesses. Not only was she ungrateful, but she also killed our biological son. After she yet again demanded money with no success, she revealed the truth about our son’s tragic death, then pushed me down the stairs with a smile on her face. After I died, she had Mark institutionalized, and tricked my parents into shouldering massive debts. Reborn into this life, I immediately tossed her back to where she belonged. If she couldn’t appreciate a good life, then she could roll back to her hell! I opened my eyes, shocked to find myself reborn on the very day we found Ruby. At that moment, my husband, Mark, looked up at me, stars shining in his eyes. “Honey, since you want to adopt her, let’s give her a name.” “What should we call her?” “How about Ruby? ‘Ru’ for joy, symbolizing eternal happiness, and ‘by’ for precious jade, representing beauty and value.” “Let’s make her our forever happy little girl.” Mark’s face was alight with dreams for the future. At this moment, he didn’t have the prematurely white hair of my past life, nor was he the raving madman locked away in a mental institution. He was in the prime of his life, untouched by half a lifetime of suffering. Seeing my silence, he lowered his head and gently cooed at the baby in his arms. My eyes welled up slightly. In my past life, we had just gotten married when we found Ruby. Even without a biological child of our own, we chose to adopt her. She had a congenital cleft lip that needed surgery, and after being abandoned in the snow for too long, she was suffering from a persistent, dangerously high fever. To pay for her treatment, we drained all our savings. We even took on considerable debt, enduring the bewildered stares of our relatives. After she was discharged from the hospital, she didn’t just need normal things like formula and diapers; she also required various medications for her ongoing treatment. On top of that, she was a high-needs baby, crying incessantly at the slightest disturbance, unable to be left alone for a moment. Mark’s parents had strong reservations about Ruby, feeling she was a huge burden, and they completely disregarded their adopted granddaughter. In desperation, I had to quit my job and dedicate myself entirely to her care. A constantly wailing infant, and me, unable to work because I was tied down with childcare. The entire weight of our family rested squarely on Mark’s shoulders. Under immense pressure, we had to give up on having our own child. For this, Mark endured endless lectures and harsh words from his parents. To protect Ruby and me, he even spread a rumor that he was infertile. We were subjected to endless whispers and gossip, yet our love for Ruby never wavered. But how did she repay us?

Later, when she was old enough to go to school, I was able to go back to work, improving our family’s quality of life. Things were getting better and better, so Mark and I discussed having a second child. When she found out, she secretly started putting birth control pills into our tea. Later, she even showed up at our workplaces, screaming and causing a huge scene, trying to force us to give up on having a second child. But we were dead set on having a child of our own. She didn’t succeed that time. She cried, saying she was sorry and would never throw a tantrum again. The child we had raised by hand was crying so heartbrokenly, that in the end, Mark and I believed her. Not long after, our son, Leo, was born. She seemed thrilled, actively feeding him formula, changing his diapers, and even washing his clothes. She said, “Mom, you worked so hard for me, doing so much. Now it’s my turn to help you.” We were so touched that she had grown up and become so sensible. But we never imagined that a few months later, she would smother our baby boy in his crib. After Leo was gone, Mark and I aged decades overnight. Unaware of the truth, even after suffering the unbearable pain of losing a child, we continued to dote on her. Until she reached adulthood, and her demands became even more outrageous. When we couldn’t afford her lifestyle, she got involved with predatory high-interest loans, from some really shady lenders. When her creditors came knocking, her first thought wasn’t repentance, but our “inheritance.” She said, “Mom, Dad, I know I messed up. This is the last time. If you don’t forgive me, I’ll just have to die.” Our hearts softened again, and we opened the door, ready to welcome our beloved daughter. But it wasn’t our beloved daughter who walked through that door. It was a hungry wolf. She behaved for a few days, then tricked Mark into leaving, and then told me the truth about our son’s tragic death. She gesticulated wildly, excitedly telling me how her little brother had struggled, how he had stopped breathing. “I stood right there next to him, watching his face turn red, until his tiny hands fell limp, and he slowly ran out of air.” “If I could do it again, I’d make him die an even worse death.” I lunged at her, wanting to fight her to the death, but she shoved me down the stairs, and I died a brutal death. After I died, Mark fell into even deeper despair. Losing a son in middle age, then a wife in his later years. He developed suicidal depression, and Ruby used this as an excuse to have him sent to a mental institution. Not content with that, she also tricked my parents into shouldering massive debts. And yet, this heartless monster, she lived a life of ease and freedom.

I suppressed the hatred in my heart and blurted out, “‘Baby?’ I scoffed, ‘More like bad news.’” “Honey, I don’t want to adopt her anymore.” Mark looked stunned. “But you just said you wanted to adopt her. What made you change your mind so suddenly?” I snatched the child from his arms, staring at the incessantly wailing Ruby. “I just remembered something I once heard.” “Some children are just born to bring bad karma, to make your life hell.” “And these bad kids, they get their evil from their parents, you know.” “Mark, think about it. If we had a child, would we ever abandon them? Even if they weren’t smart, or healthy, or beautiful, or even if they had a serious illness?” Mark immediately replied, “Of course not. Even if it meant selling everything we owned, draining our life savings, and piling up debt, I would never give up on them.” “See? That’s what normal people think.” I took a deep breath. “The parents of this child, they’re not normal people.” “There’s no telling if this child might have inherited their twisted genes.” Reincarnation was too unbelievable, and society wasn’t ready for talk of it back then. And my sudden change in demeanor, from doting to disgusted, would have been enough to convince anyone I’d lost my mind. “Alright, you’re right. Then we won’t adopt her.” Mark nodded, understanding. Ruby, in my arms, seemed to understand our conversation and cried even harder. Tears streamed down the tiny person’s face, her wails tearing through the air. Her little hands flailed desperately, trying to grasp my clothes, as if by doing so, we wouldn’t abandon her. Mark saw this and his face softened with pity. “So, what do we do now?”

I seriously considered Mark’s question. If we left Ruby here now, and someone else took her, then another kind soul would suffer. But that possibility was low. After all, no one wants an extra child they know nothing about; who knows if she has any diseases? Besides, Ruby’s face was disfigured by her cleft lip, and she had a persistent fever. No one would willingly bring such trouble home. But letting her freeze to death in this snow? That would be too easy for her. I couldn’t let go of the grievances from my past life, yet my tormentor was just an innocent infant. Even if I got my revenge, she wouldn’t even know it. After careful consideration, I thought of a good place for her. “Honey, let’s take her to the orphanage.” A flicker of hatred flashed in my eyes. Ruby once told me, playing on my sympathies, that if Mark and I hadn’t taken her in, she’d have been stuck in the hell of the orphanage. She claimed to be incredibly grateful that Mark and I had saved her from that hell. This time, I didn’t need her “gratitude.” I just wanted to send her back to where she belonged. Ruby was still crying, gasping for breath. Mark, seeing her pitiful state, wavered slightly. “Honey, she’s crying so pitifully. Maybe we could…” I naturally wouldn’t let him change his mind. I cut him off directly. “Honey, there are too many unfortunate people in the world. We’re just ordinary people; we can’t save them all.” “Taking her to the orphanage out of goodwill is also a kind act.” Mark could only nod in agreement.

Soon, Mark and I rode our bike to the orphanage gate. As soon as Mark stopped, I carried Ruby over to a flowerbed by the entrance. Ruby, who had cried herself tired, immediately started to wail again, her cries tearing through the air. I curled my lips into a cold smile and gently placed her on the edge of the flowerbed. As I stood up, I looked down at her. Her crying stopped for a moment, and I saw a torrent of hatred pour from her eyes. A chill ran down my spine. A terrifying thought pierced my mind: Could she have been reborn too? This thought made the hatred in my heart surge, instantly engulfing me in its tide. I couldn’t stop myself from raising my hand, aiming for her neck. Just then, Mark called out from behind me, “Honey, it’s cold. Let’s head home soon. Mom and Dad are waiting.” I snapped back to reality. Heaven had given me a second chance, not to lead me down the path of despair again. I had a wonderful life ahead of me. Even if I wanted revenge, I shouldn’t throw my entire life away for it. “Okay,” I said. We went home.

That very night, I pinned Mark to the bed. He paused for a moment, then a blush crept onto his face. “Honey, you’re a little different tonight, aren’t you?” My passionate kisses were his only answer. In this life, I wanted to have our child sooner. I wanted to give him everything we had. If there was any regret, it was that I had failed them both in my past life – him and our son. Now, all I wanted was to make it up to them.

I wasn’t sure if Ruby had been reborn. But I knew for sure that if she had, with her deranged and malicious personality, she would eventually come back for revenge. Deep down, I almost *looked forward* to her return. But to my disappointment, the next six years were uneventful. In those six years, I accomplished a lot. I quit my old job and, leveraging my foreknowledge, opened my own restaurant. I also borrowed a lot of money and invested in old properties, just waiting for them to skyrocket in value. And throughout those six years, I had kept tabs on Ruby. She was no different from the other children at the orphanage. They ate together, played together. If anything was different, it was that the other children often picked on her. They would snatch her food when adults weren’t looking, make her do extra chores. They would even drag her into deserted corners and beat her up. She often came back with bruises and scars, seeking help, but no one bothered to intervene. She became the lowest of the low in the entire orphanage. When I heard the news, I gave a bag of candy to Tommy, the neighbor’s kid. He happily ran off. His grandmother lived near the orphanage, and he often went there to play. Once, he saw me near the orphanage, and noticing my look of disgust towards Ruby, he bravely approached me and asked, “Auntie, don’t you like that little girl?” I nodded. “No, I don’t.” He was often fed candy by me. Hearing my words, he immediately rushed into the orphanage and gave Ruby a hard slap. Tommy was a wily kid; he’d deliver a quick slap and then vanish in a flash. When he returned to me, I promptly handed him a handful of candy. His eyes lit up, and with that, a new world opened for him. We reached an unspoken agreement. He was responsible for bullying, and I was responsible for the candy. Tommy, eager for more sweets, even roped in other kids at the orphanage who hadn’t tasted candy before. I was more than happy to see this play out.

In the seventh year after I abandoned Ruby, she disappeared from the orphanage. No one knew where she had gone. The orphanage staff searched frantically and reported her missing to the police, but she was nowhere to be found. I secretly helped look for her a few times too. If she could simply escape hell like that, it would be too easy for her. Unfortunately, despite our extensive search, we couldn’t find her. I pondered over it for a long time, but found no clues. That unsettling thought rose again. Could this stupid, malicious person have *really* been reborn? I couldn’t help but feel annoyed. “Mom, what’s wrong?” My six-year-old son, Leo, asked in his sweet voice. “Did Leo make you angry?” My son was just like his dad—gentle and considerate by nature. My heart softened, and all the sharp edges within me receded. “No, Leo is wonderful.” I stroked his head, and much of my lingering obsession faded. If I couldn’t find her, then I would let her go for now.

A year after Ruby disappeared, I had given up on finding her. But just then, she came looking for me. That day, I was busy at the restaurant. I had just brought a dish out from the kitchen when I saw a little beggar child rush in from outside. I quickly put down the plate, ready to go forward and ask if she needed help. Before I could reach her, she ran up to me and hugged my leg. She sat on the floor, crying loudly, “Mommy, I’m your daughter!” She cried as she looked up, revealing a pathetic little face. In an instant, the entire place erupted. In those days, abandoning a child, or having an affair and a child out of wedlock, was something people would scoff at. The restaurant immediately buzzed with gossip. The neighbors were already green with envy over our success. Now, with an excuse to attack us, they all chimed in with accusations. “Is that child really yours from outside your marriage?” “Mrs. Johnson, that’s a terrible thing to say. Couldn’t they both have had her?” “Then they must be heartless to abandon their own daughter just to have a son.” “…” People always sympathize with the weak, especially such a small child. Ruby instantly became the object of everyone’s pity. With just one appearance, and one sentence, she successfully stirred up everyone’s anger towards me. She skillfully cast herself as the victim, turning everyone to her side. At that moment, I knew for sure: Ruby had been reborn too.

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When I was seventeen, I rushed into a burning building to save Leo. A falling beam hit my head, and from that day on, I became simple-minded. To save money for my rehabilitation, he dropped out of school and took on all sorts of dirty, back-breaking jobs. Ten years later, Leo became the youngest entrepreneur in the city. And I was still the idiot who needed her shoes tied and her meals spoon-fed. Later, Leo started coming home later and later, his eyes filled with nothing but disgust when he looked at me. Until that day, I accidentally broke the music box his assistant gave him. For the first time, he lost his temper with me. He dragged me to the rooftop. And ordered me to jump from the fifty-story building. I didn’t understand why he wanted me to do that. I just knew that being a good girl earned me rewards. I’d been afraid of heights since I was little, but now, I was even more terrified of him leaving me. I smiled, taking a step back: “Leo, please don’t be mad. I’ll listen to whatever you say.”

The moment my body tilted backward, a powerful force yanked me back. I stumbled into his arms, and before I could even steady myself, a stinging slap landed on my face. “Are you insane?! You’ll die if you fall from here! Don’t you even know what death is?!” Leo’s voice cracked as he roared at me. Feeling the sharp pain on my cheek, I belatedly started to tremble. I didn’t know if it was from the fear of nearly falling, or the unsettling sting of his harsh scolding. But I still instinctively raised my hand, wanting to wipe away the tears at the corner of his eyes. “Leo, I’m sorry.” But the next second, Leo roughly pushed me away: “You idiot, what else can you say besides ‘I’m sorry’!” Just then, the iron door to the rooftop burst open. Chloe rushed in, looking frantic. She glanced at the two of us, her face instantly paling: “Leo, have you lost your mind? What are you doing bringing her to a place like this?!” “If anything happened to her, you’d be charged with aiding and abetting suicide. You’d go to jail for that!” Her voice was hoarse as she clutched Leo’s arm tightly, then pulled him into a fierce embrace: “If you end up in prison, what will I do?” At that moment, Leo finally broke down, sobbing uncontrollably into her shoulder: “I don’t know… I’m just so tired…” Watching his trembling back, I vaguely realized something. For the past ten years, I seemed to have truly become the source of all his pain. After Leo calmed down, he noticed the large scrapes on my knees. A flicker of guilt flashed in his eyes: “Scarlett, does it hurt? I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to be so harsh just now.” He helped me up, and together with Chloe, we went downstairs. Back home, Leo found the first-aid kit and, as he had countless times before, carefully dressed and bandaged my wound. But this time, though his movements were still practiced, his eyes held nothing but exhaustion and weariness. After treating my injury, Leo handed me a piece of candy and gently told me: “Stay home, be a good girl.” Then, he took Chloe’s hand and walked out the door. I was a little curious, so I quietly crept to the door. I heard snippets of their conversation. “Chloe, I’m really tired… As long as she’s alive, I won’t have a single day of peace.” “You know what? I even thought that after she jumped, I’d just die with her…” Hearing this, Chloe’s brows instantly furrowed: “Leo, what nonsense are you talking about! You’ve already sacrificed a whole decade for that idiot, and you’re still thinking of throwing your life away too?” Leo replied weakly: “But what can I do? She became like this saving me back then. I owe her too much.” Just then, Chloe suddenly noticed me eavesdropping behind the door. She rushed over, grabbing my collar: “Scarlett, even if you’re an idiot, you should at least have some shame, shouldn’t you? Do you really want to drag Leo down your whole life, content to just be a parasite?” Leo quickly pulled her back: “Chloe, why are you arguing with her? She doesn’t understand any of this.” “Alright, stop it. Come with me for a walk. There are some company matters I need to discuss with you.” Leo glanced at me, told me to stay home and be good, then left with Chloe. After they left, I stood by the door, frozen for a long time. A few neighbors happened to pass by and saw me. They began to whisper amongst themselves. “Oh, poor Leo, he has such a hard life. Busy with company matters all day, then he has to take care of an idiot when he gets home.” “I heard that young lady, Chloe, has proposed to him several times, but Leo never agreed, all because he can’t let go of this idiot.” “If you ask me, Leo is just too kind. In this situation, he should send that idiot to a psychiatric hospital.” “Or if she just died, Leo’s life would be much easier…” Hearing those words, my heart gave a violent lurch. I couldn’t help but walk closer. The neighbors saw me approach, fear crossing their faces as they took a few steps back. But I just blinked, nervously asking: “Auntie, Uncle, if I go to the psychiatric hospital, will Leo not be sad anymore?” Seeing them not answer, I pressed on: “Then… if I die, will Leo be happy?”

The neighbors didn’t answer my questions. They just scurried away, as if avoiding something dirty. Watching their retreating backs, I suddenly remembered. Last year, for my birthday, Leo had taken me to a park far from home. He told me to sit on a bench, gently stroking my head and saying: “Scarlett, wait for me here. I’ll be back soon.” But I waited from noon until the sun began to set, until the streetlights flickered on one by one. He never came back. In the end, I had to find my way home myself, relying on vague memories, one step at a time. I remember thinking then, that after being gone for so long, Leo must have been frantic with worry. But when he opened the door and saw me, there wasn’t a trace of joy on his face. Only disappointment and sorrow. It was only now that I vaguely understood. He actually wanted to abandon me that day, didn’t he? A wave of sorrow washed over me, and my nose stung. I crouched down, burying my face in my knees, tears gushing out uncontrollably. But soon, I remembered what the neighbors had said. If I truly disappeared, would Leo’s life be much easier? Would he finally be able to smile happily? Thinking this, I wiped away my tears, stood up, and gathered my courage to step out of the house. I walked aimlessly along the road for a long time, not understanding traffic lights or directions. I didn’t know how to find the “psychiatric hospital” they spoke of. Distracted, a speeding car suddenly swerved towards me. I froze in place, my legs rooted to the spot. Just then, a pair of hands violently pulled me back to the side of the road. Still shaken, I looked up, only to see Leo’s face, filled with terror and lingering fear. “Scarlett, I told you to stay home, didn’t I? What are you doing running out again?!” “You idiot, can’t you just make my life a little easier for one day? Do you just want to drive me crazy before you’re happy?!” Seeing him so distraught, I shivered, whispering: “Leo, I want to go to the psychiatric hospital. I just wanted to go there and…” Hearing this, Leo froze. A flicker of confusion and guilt crossed his eyes, then he sharply asked: “What are you babbling about?! Did those people put ideas in your head again?” I quickly shook my head, a little nervous: “No, I want to go myself. Leo, please take me there, please.” No sooner had the words left my lips than Leo suddenly cupped my face, his voice trembling: “Scarlett, I’ll never abandon you, never!” “I’ll protect you and take care of you my whole life. Don’t overthink things anymore.” Looking at his reddened eyes, I nodded obediently. But deep down, I knew. Just now, when that car was about to hit me. I had actually seen Leo standing by the roadside earlier. In those few seconds, he had hesitated again. The next morning, Leo took me to the hospital for a follow-up. Although I didn’t understand what the doctor was saying, seeing his tightly furrowed brows, I realized my condition might have worsened. This thought weighed heavily on my heart. No, I couldn’t go on like this. I couldn’t keep dragging Leo down. While he went to get the car, I quietly slipped away from the parking garage. I turned and ran outside. This time, I had to succeed. I had to find that place. But as soon as I reached the entrance, I ran straight into Chloe. Seeing me alone, her face instantly darkened. She violently grabbed my arm, making me flinch in pain. “Scarlett, how did you sneak out alone again? Can’t you make Leo’s life a little less difficult?” She gnashed her teeth and hissed. “It’s always you, always you!” “Because of you, Leo rejects me again and again. Haven’t you ruined his life enough? Do you have to ruin my happiness too?” Her gaze suddenly turned sinister. As if having made a decision, she stared at me intently, muttering to herself: “Leo, you’re always so kind, always too soft-hearted…” “It’s okay. This time, I’ll help you get rid of her for good.”

Chloe dragged me to a deserted corner, slamming me against the wall. She smirked, then suddenly grabbed my hand and fiercely raked it across her own face. “No… let go of me!” I screamed in terror, struggling to pull my hand back, but I couldn’t match her strength. Chloe quickly scratched her face, leaving bloody marks. But she didn’t think it was enough. She pulled out her phone and violently smashed it on the ground; the screen instantly shattered. Under my horrified gaze, she lunged and slammed her forehead against the wall. Blood immediately streamed down her brow. “You idiot, you owe Leo so much, and now I’m going to make you pay for all of it!” Chloe glared at me viciously. The next second, she suddenly shrieked: “Help! This maniac is trying to kill me!” Soon, hurried footsteps came from nearby. Several hospital security guards saw Chloe’s blood-soaked face and me standing frozen in place. They immediately rushed forward and pinned me to the ground. “It wasn’t me… I didn’t…” I cried, barely managing to stammer out a few words, but no one listened. Everyone thought I was the deranged assailant. Before long, Leo also rushed over, freezing at the sight before him. He dashed to Chloe’s side, his voice trembling: “Chloe, are you okay?! What happened?!” Chloe leaned on his shoulder, her voice weak: “Leo, please don’t blame Scarlett… She just had an episode, she couldn’t control herself…” Before she finished, Leo’s gaze fell on the shattered phone. His face changed dramatically: “Scarlett, do you have any idea how many important files were on here, you idiot!” “Leo, it really wasn’t me…” I cried, shaking my head, but then Leo saw the bloodstains on my hands. His eyes grew colder and colder. “Ten years… I gave up everything for you, and this is how you repay me?!” Leo’s voice suddenly rose, his breakdown laced with despair. His fists rained down on me like a storm, each punch carrying immense resentment. Finally, he kicked me in the head. A security guard tried to intervene, but Leo pushed him away. “Do you know how much I lost because of you?!” He cried out as he hit me. “You hurt me enough, and now you have to hurt the people around me too? Scarlett… what did I do wrong to be tormented by you like this?!” I curled up on the ground, letting him vent. My entire body trembled from the pain, but my heart ached even more. Finally, Leo seemed to have tired himself out. He stood up and made a call. He summoned his subordinates, then dragged me from the ground and took me with them. They took me home and threw me into the dark basement. As the iron door slammed shut, the entire world plunged into darkness. The wounds on my body stung with a burning pain. I huddled in the corner, shivering. I don’t know how much time passed, but I started to develop a fever, my throat dry as dust. “Water… I want water…” I called out weakly, but no one answered. Just then, through the vent, I heard voices from upstairs. “Chloe, I really put you through a lot today.” It was Leo’s voice. “Only now do I understand how stupid I was… to willingly sacrifice my own happiness for an idiot.” “Leo, it’s not too late. You still have a long life ahead of you.” Chloe responded softly. After a moment of silence, Leo spoke again: “Chloe, I’ve made up my mind… I promise you, we’ll get married next month.” “It’s time… for me to truly live for myself.” A moment later, I heard the sound of two people embracing and crying from upstairs. I lay on the ground, tears silently streaming down my face. So, if I disappeared, Leo could find happiness. This heartbreaking truth, strangely, brought me a glimmer of relief. The pain in my body didn’t seem so unbearable anymore. In a hazy stupor, I gradually lost consciousness.

Days later, Chloe had me sent to a pigsty on an outlying farm. She locked my ankle with an iron chain, just long enough for me to move between the feeding trough and the straw pile. The air was thick with the foul stench of feed and manure. “This place really suits you. You’re no different from an animal anyway.” Witnessing all this, Leo simply stood by in silence. I guessed he had given his unspoken consent. From then on, I lived with the pigs every day. And Leo, after he left, never came to see me again. Until one morning, I woke from a daze. I heard footsteps approaching from a distance. Looking up, I saw the one person I longed for—Leo. He was dressed in a sharp suit, walking cautiously closer. He knelt down, looking at me through the fence: “Scarlett, I’m marrying Chloe today.” I gazed at him blankly. He looked so handsome, more handsome than I’d ever remembered him. “I’m sorry, you’ve suffered these past few days. After the wedding, I’ll come and get you.” His voice was very soft. I nodded in bewilderment, reaching out to touch the hem of his suit, but then I saw my own dirty hands and pulled back. He stood up, gave me one last look: “Wait for me to come back.” With that, Leo turned and got into his car. Watching the car drive away, I didn’t call out to stop him. I just repeated over and over: “Leo, I’ll wait for you.” Around noon, the pigsty door was suddenly pushed open. I thought it was Leo, but instead, I saw a stranger. “Idiot, Miss Chloe specifically told me to send you off.” He said coldly, then began splashing liquid around. The pungent smell made me cough. I instantly realized he was pouring gasoline. “Blame yourself for being in the way. As long as you’re alive, Miss Chloe won’t have a single day of peace.” “Go on and die quietly. People like you are better off dead.” The next second, as flames erupted from the corner. The pigs, startled, scattered and fled. The fire spread rapidly, and a scorching pain radiated from my skin. The thick smoke made me cough relentlessly. Even if I wanted to escape, bound as I was, I had no way. I’m really going to die this time, aren’t I? But, maybe that’s not so bad. The wooden beams of the pigsty began to collapse. I looked at the small patch of sky outside the fence. I thought of Leo in his suit again. “Leo, you have to be happy…” This time, I won’t be a burden to you anymore. In a daze. I seemed to hear the screech of tires in the distance, and Leo’s heart-wrenching cry: “Scarlett—!” Before I completely lost consciousness, I only heard someone quietly regret: “Mr. Leo, she has no heartbeat.”

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