Before my brother Adam died, he entrusted me with the child he and his same-sex partner had adopted. He begged me to raise Liam until he turned eighteen. I hated my brother, and naturally, I hated Liam too. So, even though we lived under the same roof, I never gave Liam a moment of peace. The day he turned twenty, I couldn’t wait to sever all ties with him. Later, Liam brought down my company, forcing me to grovel before him. As he pinned me to the bed, he said, “Uncle Julian, do you know? I truly loathe you.” I looked at his desperate, distorted face and suddenly smiled. “What do you hate me for?” He froze, and a single tear fell onto my face. “You just hate me for not loving you enough.” The hospital call came, and I sat at my desk, burning through three cigarettes. My assistant, Brendan, carefully asked, “Mr. Blackwood, are you going to visit?” “No. I don’t have a brother.” He acknowledged it and left. I stared silently out the window until the last ray of sunset vanished from my sight. Eventually, I got up, grabbed my car keys, and headed out. Adam Blackwood was in the best private hospital, his room overflowing with every imaginable luxury. But the lonely figure lying in the bed was so frail that no amount of wealth could conceal his solitude. He wore an oxygen mask, fogged with the white mist of his agitated breaths. He looked at me with effort, “Jules, you came.” The small boy sitting beside him, nervously fidgeting with his hands, secretly glanced at me, then quickly looked down again. “Don’t call me that.” The name Jules belonged to the gentle, steady brother I once had. It didn’t belong to Adam Blackwood anymore. I pulled up a chair and sat down. “Didn’t you claim to be madly in love back then? You broke from the family for him, drove Mom and Dad to their graves. How is it you’re the only one lying here now?” I scoffed, but seeing the sorrow in his eyes, I found no satisfaction. “I was a fool back then. Now, I guess this is my karma.” He coughed weakly. “Jules, I don’t have many days left. When I die, I’ll apologize to Mom and Dad. But Liam is innocent. Once I’m gone, he’ll have no one. Consider this my last request, please, raise him for me.” “My inheritance, I’ve divided it into two parts. One for you, and the other, you’ll give to him when he turns twenty.” He paused, taking a shallow breath. “If possible, I’d like to be buried in the Rose Garden. I’ve already bought a plot there. Would you be willing to oversee my funeral?” He rambled on about his final wishes. I stared at him, suddenly feeling a desolate emptiness inside. Liam looked up at him, his grape-like eyes brimming with tears, but he held them back. The atmosphere was too heavy, suffocating me. I stood up, ready to leave. He called out more urgently, and with his agitation, the heart monitor began to spike wildly. Liam immediately reached out and clutched my hand. It was the first time I’d heard the kid speak. His voice was tearful, a pitiful plea, “Uncle, please don’t go yet. Will you listen to Dad finish what he has to say?” I paused, took a deep breath, and said nothing. Adam’s voice was faint and strained. “Jules, your brother begs you.” I closed my eyes, fighting back the sting in my nose. “From the day Mom and Dad died, I stopped having a brother.”

I’m not someone who cries easily. Yet, leaving the hospital, I ran a hand over my face, finding it cold and damp. In my early childhood, I thought fate had been incredibly kind to me. I had a wealthy family, loving and harmonious parents, and a mature, steady older brother who adored me. Adam was eleven years my senior. From the moment I was born, I grew up cradled in the arms of my brother, Mom, and Dad. Then, when I was old enough to understand, everything plummeted. Adam brought his partner home. My dad had a heart condition, and the moment Adam knelt, insisting on marrying his partner, Dad suffered an attack. He didn’t make it. Why Adam didn’t turn back, perhaps it was because he truly loved the other man too much, or maybe just because he could no longer face Mom and me. In any case, those years, laughter vanished from our home, and no one mentioned Adam again. Mom and Dad had known each other since youth, loving each other for decades, raising two children. After Dad died, her life, too, began to drain away uncontrollably, like a flower that could no longer draw nourishment. I cried and begged, but ultimately watched helplessly as Mom also left me. I resented Adam, but now, seeing the cold snowflakes outside the hospital, my mind unexpectedly conjured up a childhood memory: him holding me, pinching my tear-reddened cheeks, smiling as he soothed me. It dawned on me, belatedly, that I hated him, but he was also all I had left. After his passing, there would be no one else in the world connected to me by blood. I was finally going to become an orphan, in the truest sense of the word. Just like that kid he adopted.

I still attended his funeral. The faces at the funeral were mostly unfamiliar to me. Only Liam – I remembered that porcelain-doll face very clearly, and I loathed it. I recalled the year Adam adopted Liam; he’d called me. His tone on the phone was a little cautious. “Jules, I’ve adopted a child. He’s very sweet. Would you like to meet him?” “From now on, he’s your little nephew.” “Mom really likes kids, could I…?” My voice was unusually sharp. “No! Don’t even think about it!” “You adopt a kid now, you’re all happy and perfect, and you want to bring him back to disgust us?! Take that little bastard of yours and get as far away as possible!” He was silent for a long time, then his voice trembling, he said, “I’m sorry, Jules.” That was the first time I knew of Liam’s existence, but in my mind, he was never a concrete person. He was more like a symbol, a symbol to disgust me. A symbol that shattered my family while granting the culprit a happy one. I watched him from afar. He wore a black suit, pinned with a white boutonnière. He bowed in return to every mourner. His face was expressionless, but I could see the red, swollen circles on his thin eyelids from crying. That small figure stood before the altar, radiating an indescribable loneliness. I stood far away for a long time, until the condolences ended. Everyone dispersed, but he remained standing there, lost. As if he didn’t know where his future lay, with no one left to guide him. I walked up to him and simply said two words, “Let’s go.” He looked up at me, two streams of large tears falling from his eyes, but fearing he would annoy me, he quickly used his sleeve to wipe them away. He trailed behind me obediently. He kept a distance, not too far that he’d be left behind, not too close that he’d be unwelcome. His legs, tired from standing all day, felt a bit numb. As he walked, he misstepped and fell hard. I stopped, turning back to look at him. His hands were scraped raw from bracing himself on the ground, and his knees had a slight injury. But he quickly scrambled back up, staggering, and gave me an awkward, placating smile. He softly called out, “Uncle Julian.” I had never acknowledged him as my nephew, but watching him carefully rub the dirt from his pants, it was the first time I didn’t refute that title.

I took him home. My work was demanding. After Mom and Dad passed, all the family and company matters fell onto my shoulders. My only responsibility was to keep him alive. Most of the time, I didn’t see him much. One time, I came home and happened to find him eating. Seeing me enter, the person sitting at the dining table immediately put down his forks, stood up awkwardly, and greeted me, “Uncle Julian.” Mr. Jenkins, the butler, helped me change my shoes. I raised my eyelids to look at him, my gaze distant. I saw the expression on his young face shift slightly. Then he lowered his head and called out again, “Mr. Blackwood.” I’d never lived under someone else’s roof, but I vaguely understood that feeling. So, I understood all of Liam’s caution, his anxiety, his wariness. I ignored him and went straight upstairs. Mr. Jenkins followed me, casually asking, “Would you like to eat?” Liam was still standing by the table. I cast a downward glance at his figure. “No, I’m not eating. It kills my appetite.” His body stiffened. From this angle, I couldn’t see the humiliated look on his face. It wasn’t until I returned to my room that Mr. Jenkins spoke, a hint of hesitation in his voice. “Young Master, I know you resent the late Master Adam, but that child…” I changed my clothes and tossed them into his hands. He’d worked for my family for over thirty years, longer than I’d been in the Blackwood household. I considered him half a senior. Hearing him speak, I didn’t get angry; I just smiled and retorted, “Mr. Jenkins thinks he’s very innocent and pitiful?” Mr. Jenkins sighed. “But I don’t see it that way.” Actually, I was lying. How could I not know Liam was innocent? He was merely a child discarded at an orphanage at birth, then coincidentally adopted by Adam. He hadn’t done anything wrong. But when I saw his face, I couldn’t control my resentment and fury. I knew my selfishness and arrogance, but toward Liam, I wouldn’t soften.

Mr. Jenkins and the housekeepers all found Liam to be very well-behaved. He was quiet every day; apart from eating and greeting the household staff, he would obediently stay in his room and study. I became his emergency contact. His teacher called me once. Her tone on the phone was cheerful. “Liam took first place in the competition! There’s an awards ceremony on Monday, please be sure to attend.” She was quite certain I would go; after all, any parent would be proud to hear their child achieved such results. No one around me ever mentioned Liam’s name. So, the hand I was using to sign documents paused for a moment before I realized. “Oh, no, I won’t.” Then, ignoring her surprised reaction on the other end, I hung up directly. The second time she called, I assumed it was another awards ceremony. So, I let it ring. After the phone persistently rang three times, I finally frowned and answered. “Don’t call me about his affairs anymore.” The teacher paused, then said, “Liam got into a fight with a classmate at school. He’s a bit injured. Could you please come to the school?” Her tone had lost the politeness of the first call. I frowned and hung up, kneading my temples in annoyance. Brendan came in with documents. “Mr. Blackwood, everyone’s here, waiting for you in the conference room.” I thought for a moment, then stood up. “Cancel it. I have something to take care of.” Liam, with his quiet demeanor, the kind of kid who would just wipe away tears with his head down even if you slapped him, actually got into a fight. When I arrived at the school, several people were already standing in the office. The other kid had bruises on his face and was being comforted by his mom, who was bending over, asking if he was okay. The other kid’s dad, full of bluster, declared, “It’s definitely not my kid’s fault! He has to pay for damages and apologize to my son today!” The teacher tried to mediate, saying, “We’re not sure about the cause yet. Let’s wait for his guardian to arrive before discussing compensation.” The other kid’s parents looked at Liam, their tone unfriendly. “Where’s your guardian?! Why aren’t they here yet?” Liam stood in the corner, amidst the crowd of protected and doted-on classmates, like a forgotten speck of dust. Through the crack in the door, I saw his figure and suddenly felt how quickly a half-grown kid matures. He seemed to have grown a lot, though I hadn’t noticed. “He won’t come,” I heard Liam’s voice, very calm, utterly devoid of emotion. He showed neither the usual subservience he displayed in front of me nor a hint of vitality. He simply stated the fact, objectively: the fact that he was unvalued, unloved. The other dad’s voice grew louder: “Is that how you act as a parent? Your kid hit my son, and this isn’t over until it’s cleared up!” “Don’t stand there being shameless! You think hitting my son without paying or apologizing will just blow over?!” The teacher tried to mediate: “Please calm down, sir. I’ve already called. Let’s just wait.” He puffed, glaring at Liam, who simply stood there, his hand unconsciously tugging at the side of his pants. “How much longer do we have to wait?!” The teacher also looked troubled, as she’d called me before, and I’d directly said I wouldn’t come. This time, she wasn’t sure if I would show up, only saying, “I’m not sure. His guardian has never shown up when notified to come to school before.” The other kid’s dad scoffed. “No wonder. No one to teach him manners, that’s what happens.” I finally couldn’t listen anymore. Frowning, I pushed the door open. The other kid’s parents immediately looked over. Their eyes assessed my height – a head taller than him – and my broader build, then landed on my suit and wristwatch. Their bluster noticeably deflated. Liam looked at me, his eyes brightening, a little shocked, but he quickly lowered his head and respectfully called out, “Uncle Julian.” I walked in and saw that Liam’s face was also bruised and discolored. Even worse than the other kid’s. I frowned, a surge of inexplicable anger flaring within me. Beat up and still treated like dirt? How pathetic. I scoffed, stepping in front of him, ignoring the complex look in Liam’s eyes. “It’s just compensation, right?” “How much?” The other parents didn’t expect me to cut straight to the point. They exchanged a look, unsure what figure to name. “Is ten thousand enough?” “Well, this…” Seeing their hesitation, I pressed, “Not enough, huh? How about a hundred thousand?” I’d been in too many negotiations. From their micro-expressions alone, I could tell they were quite surprised and satisfied. I curved my lips, took out a check, and smoothly wrote down a string of numbers. As I wrote, I tilted my head and said to Liam, “It’s just a hundred thousand. Is that worth being lectured like a nobody?” “Hit them if you want. I can afford to pay any amount.” I capped the pen and handed the check to them. I knew I had a naturally intimidating presence, and after years in business, I had developed a predatory ruthlessness. When I stared directly at people, their reactions were always similar to this couple’s: fear, unease, they didn’t even reach out for the check in my hand. I smiled. “Go on, take it. There’ll be more later. Make sure your kid takes care of himself. It won’t do to be so fragile.” I saw a bead of cold sweat trickle down the other dad’s temple. The teacher also hadn’t anticipated such a turn of events. “Please calm down, sir. We’re here to solve a problem.” “Yes, children fight, so conflicts must be resolved, right? Who are you threatening?” The child’s mother shielded her son behind her. Liam looked at my face, lips pressed together, saying nothing, his beautiful eyes sparkling. “Ah, so you want to resolve the conflict? Why didn’t you say so earlier?” “My kid was also badly beaten. You two kept demanding apologies and money from us. I thought it was all my kid’s fault.” Hearing that term, Liam’s brow twitched, and he looked at me, but said nothing. To be honest, I didn’t want to call him that, and I never truly considered him “my kid.” But some things just came out naturally in that context. More than disliking Liam, I disliked being humiliated. In human relationships, if you retreat an inch, they’ll advance a foot. But if you’re aggressive and refuse to concede, they’ll become well-behaved and honest. Neither of them would reveal the true reason for the fight, and since both had similar injuries, it ended in a muddled, hasty conclusion. Coming out of the office, I strode ahead, with Liam trailing behind me obediently. After walking in silence for a while, he finally called out to me. “Uncle Julian.” I turned slightly to look at him, at his somewhat naive expression. It seemed that today, I had truly become his guardian, a reliance willing to shelter and stand up for him. He pursed his lips and softly said, “He told me to copy off his test.” “I refused, and he called me a fatherless and motherless bastard.” “So we fought.” He was so young, so tender. Perhaps he himself hadn’t even realized that the vulnerable plea for comfort in his eyes had already saturated the surrounding air. I walked over and, for the first time, gently touched his head, a soothing, gentle gesture. His eyes widened. His amber pupils revealed clear dependence. “Are you very wronged?” He paused, then nodded almost imperceptibly. I couldn’t help but laugh out loud. As his expression grew confused, I said to him, “But what he said, what was wrong with it?” “You are a fatherless, motherless, unloved bastard, aren’t you?” I watched, wide-eyed, as his body stiffened, as if pricked by a vicious needle. A mist gathered in his eyes. It had been years since I’d seen him cry. That evening, years ago, when I took him from the funeral home, felt like a lifetime ago. I reveled in my cruel revenge, yet a tiny voice within me issued a faint protest. I withdrew my hand, standing before him with my hands in my pockets. On that beautiful, nascently handsome face, tears streamed down, flowing endlessly towards his neck. Something shattered completely at that moment, something that could never be pieced back together. His voice, trembling, weeping, filled with uncontrollable brokenness. “Can you please, not do this to me?” I stared at him, the curve of my lips slowly flattening. A thought flashed through my mind: Liam, how pitiful.

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To buy Brendan a hearing aid, I worked three jobs a day. When my step-brother, Julian, found out, his eyes darkened, sharp and intense. “You’re working yourself to death for some guy. Are you planning on moving in with him?” I sneered, “None of your business.” Later, I overheard Brendan talking to his roommate. “Just pretending to be deaf to mess with that idiot. His measly cash? Who even cares about that, seriously, haha.” “He’s pretty, I’ll give him that. But I’m not into guys.” The guys burst into laughter. Someone asked him, “What if Alex finds out?” Brendan casually drawled, “He won’t. Even if he does, I’ll just sweet-talk him.” “My ear went deaf saving him, you know. All I have to do is say a few nice words, and he’ll melt.” Turns out, I was the only fool all along. I wanted to leave, but my step-brother grabbed my neck, pulling me close for a harsh kiss. My voice trembled as I challenged him, “…What do you mean by that?” His voice was low and rough. “I mean, I want to *take* you.”

Standing outside Brendan’s dorm, I felt a heavy silence. I raised my hand to knock, then lowered it again. The voices from inside continued. “Just pretending to be deaf to mess with that idiot, that’s all.” “And liking guys? Not really my thing.” The guys suddenly laughed. After a moment. Someone asked him, “What if Alex finds out?” Brendan lit a cigarette, his voice casual. “He won’t. Even if he does, I’ll just sweet-talk him a bit.” “My ear went deaf saving him, you know. All I have to do is say a few nice words, and he’ll melt.” Brendan’s ear was accidentally damaged while saving me, which is why I felt guilty and wanted to make it up to him. So, I picked up several part-time jobs, working nonstop to earn money. I lost over ten pounds in a month, all just to save up for his hearing aid. I never thought I was the only fool. Now, I’d finally saved up enough cash. Brendan’s hearing loss was faked. His poverty was faked too. He played me like a fiddle. “Brendan, if you don’t like guys, why did you even get with him? This kid, he looks a bit girly-looking, but he is pretty. Still, thinking he’s a guy just makes me… totally turned off.” “Is being gay really that fun?” Brendan chuckled from inside. “It’s great! Don’t you think Alex is overly obedient?” His roommates roared with laughter. “Isn’t that because you’re such a good trainer, Brendan? I heard you asked Alex to move in with you last week, and he refused, right?” Last week, Brendan suddenly suggested we move in together, but I said no. Brendan was really upset. I had to sweet-talk him for three days before he finally bothered to talk to me again. At the mention of it, Brendan bit on his cigarette, mumbling a reply. “Yeah.” “He said he doesn’t want to live together right now.”

Someone teased. “Brendan, you’re thinking about it all wrong. Those people play all sorts of games. Alex is probably just playing hard to get. Ask him a few more times, and he’ll definitely agree.” I scoffed. Like hell I would. I kicked the door open. Silence instantly fell inside. Brendan still had a cigarette dangling from his mouth, and he froze when he saw me. The guy who’d just been talking about me was the first to react. Grinning, he said, “Alex, here to see Brendan again? You two are so close.” Brendan finally came to his senses. He put out his cigarette and asked me softly, “Why are you suddenly here?” I flung the wad of cash right into his face. I raised my hand and smacked him hard across the face. Brendan was stunned. His two roommates were frozen too. They hadn’t expected me to hit him. “Alex, what the hell is wrong with you?!” The guy closest to Brendan swore at me. I ignored him. I just stared at Brendan. I might look thin, but I’m still a guy. Brendan stumbled back a couple of steps from my blow. He covered his face, looking at me in disbelief. I gave a light, bitter laugh. “Brendan, you must have worked really hard pretending to be deaf and playing with a fool like me.” “You don’t have to pretend anymore.” Brendan’s face was pale as he tried to explain, but he couldn’t find the words. Looking at the money scattered on the floor. I said, “Consider this money compensation for you. After all, it must be hard liking men when you don’t.” “You must have been truly wronged.” 2. Brendan thought he could sweet-talk me like always. He didn’t expect me to block him on every single platform. He got angry too. He didn’t send me any more messages. In the past, whenever Brendan and I had a fight, I was always the one who gave in first. This time, Brendan also expected me to back down and smooth things over. Then we’d be back to normal. But he was wrong. My heart was really hardened. I wasn’t going to go back and coax him. A week passed. Brendan couldn’t take it anymore. He came to my dorm to find me. But my roommates told him I’d already moved out. Brendan froze. I wasn’t looking for him, but he blocked my path himself. The cafeteria was crowded. Brendan stood in front of me. “Move.” I said coldly. Brendan pursed his lips and looked at me for a long moment, then finally stepped aside. I found a table and sat down. I’d barely had two bites when Brendan sat across from me. “Alex, I was wrong to lie to you, but I’ve already apologized. What more do you want?” Brendan was used to being the spoiled rich kid I always pampered. He thought sending a couple of apology messages was enough to show sincerity. I lifted my eyes, sneering. “Brendan, do you still think we’re just having an argument?” Brendan flinched. He thought I was just angry he lied, so I was upset. But that sweet-talking me would fix it. He thought I was easy to appease because I used to feel guilty about him; I felt for him. So no matter how angry I got, I’d just swallow it. And tell him: “Don’t make me mad again next time.” Under Brendan’s gaze, I said slowly, word by word: “We’re over, you asshole.”

Brendan and I were middle school classmates. I never expected to meet him again in college. And in the same major, too. When he saw me in class, Brendan actually rubbed his eyes several times. As if he couldn’t believe I was there. In middle school, I was pushed aside because I was too pretty, too delicate-looking. So I didn’t talk much. Simply put, I was extremely introverted. Someone even called me an autistic orphan once. After the high school entrance exam, I moved. I went to another city for school. Brendan approached me like he’d found a kindred spirit, striking up a conversation. When he talked about middle school, he always looked embarrassed. “Alex, I was really ignorant back then. I’m sorry!” I didn’t know what Brendan was apologizing for. After all, Brendan hadn’t cursed at me like the others back then. Once we got to know each other, Brendan often came to my dorm. That day, my other roommates were all out, so I just decided to watch a gay movie. I didn’t know when Brendan arrived. When our eyes met, he looked really awkward. He stammered out, “You like guys?” Afraid he’d been too blunt. He quickly changed his wording, “I mean, not many people watch these kinds of movies…” I admitted it openly. “Yeah, I like guys.” “Oh.” Brendan didn’t say anything else. He just accidentally bumped into the door as he left.

Brendan avoided me for a month. Then he awkwardly sought me out to talk. “It’s really nothing to like guys, it’s all the same.” That was the first thing Brendan said in our chat. He thought he was comforting me. But what’s wrong with me liking guys? I don’t owe anyone anything. Even now, I don’t owe anyone anything. This meal was clearly not going to be enjoyed. When I left, Brendan kept following me. We reached the campus gate. Brendan strode forward and asked, “Why did you suddenly move out?” From that angle, I could see a small scar on Brendan’s right ear. That was before Brendan and I were together. I’d had a small conflict with someone else. They were pissed off, so they ambushed me on my way back for revenge. When Brendan arrived, I was being held down and beaten. He fought those guys like a maniac. But he was just one person. Outnumbered, Brendan got pretty beat up. When his right ear was hit, it immediately started bleeding. Those guys panicked when they saw Brendan fall. They just wanted to teach me a small lesson, not kill anyone. They ran off. Back then, Brendan went deaf. Completely unable to hear. Seeing Brendan’s questioning look, I took a step back, putting distance between us. “It’s none of your business.”

When I got home, someone was sitting in the living room. My… step-brother. Julian hadn’t even had time to change out of his work clothes; it was clear he’d rushed straight from the office. I frowned slightly. “What are you doing here?” Julian’s calm eyes met mine, completely unruffled. He placed the book he’d been casually flipping through back in its spot. He looked me up and down. “You’ve lost weight.” Julian didn’t seem to pay attention to my question. I put down my backpack. Julian handed me a glass of water. I took it and drank it all. Only then did Julian say, “Came to see you.” I lowered my gaze, sitting on the sofa. “There’s nothing to see.” The room fell silent. The tiny old house occasionally filled with the chirping of small insects. It was a bit grating. Julian looked completely out of place here. “I bought you an apartment near your university. Move in this weekend.” I just noticed the keys on the table. After staring at them for a while, I slowly looked away. “No, thanks. I’m fine living here.” “Move in.” Julian said, leaving no room for argument. I looked up, staring at Julian. Word by word, I said, “I told you, I don’t want to move there.”

“Why?” I didn’t want to owe his family anything. And I didn’t want to spend Julian’s money. I didn’t want to owe their family *anything*. And I definitely didn’t want to hear outsiders say things like, “My mom brought that dead weight kid with her when she remarried, he’s just going to fight for the inheritance.” That’s why I earned all my tuition and living expenses myself. Any money they gave me, I returned it without touching it. My throat worked, but before I could figure out what to say. I heard Julian’s voice, overly calm, ring out. “Is it because of that guy? Working three jobs a day for him, and now living off-campus, are you planning to move in with him?” Julian stared intently at me. No matter how lightly he spoke. I still caught a hint of something unusual in his tone. I looked away. Avoiding his gaze. “…None of your business.” My relationship with Julian wasn’t exactly good. But it wasn’t bad enough for us to be at each other’s throats. Just average. Julian didn’t say anything else. Soon, my brows furrowed again. “How do you know all this about me? Are you spying on me?!” Julian smirked, his eyes calm. “Do I need to spy?” Right. A piece of baggage like me, everything I do gets spread around the fastest. Especially going to a part-time job. Upper-crust society, always a damn nuisance. Since Julian knew, I didn’t care anymore. “Are you afraid I’ll embarrass your family?” I didn’t mean to say that, but I couldn’t help it. When Julian left, he didn’t take the apartment keys from the table. I looked at them for a moment. In the end, I tossed them into a drawer.

After breaking up with Brendan, I naturally didn’t have to work so many part-time jobs. I had a lot more free time. Brendan came looking for me repeatedly. It was useless. I didn’t want to deal with him at all. He stuck to me like a clingy leech. “…Alex, why are you avoiding me?” Brendan blocked my path, a stubborn look on his face. “That day, I said the wrong thing… I’m sorry, but you should give me a chance to explain.” Oh. Even his apologies were high and mighty, the spoiled rich kid. Damn it. Why didn’t I realize Brendan was such an asshole before? Or does breaking up just make it clear that an asshole is an even bigger asshole? I stared at him. I couldn’t help but scoff. “Brendan, humans get a chance to explain. Dogs don’t.” Brendan gritted his teeth: “Alex, that’s not fair…” I looked coldly at Brendan. “What’s fair? You say it’s not fair because I won’t give you a chance to explain? Brendan, do you really think you’re some main character?” “When you saw me working part-time for your ear, putting up with all those creepy customers touching me, just to get you a hearing aid, did you feel a huge sense of accomplishment?” “Did you think I suffered so much for you, was so good to you, that I was head over heels in love with you, huh?” “Did talking about playing me behind my back satisfy your vanity?” “Brendan, you’re a real asshole.” With every word I spoke, Brendan’s face grew paler. After a long moment, Brendan squeezed out a single sentence through gritted teeth, “I’m sorry.” What good is ‘sorry’? I scoffed coldly. A car parked on the street honked twice. I instinctively looked over. I saw Julian’s icy face. Julian got out of the car and walked straight towards me. My heart skipped a beat. No way? Did he come specifically to catch me? “Alex.” Julian stopped beside me. “Why did it take so long today?” Brendan’s gaze had been scrutinizing Julian. I glanced at Brendan. And just went along with Julian’s words. “Class ran a bit late.” Julian hummed, his gaze falling on Brendan, and asked me: “And this is…” Brendan seemed to snap out of it. Before I could speak, he cut Julian off. “I’m Brendan, his boyfriend!”

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I’m a top-tier litigator, or at least I was. When I handed in my resignation, everyone cheered. My resignation was approved faster than a speeding bullet. Only Chloe Sterling, an intern from my fiancé’s law firm, was visibly distressed. Ignoring everyone’s protests, she insisted on kneeling before me, begging me to stay. “Ms. Hayes,” she pleaded, her voice trembling, “even if the evidence you gathered proved useless, the legal world still needs someone with your dedication!” I scoffed, a bitter taste in my mouth, and turned my back on her. In my past life, I poured my heart and soul into defending the innocent, going to extreme lengths, risking everything to collect even the most minuscule pieces of evidence. Yet, every time I stepped into court, Chloe would stand on the opposing side, systematically dismantling my arguments, securing victories for the wicked. Powerful tycoons hailed her as a legal prodigy, while cruelly branding me a self-righteous clown for fighting for the poor. After a string of crushing defeats, the victims’ families, convinced I was deliberately sabotaging cases, kidnapped me and drowned me in the ocean. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day Chloe first sought my advice, right before our first trial.

“Stella, this case isn’t tough. I’m confident you’ll secure our eleventh consecutive win for the firm!” I snapped back to reality, seeing my boss, Mr. Harrison, beaming at me, and the familiar comfort of my office. “Don’t be so sure,” Ashley, a colleague who’d always disliked me, piped up, seizing the opportunity to mock me. “I heard the firm next door has a legal genius intern. She won countless awards in college. This time, she’s up against our chief litigator, Stella. Are you nervous?” I swayed as I stood, staring in disbelief at the scene before me. I was actually back on the day of my first clash with Chloe—the very day her legend as a legal prodigy began! Frantically, I shuffled through the evidence on my desk. It was meticulously organized, every photo accounted for. Just like in my previous life, Chloe walked into my office, a Boba tea in her hand. “Stella, this is an extra one my mentor, Leo, got when he bought his. I brought it for you! It’s my first time in court, so please, go easy on me.” In my past life, I’d drunk that tea and found myself rushing to the restroom multiple times. Had Chloe used that opportunity to peek at my case files? This time, I merely took the cup, my voice flat. “The law is merciless!” Without giving her a chance to respond, I clutched my evidence and drove straight to the courthouse. Half an hour later, Chloe and I stood on opposite sides of the courtroom. “When the victim died, the defendant claimed to be at The Nightfall Club, with a witness to corroborate his alibi. However, my investigation of the Maple Street surveillance footage yesterday shows the defendant’s car leaving the scene three minutes after the victim’s death. Defense counsel, please respond.” I presented the photos and evidence. But when I looked at Chloe, she didn’t flinch. “Your Honor, I also have the Maple Street surveillance footage here. However, the license plate on the vehicle is not that of my client. Is it possible that the plaintiff’s attorney has tampered with the surveillance evidence?” A collective gasp swept through the audience, and whispers erupted as people pointed fingers at me. Ashley shot me a middle finger. Over the next few minutes, I continued to present evidence, but Chloe countered each piece instantly, catching me completely off guard. I felt myself swaying, the room spinning. This was exactly how it had happened in my past life. It was this very lawsuit that marked the beginning of Chloe’s widespread fame as a legal prodigy. She was hailed as the goddess of justice, a true savior of the legal world. Her evidence was always impeccable, and her efficiency unmatched. What took me half a month to investigate and organize, she completed in three days, drastically cutting down client fees. “That chief litigator is a fraud! She claims to help the poor, but she’s just taking money from both sides—she can’t even win a case!” “She’s an animal, fabricating evidence and framing people! Doesn’t she fear the victims rising from their graves to drag her to hell?!” To prove my innocence, I worked tirelessly, day and night, risking life and limb to uncover the truth and evidence. But every time I entered the courtroom, Chloe either produced the evidence before me or proved that mine was fabricated. The victims’ families, believing I had taken money from the killers to intentionally frame the innocent with false evidence, banded together, kidnapped me, and drowned me in the sea. My parents, desperate to find a lawyer for my case, found all doors closed. Even my fiancé, Leo, cut ties with me. Chloe appeared in court on my behalf, telling everyone that she had found evidence proving I had committed suicide out of shame. My parents didn’t believe it. They vowed to sue Chloe and see her punished, but then they were brutally murdered by the victims’ families. Now, reborn, I would make sure Chloe exposed herself and was utterly disgraced!

“Did you hear? She’s just an intern? And she so easily beat Stella Hayes, the chief litigator!” “It’s not over yet, is it? Let’s see if Stella has any more evidence.” The discussions in the gallery grew louder, everyone eager for the outcome of the lawsuit. My face was pale as I waited for the judge’s final verdict. When the word “lose” reached my ears, a murmur of shock and suspicion rippled through the audience. Mr. Harrison walked down from the bench, a look of disappointment on his face, patting my shoulder encouragingly. “Maybe you’ve been working too hard lately. Take a couple of days off!” “How could the chief litigator lose to an intern? Were all her previous wins just flukes?” Listening to the audience’s speculation, I tried to calm myself. Since I’d been given a second chance at life, I would proceed cautiously, step by step, to find a flaw in her methods. Chloe couldn’t possibly have beaten me through legitimate means. How else could her evidence align perfectly with mine? I suspected Leo, my fiancé, might have looked at my evidence at home for the sake of his law firm. After two days of rest, Mr. Harrison assigned me another case. This time, I dared not go home. I always avoided Leo’s return times, and I locked all my evidence in a safe. Even when going out to investigate, I was extremely cautious, never driving myself. Ashley mocked me, calling me crazy and paranoid, saying I never went home. But I felt foolproof. This time, no one knew my whereabouts, and no one could access my evidence. I simply refused to believe that Chloe could use my own evidence against me this time. Full of confidence, I stepped into the courtroom again. I meticulously laid out my evidence, connecting all the clues and motives, leading to the undeniable conclusion that the defendant was the murderer. But Chloe remained perfectly calm. I started to feel uneasy. Could she… When I finished, she again presented evidence, completely demolishing mine. Ultimately, I lost again. Thunderous applause erupted from the gallery, crushing me, leaving me breathless. After court, she walked toward me, a smile playing on her lips. “Stella, I guess I win again!” This time, I had been incredibly careful, even avoiding going home, so the problem wasn’t with Leo. I calmly reconsidered. Perhaps, since the cases were similar and Leo and I were classmates and partners, our thoughts might align. So, he might have guided Chloe on where to find case breakthroughs. The moment I took on a new case, I immediately asked for the name of the opposing counsel. As long as it wasn’t Chloe Sterling, my evidence would be impeccable. So, I boldly resumed my investigation, from surveillance footage of every street the victim walked down, to questioning people at every mall they passed through. I desperately collected every usable clue and piece of evidence, ensuring nothing was overlooked. Ashley sneered, “Didn’t you refuse to go home last time, afraid someone would steal your evidence? Why are you throwing caution to the wind now?” I ignored her, focusing solely on organizing my evidence into a cohesive chain. This time, I was certain I would win this case! I found out that Chloe didn’t know I had taken on this case, and I breathed a sigh of relief. But just as I presented half of my evidence in court, the opposing lawyer began to crumble under my relentless assault. After a one-hour recess, the defense attorney was replaced by Chloe. The result, as you can imagine, was the same: my evidence was once again completely overturned by Chloe. I sank back into my seat at the defense table, disbelief washing over me, as I met the disappointed gazes of the victims’ families. How could Chloe have done it so perfectly when she clearly hadn’t had time to investigate? Chloe, meanwhile, accepted the defendant’s praises with a radiant smile, showing no signs of anything amiss. I was beyond thinking. The public’s curses made me feel like life wasn’t worth living. Leo, seeing my disheveled state, frowned in displeasure. “Stella, is it so hard to admit you’re not as good? Who are you putting on this act for?” I had so much to say, but no words came out. Chloe linked her arm through his. “Don’t be so hard on Stella, Leo. I’ve seen how hard she works. She’s just not as naturally gifted!” She turned to him, her voice sweet. “You promised to take me out to celebrate if I won this case! Stella, want to join us?” Leo glanced at me dismissively, his tone commanding. “You should go home and rest for a few days. You’ve been obsessing lately! Maybe you should just focus on planning our wedding and starting a family. If you don’t have Chloe’s talent, don’t force it!” I couldn’t bear to meet the eyes of Mr. Harrison or my colleagues. An inexplicable dread filled me when I thought of Chloe’s abilities. But I couldn’t find a single flaw in her methods. I had tried almost every possible way. How was Chloe doing it? 4. From that day on, the firm gradually stopped assigning me cases. Everyone started treating me like I was invisible. Even Mr. Harrison began secretly contacting Chloe, trying to lure her to our firm. My private office was emptied out, too, supposedly to make room for someone more capable. My life became a torrent of mockery and curses. Chloe visited me once during this period. She leaned in close, her eyes brimming with disdain. “Aren’t you feeling helpless? Without a clue?” She whispered, “Stella, you just can’t compare to me! Your reputation, even your fiancé—I’m taking it all!” Chloe’s fame spread back to our alma mater. The prestigious alumni spotlight, which had once belonged to me, now featured Chloe’s name. And the invitation I’d received last month to speak at the school’s sharing session was rescinded; they informed me of a last-minute change. In an instant, Chloe was basking in glory, while I felt like I was sinking into quicksand. Just then, someone came knocking, specifically asking for me to be their defense attorney. “Ms. Hayes, I know you can help me. I don’t have much money, but for my mother’s case, I only trust you!” I recognized the girl, Maya Rodriguez. It was a sexual assault case where I had helped send her stepfather to prison, finally freeing her and her mother. Ashley rolled her eyes from the side. “She’s notorious now, no one dares to represent her. Little girl, anyone else here would be better than her. At least we wouldn’t lose to a fresh graduate! And we certainly wouldn’t lose three cases in a row!” But Maya said with unwavering conviction, “My mind is made up. I believe in Ms. Hayes!” Mr. Harrison called me into his office, giving me a stern talking-to. “Stella, this is your last chance to turn things around. You know once your reputation is ruined, no one will hire you for cases. Our firm doesn’t keep dead weight.” His words were ruthless, and they placed an immense pressure on me. I swore to him that if I lost this case, I would change professions! I worked day and night, even infiltrating the private club where Maya’s mother worked. After being plied with over a dozen drinks, I finally got some crucial information out of a big shot. The perpetrator, it turned out, was a wealthy heir. I gritted my teeth. No one is above the law. If I had enough evidence, I could definitely send him to prison. On the day of the trial, countless media cameras focused on me. “Chief Litigator’s career in a do-or-die battle. Will she make a comeback?” Seeing Maya’s tear-filled eyes in the gallery, my resolve hardened. I had never been defeated before. Armed with my evidence, I was unstoppable in court. Just when I thought victory was finally within my grasp, Chloe rushed into the opposing counsel’s seat. My breath hitched. A terrible premonition flooded my mind. Chloe and I were locked in a stalemate. I gripped the solid proof in my hand that would nail the wealthy heir as the culprit. But Chloe merely offered a faint smile. “This last piece of evidence in your hand… it must be the footprints in the private club’s restroom, right?” Her smile widened, laced with a predatory edge. “Too bad. My client has a high-low gait; his right foot doesn’t fully touch the ground. So, those footprints on the floor aren’t his.” My head exploded. Even before I presented it, she knew exactly what evidence I held. After the judge announced the verdict, I looked into the gallery, but Maya was gone. My skin crawled, my heart pounding uncontrollably.

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Everyone in the city’s most powerful circles knew Julian Sterling was obsessed with my skin, pristine as moonlight. He even splurged a fortune to build a suspended crystal palace, just so he could sketch the most exquisite artworks on my body as dusk bled into night. He called me his greatest living masterpiece. But masterpieces, once touched by the mundane, become flawed. So, in the inferno that consumed his entire art gallery, he chose to salvage the cold canvases, leaving me to burn in the flames. As I lay dying on the frigid operating table, I heard his voice crystal clear, addressing the surgeon— “Be careful. Don’t ruin this skin.” “Seraphina is waiting to wear it.” They all believed I had turned to ash in that fire. But I came back. From the scorched earth, I rose again, a broken body reborn, and I came back for revenge. At the Sterling Corp’s charity gala, I saw my skin. It was on another woman. I wore an artistic veil, watching my ex-husband, Julian Sterling, with his new arm candy, Seraphina Hayes, as they stole the spotlight. Under the flashing lights, the skin on Seraphina’s back was flawless and luminous, so beautiful it was impossible to look away. It shimmered like pure moonlight, earning it the media’s nickname, “Moonlight Skin.” But it was mine. My gloved fingertips curled into a tight fist. The agonizing pain of being flayed alive three years ago felt like it was tearing through my nerves all over again. Julian basked in the admiring glances. He wrapped an arm around Seraphina, speaking in that familiar, overly sincere, utterly fake tone of his: “Many of you know my deceased wife, Stella Nova, once possessed the most perfect skin in the world.” I almost laughed out loud. Deceased wife? His gaze burned with feverish admiration as he caressed Seraphina’s back. “Now, medicine has allowed her to be reborn, in a different way.” The entire hall erupted in applause. They praised love, they praised technology, they praised a man’s devotion to his deceased wife. No one seemed to think it was utterly horrifying that a madman had flayed his wife and sewn her skin onto his mistress. The hatred churned in my gut. Just then, the host called out my new name. “Next, please welcome the rising entrepreneur, Ms. Blair Thorne, for her address!” It was my turn. I smoothed down my black gown and walked onto the stage. Each step of my heels was precise, firm, like I was treading on my enemies’ hearts. I took the microphone. My voice, hoarse from the fire, carried a strange, piercing quality through the speakers. “Hello everyone, I’m Blair Thorne.” My gaze swept over everyone, locking directly onto Seraphina. She seemed to squirm under my stare. “I’ve just returned to the country. I heard Mr. Sterling had acquired a truly exquisite treasure, and seeing it today, it certainly lives up to its reputation.” I paused, then smiled, changing my tone. “It’s just that I have a peculiar little hobby when it comes to collecting.” “I always believe that an object truly becomes art only when it’s placed in the right setting. If it’s placed in the wrong one…” I paused again, then spoke each word clearly, distinctly: “Then it’s just… trash… draped in human skin.” I watched with satisfaction as Seraphina’s face instantly drained of color. Only then did I turn my attention to Julian Sterling. His composure had shattered, and he was staring at me, utterly transfixed. I offered him a sweet smile. “Mr. Sterling, wouldn’t you agree?” The entire room fell silent. I glided off the stage, stepping over everyone’s stunned expressions. As I passed him, I leaned in, blowing a whisper into his ear, a sound only he could hear. “That gossamer silk is high-end.” “And frankly, not just any cheap imitation deserves to be wrapped in it.” I felt his body stiffen, his breath catching in his throat. With an even softer, more venomous voice, I delivered my blessing. “Julian Sterling, your new collection piece…” “Looks like it’s rotting already.” … The gala, naturally, ended in disarray. I, the madwoman who dared to publicly humiliate Julian Sterling, became the city’s hottest gossip. And Julian? He wasted no time trying to reclaim his dignity.

At my new brand “Phoenix Rising” launch event, he showed up conspicuously with Seraphina. Seraphina wore a backless gown, her “Moonlight Skin” on full display. The entire press corps’ flashbulbs seemed to gravitate towards them. What truly sickened me was the familiar scent clinging to her. ‘Moonlight Whispers’. It had been my proudest creation, a perfume I’d blended exclusively for Julian. Catalyzed by my body temperature, it released a unique, cool yet lingering base note. That scent was Stella Nova and Julian Sterling’s exclusive memory. Now, that memory was being brazenly sprayed by a crude impersonator. Julian’s Adam’s apple bobbed. The look in his eyes as he gazed at Seraphina held infatuation, but also a fleeting hint of confusion. Because the scent was off. It was missing the most crucial ingredient. My body temperature. My soul. Seraphina, oblivious, clung to Julian’s arm and deliberately walked up to me, showing off. “Ms. Thorne, what a coincidence. Do you also like ‘Moonlight Whispers’?” “Julian says it’s the most beautiful scent he’s ever smelled.” I looked at her face, which was practically screaming provocation, and smiled. “Is that so?” “Yet, I always feel that fakes, no matter how good, never quite make the cut.” Soon, the launch officially began. I stood under the spotlight, holding a bottle of perfume, its dark liquid swirling within. “Thank you all for attending the Phoenix Rising launch event.” “Returning to ashes, then reborn.” My voice, a little raspy from the fire, was exceptionally clear through the microphone. “Today, I’m only introducing one product.” I raised the bottle in my hand and lightly pressed the sprayer into the air. “Its name is ‘Heart Ablaze’.” A strange fragrance instantly permeated the air. It wasn’t any kind of floral or woody scent. The top note was the scorching heat of a raging fire. The middle note was the icy coldness of betrayal piercing through bone. The base note was the scent of dead ashes, after everything had settled. “It was created to commemorate a lost love.” My gaze, dark and lingering, fell on Seraphina. “The top note is love, the middle note is betrayal, and the base note is ashes.” “What’s even more interesting is, it can awaken memories.” “It contains a special catalyst that can resonate in a magical way with certain ‘borrowed elements’.” As soon as the words left my lips, I aimed the perfume sprayer into the air and pressed it again. The fine, misty spray of perfume descended like a gentle rain, settling softly on everyone’s hair and shoulders. But the moment it touched Seraphina, a drastic change occurred! “Ah!” A piercing scream ripped through the venue. Seraphina’s flawless, luminous “Moonlight Skin” erupted in large, visible red rashes. It was as if countless invisible poisoned needles were brutally stabbing her. The imitation perfume on her, catalyzed by ‘Heart Ablaze’, transformed into a nauseating, putrid stench! The beautiful masterpiece, before everyone’s eyes, became a piece of rotting flesh! “It itches! It hurts so bad!” Seraphina shrieked in terror, frantically clawing at her back, instantly leaving streaks of blood. The entire hall erupted in chaos! Reporters’ flashlights flickered madly, capturing the horrifying scene. “Security! A doctor!” Julian Sterling’s face was ashen as he clutched a nearly hysterical Seraphina. Then he lunged onto the stage, grabbing my wrist with a force that threatened to crush my bones. Those eyes, once filled with false affection, now held only bloodshot terror. He stared at me, rigid. “What did you do?!” “Who… who exactly are you?!” Julian Sterling’s voice was tinged with a rare loss of control. I stood in the center of the stage, meeting his furious gaze, but offered no reply. Instead, I slowly, chillingly, offered him a cold, mysterious smile.

I turned and walked off the stage, crisp and decisive. My silence firmly hooked Julian Sterling’s sanity. And the real show had only just begun. After the launch event, I gave him a full three days to spiral. For those three days, the name “Blair Thorne” and her almost insane debut were the talk of the entire city’s elite. And the real lunatic, Julian Sterling, mobilized every connection he had, practically turning the city upside down to find me. But “Blair Thorne” seemed to have sprung from thin air, with no past, no traces. His punches landed in empty space, only fueling his deeper anxiety. Meanwhile, my second grand gift to him was quietly “blooming” in that lavish crystal villa. Seraphina was completely locked away by him. My private investigator told me that the best dermatologists in the city were sent to the villa, one after another, only to leave, one after another, at their wit’s end. The rashes were like a curse rooted in her flesh and blood; they didn’t subside but intensified. The catalyst in ‘Heart Ablaze’ specifically targeted the immune rejection of allogeneic transplanted skin. Medically, it’s called an “Accelerated Chronic Rejection Serum.” My little gift to Seraphina? She’d never get rid of it. Just as Julian Sterling’s patience and sanity were stretched to their limits. On the evening of the fourth day, I sent him a text: “Want answers? Meet me at our old spot.” Our old spot was the ruins of the burnt-down suspended art gallery. Three years ago, our love was buried there. Today, I would bury him there. The ruins were littered with broken steel beams, and the charred walls still bore the marks of the inferno from back then. Julian Sterling’s steps faltered slightly. He stopped about five meters in front of me, scrutinizing me warily. He hoarsely repeated the question from three days ago, but his tone now carried a hint of despair: “Who are you, really? Why are you hurting Seraphina?” I chuckled softly. “Hurting? Mr. Sterling, that’s an interesting way to put it. I merely let her experience firsthand what ‘rejection’ feels like.” “What are you talking about?!” “Don’t you, of all people, understand medicine? Don’t you know what the biggest risk of allogeneic transplantation is?” “It’s rejection, Julian Sterling.” His pupils constricted sharply. “You…” “What, did something click?” I took a step towards him, radiating the chill of hell. “Those things you said to the surgeon on the operating table three years ago, do you remember them?” Julian Sterling’s face completely lost its color. He trembled, taking a step back, as if he’d seen a ghost. “No… impossible, Stella is dead, I saw her with my own eyes…” “You saw her what?” I stood directly in front of him, slowly raising my hand. “Saw her burn to death? Or saw her flayed alive?” I lifted my hand, and my veil slipped. A face emerged, a tapestry of charred and newly formed flesh, crisscrossed with scars, like shattered porcelain forcibly reassembled. Some areas were newly pink, tender flesh, others were permanently carbonized, a disturbing yet shattered beauty. Julian Sterling froze. His eyes were wide, his Adam’s apple bobbed, his lips trembled, but no sound escaped him, as if his soul had been ripped from his body. “Well?” I gently caressed my disfigured cheek, my movements as tender as if I were touching a priceless artifact. “Between that perfect ‘Moonlight Skin’ and my ‘Shattered Porcelain’ reborn from fire, which one do you prefer?” I pointed towards the distant crystal villa, a cruel smile on my face. “One is my unique work of art; the other is a rotting fake.” “Mr. Sterling, the great collector, which do you choose?”

Julian Sterling finally managed to make a sound: “Ste…Stella…” “Wrong name,” I corrected him with a smile. “Now, I’m Blair Thorne. Stella Nova was burned to death by your and Seraphina Hayes’s own hands in that fire three years ago.” He instinctively reached out to me, wanting to touch my face, but his fingertips stopped an inch short in mid-air. Not because of its ugliness. But because that beauty, fractured to its extreme, once again ignited the twisted possessiveness deep within him. His eyes began to gleam, his breathing grew quick and shallow, and that familiar madness reignited in his pupils: “Even… even more perfect…” I watched the familiar, twisted fervor in his eyes and finally couldn’t help but burst into laughter. “Julian Sterling, you truly are still that pervert.” “No, *this* is true art!” His voice held a sick fascination. “Stella, look, the marks the flames left on you are more perfect than any sculpture. This beauty, reborn from breakage, is practically God’s masterpiece!” I looked at his gleaming eyes, and a wave of nausea rolled in my stomach. He was starting again. Three years ago, he had looked at my skin the same way, with that collector’s appraisal. “Come back to me!” He stretched out his hand, his voice laced with commanding fervor. “I’ll make you a unique collection piece, grander than ever before!” “I’ll build a larger exhibition hall for you!” “Let the whole world come and admire this priceless treasure!” “Enough.” I took a step back, my voice as cold as a blade. Julian Sterling was unmoved; instead, he laughed with even greater abandon. “Are you still angry?” “That’s all in the past.” “Seraphina was just a replacement, a failed imitation.” “You are my true love, my most precious collection.” He said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world. As if being flayed was my honor. I pulled out my phone from my pocket and played an audio recording. Dr. Maxwell Vance’s clear voice echoed from the phone. “Object-induced Art Phobia is a rare psychological condition.” “Patients develop extreme fear of specific art pieces.” “This fear often stems from traumatic memories and can be activated through specific trigger words…” Julian Sterling frowned, scoffing. “Playing mind games.” “You think these psychology tricks can scare me?” I turned off the recording and said softly. “Are you sure?” Then, I spoke the hypnotic command phrase Dr. Maxwell Vance had carefully designed, word for word. “The operating table is on fire.” The effect was instantaneous. Julian Sterling’s body froze. His breathing grew ragged, his eyes wide with terror. “No… impossible…” He began to cough violently, clutching his head with both hands. “Scalpel… fire… fire everywhere…” I watched silently as he fell to his knees. Trembling uncontrollably. This once arrogant collector was now like a startled wild animal. “How do you like it, Mr. Sterling?” “Now do you know what fear feels like?” His eyes were filled with incomprehensible terror. His lips quivered, unable to form a word. I stood up, looking down at him. “This is just an appetizer.” “Every day from now on, you’ll live in this fear.” “The moment you see a scalpel, the moment you smell disinfectant.” “Even just hearing the word ‘surgery’.” “You’ll remember that fire.” “What… what did you do to me?” Julian Sterling barely managed to squeeze out the words, his voice utterly hoarse. “You tell me?”

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When I performed the pre-marital health screening for my best friend, Chloe, she tested positive for HIV. Her eyes were red-rimmed as she begged me not to tell her boyfriend, Derek: “Stella, please don’t tell him. I love him so much. He’s the one for me. If he knows, he’ll never marry me.” Bound by my professional duty, I strongly advised her to inform him herself. She swore up and down that she would. In the medical recommendation section of the report, I wrote: [Marriage deferred / Not advisable for procreation]. A month later, Derek, leading eighteen other men, stormed into my office, furious. They hacked at me twenty-eight times. Every single blow was meant to kill. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Chloe standing by the door, a look of pure schadenfreude on her face. “Serves you right!” she sneered. Even after I died, their rage wasn’t sated. They didn’t even leave a complete body. They stuffed my dismembered remains into black garbage bags and dumped them in the city’s grimiest corners. Reborn, I found myself back at the moment Chloe and Derek came for their pre-marital health screening. Again, I wrote “Marriage deferred / Not advisable for procreation.” I closed my eyes, hiding the hatred boiling within, and swore to make every single one of them pay in blood. 0

“Stella, Derek and I are getting our marriage license today, so we’re here for our pre-marital check-up.” Sitting at my desk, I spun my pen, my mind a blank. I vividly remembered the sheer terror as Derek’s knife slashed towards my neck, the agonizing, soul-ripping pain when it tore through my chest. I was just pain. I couldn’t do anything else. The other eighteen men held me down, each taking a turn with their knives, butchering me like a slaughterhouse animal. Dark red blood splattered the walls, the floor a gruesome mosaic of minced flesh and limbs. A split second before my heart stopped, Derek hacked off my head and tossed it out the window. It bounced on the ground, and then, I felt nothing more. After my death, they still weren’t satisfied. They dismembered me further, stuffed me into black garbage bags, and tossed me into various sewers. I remembered their cruel, brutal faces with chilling clarity. “Stella! Stella Smith!” A familiar female voice dragged me out of the bloody, painful haze. I looked up to meet her worried eyes, catching a glimpse of Derek engrossed in his phone. The scene of them hacking me to pieces flashed before my eyes again. My nails dug into my palm, blood dripping onto the desk. The pain was less than a thousandth of what it felt like to be butchered alive. Seeing my ten fingers, perfectly intact. I was certain. I was reborn. “Stella, are you sick? You look so pale.” Chloe’s face was etched with concern as she reached out to touch my forehead. My body instinctively flinched away. *Screech!* My chair scraped across the floor, tipping backward. I crashed to the ground. “Stella, what’s wrong with you?” I swallowed the hatred churning in my gut, the words “Serves you right!” echoing in my mind. I couldn’t understand. I’d just written a medical report. How did *that* warrant such a fate? Ignoring her concern, I turned to ask my boss for leave. Seeing my pale face and cold sweat, clearly not faking it, my boss urged me to go to the hospital immediately. Just as I stepped out of the office, Chloe, who had been waiting by the door, grabbed my arm. Her fingertips dug into my flesh. I quickly yanked my arm away, keeping my head down, refusing to look at her. I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to stop myself from grabbing anything nearby and just ending her right there. Chloe stepped forward, trying to link arms with me again. “Stella, are you not feeling well?” I dodged her, catching a fleeting glimpse of a dark glint in her eyes. “Yeah, I need to go to the hospital first.” She reached for my hand again. I tried to shake her off. Having just reborn and now seeing those two demonic faces that terrified me. The sheer terror made me utterly powerless; I couldn’t get free. Chloe dragged me aside, looked around to ensure no one was watching, and then lowered her voice, scolding me. “Stella, what’s going on? I specifically arranged with Derek to come to *your* clinic for our check-up today because I knew you were working. How could you just leave?” My eyes widened in disbelief. We’d known each other since kindergarten, at three years old, inseparable until high school graduation. Even when we went to different cities for college, we called and Snapchatted every day. She’d had one breakup back then, and after it, she changed her Ins bio to “Sleep with all handsome men.” I worried she was falling apart, worried something bad would happen to her. I called every day to check on her, comforted her, told her jokes, hoping she’d get through it. Until one day, she said she was over the breakup. I was happy for her. Then her roommate told me to talk some sense into her, to tell her to value herself. That’s when I found out she’d started a “new boyfriend every week” routine. Later, she got bored and it turned into “one-night stands.” “Sleep with all handsome men” became her favorite motto. Ever since I learned about her countless one-night stands, both as a best friend and a doctor, I’d pleaded with her countless times. Not to change boyfriends so often, to always be safe, to always use protection. Every time, she promised she would. Then her roommate would send me a recording of her cursing me out in the dorm, saying I was nosy. Our childhood friendship gradually faded. Calls and Snapchats went from several a day, to once every two days, then once a week, and eventually, once a month. The last time we saw each other was six months ago. In my previous life, when she came for the check-up, I thought it was just a coincidence. I didn’t think much of it then. Now I understood. Chloe knew she had HIV all along. I stared intently into her eyes, not missing a single expression, and probed: “It’s just a check-up. If you’re healthy, what’s there to be afraid of?” 0Chloe rubbed her nose, a flicker of guilt in her eyes, and chuckled awkwardly: “Of course I’m healthy! What disease could I possibly have? You’re my absolute best friend, I just really, really wanted your blessing here.” I masked the raging hatred in my eyes, wanting to confirm my suspicions once more. “I already blessed you. If you’re healthy, it doesn’t matter who your check-up doctor is. I don’t feel well, I’m going to the hospital first.” This time, I would never put myself in danger again. She held onto my arm, a playful grin on her face. “Hehe! How can my health be more important than our wedding, right, Derek?” But I felt a deep malice in her words.

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In my previous life, Violet Martin and my sister Camille Martin each rescued an egg. Camille hatched an ice serpent named Kevin Walker, while I hatched a fire phoenix named Carlos McCoy. However, Camille stole Carlos from me. No one expected that shortly after, we’d face an apocalyptic heatwave. Camille lost her life to the scorching heat. Before dying, she manipulated Kevin into strangling me to death. Unexpectedly, we were reborn on the day those two eggs were about to hatch. In this life, Camille beat me to it and seized Kevin first. She thought that possessing the ice serpent would allow her to easily survive this deadly heat catastrophe. But what she didn’t know was that Kevin needed to consume fresh blood daily to maintain his supernatural abilities. ***** When I opened my eyes, there was no suffocating heatwave around me. The painful memories of being drained of blood and strangled to death in my previous life remained vivid. I glanced at Kevin beside me and couldn’t help but shiver. According to beast clan tradition, they must marry their saviors. I should have married Carlos, but because Camille found Kevin’s appearance repulsive, she seized Carlos first. However, no one anticipated that a month later, the global climate would suddenly change, with extreme heat sweeping the world. Kevin possessed cooling abilities that could drastically lower the temperature within a three-meter radius around him. Carlos’s abilities were the exact opposite of Kevin’s. Camille stole Carlos, who rightfully belonged to me, yet died from the heat during the apocalyptic heatwave. I only survived because of Kevin’s cooling abilities. Before dying, Camille was convinced I had stolen her husband and incited Kevin to kill me on her deathbed. I was about to say “Carlos is mine.” But Camille interrupted: “Kevin is the one I hatched! I want Kevin! You can have Carlos!” Watching Camille eagerly link arms with Kevin, I immediately understood—she had been reborn too. I smiled slightly. I was just worrying about finding an opportunity to reclaim Carlos from her. Camille only knew that Kevin possessed cooling abilities, but she didn’t know this power required daily consumption of human blood to maintain. Worse yet, Kevin’s fangs contained deadly venom, making each feeding session feel like torture. The toxins would seep into the bloodstream, causing unbearable agony. In my previous life, when Camille incited Kevin against me, I was already on the verge of death from blood loss. In a way, I should thank Camille for letting me die quickly. In this life, let Camille experience the daily torment of being fed upon by venomous fangs. In my previous life, Kevin was extremely reluctant when I took him away, only becoming my husband reluctantly due to clan rules. But in this life, when he heard Camille was willing to take him in, he eagerly ran to her side before I could respond, his forked tongue flicking out. Seeing me watching him, he spoke coldly: “Violet, since Camille is willing to take me home, I belong to her now. Stop pestering me.” I narrowed my eyes. It seemed I wasn’t the only one who had been reborn, along with Camille. After hearing this, Camille looked at me smugly: “How about it, Violet? This is Kevin’s choice. Just take that phoenix and go home.” I said: “Sure, Camille. Since you like him, how could I refuse?” As she walked past me, she gave me a haughty glance, then leaned down to whisper in my ear: “Violet, you don’t know yet, do you? The apocalyptic heatwave is coming again soon. If you’re willing to kneel at my feet and beg me, I might consider letting you have Kevin for a few days.” I laughed inwardly. She probably didn’t know why Kevin had chosen her.

I looked toward Carlos, who was huddled in the corner. Poor Carlos had been trembling uncontrollably since the moment he hatched, for reasons unknown, and only calmed down slightly when he heard Camille say she wanted Kevin. I didn’t feel like wasting more words on Kevin and Camille, so I took Carlos by the hand and headed outside. Carlos asked, “Violet, do you really want me?” I reached out to pat his head, but he instinctively shrank back. He looked at me with terror in his eyes: “I didn’t mean to, please don’t hit me, okay?” As he spoke, he struggled to control his trembling body, slowly extending his head toward my hand. I said, “Carlos, what’s wrong with you? Why would I hit you?” Suddenly, I understood—Carlos had been reborn too. I said, “Carlos, did Camille—” “Don’t mention her, don’t mention her…” Carlos seemed triggered by my words, curling up in pain, blood even seeping from his eyes. Seeing him like this, I understood completely—Camille must have abused him. I gently pulled him into my arms, patting his wings: “It’s okay, it’s okay.” After his trembling gradually subsided, I spoke softly: “Carlos, let’s go home. It’s just that my place is a bit far, and there’s no car here, so I’m afraid you’ll have to walk with me for a while.” I looked at Carlos apologetically—financially, I really couldn’t compare to Camille. She had forced our parents to use all their savings to buy her a house and car, while I could only rent an apartment. Carlos blinked and spoke timidly: “Violet, if you don’t mind, let me take you home.” As he spoke, he bent down, gesturing for me to climb onto his back. I felt a bit embarrassed. He said, “It’s okay, come on up. I’ll fly us back together.” Carlos was so earnest that I had no choice but to climb onto his back. I said, “Carlos, I’ll tell you which way to fly.” He said, “No need, Violet. I know where your home is.” I was puzzled and was about to ask how he knew, when he already spoke: “Violet, we’re home.” “Already?” I was amazed by his flying speed: “That’s even faster than an airplane.” “What’s an airplane compared to me? I’m a Phoenix.” Carlos lifted his face proudly. This was the first time I really looked at him closely. He appeared innocent and naive, with a childlike innocence on his face, unlike Kevin, whose eyes always harbored a predatory gleam. “Violet, aren’t you going to praise me?” He looked at me, his eyes carrying a hint of expectation. I sighed softly: “Carlos, you’re so good-natured. How could she bear to treat you that way?” As soon as the words left my mouth, I realized I’d said the wrong thing. Sure enough, when I looked at Carlos again, his previously bright eyes had already dimmed. I hurriedly apologized: “I’m sorry, Carlos. I didn’t mean to bring her up.” Carlos smiled bitterly: “Violet, tell me, am I a useless Phoenix?” Without waiting for my answer, he continued: “Camille said I was useless, that I only made her hotter and hotter, unlike Kevin. She said it was all my fault that ruined her. She plucked my feathers one by one, stabbed me with needles, used pliers to break my beak, and finally broke my wings and threw me outside to fend for myself. “Compared to Kevin, am I really that inferior? Violet, why did you still bring me back? I’m just a useless Phoenix.” Though I had guessed that Camille had abused him, I never imagined she could be so vicious. She was the one who chose Carlos in the first place—who could have predicted the extreme heat apocalypse? How could she blame everything on him? I said, “No, Carlos, listen to me—it’s not like she said. You’re wonderful, you’re so much better than Kevin.” “I know you’re just comforting me. It’s okay, I’m much better now.” Carlos forced a smile, afraid I might worry. I shook my head: “I’m not just comforting you. You really are ten thousand times better than Kevin. Let me tell you a secret—actually, I was reborn too.”

Carlos’s eyes instantly lit up. I told Carlos everything about how Kevin had abused me in my previous life—how he drained my blood day after day, ultimately killing me brutally. Carlos looked extremely shocked after hearing this. “How could this happen? According to beastman tradition, we must be absolutely loyal to our benefactors. No matter how they treat us, we must endure it. Breaking this rule brings extremely severe punishment. How dare he treat you like that?” I shook my head with a bitter smile. “I don’t understand either. What exactly is this punishment you mentioned?” “I’m not sure of the specifics, but I know the consequences are very serious.” “Forget it, let’s not think about that.” I pulled Carlos to sit down on the sofa. “The extreme heat apocalypse is coming soon. Shouldn’t we prepare something?” Carlos and I discussed it for a while. Buying air conditioners was obviously useless—during the heat apocalypse, power and water systems would have collapsed long ago. In the end, I decided to return to the old house in the countryside and dig a very deep cellar. Cellars stay cool in summer and warm in winter. Most importantly, they don’t need any equipment to provide cooling, making them perfect for shelter. Carlos was not only fast but also incredibly strong. In less than a week, he had dug out a very deep cellar. Even more fortunately, during the excavation we struck groundwater. This way, both temperature and water source problems were solved. I rode on Carlos’s back, slowly descending to the deepest part of the cellar. As soon as I went down, a cool breeze hit me, forming a stark contrast to the scorching heat above ground. Seeing me shivering from the cold, Carlos immediately activated his ability, adjusting the surrounding temperature to a comfortable level. “Now that temperature and water are solved, what about food?” I asked. “That’s easy! I’ll dig another, larger cellar nearby and plant seeds underground. With artificial light and groundwater, when the heat apocalypse comes, the temperature there will be perfect for plant growth. We just need to stockpile a month’s worth of food in advance, and once the seeds grow, we’ll be set.” Carlos and I worked together, finally completing all preparations before the heat apocalypse arrived. Tomorrow would be the day the extreme heat apocalypse descended. I held Carlos close, lying on the large bed in the cellar, quietly waiting for that moment to arrive. The next morning, I clearly felt the temperature in the cellar had warmed up, changing from initially being too cold to a comfortable temperature. Carlos stretched lazily on the bed. “Finally, I don’t have to use my ability every day. I’ve been using it constantly these past few days—my phoenix blood is almost depleted.” I said in shock, “Carlos, you mean using your ability requires consuming blood?” “Yeah, just like when you play games and consume energy, we need to consume blood to use our abilities.” I looked at Carlos with both heartache and guilt. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier? I could have handled being cold for a few days.” After spending a month with me, Carlos was no longer as timid and fearful as he had been initially. He directly reached out and pinched my cheek. “I knew it—if I told you, you definitely wouldn’t have let me do it.” Looking at Carlos before me, my emotions were complicated. I thought, “Why is there such a huge difference between Kevin and Carlos when they’re both beastmen?” In my previous life, I had never complained to Kevin about the heat—it was he who couldn’t tolerate the high temperatures and insisted on using his ability. But the ability he used actually consumed my blood. Thinking of this, I couldn’t help but sigh softly, “I wonder how Camille is doing.” According to my previous life’s trajectory, today should be the first day Camille gets her blood drained. It’s really a shame I can’t see her suffering. Carlos seemed to see through my thoughts. “Camille? Let me show you something interesting.” As Carlos spoke, he mysteriously handed me a mirror I couldn’t see clearly. I asked curiously, “What is this? A mirror?” I examined the mirror from all angles, unable to see what was special about it. Carlos breathed fire onto the mirror, and it immediately became clear. The mirror actually showed the figures of Camille and Kevin. Seeing I was still somewhat confused, Carlos explained, “This is a treasure of the phoenix clan, similar to your human surveillance, but it doesn’t need internet or electricity.” I nodded, staring intently at the scene in the mirror. I saw Camille leaning against Kevin, drenched in sweat, constantly complaining, “I’m dying of heat! Kevin, don’t you have a cooling ability? Hurry up and use it.” Kevin pressed his lips together, and my heart tightened. This was his sign of impatience, and also the precursor to him draining blood. A sinister smile spread across his face as he stared at Camille with predatory eyes. “You’re the one asking me to use my ability. Don’t regret it later.” Camille said impatiently, “Just use it already, I’m dying from the heat!”

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In my previous life, on the day my sister Lydia Snyder and I were supposed to take the SAT, I was late because I stopped to help an elderly man named Bentley Griffin who had fallen on the roadside, missing my chance to take the exam. I never expected that Bentley would turn out to be the wealthiest man in New Jersey. To repay my life-saving kindness, he adopted me as his goddaughter and included me in his will as an heir. I became the daughter of a wealthy family. Meanwhile, Lydia chose not to help the man. Though she made it to the exam on time, she was in poor condition and failed to get into college, eventually ending up working in a factory. She was consumed with jealousy toward me. On the day I inherited the family fortune, she pushed me off a high-rise building, killing me. When I opened my eyes again and saw Lydia immediately rushing toward the fallen Bentley, I understood—she had been reborn too. But what she didn’t know was that while saving Bentley wasn’t difficult, becoming his goddaughter and getting into his will wouldn’t be so easy! ***** Opening my eyes again, I found myself back on the day of the SAT exam. Before I could fully process what was happening, I saw Lydia beside me already running toward the fallen Bentley. I walked over leisurely. A triumphant smile spread across Lydia’s face: “Sophia, this time the position of the tycoon’s daughter is definitely mine.” I smiled faintly: “Then I’ll head to the exam room first. Don’t miss your test time.” Lydia froze, seemingly never expecting that I wouldn’t compete with her for this opportunity. Not only that, but before entering the exam room, I personally called an ambulance for her. Completely bewildered, she couldn’t figure out what was going on, thinking I was deliberately provoking her. She shouted at me: “You think getting into a good college actually matters? The inheritance I’m about to receive is more money than you could earn in a lifetime!” I waved my hand without looking back: “Then good luck to you.” In my previous life, I had experienced this exact same scene. Back then, I didn’t hesitate to stay and accompany Bentley to the hospital. While Lydia stood by making sarcastic remarks: “Ruining your future for some old man—I don’t know if you’re kind-hearted or just brainless.” Just like in TV dramas, I had saved a wealthy man and was adopted as his goddaughter, inheriting a fortune worth hundreds of millions. But becoming a tycoon’s daughter wasn’t all glamorous, nor was it as easy as I had imagined. As the richest man in New Jersey, Bentley had four children. They had grown up in privileged conditions and were all leaders in their respective fields. They were already competing against each other, coveting Bentley’s fortune. My appearance made them see me as their common enemy. In their eyes, I was nothing more than an ignorant country girl trying to break through class barriers. They made things difficult for me daily, repeatedly trying to frame me. The fact that I survived until the day I inherited the fortune was already a miracle. But all Lydia saw was my superficial glory.

In this life, when I saw her rushing toward Bentley, I actually felt a sense of relief. And I walked confidently into the exam room to embrace the life that belonged to me. A week later, Bentley came to our house to discuss with my parents about adopting Lydia as his goddaughter. While Bentley was talking with my parents, Lydia came over to me and said smugly: “Sorry, Sophia, but this time it looks like you’ll be the one working in the factory.” I patted her shoulder and said sincerely: “Take care.” Then I turned and went back to my room. She had wanted to show off to me, but seeing my lack of reaction, she was so angry she gritted her teeth and stamped her feet. But what she didn’t know was that I was different from her. With my grades, getting into a prestigious university wouldn’t be difficult. As long as I was willing to work hard, earning a million-dollar salary would just be a matter of time. I also knew clearly that she, always looking for shortcuts, would be nothing more than a lamb for slaughter in the Griffin family. I thought to myself: “Lydia, before you inherit that fortune, you’d better figure out how to survive first.” A wealthy man like Bentley placed great importance on ceremony, and the matter of adopting a goddaughter had become the talk of the entire city. He specifically organized a grand banquet for this occasion, preparing to announce this momentous event to all of New Jersey. He even specially invited my parents and me to stay at New Jersey’s most luxurious hotel. On the morning of the banquet, Bentley had custom-made formal wear delivered to us—our entire family received them. I opened the gift box and gently laid the dress on the table, my mind racing with thoughts. In my previous life, when Bentley adopted me as his goddaughter, he had sent this exact same dress. Although from the moment I put it on, I did indeed enjoy wealth and luxury, only I knew the grievances I endured along the way. But thinking about it, it made sense—Bentley’s dresses all came from the same custom shop, with identical measurements and designers. Lydia’s dress was probably exactly the same as in my previous life. While I was lost in thought, a knock at the door brought me back to reality. I opened the door to find a man in a suit bowing slightly. “Ms. Snyder, your sister requests your presence.” Though somewhat puzzled, I followed him. Pushing open the door, I immediately saw Bentley sitting on the sofa. After nodding to acknowledge him, I walked over to Lydia. She was sitting at the vanity table, with several servants bustling around her. Bentley had even brought in a celebrity makeup artist to create her look. Lydia glanced at me and placed two exquisite wooden boxes in front of me. “Sophia, I want you to help me choose which necklace would better complement my dress.” I recognized these two boxes immediately. Inside were the crystal necklaces Bentley had purchased at an overseas auction for ten million dollars. In my previous life, he had asked me to make the same choice. But I understood the significance of this banquet. The attendees would all be New Jersey’s elite, including Bentley’s biological children. To avoid stirring up trouble, I had politely declined Bentley’s generous offer back then. This time, Lydia was clearly showing off. I knew that regardless of which necklace she chose, it would be seen as a threat by Bentley’s biological children. In their eyes, this was like declaring who the real “heir” was. I casually picked one. “You’re beautiful—either one would suit you perfectly.” A smug smile spread across her face. “You’re quite sensible. Flattering me now—there’s still time for that.” I stared at her reflection in the mirror, wearing the dress I had worn in my previous life, momentarily lost in thought.

Lydia seemed to sense something, her lips curving slightly. “How about it? The same dress on a different person—doesn’t it look more distinguished now?” I lowered my head and said softly, “This dress was tailored specifically for you, so naturally it brings out your elegance.” On the surface, I appeared submissive and humble, but inside I was secretly delighted. Rather than saying she had stolen my identity, it was more accurate to say I had willingly given it to her. Right now, she still naively believed that after this banquet, her life of luxury would begin. Little did she know, everything was just getting started. With her vain and somewhat spoiled personality, I wouldn’t need to scheme much—simply going with the flow would be enough to let her reap what she sowed. Bentley truly lived up to his reputation as New Jersey’s wealthiest man. The moment the banquet hall doors opened, an overwhelming aura of luxury hit us. The attendees were all New Jersey’s top figures—billionaire merchants and political officials, with even the Governor of New Jersey personally attending to offer congratulations. As the banquet began, the lights dimmed throughout the hall, and spotlights focused on the entrance. Lydia walked in slowly, wearing a pristine white gown, as people exclaimed in admiration: “Ms. Lydia Snyder truly has aristocratic grace.” I quietly glanced at Bentley’s biological children, who maintained somber expressions amid the noisy crowd, looking as if they wanted to tear Lydia apart immediately. Amid the applause, Lydia walked to the front of the stage where Bentley sat with a beaming smile. Just as she was about to take the wine glass from a server’s hand to toast Bentley, Bentley’s daughter gave her a gentle push from behind. The wine spilled out, splashing directly onto Lydia’s dress. The already proud Lydia instantly lost control, raising her hand to deliver a resounding slap to the server. “You worthless fool! Do you know how expensive this dress is? It’s worth more than your life!” The entire hall fell into deathly silence. What she saw as a priceless gown appeared to everyone else as just an ordinary dress. Bentley also showed an embarrassed expression, quietly tugging at Lydia’s arm. “Lydia, so many people are watching. Mind the occasion.” In my previous life, I had experienced the same scene. I knew well that as a member of high society, every action would be magnified and scrutinized. The most important thing was to maintain proper decorum and treat others with tolerance. If handled poorly at that moment, causing Bentley to lose face, life afterward wouldn’t be pleasant. Conversely, if one could use the opportunity to display magnanimity and kindness, it would actually earn others’ respect. Back then, I had simply picked up a napkin to dab at the dress and comforted the server: “It’s alright, a dress can be washed.” Afterward, Bentley had specifically praised me for being sensible. But Lydia clearly wasn’t finished making a scene. She seemed determined to announce to everyone that from today forward, she was a rich girl whom no one dared to cross. She shook off Bentley’s hand and threw a tantrum without restraint: “Dad, this is the first dress you bought me. I absolutely will not let this bitch off easy today!” This statement completely infuriated Bentley.

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I engaged in a life-or-death duel with Micah Wright, the beastman my wife Scarlett Patel and I had adopted. This match was a matter of life and death, and I had to give it my all. However, behind my back, Scarlett revealed my fatal weakness to Micah, whom she had secretly loved for years. Severely injured, my eyes bloodshot, I demanded to know why Scarlett had done this to me. Scarlett disgustedly shook off my hand. She said, “Micah is my adopted son. I have to be responsible for him. How can you be so vicious? Do you really want to see him get hurt?” I let out a bitter laugh. What she didn’t know was that for Micah to win, I had to die. ***** When Micah bit through my throat with his fangs, I was already losing consciousness. Before that moment, I had already endured too much pain. All the bones in my limbs were broken, and my internal organs were crushed. The pain was so intense I couldn’t speak—I could only curl up to protect my most vulnerable neck, praying that Micah would spare my life. But the next second, Micah lunged at me with bloodshot eyes. His fangs instantly pierced my throat, and blood gushed out. Within seconds, I was completely dead. I died, my soul separating from my body and floating into the air. Looking down at my corpse, Micah sneered coldly, then tossed my body aside like garbage. At that moment, the referee announced the end of the match. My soul floated in mid-air, following Micah as he left the arena. A few minutes later, I saw Scarlett waiting outside the arena. This usually cold and arrogant woman was now drenched in sweat, anxiously pacing back and forth at the arena entrance. Seeing Micah emerge, Scarlett shyly approached him. She asked, “Micah, how did it go? Did the match go smoothly?” Micah smiled and reached out to gently stroke Scarlett’s head. He said, “I’m fine, Scarlett. The match went very smoothly.” Scarlett didn’t quite believe him and cupped Micah’s face to examine it carefully. After a few seconds, her expression darkened. She said angrily, “Gabriel actually hurt your face. How could he be so vicious? I told him so many times to make sure he didn’t hurt you. My jealous husband is truly despicable.” Gabriel Robinson—that’s my name. Scarlett’s gaze was as venomous as a snake’s. Following her line of sight, I noticed that Micah had only a tiny wound on his face. In a few more minutes, that wound might even heal completely. I let out a cold laugh, never expecting Scarlett to say such things. How absurd. The people around seemed to have heard her words and turned to look at Micah. Micah apparently felt embarrassed and directly pulled down Scarlett’s hands from his face. He said, “Let’s not talk about this now. Scarlett, let’s go home.” With that, Micah strode forward. Scarlett hurried to catch up, fawningly linking her arm through his. The two of them happily headed home, as if they had completely forgotten about my existence. I laughed at myself mockingly, but my soul drifted forward uncontrollably, following them back to what had been my home in life.

My family has been Orc Gladiators for generations. From age five, I trained under my father Samuel Robinson, learning how to fight Orcs. Samuel always told me that fighting Orcs required skill—you couldn’t be too heavy-handed, you had to know when to stop. Killing an Orc would not only bring shame from the family but also invite revenge from the Orc clan. I always kept Samuel’s words close to heart. After twenty years of fighting Orcs, I’ve always known when to stop. Because of this, I became a model Orc Gladiator, earning genuine respect from many Orcs. But even after I repeatedly promised not to hurt Micah, Scarlett still had a huge fight with me. I said, “I told you I won’t hurt Micah. I’ve been fighting Orcs for twenty years. You know my reputation in the industry. Why won’t you just trust me?” I looked at Scarlett, my voice filled with helplessness. Scarlett roared back, “I don’t care! You have to promise to lose to Micah. Otherwise, I’ll kill myself.” She smashed the vase on the table, then grabbed a shard and pointed it at her wrist. I said sternly, “No. That goes against the rules of the match. I can’t agree to that.” I stepped forward and snatched the ceramic shard from Scarlett’s hand. Scarlett said, “You won’t get away with this, Gabriel. I know your neck is your weakest spot. I’ve already told Micah.” She looked at me with a triumphant smile. Hearing Scarlett’s words broke my heart. I said, “How could you do this? You’ve gone too far. Don’t you know this could get me killed?” Scarlett looked impatient and slapped me hard across the face. She said, “You’re just jealous of my relationship with Micah. If you want to die, then go die. You only have one worthless life. As long as Micah is fine, that’s all that matters.” I was so emotional and shocked I couldn’t speak, then turned and left the apartment directly. Later, Micah really did bite through my neck in the arena. That was also the last time Scarlett and I saw each other. Thinking about this, my heart clenched with pain. Scarlett opened the door and saw ceramic shards scattered on the floor, frowning slightly. She said, “Gabriel probably didn’t show up because he was embarrassed about losing the match. He didn’t even bother to clean up.” I felt a pang of heartache, thinking, “Scarlett, I’ll never be able to help you clean again.” Micah asked, “Scarlett, what are you talking about?” He stepped forward, gently wrapping his arms around Scarlett’s waist. Scarlett touched Micah’s head. Then she smiled lovingly and said, “It’s nothing. Micah, go take a shower first. I’ll check your wounds in a bit.” I watched Micah’s movements in a daze, remembering how Scarlett and I used to be before she found Micah. Scarlett and I grew up together and had been engaged since we were young. Scarlett was sweet and beautiful, the dream girl of many boys, but she only ever liked me. To marry her sooner, I practiced fighting Orcs day and night, coming home injured every day. Scarlett felt sorry for me and would always gently touch my head, then carefully tend to my wounds. In our eighth year together, Scarlett and I got married. Looking at Scarlett in her white wedding dress, I felt like the happiest man in the world. After marriage, I worked outside while Scarlett would prepare meals early every day, waiting for me to come home. Just when I thought we could live together until old age and be happy for life, Scarlett found Micah. When I came home, Micah was already sitting on the sofa watching TV. Seeing me return, Scarlett excitedly told me she had found a fox Orc while grocery shopping. Looking at Micah with his fox tail, I frowned deeply. Samuel had told me long ago never to casually adopt Orcs. He said beastmen are cunning by nature and will seek revenge for even the smallest grievance, especially fox beastmen. If not raised properly, they would bring disaster upon us. I didn’t want to adopt Micah, and Scarlett gave me the cold shoulder for a week because of it. Eventually, I had no choice but to reluctantly agree. Micah looked like just a teenager back then, with those fox eyes that were so captivating, making it impossible to abandon him. Micah grew quickly, becoming adult-sized within just a few years. But the way he looked at me was always filled with hatred. Meanwhile, Scarlett’s attitude toward me grew increasingly cold. Her attention shifted from me to Micah. She even made me move to the guest bedroom while she slept with Micah every night. I was deeply unhappy about this, but Scarlett didn’t care. She even pointed her finger at my nose and scolded me: “Gabriel, how can your mind be so filthy? Micah is someone I rescued, so of course I have to take responsibility for him. I sleep with him only to take better care of him. Why are you projecting your dirty thoughts onto us? If you keep making such unreasonable scenes, I’ll divorce you.” Words can deceive, but eyes cannot. Scarlett thought she could fool me, but I knew everything. The way she looked at Micah was always filled with love, just like how she used to look at me. I smiled bitterly. When I snapped back to reality, Micah had already finished his shower and come out. Scarlett had been busy for a long time, preparing a whole table of dishes that Micah loved. Ever since adopting Micah, Scarlett always put his feelings first. Micah liked mangoes, so every time Scarlett bought fruit, it was always mangoes. But she seemed to forget that I’d been allergic to mangoes since childhood. The dishes Micah enjoyed appeared on our table every day, just like now. Whether before my death or after, I was the most overlooked person in this house. I watched in despair as Scarlett and Micah finished their entire meal. As usual, after clearing the table, Scarlett accompanied Micah into the bedroom. In the bedroom, Scarlett stared at the scrapes on Micah’s hands, looking extremely worried. She asked, “Did Gabriel cause all of this?” Micah nodded gently and said, “Scarlett, Gabriel didn’t mean it. Don’t blame him. It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have beaten Gabriel at the track, embarrassing him. That’s why he stayed out so late.” This was typical of Micah. On the surface, he seemed to be admitting fault, but he was actually shifting all the blame onto me. I had mentioned this to Scarlett before, but she always thought I was jealous of her relationship with Micah and deliberately badmouthing him in front of her. Over time, I learned to keep quiet about these things around Scarlett. Sure enough, after hearing Micah’s words, Scarlett’s face showed disgust. She said, “Micah, it’s Scarlett who let you suffer. I should never have married Gabriel in the first place. I never imagined he could be vicious enough to hurt you. Whatever he does has nothing to do with you. If he doesn’t want to come home, then he shouldn’t come back at all. It would be better if he died out there.” I smiled bitterly, thinking: “Scarlett, so in your heart, my life isn’t even worth one of Micah’s scrapes. Do you really despise me to this extent?” Scarlett held Micah in her arms, and they slept embracing each other all night long. Throughout the entire night, Scarlett never once thought of me. I don’t know what all my years of devotion even meant.

Early the next morning, Scarlett was awakened by knocking at the door. Micah would get angry when woken up, so we used to be very careful getting up in the morning, afraid of disturbing him. Scarlett tiptoed to the door, and I floated after her. Standing outside was Thomas Nelson, the young werewolf I had rescued from the arena. A few months ago, he had been ambushed during a competition and severely injured. I brought him home and took care of him for a while. At the time, Scarlett had a huge fight with me, blaming me for only caring about Thomas and not considering Micah’s feelings. Seeing Thomas now, Scarlett was naturally cold toward him. She said, “What are you doing at my house so early? Don’t tell me you’re trying to fake being sick for money again? You really are just like Gabriel said – a worthless stray he picked up, with no manners at all.” My heart ached. No matter what, Thomas had lived with us. I’d always treated him like a little brother – how could Scarlett humiliate him like this? Thomas didn’t want me and Scarlett to fight because of him, so he was always submissive in front of Scarlett. He said, “Scarlett, did Gabriel come back after his match ended? I need to talk to him about something.” Scarlett said smugly, “How would I know? No idea where he ran off to. He’s always been such a coward, hasn’t he? Used to brag all the time, but now Micah beat him to a pulp.” Thomas was unusually angry. He said, “Scarlett, I heard someone died at the arena yesterday. Gabriel’s match was yesterday, and he hasn’t come home all night. Aren’t you worried about him? Even if it was a stranger who died, shouldn’t you feel sorry?” Scarlett was stunned, seemingly not expecting the usually humble Thomas to snap at her. After recovering, she said with disgust, “What right do you have to be angry with me? If you’re so capable, go find Gabriel yourself and tell him that if he doesn’t apologize this time, I’m divorcing him.” With that, Scarlett tried to close the door, but Micah’s hand blocked it. “What are you all arguing about so early in the morning?” Micah’s expression was blank, his tone ice-cold. Scarlett grabbed Micah’s arm, saying ingratiatingly, “Micah, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to. Go back to the bedroom, I promise I won’t make any more noise.” Micah ignored her, opened the door wide, and kicked Thomas hard in the stomach. He said, “Worthless trash like you deserves to die.” I rushed forward, trying to shield Thomas from the blow, but my hands passed right through his body the moment I touched him. I was dead – I could no longer protect anyone. I could only watch helplessly as Thomas was kicked to the ground, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, his wolf tail bristling. My heart broke for him. Thomas was weak and couldn’t withstand Micah’s punches and kicks. Seeing this scene, Scarlett snorted coldly. She said, “You’re just as ungrateful as Gabriel – you deserve a good beating.” Thomas shakily got to his feet, his face pale. He said, “If Gabriel comes back, please let me know. I’m really worried about him.” Hearing this, my nose stung with tears. I never expected that the person who cared about me most in the end would be this beastman who had only lived with me for a few months. After venting his emotions, Micah’s mood clearly improved, and his attitude toward Scarlett became much gentler. Micah nuzzled Scarlett’s cheek affectionately, his fox-like eyes fixed on her as he said, “Scarlett, come with me to the Orc party the day after tomorrow?” The Orc party was essentially a mixer for the beast clan, specifically held for marriageable-age beasts, though humans also attended. I let out a cold laugh. Micah’s true purpose was finally exposed. Sure enough, Scarlett froze. With tears in her voice, she said, “Micah, why do you want to go? Didn’t you say having me was enough for this lifetime?” A flash of obvious disgust crossed Micah’s eyes, which he immediately masked with his usual gentle, harmless expression. “Scarlett, don’t you trust me? I only like you.” Scarlett was easily appeased and immediately agreed to Micah’s request. See! Her love and hate were just that clear-cut. Scarlett hated me, so she never agreed to any of my requests. No matter how much I begged before, she’d only say she didn’t like crowded places. Now with just a few sweet words from Micah, she happily agreed. I laughed bitterly at myself. All these years I’d been deceiving myself. I should have admitted long ago how little I meant to her. On the day of the party, as Scarlett was getting dressed up to leave, she received a call from Thomas. Thomas sounded agitated on the phone: “Scarlett, I found Gabriel’s body. He died the day he went to compete.” Scarlett looked disgusted: “Thomas, tell Gabriel I’m not in the mood for his little tricks. I just want to divorce him now. Playing dead won’t work.” Thomas raised his voice angrily: “Do you think I’d joke about Gabriel’s life? He’s really dead, and Micah killed him. Come see for yourself.” Scarlett became completely impatient and shouted into the phone: “You think I’d believe you two liars? You even dare to pin this on Micah. Fine, if Gabriel really wants to die, let him die. I don’t have time to bury him anyway.” Scarlett slammed the phone down. I smiled bitterly. I’d thought that when Thomas mentioned me, Scarlett would at least waver for a moment. But her words made me realize I’d always be a loser compared to Micah. The Scarlett who once loved me was gone. The current Scarlett only had room for Micah in her heart. The party venue was jointly built by beasts and humans, with a wall dividing the space—humans on one side, beasts on the other. Micah went straight into the inner room. Scarlett rarely socialized and wasn’t familiar with others, so she sat alone on a chair in the main hall. She sat there blankly, taking out a sachet from her pocket to examine carefully. My heart suddenly softened, because this sachet was what I’d given her at our wedding. During our newlywed days, to give Scarlett her dream wedding, I competed constantly. Scarlett felt sorry for me and asked to keep everything simple, even having me switch to a silver ring. I couldn’t convince her otherwise, so I used giving her a sachet as an excuse to secretly hide the gold ring inside. I thought that if there was ever an emergency, Scarlett could sell the gold for money. When she received the sachet, Scarlett smiled and said, “I never imagined you had such a gentle side.” I touched her face thinking, “Scarlett, I hope someday you’ll understand that this contains not only my tenderness, but also my overflowing love for you.” But Scarlett had changed long ago. For Micah’s sake, she wouldn’t even hesitate to kill me. Cheers erupted from the beast hall. Everyone looked puzzled, so I floated straight through the door. Standing in the center of the dance floor was Micah, holding a beast who was a head shorter than him, and they were passionately kissing. The beast in his arms seemed so excited that even his snake tail stood upright. Looking closer, I discovered that the serpentine beast was actually male. I was too shocked to speak. I’d known Micah was unfaithful to Scarlett, but I never imagined he’d be this promiscuous. After kissing for a long time, Micah carried the beast directly into a rest room. I quickly followed. The beast in Micah’s arms seemed shy, lightly pounding on Micah’s chest: “Micah, when are you leaving that old woman? Aren’t you going to marry me?” Micah’s gaze was tender as he leaned down to kiss the petite beast: “Baby, don’t worry. I’ll marry you soon.” The serpentine beast smiled: “Then hurry up, I’m waiting for you.” Micah responded: “Alright.” They clung together intimately. I suddenly felt a sense of schadenfreude. If Scarlett knew that the Micah she’d adored for so many years was gay, that would certainly be quite a scene. It was already afternoon when Scarlett and Micah returned home. I followed them back to the apartment and saw Thomas at the door again. After not seeing him for several days, he looked even more haggard, his already thin frame appearing even more frail. Upon seeing Thomas, Scarlett rolled her eyes: “Why are you here again? After all these days, hasn’t Gabriel had enough of playing dead?” Thomas pressed his lips together and pleaded: “Ms. Patel, I’m begging you, please go see Gabriel.” Scarlett paused, then sneered: “Fine, I’ll go with you. I want to see what kind of trick he’s trying to pull.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MyFiction” app 🔍 search for “398195”, and watch the full series ✨! #MyFiction #B×G #Rebirth #Beast #MaleLead #Revenge

My three daughters said they wanted to set up a “family fund” for me, with each of them contributing three thousand dollars monthly. They said, “Mom, you’ve sacrificed so much for us. Now it’s our turn to take care of you.” In my previous life, I was deeply moved, thinking my years of sacrifice had finally paid off. It wasn’t until eight years later, when I was diagnosed with kidney failure, that I discovered the money in that Family Sharing Card couldn’t even cover the deposit for dialysis. Then my eldest daughter Amelia Stewart called me on video, saying she wanted to buy a house in a better school district but was short fifteen thousand dollars, asking if I could lend her some money first. My second daughter Luna Stewart came to the hospital with her husband Daniel Ross and daughter Ella Ross, but they only bragged about Ella winning a piano competition and hinted that they needed fifty thousand dollars to enroll in an international master’s coaching program. My youngest daughter Grace Stewart was even more direct, saying she had her eye on a limited edition handbag and wanted me to sponsor thirty thousand dollars as her birthday gift. When they learned the bank account had insufficient funds, Amelia, Luna, and Grace’s expressions changed instantly. They said, “We each deposited three thousand dollars monthly. After eight years, that’s at least eight hundred thousand dollars. Mom, where did you hide the money?” To force me to reveal where my savings went, they took turns using gentle and harsh methods to pressure me, even telling relatives I had dementia and had been scammed out of my money. Unable to bear the successive blows, I pulled out my IV needle and left the hospital in the middle of the night, only to be hit by a car and die on the spot. When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to the day I went to the hospital for my checkup. ***** My body didn’t have that dying feeling, and there were no noisy shouts in my ears. I opened my eyes trembling all over, finding the hallway and harsh white lights strangely familiar. “Isn’t this the hospital where I lived before I died? I’ve actually been reborn?” Suddenly, I heard Amelia’s urgent voice coming through my phone. “Mom, I’m talking to you. Can you hear me? That house in the school district is really popular. If I don’t hurry up and pay, someone else will buy it. I’m just short fifteen thousand dollars. Lend it to me first, and I’ll pay you back later.” Amelia’s voice at this moment was exactly the same as when she pressured me for money in my previous life. I gripped my phone tightly as memories flooded back like a tide. In my previous life, it was on this very day that I held my medical report, having just learned about my health problems. While I was panicking, I received her call. At the time, I honestly told her there wasn’t that much money in the Family Sharing Card. And what happened? Amelia roared, “Not that much? Mom, are you kidding me?” I instantly saw her eyes widening in that video call from my previous life. “The three of us sisters deposit three thousand dollars each month. How much is that after eight years? More than eight hundred thousand dollars. You must be confused and got tricked by some scammer into spending it carelessly. Think hard. Where exactly did you spend the money? Did you give it to your nephew? I knew he had bad intentions. It’s only fifteen thousand dollars. Mom, go to the bank right now and withdraw it. Otherwise, if we lose the house, how will your grandson go to school?” Her words pierced my heart like needles. I’ve been frugal my whole life, wearing the same clothes for ten years and waiting for sales to buy groceries. How could I possibly spend money carelessly? But none of them believed me. Luna soon came to my door with Ella. She held up the trophy and smiled, “Mom, look how amazing Ella is. Her teacher says if she enrolls in a fifty-thousand-dollar international master’s coaching program, she’ll definitely become a pianist. Where’s the money in your card?” Grace was even more direct, sending me pictures of the handbag. Then she sent me a message: [Mom, this bag is all I want for my birthday. It’s only thirty thousand dollars. Just take some money from the Family Sharing Card and that’ll be enough.] When I said there was no money in the card, their expressions changed very quickly. Amelia said, “You must have dementia. Your money was definitely stolen by someone.” Luna said, “We worked so hard to save that money for you. How could you waste it like this?” Grace said, “Hand over the money right now. Otherwise, we’ll get our relatives to judge this for us.” In the end, they really did contact all our relatives, saying I wasn’t thinking clearly and had spent all my retirement money. I was constantly being blamed. At night, unable to bear it anymore, I pulled out my IV needle, wanting to get some fresh air outside. And then… “Mom, can you hear me or not?” Amelia shouted into the phone. This instantly pulled my thoughts back to the present. Her voice carried obvious impatience: “You have to transfer fifteen thousand dollars to me today.” I took a deep breath, my heart still pounding wildly, my palms covered in cold sweat. I won’t let them bully me again in this lifetime. I gritted my teeth and said word by word, “I don’t have any money.” Before Amelia could react, I hung up directly. The moment the phone screen went dark, I seemed to see myself lying under the car wheels from my previous life. Tears welled up in my eyes. I won’t pay attention to these ungrateful people anymore.

After hanging up on Amelia, I stared at the medical report in my hands, my lips trembling uncontrollably. In my previous life, I was too soft-hearted, which allowed Amelia, Luna, and Grace to drain every last bit of value from me. In this life, I, Matilda Stewart, won’t give them a single cent. That very day, I contacted a real estate agent to sell the old house I’d lived in for thirty years. It was the only memento my husband and I had left. But now it seemed this house was far more reliable than those three ungrateful people. The agent worked quickly and found a buyer that same day, paying me $1.73 million in cash. The moment I got the money, I went straight to the hospital to check myself in, choosing a private room. I’d barely been lying in the hospital bed for two hours when the door was pushed open. Luna walked in carrying a designer handbag, followed by Daniel and Ella. She said, “Mom, I heard you were hospitalized, so we came to see you.” Luna glanced around the room and said with disgust, “Mom, how can you stay in a room like this? This is so cramped. Why don’t I get you transferred to a VIP room?” She paced around the room like a tenant, criticizing the furnishings. But in reality, she didn’t even glance at the IV needle in my hand. Daniel chimed in from the side, “Luna’s right, Matilda. Luna’s doing well with her sales now, she can afford it.” They claimed to care about me and said money wasn’t an issue, but weren’t they really here just to get some money out of me? I knew exactly what they were up to, so I simply ignored both of them. Seeing that I wasn’t as enthusiastic as usual, Luna thought for a moment, then looked at Daniel. Then she pushed Ella toward me. Luna said, “Mom, Ella won a gold medal in a piano competition last week. The judges all said she’s a genius.” Ella looked up at me, holding the trophy close to my face. She smiled and said, “Grandma, look. My teacher said if I enroll in that $50,000 international master class, I’ll definitely become a pianist someday. Grandma, you’ll help me achieve my dream, won’t you?” I thought coldly to myself, “Fifty thousand dollars?” In my previous life, the three of them eventually moved to France and completely cut ties with me. If I gave them money knowing how it would end, I’d be a complete fool. So I glanced at the trophy indifferently, then looked out the window. I said, “That’s nice.” Luna’s smile froze for a moment, clearly not expecting this kind of response from me. She sat down beside me with a puzzled look, then continued trying to coax me with unrealistic promises. Luna wanted me to use my retirement savings to pay for that $50,000 course. She also said that when Ella became successful, she would never forget me. But I didn’t respond to her intentions. Luna couldn’t keep up the act anymore and nudged Daniel with her finger. She said, “Take Ella downstairs to buy some juice. I need to talk to Mom about something.” Daniel immediately understood and left with Ella. As soon as the door closed, Luna’s expression completely changed. She sat on the edge of my bed and said coldly, “Mom, you heard about Ella’s situation. Fifty thousand dollars is nothing to you.” I looked directly at her. “I don’t have money.” Luna immediately raised her voice, “No money? How could you not have money? That Family Sharing Card where the three of us deposit $3,000 every month—after eight years, there’s over $800,000. Ella is your only granddaughter. If you don’t love her, who will you love?” I didn’t want to look at her fake expression anymore, so I turned my head and closed my eyes. I said, “Whatever. I told you, I don’t have money. Don’t come to me.” My sudden coldness left Luna unsure of what to do. Finally, she suddenly grabbed my hand. She cried and said to me, “Mom, can you really bear to watch Ella waste her talent? That’s an international master class—not everyone qualifies to enter. If you don’t help her now and she can’t become a pianist later, you’ll regret it. You raised the three of us and put us through school. Now it’s Ella’s turn, and you won’t help? If you don’t give the money, you’re ruining Ella’s future. If she hates you for the rest of her life, you won’t even have time to cry. Besides, fifty thousand dollars for Ella’s bright future is worth it. Your money can’t just sit there—spending it on Ella is putting it where it’s needed most.” Listening to Luna’s excuses, I almost laughed from anger. This was my dear daughter, who had learned to emotionally blackmail her own mother. I yanked my hand back and looked at her coldly. I said, “Who I spend my money on and how I spend it is my business. As for Ella’s future, figure it out yourselves. Don’t try to use me.” Seeing my firm attitude, Luna became completely furious. She stood up, pointed at me, and scolded, “Matilda, you’re really something. You’re sure you want to be this heartless, right? We put money into that family fund for you, not so you could be a miser. It’s just fifty thousand dollars—do you have to be so stingy? I think you’ve just lost your mind. You don’t care about us daughters at all. Fine, you won’t give money, right? Don’t expect me to take care of you when you’re old.” With that, Luna grabbed her bag and stormed toward the door, her high heels practically drilling holes in the floor tiles.

Just as Luna reached the door, it swung open. Grace walked in carrying a bag of fruit. She glanced at Luna’s red-rimmed eyes, then at me, and immediately covered her mouth dramatically. Grace said with a laugh, “Luna, what’s wrong with you? Your face is as red as a cooked shrimp. Who made you angry?” Luna glared at her furiously. “This has nothing to do with you.” Grace said, “Did you fight with Mom again?” She placed the fruit on the bedside table, then deliberately raised her voice. “Are you here asking for money again? Luna, you’ve gone too far. Mom just got hospitalized, and instead of thinking about taking care of her, all you do is ask her for money. You’re such an ungrateful brat.” Luna was furious. “Stop pretending to be the good guy here. I’m asking for Ella’s tuition, which is perfectly reasonable. That’s better than some people who only know how to buy bags and clothes all day. Some people are like bottomless pits.” Grace said, “So what? I spend my own money. I’m not like you, always wanting to spend Mom’s money. That Family Sharing Card is for Mom’s retirement, not for your daughter’s tutoring classes.” Luna said, “What do you know? That’s an investment. If Ella becomes successful in the future, she won’t forget her grandmother. That’s better than you buying those useless bags.” Grace said, “You’re the one who doesn’t understand. What Mom needs most right now is peace of mind to recover, not listening to your empty words and promises.” The two started arguing, their voices getting louder and louder. My head was pounding. Just as I was about to speak, a nurse came in to change my medication. She frowned and scolded, “What are you arguing about in the hospital room? The patient needs quiet rest. If you want to fight, go outside.” The room finally fell silent. Luna snorted coldly, glared fiercely at Grace, then left. After Luna left, Grace immediately put on a smile and handed the nurse a bottle of water. She said, “Sorry, it’s just family business.” The nurse didn’t take the water. She finished changing my medication and left. Once the room was quiet, Grace immediately came to my bedside. She tucked in my blanket and started peeling an apple. She said, “Mom, don’t be angry with Luna. She’s just like that, only cares about money.” Grace asked again, “Are you thirsty? Let me pour you some water.” Looking at Grace’s smiling face, I felt a chill in my heart. I had originally thought Grace was different from her two sisters, that she genuinely cared about me and treated me like a mother. It wasn’t until the end that I realized she first put on a filial act to gain sympathy, then made huge demands. All of this was just her strategy. Sure enough, for the next two days, Grace came every day. She brought me milk in the morning and stayed with me at night. She called me “Mom” so affectionately, performing “filial piety” flawlessly. Even the caregiver told me privately, “Grace is so thoughtful, much better than her sisters.” I just smiled and said nothing. A few days later, while peeling an apple, Grace casually said, “Mom, I saw a really beautiful bag while shopping yesterday. It’s a limited edition, thirty thousand dollars.” I didn’t respond. Grace handed me the apple and pointed at the picture on her phone to show me. She said, “Look, this color suits me so well. All my colleagues have one, only I don’t. I feel pretty embarrassed.” I took a bite of the apple and still said nothing. Grace put down her phone and took my hand, acting coquettish. She said, “Mom, please buy it for me. Consider it a birthday gift from you. Thirty thousand dollars is nothing to you, right?” Looking at her expectant eyes, I suddenly smiled. I said, “Luna wants fifty thousand dollars, you want thirty thousand dollars. Did you two plan this together?” The smile on Grace’s face instantly froze. She said, “Mom, what do you mean by that? I’m nothing like her. I just think that bag is beautiful.” “I don’t have money,” I withdrew my hand and said calmly. “There’s no money left in that Family Sharing Card.” Grace’s face instantly turned pale. She stood up abruptly. “Gone? How could hundreds of thousands of dollars suddenly be gone? You…” Grace pointed at me, unable to speak for a long time. Finally, she slammed the apple on the table. She said, “Fine, so you had it all planned out. No wonder you wouldn’t give Luna money. Taking care of you for two days was useless. You just don’t want to give us a single cent.” Seeing her drop the act, I actually felt relieved. I said, “Yes, my money is mine to spend. None of you will get another cent.” Grace was shaking with anger. She grabbed her bag and headed for the door. She said coldly, “Fine, Matilda, you’re really ruthless. When you’re old and can’t move anymore, don’t expect me to take care of you.” The door slammed shut, and the room finally fell completely silent. I stared at the ceiling as tears slowly rolled down my cheeks. These were the daughters I had loved my whole life. Each one of them was just waiting to drain me of every bit of value I had. Ever since I had that heart-to-heart with Amelia, Luna, and Grace, my hospital room had been quiet for several days straight. I actually felt pretty relaxed and didn’t bother reaching out to them either. Unfortunately, the peace didn’t last long. My phone suddenly rang. It was my former neighbor Naomi Perez, who used to live across the hall from me. She sounded frantic on the phone: “Matilda, you need to get back to your old place right now. Your three daughters are having a screaming match downstairs.” I was stunned, thinking to myself: “Didn’t I already sell the old house? What are they doing there causing a scene?” I quickly had the nurse inform my doctor, then hailed a taxi and rushed to the old neighborhood. The closer I got to the building, the louder the women’s screaming became. Before the taxi even came to a complete stop, I could see a crowd gathered around the building entrance—all my former neighbors. In the middle of the crowd, Amelia, Luna, and Grace were pulling each other’s hair and hurling insults. Their hair was a complete mess, like bird’s nests, and their clothes were all twisted and disheveled—nothing like their usual put-together appearance. Luna was pointing right at Amelia’s nose, spitting as she yelled. She said: “Amelia, cut the crap. You were the one who badmouthed me to Mom first, telling her not to give me any money.” Amelia shoved her away hard, saying: “What are you talking about? When did I ever say that? You’re the one who’s been crying poor to Mom every day, then scamming all her money away, and you won’t even admit it.” Luna shot back: “I scammed her money? What about the money in that Family Sharing Card? You definitely took it to buy that house in the school district.” Amelia retorted: “You took it to pay for your daughter’s tutoring classes.” Grace suddenly burst into tears. She wiped her eyes while saying angrily: “You two are both terrible. When I was taking care of Mom the other day, I heard her say with my own ears that you two had scammed all her money away.” After a pause, she continued: “Mom even said I was the most considerate one and told me not to argue with you two. And what did I get? Not a single penny.” Luna and Amelia shouted in unison: “That’s bullshit!” Grace cried even harder, saying: “That’s exactly what happened. Mom also told me not to tell you two that she had money, said you two were too much—taking her money and still complaining it wasn’t enough. Now she’s pretending to be broke, and you two are the ones fighting.” After hearing this, both Amelia and Luna were stunned, then immediately started pointing fingers and cursing at each other again. Amelia said: “You must have badmouthed me to Mom.” Luna said: “You’re the one who told Mom to hide the money.” The neighbors around us kept shaking their heads, and their judgmental comments reached my ears. One woman said: “What’s wrong with them? Their mother is still in the hospital, and they’re here making such a scene. But it’s definitely about money. Matilda must have savings, otherwise why would they act like this?” Another woman chimed in: “You’re absolutely right. When children don’t get along, it’s usually because the parent has bad character. Matilda must be playing favorites and being stingy, which drove them to this point.” A man said: “I always said, what’s the point of having three daughters? Sons would be better—at least sons wouldn’t be this embarrassing. But Matilda’s gone too far. If she has money, she should divide it among the kids. Why is she hiding it?” These words pierced my heart like needles. I was shaking with rage as I pushed through the crowd and charged in. I shouted: “All of you shut up!” Amelia, Luna, and Grace jumped, turned to see me, and froze. Amelia was the first to react, rushing over to grab my arm. She said: “Mom, you’re finally here. Tell them—Luna was the first one to ask you for money, right? And she badmouthed me to you, didn’t she?” Luna also pushed her way over. She said: “Mom, don’t listen to her. Amelia was the first one to ask for your money, wanting to buy that house in the school district.” “Enough!” I shook off their hands, my voice hoarse with anger. “Are you done fighting? Have you completely lost all shame over money?” My outburst silenced them, and they just stared at me with wide eyes. The murmuring around us grew louder. Someone deliberately said: “Matilda, perfect timing. Just divide up the money already and stop letting your daughters embarrass themselves like this.” I took a deep breath and stared hard at Amelia, Luna, and Grace. Then, word by word, I said: “You all suspect each other of taking the money, suspect me of playing favorites, right? Fine, stop all this guessing and speculation.” I raised my hand and pointed toward the nearby bank. Then I said: “There’s the bank right over there. I have that Family Sharing Card with me. Let’s go print out the statements right now and get to the bottom of this. Let’s see if I actually have any money, let’s see whose pockets this money ended up in, and let’s see if I’ve been favoring anyone.”

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The night before the wedding, my sister Winona Simpson’s groom Austin Graham was injured in the groin by a raging bull, leaving him unable to have children. Winona refused to marry the disabled Austin and fled in the middle of the night. I, Esther Simpson, watched the abandoned Austin and my parents, who were ashamed by Winona’s escape, and agreed to marry him in her place at their pleading. After marrying Austin, I worked tirelessly from dawn to dusk managing the household. Austin miraculously recovered, and our family became the wealthiest in the village. However, on the very day Austin became the richest man in the provincial capital, Winona returned. She cried and claimed she hadn’t fled the wedding, but that I had tricked her into going up the mountain by saying there was a miracle cure for Austin’s condition, then knocked her unconscious while she wasn’t looking. Austin immediately believed her story. Furious, he slapped me across the face and even threatened to throw me in the river to drown. I couldn’t defend myself, and in desperation, I grabbed both of them and dragged us all to our deaths. When I opened my eyes again, I had been reborn on the day of the wedding. Winona, who had fled, suddenly appeared at the wedding ceremony. But they didn’t know that without me, Austin could never have recovered, much less become the richest man in the provincial capital. Austin lifted my wedding veil, and his face turned ashen when he saw it was me. “I was supposed to marry Winona. Why is it suddenly Esther? Give me an explanation!” Before I could react, my parents exchanged glances and rushed to explain. “Austin, Esther was threatening suicide at home, saying she would marry no one but you in this lifetime! “She even drove Winona away with her tantrum. We had no choice but to let Esther marry you!” I was shocked back to my senses. They had clearly begged me through tears to marry in Winona’s place, so how had it now become me begging to marry him? Upon hearing this, Austin raised his hand and slapped me again. “If you hadn’t interfered, how could Winona and I have missed so many years in our past life? Tell me, where exactly is Winona? Or I’ll strangle you!” This slap completely awakened me, and I suddenly realized I had been reborn, and Austin before me had also been reborn. I glared at him and said word by word: “Winona despised you as a useless waste and fled the wedding overnight!” Austin clearly didn’t believe it. His eyes blazed with fury as he grabbed my throat. “You’re lying! Winona loves me so much, how could she possibly flee? It must be you, you wretch, who tricked her away!” The scene descended into chaos. I was being strangled and couldn’t breathe, yet everyone around just watched coldly without helping. Just then, Winona’s voice came from outside the door. “Austin, I’ve come back to marry you!” Austin released my throat and excitedly placed the wedding veil over Winona’s head. My heart jolted—it seemed all three of us had been reborn. In my previous life, Austin had been injured in the groin by a raging bull, and the doctor declared he would never be able to have children again, unable even to have marital relations. After hearing this, Winona cried at home for hours, then fled in the dead of night while we were all asleep. My father Elliot Simpson sat at home sighing, while my mother Phoebe Simpson cried, saying we’d be laughed at by the villagers, and begged me to marry Austin to make up for Winona’s wrongdoing. I couldn’t bear to see my parents heartbroken, and considering Austin’s upright character, I agreed to marry in her place. When Austin learned the truth, he hugged me excitedly. “Esther, you’re the only one in this world who truly cares for me.” After marriage, I devoted all my energy to the household, working day and night, even seeking doctors and medicine everywhere, finally curing Austin’s condition. However, our life remained impoverished until a merchant named Dylan Wright came from the provincial capital, willing to help Austin in business and promising to make him successful. With Dylan’s support, Austin’s business flourished. He became the wealthiest man in the village, and a few years later, even the richest man in the provincial capital. I thought our days would be peaceful from then on, but Winona’s return shattered that tranquility. She wept at our doorstep, claiming she hadn’t fled the wedding that night, but had been tricked by me into going to the mountain where I knocked her unconscious. Austin believed this clumsy lie without question, slapping me on the spot and even threatening to drown me in the river. I tried desperately to explain but no one would listen. In my fury, I dragged both of them to our mutual destruction. In this life, I was determined to wash away the humiliation of my previous life. Looking at the two lovebirds, since you love each other so deeply, then I’ll fulfill your wishes.

Seeing my silence, Austin’s expression grew even more smug. “I told you so—Winona would never abandon me and run away from our wedding. No matter how much you love me, you can’t use such despicable tactics to break us up!” I couldn’t help but smile bitterly. Years of marriage meant nothing compared to a single word from Winona. I spoke calmly: “Since you’re so confident that Winona won’t run away from the wedding, why don’t you open her bag and see what’s really inside?” Winona’s face instantly changed, and she quickly said, “I truly love Austin—I don’t need anything else to prove it!” I sneered, looking directly into her eyes: “Since you put it that way, what’s the harm in letting everyone see?” Austin glared at me: “Esther, stop trying to drive a wedge between us. I’ll never believe a word you say!” Just then, a bystander reached out and knocked the bag off Winona’s shoulder, spilling clothes and money all over the ground. The crowd immediately erupted in gasps of surprise. She had clearly packed all her belongings. “She’s packed so thoroughly—could she really be planning to run away from the wedding?” “I heard Austin has erectile dysfunction. If I were her, I’d run away too.” “That’s so wrong of Winona. If she didn’t want to get married, she should have said so earlier. This is just embarrassing!” Winona looked panicked and quickly knelt down, trying to cover up the scattered items, afraid others might see more: “Going through someone else’s belongings without permission is illegal, don’t you know that?” Austin stared at the items scattered across the ground, and with his private matters being discussed publicly, his face darkened unpredictably as he said in a trembling voice: “Winona, you owe me an explanation!” Winona’s face went pale as she stammered: “I have no idea how these things got here. Austin, you have to believe me—I love you deeply. It must be that bitch Esther who did this! She deliberately put these things in my bag because she’s jealous that you like me, and she wants to frame me! Think about it—why would I carry so much stuff if I was just going to get medicine?” I knew she’d say that. So I went inside and found the note Winona had left behind, which clearly stated that she couldn’t accept a man with erectile dysfunction and had chosen to run away from the wedding. I thought Austin would finally believe me this time, but he didn’t even look at it before tearing the note to shreds: “Enough! I know you love me obsessively, but I won’t let myself be ruined by a slut like you in this lifetime too!” Winona pulled Elliot and Phoebe aside and whispered something to them, and their smiles grew more obvious. I was about to say something else when Elliot slapped me: “It’s one thing for you to make a scene at home trying to steal Austin, but now you’re actually scheming to frame Winona. I’m going to lock you in your room so you can reflect on your behavior!” Phoebe also came over and twisted my ear: “You’ve completely ruined the Simpson family’s reputation!” Winona took the opportunity to link arms with Elliot, acting coquettishly: “You shouldn’t just lock her in her room—don’t give her any food either, so she learns how immoral it is to steal someone else’s man!” With them saying this, I had no way to clear my name. Austin tried to drag me into the room by force. In desperation, I bit down hard on his hand. Austin winced in pain and finally released his grip on my hands, glaring at me: “Your bite really hurts!” I had no time to deal with him and ran straight to Winona’s side, whispering in her ear: “If you dare lock me up, I’ll spill all your secrets!”

Winona’s eyes widened with terror and fury as she stared at me, completely helpless. She knew perfectly well that once this secret came to light, her relationship with Austin would be over for good. Winona and I shared the same room. Every night at midnight, she’d sneak out and wouldn’t return until five in the morning. One time, I was so worried that I quietly followed her. She’d slip away to town and hang around with a bunch of lowlifes, even staying overnight at someone else’s place. Moans and gasps would echo from inside the house until four in the morning. If I exposed this, forget about our village—Winona wouldn’t be able to show her face anywhere in the entire county. While Winona was still hesitating, I cut straight to the threat: “You’d better think this through. If you don’t want to be completely ruined, let me leave.” Reluctantly, she walked over to Austin and whispered, “Today’s our wedding day. Don’t let Esther ruin our mood—just let her go.” Then she turned to Elliot and Phoebe: “Dad, Mom, you’ve always loved me most. You shouldn’t have any objections to this, right? After all, Esther has brought shame to the Simpson family. Keeping her around will only cause more trouble.” Austin wrapped his arms around Winona, his face full of adoration: “You’re absolutely right. We can’t let this bitch ruin our special day.” Turning to me, he snapped: “Get the hell out of here and stop ruining our mood!” I smiled slightly: “I’ll leave, but first you need to pay back the five hundred dollars you owe me!” Austin had come to me earlier, claiming he was short five hundred dollars for wedding gifts. I’d treated him like family and lent him the money without a second thought. Now I had to get every penny back! Austin panicked: “When did I ever owe you money? Stop making things up!” I pulled out the IOU he’d written in his own hand and slapped it right across his face: “This promissory note is crystal clear, complete with your fingerprint. Don’t tell me you can’t even read!” Austin’s face turned ugly. Being exposed for borrowing money from me in front of Elliot and Phoebe was deeply humiliating. He said, “I’ve already spent the money. Give me a few days, and I’ll definitely pay you back.” I’d known all along that this kind of person would be flat broke. In my previous life, I only learned after our marriage that Austin had a serious gambling addiction—any money in his hands would be gone within three days. He hadn’t borrowed money from me for wedding gifts at all—he’d gambled it away. I said, “No problem. I’ll take the radio, bicycle, and refrigerator you brought today. Consider it payment for the five hundred dollars.” Winona wasn’t having it: “Those are my things! What gives you the right to take them?” I smiled politely at her: “Either you pay his debt, or I’m calling the police.” Austin held Winona back: “Once we have money later, these things won’t matter at all. Look how pathetic she is—if she wants them, let her take them.” Hearing this, Winona regained her arrogant demeanor: “When I’m rich someday, you’d better not come begging at my doorstep.” She covered her mouth and laughed smugly. Elliot and Phoebe’s faces turned ashen. They no longer saw me as their daughter, but glared at me like I was their enemy. Elliot said, “Since you’re being so ruthless, from now on we’ll act like we never had a daughter like you!” This was exactly what I wanted to hear. After living through two lifetimes, I finally understood that in their eyes, I was nothing more than a tool—once I lost my usefulness, I could be discarded at will. I went inside, grabbed paper and pen, and wrote out a formal declaration severing all family ties. From this day forward, I would have nothing to do with the Simpson family. Before leaving, I couldn’t resist one final jab: “You can’t even afford wedding gifts without borrowing money, yet you dream of getting rich?” I moved to town to settle down. Compared to the village, there was less gossip and idle chatter here, and I finally found some peace and quiet. Just as I stepped out that day, I ran into Austin and Winona. I tried to avoid them, but they blocked my path directly. Austin looked at me with a smug grin and said, “Didn’t you despise me for having erectile dysfunction? Well, I’m different now. But I’m a man you’ll never have in this lifetime, because I belong only to Winona. You don’t deserve to be with me!” Winona blushed coyly, lightly tapping Austin’s chest: “How can you say such things in public? What if Esther gets jealous and tries to steal you away from me? Oh right, she’s not my sister anymore anyway.” I ignored them, but felt a twinge of confusion. Austin couldn’t have recovered so quickly. In my past life, that medicine took me tremendous effort to obtain—there was no way he could know the formula! I couldn’t help but kindly remind him: “When the effects wear off and you’re back to your old self, don’t come crying to me. There might even be side effects!” Austin’s face immediately darkened: “Esther, I was your man in our past life after all. What good does cursing me do you? Last time I shouldn’t have listened to Winona’s advice—I should have locked you in a room and burned you alive to save myself from your constant interference!” I rolled my eyes. Since he couldn’t get that medicine anyway, I might as well tell him the truth: “I don’t have time for your nonsense. Out of pity for you, I’ll tell you…” Before I could finish, Austin suddenly clutched his groin and crouched on the ground, cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. Winona cried out anxiously: “What’s wrong? You can’t let anything happen to you!” A car happened to pass by, and seeing Austin’s condition, the driver quickly rushed him to the hospital. Winona insisted he was in this state because I had upset him, dragging me to the hospital and demanding I apologize and cover all medical expenses. She said: “If anything happens to Austin, I’ll never forgive you!” I was curious to see what was really going on, so I followed along. After examining Austin, the doctor hemmed and hawed, looking like he had something difficult to say. Winona paced frantically: “Doctor, speak up! What’s wrong with Austin? Was he upset by this woman? No matter how much it costs, she has to pay! You must cure Austin!” Austin lay on the hospital bed unable to move, only able to glare at me viciously: “You bitch, I’ll never let you get away with this!” I couldn’t help but sneer, putting on an innocent expression as I asked the doctor: “Doctor, looking at his condition, his sexual function isn’t completely ruined, is it?”

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