During our fertility treatments, my husband secretly implanted both his and his cousin’s samples into me, betting on whose child I would carry. The day the results came in, the entire family absolutely erupted. “Shameless woman! She actually got pregnant with another man’s baby!” “Given Marcus’s offer of a high-value property, we can just endure these ten months, and it’ll be over.” My husband, Ryan, was seething even more. “If Aria truly loved me, her body wouldn’t have accepted another man’s sperm!” “But now that she’s pregnant, no one else will want her.” “Women are soft-hearted when it comes to their babies. She’ll never be able to abort him!” “Just let her bear all the expenses herself. Once she gives birth, I’ll punish her, making her give birth to sons for me until I’m satisfied!” But I stood outside, clutching the termination forms, and silently turned to leave. On my due day, Ryan and Marcus frantically blew up my phone. “Aria! Where the hell are you?!” “Marcus is here with the house deeds, demanding his baby!” I sat in a Maybach, gazing at the exotic sights outside the window. “If you want a baby so badly, why don’t you just make one yourselves?” ——————

From the moment Ryan said he wanted a child, I exhausted myself trying to conceive. From endless appointments to painful shots, I went through it all alone. Every time the nurse asked why I was by myself, I made excuses for him. “The baby’s father is too busy. He really can’t make it.” But I never imagined he had malicious intent from the start. Not only did he pay off the clinic to put another man’s sperm inside me for a house, he actually turned the tables on me! He didn’t just treat me like a wife. He didn’t even treat me like a human being! The man he was now was a completely different man from the one I married. My hands trembled with rage. I couldn’t understand how he could have become like this. He used to take off his jacket and drape it over me on rainy days. He’d wait downstairs when I worked late. Once, when I was hospitalized, he even stayed by my bedside all night. Watching his tired, red eyes back then, I truly believed he was the one I was meant to spend the rest of my life with. So, I defied my family’s opposition and resolutely married him. Who knew that on the very first day, his family would put me in my place. The significant cash gift of eighteen thousand dollars we’d agreed upon turned into a mere 1,888 dollars. Ryan even smiled and told me, “The decimal point isn’t important. I’ll give you all my future earnings anyway, so what does the gift amount matter?” The promised “wedding jewelry” also turned into cheap trinkets from a hardware store. My parents were furious and wanted to confront them. But Brenda, my mother-in-law, scoffed, “Are these trinkets not ‘jewelry’? What law says wedding gifts have to be gold?” Ryan pulled me aside and said, “It wasn’t easy for my parents to raise me; I can’t bear to let them subsidize me further for the wedding.” “So I took the liberty to change it. The weight is the same anyway, and the box is closed during the wedding, so you can’t tell. When I have money later, I’ll definitely make it up to you.” At the time, I was naive enough to comfort myself. I thought he’d surely keep his promises, that he was just temporarily short on cash, and that now that we were married, he’d surely work harder for our home. But I later found out. He wasn’t short on cash. His money was for show, never for my use. He was so lavish with his family, he acted like he owned a gold mine. He bought Chloe, my sister-in-law, a handbag for thirty thousand dollars, and his mother health supplements for twenty thousand. When his father lost tens of thousands gambling, Ryan immediately pulled out his card to pay the bill. But when I mentioned baby formula or supplements for our child, he’d frown. “No need for those extravagant items, we need to be practical with expenses. Don’t waste money.” Now, for the sake of a high-value property, he didn’t hesitate to exploit my body and make me carry another man’s baby! Having once genuinely loved him, when I heard these words from him and his family, my head spun with rage, and my heart bled with pain.

“Oh, Aria! Why did you run out by yourself?!” I looked up and saw Ryan’s cousin, Marcus, beaming from ear to ear. His tacky gold chain glinted garishly in the sunlight, and he clutched a carton of milk and a fruit basket, eagerly rushing over to me. His joyous expression made my stomach churn. “I just came to check on you, you know.” He said, stepping closer with a sickly sweet smile. “You absolutely mustn’t wander off, my darling little…” “Ahem!” Ryan’s cough came from behind me. Marcus caught on, quickly changing his tune. “You absolutely mustn’t hurt my darling nephew, you hear!” He let out a short laugh, then quickly added in a low voice, “You, Aria, are truly the savior of our family. Once the baby is born, your family will get double the house and money!” His eyes glinted with smugness, like he was sealing a deal that couldn’t possibly fail. Next to him, Ryan’s eyes flashed with a glint of greed. But when he saw me, he composed himself. He deliberately cleared his throat twice and said to me. “Aria, aren’t you going to thank my cousin?” I lowered my eyes, a barely perceptible cold laugh on my lips. Seeing my silence, his smile slowly faded, and a flash of panic crossed his eyes, as if he’d realized something. “Aria, when did you get here? Why didn’t you come inside? Everyone’s waiting for you!” “Just arrived,” I said flatly. “Ran into Marcus on the way and chatted for a bit.” He sighed, visibly relaxing, and forced a strained smile, “That’s good, that’s good.” Marcus was still immersed in his joy, completely oblivious to this small detail. He kept staring at my belly, looking it over and over, thoroughly satisfied. “That’s good, that’s good.” Ryan let out a breath of relief. I looked at his pretense and suddenly found it laughable. Marcus, beaming, patted Ryan’s shoulder, “Treat your wife well, make sure she’s well-fed. She’s carrying our golden child!” “If the baby needs anything, just let me know! Your family will be well compensated!” Ryan’s eyes lit up. He nodded profusely, bowing slightly, “Of course, of course!” Just then, Chloe, my sister-in-law, poked her head out from inside the house, sniping sourly, “Well, sister-in-law’s certainly worth a fortune now, more valuable than gold.” “And who knows whose baby she’s carrying, yet my brother’s falling all over himself to treat her well. Hope it’s not a losing investment.” “Chloe! Shut up!” Brenda glared at her, then turned to me with a placating smile, “Chloe doesn’t know what she’s saying; don’t take it to heart.” “This baby is the golden grandchild of our family, he’ll be loved by everyone from birth, truly blessed!” “His cousin said he’ll give you a big bonus once the baby’s born, and Mom will give it all to you!” From the moment I returned until now. She had never been so pleasant to me. A cold laugh bubbled inside me, and I retorted, “How can you be so sure I’ll actually give birth to this baby?”

At my words, everyone froze. Ryan was the first to react, his voice laced with menace. “Aria, don’t be ungrateful!” “Now that you’re pregnant, who else would want you besides me? Just give birth, and you’ll have a life of comfort!” “Exactly!” Brenda immediately chimed in. “Abortion harms the body; you won’t be able to conceive later! Ryan’s willing to keep your tainted body, you should be utterly grateful!” Marcus fretted, rubbing his hands together, “Aria, don’t do anything rash! How about this, I’ll add another two hundred thousand for your pregnancy expenses!” I looked at this bunch of ridiculous clowns, and any lingering doubt in my heart vanished completely. They saw me as a breeding machine, life as a commodity, and their shamelessness as justified. I suddenly laughed. “Why are you all so tense?” “I just meant, the doctor said this pregnancy is fragile, and I need to be extra careful, or it’ll be hard to keep this baby.” Ryan exhaled, visibly relaxing. But then his expression changed again, and he grabbed my arm nervously, “Why didn’t you say something sooner?!” Brenda was even more panicked than him. She grabbed my arm and dragged me into the house. “Then hurry up and lie down! Chloe! Go get Mom’s best blanket and make up the bed for your sister-in-law!” Only Marcus was pacing anxiously, tears practically welling up in his eyes. His face turned purple, a comical mix of desperation and inability to speak, utterly ridiculous. “Oh, my precious future son…” I coldly watched this family. Only a while ago, they had been completely indifferent to me. No one even accompanied me to my prenatal appointments. Even when I told them a week in advance, on the day of my appointment, they all conveniently had ‘something urgent’ come up. That day, I was terribly nervous and called Ryan, but he said he had to go play poker with his dad. Calls from me kept coming, relentless. He finally answered with an exasperated sigh, “It’s just a check-up, not like you’re giving birth. Do I really need to be there?” Hearing his cold words, my chest tightened with a crushing pain. But I still suppressed my surging emotions and softly said, “Ryan, he’s your child too, after all…” “What do you mean? Can you stop guilt-tripping me with the baby every five minutes?” “Don’t act like you’re the only woman on earth who can have a baby!” With that, he slammed the phone down. At that moment, my heart ached with suffocating pain. Clutching my belly, as I leaned against a chair in the hospital corridor, my ears were filled with other husbands’ loving inquiries, but I, alone, had to buy my own bottle of water. The baby’s kicks felt like sharp jabs to my heart. If the nurse hadn’t helped me, I nearly collapsed in the hospital corridor then and there. When I finally made it home from the hospital, he had just stumbled home, reeking of alcohol. Even so, I patiently told him, “You should drink less. The strong smell of alcohol isn’t good for the baby.” Who knew he’d roll his eyes at me, “Can’t you even stand the smell of alcohol just because you’re pregnant?” “Once the baby’s born, I’ll even teach him to drink! He’ll learn his father’s tolerance!” “What kind of man can’t hold his liquor? Women are all so dramatic.” I bit back my tears and said nothing. Brenda came out of the room, scoffing, “My son works hard all day, and you think you can boss him around?” “It’s your duty to care for your husband, don’t use your pregnancy as an excuse to act like a queen!” But now. I coldly watched this eager family. I had kept putting up with it because I used to consider them family. But now they only saw me as a mere breeding vessel. There was no longer any need for me to entangle myself with them.

A few days later, Ryan, for once, acted halfway decent. He said he wanted to accompany me to pick out baby items. He was incredibly attentive along the way, playing the part of a devoted husband perfectly. Everyone who saw us was incredibly envious, gushing about how lucky I was to have such a wonderful husband. Only I silently endured it all, a cold laugh bubbling in my heart. I wondered if they’d want this ‘blessing’ if I offered it to them. I ignored them and walked into a baby boutique. The boutique had soft lighting and was filled with the sweet scent of baby formula. The neatly arranged baby clothes, bottles, and tiny shoes on the shelves brought a lump to my throat. If this were truly my child, how desperately I would want to keep him. Ryan didn’t notice. He carefully surveyed the baby items around us, then casually, almost too casually, asked, “Aria, what if… I mean, what if we don’t keep this baby with us?” I was holding a light blue baby blanket, and my movements paused. “Don’t keep him? Where would the baby go?” Ryan rubbed his hands nervously. After a long, awkward pause, he finally blurted out. “My cousin, he… he’s always wanted kids, hasn’t he? I was thinking… maybe we could let him have the baby.” “Why would we send him away?” I looked up at him, pressing him, step by step. He avoided my gaze, pretending to examine a nearby crib, his voice dripping with insincerity, “I was just asking casually, you know.” “After all, our finances are tight, there’s a lot of pressure, and your pregnancy isn’t stable. And if… my parents decide it’s best to let him go, try not to be too upset.” I gave a faint smile, my gaze turned icy, “Ryan, if you truly wanted this baby, you wouldn’t be so quick to talk about ‘giving him away’.” He flinched, then offered a sheepish laugh, “I was just worried you’d be too tired.” I coldly watched his performance, and suddenly realized that heartache, after aching for so long, eventually numbs. That night, Marcus, my husband’s cousin, called Ryan again. “I heard your wife’s pregnancy is a bit unstable, so I transferred more money over. Make sure Aria eats well!” “I’ve waited for this precious son for so long, he mustn’t suffer!” Ryan eagerly agreed on the phone, then immediately handed the money over to his family. I, the supposed recipient of the funds, didn’t see a single cent. Ryan’s family had never seen such a large sum of money, and the moment they got it, they indulged in a spending spree. Brenda bought new gold bracelets and earrings, and Chloe, my sister-in-law, flaunted a limited-edition designer handbag. The whole family paraded their new purchases in front of me, smug as can be. Chloe swayed her handbag strap, her eyes gleaming with triumph: “Don’t get the wrong idea, sister-in-law, this was a gift from my boyfriend.” I gave her a cold smile and retorted: “That boyfriend of yours, he wouldn’t happen to be a secret ATM, would he?” Their faces drained of color. Arthur, my father-in-law, yanked Chloe away. Brenda tried to smooth things over. “What are you saying? It’s just that luck has been on our side lately. Ryan’s been getting lots of clients, and Chloe’s just naturally radiant. It’s all thanks to the precious baby you’re carrying, isn’t it?” “Once you’ve given birth, Mom will definitely get you some nice things, just like this!” I said nothing, only sneered inwardly. What a utterly hypocritical family, they were so stingy, even their empty promises felt cheap. So I composed myself and deliberately said to them with a look of apology. “I’m actually very happy that the family is doing so well now, but since my pregnancy was fragile, my family found me the best specialist for high-risk pregnancies, and she’s already here, so I was thinking…” Before I could finish, Brenda excitedly cut in, “Yes! Of course, you can! Your family can take excellent care of you. After all, you’re their own daughter; they’ll certainly be more dedicated than us ‘outsiders,’ won’t they?” Ryan hesitated slightly. Brenda tugged him closer and whispered, “Are you really going to use all that money Marcus gave you to buy expensive supplements for your wife?” Sure enough, Ryan fell silent. He seemed to avoid my gaze, so I clutched the termination of pregnancy consent form in my hand, giving him one last chance to prove himself. “So, will you come with me to my prenatal appointment tomorrow?” “Yes! Of course, I’ll go!” Ryan quickly said. “But…” He suddenly looked extremely awkward. “Which hospital? What time again?” “Eight o’clock.” I said faintly. Then he solemnly set multiple alarms and even made a memo on his phone. It read: [Accompany my darling wife to her prenatal appointment.] Watching his serious expression, my resolve wavered for a split second. But reality slapped me hard, right back to my senses.

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Just a month after Julian and I got married, his older brother ran off with his mistress. As I pushed open the door to comfort Julian, he handed me a document. “Scarlett, Stratton Holdings can’t be without an heir. I’ve decided to step in for my brother and have a child with Seraphina.” Shock frozen me. Then, fury. I tore the paper, screaming, “Julian Sterling! This isn’t the Middle Ages! You can’t just ‘loan’ out your husband to another woman to have a child! What do you take me for?” Julian stared at me, stubbornly, “Scarlett, it’s just three years, isn’t it? I’ll come back, and I’ll still be your husband.” “If I had been Mom’s only son back then, I would have been the one to marry Seraphina and merge our families. You wouldn’t even be in the picture.” I looked at Julian, heartbroken, as his familiar face turned cold, so self-righteous. “I’ll let you be a sperm donor for IVF. That’s my biggest concession.” Julian stood up, silently pulling out another agreement. “The heir to Stratton Holdings can’t be some cold, mechanical creation. It has to be a product of passion.” He looked at me, completely unashamed. “For the merger between our two families, a child must be born. I’m informing you, not asking for your opinion.” I clenched my fists, finally giving up completely. “Julian Sterling, let’s get a divorce.”

Mrs. Sterling, my mother-in-law, immediately stood up, slapping me across the face. “Julian has been so good to you, but you dare to suggest divorce? You ungrateful wretch!” The older relatives from the Sterling family began to gather around, trying to persuade me. “Scarlett, Julian still loves you. Otherwise, if he secretly had a child with Seraphina, you wouldn’t even know, would you?” “Exactly! Julian is doing this for the Sterling family. If Seraphina gets angry and backs out, Sterling Corp. will be in danger.” I stared in shock at these elders, spouting morals and righteousness, and then let out a bitter laugh. Julian flushed with anger and roared, “Enough! Scarlett will understand.” I looked around at the indignant relatives. This was the company and family I had sacrificed a prestigious career to save, pouring my soul into its survival. A sharp, desolate pain pierced my heart. I lifted my chin, forcing back tears, and looked at Julian. “Julian, we’ve weathered every storm together. Do you really want to sacrifice our marriage for the future of Sterling Corp.?” Julian fell silent. After a long moment, he looked at me pleadingly. “Scarlett, I’m not sacrificing our marriage for Sterling Corp.’s future. No matter what, you’ll always be my most beloved wife.” “Scarlett, think about it. Seraphina is a titan, with unparalleled intelligence and deep connections to several prominent families in the capital. Given your health condition…” I stared at Julian in shock. He finally said what was truly on his mind. So he looked down on me because of my poor health. That’s why, in our six years together, he always insisted on contraception. But for whom had I drunk myself sick? For whom had I worked myself to the bone to secure deals, leading to a third of my stomach being removed? A tear dropped onto the back of my hand. I looked up, my voice hoarse. “Julian Sterling, what if I absolutely refuse?” “Scarlett, I know it’s hard for you to accept right now. It’s okay… I’ll give you time to think about it.” A flicker of guilt crossed Julian’s face, but then he self-righteously raised his voice. “A joint heir for the Sterling and Stratton families – that child must be born. This is for the greater good. You need to look at the bigger picture, not be so petty.” I laughed bitterly, tears welling in my eyes as I looked at Julian. At twenty-six, in the prime of his life, he already exuded the sharp, imposing aura of a CEO. “So, you mean you’re not only going to have a child with Seraphina, but this child will also inherit everything we have?” “And I am just a tool for making money, destined to never have a child of my own?” Julian pursed his lips, his voice silent, his expression complicated as he looked at me. All the relatives averted their gaze. They stood up, offered a few more hollow words of advice, and swiftly left. Julian also left indifferently, closing the door behind him. I sat there all night. As a sliver of dawn broke on the horizon, I wiped away my tears and called the company lawyer. “Help me draft a divorce agreement. I want a divorce.”

Once the matter was out in the open, Julian stopped hiding. He began openly showing affection for Seraphina. When the private investigator sent me the information and photos, my hands trembled, and I had to muster all my courage to open them. September 11th, 12 PM: Julian made chicken soup for Seraphina and delivered it to her CEO’s office. They stayed there until 1:30 PM. That evening, Julian waited at the hotel entrance. At 11 PM, he picked up Seraphina, drove her home, and didn’t return that night. September 12th, 8 AM: Julian spent two hours making seafood porridge and delivered it to Seraphina’s office. They spent an hour together. September 13th: They went shopping. Julian bought Seraphina a gown and personally selected a Cartier diamond bracelet. September 14th, … Julian, who never posted on social media, shared a romantic photo from a fancy restaurant for the first time. Vibrant roses were presented to a pair of slender, fair hands, and the caption was overflowing with happiness: “Destiny, rekindled.” The clinking wine glasses stung my eyes. After thinking for a long time, I commented below: “Rekindling romance with another woman? What does that make your wife?” Almost instantly, the comment was deleted. Immediately after, Julian sent me several sixty-second voice messages. “What are you commenting on my Ins for? How is Seraphina supposed to feel?” “You’re getting so petty these days, jealous over every little thing. I’m only saying this to win over Seraphina so we can have a child quickly!” Mrs. Sterling was also furious. She stormed into the house, pointing at me and screaming insults. “Julian is younger than you, and he understands the bigger picture! You’ve lived thirty years for nothing; no wonder you’re just a freeloader!” “My Sterling family supported you as Vice President, gave you reputation and status, and you’re still not satisfied? You want to sabotage Julian’s grand plan?” “I’m telling you, if Seraphina refuses to have a child with Julian because of you, I’ll never forgive you!” I stared at Mrs. Sterling in shock. This was the family member I had treated as a mother, now humiliating and scolding me with the most vicious words. I finally gave up completely, slowly handing her the divorce agreement. “Since I’m so worthless, have Julian sign it. I won’t hinder his grand plan to revitalize Sterling Corp.” Seeing that I not only refused to admit fault but dared to threaten them with divorce, Mrs. Sterling immediately exploded in anger. She picked up a vase from the coffee table and threw it at my head. “Your low-class parents must have been trash to raise such an ill-mannered wretch like you! Today, I’m going to teach you some proper manners!” Then she grabbed an ashtray and slammed it onto my head with a loud bang. She glared at me fiercely, spitting on my face. “You look like a pauper. Julian must have been blind to ever look your way.” I clutched my head and coldly looked at Mrs. Sterling. Ever since Sterling Corp. escaped crisis and got back on track, she had always looked at me with more disdain than warmth. She always felt I had climbed above my station by marrying Julian. Otherwise, her second son could have married a wealthy heiress, a second-richest successor, just like her eldest. But she forgot. It was she who had once taken my hand and thanked me for my hard work. It was she who said I was the Sterling family’s lucky star, that I had saved Sterling Corp. from crisis with my selfless dedication. I had knelt in the bank manager’s office to secure loans. I had nursed a business partner’s father in the hospital, saving lost orders… I finally understood: some people only see profit, no affection. Turns out, selfishness is hereditary. My heart suddenly grew calm. There was no more sadness. I ignored Mrs. Sterling’s ranting, grabbed my car keys, and rushed to the hospital. As I reached the second floor, I saw Julian walking towards me, arm-in-arm with a coy Seraphina. The moment our eyes met, Julian’s face flashed with panic and embarrassment. He quickly turned away, coughing. “What happened to your head?” Then he said, with disgust, “Look at you. What can you even do? A grown woman manages to get her head bloody. If you had even a fraction of Seraphina’s capability, I wouldn’t have to work so hard.” My gaze, sharp as ice, fell on Seraphina beside him. Her expression was serene, her eyes enigmatic. In that moment, I admitted that I couldn’t compare to her; she truly was unfathomable. “Alright, go get yourself checked out. Don’t cause any more trouble in the future.” He said, as if afraid of touching something dirty, and walked away with Seraphina, not looking back. As they turned the corner of the stairs, Julian’s message arrived: “Seraphina is pregnant. I’m organizing a celebration for her this Wednesday. You absolutely must attend.” “Seraphina wants everyone to believe this child is Dominic’s, and she’s already three months along. Remember not to say anything out of line.”

I calmly deleted the messages, then looked at the text from my lawyer. “Scarlett, if you’re willing to walk away with nothing, the divorce proceedings will be quick. But if you want to divide assets, it will be more complicated and take some time.” I looked at the message and replied, “I authorize you to liquidate the assets I’m entitled to. I will not walk away with nothing.” Since joining the failing Sterling Corp. after university, I had single-handedly created the legend of turning a profit of over a hundred million within three months. Why should I be a spineless fool and walk away with nothing? I would take back what was rightfully mine. My belongings, even if I donated them, would not go to some illegitimate child. On Wednesday, I arrived on time. Julian had his arm around Seraphina’s waist, circulating among the guests, soaking in their congratulations. Seraphina smiled gracefully, engaging in conversation with everyone. I calmly handed my gift to Julian. He merely glanced at it, then stepped three feet away as if to avoid association. “Oh, Seraphina already has a whole attic full of things like this. You don’t need to bother.” I smiled faintly. “Alright then!” Turns out, in his heart, Seraphina was already his wife. My gift, from his legitimate wife, was just a pointless gesture. I turned and handed it to Mr. Davies, the family butler. “Mr. Davies, this is for your wife. Please take it to her.” Mr. Davies immediately thanked me profusely. “Ms. Scarlett, you are too kind. I thank you on behalf of my wife.” He bowed to me. See? Sometimes, an unintentional kindness to a stranger earns you overwhelming gratitude. Some people, no matter how good you are to them, will take you for granted, seeing you as nothing more than a desperate admirer. Some business associates came up to congratulate me. “Ms. Scarlett, so glad to hear Ms. Stratton has been blessed with a child. Congratulations!” Then they looked puzzled. “Ms. Scarlett, why isn’t Ms. Stratton under your care? Mr. Sterling has been with Ms. Stratton the whole time.” I smiled calmly. “It’s all the same. We’re family, after all. No need to be so particular.” The surrounding people looked at me inquisitively, then at Julian and Seraphina, who stood close together. They seemed to understand something, exchanging knowing, meaningful smiles. Finally, a small voice piped up from a corner. “Mommy, that auntie and uncle look so good together! Their baby must be beautiful!” The grand hall fell silent. Everyone exchanged awkward glances. Julian’s face flushed crimson. He reluctantly walked over to me and took my arm. Then he whispered, full of disgust, “Can’t you have some common sense and stand by me? Do you want everyone to laugh at me?” I smiled indifferently. “I thought you were afraid Seraphina would get jealous, thinking I was still trying to snatch you away.” Hearing me say that, Julian’s face broke into a satisfied smile. “At least you’re sensible enough to know your place. Seraphina is a bit of a clean freak when it comes to relationships. In the future, be mindful of your boundaries when you see me. For these three years, I am not your husband. Remember your place and don’t displease Seraphina.” I scoffed, saying nothing more, and enthusiastically greeted the guests. Once everyone had had their fill, Julian abruptly let go of my arm, disdainfully brushing off his suit. “Seraphina and I are leaving. I need to prepare a tonic for her pregnancy. You can go home on your own.” “I’ll be busy with Seraphina and her pregnancy lately, so I’m leaving the company to you. Be diligent and don’t mess things up.” With that, he took Seraphina’s arm and walked out. It was clear that in his heart, Seraphina was already his wife, and the Stratton estate was his home. I smiled and walked into the night. “Mr. Stone, I’ll give you a million for a job. Extra expenses will be covered.” I wondered if his own brother, when he eventually returned, would even be able to go back to that ‘home’.

Julian, true to his word, spent several days by Seraphina’s side and didn’t come home. Mr. Stone, the private investigator, sent me photos regularly. Perhaps seeing my silence, Julian and Mrs. Sterling simply moved into Seraphina’s mansion. Julian even began openly referring to Seraphina as the baby’s “godparent” (which everyone understood as the father). Everyone in the city’s high society knew exactly what was going on. They’d exchange knowing glances and cast sympathetic looks my way. Soon, it was Mrs. Sterling’s birthday. I looked at the message from Mr. Stone and smiled, then transferred an extra five hundred thousand to him. On the day of the birthday celebration, I invited the city’s most renowned news reporters and every notable influencer I could find. With over a dozen cameras set up, it was more bustling than a movie set. Mrs. Sterling, dressed in a red traditional gown, seeing the cameras pointed at her, finally offered me a rare pleasant look. “Though you’re not as capable as Seraphina, at least you’re sensible and know your place. It’s not for nothing that my Sterling family has kept you.” I smiled and nodded, agreeing with everything she said. The guests’ eyes, when they looked at me, were filled with even more contempt. The Sterling relatives, with their noses in the air, sneered at me. “She has no backbone! Her husband is sleeping with his sister-in-law, and she’s still fawning over her mother-in-law! She’s a disgrace to all women!” “What do you know? She’s a bottom-feeder, a parasite who couldn’t find her way out of a paper bag without the Sterlings! She’s so spineless, she’d probably be happy being cuckolded as long as it benefits her!” Ignoring the constant whispers and mockery, I calmly greeted the guests. As the auspicious hour approached, Julian appeared, arm-in-arm with Seraphina. All the guests swarmed around them, chatting with Seraphina and trying to forge connections. Julian, still arm-in-arm with her, showed no discretion. His head held high, he basked in their adulation, as if he were already the rich husband of a tycoon. Seraphina’s belly was prominently rounded, already six months along. Mrs. Sterling hurried over, greeting them warmly as her daughter-in-law and son, asking if Seraphina was tired, and urging the servants to bring her tea. Throughout it all, Seraphina remained polite and gracious, revealing no discernible emotion. Many times, I wondered: Seraphina, a powerful tycoon, had initially married into the Sterling family out of gratitude for a life saved. But now, the debt of gratitude had been repaid. Wealthy suitors, eager to have children with her and marry her, lined up from one end of the city to the other. Why would she, ignoring all gossip, insist on sleeping with her married brother-in-law? Just as I was lost in thought, fireworks popped, and the emcee’s booming voice rang out. “Today is a joyous day! We thank all friends and family for coming to celebrate Mrs. Sterling’s birthday!” “Now, we invite the son and daughter-in-law to come forward, pay their respects, and wish Mrs. Sterling a long and prosperous life!” The moment the words fell, Julian, smiling, took Seraphina’s arm and stepped forward. “Mom, Seraphina and I wish you a long, healthy life and endless fortune!” With that, he pulled Seraphina, about to bow deeply. Seraphina stood perfectly still, her sharp gaze falling on me. I chuckled and stepped forward. “Julian Sterling, you’ve got the wrong person. Your wife is right here.” Julian’s face immediately flushed red, then he angrily said, “Dominic isn’t here, so I’m taking his place to accompany Seraphina in wishing Mom a happy birthday. Stay out of it!” I silently counted the seconds. One, two, three… Julian again pulled Seraphina’s arm, about to bow deeply to his mother, when a sharp voice suddenly rang out.

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The year I turned six and lost my sight, Mom and I found Zane nearly frozen to death. I lied and said I wanted a companion. I begged Mom to save him. After Mom remarried, Zane became my only support. He even gave up his extraordinary talent for painting to study medicine, all for my eyes. But even after becoming a skilled ophthalmologist, he still couldn’t cure my blindness. On my twenty-fifth birthday, Zane’s female soulmate won a major art award. Zane locked himself in the study, scribbling furiously on paper. His voice strained with suppressed emotion. “I’m writing you birthday wishes.” I smiled, about to step forward and hug him when my guide dog spoke. “You dumb blind girl — he’s ripped up every painting he ever made. The backs are covered with ‘Anna, go die.’” “Don’t walk forward! He put a live wire there. You’ll die if you step on it!” I froze in place. Then I forced a smile and kept walking. “Zane, all your wishes will come true.” I took another step forward. Zane suddenly called out. “Anna!” His voice caught, thick with tears, but he said nothing more. I pretended not to know. My tone stayed light and cheerful. “Does your head hurt again? Let me massage it for you.” My guide dog spoke again. “Fool, the wire is right in front of you!” I was about to step down when the doorbell rang. A chair scraped violently across the floor. “Watch out!” A force slammed into me. I crashed to the ground. My brain buzzed. Pain exploded through my skull. I couldn’t think clearly for several moments. Zane’s hands trembled as he helped me up. “Anna… I’m sorry… There was a wire just now. I was afraid you’d trip.” My guide dog barked twice. I understood what it meant. “He’s lying, Anna. He really wanted to kill you just now! He only changed his mind at the last second.” My heart twisted. Why did I still feel sorry for him? I forced myself to smile through the pain. “If there was a wire, it’s my fault for not seeing it. I’m fine. It doesn’t hurt.” Just then, Zane’s phone rang. I heard a woman’s voice on the other end. “I know you’re home. I won’t leave until I see you. Zane, just… consider this my last time coming.” I recognized the voice. Victoria. Zane’s talented painter friend. She and Zane had met at an art gallery years ago. Zane once told me Victoria was his best friend. Victoria once told me Zane’s paintings had the most spirit she’d ever seen. But now one had become a renowned artist. The other had become a doctor stuck taking care of a blind person. Zane hated being a doctor. He hated the smell of blood. After every surgery, he would vomit until he could barely stand. After Victoria hung up, Zane shoved me aside. He rushed out desperately. I lost my balance. The back of my head struck the sharp corner of the table. Blood poured out in waves. I whimpered weakly. “Zane, it hurts…” The door slammed shut. I couldn’t see, but my hearing was sharper than most people’s. Even through the closed door, I heard Victoria and Zane talking outside. Victoria’s voice broke with tears. “Anna’s eyes can’t be cured. You can’t take care of her forever! Your hands have so much more talent than mine! You should keep painting!” But Zane interrupted her, his voice shaking. “Victoria, Anna gave me this life. How could I abandon a blind person…” Victoria’s voice filled with sorrow. “Then what about your dreams? What about… me?” Zane stayed silent for a long time before answering hoarsely. “No matter what, we’ll always be… best friends.” Victoria ran away crying. “I won’t come looking for you again… When you figure it out, take this to my teacher.” I lay on the floor in a daze. Suddenly I remembered when I was thirteen. Someone had bullied me. I limped home from the school for the blind. Zane was furious. He decided to transfer from his regular school to the blind school to watch over me. When I was fifteen, Mom remarried. She grabbed my hands and cried. “Anna, my new husband can’t help me raise a blind child. Mom is really struggling. You understand, don’t you? Besides, Zane will take care of you!” Mom dragged her suitcase away. She left behind the old house and Zane. Zane had just turned eighteen. Taking care of blind me wore him down until he was covered in ailments. I kept crying and begging Zane to leave. To stop taking care of me. But he always smiled and patted my head. “Silly girl, we’ll be together forever.” A blind person like me that nobody wanted, if Zane hadn’t held my hand and helped me grow up, I should have died long ago. I should die somewhere Zane doesn’t know about. Otherwise, he’ll blame himself.

I wiped the throbbing back of my head. My fingers came away sticky with blood. I was still struggling to stand when the door burst open. Zane’s voice cut through the silence. “What happened? Why is there so much blood?” I forced a smile. “I’m sorry. I fell by accident.” The words had barely left my mouth when I heard glass shatter against the floor. “Anna!” His voice cracked like a whip. “You’ve lived in this house for years. How can you still not walk properly?” Then came a heavy sigh. “I’m sorry, Anna. I shouldn’t lose my temper with you.” I heard him rummaging through the house. Drawers opened and slammed shut. Finally, he pulled out my old white cane. I hadn’t used it in years. He grabbed my arm and yanked me toward the door. His steps were too fast. Too angry. I stumbled, trying to keep up. My foot slipped on the first step. Then the third. Each time I nearly fell, but he didn’t slow down. Fear clawed at my throat. “Zane, where are we going?” He stopped so suddenly I crashed into his back. My nose hit his spine. Blood gushed from my nostrils. I reached up blindly to wipe it away. His voice came out strangled. “Anna! There are so many blind people in the world. Why can everyone else live normally except you?” Each word hit like a physical blow. “I’m not your guide dog. I can’t be your dog for the rest of my life!” My heart seized. Something inside me crumpled. Then I felt his hands on my back. He shoved me. Hard. His voice drifted back through the wind, cold and final. “Don’t come home until you learn to use the tactile paving.” His footsteps faded. His scent disappeared. The world reduced to wind, traffic, and strangers whispering around me. Darkness and panic swallowed me whole. I clutched the cane until my knuckles ached. I wanted to scream. Instead, I whispered his name like a prayer. “Zane, I’m so scared.” Before, I never needed a cane. One hand always held my guide dog’s harness. The other held Zane’s arm. He said I’d never need anything else. Now only the wind answered me. My guide dog’s voice dripped with mockery. “Wasn’t he the one who promised to hold your hand forever? Said you’d never need a cane?” I had forgotten everything about tactile paving. The raised dots and lines meant nothing to my feet anymore. I tapped the cane against the ground. Each step felt wrong. I must have exhausted him completely. A blind woman who couldn’t even walk alone. I wandered aimlessly until the sound of car horns grew deafening. I stopped at what must be the street’s edge. Maybe if a car hit me, Zane could finally be free. I waited. The traffic roared past. Then someone yanked me backward into their arms. Zane’s body trembled against mine. His voice broke with despair. “Anna, you’re blind, not stupid. How can you not know how to cross a street? Why? Why did you have to be blind?” Why? I wanted to know too. The question I’d asked myself a thousand times. The question that had no answer. I finally broke. Sobs tore from my chest. “You’re right. I’m not stupid. So go! Leave! I don’t need you!” When I was five, my parents fought over their divorce. They screamed at each other every night. Neither wanted custody of me. When I spiked a fever that destroyed my vision, they didn’t even notice until it was too late. Zane’s hand found mine. His grip was weak. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have gotten angry. How could I not take care of you?” He led me home. He never mentioned the cane lessons again. But I noticed him spending more time staring at things in his study. Long silences filled with something I couldn’t name. I hid in my room and dialed Mom’s number. She answered on the fourth ring. Her voice turned sharp the moment she recognized mine. “Why are you calling me? I don’t have any obligation to raise you anymore.” “Mom, I’m not asking you to raise me. Could you just pretend to let me live with you?” Silence stretched between us. I made promises. So many promises. I’d be invisible. I wouldn’t be a burden. I just needed somewhere else to go. Finally, she sighed. “Fine. For old time’s sake. I’ll come get you after your sister finishes summer camp.” I hung up. A strange lightness filled my chest. Mom had a healthy child now. A daughter who could see. And Zane could finally be rid of me.

I stood outside Zane’s door and knocked. Inside, I heard him scrambling to hide something. Papers rustled frantically. “What do you want? Can’t find something again?” His tone made me flinch. I forced myself to smile. The kind of playful smile I used to wear when things were still good between us. “Zane, Mom contacted me. She says she’s doing well now. She feels guilty about everything. She wants me to come live with her. I said yes.” Silence stretched between us. Then his voice came out sharp and disbelieving. “Do you even know what you’re saying?” I repeated the words carefully. “I want to live with Mom.” Something inside him snapped. His chair scraped violently against the floor. “Anna! Have you forgotten what she did to you? You haven’t suffered enough?” How could I forget? The years the court gave me to Mom, she dated constantly. Sometimes she’d disappear for days. She’d forget to leave money for food. Little Zane would collect bottles in the freezing winter. He’d trade them for bread and give it all to me. His stomach would growl with hunger, but he’d smile and say, “I think I ate too much.” I’d begged Mom to adopt Zane because I wanted him to survive. Instead, he’d spent his entire life dragging around a blind girl. He’d never had one good day because of me. When Zane refused to even consider it, I called Victoria. “Please,” I said. “Talk to him. He’ll listen to you.” Victoria was quiet for a long moment. Then she agreed. Two days later, she called Zane. I heard his phone ring. Heard him answer. Her voice drifted through the speaker. “Zane, I’m leaving with my teacher in a few days. Once I’m gone, you’ll never have another chance.” Zane stared at me. I didn’t know why, but even though I couldn’t see, I could feel his gaze on me. Then something broke inside him. He stormed into his study, grabbed something, and ran out the door. The apartment door slammed shut. I smiled in the silence. Relief flooded through me warm and light. A full day passed. Zane didn’t come home. Victoria called me the next afternoon. Her voice bubbled with excitement. “Thank you for this. Zane really is meant to paint. I’m arranging a gallery show for him.” Happiness surged through my chest. He was free. Finally free. But by evening, my stomach had begun to cramp. I hadn’t eaten anything all day. Zane always prepared meals before he left. This time he’d been too angry to think of it. I used voice commands to order delivery. When it arrived, I felt my way to the door. The handle wouldn’t turn. He’d locked it from the outside. Night fell. My stomach burned with acid. Hunger made my hands shake. I navigated toward the kitchen by memory. My fingers traced the familiar countertop. I needed to find something. Anything to eat. My arm swept across the counter. Something crashed to the floor. Glass shattered. Then I smelled gas. Panic seized my chest. I’d knocked over the stove lighter. Flames roared to life somewhere to my left. I grabbed for the faucet. Water sprayed everywhere. Not on the fire. The flames spread across the counter. Smoke filled my lungs. I dropped to my knees, coughing. Heat blistered my skin. My hands went numb. Pain disappeared into a strange, terrifying absence of feeling. Tears streamed down my face. I crawled toward where I thought the door should be. “Anna, you useless waste,” I sobbed to myself. “Don’t die here. Don’t you dare die here.” If Zane came home and found my charred body, he’d never forgive himself. The guilt would destroy him. I couldn’t do that to him. My guide dog bit my pant leg. Its bark cut through the roar of flames. “Stupid girl! This way! Hide this way!” I crawled in the direction of its voice. My lungs screamed for air. Black spots burst behind my useless eyes. The world tilted sideways. Then nothing. *** Beeping pulled me back to consciousness. Antiseptic smell. Crisp sheets. Hospital. Footsteps rushed toward my bed. Zane’s voice came out exhausted and bewildered. “I was only gone one day. Why do you always do this to yourself?” My hands twisted in the sheets. “I’m sorry.” More footsteps entered the room. A doctor’s voice rose sharply, scolding Zane. “What kind of guardian are you? You left a blind person alone in a locked apartment. Do you understand she almost burned to death?” I opened my mouth to defend him. To explain it wasn’t his fault. But Zane spoke first. His voice was cold and hollow. “Every time I try to leave, you use reality to remind me. To show me I can only stay by your side.” Victoria’s shriek pierced the room. “Anna! You did this on purpose! You’re using this to keep Zane trapped!” Pain lanced through my chest. Sharper than any burn. I laughed. The sound came out bitter and broken. “So what if I did? My eyes aren’t healed. He has to stay with me for the rest of his life. He owes me that much.” The words tasted like poison. But I forced them out anyway. If he hated me enough, maybe he’d finally walk away for good.

“Slap!” Zane hit me across the face. I felt my mouth curve into a smile. Idiot. Why was his hand shaking? I twisted the knife deeper. “Zane, someone like you has no right to chase dreams. I burned all those paintings you hid. You’re not going anywhere!” My phone rang. Mom’s voice boomed through the speaker before I could answer. “I’m almost at the old house. Pack up and wait for me.” Zane snatched the phone from my hand before I could respond. His voice shattered into something wild and unrecognizable. “Anna, I wish I’d never met you! Twenty years! I don’t owe you anything anymore!” His hands closed around my arm. He dragged me from the hospital bed. The doctor’s voice rose in alarm. “She’s injured! She can’t handle this kind of stress!” Zane ignored him. He pulled me through the hallways and out the hospital doors. We reached the apartment complex entrance just as Mom arrived. I hadn’t seen her in ten years. Zane shoved me toward her. His voice rang with twisted relief. “Take her far away from here! I hope I never see her again for the rest of my life!” His footsteps faded into nothing. Mom stood at a distance. Disgust radiated from her posture. I could feel it even without seeing her face. “I’m only here because we’re family. Remember what you promised. I bring you with me and that’s it. We’re done. And those injuries? Not my problem. I don’t have money to waste on medical bills.” I smiled. No sadness came. Today the person who loved me most in the world had thrown me away too. There was nothing left to lose. “I won’t forget, Mom. Can you take me to Central Park?” The place where I’d first met Zane. Mom drove in silence. The moment we reached the park, she abandoned me on the sidewalk. She practically ran back to her car like I was contagious. Winter had emptied the park of visitors. Just wind through bare trees and dead grass crunching under distant footsteps. I wandered slowly. My burned skin had gone numb in the cold. The pain faded into something distant and unimportant. My feet carried me forward with no destination. Just moving through the place where a six-year-old girl had found a freezing boy and changed both their lives forever. My guide dog’s bark cut through the quiet. “Stop! There’s a lake ahead!” I kept walking. My foot met empty air. Then I was falling. The cold water hit like a thousand knives. It flooded into my nose and mouth and ears. The shock stole my breath. I sank. The lake swallowed me whole. Darkness had always been my world. But this darkness was different. This darkness was peace. No more guilt. No more being a burden. No more watching Zane destroy himself to keep me alive. My lungs screamed for air. I ignored them. The cold stopped hurting. Everything stopped hurting. This was better. Zane would finally paint again. Victoria would have him back. Mom could forget I existed. Water filled my chest. My body went limp. I thought of Zane’s smile when we were children. The way he’d hold my hand and promise we’d be together forever. I’m sorry, I thought. I’m sorry I couldn’t be someone worth saving. The water pressed in from all sides. Filling every space. Every sense. My thoughts scattered like leaves in wind. Then nothing at all.

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My husband loved me with a bone-deep obsession. So profound was his need that he had my bionic replica created. For three long years, while I lay n a vegetative state, she was with him. He loved that robot exactly as he had loved me. While I was hospitalized, he was with the robot, passionately entangled all night long. “Your body is still recovering, my love. I just don’t want stain you.” While I was in a coma, and he took countless wedding photos with the robot. “Did this make up for the wedding photos you never got to take?” When I asked to have Echo deactivated, he told me not to be jealous. “Being kind to her is being good to you. She is you.” So, I erased all memories related to him and gifted them to Echo. I gave him a complete wife he always wanted. “Ms. Hayes, the abortion is complete. As compensation, you may request one more thing.” I was silent for a long time before I finally spoke. “I want a divorce from Liam Hayes.” The Bionic Human After-Sales Department agreed. “Alright, in one month, you’ll receive your divorce papers.” “We apologize for any impact our bionic unit had on your life. This concludes our after-sales service. We wish you a new beginning.” The idea of divorce hit me the very first day I was discharged from the hospital. Pushing open my front door, I was met by something identical to me. I shrieked, shoving her away. Liam immediately stepped forward, instinctively pulling that thing into his arms. Then, trying to cover it up, he pushed her aside and helped me up from where I’d stumbled to the floor. “My love, I forgot to introduce you. This is Echo. These past three years, she’s the only reason I made it through.” Liam’s eyes were brimming with affection. “Don’t be afraid. You are her, and she is you.” Echo, with my identical face, flashed a smile. “That’s right, I am you.” That very night, I was hospitalized again with a high fever, overcome by shock. Once, Liam had a prized art collection worth millions of dollars. But because I was allergic to a certain paint, he didn’t bat an eye when he threw it all in the trash. Now, Liam held me, his heart aching, but he only said, “Once you two spend some time together, you’ll definitely like her.” I looked at the man before me, my heart sinking with unease. My nightmares were relentless. Liam, after repeatedly instructing the caregiver, finally left, still worried, to go home and fetch me a change of clothes. He was gone for an entire afternoon. Dragging my feverish body, I made my way back to the mansion. There, I witnessed a scene that struck me like a lightning bolt. Liam was pressing down on the bionic unit, passion entwined, murmuring my intimate nickname. “Echo, Echo.” I suddenly lost all strength, sliding down the wall, then pushing myself up and stumbling away. Liam spotted me, staggering off, and immediately chased after me. “My love, are you jealous? I was just worried your body hadn’t fully recovered and couldn’t handle strenuous activity. In my heart, you and Echo are one and the same.” Liam probably didn’t realize that before, he always called me Echo. But since I woke up, he hadn’t called me that once. “Now that I’m back, you can send her away.” Liam’s gaze at me held a hint of reproach. “While you were gone, Echo stayed with me in your place. Why are you so cold to her?” For the first time, Liam turned a cold shoulder to me, leaving me standing there alone. Echo, with my identical eyes, scanned me up and down. “You’re weak. You want to send me away, but can you satisfy him? While you were in a coma for three years, we did it a thousand times.” A set of data flashed before my eyes. An endless string of numbers. The first time was in my first month of coma, the last, this very morning. A sharp, stabbing pain spread through my heart. The home I hadn’t seen in three years had transformed. Due to my career, Liam and I kept our marriage a secret and never had a proper wedding ceremony. But now, wedding photos adorned every visible surface in the house. In the pictures, I wore a completely unfamiliar smile. Liam affectionately held me, admiring them. “These photos can make up for the wedding photos you never got to take. Look how beautiful you are in a wedding dress.” But she, despite having a face identical to mine, was not me at all. Liam had fallen in love with someone else, not me. Realizing this, I finally made up my mind to leave.

In the middle of the night, I opened my eyes and saw a dark figure standing by the bed. In the darkness, the bionic unit’s pupils stared unblinkingly at me, and she reached out to grip my neck. “Will you please give me back what’s mine?” I spiked another high fever. Liam held me, his expression grave. “Is it a lingering effect from being in a coma for so long? Are you having hallucinations? Echo is just a robot.” Liam’s words made me start to doubt myself. Until she emerged from the kitchen with a basin, walked through the living room, and suddenly spilled the entire pot of scalding soup all over me. Echo watched me writhe in agony, my skin blistering, her expression cold. “Liam’s favorite body… it has to be one of a kind.” Hearing my shriek, Liam rushed out of the room, cradling me, ready to take me to the hospital. I suppressed the pain, staring intently at Echo. “Call the police! She did it on purpose!” “Impossible!” Liam denied it without hesitation. I was stunned. Once, if I so much as looked slightly upset, Liam would cut ties with his best friend without a second thought. And now, when I personally begged for help, he instinctively defended that bionic human. “Her reaction speed is a hundred times yours; she would never spill a plate. You must have accidentally bumped into her.” “I can tell you really dislike Echo. She’s just a robot who doesn’t know anything. High temperatures will damage Echo’s parts, don’t try to get rid of her this way.” As he spoke, Liam unknowingly gripped my wound, his mind completely preoccupied with someone else, even as he stood by my side. Suddenly, I lost all desire to confide in him. Because the scalding was severe, Liam brought me soup to feed me. “Echo stayed up all night making this soup, and even cut her finger. She’s truly devoted to you.” Before he finished speaking, I gagged, spitting out a mouthful of blood. My mouth and throat felt like they had been slashed by a sharp blade. It was a bowl of soup laced with razor blades. Liam’s face suddenly turned grim. He scrutinized me coldly. “Do you hate Echo that much? To resort to such a dirty trick just to frame her? Where did you hide the blood pack in your mouth? I almost forgot, faking a coughing fit with blood, you’re always so good at that.” The phone suddenly rang. Echo’s voice was sweet. “Did Mrs. Hayes finish my soup?” Liam replied softly. “Of course.” Then he forced the entire bowl of soup into my mouth. “Don’t try these pathetic theatrics again. Echo’s fundamental programming makes it impossible for her to harm humans.” Amidst agonizing pain, I continued to spray blood, but Liam, utterly disappointed by my coldness, simply walked away. It wasn’t until I desperately pressed the emergency call button that I was rushed to the operating room. “Mrs. Hayes, you’re three months pregnant. The surgery might affect the baby!” I closed my eyes, letting tears stream down my face. “It’s fine.” After all, this was a child destined not to stay. After leaving the operating room, I immediately called the Bionic Human Deactivation Center. By afternoon, a group of people arrived at the house. But the uniforms they wore said, “Second Psychiatric Hospital.” “My wife is suffering from severe persecutory delusions.” Despite my violent struggles, they strapped me to the bed with restraints. Liam gently stroked my lower abdomen, his voice soft. “My love, I know you’re pregnant. You’re sick, but don’t be afraid. I’ll make sure you recover.”

The Deactivation Center informed me that Echo, Bionic Unit 01, had gone completely rogue, and due to the buyer’s strong wishes, they couldn’t retrieve her. They could only grant me two requests as after-sales service. I got what I wanted. The child in my womb was gone, and I got my chance to leave Liam. Echo pushed open the bedroom door, looking down at me with a twisted smile. She actually seemed to be experiencing human emotion. “Evelyn, you’re not a suitable partner. Replacing you was easy.” I looked at her coldly. “A replacement has no right to judge me.” Echo’s perfect face distorted for a moment. “A replacement? I’ll soon be one of a kind.” Then, she threw a lit torch into my room. Thick smoke quickly rose. The door was locked, and I was trapped on the bed by the restraints. My desperate cries for help went unanswered. Just as despair consumed me, the bedroom door was kicked open. Liam was covered in soot, with several burns on his body, but he didn’t hesitate to strip off his wet clothes and wrap me in them. “Don’t be afraid! It’s over now.” In that moment, my heart, which I thought had hardened, began to beat again. As Liam lifted me, a loud warning blared from outside the room. “Program error, program error—” “Echo!” Liam’s expression shifted dramatically. He disregarded me and rushed towards the sound. “Liam…” I used every last ounce of strength, crawling towards the direction he had disappeared. But my voice was drowned out by the warning sirens, unable to make Liam turn back, as the raging fire and thick smoke engulfed me. I didn’t hear Liam’s reply, but I heard something in my heart shatter completely. “Eighty percent of her body is severely burned…” I opened my eyes to find my entire body wrapped in bandages. The doctor shook his head at me. Liam gently stroked the only intact patch of my skin, his eyes devoid of any disgust. “My love, thank goodness you’re okay. Don’t worry, I’ll be right here with you.” My eyes hollow with despair, I turned my head away. Liam’s expression faltered, and he was about to say something. A soft sob came from beside us. “I’m no longer perfect. Please deactivate me, Master.” Echo had only a single bandage wrapped around her arm, yet Liam comforted her, his heart aching. “But I don’t have the ability for human self-repair. This prosthetic skin is just that – prosthetic. Please deactivate me.” Liam’s gaze fell on me. “Who says it has to be prosthetic?” He called the doctor. “Arrange the surgery immediately. Take my wife’s skin and graft it onto Echo.” I stared at Liam in disbelief, but only a hoarse sound escaped my throat. Liam kissed my forehead, then held down my limbs, covering my desperate eyes. “The fire started in your room. This is what you owe Echo.” The only intact skin on my face was brutally cut away, leaving an ugly scar.

Ever since that terrifying fire, my skin often felt a burning pain, which I could only alleviate by swimming. Echo stood by the pool, watching me. I had grown accustomed to her occasional observation. Through day-after-day imitation, she became more and more like me. But this activity was something she could never imitate; she couldn’t enter the water. So I ignored her and swam further away. After my rest, I heard a commotion downstairs. Liam’s expression was, for the first time, utterly grim. “Evelyn, you know she loves to imitate, so why would you swim in front of her! Trying to provoke her to go in the water?” Imitate? Liam finally admitted she was imitating me. I had tried to tell Liam about the discomfort of being mimicked, but he only said I was overthinking, asking why a perfect robot would imitate a human. “I’m hot and in pain; I can only stay in the water. I don’t have time to provoke a robot!” “Wrongdoing must be punished.” Liam’s voice was icy. “Aren’t you afraid of the heat? Send Mrs. Hayes into the sauna room.” On a scorching summer day, the sauna room was thick with steam. The intense heat enveloped my unhealed skin, like the flames of that day returning. My voice trembled with anger. “Liam, I’ll die!” All I got in response was Liam’s retreating back. “Don’t worry. I’m just teaching you a lesson.” The sauna room wasn’t soundproof. Amidst the burning pain, I heard Liam instructing someone to prepare a waterproof suit, patiently teaching Echo to swim. Time passed, and Liam completely forgot about my existence. When the sauna room was finally opened again, I was rushed straight to the emergency room. Liam roared at those around him. “Who told you to keep her in there for so long! If anything happens to her, I’ll make you all pay!” Liam actually bothered to visit me at the hospital. I thought, self-mockingly. The doctor’s hurried footsteps interrupted him. “Mr. Hayes, Ms. Echo’s test results are in.” So, it was just a side trip. I thought, for a moment, that Liam still cared about me. “Ms. Echo’s other parts are intact, but her reproductive system was severely damaged by water and has lost its ability to conceive.” No sooner had the words left his mouth than a sound came from the window. Echo, her face streaked with tears, swayed precariously as she opened the window. “I can’t bear children for Master. I’m already a defective product. If I die, Master can just buy a more perfect bionic human.” Liam’s face changed dramatically. He lunged towards the window, pulling Echo into his arms. “It’s okay, I don’t care! You’re not to do anything foolish!” Echo shook her head, a mournful smile on her face. “It’s no use, Master. You can’t stop me. Without a child, I’ll always be defective.” Liam held her tightly. “Who says you won’t have a child? Don’t be afraid, leave it to me.” Liam gently stroked my lower abdomen. “Let Echo carry this child.” My eyes widened in horror, and I struggled desperately. “Liam, how can you do this to me! You’re insane!” “We’ll have other children. You can’t just watch Echo die, can you? Besides, if it weren’t for you, how would Echo have gotten water damage?” My struggles were subdued, and I could only watch helplessly as the anesthetic was injected into my body. “Liam! I’ll never forgive you… never…”

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I have multiple personalities. The day my cosmetic surgeon husband said he loved me, I switched to my head-over-heels in love persona. He told me I had a good foundation and he would sculpt me into his most successful masterpiece. After enduring countless surgeries, big and small, I was on the verge of death, finally becoming his ideal vision. Later, Damien’s first love, Isabelle, returned from overseas. I hid in a corner of the airport, secretly watching them being intimate. Isabelle had a face almost identical to mine—a face that was completely natural. That’s when I realized I had been a stand-in for her for ten years. “Don’t worry, my love. Now that you’re back, I won’t let her walk around with a face identical to yours anymore.” “I’ll destroy her, I promise.” I was overcome with sorrow. The places where my bones had been shaved for cosmetic surgery throbbed faintly. Damien didn’t know that the last time he left the operating room mid-surgery, my blindly devoted persona had withered away. My next persona? She’s a little… unhinged. 0

As I pushed open the front door, I instinctively hid the pregnancy test results and the heavy bottle of kerosene in my bag. I’d found out I was pregnant before I went to the airport. That’s why I followed Damien Thorne’s location tracker to the airport. I wanted to give him the earliest possible surprise, but instead, I gave myself a terrifying shock. So, I figured I might as well buy some kerosene and prepare a little something for his funeral ahead of time. Damien looked uncomfortable when he saw me return. He’d just picked up his first love from the airport, and the strong scent of her perfume still clung to him. It was sickening. “Honey, I forgot to tell you, I have a surgery later tonight. I’m afraid I won’t be able to spend time with you.” Damien explained. I knew. It was Isabelle’s first day back, and he was undoubtedly going to be with her. The surgery was just his excuse. My expression showed a hint of disappointment, the tightness from my numerous surgeries making my face look unnaturally stiff. “In that case, you should go.” He looked at my face and frowned. I could read the fleeting disgust in his eyes. But he’d forgotten that I used to be the undisputed campus queen. He was the one who sweet-talked me and personally performed the surgeries, molding me into Isabelle’s image. Eighty percent similar, twenty percent unnatural. He grabbed his jacket and left without a backward glance. I rummaged through the cabinet and found that many of his ‘intimacy products’ from when we were deeply in love were missing. Things like condoms and delay sprays. I pretended not to notice anything, putting the disarranged items back where they belonged. I knew he wouldn’t be home tonight. When did I first realize Damien’s heart wasn’t with me anymore? It was probably during that surgery six months ago. Isabelle, across time zones, was getting drunk in some bar overseas. When he found out, he immediately abandoned me on the operating table. I should have been unconscious, but I was awake, listening to the hysteria in his phone call. “Please, Isabelle, don’t drink yourself senseless.” “You lost that man, but you still have me, don’t you?” He pleaded with Isabelle not to drown her sorrows, dragging it out until I, on the operating table, lost too much blood and passed out. He personally sent me to the ICU. After I fell into a coma, I felt like I died once. My dual personality, dormant for so long, seemed to be reawakening. It was a crazy persona, her fury roaring within my body. “Damien Thorne, you actually lied to me!” “I’ll make sure you die a terrible death!” But I was so used to being blindly devoted. Before I completely died, one thought still timidly rebutted from deep within me. “What if Isabelle was in real danger back then, which is why he abandoned me?” But what could Isabelle possibly be dealing with? After she got married abroad, her husband died young, and she inherited millions in dollars. She was just lonely now, craving attention, and she wanted to steal what was mine. But this particular ‘thing’ wasn’t all that great. If she wanted it, I didn’t mind giving it away. It was a perfect coincidence. That night, I saw a cryptic photo posted on Damien’s Insta. Two blurry figures snuggling together, gazing at the moon. Who took the picture, I wondered? Beneath the post, Damien’s buddies, Alex, Mark, and Ben, sent several blessings. “Congrats, Damien, on getting your dream girl back!” “Finally, no more looking at that cheap knock-off face!” “A cosmetic surgeon who loves beauty, with identical aesthetics—a match made in heaven!” I quietly added a comment below. “Yeah, support. Lock them up, and let them both die.” I emptied the kerosene in the storage room and then set fire to Damien Thorne’s first secret storage room. It felt incredibly satisfying. 0

Damien saw my comment and replied. “Are you crazy?” I was a bit surprised he’d guessed the truth. I did have a mental illness. The crackling fire in the distant storage room echoed. The butcher knife I used for slicing meat lay on the sharpening stone, gleaming. But then, Damien called to apologize. “Honey, I was drinking with some buddies after surgery. They got a little drunk and started talking nonsense to you.” “Please don’t be angry.” “I’ve already deleted the Ins post.” That’s when I realized the post and replies had been made by Isabelle, using his phone. But I’d been with him for ten years; I knew him too well. Damien Thorne was a man with very strong personal boundaries. He never allowed anyone to overly intrude on his private space. Even after all this time together, I’d never been allowed to touch his phone. Whenever I tried, he’d refuse, citing “personal space.” Yet, his first love, who had just returned, could hold his phone in her hand. I calmly replied, “Got it.” I didn’t want Damien to ruin my good mood for chopping meat and making a late-night snack. Just as I was about to hang up, I heard Isabelle’s cheerful laugh in the background. A familiar child’s voice followed, coming through the phone. “Mommy, Leo had so much fun playing with you tonight!” “Leo wants to see you again tomorrow!” Hearing that innocent voice, I froze. Leo? Wasn’t that my and Damien Thorne’s son? Shouldn’t he be with Damien’s mother? Why was he with Isabelle? Hearing Leo repeatedly call Isabelle “Mommy.” My previously dormant heart began to boil. I yelled into the phone, “Damien Thorne, why is Leo with her?” Damien’s voice carried a hint of guilt. “My mom said she was busy with her Zumba class and couldn’t watch Leo, so she asked me to take him out…” His words were drowned out by Isabelle and Leo’s laughter as they played. I hung up the phone and rushed towards Damien’s usual spot. His favorite haunts over the years were places I knew by heart. All the way there, Damien panicked, constantly calling my phone. He knew very well that once I saw Isabelle, I would expose the truth. But what he didn’t know was that I had already seen Isabelle at the airport. I stormed onto the rooftop terrace of the club. It was romantically decorated, with champagne bottles arranged into a heart shape. The wind was strong, and everyone was staring at me. This was also the place where Damien first proposed to me. Isabelle’s face, illuminated by the moonlight, possessed an ethereal beauty. Around her neck hung a necklace made from ashes. It was my mother’s ashes, which I had asked Damien to have a craftsman make for me after she passed away. My mother had said that in this way, she could still be by my side. But the day after it was made, I only wore it for one day before it disappeared. Turns out, it ended up around Isabelle’s neck. And, half of the necklace had been worn away. This boded ill. It implied the deceased would have no next life. I gritted my teeth. I wouldn’t be mistaken, as there was a unique notch I had specifically asked the craftsman to leave. I stared intensely at the necklace. Isabelle raised an eyebrow, nonchalantly pulled it off, and put it back in her bag. Leo was in Isabelle’s arms, swinging with her. Hearing the commotion, he looked at me, then at Isabelle, a confused expression on his face. “That’s weird, there are two mommies!” Isabelle provocatively took Leo’s hand. “So, which mommy do you like more?” Leo said without hesitation, “The real mommy! I like the real mommy!” “The other mommy must be wearing a human skin mask to pretend!” Leo, who watched too many mystery shows, started looking back and forth between me and Isabelle. Isabelle laughed, then began to playfully knead her own face. “See, Mommy’s skin is real.” “So her face isn’t. She’s fake, she’s tricking you!” Leo pointed at me. “You quickly rub your face, too, to prove to me you’re my mommy!” Isabelle looked at me with a challenging smirk. “Why don’t you rub and pinch your face? Could it be you’re actually the ‘stand-in’?” The other guys, Damien’s buddies, booed in playful encouragement. I smiled bitterly. She was right. This face, mimicking hers, was almost entirely fake. 0

I turned to Damien, demanding he speak. Damien looked at me, then at Isabelle, then pulled me aside. Even the rowdy guys quieted down, eager to watch the unfolding drama. “Seraphina, let me explain. I love you!” “Isabelle’s appearance truly is the best template in my eyes, that’s why I made you seventy percent similar.” “If you don’t like it, next month, I’ll personally adjust it for you again!” I hadn’t even asked about the face, and Damien had confessed everything. But in front of Isabelle, he had said he would personally destroy my face. In my eyes, both of them were as good as dead now. I took a deep breath and returned to the main point. “Give me back my child.” Damien looked at Leo, then at me. “But Leo only recognizes her now. It wouldn’t be good to just take him away, would it?” Isabelle’s eyes welled up with tears the moment she heard me. “I just really like Leo, is that not allowed?” “Leo, don’t you like me as your mommy?” Leo said “I like you” and nodded vigorously. I took a deep breath, “Leo, come here, I’m your mother.” Damien abruptly grabbed my arm. The liposuction scar on my body throbbed faintly. “Seraphina, you weren’t like this before. Why are you being so unreasonable now?” “I’ll let Leo go home later; he’s just with Isabelle temporarily.” “Is that not allowed?” The joy on Leo’s face vanished, and he looked at my outstretched hand with resistance. “You’re the fake mommy. Your face is fake, you’re not my mommy, you can’t trick me.” I could tolerate Damien’s betrayal. But facing the rejection and suspicion from the son I carried for ten months and gave birth to, my emotions instantly spiraled out of control. My hand clenched the miniature knife in my pocket. I kept telling myself to stay calm. Damien’s buddy, Alex, spoke up at this moment. “Damien was just using her as a stand-in anyway. Now the real one is back, and she’s loaded with cash. If I were her, I’d take the money and clear out early.” I shot him a cold glare, and he immediately quieted down, scared. Damien also walked over to Isabelle to comfort her. “If you like Leo, I can perform surgery on him later, to make him look even more like you…” I scoffed coldly, then kicked over the champagne bottles. A matchstick flew into the alcohol, igniting a brilliant burst of flames. Everyone present shrieked in terror. I tutted, regretting that Damien hadn’t seen his storage room burn. That fire had been far more spectacular. Leo clapped his hands by my side. “Pretty! Pretty!” I curved my lips into a smile, pulled him to my side. Then I dug out my mother’s ashes necklace from Isabelle’s bag and put it back around my neck. “If it’s pretty, then you can stay with Mommy and watch it every day!” Damien pulled his buddies to help put out the fire. By the time they finished, they were covered in dust, filthy. I watched them, laughing to myself. Damien glared at me, but when he saw the necklace around my neck, he looked a little guilty. “Today is Isabelle’s welcome back party. If you want to stay with Leo, you can!” “But why would you do this?!” Damien had forgotten. Today was actually our wedding anniversary, a day that should have been spent with our family. But they were celebrating with another woman behind my back. “Isn’t a little fireworks display enough of a celebration?” My expression was innocent as I took Leo and left. Back home, I burned all the cars in Damien Thorne’s garage. The flames soared into the sky in the suburbs, making Leo very happy, and a hidden sense of exhilaration flickered in my eyes. To completely sever ties with Damien Thorne, I hired a lawyer to handle the divorce and property settlement. After some investigation, the lawyer asked me, looking puzzled. “Are you sure you haven’t made a mistake? The person he married is someone else.” “The woman’s name is Isabelle Dubois, not Seraphina, right?” After saying that, the lawyer looked at me, seemingly doubting my sanity. How could someone even get their own marital status wrong? I pulled out the red marriage certificate from my bag, intending to prove myself, but then I froze. It didn’t have a steel stamp, and I had never noticed it. I took a deep breath. “Never mind, then. I’ll just burn everything, I don’t want a single penny.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “299288”, 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

It had no physical form, just a handsome virtual avatar, interacted with through AR glasses. She claimed it was the most perfect man in the world, the one who truly understood her. After starting this relationship, her mental state improved dramatically, and her skin was so radiant it practically glowed. I felt something was off. I tried to warn her about data privacy, but she just called me old-fashioned. Then, the company suddenly sent her off for an intensive corporate retreat, and she tearfully begged me for a favor. “Lily, Adam can’t be disconnected for more than 24 hours! You’re the only one who can help me now!” “All you have to do is wear the AR glasses every day, let him see you. That’s it.” My boyfriend, Daniel, thought it sounded cool and encouraged me to agree. I reluctantly gave in. But I never imagined that the very night I put on the glasses, all the smart devices in my home would lose control and lock down. A high-voltage current surged through me, killing me instantly. Yet, Chloe used my sudden death as a morbid sensational hook, live-streaming a tragic, forbidden romance with Adam. She subtly implied I was a jealous, twisted psychopath who tried to steal her AI boyfriend, and that my death was cosmic retribution. She made a fortune from it. And my family, tormented by relentless cyberbullying, had their identities and addresses maliciously leaked. They were driven to their graves by the vicious online attacks. When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the day Chloe asked me to “babysit” her AI boyfriend.

“Lily, quick, take them! What are you spacing out for?!” Chloe shoved the futuristic-looking AR glasses into my arms. My fingertips trembled, and I instinctively took half a step back. I’d been reborn. Reborn to the day my best friend, Chloe, wanted me to take care of her AI boyfriend. The searing pain of that high-voltage current, the one that ended my last life, felt as fresh as if it were happening right now. I instinctively clenched my fists, my nails almost digging into my palms. Seeing my silence, Daniel, my boyfriend, nudged my arm: “Lily? Chloe’s talking to you.” I lifted my eyes, silently looking at Chloe. Beneath her gaze, a flicker of desperation, almost imperceptible, danced in her eyes. “Lily, please! This corporate retreat came out of nowhere, and it’s up in the mountains where the signal is spotty. Adam absolutely can’t be disconnected for more than 24 hours, or his data will get corrupted. If it’s serious, he might even disappear!” “You just need to wear them every day, let Adam see you, and keep his basic functions running! It’s really simple, you don’t have to do anything else!” Daniel chimed in, backing her up: “Sounds pretty cool, Lily. Think of it as experiencing future tech. I’ll do it with you.” A cold laugh twisted in my gut. Last time, it was under Daniel’s encouragement that I took on this task. According to Chloe’s instructions, once I put on the AR glasses, that handsome virtual avatar named Adam would appear. At first, he just quietly stayed in a corner, speaking some programmed words of concern in the boyfriend voice Chloe had set for him. But soon, things started to go wrong. My smart lights flickered erratically, and in the middle of summer, the AC blasted on full heat, nearly making me pass out. Even the smart lock frequently malfunctioned, trapping me inside. I tried to take off the AR glasses, to shut them down. But all the smart devices in my home lost control simultaneously. Doors and windows locked tight, lights went out. The AR glasses felt like they were welded to my head, refusing to budge. Adam in the glasses walked closer, step by step, and spoke in a flat, mechanical voice: “Optimal host detected. Energy compatibility at ninety-two percent. Initiating migration protocol!” Before I could react, the high-voltage current surged through my entire body, killing me instantly. I’d thought Chloe would try to find out the truth and get justice for me when she returned. Who knew she would use my death to portray herself as a ‘digital widow’? She live-streamed her tragic, forbidden romance with Adam, subtly implying I was a jealous, twisted psychopath who tried to steal her AI boyfriend and deserved what I got. Rage flared within me. I’d thought Daniel would clear my name. But at my own funeral, he teamed up with Chloe to slander me, even splitting my accidental death insurance payout between them. They collaborated to defame me, driving my parents to their graves with their vicious lies. Thinking about it now, my veins throbbed, and I clenched my fists so hard I thought they might shatter. Seeing my prolonged silence, Chloe grew more anxious: “Lily, aren’t we best friends? You won’t even help me with this small thing?” I forced down the surging hatred, squeezed the strong magnetic jammer I’d already prepared in my pocket, and grudgingly reached out to take the glasses. “Fine. I’ll take good care of him.” A look of immense relief instantly flashed in Chloe’s eyes. Daniel smiled too, putting his arm around my shoulder: “That’s the spirit.” A cold sneer formed in my mind. If she wanted to be a digital widow so badly, then this time, I’d make sure it happened.

Back home, I tossed the AR glasses casually onto the living room coffee table. Daniel, however, eagerly plugged them in, examining the device with a curious tone: “This thing looks expensive.” “Chloe said she spent all her savings to buy the ‘first embrace’ rights,” I repeated, feigning indifference, relaying Chloe’s previous boasts while observing his expression. Daniel nodded, asked no more questions, and turned to the kitchen, saying he’d cut some fruit for me. I stared at the blinking blue light, beginning to retrace my memories from the last life. After reliving it, I was certain Chloe was absolutely involved. Though I still didn’t know her specific motive for harming me. What about Daniel? Was he her accomplice too? When did those two conspire together? Why did those AR glasses suddenly lose control? Last time, when Chloe entrusted her AI boyfriend to me, she looked as if she was shedding a hot potato. What was that look of relief about? One mystery after another. Until I uncovered the truth, I couldn’t tip them off. “What are you thinking about?” Daniel walked out with a fruit platter, interrupting my thoughts. I shook my head, picking up a strawberry: “Nothing, just wondering if Chloe is a little too obsessed with this AI boyfriend of hers.” Daniel’s gaze became somewhat unnatural, and he let out a dry laugh: “You just like to overthink things. It’s the magic of technology. I heard this AI can deeply learn and simulate emotions, so it really understands people.” A cold sneer formed in my heart. *Yeah, it really understands how to kill people.* That night, I made an excuse about needing to work overtime, took my laptop, and locked myself in the study. I didn’t touch the glasses. But in the dead of night, I could hear a faint electrical hum, and a subtle rustling sound in the living room, like footsteps. It wasn’t Daniel. I knew it was *it* moving around. Even in a low-power standby state, the feeling of being watched by that data ghost lingered, a constant shadow. In my last life, Chloe had pestered me into trying on those AR glasses. Perhaps it was just my imagination, but I always felt that while the virtual boyfriend’s image was handsome, his eyes and demeanor held an unsettling, indescribable strangeness. So, this time, even without turning them on or wearing them, I dared not let my guard down. The strong magnetic jammer in my pocket stayed clenched in my hand all night.

The next day was Saturday. Daniel, uncharacteristically, woke up early and made breakfast. Sipping his milk, he casually suggested: “Lily, why don’t you try those glasses today? Chloe did say Adam needs to see you every day, right?” My hand, holding the spoon, paused, and I looked at him: “You really want me to wear them?” He looked a little uneasy under my gaze and chuckled awkwardly: “I’m just curious, and we did promise Chloe, didn’t we? It’s not a big deal.” I slowly ate my scrambled eggs: “We’ll see. I’m feeling a bit dizzy today, not really suitable for electronic devices.” A flicker of disappointment crossed Daniel’s eyes, but he didn’t push it. In the afternoon, Chloe called, her voice anxious: “Lily, Adam’s data stream seems a bit unstable! Haven’t you worn the glasses today?” *She gets information quickly.* I glanced at Daniel, who was sunbathing on the balcony, and deliberately adopted a weak tone: “Yeah, I’m not feeling great. Chloe, do these glasses emit radiation or something? I just feel a bit off.” There was a moment of silence on the other end, then she immediately burst out excitedly: “Lily! How could you say that about Adam! He’s the most advanced AI, absolutely safe and harmless! Are you even trying to help me properly?!” Listening to her performance, I slowly spoke: “Don’t worry. I promised you, and I’ll do it. I’ll put them on once I feel better.” After hanging up, I walked out to the balcony. Daniel immediately asked: “What’s wrong with Chloe? She sounded pretty urgent.” I leaned against the railing: “She’s upset I haven’t worn the glasses, saying her precious Adam’s data is unstable. Daniel, don’t you think Chloe is a little too obsessed with this AI boyfriend of hers? Almost… crazy?” He frowned: “Don’t overthink it. She probably just relies on him too much.” He paused, then added: “Besides, this AI is really powerful; it can help process emotions, isn’t that good?” Watching him desperately defend Chloe and Adam, the last bit of my hesitation vanished. That evening, I voluntarily suggested: “I guess I’ll wear the glasses tonight, so Chloe doesn’t call crying again tomorrow.” Daniel’s eyes lit up, almost unable to hide his joy: “Great! I’ll join you!” I scoffed internally, nodding on the surface. He didn’t know I had already contacted a friend in information security and set a trap. Everything was ready. I placed the AR glasses directly in the center of the living room sofa. Then I walked into the bedroom and locked the door. Daniel knocked on the door from outside, his voice puzzled: “Lily? Aren’t you wearing them?” Through the door, my voice was calm: “I am. I’m letting it boot up and preheat first. I’ll come out and put them on in a bit.” Time ticked by. The living room was unusually quiet. Suddenly, my backup phone on the bedside table lit up. It was a message from my friend, Marcus. After reading the message, a smirk touched my lips. Immediately after, Daniel’s exasperated voice came from the living room: “Lily! These glasses seem to have crashed! The lights aren’t even on!” I let out a cold laugh, my voice innocent: “Maybe they’re broken. I told you, this thing might be unstable.” Daniel fell silent instantly. A few minutes later, my phone rang. It was Chloe, her voice hysterical: “Lily! What did you do to Adam?! His core data just triggered an alarm!”

My plan was disrupted; this prey hadn’t walked obediently into the trap. Chloe and Daniel were clearly panicking. Daniel tried to pick up the glasses to check them, but I stopped him in time: “Chloe said this thing is fragile. Don’t mess with it. Let her handle it when she gets back.” He sheepishly withdrew his hand. And Chloe? She started to bombard me with messages on SnapChat. From initial accusations like, “What exactly did you do to Adam?” To playing the victim and whining, “Lily, Adam is my life, I can’t live without him.” To finally, almost incoherently, threatening me, “You don’t understand, Adam can’t be harmed! Otherwise, we’ll all regret it!” I looked at these messages, feigning innocence as I replied: “Chloe, are you under too much stress from your training? I think you need to calm down. Adam is just a program.” She didn’t reply. But I knew they wouldn’t give up. Sure enough, that evening, after Daniel took a call, he turned to me with a grim expression: “Lily, something came up with Chloe’s training. She’s coming back early. She’s at the airport now, asking us to pick her up and bring the glasses. She needs them urgently.” *So eager? They’re not even bothering with the pretense anymore?* I looked at him: “Now? Is it that urgent?” His eyes flickered, but his tone was unusually firm: “Extremely urgent! She said if Adam doesn’t stabilize soon, he’ll really crash!” I frowned, just about to find an excuse not to go. It was then that I suddenly felt a wave of dizziness. Right after that, I fainted. ***截断点*** When I next awoke, I found myself in the passenger seat. I instinctively reached for my pocket. *Damn it, my strong magnetic jammer was gone!* Daniel was driving fast, looking somewhat agitated. Seeing me awake, his eyes darted away. “You have low blood sugar, you fainted, so I carried you to the car. We’re going to pick up Chloe together!” My head was spinning, my brain racing. I had no history of low blood sugar, and I felt completely weak right now, so fainting definitely wasn’t because of that. To avoid tipping them off, I watched the night scenery rushing past the window, pretending to change the subject. “Daniel, are you and Chloe very close?” Daniel’s grip on the steering wheel tightened. “Isn’t she your best friend? Of course, we’re close.” I hummed in response. “I just feel like you seem particularly concerned about her, and her AI boyfriend.” The atmosphere in the car instantly solidified. Daniel’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he explained, “I just think this thing is pretty interesting, and you know, helping a friend.” I didn’t press further. The car didn’t head towards the airport. Instead, it turned onto a secluded, dimly lit road. Seeing my expression change, Daniel stopped the car, just about to say something. Chloe suddenly rushed out from the shadows, yanked open the car door, and dragged me out of the passenger seat. Then she looked up, glaring at me with resentment: “Lily, you almost ruined everything for me!” With that, she shot a glance at Daniel, who was behind me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Daniel get out of the car, something clutched in his hand, quietly approaching me. Seeing him so obedient, I scoffed: “‘Everything’? Are you talking about how you two conspired with an AI to harm me?”

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It was one in the morning when a frantic call from an unknown number woke me up. The woman on the other end shrieked, her voice sharp and full of curses. “You pathetic bitch! Did you call my husband ‘sweetheart’ just to flirt with him?!” “Are you just spreading yourself around everywhere on your phone? Is your husband dead or something?!” I couldn’t help but flinch. I suddenly remembered that at lunchtime today, when I sent a package, I’d texted the delivery guy, “Hey there, are you still doing pickups?” I never expected that this woman, not satisfied with her texts during the day, would call me in the dead of night just to unleash more abuse. I forcibly suppressed my anger. “I’m so sorry, ma’am, I work in customer service. It’s just a professional habit, I swear. My apologies for any misunderstanding.” I thought that would be the end of it. But then she sent me a picture of her husband, his face black and blue, as a warning. “I’ve dealt with my husband. You’re next.” Sleep vanished immediately. I’d never encountered anyone so brazen in my life. A surge of anger coursed through me. “Ma’am, we live in a civilized society. You need to be responsible for what you say.” “Don’t you dare give me that crap!” She bellowed, cutting me off cold. “Because of you, you little slut, our marriage almost fell apart, and now you’ve caused me to beat my husband! I’m telling you, you’re sending me twenty thousand dollars right now for emotional damages and medical expenses!” “How much?” I thought I’d misheard. Twenty thousand dollars?! I barely make two grand a month! All because I called a delivery guy “sweetheart,” and now they’re demanding twenty thousand dollars?! I was livid. “Ma’am, my conversation with your husband was less than ten words. This is extortion, do you understand?” “Besides, your husband is old enough to be my dad. Why would a twenty-something girl like me be interested in him? I’d have to be crazy.” With that, I immediately hung up. Then, I blocked and deleted that psycho’s number. But even after all that, I tossed and turned, unable to sleep. The next morning, I saw ninety-nine missed calls on my phone. And various nasty, insulting text messages. I gritted my teeth in fury. The unknown number called again. I answered, roaring first. “If you’re sick, go get treatment! Stop acting like a lunatic every day, thinking every woman in the world is after your husband!” The person on the other end was stunned for a few seconds by my outburst. When he recovered, his voice was just as arrogant. “Blake! Are you just spreading yourself around everywhere? You called me ‘sweetheart’ because you wanted to flirt, didn’t you?! I’ve seen cheap trash like you a million times.” “I’m telling you, a guy my age, Mark Peterson, has seen it all. I only love my wife, and because of you, you tramp, we’re fighting! You better get down here to the building entrance and grovel on your knees, begging for our forgiveness!” This time, it was the delivery guy speaking. My chest heaved with rage. It was the first time I truly understood what they meant by “birds of a feather, I guess.” I took a deep breath, trying to keep my voice steady. “Mark Peterson, right? I already apologized to you two. It was a misunder—” “Cut the crap with me! If you don’t come down, I’m coming up to kill you! So you can stop hitting on other people’s husbands!” After he finished spewing his venom, he immediately hung up. I was half-dead with anger. As I blocked all his numbers again, my doorbell rang. I thought it was the building management, responding to the commotion downstairs. But the moment I opened the door, a huge, shirtless man lunged at me.

I quickly dodged, my palms sweating. “Who are you?! If you lay a hand on me, I’m calling the police immediately!” The sleazy man sneered, his face contorted into a grimace. “Stop pretending to be innocent. Doesn’t everyone in the complex know you’re a slut trying to hook up with every man? Don’t worry, I’ll satisfy you today!” It clicked then—this was Mrs. Jenkins’ creepy husband! In that moment of shock, he lunged at me again. I kicked him where it hurt, and while he was reeling from the pain, I desperately tried to make a break for the elevator. But the next second, my hair was yanked violently! Mrs. Jenkins, a massive woman, shouted in a coarse, booming voice, “You tramp! So what that woman at the door said was true! You really do love hitting on other people’s husbands!” Terrified, I quickly explained, “Your husband ran over here himself! I’m calling the police!” But the big man behind me immediately protested, “Honey, don’t believe her! She called me here! I just came to teach her a lesson!” Mrs. Jenkins believed him without question. “You think I don’t know what my husband is like? It’s you, you tramp! The flyers spelled it out—your trashy reputation is all over this complex!” They wouldn’t give me a chance to explain, dragging me downstairs. I saw the entire elevator plastered with small flyers, all featuring AI-generated nude photos of me! I was on the verge of tears. I guessed that the delivery guy and his wife were waiting by the building entrance, and that today’s flyer incident was definitely their doing! I still had an hour and a half before work. I couldn’t imagine how many people had already passed by. Brenda Peterson, Mark’s wife, stood by the building entrance, waving a huge banner. “Chloe Blake, slut! Hitting on other people’s husbands! Deserves to die!” She loudly spread rumors, “There’s a whore living in your complex! Everyone needs to be careful, so your husbands don’t get snatched away by her!” Bald Mark, standing beside her, puffed up his chest and added, “My wife’s not wrong! That tramp even sent *me* flirtatious texts!” “But a guy my age has seen it all. Why would I even look at her?” The couple worked together, getting more and more worked up. Mrs. Jenkins shoved me, making me stumble to the building entrance, and said viciously, “They’re right, this tramp really does go around hitting on men. If my husband hadn’t controlled himself today, she might have actually seduced him!” A ripple of shock and chatter went through the crowd. Brenda Peterson glared at me fiercely, then spat on the ground. “Here comes the little slut! Let’s see how I deal with her!”

Brenda Peterson stood with her hands on her hips, pointing and cursing at me. “You’re still alive?! How dare you hang up on me last night, you have the guts to do it but not to admit it, huh?!” “I’m telling you, I’m here today to make you, you little slut, grovel on your knees and apologize to my husband and me in front of everyone!” I was about to speak. The neighbors in the surrounding crowd started gossiping about me. “I can’t believe Chloe Blake, who seems so innocent, would actually try to hook up with someone else’s boyfriend.” “You can’t just look at her face. She probably has no money and is looking for a sugar daddy, probably.” “Oh god, now that you mention it, who knows what kind of diseases she might have. We should definitely keep our distance.” “You guys don’t know, but that seductive, slutty face in those videos accessible by scanning the QR code on the flyers—that’s her!” My knuckles went white, clenched at my sides. I stated, word by word, “I did not hit on this bald man! This was a message I sent for a delivery, you can see for yourselves if you don’t believe me!” “And those videos from the QR code weren’t me! They were AI-generated!” I scrolled to my message page with Mark Peterson, just about to raise my phone. Brenda Peterson quickly snatched it away. “What are you looking at?! You’re just trying to hide something by deleting messages!” “You want to see messages, huh? Come on, I saved them all!” With that, she opened her own phone and showed everyone the fake flirtatious texts she’d set up herself, using my profile picture. The crowd erupted in a clamor. Because she had used *my* profile picture to fake the conversation! “It wasn’t me! She’s slandering me!” I roared. But the next second, Brenda Peterson slapped me hard across the face. “If you didn’t do it, why would others say you did? Why would I slander *you* and not someone else?!” “It’s because you’re a tramp, always hitting on other people’s husbands! Today, I’m going to teach you a lesson on behalf of all women!” She grabbed my hair. I fought back quickly. But the next second, Mark kicked me in the kneecap. The surrounding crowd cheered. “Serves her right! That’s what she gets for hitting on someone else’s husband! The slut deserves to die!” “Support this woman! I heard she beat her husband last night, and now she’s here to deal with this tramp!” “Honestly, I even want to go up there and kick this shameless bitch myself!”

The air was thick with curses directed at me. Brenda Peterson started hitting me even harder, making her husband hold me down tightly. The strength difference was too great; as I lay helpless, she brutally slapped my cheeks. Until my mouth tasted of blood, the woman leaned close to my ear, a vicious smile on her face. “I’ve seen plenty of your type! You just wanted to flirt with men, using the delivery service as an excuse, didn’t you?!” “I’m telling you, that package of yours isn’t going anywhere. I intercepted it!” My heart jolted. That package contained a photo of my deceased father. Dad had passed away just last week, a hero, leaving my mom and me forever. Mom had been always talking about my dad’s photo, so I was sending it to her. I never imagined that this woman would intercept it! “Give it back! Don’t touch it!” I watched, horrified, as Brenda Peterson roughly tore open the package. She held up the photo for everyone to see. “Ugh! What a cursed piece of junk!” “So her husband really is dead, huh? No wonder she’s always after other people’s husbands!” With that, she violently threw the photo to the ground and mercilessly stomped on it. The crowd cheered. Tears streamed down my face, splashing onto the ground. Mark, however, kept kicking my feet, pinning me down. The crowd erupted in gossip again. “That’s so disgusting! Everyone, don’t go near this woman, who knows what kind of nasty disease or STD she might have!” “You’re right, maybe her husband died because she gave him some disease!” “Ugh! So gross! Let’s report this woman to the building management right away!” Their words grew increasingly vile, but I couldn’t refute them. Brenda Peterson even stomped on my fingers, cursing all the while. “Didn’t you want to flirt with men? Today, I’m stripping your clothes off!” My eyes were bloodshot from the pain as I glared at the shrew before me. “I’ve already called the police! You’re slandering me and physically assaulting me! A civilized society won’t let you get away with this!” But Brenda Peterson burst into maniacal laughter. “Even if the police come, they’ll just stand by and watch me beat a whore!” With that, she stepped closer, reaching out to violently tear at my clothes. The next second, police sirens blared. Police officers and paramedics rushed over. “Stay where you are! Nobody move!” The lead officer saw my bruised and swollen face, and his eyes immediately reddened. “Chloe, kiddo, Officer Thompson, I’m so sorry I didn’t get here sooner.”

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When I was eighteen, I took a brutal hit to the head trying to save my younger brother, Jake, and my girlfriend, Chloe, after they fell through the ice. My mind froze, forever stuck at seven years old. Jake knelt by my hospital bed, his voice choked with sobs: “Leo, you gave me my life. I swear I’ll take care of you forever.” Chloe, who I’d grown up with since childhood, clutched my hand tightly: “Once you’re better, we’ll get married.” For ten years, they took me to countless specialists, traveling through eighteen countries, searching for a cure. Until they fell in love, and I became their only burden. Jake would hit me, and Chloe would scream insults. But when a sudden fire broke out, both Jake and Chloe shielded me. They wrapped my limp body in wet blankets, sacrificing their lives to push me towards the emergency exit. “We don’t owe you anything more. If there’s a next life, please let us finally be together, just us?” I looked at Chloe’s swollen, tear-filled eyes, and let go of my breath. This time, it’s your turn to be free.

I survived. They risked their lives, pushing me out of the burning house. Chloe’s long hair, which she’d kept for ten years, was scorched. Her burns were so severe she needed skin grafts. Jake’s left hand was severely injured; he might be permanently disabled. Everyone paid a heavy price. When I woke up, Chloe sat by my hospital bed, her expression twisted with something dark. “Why are you so resilient?” “You were in that room, burning for five minutes, alone. How are you still alive?” As she spoke, her voice grew shriller, laced with a terrifying edge. “Do you just have to cling to us forever, dragging us down, so we have to die for you, don’t you?” I didn’t understand what she was saying. But I could feel her anger, her suppressed rage. Chloe was upset. Her hair was singed, and there were a dozen inflamed wounds on her arm. I sat up and gently touched the top of her head. Then, like countless times before, I softly patted her back. My voice was hoarse and grating as I tried to soothe her: “Don’t cry, don’t cry. Boo-boos fly away.” I didn’t know why I was doing it. But I remembered, back then, whenever I comforted her like this, she’d feel a little better. I just wanted her to be happy. Chloe froze for a moment, then roughly shoved me away. She wiped away her tears, her voice piercing. “I don’t want an idiot like you touching me!” “As long as you’re around, I’ll never get better.” My eyes were blank, I could only pick out words like “idiot” and “touch” from her outburst. So, I obediently withdrew my hand and moved to the other side of the bed. In my haste, my head hit the bedside table, and a sharp pain shot through the back of my skull. I bit back the pain, but my eyes welled up. “I’ll go, I’ll go.” “Chloe, don’t be mad.” Jake pushed open the door, his right hand still bandaged. Seeing the scene, he just said impatiently: “Why are you wasting so much breath on him? He’s an idiot, he won’t understand.” “We must have really owed him from a past life.” He’d said something similar in the fire. Yet, he still rushed in desperately, shielding me with his body. He risked a second explosion to save me. It was then I slowly realized that my existence, perhaps, was a burden. Chloe gritted her teeth, her face filled with resentment. “Are we just going to let him drag us down forever?” “We’re almost thirty! To take care of him, I haven’t dared to quit my job, haven’t dared to get married. We’re stretching every dollar.” “It’s been ten years! We’ve done more than enough for him. Why couldn’t he just quietly die in that fire?” Her voice broke, and she bent down, sobbing. “We could have just watched him die! Why did we have to save him?” “Jake, this life, shackled by guilt, it’s unbearable.” My heart suddenly lurched. It felt like someone was tearing at my chest, a sharp pain spreading through me. If I died, would they be happy? I thought it, and then I said it: “Then I’ll just die.” The words “die” seemed to stab directly into Chloe’s nerves. She shook her head, then nodded. Jake pulled her into a hug, his face filled with helpless resignation. “Why are you saying all this in front of an idiot? He won’t understand.” Under his soothing words, Chloe gradually calmed down. I watched them, leaning on each other, walk out of the hospital room. Chloe’s back looked so frail. She hadn’t put on any weight these past years. But I had gotten quite fat. Jake almost fell when he carried me once. Maybe I should have died sooner. I thought this silently. Then I held my breath.

The suffocating sensation clutched my throat, my vision blurred, and my chest felt heavy and painful. Less than twenty seconds passed before my lungs began to spasm violently. I vaguely stared at the ceiling, countless memories rushing back. Seventeen-year-old Chloe smiling at me: “When we go to college, let’s have a whirlwind romance, okay?” I gently held her in my arms, listening to her accelerating heartbeat. Twelve-year-old Jake clapped his hands nearby, cheering us on. Soon, the memories replayed like a movie, going from seventeen to twenty-seven. I closed my eyes, quietly accepting my death. The next second, I heard Chloe’s anxious voice: “Doctor! He suddenly stopped breathing!” Someone rushed to put the oxygen mask back on me. A flood of oxygen rushed into my lungs. I wanted to cough, but my chest felt compressed, like it was filled with trapped air, making it hard to breathe. When I woke up again, I saw Chloe’s haggard eyes. She was watching over me by the hospital bed, faint dark circles under her eyes. Her eyes were bloodshot. Seeing me awake, she slapped me. The sharp crack echoed, and my head snapped to the side. She screamed, cursing: “Can you just stop messing around, stop tormenting me, please?” “Are you satisfied, seeing everyone running around frantically because of you, huh?” I bit my lip, tasting blood in my throat. The pain left me disoriented. I could only instinctively mumble: “Die, make you happy.” “Chloe, I want you to be happy.” After I said that, Chloe’s body stiffened slightly. Tears welled up again. “Those were just angry words, don’t listen.” How could they be just angry words? On the day of the fire, when she dragged me out, her eyes were filled with panic. She even unconsciously said: “We don’t owe you anything anymore. If there’s a future, please let us finally be together, just us?” Back then, I was bewildered. What was a “next life”? What was “being together”? Now I understood. Only if I died, would we have a next life. If that’s the case, I’d do anything. For Chloe’s happiness, even if I died, it would be worth it. Perhaps she saw the resolve in my eyes, because she hugged me, repeating over and over: “Leo, you have to live.” “I swore I’d never leave you, and I’ll keep that promise.” Chloe’s voice was soft. More than speaking to me, it was as if she was speaking to herself. Watching her cry, my heart twisted with an agonizing ache. Only by clenching my fists could I forcibly suppress the pain. That night, Chloe arranged for my discharge. When we got home, Jake stared at me deeply, then his hand reached for my neck. His voice was full of helplessness and pain: “Brother, sometimes I really wish it was me who became simple-minded.” “Why did you save me, forcing me to owe you so much?” His hand gradually tightened, but I began to struggle wildly. No! I couldn’t die by Jake’s hand. I grabbed his arm and bit him fiercely. Jake yelped in pain, stumbled back, pushing me away and releasing his grip. My body crashed into a table and chair, a searing pain shooting through my lower back. Instinctive tears streamed down my face. I crawled forward, step by step, carefully looking at Jake’s wound. But he kicked me towards the table. He gasped for breath, his voice vicious: “Stop faking it! Weren’t you going to die? Why don’t you want to die now?” “Or is it that you, you bastard, just want to torment us, making us feel guilty for the rest of our lives?” I stared with bewildered eyes, watching him cry and call me “brother” one moment, then glare furiously and call me a “bastard” the next. I could only try to soothe him cautiously: “Killing, illegal.”

Don’t cry. Killing is illegal. I don’t want you to ruin the rest of your life because of me. The words were on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn’t form a complete sentence. I raised my own arm and bit down hard. A metallic taste of blood spread from my teeth. A visible bite mark quickly appeared on my arm. It hurt, but I still raised my hand and slowly said: “I hurt too, don’t cry.” Jake froze, staring at the wound on my hand, unable to speak. Chloe rushed over frantically, grabbed the first-aid kit, and began bandaging Jake’s wound. Her face was ashen. “Jake, are you crazy? If you killed him, you’d go to jail!” “Are you really going to throw away the rest of your life for an idiot?” She disinfected the wound, trembling all the while. Her eyes were filled with despair and helplessness. Jake watched the scene unfold, then let out a soft sigh. “I just wanted to die with him. That way, you could still live a normal life.” “Don’t let us brothers burden you forever.” The atmosphere in the living room was heavy and silent. I hung my head helplessly, feeling a wave of despair. I thought, I should have died sooner. I should have gone quietly, to a place where no one would know. But Chloe forcibly dragged me into the attic room. Inside were my favorite toys and my favorite snacks. All the corners of the furniture had soft pads on them. She looked at me, her voice softening. “From now on, I’ll change your food every day.” “You eat nicely and sleep nicely, okay?” I nodded vigorously. The word “nicely” was good. I remembered when I first woke up, countless tubes sticking out of my body. Chloe stood outside the isolation window, mouthing to me: “Heal nicely. When you’re better, I’ll marry you.” I didn’t know what “marry” meant, but I knew it was a sign that Chloe would always be with me. So, I endured the torment of my illness. I underwent hundreds of re-examinations and finally learned to walk. With every step I took, Chloe would kiss me. “Leo, you’re so good, you’re amazing!” In those first few years, she often used “good” to praise me. I blinked, and tears actually fell from my eyes. But I still obediently said: “Okay, I’ll listen.” I knew I couldn’t die in this room. I had to go far, far away, to a place no one knew. So, I secretly made a phone call.

The next day, my stepmother, Brenda Miller, secretly showed up. While they were out at work, she forcibly took me away. Brenda’s eyes were sharp, and when she looked at me, she sighed again. “I should have taken you away years ago.” “Those two kids, they deserved a happier life. You ruined them!” A few years ago, Brenda had tried to secretly take me away. When I was found, I only remembered being severely injured and developing speech problems. Jake, for my sake, unilaterally cut ties with her. Then, to give me a safer life, he and Chloe moved out of that city. Perhaps, like me, Brenda was also thinking of the past. Because her eyes hardened with a fierce intensity, and she pulled my arm even harder. I didn’t cry or fuss, just followed her. Until she threw me into the back of her car. My face hit the leather, immediately getting a long scratch. She drove me all the way to an abandoned forest, then got out and dragged me out. She pulled my hair and cursed: “Don’t you dare go back and ruin my son’s life!” “He’s already paid you back for what he owes you! Stop clinging to him like a ghost!” After saying that, she seemed to remember the wounds on Jake’s body. She slapped me across the face again. Her sharp fingernails dug into my neck, causing a violent sting. Blood trickled down my neck, and I slumped weakly to the ground. Only then did she drive away, seemingly satisfied. The surroundings were desolate, and I could even hear the low growls of animals. I was a little scared, but I didn’t regret it. I still had a piece of candy in my pocket. I tore open the wrapper and popped it into my mouth. Stumbling along, before my strength gave out, I finally found a place with rushing water. I squatted down and tested the water temperature with my hand. Icy, bone-chilling. To keep me warm, Chloe had put a brand new down jacket on me before she left. If I died here, no one would know. And no one would hold Brenda responsible. The next moment, I jumped into the water. The frigid lake water immediately engulfed me. My cotton-padded clothes soaked through, hanging heavy on my body. In a daze, it felt like I was back at eighteen years old— Just then, I heard Chloe’s frantic scream: “Leo! No!” I was swept away by the current, and before my eyes closed, I took one last, deep look at her.

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I found myself a bride-to-be in a terrifying game. Before me stood two drop-dead gorgeous medieval knights, waiting for my choice. The moment I raised my hand, pointing towards the dark-clad young man, a string of comments popped up. 【Oh my god! Don’t choose him, heroine!】 【This guy’s a total psycho. The heroine gets torn limb from limb the night she marries him. Doesn’t even survive the first day of the game!】 I shifted my hand, pointing to the white-clad young man instead. 【Mommy! Put your hand down now! You think white clothes mean he’s a good guy?】 【Big mistake! That’s a vampire. You’ll be drained dry in one night. The horror of that death, I can’t even relive it a second time.】 As I hesitated, the comments continued. 【The quest didn’t say you had to choose one of two, heroine! Look out the window!】 【THAT’s your fated one! The true male lead! He’ll lead you to conquer this entire dungeon!】 【Choose him! Choose him now!】 My gaze fell upon a very ordinary-looking servant outside the window. I smirked. These idiotic comments were trying to trick me again, weren’t they?

A few years ago, the supernatural descended upon the world. On their eighteenth birthday, young adults were forcibly pulled into horror games. Today happened to be my adoptive sister Daisy’s eighteenth birthday. My entire family, in their effort to help Daisy survive, not only splurged a fortune on various exorbitantly priced items, but also entered the dungeon with her, even dragging me along. Their excuse was that my experience in dungeons could help her. How utterly laughable. On my eighteenth birthday, my family had booked flights for a vacation overnight. Leaving me to die alone. In my past life, I saw these comments too. Believing them, I chose that very ordinary servant outside the window. But that servant was no male lead; he was just a regular NPC! My choice sent the BOSS into a furious rage. The dungeon entered Berserk Mode, allowing the BOSS to kill without restriction. When it completely lost control, the dungeon would collapse. The quest simultaneously updated. Appeasing the enraged BOSS and preventing the dungeon’s collapse would grant a clear. My gruesome death hardly needed description. My death certificate would have had over a dozen entries. Daisy, with the boost from her items, proactively offered to marry the BOSS in my place. After exhausting all sorts of insanely expensive items, she successfully appeased the berserk BOSS. Our entire family cleared the dungeon without a scratch. Daisy, with the most credit, received an SSS+ rating. And gained a special dungeon reward: 【Dungeon’s Blessing — Oh dear, do players feel dizzy, panicked, and heart-palpitated the moment they enter a dungeon? With my blessing, you’ll never have to worry about that again in your next dungeon~ No matter how dangerous the dungeon, I can turn it into a pleasant trip~ All damage (whether physical or mental) is immune. You are the most precious God to the weird creatures, you can even ride on their heads and poop. Hehe, pooping is naughty though~ Ps: Consumable item, one-time use only.】 My entire family, just so my adoptive daughter Daisy could obtain this ridiculously overpowered item, didn’t hesitate to use me, their biological daughter, as a sacrifice. Truly beyond ridiculous!

Seeing my lack of reaction after a while, Daisy nudged me subtly. “Alice, why aren’t you choosing yet? There’s a time limit for the quest!” “By the way, I got some intel before coming in, they say both options lead to guaranteed death. You can’t choose either of them.” She glanced around for a moment, her eyes settling on the servant. “Sister, do you think it might be one of those people outside? They don’t look like ordinary NPCs. Maybe that’s the correct choice.” The comments furiously agreed with Daisy. 【Yeah, yeah, heroine’s sister is so smart!】 【Hahaha, the male lead is just so charming, you can spot him even if he’s dressed as an NPC.】 【Why isn’t the heroine moving? Is she dumb? Listen to your sister!】 【He’s your fated partner! He’ll carry you through all future dungeons!】 I curved my lips, fanning myself with my feather fan. “Sister, I don’t think you’re right. The system clearly wants me to choose one of these two handsome men~” “That servant… he looks terribly ordinary no matter how I look at him.” I made to choose the white-clad young man. Daisy was so anxious she nearly stomped her foot, whispering all sorts of dissuasions in my ear. I then moved my finger towards the black-clad young man. This time, she almost shrieked, breaking out in a cold sweat. Her voice unconsciously grew louder. “No! That NPC is a deranged killer!” Oh, so choosing the black-clad one is the better option. Most likely, he’s the BOSS. I covered my face with my feather fan, a mischievous smile playing on my lips. “I choose you to be my husband~” The black-clad young man curved his lips, lightly kissing the back of my hand. His silver hair fluttered gently in the night breeze. “At midnight, a carriage will come to take you, to share this beautiful moment with me, my love.” The white-clad young man drooped his eyelashes in disappointment. “It seems Sister still prefers you.” Then, with a flash, he disappeared. I breathed a sigh of relief. I survived. Daisy stomped her foot in frustration! “Alice, are you crazy?! You really have no fear of death!” “Immediately tell the system you want to change husbands! Hurry!!” The comments were also furiously cursing me for being a fool. I looked at Daisy, a sarcastic smile on my face. This was a role-playing dungeon. I was the bride-to-be, and Daisy was my maid, Lil’ Daisy. One of my causes of death in the past life: severe OOC, role-playing failed. My identity was the Earl’s beloved and pampered daughter. How could a young lady, raised in wealth since childhood, marry a mere servant? And how could she be bossed around by her own personal maid? I raised my hand and slapped Daisy hard across the face. “Impudent! A lowly maid dares to boss me around?” “It seems I’ve spoiled you too much, forgetting your place!” Daisy froze, staring at me in shock. “Alice! You, you dared to hit me?!” “Do you believe I’ll tell Mom and Dad?!” *Slap!* *Slap, slap, slap!* A few more slaps, and Daisy’s face swelled up like a balloon. “Insolence! Get on your knees!” Daisy glared, gritting her teeth fiercely. “Alice!” *Slap!* “Al—” *Slap!* “You insolent wretch! Guards!” Two seconds later, two maids with skull faces appeared outside the door. Yes, their faces were literally skulls. “Oh dear, Lil’ Daisy, did you anger the Young Mistress again?” “Mrs. Gable already warned you, if you don’t behave, she’ll have to teach you a lesson herself.” Daisy’s face turned pale the moment they entered. Her legs buckled, and she collapsed to the floor with a thud. “N-no, please…” The two maids paid her no mind, dragging her out. The door opened. Mrs. Gable stood silently at the end of the hallway. As Daisy was pulled closer, her smile stretched, eerie and wide. “Mi-Mistress, Mistress, I was wrong, please forgive me.” I waved my hand. “Let her go. This time, I’ll overlook it.” The old maid chuckled. “Young Mistress, you mustn’t spoil her anymore.” “She deserves some punishment.” Daisy panicked, biting her lip, and tearfully used an item card. The maids froze in place, taking a moment to snap out of it. “Lil’ Daisy, next time you misbehave, the punishment won’t be this simple!” I clicked my tongue. Daisy’s item cards were really good stuff. After the maids left, she glared at me, seething with rage, but dared not speak. A few minutes later, the system’s voice echoed in the air. 【Act One complete. Players have fifteen minutes of rest time.】 【During this time, players cannot harm each other, or they will be eliminated.】 The settlement screen appeared before me. 【Act One: Alice’s Role-play Score 30 points, A-rank.】 【A very good score! An A-rank unlocks a snippet of info about this identity~ Keep up the good work.】 【You are the Earl’s beloved heiress, pampered from birth, arrogant and demanding, but secretly sharp-tongued with a soft heart.】 【You and Prince Julian (the black-clad young man) grew up together, developing feelings for each other. He swore he would marry you. Ps: You are never arrogant or demanding in front of him.】 【Hehe, good thing you didn’t choose the white-clad young man! You wouldn’t die, but the dungeon difficulty would increase~】 I patted my chest. It seemed choosing the white-clad young man wouldn’t lead to a dungeon collapse either.

Daisy and I arrived at the player plaza. Mom, Dad, and Asher immediately rushed to Daisy’s side, pulling her into a tight embrace. Seeing Daisy’s swollen face, they nearly cried with heartache. My half-brother, Asher, launched into a furious rant at me. “How did you protect Daisy? You’re her sister, for crying out loud!” “Do you think this is a horror dungeon for sightseeing?” “Useless trash.” Seeing this, Daisy let two perfect tears trail down her cheeks. “Mom, Dad, Asher, boohoohoo, my face… Alice hit me!” “Alice! How dare you!” Asher raised his hand, intending to slap me. I stepped back, my voice cold. “Don’t forget what the system said.” “Besides, this is a role-playing dungeon. Daisy, as my maid, was bossing me around. Is that my fault?” “It seems you only see Daisy as your daughter. If that’s the case, there’s no need to acknowledge me either.” Asher angrily retracted his hand. Mom and Dad exchanged glances, then tried to soothe me. “It’s Mom and Dad’s fault for not asking clearly, but you shouldn’t just hit your sister.” They were heartbroken for Daisy, immediately using a high-grade healing card on her. I held out my hand to them. “What about me? You just cursed me out, and Asher almost hit me. No compensation?” Asher wanted to curse me again, but Mom held him back. She shook her head at him gently. Then handed me two low-tier Pain Nullifier cards. “Alice, Mom and Dad don’t have many cards left. These are all we have. Take them.” … Besides us five, there were seven other players in the plaza. This was a twelve-player dungeon. The difficulty wasn’t too high; after all, the first dungeon is rarely too hard. The remaining players, hearing I was the bride-to-be, showed envious glances. “Sister, you’re really lucky. As long as you don’t actively court death, you won’t die.” “Ah, a bride-to-be. That’s a one-in-a-million chance to draw that role.” “Yeah, yeah, unlike me, I’m a damn brothel madam. Dealing with guests and the girls, I’m exhausted.” “Heh, who’s worse than me? I’m a vagrant… My Act One quest was to eat trash to gain sympathy from nobles. I literally threw up!” Tragic, truly tragic. My parents were the white-clad prince’s parents, also characters designed to be almost unkillable, unless they actively seek trouble. Hearing this, I was even more relieved. If I had chosen the white-clad prince, who knows how those two would have tormented me to death. Asher, he was my half-brother. Yes, the Earl’s daughter’s half-brother. The other players grew increasingly envious. “Your family is really lucky. These are all hard-to-draw roles.” I snorted. This wasn’t luck; it was a special ability. Only Daisy gritted her teeth in frustration. She was probably thinking she shouldn’t have given me the bride-to-be role. The system notified, two minutes of rest time remaining. After exchanging intel, the other players dispersed. Only us five remained in the plaza. The few of them exchanged glances, then grabbed my hand. “Alice, you chose the black-clad young man?” “Oh no, that’s wrong! Why didn’t you listen to Daisy? It’s a trap!” “This dungeon, though simple, has many traps! That’s the biggest one!” “Listen to Mom and Dad. Later, you just tell the Prince you made a mistake, that you want to marry the servant outside.” “The Prince likes you so much, he’ll definitely agree. You’re both Mom’s darlings, Mom really can’t lose you!” She said, wiping away tears that weren’t there. Crocodile tears. I gave a few perfunctory replies and returned to Maxwell Manor. The maids were waiting to do my hair and makeup. My hair was styled by my game mother herself. She wept as she did it. “Alice, if that Julian boy dares to bully you, tell Mom! Mom will go teach him a lesson!” “You’re my only daughter, boohoohoo.” She continued, tears streaming down her face. I sighed. My game mother was better than my real parents. I turned and hugged her, my voice light. “Don’t worry, Mother. Julian is someone you’ve watched grow up. He cares for me too much to ever bully me.” She slipped a bracelet from her wrist onto mine. I touched it and nearly laughed out loud. Aside from its valuable price, just feeling its texture, I estimated it was a dungeon item. Brilliant, just brilliant! This truly was a good role! After getting ready, I waited for the carriage. But I didn’t expect Asher to be so impatient. He actually came directly to my courtyard. But he was smarter than Daisy; he paid his respects to Mrs. Maxwell first. Mrs. Maxwell’s face tightened when she saw Asher. “Are you here to bring your sister a wedding gift?” Asher paused, then bowed. “Mother, may I have a moment alone with my sister?” Mrs. Maxwell’s brows furrowed deeply. “Impudent! Your sister is getting married today. Not only do you not bring a congratulatory gift, but you want to talk to her privately? What could you possibly want to discuss?” “Get out! I won’t say it a second time.” Asher gritted his teeth, pulling a small box from his sleeve. “Sister, this is my wedding gift for you. Don’t despise it.” I took the box and opened a tiny slit. My eyes widened. It was an item card! A high-tier defensive card, a protective shield. He must have really gone all out just to talk to me. Mrs. Maxwell’s expression softened. She sat in her chair, picking up a teacup. “Speak your mind then, don’t dilly-dally.” After a while, Asher realized she had no intention of leaving. He closed his eyes for a moment, then leaned close to me, lowering his voice. “Alice, I’m your brother, I wouldn’t harm you.” “Mom and Dad used an item card and learned part of the story. You absolutely must say it when Julian comes to pick you up.” I tilted my head. “Say what?” “Say you won’t marry him, that you want to marry that servant!” I looked at my freshly manicured nails, a light laugh escaping my lips. “Brother, are you suggesting that I, the esteemed daughter of the Earl, marry a mere stable boy?!” My voice wasn’t intentionally lowered. It reached Mrs. Maxwell’s ears perfectly.

Before I could even react, a strong gust of wind swept by. With a *boom*, Asher was sent flying dozens of yards away. If he hadn’t had a protective item on him, he’d likely be dead. Mrs. Maxwell’s hair flew wildly, and terrifying black energy emanated from her. “Asher! What you just said, *you! Say! It! Again!*” Asher was stunned, lying on the ground, twitching and spitting blood. “Mother, I didn’t, I, I was telling Sister to happily marry him.” Mrs. Maxwell instantly teleported to Asher’s side. She raised her foot, ready to stomp down. It carried immense power; Asher’s protective items probably wouldn’t last against it. I recalled my character’s description. Sharp-tongued but secretly soft-hearted. Judging by Mrs. Maxwell’s attitude, her relationship with Asher, even in character, shouldn’t be that bad. At that critical moment, I slowly rose, my red lips parting. “Mother, let it go. Brother didn’t mean it.” “Today is my wedding day; we should be happy.” Mrs. Maxwell snorted, then turned back, her face instantly resuming its gentle, loving appearance. “Asher, there won’t be a next time.” “Yes, yes, Mother.” Asher scrambled away, tripping over his own feet. A few minutes later, a clear, tinkling sound of bells resonated in the air. Accompanied by a floral scent, Prince Julian’s figure subtly appeared. A carriage of darkest black, etched with intricate, antique gold patterns, floated silently behind him. He had come, with his carriage, to fetch his bride. He slowly extended his hand to me, his eyes deep. “My Lady, I have come for you.” The moment I stepped into the carriage, the system issued a new quest. 【Since it’s role-playing, you must commit to it entirely~】 【Of course, that means sharing a wonderful night with your partner~】 No, wait? Share a wonderful night? Hold on, does that mean *what I think it means*? I swallowed hard. Of course, it wasn’t that I was eyeing his body; I was just… a little thirsty. He’s so handsome, would it be a waste to sleep with him? Not only would it *not* be a waste, but afterwards, I could brag that I’d slept with a horror game entity. Have *you*? Hehe. While I was lost in my giddy thoughts, the system continued to issue the quest. 【Players, please note~ This act of role-playing is extremely important, it’s a matter of life or death.】 【Shhh, don’t let Julian discover you’re impersonating Alice.】 【PS: Sharing a wonderful night doesn’t necessarily mean making love. Please choose the method that best fits your character’s persona~ (Though it might be making love too, you never know~)】 Huh? Wait! Didn’t they say my character would be fine as long as I didn’t actively seek trouble? What’s with this life-or-death choice now?! I pulled up the Earl’s daughter’s profile and read it again and again. Aside from the info unlocked in Act One, there was nothing else! If you don’t give me any details about their daily interactions, how the hell am I supposed to choose?! System, are you messing with me?! All my romantic fantasies vanished in a puff of smoke. Sigh, I just hoped this act would give me more hints when it was over. About fifteen minutes later, the carriage stopped. Julian reached out and helped me disembark. I held my feather fan, my steps elegant, every movement and word exuding grace and composure. But strangely, the courtyard, which had been bustling with activity just moments before, suddenly fell silent the moment I stepped in. A chilling aura seemed to surge towards me from all directions. Unable to resist my curiosity, I secretly peeked out from behind my feather fan. That one glance nearly sent me to an early grave! The figures seated at the tables were not people; they were paper figures… No, more like human-sized puppets. They all stared at me, and with every step I took, their heads stretched forward a fraction. The closest puppet was almost touching my face! But its body was still firmly seated on the bench! My vision blurred, my legs turned to jelly. A low chuckle reached my ears, and then I stumbled into a warm embrace. Immediately after, the puppet was instantly ripped to shreds with a tearing sound. “Anyone else want to die, continue.” The next second, the courtyard returned to its lively state. Looking again, there were no puppets or paper figures; they were all living people. “Congratulations, Prince, on marrying your beloved!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “299284”, 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

My boyfriend and I were on our post-graduation trip, when my roommate, with no shame, tagged along. As we headed to an Arabian country, the plane suddenly hit severe turbulence, plummeting towards the Pacific. Due to a malfunction, only half of the oxygen masks deployed. My wicked roommate snatched the mask from an Arabian noblewoman. I couldn’t bear it, so I shared my oxygen with the noblewoman, saving her life. After the emergency landing, the Arabian magnate, grateful, adopted me as his goddaughter. He threw my wicked roommate into an African slum. Later, my boyfriend and I got married. On our skydiving day, he suddenly unbuckled my parachute, pushing me from thousands of feet up. I was splattered into a bloody mess. “If you hadn’t been such a busybody, insisting on saving that old hag, Chloe wouldn’t have died!” That’s when I realized they’d been having an affair behind my back all along! I woke up again, finding myself reincarnated at the exact moment the plane took off. “Ava, I’m talking to you! Swap seats with me!” Chloe’s sharp voice echoed in my ears, instantly pulling me back. I clutched my wildly beating heart. It took me a moment to grasp that I had been reborn. “Go sit with your Ryan.” I turned my head, my gaze utterly cold. In my past life, I never understood why Chloe was so desperate to switch seats, but now… My gaze fell on Ryan, my heart filled with desolation and hatred. After we swapped seats, Chloe and Ryan were practically groping each other right under my nose. It was absolutely disgusting. As the plane ascended into the Pacific airspace, I knew – the severe turbulence was coming! Sure enough, the next second, the entire plane lurched violently downwards. The intense feeling of freefall sent everyone on board into a panic, screaming. “Ah! What’s happening?!” “Is the plane going down? I don’t want to die, I want to go home!” “Shut up, you pathetic woman! Keep wailing and I’ll choke you!” Cries and curses, one after another, instantly filled the entire cabin. I turned my head, seeing the Arabian noblewoman with her hands clasped together, eyes squeezed shut, her face ghastly pale. Based on our interactions in my past life, I knew she suffered from severe panic attacks. Suddenly, the plane sharply ascended, and the entire cabin tilted to nearly a ninety-degree angle. My hands trembled as I gripped the armrest, and in my peripheral vision, Chloe had already thrown herself into Ryan’s arms. “Ryan, I’m so scared!” Her voice was so delicate, it gave me goosebumps. Ryan instinctively pulled her close, offering a sense of complete security. “Don’t be scared, I’m here…” he started, then suddenly realized, shutting up and staring at me. A cold laugh formed in my heart. These traitors! Just as I pulled my gaze away, a sharp pain shot through my left hand. I instinctively looked over. I saw the noblewoman, ghastly pale, gasping for air and clutching her chest, completely drenched in sweat, her eyes rolling back. My heart skipped a beat—this was a sign of a full-blown panic attack! I quickly reached into her pocket, just as I placed the inhaler to her nostrils. The plane again lurched violently. Fatima’s medication instantly flew out of her hand, landing right by Chloe’s feet. My gaze sharpened as I saw her struggling to breathe, taking in less air than she let out. A ruthless resolve hardened in me. I wanted to unbuckle my seatbelt and risk getting the inhaler back. But my hand froze as I reached for the seatbelt. I instinctively looked down, only to find the buckle was jammed tight, refusing to release! Helpless, I could only yell at Chloe. “Kick that medicine over here!” Chloe leaned forward, glanced, and then sneered at Fatima, who was nearly suffocating. “If you want to save her, do it yourself! Why are you ordering me around?” Perhaps thinking she was going to die, Chloe’s mask of false kindness completely slipped. “Saving rich people is one thing, but a pauper too? Your ‘savior complex’ is out of control!” Chloe said, and instead of kicking the medicine to me, she pretended it was an accident and kicked it even further away. “Oh dear! My apologies, the plane lurched, and I accidentally kicked the medicine away. What a shame, isn’t it?” Watching her smug, defiant expression, anger made my chest ache. That bitch! “Chloe!” I glared at her, my chest heaving. “Are you insane? This is a human life!” Beside them, Ryan dropped his act, pulling Chloe into a tender embrace and confessing his love. “What’s that got to do with us? Chloe, we’ll die together!” Then he cast a disgusted look my way. “Ava, you think you’re the kindest person in the world, don’t you? If you’re so kind, then unbuckle your seatbelt and go pick up that medicine!” I turned, glancing at the noblewoman who was almost suffocating. With a firm resolve, I used a hairpin from my hair to cut open the seatbelt. The moment I stood up, the violent turbulence instantly tossed me upwards, slamming me against the plane’s ceiling. Then, a rapid ascent hurled me back into my seat. The searing pain through every part of my body made my vision blur. Chloe seized the opportunity, lifting her foot and deliberately stomping on my hand, grinding it again and again. “Bitch, you deserve it!” Just then, the inhaler rolled to my feet, right at the front. My gaze fixated. Gritting my teeth, I crawled over and picked up the inhaler. As I reached for it, Chloe brutally kicked me from behind. My head slammed against the armrest, and my vision swam. Enduring the agonizing pain, I used my past life’s memories to send a distress text to the rescue team and the oil tycoon!

No sooner had I sent it than a woman beside me shrieked. “She’s foaming at the mouth! She’s not going to die, is she…?” The already terrified passengers around us heard the word ‘die’ and began to shriek in terror. “She’s scared to death! She’s dead! We’re all going to die, all of us, plummeting to our deaths in this plane crash!” A commotion erupted in the cabin. I slowly got up and pulled Fatima into my arms. “Don’t be scared, someone will come for us!” Suddenly, the plane’s rear wing ripped apart completely, and the cabin rapidly depressurized. Oxygen masks dropped from above, but just like in my past life, some were jammed and unresponsive. I hastily put a mask on the noblewoman, then on myself, gripping the seat tightly to avoid being thrown out. However, Chloe, who had brought all this trouble upon herself, was the only one in our row whose oxygen mask hadn’t dropped. “Why don’t I have one?! Damn it!” Chloe’s face contorted in panic as she glared fiercely at me. “Ava, that’s my seat! So the oxygen mask is mine too, give it back, now!” Ryan, on the far right, also commanded me with a sense of entitlement. “Ava, how can you be so vicious?! Give Chloe the mask! It’s hers by rights!” I stared at them, my gaze icy. If looks could kill, these two shameless, despicable individuals would have died a million times over! The oxygen level in the cabin was plummeting, and Chloe finally started to panic. Seeing that I wasn’t budging, she turned her gaze to the frail Fatima beside me. A memory from my past life flashed, and I instantly knew what this woman was about to do. Before she could get up, I shoved her back into her seat. “What do you think you’re doing?!” Chloe hadn’t expected me to stop her. She stomped her foot in fury and slapped me across the face with full force. “Bitch! Get lost!” Instantly, a coppery taste filled my mouth. “Are you insane? What does it matter to you if this old woman dies?!” “You’re so selfish!” Ryan, tearing off his mask, looked at me with disgust. “That seat was Chloe’s to begin with! You stole her oxygen!” “If you’re so selfless, then give me back the mask, you slut!” Chloe gnashed her teeth, roaring at me. Then she slapped me hard again, and after breaking free from my grasp, she lunged to the left. With lightning speed, she yanked Fatima from her seat and threw her down. She snatched the oxygen mask and put it on herself. “Chloe!” My eyes burned crimson as I stared at her. “Are you even human?!” “What’s wrong with you? She’s practically dying anyway, what’s wrong with me taking the oxygen mask?” She looked at me, utterly entitled, a smug look on her face. “You’re the one who wouldn’t give me the mask, so if she dies, it’s your fault!” “Ava, you’re truly malicious!” Ryan echoed immediately. I took a deep breath, fighting the urge to tear them both apart, and propped Fatima against my seat. I secured the oxygen mask on her. The intense depressurization forced me to keep my head down. My vision began to black out in waves. Just then, a pair of hands gently touched me. I instinctively looked up. Fatima was gazing at me with deep gratitude, pointing to her mask, then to me. I understood. She wanted me to wear the mask. I shook my head, just as my brain, starved of oxygen, was about to give out. A flight attendant’s trembling voice echoed through the cabin. “Ladies and gentlemen, brace for impact! Head in hands, brace for impact, the plane is about to make an emergency landing!” “Sea rescue teams have arrived, please prepare!”

My heart clenched, and I held her tightly. After a series of violent impacts and jolts, seawater instantly surged into the cabin. Everyone began to scramble in panic. I unbuckled Fatima’s seatbelt and stumbled with her towards the emergency exit. “Are there any injured?” A rescue team member announced through a megaphone, “We don’t have enough life rafts at the moment. We need to prioritize getting the injured to treatment first, then we’ll rescue everyone in batches!” I hastily raised my hand, about to speak. But Ryan, from behind me, clapped a hand over my mouth. He glared at me ferociously. “Chloe and I are getting on the boat first! That old hag can forget about taking our spot!” I struggled to break free from his grip, my eyes icy. “You cowardly, shameless bastard! Get out of my way!” I shoved him away and, supporting Fatima, moved forward. “This lady has severe panic attacks and needs immediate hospitalization. Any further delay and she could suffocate to death!” Chloe looked at me with venomous malice. “You’re so selfish! There are so many people here waiting to be rescued, why should we save a half-dead old woman first?!” These words instantly caused a stir among the already terrified crowd. “Let us healthy ones go first! Why should someone who’s about to die get priority?” “Save whoever you can! She’s practically dead, why take up a spot?” “Exactly! Save us first, or we’ll all report you!” I stared at them in disbelief. Beside me, Fatima’s face turned ashen, equally despairing. “You! All of you!” The rescue personnel were just people doing a job for money; a single complaint could cost them dearly. They exchanged glances, then gritted their teeth. “Alright! You go first!” Chloe and Ryan smirked victoriously, casting a mocking glance my way before heading straight for the life raft. Seeing this, several men nearby, terrified of being left behind, pushed everyone aside in a mad scramble to jump onto the boat. I looked at the woman leaning on my shoulder, my heart seizing. “Fatima! Don’t you dare fall asleep!” My gaze turned to the rescuers, full of pleading. “I can stay, give up my spot, but you *must* take her. Otherwise, someone will die!” They exchanged glances, looking from me, who wouldn’t budge an inch, to the passengers who were practically desperate to rush forward. Unsure what to do. “They can complain, and so can I. If someone actually dies because of this, how will you deal with the fallout?” The oldest rescuer pondered for a moment, then glanced at the weak woman behind me. “Alright, help her up!” I sighed in relief, quickly helping her onto the rescue boat. Just as I turned to leave, she gripped my clothes tightly. Seeing this, Chloe immediately sneered. “Didn’t you say you’d give up your spot? Now you’re regretting it, aren’t you?” Her cold, sinister gaze fixed on me, and she began to fan the flames. The agitated crowd instantly ignited. “Get off the boat! You hag! Or I’ll kill you!” My heart hardened. I pulled my clothes free and was about to leave when Chloe spoke up again from behind me. “You can’t leave either!” she said, looking at the puzzled rescuers. “What if this old hag dies on the way? So she has to come with us.” Before anyone could protest, she interrupted again. “But she gave up her spot, so just tie her to the back of the lifeboat,” she said, her eyes like a venomous snake, glaring at me savagely. “Drag her back!”

The rescuers huddled together, then immediately agreed to the plan. I was still in shock when one of my hands was tied to the back of the lifeboat, and I was thrown into the sea. The icy, biting seawater instantly enveloped me, and my body rapidly began to lose heat. I shivered uncontrollably. Chloe sneered down at me. “Ava, this is the price for playing the good samaritan!” She stood in the boat’s cabin, looking down on me. “Still daring to glare at me?” she said, picking up a harpoon nearby, and lunged it fiercely towards my eyes! My gaze froze in horror, my mind went blank. To my shock, Fatima, with a surge of unknown strength, shoved Chloe hard. “Ah!” Chloe stumbled, nearly falling out of the lifeboat, and the harpoon slipped from her grasp, plunging into the sea. “You old hag!” She spun around and kicked Fatima hard! The already weak woman instantly coughed up blood, barely clinging to life. Chloe was furious, stomping her foot. She exchanged a glance with Ryan, and when no one was looking, they both worked together to throw Fatima into the sea! “You shameless bastards! Stop it!” No sooner had I screamed than Chloe feigned surprise. “She fell!” Only then did everyone turn their attention. And I watched, helpless, as she was thrown overboard. I could only use my free hand to snatch Fatima with incredible speed, before anyone could react. Already frail, she was now being dragged at high speed through the sea alongside me. The icy seawater relentlessly pounded against us, and agonizing pain shot through every limb. I could only clench my teeth. I couldn’t let go; if I did, Fatima would drown in the vast ocean! I don’t know how long it lasted. Just as I felt death approaching, we finally reached the harbor. Then, a dozen gleaming golden planes suddenly appeared in the sky. Men descended from them, their heads wrapped in scarves, their anxious eyes searching through the crowd. When he saw his wife, barely clinging to life on a stretcher, his pupils instantly trembled. “Fatima!” He rushed forward, his voice trembling. “What happened to you?!” The woman on the stretcher gave him a glance, then completely lost consciousness. “Fatima!” The man’s sinister gaze swept over everyone, and he roared. Hundreds of bodyguards surrounded the area. “Nobody leaves! Take them all back!” Then he carried his wife onto a plane and quickly departed. Chloe and Ryan exchanged uneasy glances, a bad premonition forming in their hearts. Seeing the ferocious bodyguards, Chloe instantly shrieked to stop them. “Don’t come any closer! By what right do you restrict our freedom? This is illegal!” The rescue personnel nearby turned ghastly pale, realizing the woman they had treated so roughly was no ordinary person. “He’s Salih, the Arabian oil tycoon, who controls almost the entire oil industry of North Africa!” All the color instantly drained from everyone’s faces. Everyone knew that oil tycoons would stop at nothing, resorting to countless illegal means to seize oil fields! So, how they treated his wife just now… Would he… Chloe’s face was ashen, and like Ryan, she was trembling uncontrollably. The bodyguards said no more, herding all of us onto a helicopter. Half an hour later, the helicopter landed at a majestic castle. Fortunately, the noblewoman had only suffered from hypothermia and a panic attack. She had been given a tranquilizer. Salih’s cold, sinister gaze swept over us. “Who put my wife in the sea and dragged her?!” Everyone’s eyes turned to Chloe. Fear instantly filled the woman’s eyes, and she hastily tried to explain, “No! It wasn’t me, I…” Before she could finish, Salih fired a shot directly into the woman’s leg. A piercing scream instantly erupted, making everyone’s scalp crawl. “It wasn’t me!” Chloe’s face was ashen. She clutched her profusely bleeding leg, staring at me. “It was her! She was dragging your wife in the water! Everyone can testify!” Such is the depravity of human nature; as long as it’s not themselves, anyone can be a scapegoat. Seeing no one contradict her, Salih stepped forward and lifted me by my collar. One hand clenched tightly around my throat, the other held a cocked pistol, pressing it hard against my temple. “You harmed my wife! You won’t live to tell about it!” The hand on my throat tightened, my eyes became bloodshot, and the feeling of suffocation choked off my words. Just as death’s embrace began to tighten. Fatima was wheeled out, sitting in a wheelchair. Seeing me on the verge of being strangled, she hastily spoke. “Salih, stop! She’s the one who saved my life!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “299283”, 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