It was a senior class road trip. I suddenly grabbed the steering wheel and plunged the car off a cliff. Four people, including our head teacher, died instantly. I, however, was thrown from the window, sustaining only minor injuries. The victims’ families camped outside the police station daily, and online, the outrage was deafening. “This sociopath deserves to be put down, not just once, but a hundred times over!” My mom spent a fortune hiring a lawyer for me, but I went wild and bit the poor guy, sending him to the hospital. Yet, she still refused to give up. “Jade is still a child; she wouldn’t hurt anyone without a reason! Please, give her another chance!” “What reasons?” I sneered, flipping off the jury. “I just didn’t want to live anymore and decided to take a few people down with me.” The internet branded me a demon who deserved to die, while my mother sobbed before the cameras, pleading for mercy. In the end, the judge gave me three days. “If no hidden circumstances can be proven in this case within three days, Jade Vance will be sentenced to death, effective immediately!” In a corner no one saw, I let out a silent sigh of relief. Just three more days. Everything would be fine. ……

“Defendant, what was your motive for these murders?!” It was a live-streamed court session. Facing my stone-cold defiance, even the seasoned judge looked visibly frustrated. “You know the jury will decide your fate, yet you publicly bit your lawyer?” “I felt like it!” Licking the blood from the corner of my mouth, I pulled a cruel smile. The victims’ families in the courtroom erupted instantly. “She admitted it! What more do you need? Just give her the death penalty and let my daughter finally rest in peace!” I coldly watched the disheveled, distraught woman in the spectator’s box. It was Chloe Miller’ s mother, one of my former high school dorm mates. Just two days ago, I’ d personally sent her daughter straight to her grave. Beside her, crying inconsolably, were the parents of my other two dorm mates. “Kill her! Four lives lost and not a shred of remorse!” “This kind of antisocial filth, leaving her alive will only lead to endless trouble!” The comment section of the live stream was a furious torrent. The jury stared intently at my every move, trying to find a crack in my facade. But I just looked indifferent, even leaning back, legs crossed, and letting out a casual whistle. Only three days, anyway. If I kept my mouth shut during this time, they couldn’t pry anything out of me. It was a shame I survived the crash, by some twist of fate. But I had to die. “Defendant, please show some respect!” The judge’ s face darkened. “You have a successful career, a decent income, a reasonably happy life. Not long ago, you even booked plane tickets for a family vacation.” “How did you suddenly become a sociopath and brutally murder your high school dorm mates?” I paused, then quickly regrouped. “They were showing off their wealth.” I pointed a finger back towards the spectator box. “It was her daughter, Chloe Miller. In the car, she insisted on showing me some designer jewelry and luxury bags, even laughing and calling me a poor nobody!” “Back in school, I was the poorest in the whole class, fighting tooth and nail just to get by! How dare she get all that without lifting a finger?” “Just for that?” “Just for that!” “You’ re lying!” Mrs. Miller gasped, choking back sobs. “My husband went bankrupt three years ago! Chloe couldn’t possibly buy luxury items anymore!” I stammered. “Then I misremembered!” “Anyway, one of them was showing off. As for who… I hit my head, I can’t quite recall!” “I’ ve always hated you holier-than-thou rich people. It’ s disgusting…” With that, I spat in the direction of the spectator box. Then I flipped off the jury. “Jade Vance is a pathological liar!” “This kind of person is obviously consumed by jealousy! Her three dorm mates had such bright futures, all ruined by her!” “And her homeroom teacher, Mr. Davies, was a top educator in the district!” “My daughter wasn’t a bad person!” A staggering figure suddenly burst into the courtroom, making my heart lurch. It was my mom, Eleanor, who had been knocked unconscious and sent to the hospital just moments ago, after arguing with the victims’ families outside the courthouse. She’ d returned, dragging her injured body back here. “Here’ s her junior high transcript, look… A straight-A student, always in the top ten!” “Even if she did something wrong, it’ s because her dad and I failed as parents. If someone needs to be jailed, send us to prison!” The mention of my dad, Arthur, brought a sudden surge of bitter memories. My mom’ s tearful plea made the jury exchange uncertain glances. Netizens were buzzing. “It’ s been over six years! What does a junior high transcript prove now?!” “Jade Vance is 22, and in her mom’ s eyes, she’ s still a child? No wonder she raised a daughter like this!” “Your Honor, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, and victims’ families, I’ m kneeling here on behalf of my daughter!” My mom dropped to her knees, her bandaged forehead hitting the floor with a heavy thud. A shocking crimson stain spread. I struggled to look away, forcing myself to stop trembling. “There must be some hidden story here. How could Jade harm four strangers for no reason?” A flicker of surprise crossed the judge’ s eyes. Suddenly, I went wild, shoving past the court officers and scrambling out of the defendant’ s box. I lunged forward, tackling my mom to the ground. Quickly, I chewed up the transcript and swallowed it. In doing so, my clothes ripped, revealing a mosaic of old scars on my back. “Defendant, who caused these injuries on your body?!” I’ m done for, I thought.

I hastily tried to cover my back. But everyone in the courtroom, including the live stream viewers and my mom, had seen it clearly. The judge called for a forensics team to examine my injuries. While waiting for the report, he persisted with his questions. “Is this why you refused to stay in the hospital or change your clothes after the car crash?” I remained silent. “Who inflicted these injuries on you?” “Those three bitches, okay? Are you happy now?” The internet exploded. “No way! Is this about bullying?!” “They looked so innocent and sweet, not like people who’ d do something like that!” I glanced at the big screen displaying the comments. “You idiots know nothing! Haven’t you heard that appearances can be deceiving?” “You’ re lying!” Brooke Johnson’ s father, Mr. Johnson, suddenly stood up. “My daughter was an excellent student, a model student chosen by teachers and classmates. How could she bully you…?” “They were jealous of my grades, obviously!” I forced a smile. “Mr. Johnson, you were quite busy back then, weren’t you? Did Brooke ever tell you about cheating on exams?” “Did she tell you she paid me to do her homework?” “I…” The man was momentarily speechless. I scoffed. “You don’t know your own daughter at all! Because of negligent parents like you, I was bullied for a year and a half!” “Defendant.” The judge’ s voice was stern. “Is this why your grades suddenly plummeted in the second semester of junior year?” “Yes.” “What about my husband?” Mr. Davies’ s wife glared at me. “Even if Brooke and her friends bullied you, what does that have to do with my husband?! Why did you have to kill him too?!” “Because he knew and did nothing!” My face darkened. “I told him about the bullying back then, but he didn’t want to offend your well-connected families. He chose to turn a blind eye.” “Just because I came from a poor background, did I deserve to be abused?!” After a heated exchange, my mom listened, utterly bewildered. Just as she was about to ask something, the medical examiner arrived with my injury report. The results surprised everyone. My old scars were indeed consistent with injuries sustained around six years ago. But the force required was far beyond what three underage girls like Chloe, Brooke, and Skylar could inflict. “Defendant! Are you still lying now? Who was the man who beat you like this?!” My mom finally snapped out of her daze and rushed to hug me. “Jade, who did this to you?” I turned my face away, not wanting to see the tears in her eyes. “It’ s my fault, Jade! If your dad and I hadn’t been so busy working, you wouldn’t have been unsupervised and ended up like this…” “Did you fall in with bad company?” My mom desperately held my hand. “Were you threatened by some gang members? Tell me, Mom will get justice for you!” “No, no, no!” I impatiently shook off her hand. “Stop playing the devoted mother act. Who are you trying to fool?” Before I finished speaking, Chloe’ s mom suddenly grabbed a chair and charged at me. Thud. My mom blocked me, collapsing to the floor in pain. I clenched my fists, unmoving, my nails digging deep into my palms. “What kind of person is she? Her mom almost died protecting her, and she just stands there, cold-faced and indifferent?” “Ma’ am, you should give up! This kind of heart can’t be warmed. Saving her is pointless…” The court officers tried to send my mom to the hospital, but she waved them off, struggling to her feet. “Are you refusing to speak because you’ re trying to protect someone?” My mom clutched me tightly. “The person who beat you… it wasn’t your dad, was it…?” A pang of pain shot through my heart. “Your dad lost his job this year and went back to our old village. I thought you’ d be safer with him looking after you. I never imagined he’ d hit you?” “N-no… it wasn’t…” “I’ ll go confront him!” My mom turned angrily, but the judge called out to her. “Eleanor Vance, who did you just mention?” My mom turned back, confused. “My husband, Arthur Vance! Jade’ s dad!” “But…” The judge frowned. “Mr. Vance passed away five and a half years ago…” “What?!” My mom looked as if she’ d been struck by lightning. “How can that be? I personally saw him off to work in the city just last month!” “Look at the photos of the four victims. Do you recognize them?” My mom shook her head blankly. “They were Jade Vance’ s high school homeroom teacher and dorm mates.” The judge suddenly understood. “I thought you just weren’t involved enough in your daughter’ s life to remember her teachers and classmates…” “Jade Vance’ s mom… could she have amnesia?” On the other side of the camera, netizens discussed my mom’ s anguished expression. “No wonder she kept talking about juvenile protection laws and her own negligence…” “So that’ s why she still thinks Jade is a child?” “What trauma did she suffer to lose her memory? It looks like what she forgot might be connected to Jade’ s murders!” The judge thought so too. He immediately ordered the police to summon witnesses to the stand. My mom had contacted my junior high teachers, intending to prove I was a good student. But now, she looked at their aged faces and fell into a panic. “How can this be?” My mom clutched her head, roaring helplessly. “Didn’t Jade just finish junior high? Didn’t her dad just go to work in the city?” But seeing her like that, I could do nothing but feel a crushing heartache. Things were spiraling out of control, so the judge decided to adjourn the court. It was also because the police had found a new lead. After my dad died, my mom had a boyfriend named Malik. That name sent a chill through my entire body. My mom, however, claimed she didn’t remember him. “This Malik was an orphan, with no family left.” The trial resumed the next day. The police publicly announced the new lead they’ d found. “According to our investigation, he came to the town of Sunnybrook five years ago for work and soon began a relationship with Eleanor Vance.” “Later, the two decided to move back to the village to open a general store, so they relocated to her old home.”

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The Echo in the Mirror: My Mother’s Escape My mom was a university student, sold into an isolated rural community to be a breeder. She always said her biggest regret was giving birth to me. When Grandma forced her to do heavy labor, only allowing her a bowl of thin gruel, she called me a curse. When her father-in-law groped her, she called me that little monster from the Miller family. When Dad, drunk, beat her black and blue, she’d ask me when I was going to die. “That year, I could have escaped. Why did you have to run out? Why did you call me ‘Mom’ and make me soft?” “I wish I never had you, my daughter!” She must have said that a thousand times. I never understood it. Until that day. I saw her young face in the mirror Mom cherished most. It was smudged and dusty, but free of wrinkles and scars. She asked, “Who are you? Can you save me? I was tricked into coming here!” That moment, I finally understood what “shackles” in books truly meant. I was Mom’s shackles, the chains that bound her to a life of misery. The next second, I spoke to my younger mom. “I’ll save you. This time, I’ll definitely get you out!”

Just as dawn broke, Grandma burst into the rundown shack and yanked Mom up. “You lazy, good-for-nothing hag! I paid so much for you, and you can’t even birth a son, and you’re useless around the house. What a jinx you are.” Her complaints made Mom tremble slightly. She wasn’t unable to conceive; she simply couldn’t anymore. I heard Dad had beaten Mom so savagely, he’d ruined her insides. Everyone was furious that day, except Mom. She was smiling, so genuinely happy. She’d said, “Finally, I don’t have to bear little beasts for these animals.” But ever since that day, she’d gone from being Dad’s plaything to Grandma’s workhorse. Just then, Dad, who hadn’t returned all night, stumbled back. Drunk, he lurched towards Mom, and before she could react, he slapped her hard across the face. “You worthless bitch! I paid for you, you’re *my* property, and you dare glare at me?” “You bring nothing but bad luck! It’s definitely because of you I lost all my money gambling. I’m going to kill you!” His fists and feet rained down on Mom. Mom’s pained cries were hoarse, like Grandpa sawing wood, cutting into my heart. I couldn’t help but rush over, sobbing, “Dad, please, stop hitting Mom!” The words had barely left my lips before Dad kicked me mercilessly, sending me flying. “Hmph, two little parasites. Someday I’m going to beat both of you to death.” He spat on the ground, burped, and staggered away. Grandma just rolled her eyes and shuffled off. “Honestly, he doesn’t know his own strength. Nobody’s going to work today.” I ignored the sharp pain in my stomach and crawled over to Mom. Her eyes were closed; Dad had knocked her unconscious again. I was so sad, and utterly helpless. I couldn’t get any medicine. They never gave Mom proper care, not unless she was on the verge of dying. In my despair, a glint of light caught my eye. I focused, seeing a small mirror lying on the ground. What was astonishing was that the mirror didn’t reflect me, but a girl. And she looked incredibly like Mom. “Little one! Can you hear me?! I’ve been kidnapped, please, can you call the police for me?” “My name is Annabelle Anderson, and I live at…” I froze, picked up the mirror, and hesitantly asked, “Sister, what year is it where you are?” “It’s 2005.” My eyes widened. “It’s 2020 here.” The other side fell silent too. My deepest suspicion was confirmed: I was talking to my mom in the past. My past mom was so beautiful, no wrinkles, no scars on her face. She was the prettiest girl I’d ever seen. No wonder Mom wanted to escape. Before she came here, she had another home, and her family there had cared for her so well. She had her own name, Annabelle Anderson. Unlike here, where I called her Mom. Dad called her “Hey!” and “Bitch,” Grandma called her “Hussy,” Grandpa called her “Slut.” No one knew her real name. Taking a deep breath, I said to the mirror, “Mom…” I stopped myself. I couldn’t let her know I was her daughter. This time, I absolutely couldn’t be her obstacle. Thinking quickly, I corrected myself, “I’m sorry, sister. I can’t find a way to call the police right now.” Disappointment flickered in her eyes. I added, “But I’ve heard about you. You’re the woman bought by the Miller family from the edge of town.” “I can help you. Help you escape.”

The next morning, Mom was in too much pain to get up. Before Grandma could speak, I ran out. “Grandma, I’ll do extra work today. Can Mom rest for a day?” “If Mom gets too tired, no one will help you with chores.” Grandma looked at Mom’s suffering face and grumbled, “Frank, honestly, why does he hit her so hard?” But she still compromised, dragging me off to the fields. After a moment of thought, I asked Grandma, “Grandma, how did you catch Mom the first time?” Grandma glared at me. “What are you prying about, kid?” I whispered, “If Mom tries to run away again, I can help you find her. I don’t want to lose you, Mom.” Hearing this, Grandma patted my head, pleased. “Good girl, that’s what I like to hear!” She lowered her guard around me and recounted, boastfully, “That hussy first ran away in the middle of the night…” Grandma told me that night, Mom, confused by the paths, ran in the wrong direction and ended up circling back to the village. Old Man Henderson, who was up early for work, saw her and brought her back. Grandma laughed at how foolish Mom was, but I felt a chill run down my spine. How desperate Mom must have been then, thinking freedom was within reach, only to find herself right back in the lion’s den. I fought back tears, forcing a smile. “Grandma, if there’s a fork in the path, which way leads back to the village entrance?” “Of course, it’s the path to the right, where the old well is.” I nodded. “Okay. If Mom runs away next time, I’ll trick her into thinking the right path leads to freedom.” Later that night, I took out the mirror and told Mom, “I found out you were caught because you ran in the wrong direction.” “Sister, when you get to the back hill, and you see a fork in the path, whatever you do, *do not* go right. Remember, the right path with the abandoned well—don’t take it!” Mom on the other side of the mirror nodded solemnly. After just one day, her face was already swollen, blood staining the corner of her mouth. My heart ached as I gently touched the mirror’s surface. “Sister, you have to escape!” Escape, forget me, and find your own family. The next morning, I opened my eyes. And saw Mom’s rough, sickly yellow face, still covered in fresh bruises. I sat up with a start. Why… Why was Mom still here? Why hadn’t I disappeared? My hands trembled as I reached out to touch her cheek. The next second, Mom opened her eyes. “What are you doing?” she asked coldly. My voice shaky, I replied, “Nothing… nothing, Mom. I just wanted to touch you.” “Hoping I was dead, weren’t you? Too bad for you, I’m still alive, still here to make your life miserable.” Mom painfully propped herself up, her voice laced with sarcasm. As she moved, I saw a new scar on her arm. It was long, like a twisted earthworm writhing on it. My pupils contracted sharply, tears streaming uncontrollably. Mom failed to escape… And was beaten again. Mom’s gaze followed mine to the scar, and she shivered, as if recalling a painful memory. The next second, she slapped me hard. “What are you crying about? Playing the dutiful child now? Trying to make me feel more sorry for you? More attached?” “If you knew how much hell I live in here, you never would have run out and called for me that day!” “What good is acting all sympathetic now? It’s too late. Everything’s too late!” I covered my stinging face, feeling a wave of injustice. That day, I hadn’t known she wanted to escape. I only knew I’d stolen a plate of roast chicken, wanting to give it to her. My good intentions backfired, and I only caused her more harm. “I’m sorry,” I choked out. She turned her head, annoyed. “Stop pretending!” The atmosphere fell silent, only the buzzing of mosquitoes filled the air. After a long while, I cautiously asked, “Mom, how did you get caught the second time you ran away?” Her gaze drifted through the narrow wooden slats towards the sky, and surprisingly, she answered me. “The second time I ran? The second time… was when I was forced to marry that animal, Frank Miller.” “I took advantage of them drinking outside, gnawed through my ropes in the room, then climbed out the window and ran.” “I ran and ran, until I finally saw a road. On the road, I saw a stranger, and I thought I was saved. I rushed over and begged him.” “I told him I’d been kidnapped. Please save me, take me to the police. I’ll give you any money you want.” Mom’s voice caught, as if a savior truly stood before her. “That man was so kind. He said, ‘Don’t worry, young lady, I’ll take you to the police right away.’ So he led me through winding paths, walking for a long time.” She paused, and my breath hitched. Then, Mom’s tears flowed again. “But then! That two-faced monster tricked me right back to the Miller house! He laughed and said he was Frank Miller’s uncle, here for his nephew’s wedding, and I was the ‘grand gift’ he delivered to his own nephew!” My face stiffened, my hands trembling uncontrollably. Yes. Mom was right. The Millers, they were all animals.

Late that night, I took out the mirror again. Mom’s face, streaked with blood and dirt, appeared before me. I could barely make out her features. “Little one, I failed… they still tracked me down by my footprints…” “I was too naive and too desperate, I didn’t think of that.” She mocked herself, weakly. My heart ached, and I murmured, “It’s okay, sister. We still have a chance.” She caught her breath, then asked with a flicker of hope, “Tell me.” I immediately recounted everything I’d heard that day. At the end, I emphasized, “Sister, don’t trust anyone.” Mom nodded gravely. “Okay, I won’t trust anyone.” After our talk, I watched my sleeping mom beside me. I still couldn’t relax. My wish used to be to stay with Mom forever. Now, I wished Mom could just disappear. How wonderful that would be. Ten days later, it was the day of my parents’ wedding, fifteen years ago. Late that night, I secretly crept out of the rundown shack. The image in the mirror swayed. Mom, dressed in red, ran without stopping. Then she paused. After a long time, she whispered, “The man is gone.” I breathed a sigh of relief. “Then hurry and follow the main road! You’ll definitely get out.” “Okay!” She nodded with determination. The night deepened, and my head grew heavier. The fatigue from working all day swept over me like a tide. “You’re that liar!” Suddenly, Mom’s terrified scream jolted me awake. Followed by the sound of her frantic footsteps. “Sister! What happened?!” I cried out. “I… I met a car on the main road. The person inside was the one who kidnapped me and brought me here!” As her words ended, she let out a piercing scream. The next instant, the mirror reflected my own pale face. “Sister! Sister!” I called out anxiously. The mirror remained unresponsive. My legs gave out, and I collapsed onto the ground. “Who are you talking to?” Mom’s cold voice reached my ears. I stiffly turned my head, my pupils instantly constricting. Mom’s leg was crippled… “Mom… your leg…” My words seemed to hit a nerve. The next second, she raised her crutch and slammed it down on me. “Don’t you dare remind me! Yes, my leg is crippled! Your wonderful father did this to me!” I hadn’t saved Mom. Instead, I’d caused her to lose a leg. Tears streamed down my face. I crawled on the ground, frantically punching my own leg. “I’m sorry! I wish it was my leg that was crippled! I’m useless! Why, why can’t I just get you out of here?!” My actions seemed to douse Mom’s fury. She dragged her heavy leg towards me, slowly crouching down. “Stop hitting yourself. You won’t cripple it that way. You don’t need to act.” I looked up, my face smeared with snot and tears, meeting Mom’s eyes. “Mom, I’m not acting. I *will* save you! Please believe me!” Her eyes widened, their dull, listless gaze seeming to clear. After a very long time, she wiped away my tears with her hand and sighed. “You little monster, when you grow up, when you have the ability to leave these treacherous mountains, then come and take me out.” No, Mom, I’ll take you out soon! I murmured to myself. For the next few days, I spent my days exploring the village vicinity, memorizing the terrain. At night, I’d convey the details to my past mom through the mirror. What panicked both of us was that our chances to speak through the mirror grew fewer and fewer.

Sometimes our voices would break up. Sometimes we could only speak for ten minutes. Mom’s expression grew grave. “Little one, have you seen Cinderella? If this mirror has magic, then this situation feels like the magic is fading.” I looked blank, shaking my head. “Sister, I haven’t read that book you mentioned. I only went to school for two years before I was pulled out to work.” Mom’s face softened with pity. “It’s okay. When I escape, I’ll send you lots of books, and we can read them together!” My heart ached. Unfortunately, I wouldn’t see the books Mom sent, nor would I wait for her to teach me to read. Swallowing my tears of reluctance, I forced a smile and nodded. “Okay, Sister. You’ll definitely escape!” Three days later, while searching for routes, I encountered an important person. It was a man with a nice backpack. I feigned curiosity and asked him, “Mister, I’ve never seen you before. Are you from another village?” The man chuckled. He pointed ahead and explained, “I’m a staff member at the weather station, heading to relieve my colleague.” “A weather station? I’ve never heard of that. Does our village have one? Has it been there for many years?” I asked, pretending to be curious. The man was amused by my childish questions and patiently explained, “It’s a weather station, not a convenience store. It was built thirty or forty years ago, and it’s quite far from your village. I still have to climb for another half hour to get there.” “Is it just by climbing along this road that I’ll get there?” I asked. The man nodded. “That’s right.” Then he seemed to remember something and gently added, “Little one, don’t bring your friends up here. The mountain path is dangerous, and the staff at the station are working, very busy.” I nodded obediently and waved to him. “I understand! Be careful on your way! I’m heading home now.” On my run back, my heart thumped like a wild rabbit. Fifteen years ago, the weather station was already there. This man wasn’t from the village; he was very likely from a big city. He was patient, polite, a good man. I weighed these thoughts in my mind as I flew down the mountain. Because I’d been lazy with farm work, Grandma beat me. This time, I didn’t cry. Instead, I kept smiling foolishly. Grandma was startled. She threw down her bamboo stick and rubbed her hands. “That kid, is she touched in the head?” I ignored her, unable to feel the pain. Instead, I happily scurried back into the rundown shack. That night, I secretly drew the route map on the dirt floor and showed it to Mom in the mirror. “A weather station? Little one, you’re so clever! How did I not think of that? These government sites must have people!” Mom exclaimed excitedly. I sniffled, grinning. “Hehe, I just happened to run into that man by chance.” “I’ll leave tonight. These past few days, I’ve been playing them, making them drop their guard. Now is my chance to escape.” “Can you tell me your name? When I escape, I’ll definitely come back for you!” My heart pounded. I suppressed a sob and replied, “Sister, my name is Hope Anderson.” Hope, for Mom to escape. “Oh, we both have the same last name, Anderson. What a coincidence!” Mom said, surprised. Yes, of course it’s a coincidence. Being your daughter is the greatest blessing of my life. I didn’t say that out loud. I just waved to her. “Okay, then hurry and go. I’ll guide you if you get lost.” I held my breath, watching Mom carefully climb out the window. Then came her soft gasps, like sticks tapping against my heart. “Go right here. After you see the red house built with red bricks, turn left.” I whispered the directions. She nodded at me. I watched her run along the correct route, quickly heading up the mountain. That moment, I breathed a sigh of relief. Just keep climbing, and she’d reach the weather station. Listening to the crunch of leaves underfoot, my heart slowly settled. Suddenly, a shout came from the mirror, “Hey! What are you doing out here in the middle of the night?!” My heart instantly skipped a beat. The next second, the mirror shattered.

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Just three months into our marriage, my husband’s sister-in-law, Valentina, was suddenly diagnosed with kidney failure. After a month of treatment with no improvement, his older brother, Trent, actually ran off with his mistress. Just as I was wondering how to comfort Valentina, Marcus Miller handed me a kidney donation agreement. “Stella, our family has truly wronged Valentina. As my wife, as a part of *our* family, you should donate your kidney to Valentina.” I stared at the agreement, shocked, and eventually pushed it back. “Marcus, you know I’ve already had a third of my stomach removed, and my health isn’t great. Losing another kidney would seriously impact my lifespan.” Marcus stared back, insistent. “It’s just one kidney, right? You’ll recover.” “Don’t worry, after the surgery, I’ll take good care of you and make sure you get healthy and strong again.” Seeing Marcus’s desperate plea, I finally nodded, swayed by his tears. The surgery went smoothly, and a month later, I was discharged. As soon as I got home and sat down, Marcus pulled out another agreement. “Honey, since we’re helping, let’s help all the way. Trent isn’t around now, so I’ve decided to have a child with Valentina as soon as possible, to give her a reason to live.” “Sign this husband-sharing agreement.” It felt like a lightning bolt had struck. I stared at the agreement, utterly stunned. “Effective today, I voluntarily cede my husband, Marcus Miller, to Valentina Sanchez. For three years, I shall not engage in any intimate acts with Marcus Miller. Violators shall suffer a horrible death and burn in hell.” *Slam!* I threw the agreement at his face, a sharp pain ripping through my chest. “Marcus Miller, I already gave her my kidney! Now you want to ‘loan’ yourself to her to have a child?” “What did you promise me back then? Is this your idea of ‘taking good care of me’? Don’t you feel any shame?” Marcus looked conflicted. “It says three years, but it’ll be two at most. I’ll get Valentina pregnant as quickly as possible.” “Valentina is worried about a relapse and not having children later, so…” Marcus walked over and gently embraced me. “Stella, think about it. Valentina Sanchez is from one of the most powerful families in the country, brilliant and stunningly beautiful. And her connections to the nation’s elite families are unparalleled. Given your current health…” I looked at Marcus, his face filled with longing, and a bitter ache rose in my heart. Who begged me to donate my kidney? And who did I ruin my health for in the first place? How could he forget all that in just a month? Tears streamed down my face. Through my tears, I said firmly, “Marcus Miller, what if I absolutely refuse?” Before Marcus could answer, Joyce, his mom, picked up a coffee mug and, with a *smash*, hurled it at my face. “You’re just a wife! When do *you* get to make decisions for *our* family? If you don’t agree, then get out! Go back to your pathetic apartment. Without the Millers, you’re *nothing*.” Relatives who had come to visit me quickly stood up, trying to mediate. “Alright, alright, Joyce, let’s talk this through calmly. Stella just got out of the hospital, no need for physical force!” “Stella, you too. Apologize to your mother-in-law. Marcus is doing this for the Miller family. Valentina can be ruthless when she’s upset, you need to think about the bigger picture.” “Exactly! He’s a man; he can’t let emotions cloud his judgment. It’s just two years, it’ll fly by. And you’ll have a child, at least in name.” I coldly watched the Miller relatives trying to persuade me. Now I finally understood why Trent had fled when things went wrong. Clearly, this family’s selfishness and coldness run deep, passed down through generations. Suppressing the sorrow in my heart, I persisted, looking at Marcus. “Marcus Miller, between Valentina and me, if you had to choose one, who would it be?” A flicker of guilt crossed Marcus’s face, then he looked at me earnestly. “Stella, we weathered eight years of storms together, building Miller Holdings from the ground up. I thought you’d understand. Having this child is crucial to solidify the alliance between our families. There’s no choice to be made.” I laughed bitterly. So, I was supposed to understand my husband’s infidelity, even support him in having a child with his sister-in-law? I stood up, slowly tearing the agreement into shreds, and scattered them into the air. “Marcus Miller, I could agree to IVF and surrogacy. That’s my absolute biggest compromise.” He looked at me, annoyance and frustration flickering in his eyes. “Stella Hayes, the child *must* be born to secure our family’s alliance. I’m *informing* you, not asking for your opinion.” I clenched my fists, finally utterly disillusioned. “Marcus Miller, let’s get a divorce.” The living room fell silent. All the relatives stared at me, dumbfounded that *I*, the supposedly meek little wife, had dared to suggest divorce. Marcus stared at me for a long time, then his voice turned hoarse, and he stopped arguing. He stood up and ushered all the relatives out. As he reached the door, he turned back to me. “Stella, I know you can’t accept this. It’s okay. You… you love me so much, just try to think about me a little more.” I sat up all night, then dialed that mysterious number. “You said you owed me a favor, didn’t you? I’m calling it in now.” “Alright, name it. I’ll make it happen.” 2 The next day, when I woke up, Marcus had already packed his suitcase. “Valentina is going to the States for a project. She just had surgery, so I’m going with her to look after her. You can keep an eye on things at Miller Holdings.” With that, he picked up his suitcase and strode out the door. He didn’t ask a single question about my health, nor did he offer any explanation for yesterday. It was as if everything was already decided. I rose indifferently, washed up, and went to the company. When the private investigator sent me the information, my hands trembled as I nervously clicked to open it. Marcus accompanied Valentina for a follow-up check-up in the States. Her indicators were normal, and Marcus happily posted about it on SnapChat. The caption read: “A new life, hand in hand with you.” Marcus accompanied Valentina to the project’s groundbreaking ceremony. They looked like a couple, arm in arm, chatting with guests. They even went to the Eiffel Tower, where they carved their initials side-by-side. He must have posted a hundred videos a day, flaunting his happiness with Valentina. Every caption was utterly ambiguous: “Happiness By Your Side,” “Fate Brought Us Together Again.” If one of the protagonists hadn’t been my husband, I might have even complimented them on being a perfect match. But that smiling face, tightly embracing her arm, stung my eyes. Looking at the endless stream of SnapChat posts, I still angrily commented under one, “If you want happiness, get a divorce first.” Almost instantly, the comment was deleted. Then came a sixty-second voice message from Marcus. “What are you commenting on my posts for? As a Vice President of Miller Holdings, can’t you think before you speak? My reputation *is* the company’s reputation. Are you only happy when you’ve ruined Miller Holdings?” Despite having completely given up hope these past few days, hearing his angry accusations, my eyes still welled up, and tears fell without me realizing it. My colleagues at work looked at me with complex emotions in their eyes. I didn’t know if it was pity or disdain. Disdain for me, the ‘little wife,’ who was willing to be a fool for money. I couldn’t understand how a person could change so much. Eight years ago, Miller Holdings was on the brink of bankruptcy, its funds completely depleted. It was I who gave up my excellent job and resolutely joined the Miller family business. I accompanied Marcus, persuading clients one by one, bringing back old customers. I camped out at the bank manager’s office for ten days straight, barely sleeping, guaranteeing the loan with my entire future. I even drank myself into a stomach hemorrhage just to secure deals, leading to a third of my stomach being removed. That day, Marcus held me, tears streaming down his face, and said, “Stella, you’ve suffered so much.” “For the rest of my life, I’ll never betray you. If I ever have a moment of disloyalty, may I be cursed by all and suffer a horrible end.” At that time, Joyce also gratefully took my hand, her eyes red, and said, “Child, you are our family’s savior. From now on, you’ll be the head of Miller Holdings. It’s yours.” Just a few years after Miller Holdings stabilized and moved into the mid-tier, Joyce’s gaze shifted. It was filled with arrogance and contempt. Especially after Trent married into the wealthy Sanchez family, Joyce completely dropped her act. She openly declared I’d married above my station, claiming that if I hadn’t ‘entangled’ him, her second son could have married a genuine heiress, even an heir to one of the most powerful families. She conveniently forgot that without my desperate, do-or-die efforts to save Miller Holdings, they’d still be scrambling for pennies. After the company’s assets were cleared, Marcus returned with Valentina. When he returned, he found me sitting by the window, drinking alone, looking defeated and lost. He put down his suitcase and walked over, frowning as he pushed open the window. He said, displeased, “Your health isn’t good, why are you drinking? You’re an adult. Why are you still so reckless and childish?” A look of triumph crossed his face, but his words landed on my heart like a thunderclap. “Valentina is pregnant. I probably won’t be coming back here. I’m moving in to take care of her.” 3 I stared at Marcus in shock. A month away and she’s pregnant? How desperate was he? Without a moment’s hesitation. In that moment, my heart surprisingly calmed down. The next steps I had to take were now free of any guilt. I smiled faintly. “Alright, I understand.” I picked up my clothes and walked to the bathroom. It was time to clean myself up, to truly wake up. I’d let myself become a wreck for a scumbag. When I came out, Marcus was gone. On my phone was a message he’d sent five minutes ago. “It’s Sanchez Industries’ anniversary these next couple of days. I’m going to help out. Make sure you’re there this Friday.” “Don’t say anything out of turn when you get there. For now, the child is publicly Trent’s. We’ll formally announce its true parentage when the time is right.” I calmly read the message. He had even considered the child’s reputation. The only thing he hadn’t considered was my reputation and dignity when that day came. I indifferently deleted the message and called Mr. Hayes, my lawyer. “How much of the assets have been transferred?” “Ms. Hayes, it’s 70% now. Transferring everything at once might be tricky; it’ll take time.” “Alright, no rush for these next two days. Keep transferring.” On Friday, I arrived at Moonlight Manor on time. Marcus, dressed in a custom-tailored dark patterned suit, stood with Valentina at the manor entrance, greeting guests. Anyone who didn’t know would think it was his wedding day. I calmly walked over and greeted them. Marcus merely said, politely and distantly, “Go inside and sit down.” He had truly adopted the air of a host. As I walked in, several partners approached me. “Ms. Hayes, congratulations! We hear Ms. Sanchez is expecting!” “Ms. Hayes, why aren’t you helping Ms. Sanchez greet guests? She’s pregnant. Why is Mr. Miller running around looking after her?” I smiled faintly. “Oh, he just loves to help out.” The others looked at Marcus, who was still arm-in-arm with Valentina, exchanged glances, and chuckled, trying to mask their awkwardness. Soon, all the guests had arrived. Valentina stepped onto the stage to give her speech, and her male companion was, conspicuously, Marcus. The spotlights shone on them, and Marcus’s face was flushed with excitement. “Friends, colleagues, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to join Sanchez Industries’ anniversary celebration.” “On behalf of Sanchez Industries, I welcome all of you.” Scattered applause broke out, but more people whispered among themselves. “Isn’t that Mr. Miller from Miller Holdings? Why is he representing Sanchez Industries?” “You haven’t heard? Miller Holdings will soon be under the Sanchez name. Haven’t you seen the posts on SnapChat?” All eyes shifted between me and Marcus and Valentina, filled with confusion, disdain, and pity. Before anyone could react, Marcus dropped another bombshell. “Today, I officially announce that Miller Holdings will merge under Sanchez Industries, and all decision-making power will be given to CEO Valentina Sanchez.” The hall fell silent. Everyone stared, mouths agape, at me and then at the stage. Everyone knew that while the company was called Miller Holdings, I was the one who had actually managed and toiled over it all these years. If Miller Holdings merged with Sanchez Industries, what would become of me, the ‘little wife’ of the Miller family? Marcus strode off the stage and quickly came to my side, whispering in my ear. “You go up there and say a few words. Just tell everyone to continue cooperating with Sanchez Industries, support them, and say you approve of this merger.” I smiled indifferently. “And what about me? How do you plan to arrange my position?” Marcus frowned, contemplating for two seconds, then quickly said, “You should go home and rest for now. Valentina is very sensitive about these things, and seeing you around might upset her. Plus, if you’re in the company, people will talk.” I let out a cold laugh. Although I had reached the depths of disappointment, I was still shocked by Marcus’s shamelessness. Not only had he shamelessly cheated on me, but he was now trying to blame *me* for it. Looking at all the eyes on me, I smiled faintly. “Marcus, you’ve made excellent arrangements. I truly do need to rest.” Hearing me say this, a satisfied smile appeared on Marcus’s face. But I had already confidently stepped onto the stage. “Distinguished guests, friends, colleagues, welcome to Sanchez Industries’ anniversary celebration. Today, I officially announce that I, Stella Hayes, am hereby resigning from all positions at Miller Holdings, effective immediately.” “All future matters will no longer concern me. You can discuss them with Mr. Miller.” With that, I bowed deeply, dropped the microphone, and strode out. The hall instantly erupted, discussions breaking out everywhere. “How could someone as capable as Ms. Hayes just walk away?” “Exactly! We all witnessed how Ms. Hayes put Miller Holdings back on track. Without her, Miller Holdings wouldn’t be where it is today.” Below, discussions buzzed. Marcus immediately grabbed the microphone and loudly declared, “Today, in front of all our colleagues, I officially transfer Miller Holdings to Ms. Sanchez’s name.” With a wave of his hand, a lawyer came up, holding the Miller Holdings equity transfer documents. Valentina’s expression was unreadable. She simply instructed her lawyer and financial team to begin their review. Moments later, the lawyer hurried over, his expression grave. “Ms. Sanchez, Miller Holdings currently has no money in its accounts. Furthermore, there’s 180 million in outstanding payments for goods and employee salaries that need to be settled.” “In other words, if we take over Miller Holdings, not only will we not make money, but we’ll also have to *pay* 180 million.”

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In my first life, I, Lyra, was the Dragon Crown Princess. Yet, I fell in love with a common black snake, Dorian. I willingly gave him my precious dragon scales-a piece of my very essence-so he could fully transform into a dragon. But the moment he transformed, he plunged a sword into my heart. Then, he turned and knelt before my sister, pledging his allegiance to her. It was then I realized Dorian had always been my sister Celeste’s puppet. “Sister,” Celeste had said, “You have no ambition. You care more for love than power. What future could the Dragonkin have in your hands?” “The throne belongs to the strong!” If only you had told me you wanted the position earlier, I would have gladly handed it to you. Why did it have to cost me my life? Consumed by rage, I drew my last breath. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day I first met Dorian. This time, I shoved Dorian directly into Celeste’s arms and immediately named her the new Dragon Crown Princess. Ditching that burdensome duty, I chose a low-ranking white snake, named Kian. But he was by far the most stunning in his human form. I brought him back to my chambers. Every day, I indulged in beauty and savored fine wines. Celeste ruled well. The Dragonkin prospered. But when the Archdemons came to slaughter our kind, and I fought until my strength was gone, Kian suddenly unleashed an immense power, transforming on the spot into a majestic Golden-scaled Divine Dragon. His power shook the very foundations of the heavens. …

“There are many exceptional young talents among our Dragonkin.” King Theron’s voice, thick with authority, boomed in my ears. I looked up to see Father pointing behind me, his tone grave. “So, Lyra, are you truly going to forsake your own kind for this mere black snake as your consort?” I followed Father’s gaze and turned, meeting a pair of cold, indifferent eyes. A shiver ran through me. The agonizing pain of Dorian’s sword piercing my chest in my previous life washed over me. In a split second, I shoved Dorian directly into Celeste’s arms. “Father, this black snake, Dorian, is dignified and composed. He’s exactly Celeste’s type. I was choosing him for her.” My actions, so completely different from my past life, stunned both Celeste and Dorian. After the initial shock, Celeste’s face twisted into utter bewilderment. My heart sank. Celeste must have been reborn too! I remembered the sorrow and resentment in Celeste’s eyes when she killed me in my past life. Though anger still simmered within me, it was largely overshadowed by a profound sense of melancholy. Mother had passed away early, and we sisters had supported each other through childhood. If only she had told me earlier that she coveted the title of Crown Princess, I would have gladly handed it over. Why would it ever have come to sisters betraying each other so cruelly? I swallowed down the bitter lump in my throat and unclasped the dragon-crested pendant from my waist, the symbol of the Crown Princess, pressing it into Celeste’s hand. “My powers are… adequate, my spirit is free, and I loathe being bound by rules.” “Celeste, with her sharp mind and unyielding spirit, is far more capable than me of shouldering the future of the Dragonkin.” “Today, I, Lyra, willingly relinquish my title as Crown Princess. From this moment on, Celeste shall be the future ruler of the Dragonkin!”

I was speaking the truth. My designation as Crown Princess was merely due to being the elder. Ever since I became Crown Princess, I was not only forced to cultivate diligently but also had to follow Father, learning to manage tribal affairs. I never had a moment’s peace. Life was utterly miserable. Celeste, on the other hand, with no one to push her, still devoted herself to cultivation and study all day long. I once lamented that Celeste didn’t know how to enjoy life. Reborn, if she wanted it, I would grant her wish. The two esteemed elders of the Dragonkin exchanged glances, then quickly bowed to Celeste, proclaiming “Long live the Crown Princess!” As if fearing I would change my mind. It seemed my struggles as Crown Princess were as painful for them to watch as they were for me to endure. Father, however, roared, “Nonsense!” “Lyra, you are the elder sister. Protecting the Dragonkin is your responsibility! How can you push it onto your sister, Celeste?” “Besides, Celeste is devoted to her cultivation; she has no interest in becoming Crown Princess of the Dragonkin.” Celeste, without a word, fastened the dragon-crested necklace around her neck, then bowed solemnly to Father. “No, Father. I want to be Crown Princess of the Dragonkin.” “I cultivate diligently every day precisely to protect our people.” Hearing Celeste’s words, the elders all looked relieved, but Father’s face grew even colder. “There’s an order to succession! The Crown Princess must be Lyra!” I couldn’t help but frown. Father had always doted on Celeste. Now that I was voluntarily abdicating, he should have been pleased. Celeste showed no surprise, her expression abnormally calm. She asked in a low voice, “Sister is willing to step down. I am capable of holding the position of Crown Princess.” “The clan elders also approve. Why do you repeatedly object, Father?” I noticed that her eyes held none of the childlike reverence she once had for Father. The two elders were utterly baffled, and the surrounding Dragonkin began to whisper. They didn’t understand why Father was so adamant against Celeste becoming Crown Princess. I was very curious myself. Father softened his expression. “To become Crown Princess, one must choose a soul-bonded consort to cultivate the Draconic Divinity Arts.” “Celeste, the black snake Lyra carelessly pushed to you is too lowly. He is far beneath you.” “How about this: the matter of the Crown Princess will be postponed for now. We can discuss it again after I find suitable consorts for both of you.” Dorian, who had been silently standing behind Celeste, serving as a mere backdrop, suddenly changed expression. He looked at Celeste anxiously, his eyes filled with unconcealed affection. So Dorian was already in love with Celeste at this point. No wonder he was so cold towards me. In my past life, I was trapped in the position of Crown Princess, already living a stifled existence, and still forced by Father to find a soul-bonded consort. I couldn’t help but feel a rebellious urge.

Father looked down on Dorian, so I insisted on him. The more Father loathed Dorian, the more I used every means to make Dorian happy. I even gifted Dorian the Dragonkin’s most vital dragon scales right in front of Father. When Father stormed off in a huff, I felt an inexplicable sense of satisfaction. Thinking back, I didn’t truly harbor much affection for Dorian. Just as I was lost in thought, Celeste took Dorian’s hand. “Father, Dorian is my fated companion, destined to be soul-bonded with me.” Celeste and Dorian cut their palms, and threads of blood wove into a glowing Fateseal, gradually appearing between them. The two elders were ecstatic. “Princess Celeste’s and the black snake Dorian’s Fateseals are perfectly aligned!” “When they cultivate the Draconic Divinity Arts together, their progress will advance by leaps and bounds!” From that moment, all the Dragonkin present supported Celeste as the Crown Princess. Father, left with no grounds for objection, stood there with a gloomy expression, silent. Celeste glanced at me with an unreadable expression, then firmly declared. “Father, rest assured. Should the Dragonkin ever face crisis, I will fight with all my might.” “Anything Sister can do, I can do too!” My suspicion deepened. Celeste’s tone suggested as if such a crisis for the Dragonkin were an actual possibility. But who in this world dared to provoke the Dragonkin? However, the most important thing right now was to shed this burdensome Crown Princess title. “Celeste has chosen her consort, now it’s my turn to pick.” I scanned the gathering, then languidly gestured towards a corner on the right. “He looks good. Handsome, just my type.” I was pointing to a man in white robes, with a striking face, fair skin, and perfectly sculpted lips. Much more handsome than Dorian. Father’s face grew even uglier. “A mere white snake, barely transformed, he’s even worse than your sister’s black snake.” I replied languidly, “As long as he’s good-looking.” I used my magic to summon him directly before me, took his hand, and led him back to my palace. With the heavy burden of Crown Princess lifted, I completely let loose. Each day, I listened to new songs from the human world, savored fine wines and exquisite foods, and enjoyed the ministrations of my white snake. Kian, the white snake, was handsome and gentle in nature. My days were spent indulging in beauty and fine wines, living a life of utter freedom and pleasure. Meanwhile, Celeste, after becoming Crown Princess of the Dragonkin, cultivated the Draconic Divinity Arts with Dorian. In just half a month, she became the strongest among the younger generation of Dragonkin. Dorian also successfully transformed into a dragon. The entire Dragon Palace was filled with joy. The two elders specifically sought me out, commending my sensibility for letting Celeste become Crown Princess. Before leaving, they also advised me not to fall into despair, but to continue cultivating. At the very least, I should ensure Kian transformed into a dragon. After all, Dragons live for millennia, but a mere snake-shifter only for a few centuries. I leaned back languidly, asking Kian, “Do you want to transform into a dragon? If so, I’ll have some potent elixirs sent over tomorrow to aid your cultivation.” Cultivating diligently myself was out of the question. If he wanted to transform, I’d simply provide him with elixirs to achieve it. Kian looked at me with a soft smile. “As I am now is perfectly fine.” Just then, the palace doors burst open. Mara, Celeste’s maid, her face pale, stumbled in. “Princess Lyra, the Crown Princess was ambushed by Archdemons while patrolling the border and is gravely wounded!” “Before she lost consciousness, she kept calling your name.” Clang! The wine cup in my hand dropped, spilling its contents across the floor.

My breath hitched. “Take me to her.” I thought the bond between my sister and me had long since shattered. Yet, hearing she was gravely wounded, the ache and worry in my heart were no less than in my past life. The maid led the way, with Kian and I following behind her. But after walking for a while, I noticed we were veering further and further off course. I realized something was wrong. “Where are you taking me?” The maid respectfully replied, “To meet the Crown Princess, of course.” I narrowed my eyes slightly. “Is that so?” The next moment, I decisively struck, summoning my sword and thrusting it directly at the maid. Just as my sword was about to pierce her body, a sinister black mist erupted from her, blasting my sword away. When the black mist dissipated, the maid was gone, replaced by a dark-robed figure wreathed in menacing dark energy. I was utterly shocked. It was Archdemon Malakor himself! A century ago, he had infiltrated the Dragonkin. My mother had perished by his hand, protecting Celeste and me. My heart seethed with hatred, but I also understood the gravity of the situation. I shoved Kian. “I’m no match for him. Even with all my strength, I can only hold him off for half a minute.” “Run! Go warn Father and Celeste!” With that, I launched my attack at Archdemon Malakor. He met my assault with a cold sneer. “Today, I will surely take you back to the Archdemon realm and destroy that thing inside you!” I fought with everything I had, but alas, my body was weak, and my powers were woefully insufficient. I was defeated in just a few moves. Archdemon Malakor struck me with a powerful blow to the chest, sending me crashing to the ground, barely clinging to life. I turned my head and saw Kian still standing rooted to the spot, staring intently at Archdemon Malakor. I was so furious I nearly coughed up blood. The next moment, Archdemon Malakor’s sinister gaze locked onto me, and a colossal hand formed of dark energy reached directly for my throat. It seemed I wouldn’t escape death today. “Stop!” With a furious roar, King Theron appeared with his guards, surrounding Archdemon Malakor. Archdemon Malakor surveyed them, completely unfazed. “King Theron, you are no match for me.” “However, I only came to the Dragonkin today for Lyra.” “If you hand her over to me, I promise the Archdemons will not invade the Dragonkin for a thousand years.” “Lyra is a useless pawn; trading her for a thousand years of peace for the Dragonkin is a very worthwhile deal.” Father’s gaze was heavy, a flicker of doubt in his eyes. I knew Father was swayed by the Archdemon’s offer; he wanted to sacrifice me for a thousand years of peace for the Dragonkin. A wave of desolation washed over my heart. Archdemon Malakor sneered, his form shifting, and in an instant, he was before me, reaching for my collar. Suddenly, Kian, the white snake, shot into the air. The next moment, dazzling golden light erupted, and dragon might pulsed through the air-a Golden-scaled Divine Dragon had appeared! “How dare you insult my master!”

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After three years of marriage, I still wasn’t pregnant. My mother-in-law, Martha Thorne, whispered to my husband Ryan behind my back. “Evelyn Hayes definitely can’t have kids. What good is a woman who can’t give you a child? Divorce her now!” But Ryan always stood firm. “Mom, I’m telling you again, Evelyn and I are happy. Even if we can’t have our own children, we can always adopt. If you say one more word about this, I’ll send you away, far from here!” Ryan’s words warmed my heart. When Martha kept pushing, Ryan finally pulled out a medical report showing he was the infertile one. Confronted with the evidence, Martha apologized to me, but Ryan still sent her away. I knew there was nothing wrong with Ryan. When I asked him why he’d lied, he simply said, “Loving you means accepting everything about you.” He added that he really loved children and perhaps we could adopt. I agreed. Years later, I had raised our adopted son into a celebrated child actor. Then a woman appeared at our door,claiming to be his birth mother. Before I could even speak, Ryan immediately announced to everyone, “Since his birth mother has come forward, we should give him back.” He turned to me, waiting for my refusal. The world knew I loved that boy more than my own life. But if I refused, I would become a “child-stealing villain” and be destroyed by the public outrage. So, I smiled and said, “No problem. He’s yours.”

Even before we got married, Martha always hinted that I was too fragile to have children. Yet, she was always incredibly kind to me. Every day, she’d prepare nutritious, delicious meals and deliver them to my office. The best part? They actually tasted amazing. Martha even told me to eat as much as I wanted, promising I wouldn’t gain weight. Honestly, back then, Martha truly felt like the mother I never had. I actually met her first. She’d been hit by a car, and I took her to the hospital, covering her medical bills. She clutched my hand and insisted, “Don’t worry, I won’t try to scam you. My son will be here soon and he’ll pay you back.” Later, her son arrived. Canvas shoes, jeans paired with a white shirt, neat short hair – he radiated sunshine. I’ m a total sucker for good looks, and I was immediately smitten. So I often visited Martha, hoping to spend more time with him. But Martha warned me that our financial backgrounds were worlds apart and urged me to reconsider carefully. Ryan himself confessed that he liked me a lot but didn’t dare to pursue it because our family statuses were too different. Still, I fell head-over-heels for him, without a second thought. He was sunny, positive, and then so sophisticated and intelligent with his glasses on at work. He met every single one of my criteria for a partner. We eventually got married, and Martha moved in with us. I grew up without a mother, and Martha truly showered me with maternal love. I spent more time with her every day after coming home than I did with my own husband. But I never imagined I’ d overhear her in the study doorway, telling Ryan, “Evelyn Hayes definitely can’t have kids. What good is a woman who can’ t give you a child? Divorce her now!” The moment I heard those words, tears streamed down my face. Because for three years, I had truly thought of her as my mother. And from what I knew of her, she wasn’t a rigid or old-fashioned person. So why, just because we didn’t have children, was she pushing Ryan to divorce me? “Mom, I’m telling you again, Evelyn and I have a great relationship. Even if we can’t have kids, we can always adopt. If you say something like that one more time, I’ll send you away, far from here!” Ryan’ s frustrated voice echoed. My heavy heart finally began to settle a little. I didn’t dare to listen any further, even trying to reassure myself that Martha just wanted a grandchild too badly, that she was still a good person, and I should just try harder to have children. But the next morning, as I was eating breakfast, Martha suddenly sat down opposite me. She slammed her bowl onto the dining table with excessive force, then spoke in a harsh, biting tone, “My Ryan is supposed to carry on the Thorne family name! You can’ t have kids, so stop monopolizing him. Divorce him already! We’ll make you leave with absolutely nothing, we won’t ask for a dime from you!”

As she spoke, I forced a smile at her, telling myself that what I heard last night hadn’t happened. But what greeted me was still her almost degrading words. “Mom, I’ve always considered you…” “Don’t call me Mom. I’m not privileged enough to be the mother of a high-society princess like you.” “They say no one can have it all. Look at you – such a good family background, but you lost your mother young, and then your dad died too.” “Have you ever considered that the wealth you have now is just a trade-off for your parents’ deaths?” Martha’s next words made me burst into tears. I had always considered her my mother, yet she was hurting me like this. Just then, Ryan walked over, his face grim. He sat beside me and pulled me into his arms. He whispered soothingly, “Evelyn, don’t listen to her nonsense. To me, you’re the most important person. No one compares to you. So what if we can’t have kids? As long as I can be with you, I’ll be content.” Ryan’s words made my anxious heart finally begin to settle. At least someone cared about me. Then, Ryan pulled a medical report from his pocket and pushed it towards Martha. “It’s my problem, not Evelyn’s. Don’t make things difficult for her!” Martha froze, her hand trembling as she picked up the report. Ryan cupped my face and asked, “Evelyn, I can’t have kids. Will you divorce me?” I shook my head, crying as I did so. Ryan continued, “We can adopt a child.” He said that as long as we could be together, no problem was truly a problem. Then, ignoring my objections, he sent Martha away. Later, I discovered the medical report was fake. Ryan then confessed the truth to me – he simply couldn’t stand to see me wronged, so he fabricated it for Martha. I was touched beyond words, feeling so lucky to have him. Some time after that, Martha passed away. When Ryan and I returned, he cried terribly. The villagers said Martha died of a broken heart. They didn’t say it explicitly, but I knew my presence was part of her grief. I kept vigil in the mourning hall, fainting several times from crying. Finally, Martha’s nephew, Julian Brooks, took me back home. After returning, Ryan suggested we adopt a child, and I agreed. Then, he brought home a five-year-old boy, naming him Leo Hayes, after my family name. But Ryan and I were both very busy with work, so we couldn’t care for Leo very well. That’ s when Ryan’s ‘cousin,’ Vanessa Reed, came from out of town. Vanessa’s personality was very similar to Martha’s – always taking good care of people. But no matter how busy I was, I always made sure to have Leo with me often. I even had him sit in on company board meetings. Leo was incredibly bright and talented at everything. I often said he was quite like Ryan, who was also a person of extraordinary talent. As the company hit a bottleneck and urgently needed to expand into new ventures, Martha’s nephew, Julian Brooks, joined me. He was a talent agent with over a dozen aspiring stars. He told me a few of them had potential, and with some development, they could at least support an entertainment company’s initial stages, even if they didn’t become A-listers. So, I got the board’s approval to establish “Evelyn Hayes Entertainment” and began producing web series. Web series were still exploding in popularity, with low barriers to entry, low costs, and minimal demands for acting or production quality. Even the scripts could be simplistic, even absurdly over-the-top. As long as they delivered intense satisfaction or heartbreaking drama, they would quickly generate revenue. Seeing Leo’s talent, I brought him to set with me. His schooling didn’t suffer; he had a private tutor following us. This made Ryan a bit unhappy. He kept saying that a child’s most important thing was still their studies. Even Vanessa chimed in, saying children should focus on school. I told them that my ability to grow the company to its current size proved my judgment was good, and I had my own ideas about Leo’ s education. After all, this house was still my house, so they didn’t say anything more. Leo didn’t disappoint me. His small guest roles were astonishing. I even created social media accounts for Leo, where he’d post daily updates, including photos of his tutor helping him with homework on set. Leo never missed a chance to post about his perfect life online and the adoration for his mom. Every video ended the same way, with him beaming at the camera, “I love your most, my most beautiful mom, Evelyn Hayes!” I never held back on promoting Leo, taking him to various events, and posting about him daily on my own social media.

After one project wrapped, Julian Brooks drove Leo and me home. Since Julian joined me, he’d been living at the villa. Ryan had expressed jealousy, but I told him to be more understanding, as Julian was his cousin. Besides, if Vanessa could live with us, why couldn’t Julian? When we arrived, Ryan had just gotten off work and was preparing dinner in the kitchen. He immediately rushed out, wanting to hug me, but I stepped away. “Bad allergies lately. You’ve got a strong scent on you.” I offered a wry smile. Ryan asked anxiously, “Is the set environment that bad?” “Oh yes,” I said. “So many people are heavy smokers, it’s so smoky and suffocating every day.” I chuckled lightly. Ryan then knelt down, trying to pick up Leo. “Come here, son, let Dad give you a hug.” Leo said expressionlessly, “Dad, I’m really tired. I’m going to bed.” Then he walked off. Ryan’s face dropped a little, and he gave an awkward laugh. “Evelyn, look, the child isn’t even close to me anymore.” “As long as you’re close to me,” I said, smiling. Ryan didn’t say anything more, instead turning to Julian. “Julian, let’s have a drink tonight.” “Sounds good, Ryan,” Julian replied with a smile. He was a man who seemed very refined, and his modesty came from deep within. His kindness towards people was also very genuine. I said to Julian, “Come to my study, let’s discuss the new project.” “Alright.” Julian nodded at Ryan and followed me to the study. About an hour later, dinner was ready. Our family sat at the dining table, but Vanessa Reed was eating in the kitchen. I glanced at Vanessa’s back and said, “Vanessa, why aren’t you eating with us?” “Evelyn, although I’m Ryan’ s cousin, I’ m still the nanny. I…” I waved my hand, cutting her off. “Even as a nanny, you can sit at the table with us. We don’t have so many rules in this house.” Vanessa then came over and sat beside Leo, constantly putting food on his plate. Leo frowned. “Aunt Vanessa, you should use serving forks for that.” He pushed his plate forward, refusing to eat it, as if it was dirty. I looked at him and said, “Go get another plate yourself.” Leo nodded, smiling, and immediately went. Vanessa quickly apologized, “Evelyn, see? I don’t know the rules.” “You’ll get used to it,” I said, smiling. Later, a well-known screenwriter brought me a script. The new script was a slice-of-life drama from a child’s perspective, and the screenwriter suggested that Leo would be perfect for the lead role. I agreed. The web series took half a year to film. After its release on major platforms, it instantly garnered immense popularity. Especially Leo, who directly became America’ s sweetheart, the nation’ s son. And all sorts of film offers came flooding in. Leo was a sensation and even major directors started extending offers. I accepted a film for Leo and invested in the production. After the film was released, its popularity remained high. Leo’s acting skills were once again recognized. Every time Ryan came home and saw Leo, his eyes were full of pride. He’d always say, “That’s my son!” Vanessa would also exclaim excitedly, “Wonderful! Someone’s bringing glory to the Thorne name!” Ryan would frown and say, “Don’t say that randomly, it’s the Hayes family!” Vanessa quickly apologized, “Right, right, my mistake.” I smiled at them and said, “We’re all family, there’ s no ‘yours’ and ‘mine’.” However, Leo’s rise had been too smooth; it was time for him to take a break and mature. So, Leo personally announced he was temporarily withdrawing from acting to focus on his studies. But to thank his fans of all ages, he announced a grand farewell party—with tickets given away through a lottery system. The party would be held on the Lakeview Island in Sterling City. This island had once been the economic backbone of my family, the Hayes family. The food court there had been incredibly successful. But later, due to sewage issues and a company transition, I shut down the food court. And when I decided to open the entertainment company, I developed Lakeview Island into a film studio complex. On the day of the party, Lakeview Island was buzzing with guests, and Leo’s fans were the most numerous. Leo sang, danced, and played the piano on stage. He showed everyone that he not only could act but had many other talents. Holding the microphone, Leo told everyone in the audience, “I owe everything I am today to my beautiful mom, Evelyn Hayes, who raised me so well!” Then, I also stepped onto the stage, and the applause from the audience grew even more enthusiastic. But just at that moment, Vanessa Reed suddenly rushed onto the stage. Holding a microphone in her left hand and a document in her right, she declared to the audience, “Ladies and gentlemen, I have to reveal the truth! Leo is actually my son. Evelyn Hayes stole my son!”

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My mom always said I was born a dummy. By the age of three, I still couldn’t say “Mom.” She dragged me to the clinic for an evaluation. The specialists in white coats asked endless questions, handing me little blocks to stack. I was actually doing pretty well, but then mom pinched my upper thigh so hard under the table that my vision swam. I screamed and burst into tears. I shoved the stacked blocks over, drooling everywhere. The certificate was approved quickly. an intellectual disability. My mom clutched that document, looking happier than if she’d won the lottery. She pinched my cheek, smiling. “Mommy’s little fool, from now on, I’m counting on you!” I nodded eagerly, my face stretched in a vacant grin. I didn’t really know what that piece of paper meant. But I knew that the meager $350 a month in disability benefits would be enough for Mom and me to eat meat. And that was enough. …… When I was six, my neighbor, Leo, went to school with a brand-new backpack. The colorful backpack seemed to shimmer, making my eyes ache with longing. I clung to the door frame, drooling onto the floor, a desperate ache scratching at my heart. I whispered to Mom, “Mom, can I go to school?” She was counting the month’s benefits money. She snapped her head up, her gaze cutting through me like a knife. “What for? You’re a dummy. Going to school would be a waste of money, wouldn’t it?” I wiped my drool, my voice even softer, a barely audible whisper. “I’m not a dummy…” She sprang to her feet, yanking my ear until tears welled in my eyes. Her breath was hot against my face as she hissed. “Shut up! Say you’re not a dummy one more time, and you’ll go to bed without dinner!” She rummaged through Daniel’s old, smelly clothes, pulling some out for me to wear. Then she smeared mud all over my face and hands, black dirt under my fingernails, and finally sighed in relief. “Remember,” she said, her voice low and sharp. “Outside these walls, you’re a fool. Fools don’t get to be clean. They don’t get to be smart. They don’t get to go to school.” From that day on, I, Daisy, became the undisputed ‘little dummy’ of our small town.

The other kids in town saw me like I was the plague, scattering whenever they spotted me. “Run! Dummy Daisy is coming! Stupidity is contagious!” Sometimes they couldn’t get away fast enough, and rocks would come flying. My forehead bled, warm and sticky, blurring my vision. Everything was red. I cried my way home. Mom was cooking by the stove, she didn’t even turn her head. “What’s there to cry about? So what if a dummy gets hit a couple of times? It won’t kill you.” She pulled up her apron and roughly wiped my face. Blood and mud mixed, forming scabs that caked my face, making me even dirtier. She looked at my face, a flicker of satisfaction in her eyes. “That’s good. Now you really look like a dummy.” From then on, I couldn’t have friends, couldn’t wear clean clothes, and couldn’t look at anything with words. I secretly peeled off discarded newspapers and magazines she used to patch holes in the walls, hiding them in the woodpile to read. By the faint glow from the fireplace, I’d slowly decipher one word after another. When she found out, she burned them all. Sparks flew onto my hand, blistering my skin with thumb-sized burns. “What are you looking at? Can you even understand? Remember, you’re a dummy! Have you ever seen a dummy read?” Her eyes were wide, cold, filled only with stark terror. She was terrified of me becoming normal, terrified of losing that meager income. Days turned into years. The disability benefits rose from $350 to $500, then to $800. My perceived disability became Mom’s and my most stable source of income, and her lifeline, clutched tightly in her hand. When I was twelve, a Social Worker, Mr. Hayes, came to our town, visiting house by house. When he arrived at our place, he frowned, looking at me cowering in the corner, dirty and smelly. He offered me an apple, asking gently, “Little one, how old are you?”

The apple was red and shiny, emitting a sweet, fresh scent—something I’d never tasted before. I looked at him, almost blurting out. twelve years old. But Mom stood right behind him, staring intently at me, her lips silently forming a word. I knew the word. Dummy. I immediately understood. I took the apple, giggling stupidly. I bit into it, skin and core, chewing loudly. Drool ran down my chin, dripping onto my dirty clothes. Mr. Hayes sighed, shook his head, and left. That night, Mom cooked me an egg as a reward. She peeled the shell, saying, “Daisy, you did well today. Mom knew you weren’t completely dumb, you still knew how to pretend.” The egg white was tender, but the yolk choked me, making me stretch my neck. My heart ached with a bitter, sour feeling, like something was stuck in my throat. So Mom knew I was pretending. She knew everything. This whole act, from beginning to end, wasn’t just me performing. Pretending to be a dummy became an unspoken secret between Mom and me, our most cruel tug-of-war. She needed me to be a dummy to maintain that money she was becoming increasingly dependent on. I needed to pretend to be a dummy to earn occasional rewards and a moment of peace. Like an egg, a pear, or a piece of clothing that wasn’t quite so tattered, and her brief, gentle demeanor. But she was also constantly on guard, afraid I’d become too smart, afraid I’d slip from her control. If I showed even a hint of curiosity about books, she’d violently destroy anything with writing, as if those words were poison. I secretly used a stick to write letters on the ground. When she found out, she’d grab a broom and chase me half through the town, shouting for everyone to hear. “A dummy trying to read? Don’t get ahead of yourself!” I’d be covered in bruises. But at night, she’d come in with some pain relief balm. She’d roughly rub my bruises, her eyes red, her voice hoarse, saying. “Daisy, don’t blame Mom. Mom has no choice, we’re poor. Without that money, we’d starve. Just help Mom out…” Sometimes, she’d look at my clear, intelligent eyes, so unlike a dummy’s, and suddenly panic, shaking my shoulders hard. “Did you remember? You’re a dummy! You were born a dummy! You’ll be a dummy your whole life!” She sounded like she was trying to convince me, but more so, like she was trying to convince herself, trying to drown out the doubt and unease in her heart.

On my eighteenth birthday, the disability benefits rose to $1,200. At the same time, the Community Director Ms. Jenkins brought news. The policy had changed, and adult individuals with disabilities might require reassessment. Mom completely panicked. That $1,200 was no longer just welfare; it was her mental anchor for eighteen years, her shield against all her misfortunes. She looked at me, her expression unreadable. At eighteen, even in my tattered clothes, my face deliberately smudged, I couldn’t hide the delicate features and overly serene gaze that didn’t belong to a dummy. “Daisy,” she called me for the first time in such a soft tone, with a trembling voice that was almost a plea, “One last time, help Mom one more time. Just get through this assessment, and Mom will never force you again.” She dressed me in the most ragged, dirtiest clothes, smeared some old chicken feed in my hair, and repeatedly coached me. “If they ask your name, just drool and grin stupidly. If they ask what one plus one equals, just say it equals apple…” On the day of the assessment, it wasn’t just Ms. Jenkins, but also professional-looking doctors in white coats. My heart pounded, my palms were slick with sweat. I knew this might be my only chance to escape the identity of a dummy. Mom stood behind the doctor, her hands tightly twisting the hem of her shirt, her eyes filled with a humble plea and an undeniable threat. The doctor took out a picture book, pointing at a cat and asking, “What’s this?” I looked at the lazy cat in the picture, then at Mom. Mom’s lips were trembling slightly, her face pale. I opened my mouth, and every single day of the past eighteen years flashed through my mind. The rocks hitting my head, the burned newspapers, the smelly clothes, the occasional eggs she gave me, her back as she secretly cried at night, and that $1200. These images intertwined into a giant net, binding me tightly. I took a deep breath, as if summoning all my strength, and facing the picture, I spread my lips into a horribly twisted grin. Then I made a sound that shocked everyone present… “Woof! Woof woof!” I barked like a puppy, stuck out my tongue like a puppy, and finally pointed at the cat in the picture, looking at the doctor with a face full of innocence. The doctor froze, his pen hovering over the assessment form. Ms. Jenkins turned her face away, unable to watch. My mom, however, let out a heavy sigh of relief, almost collapsing, bracing herself against the wall. The assessment passed without a hitch. The certificate was saved, and so was the money. That night, Mom cooked a table full of dishes, fish and meat, more lavish than ever before. She placed the largest piece of braised pork on my plate, but she didn’t eat any herself. She just watched me, her eyes holding a strange, empty sense of relief, as if she had won something, yet lost so much more. “Eat, Daisy,” she said. “Everything will be fine now.” I ate the meat, but it tasted like ash. Because I knew, it was far from over.

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The Imposter, My Wife, And A Deadly Secret On our fifth wedding anniversary, my beloved wife was hit by a car right in front of me. All our friends and family, who had gathered to celebrate, rushed towards my wife, lying in a pool of blood. But I, a doctor, immediately gave mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to the female driver who had only fainted from shock. Mr. Hayes, my father-in-law, was enraged. He grabbed my collar, pointing at his brutally injured daughter. “Look closely! That’s the woman who worked so hard for you all these years! Why aren’t you saving her first?” Our relatives surged forward, ready to teach the driver a lesson. Yet, I, the guy everyone jokingly called a ‘devoted husband,’ pulled the female driver into my arms, shielding her tightly. “I’m not saving her, because she doesn’t deserve it!” Mrs. Hayes, my mother-in-law, cradled Elara Hayes, who was covered in blood, and screamed at me, her voice raw. “If you hadn’t mentioned those artisanal croissants from that little French bakery on the corner, Elara wouldn’t have gone out to get them and ended up like this! Do you have any conscience at all?” Seeing the takeout bag still clutched tightly in Elara’s hand in her final moments, my heart clenched. The party hadn’t even started, and I’d just casually mentioned it. It was close to the bakery we loved most after we got married, and I’d said I really missed the taste. Without a word, she’d left our friends and family and hurried out to buy them. “We’ve been apart for so long, and you finally came home and wanted these. Of course, I had to get them for you!” Just a second ago, her gentle smile had been floating before my eyes. Now, only a terrifying mask of blood remained. The croissants lay scattered on the ground, still steaming, many stained with blood, a truly horrifying sight. But my face regained its usual cold indifference. I turned to the driver in my arms, gently brushing a strand of hair from her forehead. “Just because she was getting me croissants, does that mean this driver deserves to be scared unconscious for hitting her? She just bled a little; look at this girl, her face is ghost-white!” Everyone gasped, unable to believe these words came from me, the man always seen as deeply in love with Elara. My brother-in-law, Cameron Hayes, charged forward like a madman, landing a punch square on my face. “Is that even a human thing to say?! My sister was in the crosswalk, she wasn’t breaking any rules! This woman ran a red light and plowed right into her! You won’t save your critically injured wife, but you’re publicly kissing this guilty bitch? You’re an animal!” Liam Miller, my assistant, who had always respected me, quickly stepped in front of me, trying to explain. “Everyone, calm down! I’ve already called an ambulance from our hospital! Boss must have seen that this person’s injuries were lighter, and he could manage them, so he prioritized CPR. And Mrs. Hayes’s injuries are too severe, requiring specialized equipment, so he made this choice. Please, everyone, stay rational!” Hearing the medical student speak, everyone froze, unsure whether to believe him. Liam looked at me, his face full of expectation. “Boss, please, explain it to them! You’re about to be promoted to Chief next month, this is no time for jokes!” I gave him a grateful look, but still shook my head. “Liam, thank you, but I’m not saving her because of a judgment about the severity of her condition. I simply don’t want to save her.” This time, even the strangers watching were furious. “Damn it, are you even a man?! Not saving your own wife but holding another woman? Did you fall for her because she drives a fancy car?” “Your wife was in that accident *for you*! How can you be so cold-blooded?” “How can you just stand there watching your wife’s breathing get weaker, doesn’t your conscience bother you?” The light in Liam’s eyes instantly shattered. “But… why? Don’t you remember when I first joined the clinic, you told me yourself that saving lives and healing the sick isn’t just a job, it’s how we build up good karma, so that one day, when our loved ones are in peril, someone will be there to save them! But today, you had the chance to personally save her, how can you just watch Mrs. Hayes die?” My heart ached, but I forced a faint smile, pointing at Elara. “Who said she’s the one I love most? I made a casual remark, and she rushed out to buy something without a thought for the consequences, even showing off by crossing the street recklessly. Isn’t it her own fault she got hit?” Our relatives erupted in fury. If the ambulance hadn’t arrived, they probably would have torn me limb from limb. Watching them frantically guide the paramedics toward Elara, I, however, rushed ahead, carrying the female driver directly into the ambulance. “Don’t mind them, let’s go!”

Because I was a well-known figure at the hospital, the ambulance driver recognized me and assumed the woman in my arms was a critical patient. He immediately floored the accelerator and sped off, completely oblivious to the frantic shouts and curses of our relatives behind us. When they arrived later in another ambulance, they saw me standing outside the ICU and rushed over, full of righteous indignation. Mrs. Hayes grabbed my collar and pounded my chest. “Alex Sterling, are you even human?! You came from nothing, but we never looked down on you. Elara went with you on that three-year assignment to that godforsaken desert town, just to help you build your career, enduring all the hardships! You developed kidney failure there, and it was Elara who donated a kidney to save your life! You’d barely returned to enjoy some peace when you were assigned away for another year for a promotion, leaving her to manage everything at home alone! We finally welcomed you back to celebrate your wedding anniversary, How could you steal her ambulance and leave her critically injured, all for the enemy who harmed her?” Watching the battered and bruised Elara being wheeled into the emergency room, I merely shrugged. “Well, you brought her here, didn’t you? That female driver has no family. If I don’t take care of her, am I supposed to just watch her die?” Cameron shoved me hard. “You’re full of it! That bitch doesn’t even have a scratch, she just fainted from a guilty conscience! How can she compare to my sister?” Mr. Hayes swung an old man’s punch, and my lip split and started to bleed. “Are you blind or heartless? How could my daughter have fallen for such an ungrateful jerk?!” The commotion alarmed Dr. Ben Carter, a good friend of mine who was on duty. He frowned and walked out. Seeing a group of people angrily surrounding me, he quickly spoke up for me. “What are you all doing? This is a hospital, what kind of behavior is this, yelling and screaming? Dr. Sterling is known throughout our hospital as a devoted husband; I was on assignment with him. He always said he felt sorry for his wife, wanting to FaceTime her every day, and sending her anything good he ate. How can you all gang up on him like this?!” He then pulled me away from the punches, his face worried. “Dr. Sterling, Mrs. Hayes is indeed seriously…” But I waved my hand. “Don’t talk about her. How’s that female driver?” A flicker of surprise crossed Dr. Carter’s eyes, then his brow relaxed. “You’re worried the perpetrator might be in trouble and you won’t be able to hold her accountable, right? Don’t worry, she just fainted from shock, and she probably didn’t sleep well last night, which is why she hasn’t woken up. After all, Mrs. Hayes is the difficult case…” I waved my hand again, interrupting him. “Forget about her. You must ensure that driver receives the best care!” Mr. Hayes clutched his chest, his beard trembling with rage. “See?! What ‘good husband,’ what ‘devoted wife’! He’s just an ungrateful monster!” Dr. Carter’s eyes instantly filled with disappointment. He shook his head and handed me a phone. “Mrs. Hayes loved you so much, even setting your picture as her lock screen, and this is how you treat her! Don’t you get tired of acting so loving in front of me every day?” Other colleagues, having heard the commotion, rushed over. Because I had always been an admired role model at the hospital, they quickly restrained the agitated Dr. Carter. “You and Dr. Sterling have always been close, and he’s always kind to people. Now that something’s happened in his family, don’t make things worse!” I took the opportunity to unlock the phone. Sure enough, the lock screen displayed a picture of me looking dashing during my assignment. Everyone’s eyes fell on the phone. Our relatives couldn’t help but look distraught, bursting into tears. “Elara has been through so much! She must have made it through this past year relying on this photo! Who would have thought that the man she yearned for was a complete jerk?!” Mrs. Hayes, tears streaming down her face, snatched the phone, but then suddenly clutched her mouth and let out a shriek. “No, this isn’t my daughter’s phone!”

Everyone was startled. Dr. Carter quickly explained. “That shouldn’t be right, the paramedics brought it over, and the lock screen photo is still Dr. Sterling…” He suddenly looked at me, shocked. “This is… that female driver’s phone?” My other colleagues, who had been hesitant about my behavior, unconsciously took a step back, distancing themselves from me. “Dr. Sterling, you’ve always said you felt guilty about Mrs. Hayes, that she suffered a lot for you. How could you stoop to such despicable acts?” “No wonder he didn’t care about Mrs. Hayes, only about that driver. How can a man like this still be a role model for us to learn from?!” “He even sent his mistress back first to monopolize rescue resources, almost causing Mrs. Hayes to miss the critical window for rescue. It’s disgusting!” But I didn’t care. I pulled out my special personnel identification. “Enough with the chatter, saving lives is paramount. With this ID, I have priority treatment privileges. All the best equipment and rooms are to be allocated to that female driver. If she’s not comfortable, I’ll hold you all accountable!” Everyone stared at me in disbelief. Even the onlookers couldn’t stand it, raising their phones to record me. “Are you insane? That bitch is just tired, but your wife is dying!” “Doctors should treat all patients equally! How dare you use privileges to hog medical resources for your mistress?! We’re exposing you, you scumbag!” “He’s even stealing life-saving resources from his own wife! He’s an animal!” The commotion was so great it alerted the hospital administrators. They came down, heard the full story, and slammed their hands on a table, furious. “Dr. Sterling, we all believed you possessed a noble spirit, and your wife was gracious and devoted. Your promotion wasn’t just due to our regard for you, but also an affirmation of your wife’s sacrifices. But with your current misconduct, how can you face the hospital and your family who have supported you?!” I remained calm, raising an eyebrow. “You yourselves said that as doctors, we should treat all patients equally. Now, if I choose not to save her and prioritize a stranger, why is that wrong? Who is truly hypocritical here, me or you?” The administrators were left utterly speechless, shaking their heads with disappointment. “We truly misjudged you! You don’t deserve the Chief’s position!” Suddenly, Liam, who had rushed into the emergency room to save Mrs. Hayes the moment we arrived, walked out, his eyes red. He handed me a blood-stained ultrasound report, his face filled with sorrow. “Boss, open your eyes and look at this carefully. It was just found in Mrs. Hayes’s clothes. She’s been pregnant for over a month, and she probably wanted to tell you today! But after suffering such severe injuries today, the baby can’t be saved! I’ve followed you for so long, I don’t believe you’re such a heartless person! I’ll never forget the deep affection on your face when you invited me to your and Mrs. Hayes’s wedding anniversary! You’ve been a doctor for so many years, but yesterday afternoon you swapped your shift for the first time just to buy Mrs. Hayes an anniversary gift. That’s when I knew you truly loved her, how could you betray her?! Just tell the truth, do you really know this driver? Or is someone trying to frame you out of jealousy, knowing you’re about to become Chief?” My nose stung. I knew I hadn’t misjudged him; my devoted apprentice’s kindness would indeed make him a good doctor. But at this moment, I could only take a deep breath, smile, and shake my head. “No one is framing me, I just really want to save this female driver. As for the baby, if it couldn’t be born, it just proves it had a short life; no one else is to blame!” Liam froze, shaking his head in disbelief. Just then, the ICU nurse wheeled out the still-sleeping female driver.

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My boyfriend’s childhood friend’s work error cost the company $100 million. Her first move was to fabricate evidence, trying to frame the new intern to take the fall for her. I desperately held back my boyfriend, who was about to commit perjury for her. “Don’t go! A hundred million dollars is no small matter. The police will eventually trace it back to you, and then it won’t just be your career, your entire life will be over!” Under my pressure, my boyfriend told the truth about what happened. For this, he earned the appreciation of the company executives and rose quickly through the ranks. Meanwhile, his childhood friend was convicted of corporate misconduct and sentenced. Unable to cope, she took her own life by cutting her wrists. My boyfriend calmly, almost unnervingly so, handled her funeral arrangements and proposed to me as planned. But on the one-year anniversary of her death, he took me to her grave. He pulled out a dagger and started slicing into my body, one cut after another. 365 cuts, each one targeting the most sensitive nerves. He looked at me, a bloody mess, and gave a sinister grin. “If I had committed perjury for Chloe back then, she would still be alive. If you hadn’t meddled, Chloe wouldn’t have died! Die! Bitch! Go join Chloe in her grave!” I died, consumed by hatred. When I opened my eyes again, I saw my boyfriend, looking anxious and ready to commit perjury for Chloe. I smiled. He didn’t know that the new intern was the chairman’s only daughter. And the chairman? He was a notoriously doting father…

“Ryan, you personally reviewed the Summit Tech contract. Tell me, whose signature is at the bottom of that contract, mine or Ava’s?!” Chloe’s pleading, almost childish tone snapped me back to reality. I glanced at Ava, the company’s new intern, standing beside us, looking lost and overwhelmed. It hit me then: I’d really been reborn. In my previous life, it was at this exact moment that I stopped Ryan, forcing him to tell the truth when the executives questioned him. I later found out that Ava was actually the chairman’s daughter. Because of this, Ryan gained favor with the company’s upper management and was promoted to Vice President that very year. Chloe, however, was prosecuted by the company for corporate misconduct. It was her mistake from the start. If she’d just had a better attitude, there might have been room for leniency, but she chose to be stubborn until the very end. Eventually, due to cyberbullying and immense pressure from the company, she took her own life by cutting her wrists. Ryan calmly handled her funeral and married me as planned. But on the one-year anniversary of Chloe’s death, he took me to her grave. 365 cuts, each one targeting the most sensitive parts of my body. He held the dripping knife, his eyes filled with ruthless cruelty and hatred. “If you hadn’t meddled, Chloe wouldn’t have died! Today is Chloe’s anniversary, and your corpse is the best gift I can give her!” I watched my own blood drain away, dying, consumed by hatred in excruciating pain. “Eleanor, what’s wrong with you? Why are you holding onto me?” Ryan’s impatient voice pulled my thoughts back. I looked down, then snatched my hand away from Ryan as if I’d been electrocuted. Ryan smoothed out his shirt, which I’d clutched and wrinkled, his voice laced with a threat. “Eleanor, don’t you dare meddle! Chloe’s in trouble, and I can’t just abandon her. Don’t be petty and jealous, I’m telling you…” “I don’t care.” I cut Ryan off before he could finish. A flicker of confusion crossed his eyes, but Chloe’s sobs didn’t give him time to think any further. He pulled Chloe along and headed for the door. “Don’t worry, Chloe. That contract was definitely signed by Ava. Come on, let’s go to Legal and clear this up. I’ll testify for you!” Ava, tears welling in her eyes, rushed after them. As she left, her helpless gaze swept over me, making my heart clench. But I didn’t have time to dwell on it. Reborn, I had to seize control. With that thought, I bolted towards the surveillance room. It seemed Ryan had been prepared; the surveillance footage of Chloe signing the contract had been deleted. Luckily, I’d learned some tech skills on my own for work. After thirty frantic minutes, I finally managed to recover the footage and back it up to my phone. Just as I let out a sigh of relief, the surveillance room door was violently pushed open. “Eleanor, there’s trouble in the main conference room! The new intern is threatening to jump!” I rushed over with my colleague. As I entered, I saw Ava, her face streaked with tears, standing by the open window, trembling and sobbing. “That contract really wasn’t signed by me! I need to see the surveillance footage! Otherwise, I’ll jump!” Everyone was at a loss for what to do, when Chloe suddenly stepped forward. She pointed at the shaking Ava and blurted out, “Go on, jump! If you really jump, then everyone will believe you!” Ava’s eyes were filled with despair. She looked at Ryan, her voice hoarse. “I need to see the footage…” “See what?! That exact segment of the footage was deleted! Ava, I bet you deleted it yourself, didn’t you? Didn’t think you’d be such a schemer for someone so young!” As soon as Chloe finished speaking, she and Ryan exchanged a quick, knowing glance, their eyes filled with a triumphant smirk that their plan was about to succeed. Accusations from colleagues echoed in my ears. “Young lady, you can’t behave like this. If you made a mistake, admit it. What’s with this suicide threat?” “Yeah! If it wasn’t you, why was that footage deleted?” “Just admit it! Otherwise, we’ll all have to share the blame for this loss!” The crowd was quick to turn, indeed. I was frantically trying to figure out what to do, when a furious roar suddenly came from outside the door. “What’s all this commotion?!”

The person who arrived was Mr. Henderson, the General Manager of the Legal Department. Seeing the executive, Chloe immediately stepped forward and pointed at Ava. “Mr. Henderson, this new intern messed up the contract, causing the company a $100 million loss! Now she’s making a scene, threatening to jump!” Mr. Henderson looked at Ryan, who stood nearby. “Ryan, you’re always in charge of contract approvals. Is what she’s saying true?” Ryan nodded repeatedly. “Yes, it’s true! The contract submitted definitely has Ava’s signature!” “Mr. Henderson, it really wasn’t me! I need to see the contract! Otherwise, I’ll jump right now!” Ava sobbed as she looked at Mr. Henderson, a flicker of determination visible in her helpless eyes. As a high-ranking executive, Mr. Henderson was skilled at reading people. Even though Ava was just an intern, this was a human life at stake. He frowned and looked at the colleague responsible for surveillance. “Go, pull up the footage…” Before Mr. Henderson could finish, Ryan interrupted him and quickly stepped forward. “Mr. Henderson, that segment of the footage was deleted by Ava herself…” “I didn’t delete it! It wasn’t me!” Ava’s emotions grew more frantic. The tension and exhaustion made her shake like a leaf. Suddenly, her foot slipped, and she stumbled backward, tilting towards the open window! A collective scream erupted from the crowd, while a gleam of delight flashed in Chloe and Ryan’s eyes. Eight years ago, the memory of being bullied by senior employees when I was an intern at this company flashed before my eyes. There was no time for hesitation. I sprang forward and grabbed Ava’s wrist. Then, I looked at Mr. Henderson, gritting my teeth. “I have the footage!” I followed Mr. Henderson to his office, walking past Ryan and Chloe, whose eyes were filled with threats and unease. As I passed Ryan, he grabbed my wrist. “Eleanor, I’m telling you, don’t meddle!” I yanked my hand free, and once in the office, I placed the surveillance footage directly in front of Mr. Henderson. “Mr. Henderson, I just recovered this footage from the surveillance room. The person who originally signed that contract wasn’t Ava at all, it was Chloe!” As the footage played, Mr. Henderson’s face grew paler and paler. He slammed his fist on the table. “Those two have some nerve! Not admitting their own mistakes! And almost causing someone’s death!” “Mr. Henderson, I believe this matter must be severely punished, otherwise wouldn’t it encourage such a culture of cronyism? And that’s a $100 million loss!” Seizing on Mr. Henderson’s rising anger, I quickly offered my two cents. “More importantly…” I leaned closer and whispered in his ear, “that new intern’s last name is Sterling…” Mr. Henderson’s hesitant gaze froze instantly after hearing my last words. He swallowed nervously, repeatedly. After a long moment, he grabbed my hand. “Eleanor, you truly saved my life!” I knew very well that without using Ava as leverage, the company would be reluctant to impose severe penalties. Just like in my previous life, the company had initially given Chloe a chance to settle. But now, once Mr. Henderson knew Ava’s identity, it meant that Ryan’s career was completely over… Watching Mr. Henderson storm out, I felt a sudden wave of relief. Without the status and power he had in my previous life, this time, no matter how unwilling Ryan was, he wouldn’t be able to cause any serious trouble. I took a deep breath and stepped out. As I pushed open the office door, I bumped into Ava, her face still streaked with tears. Seeing me, she kept nodding profusely in thanks. Finally, she placed a faded, yellowed hair clip in my hand. “Eleanor, I’m leaving the company today. You keep working hard here. If you ever run into trouble, just take this to the highest executive with the last name Sterling. He’ll definitely help you!” With that, she turned and ran off. I sighed, carefully placing the hair clip in my pocket. Though it was just a faded, yellowed clip, I knew that in this life, this might be the turning point of my destiny… A cool breeze swept by, sending a shiver down my spine. The scene of Ryan’s insane retaliation from my previous life suddenly flashed in my mind. Thinking about the life I was still entangled in with Ryan, I immediately called a car and headed towards our shared apartment. But as soon as I stepped out of the company building, I was surrounded by a group of security guards. Ryan and Chloe strode towards me, following closely behind Mr. Henderson. Mr. Henderson, who had been so profoundly grateful to me moments ago, now looked at me with a grim expression.

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The morning after my one-night stand with Damian Thorne, my private photos were plastered all over the internet. Everyone scorned me, mocking how a seemingly poised and elegant dancer could be so wild and reckless behind closed doors. I cried as I confronted Damian, demanding an explanation, but he humiliated me in public. “I just wanted to see what a prima ballerina was like in bed. Thought it would be amazing, but it was nothing special.” “Scarlett Hayes is the only one for me. What we had? Just a game.” He wrapped his arm around Scarlett Hayes, the very dancer who’d lost to me in every international competition we’d ever faced off in. His expression was smug and utterly contemptuous. It was then I realized: his three years of passionate pursuit of me had been nothing more than an elaborate plot to get back at me for Scarlett! Overnight, I plummeted from grace, branded a whore everyone could mock. Meanwhile, Damian openly paraded Scarlett everywhere, spoiling her rotten, treating her like a goddess. Three months later, he seemed to remember me, asking almost casually, “By the way, is Aurora Reed still begging for me to come back?” “Mr. Thorne, Ms. Reed is married. To your most hated rival.”

As I stumbled out of the Thorne mansion, my assistant, Chloe, called. “Aurora, the ballet company informed me that my reputation made me unsuitable for the lead role in Swan Lake. They even sent a termination letter…” “All my endorsements are bailing, and they’re suing me for damages!” “Please, Aurora, go beg Mr. Thorne! Everyone saw how desperately he loved you for three years. He’d never let you endure such humiliation!” Hearing Chloe’s choked voice, my heart felt like it was being torn apart. But even if I opened my mouth, I couldn’t bring myself to say it. The man who orchestrated my ruin, who sent me spiraling to rock bottom, was Damian himself. The sweeter our past moments, the crueler my reality now. His so-called love at first sight? A lie. His undying love? A lie too. His three years of passionate pursuit, his countless extravagant gestures, his endless nights by my side – it was all just an elaborate trap meant for me. Once he’d taken my virginity and helped his beloved deal me the ultimate blow, I became useless trash, tossed aside without a second thought. Only last night, he’d held me so tenderly, his whispers of love echoing in my ears, kissing my forehead again and again. “Aurora, you are the woman I, Damian Thorne, love most in this life. I want you to stay by my side forever.” “After tonight, I’ll go back and reject the arranged marriage my family had planned for me. I’ll tell them you’re the woman I’m going to marry.” “I’ll throw you a lavish wedding of the century that everyone will envy, and make you my cherished Mrs. Thorne, okay?” I was so moved, I almost told him that I was the sole heiress of the powerful Reed Corporation, whom his family had desperately tried to arrange a marriage with. I’d only kept it a secret to pursue my dream of becoming a dancer. I truly believed that when he returned to his family and discovered this, he’d be even more thrilled, convinced we were a match made in heaven. But instead, it became the most exquisite irony against myself. Fated love? Just a cruel performance. From the very beginning, it was a complete sham. Damian never loved me, so how could he ever betray me? I hung up the phone, lost in thought, and tripped in a puddle, falling hard. Seeing me sprawled on the pavement, covered in mud, everyone around me burst into scornful laughter. “Isn’t that the high and mighty Aurora Reed, the prima ballerina? Looks like Mr. Thorne was done with her, and now she can’t even walk straight!” One of the rich guys I’d turned down, Blake Morrison, leered at me, his eyes slithering over my body like a snake. “Since Mr. Thorne doesn’t want you, why not consider me?” “My fortune isn’t as grand as his, but I can certainly afford a few cheap thrills like you!” As they humiliated me, Damian stood behind them, arm wrapped around Scarlett, whispering intimately to her, not lifting a finger to defend me. Seeing that, any last shred of affection I had for him evaporated. But just as I struggled to my feet, preparing to leave, a saccharine voice suddenly chimed in from behind me. “Damian, I lost one of the diamond earrings you gave me. Aurora was the only one near us earlier…”

Scarlett Hayes pouted, her brow furrowed in a pitiful display, touching her half-bare earlobe. “If it were any other jewelry, it wouldn’t matter, but it’s the special gift you gave me for my eighteenth birthday. I’ve always treasured it like my life. If it’s lost, I’ll cry for ages…” Damian gently rubbed her shoulder, comforting her, then shot me a cold glare. “Aurora Reed, be smart, hand it over now.” “Otherwise, if my men find it, things will get messy.” Through gritted teeth, I spat, “Damian, I’m not as despicable as you think!” “When I said I was breaking up with you, I didn’t even take a single thing you ever gave me. Why would I take her earring?!” The onlookers snickered, whispering that I was just a struggling dancer, living off my performances, with no right to act so high and mighty. They claimed I must have hidden away plenty of Thorne family jewels. Damian scoffed, looking too impatient to deal with me. He casually waved over two bodyguards. “Go. Search her thoroughly. Don’t hold back.” In that moment, my heart was pierced by a thousand arrows, I couldn’t breathe from the pain. After three years together, I refused to believe Damian didn’t know my character. But just to get back at me for Scarlett, he was willing to let me be branded a thief, all to humiliate me further! When the bodyguards’ hands reached for me, I slapped them away. “Don’t touch me!” In front of everyone, I emptied my bag, throwing it on the ground. “You want to search? Go ahead! If you find anything that isn’t mine, I’ll pay you back a hundredfold!” My belongings spilled onto the ground: only a few simple makeup items and some ointment and bandages for dance bruises. Amidst the mocking jeers about my meager possessions, the bodyguards meticulously searched everything, flipping my bag inside and out three or four times. Finally, they shook their heads at Damian. Damian frowned slightly, then lowered his head, gently coaxing Scarlett. “It’s okay if we can’t find it. I’ll buy you another set, no, a hundred sets of couture jewelry, how about that?” Scarlett pouted and shook her head. “No, Damian, that was your first gift to me, it has so much meaning. No other jewelry can replace it!” “Besides, Ms. Reed hasn’t been searched completely yet, has she? She’s still wearing so many layers of clothes…” Looking at her venomous smile, I could hardly believe these words were coming from another woman, let alone a dancer. “Scarlett Hayes, don’t push it!” “No matter how low I’ve fallen, Scarlett, you can’t use a cheap earring to humiliate me!” “Since you’re accusing me of stealing, fine! I’ll call the police. Let them figure out who’s right and who’s wrong!” Just as I reached for my phone, Damian motioned for his bodyguards to snatch it directly from me. “Aurora Reed, this is the Thorne estate. You play by my rules.” “Every piece of clothing on your body was given to you by me. Since you insist on a clean break, you’ll return it all.” “Men, strip her, piece by piece!”

The late autumn night in Blackwood City was cold and desolate. I was held down in front of the Thorne mansion gates, and in front of the entire city’s elite and the flashing cameras of the media, my clothes were stripped off piece by piece. With each garment removed, shrill whistles and mocking laughter erupted. Before long, I was bare except for my underwear and a sheer silk slip. Even my stockings and shoes were gone. The biting wind whipped my hair, sticking it to my tear-streaked face. I felt utterly humiliated. Anyone with half a brain could see there was nowhere left on my body to hide any jewelry. I hugged myself, tears streaming down my face, and looked at Damian. “It’s come to this, can you stop now, Damian?” “All this time we were together, I never asked you for anything.” “Just this once, please, I’m begging you, leave me some shred of dignity. Can you?” The bodyguards hesitated, their gazes turning to Damian for instruction. Damian sat regally at the center of the courtyard banquet, his handsome face was cast in stark relief by the lights, half in shadow, half illuminated. His expression was unreadable. “Since that’s the case, then…” He hadn’t even finished his sentence when Scarlett giggled, cutting him off. “Since she’s already stripped this far, why not strip completely? That way, Ms. Reed’s innocence can be fully proven, don’t you agree, everyone?” If this were before, everyone in Blackwood City knew how utterly obsessed Damian was with me, and no one would have dared disrespect me. But now, they all knew I was just a discarded woman, and Scarlett Hayes was the apple of Damian’s eye. They all nodded in agreement with her. “Exactly! I bet that slip of hers could hide plenty more!”

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My mother-in-law, Brenda, loved to prank me with AI-generated videos of a homeless man breaking into our house. The first two times, panicked by Brenda’s pleas for help, I sped home, running several red lights. Only to find the front door wide open, Brenda and her friends laughing on the sofa. “See? I told you my daughter-in-law does whatever I say. Even if I call her at midnight, she’ll rush right back.” It wasn’t until the third time that she was truly stabbed by a homeless man and rushed to the emergency room. The doctors told us the knife had pierced her heart, and the surgery was too complex for them. The only cardiac surgeon in the entire hospital who could do it was my husband, Ryan Miller. I called him like a madwoman. He finally picked up on the 99th call. “Ashley, are you out of your mind? I’m delivering Chloe’s dog’s puppies right now. If anything happens, can you take responsibility for that?” He hung up, blocking me on every platform imaginable. Ultimately, Brenda passed away on the operating table from excessive blood loss. On the day of Brenda’s funeral, Ryan Miller and Chloe Davis knelt at her grave, crying until they fainted. Once that jerk and his conniving witch had cried enough, I tossed my phone at their faces. “Now, Ms. Davis, can you explain why you hired someone to commit murder?”

I was deep in spring cleaning when Brenda called. I chuckled. “Mom, stop messing with me. I’ve seen those AI-generated homeless intruder videos on TikTok a dozen times.” My mother-in-law had always loved to torment me. The first time, she claimed a homeless man had broken in. I ran several red lights, losing a bunch of points on my license, just to get home. I pushed open the door and found Brenda and her girlfriends chatting away as usual. The second time, she claimed the homeless man was back. I dropped everything, got chewed out by my boss, and lost my bonus for the month. When I got home, she just laughed at me, recording my reaction on her phone. This time, there was no way I was falling for it again. Brenda sensed my disbelief and her voice instantly took on a panicked edge. “Ashley, I’m really not lying this time! He has a knife! You need to come home, I’m scared!” Just as I hesitated, wondering if I should take time off to check, Brenda suddenly let out a piercing scream, and the line went dead. My heart dropped. Her scream sent a shiver down my spine. Could someone actually have broken in? Thinking of Brenda alone at home, I didn’t care about anything else. I grabbed my car keys and rushed out the door. All the way there, I prayed it was just another one of Brenda’s elaborate pranks. But when I got home, I realized I’d been far too naive. Our front door was surrounded by people: property management, security guards, and paramedics. Seeing that scene, my legs went soft with fear. I nearly collapsed to the ground. Without another thought, I helped Brenda into the ambulance, rushing to St. Jude’s Hospital in the city center. This was the hospital where my husband, Ryan Miller, worked. With him there, Brenda would surely be fine. Once I collected myself slightly, I called Arthur, my father-in-law, and Ryan. Arthur said he’d be right there, but Ryan just kept not picking up. Just then, the emergency room doors burst open. The doctor, drenched in sweat, walked out. “The patient’s heart was punctured. Her condition is extremely critical. Dr. Miller is the only one in the entire hospital who can perform this surgery!” I didn’t hesitate. “Then where is he? Tell him to hurry up and operate on his mother!” The nurse stammered, “But… but Dr. Miller is on vacation. We just called him, and he didn’t answer.”

I froze. Ryan was on vacation? He never mentioned it to me. I didn’t think twice, pulling out my phone and calling Ryan again. Once, twice, ten times… All I got was the cold, automated voice: “Hello, the number you have dialed is temporarily unavailable. Please try again later…” Refusing to give up, I opened SnapChat and suddenly noticed Ryan’s profile picture had changed to a white puppy. I recognized that puppy. It was Chloe Davis’, his junior colleague. As if by an unseen force, I clicked on Chloe’s SnapChat. Her story had just updated. The caption was for that little white dog, Buddy: “Don’t be scared, Daddy and Mommy are with you.” At that moment, I didn’t have time to question their relationship. I just wanted Ryan to come back and save Brenda. Taking a deep breath, I called Chloe. It rang twice before she picked up. Before she could speak, I quickly said, “Hello, is this Chloe Davis? I wanted to ask if Ryan Miller is with you? Please tell him my mother-in-law was stabbed, and her condition is very serious. He’s urgently needed for surgery.” My voice was practically begging, but then Ryan’s annoyed voice came through the phone. “Ashley, are you ever going to quit? What kind of timing is this to cause trouble?” “I can’t believe how cold-hearted you are! Buddy is having a difficult labor, her life is critical. What’s wrong with me, a doctor, helping her deliver her puppies?” “At a crucial moment like this, why are you still making up stories about my mom getting stabbed? You need to know where to draw the line with your crazy schemes.” Tears welled up in my eyes, but I pushed them back, trying to persuade him gently. “Mom really is at the hospital, your hospital right now. Your chief of staff said no one else can do this surgery. Her condition is critical. If you don’t come back soon, she might…” She might really be gone forever. I couldn’t bring myself to finish the sentence. “Might what? Might what?!” A sneer came through the phone.

“Ashley, I swear you’re so stupid and malicious. You’re actually wishing death upon my mom just to trick me into coming home.” I tried to explain, but then I heard Chloe’s sickeningly sweet voice in the background. “Ryan, honey, come quickly! Buddy isn’t doing well…” Chloe’s voice was so sugary-sweet and overly gentle, just hearing it made you want to pity her. “I’m coming right now.” Ryan said, about to hang up. I panicked, shouting, “Ryan Miller, I’m not lying! Please, just come back and see, okay?” Ryan’s voice came through the receiver again, each word dripping with venom, as if he was gritting his teeth. “Ashley, if anything happens to Buddy, I swear I will never forgive you.” Then he hung up. Listening to the dial tone, my tears finally broke free, streaming down my face. When I tried to call again, Ryan had blocked me everywhere. Arthur, my father-in-law, rushed in. Seeing me collapsed on the floor, he quickly helped me up. Like a drowning person grabbing a lifeline, I clutched his arm. “Dad, quickly, call Ryan! Please, before it’s too late!” Arthur didn’t hesitate, immediately pulling out his phone to call Ryan. It rang twice before he picked up.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “299313”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #狼人Werewolf #玄幻Fantasy #魔幻Magic #重生Reborn