Five Christmases after my death, my doctor wife Wynona Stewart once again wanted me to take the fall for her first love, Gavin Wilson. She burst into my old apartment with a forged agreement, only to find nothing but dust covering everything. In her panic, she grabbed Daniel Lynch, the convenience store owner downstairs, demanding to know where I was. But Daniel told her: “Everett? He died five Christmases ago. I heard the family from that medical malpractice case wouldn’t let it go—they cornered him in the alley at midnight and stabbed him over a dozen times.” Wynona didn’t believe it, convinced that Daniel must have taken my money to lie for me. She rolled her eyes and snorted coldly: “So I suspended him for two Christmases and now he’s really mad at me? Tell him if he doesn’t show up within three days, I’ll stop paying for his sister’s cancer treatment!” With that, she stormed out, cursing under her breath. Daniel watched her retreating figure and shook his head with a sigh: “What sister? His sister died long ago because there was no money for treatment.” ***** In the hallway, the security door rattled as keys turned in the lock. I floated near the ceiling, watching Wynona clutch the forged agreement as she burst into my old apartment. She covered her nose, waving away the dust, her high heels clicking urgently across the floor. “Everett, get out here!” she shouted. “Gavin’s about to lose his license and you’re still hiding?” I smirked bitterly behind her. After that medical malpractice incident five Christmases ago, Wynona and I had lost all contact. I never imagined that when she came looking for me again, it would be to make me take the fall for her first love once more. I had to admire how devoted she and Gavin truly were to each other. Wynona circled the room twice, her gaze sweeping over the dust-covered sofa and cobweb-laden windowsill, her tone growing more disdainful: “What’s this disappearing act? Where could someone kicked out of the hospital possibly hide? Gavin just texted that the police have started investigating. Do you want him to go to prison? I’m counting to ten—get out here now!” Watching her impatient face, I thought that after five Christmases, she still had that same entitled attitude. But no matter how high she counted, I would never appear before her like an obedient dog as I had in the past. Because I was already dead. Wynona continued shouting: “Everett! Do you hear me? I’m just asking for a small favor—why are you being so petty?” She suddenly spun around and kicked the bedroom door, the wood making a dull thud. But inside remained empty. Wynona sighed impatiently, searched the room fruitlessly, and finally realized no one was really there. Muttering under her breath, she slammed the door and left. The convenience store door was yanked open violently. Wynona grabbed Daniel and asked: “Have you seen Everett? The guy who lives on the third floor.” Daniel paused, wiping the grease from his hands: “Everett? He died five Christmases ago.” Wynona’s movements froze for a moment, then she let out a cold laugh: “Who are you trying to fool? How could someone like him possibly be dead?” “I’m not lying.” Daniel pointed toward the alley entrance. “Five Christmases ago, the family from that medical malpractice case cornered him in the alley and stabbed him over a dozen times. He died on the way to the hospital. What’s your relationship to him?” The fluency of his answer made a flicker of confusion cross Wynona’s eyes. She frowned slightly, her expression showing a trace of pain I couldn’t understand. But then her phone buzzed, drawing her attention. It was a text from Gavin: [Forget it, Everett must still be angry with me and will just make excuses. Don’t trouble yourself for my sake. I’ll go to prison. Without me, you need to take care of yourself.] That single message convinced Wynona that my death was just an excuse to refuse them. Her fingers trembled as she replied: [What right does he have to refuse? I gave him such a large sum of money back then—when I need him, he has to show up!] [Don’t worry, I’ll definitely drag him back to take the fall for you. I absolutely won’t let anything happen to you!] The message sent successfully. Wynona looked up and glared at Daniel: “Stop acting! He’s definitely hiding somewhere. Did he pay you off?” Daniel sighed: “Would I joke about something like this? It was even on the news.” “Since when can news reports be trusted?” Wynona unconsciously raised her voice. She stepped closer, her eyes full of threat: “Tell him—if he doesn’t show up within three days, I’ll stop paying for his sister’s cancer treatment!” Daniel opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but she cut him off with a sharp wave: “Don’t waste my time! Either make him come out, or get ready to collect his sister’s body!” With that, Wynona turned and walked away in her high heels. The convenience store door slammed shut with a bang. Daniel watched her retreating figure, shook his head, and sighed to the empty air: “What sister? His sister died long ago because there was no money for treatment.” I floated nearby, looking at the water bottle that had been kicked aside on the ground, my soul feeling soaked through by that icy liquid. That money never reached my hands. While my sister Emily Gibson lay in her hospital bed waiting for money to save her life, Gavin was using it to buy imported equipment. And while I was stabbed and bleeding out in that alley, Wynona was accompanying Gavin to a medical conference. Now she was using a dead man’s name to threaten another person who was long gone.

My soul seemed to be crucified beside Wynona like a Christian martyr, forced to follow her back home. The moment the door opened, Gavin rushed forward eagerly, his eyes filled with anticipation. “Wynona, how did it go? Did you find Everett?” Wynona shook her head, looking dazed. “No. And they said Everett is already dead.” “Dead?” Gavin’s eyes widened in shock as he stepped back half a pace, instinctively grabbing Wynona’s arm. “How is that possible? Is he deliberately hiding from us and made up an excuse to fool you?” Wynona frowned in silence. Seeing this, Gavin forced a bitter smile. “That must be it! Everett is definitely still angry about what happened five years ago and doesn’t want to help me, so he’s telling this lie. Wynona, maybe we should just forget it? Stop pressuring him. At worst, I’ll turn myself in.” After a moment of silence, Wynona finally nodded. “You’re right, he must be hiding somewhere. But we can’t let this go. Even if I have to turn the entire city upside down, I’ll find him and clear your name!” Gavin was so moved that his eyes reddened, his voice choking with emotion. “Wynona, you’re so good to me.” “However,” Wynona suddenly interrupted him, her tone hesitant, “if Everett can come up with such an excuse, he must be truly angry. Gavin, this is the last time I’ll help you. Once he takes the blame for you and gets out of prison, we should go our separate ways.” Standing nearby, I was so shocked I almost forgot I was already dead. Wynona was actually suggesting she wanted to cut ties with Gavin? I still remembered how she had fought with me tooth and nail over this man five years ago. We’d been married less than a year when Gavin returned to the country and specifically transferred to our hospital. From then on, they constantly flirted right in front of me. Whenever I questioned it, she’d accuse me of being paranoid. But now, she was actually suggesting ending it all? A flash of stiffness crossed Gavin’s face, but Wynona missed it. She turned away, her tone softening. “I need to return to my family eventually. I gave him money last time, and I’ve really neglected him these past few years. To be honest, I feel quite guilty about it.” Gavin looked at her in disbelief. “You don’t want me anymore?” “I don’t know.” Her eyes darted away, her frown deepening. “It’s just that ever since leaving Everett’s place, I’ve felt uneasy, like something terrible is about to happen.” She paused, then her tone became resolute again. “But I will definitely see this through for you. I won’t stand by and watch you go to prison. I’m going to find him right now. Wait for my news.” With that, she turned and left, her retreating figure radiating determination and resolve. Gavin remained standing there, motionless. The pitiful, vulnerable act from moments before had completely vanished. I could clearly see his eyes had turned cold as a poisoned blade. And what escaped through his clenched teeth was actually my name.

Wynona was clearly desperate to find me, and her first instinct was to look for me at Emily’s place. I followed her car all the way to the hospital. This route was painfully familiar to me—during that period, my life revolved around just two points: the hospital and home. So many years had passed, yet nothing had changed. I watched as Wynona floored the gas pedal, her brow furrowed with worry from the moment she got in the car. Without a doubt, she was fretting over Gavin again. She didn’t even wait for the car to come to a complete stop before rushing into the inpatient ward, grabbing a nurse at the station: “Help me look up Emily’s room number.” “Oh, sure.” The nurse looked startled for a moment, then bent down to search through the records. Suddenly, a cold laugh came from nearby: “Well, well, if it isn’t Dr. Stewart. What brings you to slum it in a place like this?” Wynona turned around, her expression instantly darkening. It was Leah Roberts, a doctor who used to work in the same department as her. As far as I knew, the two had never gotten along. For some reason, after my medical malpractice incident, Leah had also resigned and left that hospital. Now, seeing each other again, neither could hide their mutual disdain. Wynona looked her up and down, her tone icy: “Where I go is none of your business.” Leah crossed her arms, a mocking smile playing on her lips: “You’re absolutely right, it’s not my business. I’m just curious—how can you be so cold-hearted? You didn’t come when they were critical, and now that they’re gone, you suddenly remember to look for them?” “Critical?” Wynona frowned. “What do you mean, critical?” She looked genuinely confused, as if she couldn’t understand what the other woman was talking about. But I knew exactly what Leah meant—she was referring to Emily and me. When I was stabbed multiple times in that alley and loaded into the ambulance, I was already hanging by a thread. The hospital contacted my family, hoping they could come see me one last time. But Wynona was with Gavin at the time and didn’t want me disturbing them, so she hung up without even answering. Later, she blocked my number entirely. Emily had faced the same situation. When she couldn’t receive treatment due to insufficient medical funds and was issued a critical condition notice, I tried to contact Wynona, but she was out traveling with Gavin. In the end, Emily died completely alone, with no one by her side as she left this world. Seeing Wynona’s bewildered expression, Leah suddenly let out a derisive laugh: “You’re quite the actress. Whatever. I really don’t know what’s so special about you that made him sacrifice so much for you.” Leah didn’t say anything more, leaving only that cryptic remark before turning and walking into the office. Wynona stood frozen in place, her fingers slowly and unconsciously tightening around her purse strap. This was her nervous habit when she was anxious or afraid. But what could she possibly be afraid of? “Dr. Stewart?” The nurse’s voice pulled her back to reality. “The patient you’re looking for…” The nurse hesitated for a moment before continuing: “Emily passed away three days ago.” The moment she heard those words, Wynona’s eyes went wide, and she seemed to freeze completely in place.

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Daisy Olson never imagined that on her birthday, her son Justin Walker would hand her a chestnut cake that could kill her from an allergic reaction. As her consciousness began to fade, she heard Asher Walker’s angry reprimand: “Justin, don’t you know your mom is allergic to chestnuts?” Justin’s childish voice came through crystal clear: “I know, but I want Natalie to be my mom. Dad, that’s what you want too, isn’t it?” Asher said, “Even if I…” A violent suffocating sensation suddenly overwhelmed Daisy, and she could no longer make out Asher’s response. In the final second before losing consciousness completely, only one thought filled her mind: if she could wake up again, she never wanted to be Asher’s wife or Justin’s mother ever again. ***** After five hours of emergency treatment, Daisy finally pulled through. When she regained consciousness, her entire body ached and her face was severely swollen. She struggled to open her eyes, instinctively searching for those two familiar figures, only to find the hospital room completely empty. Her phone lay on the nearby nightstand. She tried reaching for it but couldn’t stretch far enough. Just as she attempted to prop herself up, a nurse entered to change her medication and quickly stopped her. “You just came out of the ER—you can’t move around. Let me get that for you.” The nurse handed her the phone while replacing the IV bag, cautioning, “Didn’t you know you have a severe chestnut allergy? You absolutely must remember never to eat anything containing chestnuts again. Thank goodness you were rushed to the hospital in time, or you would’ve died.” Daisy didn’t know how to respond. Was she supposed to say that her son had deliberately given her a chestnut cake, knowing full well about her allergy? Looking at her arm bristling with medical equipment, she managed to ask with difficulty, “Where are they?” She couldn’t bring herself to use terms like “husband” and “son” to describe Asher and Justin. The nurse looked puzzled for a moment, then understood: “You mean your husband and son? They brought you to the hospital, handled the paperwork, then rushed off saying they had some urgent matter. You could give them a call.” The nurse muttered under her breath, “I really don’t know what could be more important than you. They’re so cold.” This offhand remark pierced Daisy’s heart. There was only one person who could make that father-son duo leave so hastily—Natalie. She opened her phone, and her chat with Asher still showed his last unread message. She clicked on Instagram, where Natalie’s post appeared prominently at the top of her feed: 【Thanks to my two on-call heroes for helping me catch a cockroach—a home really can’t do without men around!】 In the accompanying photo, Asher held a broom that seemed completely out of character for him, stepping on a cockroach on the floor, while Justin spread his little arms protectively in front of Natalie. Those two familiar figures, one big and one small, made Daisy’s eyes well up with tears as that suffocating feeling washed over her again. They had left her fighting for her life to help Natalie catch a single cockroach. Even more ironic was that her own biological son had caused her allergic reaction. Yet neither of them showed the slightest guilt or concern. Daisy gave a bitter smile. Justin probably wished she’d never wake up. As for Asher, while he might not have known what Justin was planning, deep down he probably shared the same wish as Justin—for Natalie to become his wife. How could two people who despised her so much possibly stay at the hospital to keep her company? Daisy set down her phone and stared at the hospital’s harsh fluorescent lights as memories flooded back like a tide. She and Asher had grown up in the same neighborhood. Asher had been an exceptional student since childhood, studying abroad early to prepare for returning home to inherit the family business. She, on the other hand, was introverted by nature—always sitting in corners watching while other children played, and growing up with little presence to speak of. Yet it was precisely this unremarkable girl who had fallen hopelessly in love with the brilliant Asher during her teenage years. She had thought this secret crush would come to an abrupt end when Asher married someone else. To her surprise, the first thing Asher did after returning to the country was seek her out and ask if she would marry him. The sudden joy caught her completely off guard, and years of suppressed feelings exploded in an instant—she agreed almost immediately. Just like that, she became Asher’s wife. However, it was only after he got drunk one night that she learned the truth from Asher himself. He had once deeply loved a girl abroad. That girl had told him that if he proposed 99 times, she would accept his 100th proposal. Asher believed her. The Swiss Alps, the Eiffel Tower, Iceland’s black sand beaches, Milan Cathedral… every location bore witness to his proposals. Until graduation day, when he carefully planned his 100th proposal, ready to return home for their wedding immediately after her acceptance. But in front of numerous friends and classmates, the girl rejected him for the 100th time. She said she didn’t want to marry so young and asked him to wait another three years. Asher completely lost his patience. In his fury, he returned home and married the first woman he could find. And she happened to be the girl living closest to Walker Villa. After learning the truth, she initially didn’t mind. She believed that someday Asher would fall in love with her. A year after their marriage, she gave birth to Justin, and her relationship with Asher grew much closer. To outsiders, they appeared to be a happy family of three. Until a month ago, when Natalie returned. He seemed to forget those 100 failed proposals from college and couldn’t help but gravitate toward Natalie, showering her with attention. Gradually, he began staying out all night, and even Justin often went with him to see Natalie. She had thought that after six years as husband and wife, and five years of mother-son bond, she would still hold a place in their hearts. Only today did she finally wake up from the fantasy she had woven for herself. Six years had passed, and she had never won Asher’s heart. Even the child who had come from her own body, like his father, had no room for his mother in his eyes. Bang! The sound of the door opening interrupted Daisy’s thoughts. She instinctively looked toward the entrance, where two figures—one tall, one small—stood in the hospital room doorway. Asher nudged Justin forward, his expression stern as he said, “Go apologize to your mother.” Justin fidgeted with his fingers, slowly shuffling to her bedside, his voice barely audible: “Mom, I’m sorry.” Daisy turned her head away without responding. She didn’t miss the perfunctory reluctance in Justin’s eyes. Asher added in a low voice, “Justin didn’t mean it—he didn’t know you were allergic to chestnuts. I’ve already scolded him, and we won’t prepare any food containing chestnuts for you again. There was an urgent matter at the company earlier, and since you were still unconscious, I went back to handle some work first.” Though it was the height of summer with heat waves rolling through the air, Daisy felt colder than in the depths of winter. From the moment she woke up until now, Asher hadn’t sent her a single message. After entering the room, both sentences he’d spoken to her were lies. Seeing her continued silence, Asher frowned with displeasure: “Alright, today is your birthday—don’t hold grudges against a child. Justin and I prepared a gift for you. Take a look and see if you like it. We’ll put it on you after you’re discharged.” With that, he produced a gift box and opened it to reveal a diamond necklace. Anyone could tell they had just picked it up casually at some mall along the way. Daisy glanced over briefly before looking away, saying softly, “I have a gift for you two as well.” Asher instinctively asked, “Isn’t today your birthday? Why are you giving us gifts?” Justin also looked at her with confusion. A relieved smile crossed Daisy’s lips: “Don’t worry, you’ll receive this gift in a few days, and I’m sure you’ll love it.” It was a signed divorce agreement—exactly what they wanted. Asher remained indifferent, completely unbothered. “Just rest well in the hospital. Don’t worry about preparing any gifts for us.” After speaking, he glanced down at his phone screen. Justin beside him also pursed his lips, looking equally disinterested. Daisy took in their reactions, a bitter smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. It didn’t matter that they weren’t interested now. When they actually saw the divorce papers, they’d probably be more excited than anyone else. She suddenly found herself curious about what she actually meant to them. Was she an emotional substitute? A nanny? Or perhaps just the most familiar stranger sharing the same roof? With these thoughts in mind, she decided to ask directly. The moment her last word fell, a sweet female voice rang out from Asher’s phone. “Asher, answer my call quickly, or I’ll get mad!” Daisy froze. As a CEO, Asher’s ringtone had always been the default system sound. But she quickly realized what this meant, her nails digging deep into her palms. This was probably a recording from when Asher and Natalie were dating, which he’d set as her exclusive ringtone. So even the cold, emotionless Asher had once made such sweet gestures. What was even more surprising was that after six years, he’d never deleted this ringtone. He’d probably been waiting for it to ring all these years. Asher answered the call without hesitation. Faint sobbing could be heard from the other end. He immediately stood up, grabbed his coat from nearby, and headed toward the door. “I’ll be right there.” His tone was unusually gentle. After hanging up at the doorway, he seemed to remember something and turned back to look at Daisy on the hospital bed, his voice calm. “A friend of mine is having some trouble. I need to go handle it. Rest well.” Perhaps in his rush to see Natalie, Asher didn’t notice how clumsy his lie was. What “friend” would warrant such a special ringtone? Justin immediately followed as Asher stood up. “Mom, I want to go with Dad.” Only then did Daisy finally realize that the father and son hadn’t listened to a word she’d said. Even after rushing from Natalie’s house to the hospital, she was the only one truly on their minds. Asher had been staring at his phone simply to answer her call at the first opportunity. Daisy lowered her head and softly responded with a quiet “Mm.” Though they hadn’t answered her question, she’d already gotten the answer she was looking for. After the father and son left, Daisy called her lawyer. “Draft a divorce agreement and send it to me as soon as possible.” The lawyer asked matter-of-factly, “What about custody of Justin? Do you want to fight for it?” “No.” Daisy spoke softly. “I no longer need anything or anyone related to the Walker family.” The only thing she wanted now was a divorce.

Daisy stayed in the hospital for a full week until the allergic reaction completely subsided. During her stay, she saw Natalie’s photos on social media every day. It turned out that the “trouble” Asher had mentioned was nothing more than cockroaches in Natalie’s place that hadn’t been completely exterminated. Asher and Justin had helped her find a new apartment, bought new furniture, and worked together to transform an empty room into a cozy home. On the day of her discharge, Asher and Justin finally appeared after being absent for a week. Seeing that Daisy had already completed the discharge procedures on her own, a rare hint of guilt crossed Asher’s stern face. “Sorry I didn’t visit you these past few days. I’ve been helping a friend with some things. She just returned to the country and isn’t familiar with the area yet, so I’m the only one who can help her.” Asher rarely apologized voluntarily. In the past, Daisy would have smiled understandingly and said it was fine. But this time, she simply opened the car door calmly and got in. “I understand. Let’s go home.” Asher glanced at her with slight surprise. Was she angry? But he quickly dismissed the thought. After six years of marriage, Daisy had always been gentle and considerate, never losing her temper with him. How could she be upset over such a small matter? Perhaps he was overthinking it. After getting in the car, Daisy kept her eyes closed, resting. But she could clearly feel a burning gaze frequently directed at her. She opened her eyes and caught Justin’s cautious stare. Seeing her awake, Justin asked softly, “Mom, is your allergy all better now?” Daisy said, “Yes.” Just then, the car came to a stop. Daisy pushed open the door and got out. After taking just a few steps, she heard a low mutter behind her: “Too bad Natalie can’t be my mom now…” Her steps faltered, her heart feeling as if it were being devoured by countless ants. This was her son, whom she had carried for ten months and raised for five years. The child who had nearly killed her showed no fear or guilt whatsoever, but instead regretted not successfully removing her as an “obstacle” so Natalie could smoothly become his mother. How ironic. Daisy suppressed the pain in her chest and walked straight into the bedroom. Justin, your wish will come true soon. That night, Daisy lay in bed early, the space beside her empty and cold. Asher often worked in his study until late at night, and they had long grown accustomed to a life without bedtime conversations. Just as she was drifting between sleep and wakefulness, a pair of hands gently pulled her into a warm embrace. The man’s heated breath brushed against her neck, sending shivers through her. Daisy was forced to open her eyes, but inadvertently caught sight of a curly hair wrapped around Asher’s shirt collar. She had always had straight hair since childhood. A sudden wave of nausea rose in her throat, and Daisy abruptly broke free from his embrace. Asher froze for a moment, frowning as he asked, “Haven’t you recovered yet?” Daisy suddenly found it amusing. He clearly had another woman in his heart, yet still pretended to care about her. Who was this act for? She said, “Asher, I just realized today that you’re not even as brave as a child.” At least Justin dared to say he wanted Natalie to be his mother. But you can’t even mention Natalie without calling her a “friend.” Asher couldn’t grasp the deeper meaning in her words and frowned as he pressed, “What are you talking about?” Daisy let out a soft laugh, no longer wanting to waste time on his hypocritical facade, and turned to lie with her back to him. Asher also lost interest and got up to leave the bedroom. Hearing the door lock click shut, Daisy kept her eyes tightly closed. The next morning, Daisy received the divorce papers from her lawyer. [Ms. Olson, the documents have been prepared.] Daisy replied: [Thank you.] Just after sending the message, Justin bounced over to her side. “Mom, my birthday party has to be really grand this time. I want to invite someone very special.” Only then did Daisy remember that Justin’s birthday was approaching. After a moment of silence, she responded, “Okay.” This would also be the last birthday she would spend with Justin. Justin happily went to school with his backpack. After he left, Daisy opened a flight booking app and purchased a ticket. The departure time was set for three days later, on the evening of Justin’s birthday. For the past three days, Daisy had been preparing for Justin’s birthday party. At the same time, she had also purchased all his birthday gifts from age six to eighteen. After all, he was her flesh and blood. Even if they would never see each other again after this, she had to fulfill her responsibilities as a mother, at least until he turned eighteen. On Justin’s birthday, guests filled the house. Daisy held Justin’s hand, standing beside Asher, surrounded by everyone in the center. Justin, who was usually excited about every birthday, seemed dejected today, constantly kicking at pebbles on the ground and glancing toward the entrance from time to time. Even Asher kept looking down at his watch. Daisy thought something might be inadequately prepared for the party. Until a clear female voice came from the entrance: “Justin!” Justin suddenly looked up, his eyes instantly lighting up. He pushed past Daisy who was blocking his path and ran straight toward the entrance: “Natalie!” Daisy stumbled, nearly falling, and had to step back several times before managing to steady herself. Justin was completely oblivious, throwing himself into Natalie’s embrace. The gloom on his face vanished completely, and his lips curved into a bright smile: “You’re finally here! I’ve been waiting for you.” Natalie smiled and pinched his cheek gently, saying tenderly: “Traffic held me up a bit. Sorry to keep you waiting.” Asher also walked over, a rare smile appearing on his usually stern face. Daisy endured the dull ache from her ankle, standing in the center of the crowd, watching her husband and son abandon her to gather around Natalie. The bitter feeling in her chest slowly spread throughout her entire body. She should have realized it earlier—only Natalie could make them act so unusually. The “most important person” Justin had mentioned was indeed her. The guests around them began whispering, breaking the previous silence. “Who is that? Someone who can make Mr. Walker and the young master personally greet her?” “Could she be the real Mrs. Walker? Did we get it wrong?” “No, I heard she’s Mr. Walker’s unforgettable first love from his study abroad days. She just returned to the country recently.” “Oh my God, poor Mrs. Walker. Her husband’s first love showing up so brazenly at her son’s birthday party…” “Shh, keep it down. Mrs. Walker is still here.” Daisy looked away. Her heart no longer ached—only bitterness remained. After tonight, she would no longer be Mrs. Walker. While everyone whispered, Justin had already pulled Natalie along, showing off the party venue to her like presenting treasures. “Natalie, this is my favorite cartoon character.” “These are all my photos from birth until now.” “And this is a painting I drew myself.” Asher followed beside them, his gaze carrying a gentle smile. After walking around the banquet hall, the three finally came to where Daisy stood. Justin introduced: “Natalie, this is my mom.” His tone was completely different from before, clearly carrying a hint of reluctance. Natalie remained composed, gently patting Justin’s head with a smile: “Ms. Olson, having such a well-behaved and thoughtful child like Justin must be truly enviable.” Daisy smiled back: “You’ll have that too.” After tonight, not just Justin, but Asher as well, would be hers. Justin clearly didn’t want to linger in front of Daisy and immediately pulled Natalie away again. Asher instinctively wanted to follow, but as he lifted his foot, he noticed Daisy standing alone, completely out of place with the surrounding festivities. He spoke with rare gentleness: “Thank you for all your hard work organizing the birthday party these past few days. Natalie can keep Justin company now. Why don’t you go back to your room and rest?” Daisy lowered her eyes, hiding the irony beneath them. How desperately did he want to be openly with Natalie that he would ask his legitimate wife, the biological mother, to leave early from her own son’s birthday party? But she said nothing, simply turned and went upstairs. She no longer wanted to waste time on such meaningless matters. When it came time for the wish-making ceremony, Daisy was summoned downstairs by a servant. In the banquet hall, Justin stood before a giant cake, ready to make his wish. Natalie and Asher stood on either side of him. Seeing this scene, Daisy paused in her steps. Such a harmonious picture—it seemed like anyone else joining would be superfluous. Noticing Daisy’s arrival, Natalie smiled apologetically at her: “Ms. Olson, I’m so sorry.” She then tried to give up her position beside Justin. But Justin gripped her sleeve tightly, not letting her leave: “Mom, I want Natalie to stay with me.” Asher glanced at him and said softly: “Today is Justin’s birthday. Let’s do as he wishes. Don’t take it personally.” Daisy stood in place and nodded calmly. She no longer wanted even the hearts of this father and son—why would she care about an insignificant position? Justin visibly brightened, closed his eyes, and clasped his hands together to make his wish: “I hope I can grow up happy and healthy.” As soon as he finished speaking, he paused, then added in Italian: “I also hope Natalie can be my mom!” The childish voice rang clearly in everyone’s ears. Among the guests were those fluent in Italian, and for a moment, their expressions varied. Asher was momentarily stunned, then explained with his usual composure: “Children say the darndest things. Don’t take it seriously.” Justin pouted, his eyes full of reluctance, as if he wanted to say more: “But…” Daisy stepped forward, cutting him off: “This is your gift. It can make your wish come true.” With that, she handed Justin the document envelope she had prepared. Inside was a divorce agreement she had already signed. She figured this gift was probably exactly what Justin wanted most. After a pause, she continued: “There’s also a key inside…” Originally, Daisy had wanted to tell Justin that his gifts from age six to eighteen were all stored in a safety deposit box, and he only needed to open them in order each Christmas. But before she could finish, Justin nodded dismissively: “Thanks, Mom. Got it.” He didn’t believe Daisy’s gift could really grant wishes—he just thought it was another grown-up joke to humor kids. He casually set the envelope aside and looked expectantly at Natalie: “What did you get me?” Natalie smiled and pinched his cheek, pulling out her prepared gift from her pocket—three matching t-shirts with their intimate family photo from their last amusement park visit printed in the center. She said: “This is from our last trip together. I had it made into matching family shirts. Do you like it?” “Wow!” Justin exclaimed in delight, excitedly examining the shirt over and over, wanting to put it on immediately. “I love it! Tomorrow, the day after, and the day after that… I want to wear it every day!” Just then, the photographer arrived, ready to take pictures. Justin’s eyes lit up as he tugged on Asher’s sleeve: “Dad, can we all change into these shirts and take photos with Natalie?” Asher, who usually only wore formal attire, surprisingly didn’t refuse. After the three changed into the matching outfits, they looked exactly like a real family of three. Before the formal shoot began, Asher frowned and looked toward Daisy, who had been standing in the corner: “Why aren’t you joining us for photos?” Watching the three of them standing intimately together with no space between them, Daisy forced a smile: “I’m a bit tired. You go ahead.” Asher didn’t ask further and signaled the photographer to begin. Natalie and Asher stood on either side of Justin. For better shots, the photographer gestured for them to move closer together. They inched closer bit by bit until their shoulders finally touched. Both froze simultaneously, instinctively looking at each other. A hint of tenderness appeared in Asher’s usually indifferent eyes, while Natalie’s cheeks flushed pink. Justin stood in front of them, holding both their hands, beaming with happiness. The guests around them whispered among themselves. “First the son wishes for another woman to be his mother, now they’re wearing matching outfits for photos. Mrs. Walker sure has patience.” “You don’t get it. Back when Mr. Walker was abroad for Christmas, he was deeply in love with his first love and proposed 100 times. If she hadn’t been unwilling to marry so young, there wouldn’t be a Mrs. Walker now.” “So you’re saying Mr. Walker’s first love is back in the country. Do you think…” Hearing the surrounding chatter, Daisy suddenly remembered the scene six Christmases ago when Asher proposed to her. No flowers, no ring, not even a confession. Just one simple sentence: “Will you marry me?” That single sentence made her throw herself wholeheartedly into this marriage. Even after accidentally learning about his past with Natalie after their wedding, she still believed that as his wife, she could make Asher fall in love with her someday. But it took her six full Christmases to understand that a heart already occupied by someone else could never love her. No matter how hard she tried, as soon as that person appeared, she was destined to lose everything completely. Watching Asher’s gaze inevitably drift to Natalie, Daisy let out a soft laugh. At least this marriage that should never have begun was finally coming to an end.

Daisy couldn’t bear to watch the three of them enjoying their cozy moment any longer and walked alone into the back garden. Buzz! Her phone vibrated gently. She swiped open the screen, and a text message popped up: [Dear passenger, your flight will depart in 8 hours. Please board on time.] Daisy showed her first genuine smile of the day. She put away her phone and turned to go upstairs to pack her luggage. After just a few steps, she ran straight into Natalie. The woman smiled sweetly as she blocked her path. “Mrs. Olson, you’re the hostess of this party. Why are you here all alone?” Daisy knew that beneath Natalie’s smile lurked a sharp blade. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have managed to get her contact information on her first day back in the country, and she wouldn’t keep posting photos with Asher and his son on Instagram. Daisy said, “Ms. Reed, just say what you want to say.” Natalie stared at her for a long moment before letting out a soft laugh and dropping her pretense. “Mrs. Olson, you’re a smart woman. “Back in Christmas, Asher and I were madly in love. He proposed to me a hundred times. If I hadn’t wanted to wait before getting married, the position of Mrs. Walker would never have been yours. “If you’re smart, you’ll file for divorce soon. At least then you can keep some dignity.” Although Daisy had already decided on divorce, that didn’t mean she would tolerate such provocation from a homewrecker. Her expression instantly turned cold. “My marriage with Asher is none of your business as an outsider.” Natalie casually played with her manicured nails. “So what? Even though I rejected him a hundred times, I’m still the one he loves. “You’ve seen it yourself these past few days. Asher truly loves me, and even your son is close to me, wanting me to be his mother. “I just casually said, ‘If you eat the chestnuts, I can be his mother,’ and he actually did it.” After speaking, she looked Daisy up and down with a mocking expression. “I just didn’t expect you to be so lucky. What a shame we couldn’t make you disappear sooner.” Daisy stared at Natalie in shock, her nails digging deep into her palms as rage churned in her chest. So Justin giving her the chestnut cake was Natalie’s doing. She said angrily, “Natalie, how could you…” “Who told you to take my place!” Natalie coldly interrupted her. “If it weren’t for you, I would be the real Mrs. Walker.” Catching sight of Asher and Justin walking toward the garden, Natalie suddenly changed her expression, putting on a pitiful look. “Mrs. Olson, Asher and I are in the past. Why must you be so aggressive?” Her eyes instantly reddened, her voice choking up. Daisy frowned, momentarily confused by her sudden change in attitude. The next second, Natalie suddenly tore a rip in her short sleeve. Before Daisy could react, she grabbed her wrist. “Ah!” Splash! Daisy was caught off guard as Natalie pulled her into the swimming pool. She had nearly drowned as a child and had a deep fear of water. The icy pool water rushed over her, and she instinctively struggled with her limbs, trying not to sink. Splash! Asher rushed over and jumped into the water without hesitation. Daisy struggled to reach out to him. “Save me.” However, the next second, she watched as Asher quickly swam toward Natalie on the other side, not even glancing at her. Justin’s anxious shouts came from the shore: “Dad! Natalie is over there, hurry and save her!” At that moment, Daisy clearly heard her already battered heart shatter into dust. Even at this life-or-death moment, the one they cared about was still Natalie. Daisy finally ran out of strength. She slowly closed her eyes and sank into endless darkness. When Daisy woke up again, the sharp smell of disinfectant hit her nostrils. Seeing her open her eyes, Asher cast her a cold glance and said in a low voice, “When Natalie wakes up, you’re going to apologize to her.” Daisy’s heart tightened as a bone-chilling coldness surged through her. She had just woken up, yet Asher didn’t offer a single word of concern—his first words were demanding she apologize. “She’s the one who pulled me into the water with her. Why should I apologize?” she said. Asher frowned deeply, his face filled with distrust. “You’re still lying. You were obviously jealous that Natalie gave Justin matching outfits as a gift, so you deliberately pushed her into the water, and then accidentally fell in yourself.” Daisy looked at this man she had loved for half her life. His face showed no trace of worry about her falling into the water—only anger and blame. So six years of living together day and night couldn’t earn her even a shred of his trust. She suddenly smiled, her tone surprisingly calm. “If you don’t believe me, you can check the surveillance footage.” She was no longer Mrs. Walker—why would she be jealous over matching outfits? Asher’s frown deepened as he stared at her intently, as if trying to judge whether her words were true or false. He had been feeling that something about Daisy was different lately. “You…” He had just begun to speak when a phone ring interrupted him. Justin’s excited voice came through the receiver: “Daddy, Natalie’s awake!” The coldness on his face instantly melted away, joy appearing in his eyes. “I’ll be right there.” After hanging up, he glanced at Daisy on the hospital bed, his tone turning cold again. “You need to reflect on yourself. I don’t want my wife to be some irrational, jealous woman, and Justin wouldn’t want that kind of mother either.” With that, he turned and strode away without a moment’s hesitation. Daisy watched his retreating figure with despair. Perfect timing—she was about to stop being Mrs. Walker and stop being Justin’s mother anyway. Ding! A text notification pulled her thoughts back to reality. [Dear passenger, your flight departs in three hours.] Daisy had already completed her discharge procedures. As she was leaving, she passed by a hospital room where a familiar figure made her instinctively stop. Asher was carefully feeding Natalie, looking at her with eyes full of tenderness. “Don’t you dare come near Natalie! If it weren’t for you, she wouldn’t be sick and hospitalized. You’re a bad mommy!” Justin appeared out of nowhere, spreading his arms to block the doorway, glaring at her with hostility. This was the first time he had shown such disgust for her “mother” identity in front of her. It seemed Natalie really did hold significant weight in his heart. Daisy’s fingertips trembled slightly, but she ultimately made no move. She simply crouched down to look at this child she had carried for ten months and given birth to. “That birthday gift—you must open it. Consider it the last time I’ll be able to make you happy,” she said. Justin’s mind was completely occupied with Natalie, and he didn’t care what she was saying. He turned his head away and snorted coldly. “I don’t want your gift. The best gift you could give me is staying away from Natalie!” Daisy chuckled softly and didn’t respond. His wish was about to come true. An hour later, Daisy arrived at the airport with her luggage. [Luca, pull up today’s poolside surveillance footage and send a copy to Mr. Walker.] She sent this final message to the butler, Luca Brown, then removed her SIM card, snapped it in half, and threw it in the trash. The moment the plane soared into the clouds, golden sunlight gently bathed her. Daisy smiled genuinely from the heart. Asher, Justin, the identity of Mrs. Walker, the position of mother—I no longer need any of it. And I’m finally going to live Daisy’s life. From now on, we’ll never see each other again.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MyFiction” app 🔍 search for “398257”, and watch the full series ✨! #MyFiction #B×G #Betrayal #Hurt #Divorce #regret

When my roommate Aria Lawson learned that pregnant students received special treatment at university, she boldly posted on the campus forum seeking pregnancy partners. 【I require someone tall, with eight-pack abs, handsome looks, assets worth ten million dollars, and no bad habits.】 I, Marie Wood, worried she’d regret this impulsive decision for the rest of her life, so I quickly grabbed her phone to delete the post and explained the dangers of early pregnancy. After much consideration, Aria was finally convinced by me. However, a month later, a classmate got pregnant and not only successfully married into a wealthy family but also received a ten-million-dollar fertility bonus from the man’s parents. Aria went crazy with jealousy, stormed into our dorm, and screamed at me: “If it weren’t for you, I’d be a wealthy wife now! You owe me my life!” With that, she stabbed me to death in a frenzy. When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the day Aria posted that message. ***** “Bang!” The loud noise snapped me back to reality. Looking around, I was in the dorm room I’d just moved into as a freshman, and the source of the noise was Aria on the bed next to mine. She had thrown her pillow down, hitting my thermos. The thermos had water in it, and the inner liner shattered completely, spilling water everywhere with steam rising. “This is so annoying! Why do we still have fitness tests? And classes start so early! Didn’t they say college would be free? I worked so hard to get into university—if I’d known it would be like this, I might as well have just started working!” Hearing Aria’s complaints, our other two roommates exchanged glances. One roommate, Ruby Scott, joked: “Well, you could always get pregnant. Pregnant students get special treatment—you wouldn’t have to participate in any of those things.” At those words, my body couldn’t help but tremble. It was exactly the same scenario. Aria had heard Ruby’s words and immediately posted on the campus forum seeking pregnancy partners. Back then, when I saw it, I quickly urged her to delete it and told her that early pregnancy would not only cause severe morning sickness but also bring many inconveniences. Besides, wouldn’t she need to raise the child after giving birth? Aria had thought about it for a long time before finally deciding to listen to me. Later, another girl copied her approach, found a wealthy boyfriend, and successfully married into a rich family. When Aria found out, she charged into our dorm with a knife and stabbed me over thirty times, each strike hitting vital spots, cursing: “It’s all your fault for saying early pregnancy was bad, ruining my chance to marry into wealth. Go die!” In the end, I bled to death on the dorm room floor. The tragic part was that Aria was diagnosed with mental illness and didn’t receive the death penalty, while I died for nothing. Since heaven has given me a chance to start over, I definitely won’t make the same mistake again. I’ll let go of my savior complex and respect others’ destinies. “Marie, what do you think?” Aria turned her gaze to me, seemingly expecting my answer. In our dorm, I had the best grades, and Aria always consulted me about everything. In my previous life, Aria had asked me the same question, and I had angrily rejected the idea. But she hadn’t given up, and with Ruby’s encouragement, Aria eventually posted behind my back anyway. This time, I just smiled faintly. “Having a baby early is great—your body recovers faster. By the time you graduate college, your child could already be in kindergarten. That saves a lot of trouble.” Aria’s expression froze, since in their minds, I was an extremely conservative person. But Aria seemed troubled by my words. “Huh? But childbirth is really painful, and if I have the baby, who’s going to take care of it?” Hearing this, my heart skipped a beat. So Aria wasn’t completely impulsive after all. She actually knew the dangers of early pregnancy—she just wanted me to be the one to voice objections. How could I let Aria have her way? So I began encouraging her: “If you find a wealthy boyfriend, would you need to worry about any of that?” Aria fell silent, as if thinking for a long time, then finally nodded. The conditions of being a wealthy wife were simply too tempting, and this time I wouldn’t stop her. Even if she failed, she couldn’t blame me. Aria posted the pregnancy partner information on the campus forum almost immediately, not forgetting to raise her eyebrows at me smugly. She said: “Marie, I think you should find a wealthy partner too. What’s the point of being good at studying? Better to marry a rich man.” Aria’s tone suggested her plan had already succeeded. I didn’t understand why she harbored such hostility toward me. This time I wasn’t even stopping her, yet she still kept making pointed remarks. But with someone like Aria, it’s better not to associate with her too much. I looked down at my studies and replied flatly: “I’ll pass.” Watching the popularity of her post gradually rise, Aria snorted disdainfully at me: “Bookworm, I guess this is all you’ll ever amount to in life.”

Just like in my previous life, Aria’s post went viral overnight, drawing a storm of criticism. People said her behavior was shocking, and some even dug up information about our dorm. Every time we went out, even when Aria wasn’t with us, we faced judgmental stares from others. “That’s them—thinking they can do whatever they want just because they’re pretty. They’re completely ruining the school’s reputation.” “I heard one of them is even the top student in the school. I bet she slept her way to those grades.” In my previous life, I had Aria delete the post in time, avoiding such terrible consequences. But now, not only had she gotten herself into trouble, but all three of us were caught up in it too. Ruby angrily dragged us back to the dorm. At that moment, Aria was washing her feet. I noticed the towel in her hand looked familiar. Glancing at where I usually kept my towels, I realized it was the one I used to wash my face. If I hadn’t caught her, how many times had she already used it? The thought of washing my face with that towel every day made me sick to my stomach. I immediately rushed over to Aria and snatched the towel back, angrily demanding, “What are you doing? Why are you using my face towel to wash your feet?” I was genuinely furious. But Aria showed no embarrassment at being caught. Instead, she said righteously, “I’m pregnant now. Using your stuff is an honor for you. If you take good care of me, I might even consider having my husband arrange a cleaning job for you after you graduate.” That’s right—it had been half a month since Aria posted that message. During this time, she’d been staying out all night and had us cover for her with the dorm supervisor. It seemed she really was pregnant. As for who the man was, Aria hadn’t revealed his name, only saying he was very wealthy and wore designer clothes. While we were still riding shared bikes, he was already driving luxury cars. According to Aria’s description, the only person at school who fit that profile was probably Carter Stewart, the son of the richest man in town. But hearing Aria’s words made me tremble with rage: “I don’t need your charity jobs. I’m capable of finding work myself. But that doesn’t give you the right to use other people’s things however you want.” Aria snorted coldly: “Don’t you know how hard it is for college students to find jobs? You’re acting all high and mighty now, but when you can’t find work later and come begging me on your knees, I won’t even let my husband hire you!” With that, she stomped her foot hard into the water, splashing me all over. Ruby had already reached her breaking point. If not for what just happened, she would have exploded earlier: “Aria, you deal with the mess you created yourself—don’t drag the three of us down with you! Go to the forum right now and clarify that this was your personal behavior and has nothing to do with us! Because of you, we get criticized everywhere we go!” Ruby stood in front of her with her hands on her hips, furiously scolding her. Aria rolled her eyes: “I’m doing this for your own good. I know you three are too uptight. You’re actually jealous of me, aren’t you? Stop pretending to be so pure.” Ruby’s face turned red with anger: “What are you talking about? We just want to study quietly. Don’t project your dirty thoughts onto us!” Aria rolled her eyes again: “If you treat me like this, believe it or not, I’ll have my husband make sure you can’t even stay at this school!” “You keep talking about ‘your husband’—if you’re so tough, why don’t you have him come after us? Just because you’re pregnant doesn’t mean you can act all high and mighty. Everyone outside says you have no shame, and you actually think you’re something special?” Ruby shot back. Aria was so angry she couldn’t speak, her eyes filled with venom. She grabbed her phone and rushed into the bathroom, crying. From outside, I could vaguely hear her making a phone call to complain, though her voice was distorted and sounded particularly grating. Ruby sat back down at her desk, grinding her teeth. Our other roommate, Camila Lewis, asked worriedly, “She’s not really with Carter, is she? We can’t afford to mess with him.” Ruby said defiantly, “So what if she is? We’re in the right—why should we be afraid of him? Can he really get us expelled? We earned our way into this school!” But hearing Carter’s name, I looked down at my phone at the message that was still there: [What time do you get out of class? I’ll take you to that new restaurant.] The timestamp showed yesterday afternoon. That’s right—Carter and I had grown up together. Wouldn’t I know if he had a girlfriend? Our conversations were always casual, and I didn’t always reply when I was busy. As for whether there was anything between him and Aria, I’d have to ask him to find out. So I quickly typed back: [Let’s go today.] Carter replied almost instantly: [I’ll pick you up after class.]

When Carter’s Ferrari pulled up in front of the girls’ dormitory, it immediately caused quite a stir. Several people in the dorm crowded around the windows to get a look. Ruby couldn’t help but sigh, “That car’s so expensive—how many Christmases would we have to work to afford something like that? Life’s just so unfair. Some people are born rich, while others are destined to work hard their whole lives.” Aria smoothed her flat stomach and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her expression filled with disdain. “Now do you all believe me? My husband’s a rich kid. You poor people should take a good look and learn something—you’ll probably never get another chance to see anything like this.” I smiled slightly. Carter spotted me standing by the window and waved. Aria noticed and immediately waved back excitedly. I ignored her and headed straight for the door. But as I reached the entrance, Aria deliberately slammed her shoulder into me hard, her voice full of anger. “Watch where you’re going, will you? If you hurt the baby in my belly, can you afford to pay for it? What’s the rush? Don’t tell me you want to go touch my husband’s luxury car?” I just let out a cold laugh. I’d never seen anyone so shameless. To avoid her using the baby to cause more trouble, I had to step back and let her go first. Aria swayed her hips as she walked, turning back to spit at me, “Smart move, you broke loser.” Actually, my family’s financial situation wasn’t any worse than Carter’s—I just kept a low profile. The clothes I wore were foreign designer brands, but not many people in the country recognized them. Besides, I hadn’t gotten my driver’s license yet. My dad’s eighteenth birthday gift to me was a Lamborghini, but I just hadn’t driven it. Hearing her words didn’t anger me at all. Instead, I was curious to see how long this wealthy family fantasy of hers would last. Downstairs, Aria had already settled into Carter’s passenger seat, drawing envious looks from the crowd around them. But Carter’s gaze remained fixed on the dorm entrance, naturally not noticing her. When I finally came down, he looked somewhat annoyed. “What took you so long? Is it really that hard for me to take you out for a meal?” I couldn’t help but laugh. Even as a kid, Carter was always trailing behind me, and I used to think of him as a clingy little shadow I couldn’t shake off. I hadn’t expected him to still be the same way in college. I raised an eyebrow, glancing at Aria. She seemed to sense something and immediately said to Carter in a coquettish voice, “Honey, let’s go. I know you wanted to show me off in front of my roommates, but that’s enough now. The baby and I are starving.” Carter turned around, looking shocked, pointing at himself. “Honey? Me? Baby? Who are you?” From all the years I’d known Carter, his reaction didn’t seem fake. So the person lying was obviously someone else. Things were starting to get interesting. Aria immediately flew into a rage. “Carter, you slept with me, I’m pregnant with your child, and now you want to deny it?” Before she could finish, she suddenly looked at me with a look of sudden realization. “I get it now! It must be that b*tch Marie seducing you! I’ll admit she gets good grades and looks decent, but you can’t abandon your wife and child for her!” I felt completely unmoved, taking her words as compliments. Carter looked even more panicked and quickly explained to me, “Marie, I really have nothing to do with her—I don’t even know her!” I raised an eyebrow. “So are we still going to eat?” Carter nodded repeatedly. I continued, “Then where am I supposed to sit? On the hood?” Without another word, he got out of the car and pulled Aria right out of it. Aria let out a shriek. “Carter, be careful of the baby!” But Carter acted as if he hadn’t heard anything. After pulling her out, he immediately helped me into the car. Aria sat on the ground crying and making a scene, loudly accusing, “How can homewreckers be so shameless these days! I’m pregnant, and she still dares to openly provoke me! Is there no justice left in this world!” The crowd’s looks toward me instantly became complicated, but Carter didn’t care about any of that. He hit the gas and drove off. During dinner with Carter, he eagerly explained to me: “I don’t know that woman at all! I had no idea about any pregnancy or husband. You’re the one I’ve always liked!” Yes, Carter and I are engaged. Our families arranged this marriage for business purposes, and since we grew up together, we naturally developed some feelings for each other. Our elders hoped we would end up together, so they arranged our engagement early on. Very few people know about this. As for whether I actually like Carter, I’m not entirely sure. Perhaps I’m just used to having him by my side. He’s a good person and treats me well – I really can’t find any fault with him. Watching Carter’s anxious expression, I couldn’t help but want to laugh. In the end, I just nodded and said softly, “I believe you.” Only then did Carter breathe a sigh of relief. He bought me many gifts – so many that I couldn’t carry them all with one hand. When I returned to the dorm, Aria immediately rushed over and grabbed my hair, pulling so hard that my scalp burned with pain. She cursed angrily: “Bitch! Earlier when I told you to find someone to get pregnant with, you acted all high and mighty. Then you turn around and seduce my husband, embarrassing me in front of all those people! I’m going to beat you to death today!” Ruby and Camila quickly rushed forward to break us apart, but Aria cursed at them too: “Birds of a feather flock together! You two aren’t any better either. Are you waiting for Marie to succeed so you can seduce my husband too? You people deserve to die!” When she saw me carrying all those designer bags, she immediately rushed over to snatch them away, roaring: “My husband has never bought me anything this expensive, you shameless bitch! If I can’t have these things, why should you?” The three of us were mindful of her pregnancy and didn’t want to be responsible for causing a miscarriage, so we held back during the scuffle. But Aria took our restraint as guilt. She grabbed my things and threw them directly into the toilet, then set them all on fire, burning everything to ash. Ruby and Camila looked at me with confusion and surprise in their eyes. I knew they were worried I had actually become a mistress like Aria claimed. I just shook my head at them. Fortunately, I had kept the receipts. All those items added up to nearly four hundred thousand dollars. After Aria finished her rampage, I spread the receipts in front of her: “Pay up, or I’m calling the police. Intentionally destroying someone else’s property – with this amount, you’re looking at jail time.” I had already confirmed that Aria’s husband wasn’t Carter, which is why I dared to confront her so boldly. Besides, I never intended to let Aria off the hook. Aria’s face stiffened, and she slapped me hard across the face. I was completely unprepared and took the full force of it. She raged: “Bitch, that’s my husband’s money, which means it’s my money too! How dare you ask me to pay you back? Shameless!” If it weren’t for her pregnancy, I would have fought back long ago. I sneered coldly: “Then let’s call the police.” Aria put her hands on her hips and said righteously: “Go ahead! I’d like to see whether the police side with me or with you, you shameless homewrecker!” Soon, the police arrived to investigate the situation. After hearing the truth, they told Aria seriously: “You must compensate for the damaged property at full value, or you’ll need to come with us to the station.” Aria completely broke down and questioned them in disbelief: “How much did Marie pay you? You’re actually taking her side! She’s just a broke college student – how could she afford these things without my husband’s money? I’m entitled to half of my husband’s assets, so what gives you the right?” The female officer couldn’t stand it anymore and spoke up: “You keep saying ‘your husband,’ but do you have a marriage certificate? If not, your relationship has no legal standing. The fact remains that you destroyed someone else’s property, regardless of how she acquired those items.” Aria frantically pushed past the officers and glared at me with eyes that seemed poisoned with hatred. She rushed to the door and threw down a threat: “I’m going to find my husband right now!” The officers wanted to chase after her, but I stopped them. I wanted to know if the person Aria would turn to in desperation was Carter. Aria didn’t come back all night. But at midnight, I received a call from Carter: “Marie, let me buy you new things. Just don’t make Aria pay compensation.” I was instantly shocked. Could Carter really be involved with Aria? Was the child in her belly actually Carter’s? This thought struck like lightning, shattering all my trust in him. We’d known each other for twenty years, yet I couldn’t see through this man. I gritted my teeth and replied: “Fine.” Then I hung up directly and blocked his number. Once a man cheats, he’ll keep doing it. Ruby must have noticed something was wrong with my expression and asked with concern: “Marie, what’s wrong? Did Aria bother you again?” I remained silent for a long time, then numbly shook my head, staring at my phone lost in thought. In my previous life, because I had stopped her, Aria never had the chance to get pregnant, so naturally there would have been no involvement with Carter. But in this life, my decisions had caused the plot to deviate, and everything seemed to be spiraling out of my control. But one thing would never change – I would never let Aria get what she wanted. The pain I endured in my previous life, I would make her experience every bit of it in this one!

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My wife Hannah Johnson posted a photo on social media with the caption: “Dogs only listen to their masters.” In the photo, Hannah was wearing sexy lingerie with a dog collar around her neck. In the bottom left corner, a man’s hand was gripping the leash. That hand had a black dog head tattoo on the back. I’d seen that same tattoo on her boss Thomas Adams’ hand before. I liked the photo. The next second, Hannah called to berate me. “Can’t you tell this is just a joke? Get a life and stop stalking my Instagram all day!” Thomas’s cold laughter came through the phone: “That’s what losers do—they fall apart and can’t handle the smallest things.” I quietly hung up. Hannah and I dated for two years and have been married for three. For five whole years, I’ve been pleasing her like a dog trying to please its master. Now, I don’t want to do that anymore. ***** When Hannah came home, I was sitting on the couch eating pizza. She disgustedly grabbed the pizza from my hand and threw it in the trash. “Carter, didn’t I already tell you to stop eating this junk food?” Carter Peterson is my name. Then Hannah pulled out an expensive box of New Zealand salmon and placed it in front of me. “Thomas asked me to bring this back for you. He also said I should make it up to you.” Smelling the fishy odor from the raw fish, I pushed the salmon away. “No thanks.” Hannah glared at me. “Carter, don’t be so difficult. Do I need to feed it to you myself? If you don’t eat it, I’ll just throw it away. You’re so ungrateful!” In the past, I would have sadly asked her: “Hannah, did you forget I don’t eat raw food? I’ll throw up if I eat it.” But today, I didn’t say a word. Hannah handed me her phone: “Call Thomas and thank him, then apologize. Tell him you were overthinking before and that you came to apologize.” I sat on the couch without moving. Hannah kicked me: “He’s the president of such a big company, yet he still cares whether you’re upset. But you’re deliberately acting like you don’t care, all high and mighty.” Her kick was filled with resentment, hitting hard and precisely on my surgically repaired knee. A few years ago, Hannah was harassed by a man on her way home from work. To save Hannah, I fought with that man and even had my right eardrum punctured. Later, the man picked up a steel rod and struck my knee hard, causing a comminuted fracture. I pressed my aching knee, my face pale and body trembling slightly. Seeing me like this, Hannah panicked a bit. “Carter, I didn’t mean to.” Hannah tried to reach out and touch me, but I dodged away. “There are painkillers in the nightstand drawer. Could you please get them for me?” Hannah looked somewhat embarrassed: “Okay. I’ll get them right now. Wait for me.” As she passed the couch, Hannah noticed the coat on the armrest. She paused and asked: “Did you go through my clothes while I was out?” “No. Why?” Hannah looked puzzled. She picked up the coat and checked the pockets before putting it down with relief. I watched her coldly. When she changed out of this coat yesterday, I wanted to help take it to the dry cleaner. I felt the pocket and found a pregnancy test report. It clearly stated that she was pregnant. I was shocked and delighted at the time. Just as I was about to text her to confirm, I saw that photo of her wearing the dog collar. Just then, the phone rang. Hannah answered—it was Thomas calling. After chatting for a bit, she turned back to me: “Carter, Thomas had too much to drink and isn’t feeling well. He wants me to come over and make him some honey lemon water. You don’t mind, do you?” Hannah didn’t wait for my answer and walked to the door to put on her shoes. “Hannah.” I called out to her. Hannah stopped impatiently: “Carter, don’t be unreasonable. Thomas drank too much and is feeling sick. You…” “You forgot your car keys.” I interrupted her. Hannah froze for a moment, then went back inside to grab her car keys. At the door, she glanced back at me as if she wanted to say something, but ultimately left without saying anything.

I watched Hannah’s figure disappear through the doorway, and the pain in my knee finally made me cry out. I struggled to move to the nightstand, swallowed some painkillers, and lay in bed for over an hour before the pain gradually subsided. Just as I was about to get up, my good friend Josiah Nelson called. He asked, “Carter, is Hannah seeing another man?” I opened Hannah’s Instagram and saw she had just posted a new update. The caption read: [Does someone think I’m a doll? He’s holding me and won’t let go. I just came over to make some honey lemon water.] In the photo, Hannah’s soft hands were tightly held in Thomas’s embrace, with an empty glass of honey lemon water sitting on the nightstand. My heart suddenly stabbed with pain. A month ago, it was Hannah’s birthday, and she threw a party with a bunch of friends. She wouldn’t let me come, saying, “We’re all girls. It would be awkward for you as a man to be there.” I ordered the most expensive cake from that restaurant online, wanting her and her friends to enjoy it together. After the cake was ready, the bakery owner called me, saying they couldn’t find a delivery driver during rush hour and didn’t know how long it would take to deliver. To make sure Hannah could have her cake on time, I rushed to the bakery and ran to the bar where her party was, carrying the cake. Cars were coming and going along the way, and someone on an electric scooter crashed into me head-on. To protect the cake, I used my body to cushion it underneath. My surgically repaired knee took another heavy blow. But I ignored the pain, first checking that the cake was intact, then got up and gritted my teeth as I headed to the bar. When I limped to the bar entrance, Hannah wouldn’t answer my calls. I had no choice but to sit by the door and wait. Passersby all stared at me, sweating profusely, and some even asked if I was a delivery driver and could help them buy cigarettes. Half an hour later, Hannah finally came out to find me. She looked disgusted and said, “Why did you come? Didn’t I tell you not to?” I forced a smile and handed her the cake I had carefully protected. I said, “I came to bring you your cake. Take it and share it with your friends.” Hannah glanced at the cake: “What kind of cake is this? Don’t you know I never eat anything made with cheap cream? You should just take it back and eat it yourself.” With that, she roughly pushed the cake back to me. I was somewhat stunned. Just then, one of Hannah’s friends came out: “Isn’t this Carter? I haven’t seen you in ages. You used to be the most handsome guy at our school, but why do you look like a beggar now?” I looked down at my clothes. They were covered in dust, my pants were torn, and blood was seeping through. I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the bar’s glass door and realized I really did look like a beggar. “Since you’re already here, come in and drink with us,” she said to me. Hannah looked very unhappy, but her friend had already pulled me into the private room. As soon as I entered, I saw Thomas in his suit and designer watch. Seeing me, Thomas said in surprise, “Isn’t this Mr. Peterson? I thought it was some delivery guy refusing to leave.” Thomas was Hannah’s boss, so I couldn’t be rude to him and just sat in the corner of the sofa. Hannah sat right next to Thomas, occasionally leaning close to whisper in his ear. They looked very intimate. I had a few too many drinks and passed out on the sofa. I’ve forgotten how I got home that night. I only remember that as soon as I lay down, Hannah said to me, “Carter, go make me some honey lemon water. I don’t feel well.” My whole body ached terribly, and I couldn’t help but plead with her, “Could you please let me rest for a bit?” Hannah suddenly stood up from the sofa and pointed at my nose, scolding, “What did you say when you were pursuing me? You said you’d take care of me for life. Now I’m asking you to make me honey lemon water, and you won’t even do that. I haven’t even gotten to you yet! You showed up to my birthday party dressed like that today and completely embarrassed me! Mr. Adams even asked me how I could fall for someone like you.” In college, I also cared a lot about my appearance. After marrying Hannah, I thought these external things no longer mattered. In the end, I still went to make her honey lemon water. But when I picked it up, the water was too hot and I accidentally knocked over the glass. Hannah angrily yelled at me, “If you don’t want to do it, then don’t! Why are you taking your temper out on me?” I was about to get a broom to clean up when Hannah arrogantly ordered me, “Pick it up with your hands.” My eyes reddened and my nose felt sour. I asked, “What?” “Pick up the pieces with your hands,” Hannah repeated coldly. When I actually went to pick up the glass shards with my hands, Hannah stomped hard on my hand. The sharp pain of the shards cutting my fingers—I still remember it clearly to this day. The next evening, Hannah prepared a candlelit dinner and apologized to me. She held my hand and said, “Carter, I get temperamental when I drink too much. Don’t be mad at me.” Seeing her like that, my heart softened, and I ultimately didn’t bring up divorce. It wasn’t until I saw the Instagram post she made today that I realized how foolish I had been. I called Josiah and said, “Do you know any divorce lawyers? I want a divorce.”

Hannah’s phone call woke me up in the morning. She said over the phone, “Carter, come out quickly. I’ll treat you to something delicious.” This was always how Hannah made up with me after our fights. Before I could say anything, she hung up. I actually wanted to talk to her about the divorce, so I got dressed and headed out. Hannah took me to the restaurant we always went to. Sitting at the table, she suddenly remembered kicking me last night. She put on a pitiful expression and asked, “Is your knee okay? Does it still hurt?” I said, “It’s fine.” As soon as I finished speaking, Hannah let out a sigh of relief. She said, “That’s good. It’s been so many Christmases since then, it shouldn’t hurt anymore.” I held my breath and smiled bitterly, “Yes.” After that shattered kneecap, I had several surgeries and multiple infections. Finally, the doctor inserted steel pins into my leg bone. The side effect of the surgery was that my knee developed severe arthritis. Whenever the weather got cold, the pain would keep me awake all night. I never told Hannah about any of this, afraid she’d feel guilty. But she really never once asked about my knee on her own. Just then, a woman walked past our table. She said to Hannah, “Hannah, was that Mr. Adams in your Instagram post last night? You two are so sweet together. I just love you as a couple!” A flash of embarrassment crossed Hannah’s face: “I lost a bet to Mr. Adams, and he made me take that photo. He’s the boss—how could I dare disobey him?” I thought of her previous Instagram post about “puppies only listening to their masters” and found it incredibly ironic. The woman was stunned for a moment, looked at me, and asked Hannah, “And who is this?” Without any hesitation, Hannah said, “This is my cousin.” After the woman left, Hannah looked at me apologetically: “That woman is notorious for gossiping in our department. I was afraid she’d spread rumors, so I said you were my cousin. You’re not mad, are you?” I looked down at my phone, replying to messages dismissively: “No. Are you done eating? If so, let’s go.” Josiah had recommended a divorce lawyer and told me to find time to meet with him. On the way home, the car was quiet. Hannah initiated conversation: “Thomas really did drink too much last night. After I made him honey lemon water, he fell asleep. Nothing happened between us. Don’t be angry.” “I’m not angry.” I drove, keeping my eyes on the road ahead. Hannah glanced at me, and her expression suddenly darkened. She threw a tissue at me and said, “Carter, what’s with that attitude?” Afraid she’d cause trouble in the car, I pulled over to the side of the road. Hannah ordered me again: “Pick up that tissue.” I didn’t move, instead saying, “Hannah, haven’t you caused enough trouble?” Hannah’s eyes suddenly reddened, and she screamed at me: “Are you sure you won’t pick it up? If you don’t, I’ll run out and let a car hit me!” I remained silent, but finally bent down to pick up the tissue. As I lowered my head, I found a used condom wrapper in the seat crack. I picked it up too. Hannah suddenly panicked and hurriedly explained: “I lent my car to a coworker a few days ago. She must have left it after having sex with someone in the car.” “Okay.” I actually laughed. Seeing me laugh, Hannah suddenly became very agitated and raised her hand to hit me. She said, “What are you smirking about? Can’t you speak? People without parents are just like this—no manners at all!” I suddenly looked at Hannah, filled with rage: “What did you say? Say that again!” Hannah showed a hint of fear and instinctively covered her stomach. She said, “You dare hit me? I guarantee you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.” I stared at her flat abdomen, then said calmly: “Next time, don’t do this kind of thing in the car. The space is too cramped—not only can’t it satisfy you both, but it might also hurt the baby in your belly.” Hannah’s eyes widened as she asked, “Carter, did you go through my clothes? You liar! I should never have trusted you. Get out!” “Okay.” I reached for the car door handle. Hannah was stunned for a moment, then grabbed me. She said through gritted teeth, “If you dare get out of this car today, we’re getting divorced!”

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My aunt Aurora Evans called me while I was serving in the special forces. She asked me to come home, saying she had arranged a blind date for me. Aurora told me that my blind date, Gabriel Johnson, was practically perfect—not only handsome, but also the youngest CEO of a publicly traded company in the state. Before I left, my commanding officer specifically contacted air traffic control to request full encryption of my personal information during travel. I arrived at the airport at the scheduled time, but while checking in at the exclusive lane, someone suddenly grabbed me from behind and yanked me away. Then a stack of cash was thrown in my face. Zoey Turner said to me, “I bought your spot in the exclusive lane. Take the money and go wait in the back of the regular line.” I suppressed my anger and shot back, “You’re not military personnel, and you don’t have an emergency. What gives you the right to use my exclusive lane?” Hearing my retort, Zoey let out a cold laugh. She said, “What gives me the right? The fact that I’m Mr. Johnson’s personal secretary! Forget just an exclusive lane—if the Johnson family wanted the runway itself, they’d have to give it to us.” I was stunned for a moment, then dialed Gabriel’s number using the contact Aurora had given me. I said, “Your secretary says the Johnson family has enough pull to handle any difficult situation. Is that true?” ***** After the call connected, I had barely finished my sentence when a mechanical voice came through the receiver: “Hello, I’m unable to take your call right now.” This really caught me off guard. Hearing the busy tone, Zoey snatched my phone away. She said, “You’re actually pretending to make a call?” After seeing what was on the phone screen, Zoey burst into exaggerated laughter. She said, “I thought you had some real connections. Turns out you’re just trying to scare people with voicemail? You can’t even get through to Mr. Johnson’s private number, so what are you to dare block my way?” With that, Zoey tossed my phone back at me with a smirk. Then she threw her boarding pass at the trembling flight attendant Natalia Foster nearby. She said, “Hurry up and check me in! If you delay what Mr. Johnson asked me to do, your entire ground crew will be fired tomorrow.” Natalia’s hands shook as she held the boarding pass. She looked at me, then at Zoey, her voice nearly breaking into tears. She said, “Ms. Turner, this lady’s exclusive lane access is indeed on file. If you do this, it puts us in a very difficult position.” “Difficult position?” Zoey shot back. Then she slammed her hand down hard on the check-in counter. She said, “Do you know how much money Johnson Group invests in your airport every year? And you can’t even handle such a small matter? You believe I won’t call your general manager over here right now?” Watching Zoey bully the staff for her own convenience, I couldn’t help but feel angry. I grabbed Zoey’s finger that was about to poke Natalia in the face. Then I said coldly, “Do you know what kind of people are authorized to use this exclusive lane? You’re the first person who’s ever dared to take my spot.” “Wow!” Hearing my words, Zoey deliberately clutched her stomach and laughed, “You put on some camo and actually think you’re somebody important? Did eating all that cheap military food mess with your brain? Besides, I’m the personal secretary to the CEO of Johnson Group. What makes you think you can even talk to me?” I almost laughed out loud. She made such a big scene that I thought she was some high-ranking official. Turns out she’s just a personal secretary? However, a crowd had already gathered around us. Some scattered comments about this secretary reached my ears. One woman said, “Is this woman crazy? Zoey is the most important person around Gabriel.” A man said, “Last month, a security officer stopped Zoey to check her luggage. The next day, that guy was reassigned to cleaning toilets.” From what they were saying, Zoey was a habitual bully who threw around someone else’s authority. I really hadn’t expected this. When I was in the military, even my commanding officer would politely greet me first before speaking. Now, some secretary living off a man’s money dares to show off in front of me. I snorted coldly. Then I said mockingly, “If the Johnson family is really as powerful as you claim, how come the ‘dog’ they keep doesn’t even have basic manners?” Zoey’s face instantly turned red. She roared, “Who are you calling a dog? I’ll teach you some manners today!” With that, Zoey swung her Chanel bag, aiming for my head. I simply stepped aside to dodge, then grabbed her wrist and gave it a light twist. The crisp sound of bones shifting mixed with her screams. The “Ms. Turner” who had been so arrogant moments before was now wailing in pain. She shouted, “Let go! Easy!” “Now you know it hurts?” I leaned close to Zoey’s face, twisted with pain, and said, “Weren’t you pretty good at threatening people just now?” Though she was grimacing in pain, I had actually used only ten percent of my strength. After all, if I really wanted to fight her, she wouldn’t even have time to scream. More and more people gathered to watch, and several uniformed ground crew members suddenly jogged over to maintain order. Zoey took the opportunity to break free from my grip, then clutched her wrist while gasping. She said, “Keep up the act! I’ll tell Mr. Johnson about this later. He’ll teach you a lesson.” I crossed my arms and looked at her with a cold smile, “Fine. I’m waiting.”

Following those ground crew members was the airport security chief, a middle-aged man named Levi Brooks. The moment he saw Zoey, Levi’s face immediately lit up with a fawning smile. “Ms. Turner, what’s wrong? Who upset you?” Levi jogged over, fawning as he approached Zoey, completely ignoring my presence. Clearly, he was another one of those people who sucked up to power, bullied ordinary folks, and went whichever way the wind blew. With Levi’s flattery, Zoey finally regained her composure. She flexed her wrist and glanced at me from the corner of her eye. “Mr. Brooks, does your airport let just anyone use the exclusive lane now? This woman hogged the lane spot and wouldn’t give it to me, then had the nerve to lay hands on me.” Levi immediately dropped his fawning expression and turned to glare at me. “Miss, the exclusive lane is only for people with status and position. You’re just an ordinary person—go line up at the regular lane over there. Don’t cause us trouble.” I narrowed my eyes and shot back, “How do you know I’m not one of those people with status and position you mentioned? I suggest you check with airport management first before making assumptions.” “I don’t need to check.” Levi sneered. He looked me up and down, then continued, “I’ve worked here for years and seen all kinds of people. Based on how you’re dressed, I’d guess what you make in a month isn’t worth one of Ms. Turner’s scarves. Let me tell you, Ms. Turner is a senior executive at the Johnson Group. If you delay her schedule, can you handle the consequences?” I laughed in disbelief. “So having money and power means you can just steal someone else’s spot? Is that how your airport operates?” “Enough. Stop being unreasonable.” Levi rolled his eyes and waved his hand dismissively. “Ms. Turner offering to buy your lane spot is doing you a favor. Don’t be ungrateful.” Zoey smiled smugly beside him, deliberately waving the cash in her hand. “Did you hear that? Since Mr. Brooks put it that way, what are you still pretending to be some big shot for? Take the money and get lost!” These two were tag-teaming to bully me. Looking at their faces, I couldn’t help but snort coldly. “So this is your airport’s service attitude. You’ve certainly made quite an impression on me.” “Do you even deserve to mention ‘service’?” Before Levi could respond, Zoey stepped forward. She jabbed my shoulder with her fingertip, saying word by word, “Listen carefully. Wherever the Johnson family goes, premium service follows. You’re some nobody without money or power who won’t take my money and insists on making me angry, right? Fine, then let me tell you something. You injured my wrist just now. If you don’t give me $500,000, this isn’t over!” How refreshing. In all these years, no one had ever dared to extort me. I smiled and agreed. Under Zoey’s somewhat surprised gaze, I continued, “I can give you the money, but I’m afraid you might have the life to take it but not to spend it.” Hearing my words, Zoey’s expression instantly darkened as she slammed her hand on the table. “Are you cursing me to die?” Seeing this, Levi quickly stepped between us, though clearly favoring Zoey. “Miss, I advise you to apologize early and settle this matter. Otherwise, if you offend Ms. Turner, you’re offending Mr. Johnson. You can forget about any future here.” I raised an eyebrow indifferently. “Is that so? Then I’d like to see what the Johnson family can do to me.” My continuous provocations finally completely enraged Zoey. She shot up from her seat, ready to slap my face. Suddenly, a cold, stern male voice came from nearby: “Zoey, stop!”

Footsteps approached from a distance. A tall figure strode in quickly. The man wore a well-tailored black suit, radiating an intimidating aura of cold arrogance as he drew near. However, I recognized him immediately as Gabriel. Gabriel didn’t even glance at me, walking straight to Zoey’s side. He frowned and asked, “What happened? Mr. Brooks said you had a conflict with someone. I happened to be in a neighboring city, so I took the helicopter over to check.” Upon seeing Gabriel, Zoey’s arrogant demeanor instantly softened somewhat. She even deliberately put on an aggrieved expression. Then she said, “Mr. Johnson, it’s nothing serious. I just got bumped into by some country bumpkin.” Zoey paused, glanced at me, and added, “Oh, and she claims to be your fiancée.” “Fiancée?” Gabriel looked confused, turning to look at me. His gaze was like a cold, precise scanner, looking me up and down before his eyes clearly showed disgust. Gabriel said, “You’re Elizabeth?” Elizabeth Evans is my name. Before I could answer, he turned his head away. Then he continued, “Alright, I’ve seen you now. You can go straight back and tell your family we’re not compatible, and the engagement is off.” Hearing this, Zoey looked surprised. She asked, “Mr. Johnson, is she really your fiancée?” Gabriel nodded, seeming very reluctant to acknowledge this fact. He leaned close to Zoey’s ear and whispered, “But that’s just an engagement our families arranged when we were kids, it doesn’t mean anything. The woman who can be my wife must be the most outstanding among people. Look at her shabby appearance—what part of her is worthy of me?” After speaking, Gabriel gave me a meaningful glance, as if afraid I wouldn’t know he was looking down on me. He said coldly, “With just an engagement, a woman who’s covered in sweat every day thinks she can connect herself to the Johnson family? What a pipe dream!” Looking at his arrogant attitude, I thought to myself, “Like master, like servant.” I looked at Gabriel with interest. I suddenly became very curious about what his reaction would be if he knew my true identity. I said, “Mr. Johnson, before they asked you to meet me, didn’t your family tell you about my family’s basic situation?” Hearing my words, the contempt in Gabriel’s eyes became even more obvious. He said, “I don’t need to know anything about your family’s situation. Anyway, your family definitely can’t compare to the Johnson family’s wealth and power. I’m warning you, I’ve made myself very clear. Don’t keep pestering me. If you’re smart, you’ll go back and tell your family to cancel the engagement right away.” I raised an eyebrow slightly, silently comparing my family’s assets with the Johnson family’s wealth in my mind. I couldn’t help thinking, “Who’s actually richer than whom is really hard to say.” Seeing my slight smile, Zoey on the side thought I had fallen for Gabriel. She immediately chimed in, “Did you hear what Mr. Johnson said? He told you to get lost!” After speaking, Zoey turned to Levi with an arrogant attitude. She said, “Mr. Brooks, cancel her exclusive passage privileges at the airport, and don’t let her use this passage anymore.” Levi immediately nodded, “Yes, Ms. Turner, don’t worry, I’ll arrange it right now!” Zoey was very satisfied with Levi’s obedience, so she completely forgot about the pain from when I twisted her wrist earlier and became smug again. She said, “See that? This is the Johnson family’s power! But looking at your poor appearance, I’ve decided to forgive you once. If you pay me the medical expenses you owe me, I’ll let you off. Otherwise, I’ll make you face serious consequences!” Looking at her arrogant behavior, I wasn’t angry at all—in fact, I found it quite amusing. I leisurely took out my phone and dialed a number right in front of them. My tone was very relaxed, even carrying a hint of amusement. I said, “Hello? I have something I’d like to discuss with you. There’s a personal secretary here who says she wants to cancel my exclusive passage privileges registered with the air traffic control department. What do you think I should do to cooperate?”

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I kept telling myself that snakes were cold-blooded creatures, so it was only natural my adopted shifter wouldn’t want to get close to me. It wasn’t until later that I realized he was in love with my sister. Because my sister was tall, with long limbs, the dream partner for all snake-shifters. And I? I was a freak who just wouldn’t grow. I simply wasn’t worthy of that magnificent snake. ***** Peter was a sickly little snake I’d adopted. It wasn’t uncommon for humans and shifters to pair and bond. My family had been bonded with snake shifters for generations. From a young age, each of us would either be gifted a snake beast-man by our parents or find one on our own. But I was out of favor, so I quietly went and found my own little snake. When I found Peter in a dilapidated sewer drain, he was tiny and frail. His body, having just shed its skin, was incredibly weak, and he was barely clinging to life. I saved him, and I raised him for twelve years. Raising a snake took immense energy, resources, and money. Raising a *sick* snake was adding insult to injury. And being an unfavored, penniless person? That was like adding insult to injury and then some. Thankfully, Peter grew up healthy. His bronzed, muscular lines curved smoothly down, outlining his taut waist, yet his snake form kept him from looking bulky, instead giving him a certain delicate grace. Many in my family said I’d struck gold, finding such a handsome snake-shifter. I’d just smile, never saying a word. Only I truly understood the bitter reality of our bond. Peter rarely initiated physical contact with me. Even when I had to train for my snake-bonding rituals, he rarely cooperated. He’d always be cold-faced, impatiently wrapping himself around my arm, his scales grating painfully against my skin. I constantly reassured myself that snakes were cold-blooded, and that was why he didn’t want to be affectionate with me. Until that day I saw him, his face flushed, carefully wrapping himself around my sister Monica’s calf, softly asking her, “Does it hurt?” Monica looked helpless, gently pushing his head away. “Peter, I know you like me, but you’re my sister’s companion. This isn’t right for us.” His face instantly hardened, and he scoffed. “I don’t care. I only like you. Who would ever like that short little freak?” Monica tried to protest further, but Peter moved closer, wrapping around her waist, his scales smoothed against her, playfully tickling her. Peter was *flirting*. Scene after scene from the past twelve years flashed through my mind. Peter rarely smiled, but during family dinners, sitting across from me, his face always held a faint smile. Looking back now, he was never looking at me. He was looking at my sister, Monica, beside me. The signs had been there all along, but I had just been too blind to see them. I had thought that my adopting this sickly little snake was a mutual rescue, a fate that brought us together. But I never imagined it was precisely *because* I was a freak that he disliked me. It felt like my heart was being squeezed. That tiny flicker of hope I’d harbored for years, which used to tickle my heart, suddenly sharpened into a blade, piercing right through me. On my way home, I passed a clothing store and couldn’t help but stop. Monica had one of the dresses displayed in the window. The sales assistant looked hesitant but, seeing my persistence, handed me a set of clothes. The girl in the changing room was small, barely reaching half the height of the full-length mirror. My chest was flat, my limbs slender and weak – the body of someone too frail to properly bond with a snake-shifter. That outfit, which looked absolutely stunning on Monica, made me look like a precocious little girl secretly wearing her mother’s high heels. Images of Monica with her shifter automatically flashed through my mind. Tall, with long limbs, Monica looked incredibly beautiful when she bonded with a snake-shifter. Peter wrapped around her, they looked perfectly matched. No wonder Peter didn’t like me. From the day I was born, even my own parents didn’t want me. I hadn’t developed properly in the womb, born with a frail constitution. I grew slower and stayed shorter than everyone else. Even as an adult, I still looked like an eleven or twelve-year-old child. Others would mock me: “A freak of nature in a family of revered snake-tamers! She’ll probably snap her arm just trying to handle one.” Those cruel words pricked at my heart like thorns that couldn’t be removed, and they brought shame to my parents’ faces too. They learned their lesson and were extra attentive when Monica was conceived. And that extra care gave them every snake-shifter’s dream match – she grew fast and tall. With Monica, they cared for me even less. It was as if they were a complete family of three, and I was just a poorly-nurtured burden. I stared at my small hands, angrily digging my nails into my palm, then curled my fingers into fists, silently sobbing.

I arrived home, my eyes swollen raw, like bruised fruit. Peter was sitting on the sofa, his expression impatient and chillingly cold. “What took you so long? Do you know I’m starving?” I sniffled, my emotions, just barely controlled, surged up again. “I’ll order you some takeout later, I’m a little tired.” He scoffed, “Ha, you want me to eat takeout?” Not wanting to argue, I sighed. My foot, already stepping towards the bathroom, changed direction, heading to the kitchen instead. I usually cooked for Peter. He never lifted a finger in the kitchen. Even with a fridge full of ingredients, he was too pampered to dirty his precious hands. Once before, I’d come home late, and Peter had thrown a terrible fit because he was hungry. I thought he was specially waiting for me to eat, and, filled with guilt and a tiny bit of joy, I cooked him a huge meal. But as I pulled out a chair, about to sit down, he threw cold water on my hopes. “You reek of cooking oil. Go take a shower.” Snapping back to reality, I placed the prepared meal in front of him, but Peter didn’t touch it. “Why do you smell like another shifter?” I raised my arm and sniffed. It was probably from the clothing store earlier. I suddenly remembered when I was little and had no money, I had to hike up the mountain to hunt wild rabbits and pheasants to feed him. He’d grumble, chewing on the tough, stringy meat. He’d complain about the mud on my face and the scent of other shifters on me, always keeping his distance. “I’ll go shower now.” I set the cutlery on the table and walked towards the bathroom, but Peter swept the cooked meal onto the floor with a single arm. “Nina Katharine, aren’t you going to explain yourself?” A shard of ceramic from the shattered bowl cut my calf, and the pain instantly sharpened my mind. Some people are just so strange. They don’t love you, but they still want to possess you. They give you the illusion of being cherished, of being cared for, when all they truly want is to extract more love from *you*. Peter was exactly like that. For the first time, I looked at him with a cold face. “Explain what? “It’s fine for you to smell like other people, but I can’t?” A flicker of surprise crossed his face. But it was quickly replaced by anger. “You’re doubting me? “Don’t forget who presumptuously saved you?” I didn’t answer, stepping past him to get the first-aid kit. I brushed past his arm, and he immediately flinched back, the sharp edges of his scales scraping me. His voice was colder than his expression. “Don’t touch me.” Right. He barely let me touch him even during bonding training. Outside of training? That was a pipe dream. I gave a self-deprecating laugh. I used to think he was just a cold-blooded creature, too hard to warm, too wild to tame. Turns out, he just didn’t like *me*. Twelve years of sincere companionship from a freak meant nothing compared to his instant infatuation with a ‘normal’ person. I took a dissolution of adoption agreement from my bag. “I’m sorry. Sorry for presumptuously saving you, for intruding into over ten years of your life without permission, and for making you unhappy. “So, let’s part ways amicably. “May you finally achieve everything you wish for, and live a life filled with joy and ease.” Peter ground his molars together, a sound of pure rage, his face dark as he asked, “What do you mean?” I said calmly, “It means we’re breaking up.” I then pulled out a property transfer deed and a bank card for him. “I sold the house. We’ll split the money evenly, and with this bank card, you’ll have enough to buy a small studio apartment for yourself.” His face grew even darker. “You’re abandoning me? “Didn’t you say you loved me?” Did I love Peter? I had wondered about that myself. I had never truly received love, so I wasn’t entirely sure what love felt like. I just thought that love meant being good to someone. I looked up at the small house filled with our memories. I had moved out with Peter after I came of age. At first, he was reluctant. Back then, I had to both study and work to support him, so I was always out early and back late, with little time to spend with him. He’d be all alone in that cramped rental apartment, his snake tail sticking out from the folding bed with nowhere to go. I thought that was why he was reluctant. So I worked seven or eight jobs, saving up to buy a house for him. Even then, he still didn’t want to touch me, locking his bedroom door even though we each had our own room. But I still wanted to melt his icy demeanor. He was my responsibility, the one I had saved and raised. I couldn’t just abandon him. Yet, I had seen how others in my family interacted with their shifters. My childhood friend, Jessica, had a snow leopard beast-man. That snow leopard had been very arrogant when first adopted, but Jessica’s gentle persistence eventually melted his icy heart. He’d affectionately rub against Jessica’s neck, and gently lick the back of her hand. Like a mouse in the gutter, I watched, craving a beauty that wasn’t mine. I searched for shifter vlogs online, learning their preferred ways of care. I spoiled him rotten, never letting him do any chores, giving him whatever he wanted. I never thought that what was my sweet gesture was his bitter poison. I also thought that one day I could truly enter Peter’s heart, but his heart had long been occupied by someone else. Perhaps I had loved Peter once, but those feelings had slowly eroded over the years. Until I saw him wrapped around Monica – that was when the melting snow mountain of my hope finally crumbled into dust. “I don’t love you anymore.”

*Bang!* The door slammed shut with a heavy thud. Peter stormed out in a rage. I didn’t need to guess; I knew he was hiding in some nearby corner, waiting for me to rush out and coax him back. But not this time. I pulled my suitcase and walked out of that small house. On the way, I tripped over a pebble, and the heel of my high shoe instantly snapped off. I sat numbly on the ground, a memory flashing through my mind: Monica twisting her ankle once. Peter, who was walking behind us, immediately supported her, his face full of tenderness. “Monica, are you okay?” Monica, blushing, stood steadily, then pulled my hand and laughed. “Oh, Nina, you’re so lucky! You have such a thoughtful shifter!” Thoughtful? I had never felt it. If Monica had found you that day, you would have been happier, wouldn’t you? I felt inferior for being a freak, and I envied the love Monica received. But Mom and Dad were her parents and mine. If I couldn’t get their love, I accepted it. But Peter was *my* shifter. Only mine. I couldn’t accept the fact that he didn’t love me, that he even loved someone else, and still foolishly continue to be good to him. I couldn’t just get over it in a short time, so I decided to leave this painful place. Separate ways, to the ends of the earth. I needed to start a new life, to live for myself. My new job was as a junior clerk at an electronics company. My salary wasn’t high, so I rented a small studio apartment near the office. Though small, it was cozy in winter and cool in summer—perfect for a cold-blooded creature to hibernate. I instinctively started to say, “Peter, you won’t have to worry about hibernation now.” But the words caught in my throat, and I swallowed them, a lump of pain. I couldn’t help but remember Peter’s retreating back that day. No matter how much he pretended to care then, he was probably overjoyed now, wagging his tail as he ran off to find Monica. I opened the window, and the cool evening breeze brushed against my face. I let the wind flow into my heart, letting the chill settle over my scars. I remembered something I’d read in a book: True sorrow isn’t about dramatic highs or lows, but a quiet, steady current, like a flowing river. I never understood it then. But now it was clear. Just like for decades, Peter would light a cigarette on the balcony after every family dinner. A subtle sadness always lingered in his eyes. I thought he was upset because I’d been called a freak again, that he was furious for me. But, just like I thought he was reluctant to move out with me, I was just projecting. He was only sad for himself. Sad that he couldn’t see Monica. Sad that he couldn’t be with her. To numb myself and completely let go of that relationship, I threw myself wholeheartedly into work. I eagerly took on new tasks and helped seniors with theirs. Unexpectedly, I won over many of my senior colleagues. They admired me, giving me a thumbs-up and showering me with praise: “Small but mighty!” The first time I heard it, I paused, surprised. But I had to admit, I felt a little thrill. After tasting that sweetness once, I buried myself deeper into my work, hoping to use my abilities to hide my flaw of being a freak. They praised me for my ambition. Some of the bolder seniors even leaned in and asked, “Nina, do you have a shifter, dear?” I just stared blankly, nodding instinctively, then suddenly snapped out of it and shook my head vigorously. Alston furrowed her brow and asked, “Do you or don’t you?” I answered honestly, “I did, but we dissolved our bond.” Alston looked a little awkward. Another senior subtly gave her a look, and her “Why?” was swallowed whole. She grabbed a handful of pistachios for me, trying to comfort me. I fumbled, and they scattered across the floor. My eyes fell on a pair of gleaming bear paws. I looked up in confusion, meeting a pair of light brown eyes. Above those eyes, a pair of fluffy ears twitched unconsciously. Before I could even process how a shifter had suddenly appeared in the company, I heard one of the seniors quietly whisper, “Boss.” The bear softly grunted in response. I quickly pulled the nearest senior colleague and whispered, “Why didn’t I know our boss was a bear? “Will he fire me for slacking off and eating snacks?” The thought that this job, where for once no one seemed to hate me for being a freak, might be gone, made my heart ache. The entire room fell silent. It was the bear boss who broke the silence first. He bent down, picked up the scattered pistachios, and steadily placed them on my desk. “I won’t fire you.” Then he extended his bear paw. “I was in hibernation when you started. Let’s reintroduce ourselves. My name is Steven.” After shaking his paw, my cubicle was surrounded by a crowd of curious faces. One senior, her face full of curiosity, asked, “Nina, what did the boss’s hand feel like?”

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To end the war, I voluntarily offered myself in marriage to Draven Kael, the formidable leader of the Beast Tribe. My husband, a whirlwind of raw, untamed power, pinned me to the grasslands. For what felt like an eternity, he overwhelmed me, until I simply faded into unconsciousness. I truly believed Draven loved me. But later, it was *he* who led a hundred thousand beast warriors in the assault on my home. He grabbed my head, forcing me to watch as my family was torn apart and my kingdom fell. Draven smiled, but his eyes held no emotion: “Seraphina Thorne, did you truly believe your captivating beauty could sway nations, that you could actually capture my heart?” “How many of my people did you slaughter? You send *one* of you, *you*, and dare to think it would erase our blood debt!” Eventually, Draven unified the lands, and took a favored wife. I was held captive, without status or recognition. Every time I attempted suicide, he would exhume a corpse from the burial grounds and destroy it before my eyes. “You are not allowed to die without my command!” I stopped struggling. After all, only three days remained until the poison I’d consumed years ago, to save him, would finally claim my life.

It was his wife’s birthday banquet, and Draven made an exception, allowing me to attend. My eyes burned with unshed tears as I watched the woman on the raised platform, adorned in a feathered phoenix coronet – a cherished heirloom of my mother’s. “Audacious slave! Bow before the Chieftain and his Lady!” Someone brutally kicked me. My knees slammed against the ground, and my forehead touched the dirt as I numbly performed the bow. Draven didn’t allow me to rise. His face impassive, he said, “Seraphina, you are a good half hour late. Was this a deliberate slight against Celeste?” “I deserve death.” I bowed again, my forehead hitting the stone floor with a sickening thud. I offered no defense, no explanation that my legs, still weak from my confinement, meant the walk took over four hours. A flicker of scorn crossed Draven’s face. “You’ve certainly learned your lesson, haven’t you?” The last time I was disobedient, he had me locked in a beast cage, and half my blood was drained to quench the thirst of his animals. When I was on the verge of death, he would turn around and order rare elixirs and treasures to be found, just barely keeping me alive. “My dear sister, please rise. After all, you were once noble-born. Even if your kingdom is gone, why still consider yourself a common wretch?” Celeste Sterling herself helped me up, her sweet words a cruel knife twisting into my most painful wounds. Noticing the wolf-fang bracelet wrapped around my wrist, a flash of covetous surprise lit her eyes. She said she adored it and wanted it as a birthday gift. I glanced at Draven. He showed no reaction. This was a gift from Draven years ago, an ancestral treasure of his tribe. Each wolf fang was a potent medicinal ingredient, imbued with an exotic scent that never faded. Long-term wear was said to soothe pain and prolong life. I had been frail and sickly since childhood. When he gave it to me, he said he wished me a lifetime of peace and health. “If Lady Celeste desires it, how could a mere slave refuse?” I unclasped it from my wrist and placed it in Celeste’s hand. As I averted my gaze, I faintly heard the sound of an overturned wine chalice from the platform. Celeste toyed with the wolf-fang bracelet, a satisfied smile playing on her lips. “Oh, right. I recall my sister was once known as a dancer whose movements once captivated the entire capital. Perhaps you could favor us with a performance tonight?” I numbly endured the malicious, spectating stares from the banquet guests. There were the Beast Tribe’s war chiefs. And there were the traitors who had once conspired from within, throwing open the gates of the Thorne Kingdom. But I had no right to refuse. A bowl of scalding hot soup was thrown at me, instantly searing my skin and stripping away a layer. “What are you standing around for, stunned? You’re lucky to even be alive! Get on with it!” As if immune to the pain, I rose on my toes. I transformed myself into a mere dancer for their amusement. The wild, untamed spirit of the plains meant inhibitions were often shed. The rowdy men, still unsatisfied, began to clamor for me to strip. Draven’s gaze, cold and deep, was fixed on me from afar, a silent acquiescence. I bit my lip, then began to unfasten my sash. My clothes clung to my burnt flesh, tearing away, leaving raw, bloody patches. One by one, I shed my garments in this very place that once held countless beautiful memories of my past. The tears still fell. I wasn’t allowed to stop until the banquet finally concluded. Draven, reeking of wine, approached me. His icy fingertips brushed against the damp streaks on my face, wiping away a single tear. But his voice was utterly devoid of feeling: “Seraphina, are you intentionally trying to gain sympathy from me?” “No, my Lord. I wouldn’t dare.” But as the words left my lips, the illness within me flared again. I coughed up blood right in front of him, feeling as though every organ in my body would be expelled. Draven recoiled in disgust, a sneer on his face. “I’ve seen your sickly pretense for ten years, haven’t you put on enough of an act?” I once believed he despised my delicacy and weakness. Yet, over the years, he had been exceptionally kind to Celeste. Celeste only needed to furrow her brow slightly, and the royal physicians would be kneeling at her door, awaiting her command. The insidious virus gnawed at me. My body trembled, and cold sweat beaded on my forehead. Before I lost consciousness, I thought I saw a flicker of panic in Draven’s eyes. He gritted his teeth and said, “Seraphina, I won’t let you die easily. You *must* live to atone!” But my atonement… it wouldn’t be finished. In two more days, I would surely die. The next morning, I woke to find my burns had been treated. I vaguely realized this wasn’t my usual desolate chambers. Then I remembered. This was where Father used to hold my brother and me, teaching us to read and write. Mother would bring us freshly made food. I couldn’t even recall what her dishes tasted like anymore. “You’re awake.” Draven approached, his face expressionless. He gripped my chin, forcing a bowl of intensely bitter blood tonic down my throat. His strength was immense. I choked, my eyes watering. “Seraphina, don’t look at me with such pitiful eyes.” Draven let out a cold laugh. “Even if your hands are clean and untouched by my people’s blood, as long as you were born here, you are not innocent.” The day my kingdom fell, he had everyone here slaughtered. Even the formed child in my womb, his own flesh and blood, he hadn’t spared. He had left only me alive. I didn’t understand… was this love, or hate? It must be hate.

That’s why, later, he made me soak in cold water all night long. He wanted me to lose my ability to bear children entirely. He didn’t want me to give him a child. He found me disgusting. I wiped the medicinal liquid from the corner of my mouth. Before I could speak, a joyous report came from outside. “Chieftain! Lady Celeste has been examined by the imperial physician—she is with child!” Draven’s expression froze for a moment, then his voice became excited: “Are you serious? Celeste is pregnant?” My gaze remained blank, watching the elation of impending fatherhood bloom on his face. Perhaps the virus was gnawing at me again. My hand instinctively clutched my chest. It ached so fiercely there. I had originally hoped that when the poison took full effect, I would just quietly die. But Draven insisted I go serve Celeste at this very moment. He knew exactly how to inflict the most cruel torment. He wanted me to witness, with my own eyes, another woman bearing his children. While our child, ripped from my womb by his own hands, remained buried on the back hill—a solitary grave, not even worthy of a tombstone. Celeste smiled at me, a soft, gentle smile. “The Chieftain sent you to serve me. I can’t really make you do strenuous work, so please just clean this place thoroughly.” I picked up the broom, looking at the peach blossoms. Others glared at me openly, their voices harsh. “Leaving her in the desolate chambers to slowly die is already merciful. Our Lady is truly kind, even calling her ‘sister’.” “What golden child, born of privilege? She’s clearly worse than the lowest servant. The Chieftain abandoned her long ago. If I were her, I’d be too ashamed to live.” Red rashes slowly began to appear on my skin, an allergic reaction. I gasped for breath, and suddenly felt a warm liquid trickle from my nose. I reached up to touch it, and froze. “Ah!” Celeste saw my blood-covered face and was immediately overwhelmed with shock. Draven rushed in at the news. Without a word, he slapped me. The force of it sent me sprawling to the ground, scattering a flurry of peach petals. I began to cough. “Celeste cannot stand the smell of blood right now! Are you deliberately trying to harm her?!” His eyes were as cold as ice blades. “Just because your child died, you want revenge on others? Seraphina, have you forgotten the consequences of disobedience?” How could I forget? Enduring the itching on my skin and the pain in my lungs, I knelt on the ground, admitting my mistake. “It’s my fault, it’s my fault. Please, Chieftain, spare my life…” “My mother’s remains have already been destroyed by you, and my father’s and brother’s graves have been burned clean. Chieftain, I have nothing left.” Draven crouched down, lifting my chin. He smirked, “Who says you have nothing left?” “Isn’t there still one buried on the back hill?” I clutched his hand desperately, my eyes bloodshot. “Please, I beg you, Draven…” “Don’t do that. You can’t do that.” I couldn’t recall how long it had been since I had called him by his name. Draven’s eyes were downcast, turbulent emotions churning within them. I couldn’t decipher them, only sensing that he hesitated. I continued to kowtow, pleading. *Thump! Thump! Thump!* Until the ground was stained a vivid crimson, more brilliant than the peach blossoms. Blood flowed from my nose, I coughed up blood from my mouth, and even bloody tears streamed from my eyes… Draven finally realized that the amount of blood I had lost these past two days seemed… excessive. He frowned, asking those nearby, “Was she doing any heavy labor in this courtyard earlier that would cause this?” “Reporting, Chieftain. Lady Celeste, in her kindness, only had her do light cleaning tasks. Everyone can attest to it.” Draven immediately released me, letting out a series of cold laughs. “Seraphina, you’re having another one of your fits, aren’t you?” “You’ve had this strange illness for so many years now. Since you won’t die from it, you might as well suffer through it!” I watched him step over me, entering the palace without a backward glance. I let out a very soft breath. I curled into a ball, unmoving, until night fell, and peach blossoms covered me completely. Candlelight glowed within the palace, and Celeste’s delicate voice faintly reached my ears. “Oh, Chieftain, you mustn’t. I’m with child, you know.” “You’re awful… If the Chieftain desires me so much, you must promise to be gentle, okay?” Silhouettes danced on the paper screens. I watched their intimate night in silence. I suddenly remembered the night Draven and I were married. There was no formal ceremony, no rituals. He simply pinned me to the grasslands, under the open sky, fierce and wild. I had thought it was the custom of his tribe, and swallowed all my grievances. But at his later coronation as Emperor, I finally understood. He treated Celeste with such tenderness and respect. Dawn was breaking. This was my last day. Draven, I am dying. The one you hate will soon be utterly extinguished. Congratulations. The main door suddenly burst open. The man walked out, looking down at me. “I told you to serve Celeste. Is *this* how you slack off?”

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I had just helped my daughter, Daisy, try on a dress when the boutique assistant stopped us. “Excuse me, ma’am, but this is one of our exclusive display pieces. It’s not for general sale.” I paused, then pointed to another dress in the window. “What about that one? Can I see it in my daughter’s size?” The assistant sighed, crossing her arms with an air of impatience. “That one is $12,000. Are you sure you want to try it on?” “Our store policy states that if you try on an item and don’t purchase it, there’s a $3,000 service fee.” Her blatant rudeness actually made me laugh. “Is that a rule set by your boss?” She rolled her eyes. “Our boss doesn’t have time for such trivial matters. I’ve seen plenty of cheapskates like you.” “Always coming in here just to snap pics for your SnapChat feed, right?” I didn’t waste another second arguing. Turning, I began to lead Daisy away. But suddenly, she called over the security guards who blocked our path. Then she pulled out a card reader. “That’ll be $3,000 for the service fee.” I couldn’t help but laugh, pulling out my phone right there and then, dialing my younger brother, Marcus, the General Manager of the mall. “Suite 103, Tower A. Have them evicted today. I’m not leasing this space anymore.”

I hung up, then turned to face the perfectly coiffed assistant. She clearly didn’t take my call seriously. Instead, she crossed her arms and scoffed. “Oh, please, keep up the dramatics,” she said sarcastically. “These days, people will do anything to avoid paying their bills.” “Kick us out of the mall? Do you even know who our boss is? Do you have any idea how much our annual lease and revenue are?” The two security guards behind her also sneered, convinced I was bluffing, trying to wriggle out of paying that $3,000. A few customers nearby had been drawn by the commotion, craning their necks to watch. Daisy’s tiny hand gripped my skirt, her little face etched with distress. It was her birthday today, and I’d brought her here specifically to buy her favorite princess dress. I never imagined we’d run into such a nightmare. I patted her back reassuringly. As I looked up, I spotted a framed photo on the wall behind the assistant. In the picture, a flashily dressed woman was intimately holding a man’s arm. I recognized the man: my ex-husband, Alexander. And the woman? Valerie, the owner of this very store. A woman who had only managed to secure this prime retail space in such an upscale mall thanks to Alexander. The last flicker of warmth in my heart died. So, old acquaintances. “I’ll say it again. Move.” The assistant was momentarily stunned by my gaze, but then her face flushed with rage. “Move? You can leave once you’ve paid!” She suddenly raised her voice, pointing a finger at my nose. “Don’t think putting on a show will scare me! You’re paying that three grand today, whether you like it or not!” “Otherwise, I’ll call the police and report you for fraudulent behavior and disturbing our business!” No sooner had she finished speaking than Valerie, clad in a designer suit, stormed out of the back, her heels clicking loudly. “What’s all the fuss about? Don’t you know I’m entertaining a VIP client in there?” It was Valerie. The moment she saw me, her impatient expression morphed into surprise. “Well, well, well, if it isn’t Mrs. Sterling… oh, my mistake…” She deliberately drew out her words, covering her mouth with her hand as she snickered. “It’s Ms. Sterling now, isn’t it?” “What? After ditching Alex, you can’t even cough up a measly three grand for a service fee?” Her voice was cutting and venomous, gleefully parading my misfortune for everyone to see. The surrounding murmurs instantly grew louder. “Oh, so it’s Alex Sterling’s ex-wife. That explains it.” “I heard she was kicked out by the Sterling family, left penniless. How tragic.” “And with a kid to boot, how pitiful.” The curious glances of the onlookers immediately shifted to a mix of pity and scorn. Daisy was terrified by the commotion, her small face pale, her eyes welling up with tears. A sharp pang went through my heart. I pulled her into a tight hug. Seeing this, the assistant’s smug expression only deepened. She immediately leaned in to Valerie, eager to complain. “Cousin, it’s her! She tried on our crown jewel and now she’s trying to wriggle out of paying for it!” Valerie nodded with satisfaction, then walked up to me, lowering her voice. “Eleanor Sterling, don’t say I didn’t warn you.” “You’re not Mrs. Sterling anymore. No one’s got your back.” “Be smart, pay up, and get out of here with your little burden.” “Otherwise, I’ll make sure you don’t even set foot outside this mall today.” I looked at her face and suddenly smiled. “Is that so? I’d like to see you try and stop me from walking out that door today.” My calm indifference infuriated Valerie completely. “Fine, *fine*!” Her face crimson with fury, she gritted her teeth. “You think I’m joking?” She abruptly stepped back, shouting at the two security guards. “Hold them! No one leaves until they pay!” Following their boss’s command, the two security guards immediately stepped forward, blocking our path on either side, their attitudes even more aggressive than before. The onlookers, seeing the situation escalate, didn’t disperse. Instead, they crowded in even tighter, many even pulling out their phones to record.

“Oh my God, what’s going on? Is this some kind of forced purchase?” “That woman is so pitiful, and she has a child with her.” “Shhh, keep your voice down, didn’t you hear?” “That’s Alex Sterling’s ex-wife. The store owner seems to have a *special* relationship with Alex. We should probably stay out of it.” Amidst the whispers, there was some sympathy, but more often, fear and indifference. My daughter was badly frightened. Her small body trembled in my arms, tears streaming down her face like a broken string of pearls. “Mommy, I’m scared…” “Don’t be scared, Daisy. Mommy’s here.” I gently comforted my daughter, the suppressed rage in my chest churning violently. I hadn’t wanted to make a scene in front of my daughter, but they had crossed my line. Valerie, watching my predicament, smiled triumphantly. “Everyone, I apologize for the spectacle today.” “This woman, relying on the fact that she was once Mrs. Sterling, thinks she can just freeload wherever she goes.” “We’re a small business, we can’t afford this.” “Since she refuses to pay, we have no choice but to follow policy and call mall security to handle this.” With that, she pulled out her phone and called mall security, dramatically portraying me as a deranged woman attempting to steal. She was certain that by invoking Alex’s name, mall management would side with her. I watched her blatant lies with a cold eye. Then I took out my own phone, found a number that had been gathering dust in my contacts for ages, and sent two quick texts. “Five minutes. Bring legal and security to Suite 103, Tower A, Zenith Mall.” “Notify all properties owned by the Zenith Group to permanently blacklist Valerie.” After sending the messages, I slipped my phone back into my pocket and waited calmly. Valerie, having finished her call, was even more confident. She walked up to me, gloating. “Eleanor Sterling, I suggest you get on your knees and beg me now, while you still have the chance.” “When mall security arrives, it won’t just be $3,000 we’re talking about.” “When word gets out that you’re a thief, let’s see how you’ll ever show your face again.” The assistant chimed in, fanning the flames: “Exactly!” “Who does she think she is now? Still daring to throw her weight around in our store? Delusional!” Just then, Valerie’s phone rang. She glanced at the caller ID, and her triumphant smile instantly turned fawning. She deliberately put it on speaker, just to make sure everyone heard. “Hello, Alex, darling~” Her voice was so sweet and syrupy it could curdle milk. From the other end of the line, Alex’s voice came through, edged with impatience: “Valerie, what are you up to now?” “Mall management called me, saying you’re causing a scene?” Valerie immediately started complaining pitifully: “Alex, you *have* to back me up! It’s your ex-wife, Eleanor Sterling.” “She came to my store to cause trouble, tried on clothes without paying, and even tried to hit me!” “I really had no choice but to…” “Eleanor Sterling?” Alex’s voice held a trace of surprise, then turned cold. “Where is she?” “Right outside my store, sir! Please hurry, she’s practically tearing my shop apart!” Valerie said, exaggerating wildly. “Got it. I’ll be right there.” Alex said, then hung up the phone. Valerie’s posture became even more arrogant, her eyes full of the triumph of a victor. “Hear that? Alex is on his way!” Valerie’s words were a shot of confidence, solidifying the onlookers’ resolve to stay and watch the show.

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Seven years into my marriage, I discovered my husband had a six-year-old son. I hid behind the kindergarten slide, watching Alexander bend down to pick up a little boy, laughing and playing with him. “Daddy, you haven’t visited me in ages.” My husband ruffled the boy’s hair. “Be good, Leo. Daddy’s busy with work, but you have to listen to your mommy, okay?” My world imploded. I froze, my mind going utterly blank. Daddy? Mommy? The two figures, one large, one small, shared a striking seven-tenths resemblance. Everything screamed that the man who’d sworn to love me for eternity had been cheating on me all along! We had grown up together, our love a story whispered through the years. I’d taken a knife for him, a wound that cost me our unborn child and left me infertile forever. Back then, Alexander had knelt beside me, his eyes red-rimmed, saying, “I don’t care about children, Eleanor. I only need you!” His trembling voice still echoed in my ears, but the scene before me now ground those vows into dust! I stumbled backward, my heart feeling like it was being sliced into a thousand pieces by a sharp blade, bleeding profusely. I couldn’t bear to look anymore. I was terrified I’d rush over and confront Alexander, even more terrified I’d make a pathetic fool of myself, weeping and despised. I turned and fled. Outside the kindergarten, my best friend, Serena, had been waiting for me. Seeing my pale face, she rushed out of the car. “Ellie, what happened? Max said you forgot something and went back to get it. What’s going on?” Max was Serena’s son. She had insisted I accompany her to his parent-teacher conference today. My face was ashen, tears welling in my eyes. “Serena, help me find someone.” “Who?” “Alexander…” My throat tightened, and I spoke in a hoarse voice. “He has a son.”

【Baby, I won’t be back for another week. Do you miss me?】 I stared at the message from Alexander, tears streaming down my face like a broken dam. Every July, he’d go on a two-week “business trip” to inspect overseas branches. For six whole years, I had never once doubted him. But reality had just slapped me hard across the face, mocking my utter stupidity. Alexander wasn’t on a business trip; he was off with his mistress and his illegitimate child! If not for this unexpected incident today, I would still be completely in the dark. I scrolled through the photos on my phone, torturing myself. Outside, the rain poured, and occasional flashes of lightning illuminated my paper-white face. Perhaps, I should have seen this coming. The Harrington family, with its deep-rooted legacy, would never accept an infertile woman as the mother of their heirs. Unless… they had planned everything all along! So what role did Alexander, the man who supposedly loved me so deeply, play in all this? My heart twisted in agony. Alexander and I had grown up together. Everyone always said we were destined to be together forever. When I was eight, I fell from a tree while playing. He instinctively shielded me, breaking his arm, yet he just smiled and said it didn’t hurt a bit. At twelve, I got my first period and stained my dress. Even though he knew what it was, he was so scared he cried and swore he’d die with me. At eighteen, he secretly participated in an underground race, barely surviving to win a ring and propose to me. He said, “Eleanor, I’ll love you for all my life.” The love of a young man, pure and fervent, had long since captured my heart. Later, just before our wedding, his enemies kidnapped me. I was held for three days and three nights, found barely clinging to life. Alexander broke three ribs saving me, and it was then that I took a knife intended for him, losing my ability to have children. When Mrs. Harrington learned of this, she tried to break us apart. But Alexander, despite his injuries, knelt for three days in the family chapel, refusing food, declaring, “I’d rather lose the Harrington legacy than live without Eleanor!” That’s what finally forced his mother to relent. After his recovery, we quickly married. All of high society had once celebrated our epic, undeniable love. Yet, in the end, he still betrayed me. My phone rang. The screen displayed “Husband,” a word that now felt so utterly sarcastic. I numbly pressed answer. His gentle voice came through: “Baby, are you eating well at home alone? Do you miss me?” Normally, I would be drowning in the sweetness of his love, eager to respond. But now… I was afraid if I spoke, the sob in my throat would betray me. “Baby? Is something wrong? Don’t be scared, I’ll come back to you right now!” Alexander’s voice was anxious. He immediately got up, intending to return. But I couldn’t bear to see him now. “I’m fine.” I tried my best to control myself, but my voice was horribly hoarse. “I’m fine. Work is important, don’t come back. I just have a bit of a cold.” It was the first time I had ever lied to Alexander. He seemed oblivious, his attention drawn away by something, but he still worriedly reiterated a few instructions: “Then get some rest soon. Remember to call me, don’t make me worry.” I softly “hmm-ed” in agreement. Just as I was about to hang up, I heard a woman’s seductive whisper from his end: “Alex, Leo’s asleep. We can…” I keenly sensed Alexander’s breathing grow heavier, and then the call abruptly ended. I gripped my phone, my knuckles white, unable to suppress the chill seeping into my heart. He and that woman, they were together… I couldn’t bear to think about it! I started to whimper uncontrollably, a sound beyond my ability to suppress, like a huge hand clutching my heart, a pain so unbearable it could be fatal. I had thought, perhaps, Alexander was forced into this because of the child. But now, it was clear he was a willing participant! Serena, sensing something was wrong, immediately pushed the door open, only to see me looking utterly defeated, as if all life had drained from me. Usually so impulsive, she hesitated to approach. “Ellie, he’s not worth it.” Tears dripped onto the photos, making a soft pattering sound. Serena’s heart ached for me. She pulled me into a fierce hug, cursing through gritted teeth, “Ellie, Alexander is a piece of trash! He swore all those sweet words when he proposed, and now he dares to keep a mistress and child behind your back!” I closed my eyes, letting the tears fall freely, my mind already made up… The next morning, the rain had cleared, and the sun shone. I hadn’t slept a wink. I had spent the entire night thinking. I had seen love in its purest form; how could I tolerate a heart that had changed? I was Eleanor who deeply loved Alexander, but I was also Eleanor Hayes, the proud eldest daughter of the Hayes family. I couldn’t stand even a speck of dirt in my eye, especially not in love. With that thought, I called my father. “Dad, I remember the Hayes Group wanted to expand its business in the UK. Serena’s husband is from British royalty, and I’m bringing Max back in half a month. I’d like to go with them and take a look.” Mr. Hayes was puzzled. “Did Alexander ask you to inquire?” “No, this time I want to go myself.” I forced a bitter smile. Everyone assumed Alexander and I were one entity, even my own father. Mr. Hayes was surprised. His daughter had always been inseparable from that Harrington boy; why this sudden urge to go somewhere so far? “Ellie, did Alexander do something to you?” Mr. Hayes’s tone immediately became serious. I pursed my lips, eventually choosing to keep it hidden for now. “Dad, please don’t ask for now. I’ll tell you everything after I get to the UK.” The Hayes and Harrington families had been close for generations, their ties growing even stronger through our marriage. I didn’t want the Hayes Group to suffer any damage because of me. Mr. Hayes couldn’t argue with me and finally agreed. “Alright, then. Come to Hayes Group later today to familiarize yourself with the relevant matters.”

I nodded, hung up the phone, and got up to wash. Looking at myself in the mirror, my eyes swollen like walnuts, a bitter taste filled my mouth. The lawyer had already drafted the divorce papers and sent them over, but I still hadn’t figured out how to tell Alexander. After so many years of shared history, it wasn’t easy to simply let go. I used makeup to cover the traces of my tears, changed into a sharp business suit, and left the room. Downstairs, Serena was having breakfast with her son. My appearance yesterday must have given Max quite a scare. “Auntie’s awake!” Max, with his little legs, scampered over to me, taking my hand and blowing on it. “Mommy said Auntie’s heart hurt yesterday, so if I blow on it, it won’t hurt anymore!” Six-year-olds were truly innocent. I stroked his cheek. “Good boy, Max. Auntie doesn’t hurt anymore. Go find Mommy.” Max nodded innocently, then happily ran into Serena’s arms. I remembered Alexander and that child’s joyous laughter yesterday. I thought, if our child had still been alive, they would probably be a bit older than Leo. I took a deep breath, forcing down the bitterness in my heart, quickly said goodbye, and left. But as I stepped out of the villa, I saw a figure standing beside a Maybach not far away. Alexander looked exhausted, lightly biting on a cigarette, smoke swirling around him, making him appear indistinct. I was startled. The information stated that both Cassandra and her son’s birthdays were in July. Cassandra’s birthday was over, but the son’s was yet to come. Why would he suddenly be back? As if my gaze was too intense, he belatedly turned a searching look towards me, but the moment he saw it was me, his previously dull eyes suddenly lit up. He strode over to me, pulling me into his arms. His embrace was still warm, but at that moment, it felt so hot it made me tremble. “Is your cold better? I heard your voice wasn’t right, so I rushed back last night.” “I came home and found you gone. I figured you must be here with Serena.” Alexander’s voice was full of concern, and his expression didn’t seem faked. To this day, I still didn’t understand why the man who loved me to the bone would so comfortably have an affair and a child with another woman. My lips trembled slightly. I swallowed hard, trying to hold back the pain in my throat. I wanted to question him, but in the end, I just said numbly, “I’m fine. I was just about to go home.” Alexander sighed in relief. “Next time you’re sick, remember to tell me, or I’ll worry myself to death.” His voice was gentle and low, creating a momentary illusion of peaceful serenity. But in my peripheral vision, I saw a slender figure not far away. Cassandra stood under a tree, talking on her phone. The next second, Alexander’s phone rang… He glanced down at his phone, his face showing a troubled expression. “Something urgent came up at the office. I need to go deal with it.” My breath caught. I wasn’t blind. I’d seen the name flash across the screen: Cassandra. The bitterness in my heart was overflowing. I forced myself to speak, my voice tinged with a sour ache. “Alright, you go ahead. Company matters are important.” Alexander’s eyes held a hint of guilt. He kissed my forehead before getting into the car and rushing off. As soon as Alexander drove away, Cassandra hung up her phone. She swayed her hips as she approached. “Miss Hayes, hello. I’m Cassandra. I’m…” She trailed off, seeing my tightly pursed lips, and a knowing look crossed her face. “It seems Miss Hayes already knows about Leo and me. Then just wait for the show.” I hailed a taxi and followed Cassandra. At the hospital, I stood outside the patient room, watching everything unfold inside, feeling a sharp pain tear through my heart. I bit down hard on my lip, not daring to make a sound. Inside, Alexander’s son was on an IV drip, his small face pale and drawn, looking terribly pitiful. Alexander was frantic, pacing back and forth in the room, letting out a furious rant. “What are you all doing?! You can’t even cure a child’s fever!” The busy doctor beside him, I recognized as Alexander’s good friend, Dr. Ben Carter. “Your son has a cold and a fever because he caught a chill. If you can’t take care of him yourself, don’t you dare yell at my colleagues!” “Alexander, I really don’t know what you’re thinking. Didn’t you say you’d pay that woman off and get rid of her after she had the child? Now you dare to call me for a simple cold? What if Eleanor finds out?” After a long silence, Alexander’s voice came, tinged with fatigue and helplessness. “What can I do? A mother’s heart is tied to her child. Every time I tried to send Cassandra away, Leo would cry endlessly. I can’t just let the child keep crying, can I?” “Hmph, is it the child you can’t bear to part with, or her? You know the answer yourself!” Dr. Ben Carter scoffed. Hearing this, Alexander grew even more irritated. He rubbed his throbbing forehead forcefully. “Don’t talk nonsense. I will only love Eleanor my entire life. But the Harrington family can’t be without an heir. You absolutely must keep this from Eleanor. I don’t want to hurt her.” “As for Cassandra, she did bear me a child, and I can’t treat her badly.” It was only then that Cassandra pushed the door open, her face tear-streaked like a weeping willow. “Alex, it’s all my fault for not taking good care of Leo. He got a fever after you left last night and kept crying for you. I was afraid of disturbing you and your wife, so I didn’t say anything sooner…” Alexander stroked the child’s feverish face, sighed, and his heart softened. He pulled the woman into his arms to comfort her. “Don’t cry, Cassandra. I’m not blaming you. Leo is our child; it’s me who’s an unfit father.” Cassandra tugged at Alexander’s shirt, her fingers brushing across his chest. “Alex, I know I can’t compare to Miss Hayes, but I just can’t bear to see our child suffer…” Alexander’s brows furrowed. “Who dares to make my son suffer?! You, on the other hand, need to take care of yourself. Look at your face, all tear-streaked.” He raised a hand and gently wiped a tear from her eye, their intimate pose piercing my heart. I squeezed my hands tightly, letting my fingernails dig into my palms, leaving crescent-shaped red marks. I felt no pain at all. Or perhaps, any physical pain was nothing compared to the heartache. The pouring rain started again, and I left the hospital like that. I walked numbly in the rain, letting it drench me.

Rainwater streamed down my face, blurring my vision, but it couldn’t wash away the overwhelming feeling of shame and humiliation in my heart. By the time I reached Hayes Group, my ankles were already raw and bleeding from my high heels, a vivid red mess. The receptionist gasped in shock at my appearance and rushed forward to help me. “Miss Hayes! What happened to you? Do you need me to call Mr. Harrington? If he sees you like this, he’ll be heartbroken again.” My heart ached numbly. Yes, everyone assumed Alexander loved me, without exception. But they didn’t know how much deceit and betrayal was woven into that ‘love.’ I gently pushed away her helping hand, my voice hoarse. “I’m fine. It just started raining suddenly on the way. Please buy me a clean change of clothes and bring them here.” I handed her my black card, then locked myself in the nearest meeting room. The door closed, and I could no longer control my agonizing sobs. I had thought that after seeing those photos, I was already immune to reality. But seeing that family of three appear before me, the deepest scar in my heart was repeatedly ripped open, a bloody, raw wound. My heartbroken wails echoed through the large conference room. I wanted so badly to ask Alexander why he was the one who made grand vows back then, and why he was also the one now sharing intimate moments and a child with another woman… It wasn’t until a knock on the door that I snapped out of my sorrow. The person at the door had already left, leaving a new set of clothes and the black card, along with a cup of hot water. Under the cup was a handwritten note: “Miss Hayes, don’t worry, I didn’t contact Mr. Harrington. I know you’re afraid he’d worry.” A mix of emotions swirled within me. In the end, I tore the card into pieces and threw it into the trash. I took the clothes into the washroom to change. A moment later, I was back to being Eleanor Hayes, the formidable heiress. Nothing could scare me. I walked in my heels to the CEO’s office, and that’s where I stayed, working tirelessly all day. Throughout the day, Alexander sent me many messages, but I didn’t read or reply to any of them. It wasn’t until evening that I dragged my exhausted body back to the villa, planning to pack my bags and leave tomorrow morning. But as I opened the door, childish laughter drifted from the living room, and Cassandra stood right before my eyes! The woman was wearing a maid’s uniform from the Harrington family estate, and not far away, a little boy was making a mess in the living room. Seeing me enter, Cassandra stood up from beside Alexander, smiling gracefully and gently. “Madam is back. I’m the maid sent from the family estate to look after young Master Leo.” I instinctively bit my lip, even my breathing felt difficult. How *dare* Alexander? How *dare* he bring these two into our home! Seeing my expression change, Alexander quickly explained, “Baby, I messaged you this afternoon, you probably didn’t see it. Leo is a child Mom brought back from an orphanage. She said he had a special connection to our family.” All the heartbreak had already been vented in that empty conference room. Now, only a surging anger filled my chest. These people were treating me like an utter fool! “Alexander, are you deliberately trying to hurt me?” My voice trembled slightly, clearly furious. Hearing this, Alexander frowned slightly, surprised by my strong resistance. He hastily explained, “Baby, don’t be angry! You know the Harrington family needs an heir, and I saw how much you grieved for our lost child, so I agreed to Mom’s request.” “If you don’t like him, I’ll send him away immediately!” Everyone knew Alexander loved me deeply; my well-being was always his top priority. Just like now, if I didn’t like him, he would even send away his own biological son. But this kind of “favoritism” filled me with an inexplicable disgust! I was about to speak and clear the air, but the child, Leo, pursed his lips and burst into loud sobs. “You’re a bad woman! Daddy, why are you with this bad woman? Don’t you want Leo anymore?” The child’s cries were piercing, giving Alexander a splitting headache. He immediately snapped, “Leo, who taught you such disrespectful things?!” “Are you all dead?! Get young Master Leo back to his room right away!” Several maids rushed forward, flustered, and took the wailing Leo back to his room. Cassandra also seemed panicked, repeatedly apologizing. “Mr. Harrington, it’s all my fault. Please don’t blame young Master Leo.” As she spoke, she cast a lingering, tender look at Alexander, a look of grievance enough to make any man’s heart ache. Alexander sighed, his tone softening slightly. “I’m not blaming him. He’s just a child; what does he know? You go take care of him.” I took all of this in, my heart growing colder. I pulled away from Alexander and walked straight upstairs, closing the door on him who had followed. Alexander stood outside the door, incredibly frustrated, but still patiently tried to soothe me. “Baby, it’s all my fault. I’ll send that child away first thing tomorrow morning.” “You don’t have to let me in. Just get some good rest. We can talk about everything tomorrow.” I leaned against the door, sitting on the floor, listening to his receding footsteps. My heart was long past aching, numb and unresponsive. What was the point of sending him away? Blood is thicker than water, and those ties can never truly be severed. Ultimately, I was the one who needed to leave! I didn’t reply, locking the door. Alone, I slumped against the cold door, listening to his footsteps fade, no longer able to hold myself up, sliding to the floor. I just felt so incredibly tired, physically and emotionally drained. I don’t know how long passed, but my phone chimed. I numbly slid open the screen and saw a friend request from a stranger. It was Cassandra. 【Mrs. Harrington, if you kick Mr. Harrington out of your room, don’t blame him for coming to mine.】 My pupils constricted. I got up and walked out of the bedroom, immediately spotting a faint light from the study at the end of the second floor.

The door was ajar. Through the crack, I heard a woman’s seductive voice: “Alex, you’re hurting me?” The man grunted, his tone laced with a hint of ruthlessness: “Afraid of pain, yet you still lured me here? You truly can’t behave, even with a child.” Suddenly, a chill ran through me, like falling into an icy chasm. All the blood in my veins turned cold. I hadn’t expected Alexander to be so impatient! The sounds from inside continued. Cassandra suppressed a moan: “Alex, I just saw you were upset after Madam kicked you out, so I wanted to make you happy on her behalf.” “Don’t make excuses for your own wild behavior. Remember, if you want Leo to stay in this family, don’t you dare upset my wife.” I couldn’t listen anymore. I didn’t even know how I managed to leave. Back in my room, I immediately rushed into the bathroom, leaning over the sink, throwing up bile. Until a cramping pain seized my stomach, I slowly straightened up, looking at my pathetic self in the mirror. My tears had long since run dry. I was Eleanor Hayes, the proud heiress of the Hayes family, I should be better than this. I don’t know how long I stayed in the bathroom. It wasn’t until the sky began to lighten that I slowly got up and lay back on the bed. This time, *I* was the one who didn’t want him. The next morning, when I went downstairs, I saw Cassandra standing by the dining table, arranging tableware. After a night of effort, she had successfully changed out of the maid’s uniform and was wearing a figure-hugging, elegant dress that showed off her curves. Her face had a faint resemblance to mine. No wonder Alexander had picked her.

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CEO Liam Blackwood had finally recovered after three years of paralysis, and his buddies threw him a celebratory party at an exclusive private club. I stood by the entrance, clutching a carefully chosen gift. Just as I was about to push the door open, I heard Liam’s voice, mingling with his friends’ chatter from inside. “Liam, Sera has been absolutely incredible for you. Honestly, if it wasn’t for her these past three years, you wouldn’t have recovered this brilliantly.” “He’s right. She’s just a girl, yet she massaged you daily, pushed you through rehab, barely slept a wink, terrified you’d have a breakdown in the dead of night… You owe her for life, man.” “She is indeed a very good person,” Liam’s voice was low and gentle. My fingertips trembled slightly, a warmth spreading through my chest. The next second, I heard someone ask, “So, when are you going to marry her?” A terrifying silence fell over the room. My hand hung in mid-air, my heart involuntarily quickening its pace. I held my breath, as if awaiting a final judgment. After a long pause, Liam’s voice, flat and distant, finally broke the silence. “I think of her as a sister.” “A sister?!” His friends’ voices shot up. “She’s been with you for three years, and you just see her as a sister? Liam, you can’t still be pining for Genevieve, can you? She ditched you the second things went south, didn’t even bother to check in! Now you’re back on your feet, and suddenly she reappears? Liam, you can like *anyone* else, but not her!” Liam didn’t respond. I stood outside the door, my heart twisting in a brutal grip. Silence, in itself, was the clearest answer. I had foolishly believed three years of unwavering devotion would earn me his true feelings. Instead, his heart had always belonged to the one who abandoned him. Three years ago, Liam Blackwood was a golden boy, standing at the pinnacle of success. A top-tier university grad, heir to a massive empire, a natural at everything from skiing to equestrian. And his face? Sculpted by the gods themselves. Me? I was just a scholarship kid, lucky enough to be sponsored by the Blackwoods. I first saw him at a school awards ceremony. He stood on the podium, his expression cool and distant, his posture tall and unyielding, like an unreachable mountain pine. I sat in the very last row, clutching my scholarship check, too afraid to even clap loud enough to be noticed. Back then, standing by his side was Genevieve Sterling, the university’s reigning queen, gorgeous and from a family just as powerful as his. Everyone said they were like a prince and princess from a fairytale. Until that car crash. Liam’s spine was shattered, and the doctors said he might never walk again. Genevieve? She didn’t even make it to his hospital room. Just a cold breakup text, and then she vanished, poof, into thin air. The Blackwood heir, once the center of everyone’s universe, plummeted into absolute darkness overnight. He became volatile, moody, even attempted to take his own life. Mr. and Mrs. Blackwood wept endlessly, completely helpless. I was the one who stepped up. I knelt by his wheelchair, my voice a soft whisper. “Liam,” I promised, “everything will be okay. I’ll be right here with you.” For the next three years, I dedicated myself to learning various massage techniques, sleeping only two hours a night, terrified he’d do something reckless in the dead of night. When he’d spiral, smashing his legs with a chair, I’d instinctively throw myself in front of him, taking every brutal blow. “My legs are already ruined!” he’d roared, his eyes bloodshot. “It doesn’t matter if I break them! Are you crazy? Can’t you tell what’s more important, your life or my legs?!” Sweat beaded on my forehead from the searing pain, but I clung to his legs stubbornly. “I can tell,” I whispered. “Precisely because your legs are so important, I have to stop you.” “Because one day, I *will* make you walk again.” In that moment, Liam, who had always been so proud, trembled as he pulled me into his arms, his voice thick with emotion. “Sera, please… don’t leave me…” Everyone called Liam’s recovery a miracle. But only I knew the truth. Miracle? There was no miracle. Just me, fighting tooth and nail, clawing him back from the edge of the abyss, piece by agonizing piece. And now… He’d climbed out of that abyss, but he no longer needed me. Just then, my phone vibrated sharply. I fumbled for it, and the name “Mrs. Blackwood” on the screen stung my eyes. I knew exactly what that call meant. Sure enough, as soon as I answered, Mrs. Blackwood’s gentle, yet unmistakably firm voice came through. “You see, dear, Liam’s the CEO of a major corporation now. His wife simply *must* be someone with a strong background, someone who can truly support him, not just… well, not just anyone.” “I truly appreciate your unwavering care these past three years. But you must understand, if it weren’t for the Blackwood family’s generosity, you wouldn’t have even seen the inside of a university. Consider all those past debts… paid in full, okay?” There was a pause on the other end, as if she expected a torrent of desperate questions, or perhaps a tearful, humble plea. But I simply lifted my gaze toward the empty hallway where Liam had walked away. The empty hallway seemed to echo with mocking laughter, a cruel testament to three years of unrequited hope. “Okay,” I heard my own voice say, eerily calm. “I’ll leave. I’ll never appear before him again.” I hung up the phone and went straight to the hospital. My forehead wound required three stitches, and the doctor advised me to keep it dry. I numbly nodded, and as I walked out of the clinic, I saw Liam’s Maybach parked not far from the hospital entrance. The car window was half-open. Genevieve was weeping, her head buried in his shoulder. “Liam, I’m so sorry for what I did back then…” Her voice was choked with sobs. “I don’t expect you to forgive me, but I had no choice but to leave you. My parents wouldn’t allow us to be together; they forced me abroad, even confiscated my phone. It’s not that I didn’t want to find you…” Liam sat in silence, the line of his jaw hard. I stood not far away, my feet rooted to the spot. “Then why are you back now?” Liam finally spoke, his voice deep. Genevieve lifted her face, tears streaming down her cheeks. “Because I couldn’t forget you… I know you have Sera now, but I don’t ask for anything else, just please don’t send me away… Just let me watch you from afar…” I stood in the shadows, watching Liam stay silent for a long time before finally reaching out to wipe away Genevieve’s tears. “I don’t blame you,” he said. “As for Sera… I just see her as a sister. It’s not what you think.” Genevieve’s eyes lit up, and she broke into a tearful smile. “Really?” Liam nodded. Genevieve cried tears of joy, burying herself in his arms once more. I let out a self-mocking laugh, turned, and headed straight to the immigration office.

At the immigration office, the clerk handed me a form. “Your visa should be ready in two weeks.” I thanked them, and by the time I walked out the door, dusk had already settled. I returned to Liam’s villa. For the past three years, I had lived here to better care for him. I’d foolishly believed this place was home. My carefully chosen slippers still sat by the door, the succulents I’d nurtured lined the living room, and my handwritten ‘Stomach-Friendly Recipes’ were taped proudly in the kitchen. Now, I was about to systematically erase every trace of myself. As I packed my suitcase, I found a photo at the bottom of a drawer. It was taken the day Liam successfully completed his rehabilitation. He’d actually *smiled* for the camera – a rare sight – and I stood beside him, my eyes crinkling into happy crescent moons. The edges of the photo were already soft with age, worn from my countless touches. I stared at the picture for a long time, then gently tossed it into the trash. Some dreams, I realized, were always meant to end. The next morning, Liam’s call came through. “I forgot my stomach medication. Can you bring it to the office?” His voice was a rough, morning-hoarse whisper, his tone as natural as if nothing had happened last night. I paused for two seconds. “Okay.” When I arrived at the company, the elevator doors opened, and I ran into Genevieve walking out, carrying a rather fancy bento box. “What a coincidence?” Genevieve smiled brightly. “I’m bringing Liam lunch. Want to join us?” I didn’t answer, following her into his office. Liam was looking at documents. Seeing us enter together, his eyebrow arched subtly. “How did you two end up together?” “Ran into each other on the way,” Genevieve said, smiling as she opened the bento box. The potent, fiery scent of spicy stir-fry instantly wafted through the air. “I made your favorite spicy stir-fry!” My face paled instantly. “His stomach can’t handle anything spicy!” Liam glanced at me, then picked up his fork. “It’s fine, just for once.” He speared a piece of beef glistening with chili oil and ate it, his expression unreadable. My knuckles whitened as I clutched the stomach medication in my purse. Not long after, a fine sheen of sweat broke out on his forehead, and his fingers, gripping his pen, trembled almost imperceptibly. “Liam? Are you not feeling well?” Genevieve asked, worried. “I’m fine,” Liam forced a smile. “I have work. You two should go.” I gave him a long, deep look, silently placed the medication on his desk, and turned to leave. Walking downstairs, I couldn’t help but say, “His stomach condition is serious. Maybe be more careful when bringing him food in the future.” Genevieve suddenly laughed. “Sera, do you still not understand your place?” “To Liam, you’re just a special kind of caregiver, so you *have* to remember these things. But I’m different. He loves me, so I don’t need to be so careful.” She leaned in closer, her red lips barely an inch from my ear. “Even if I gave him poison, he’d still take it. Understand?” My fingertips trembled, my heart felt like it was being ripped from my chest. I knew Genevieve wasn’t wrong. It took me three years just to get Liam to spare me a second glance. Genevieve, however, didn’t have to do anything at all, and he’d willingly swallow poison for her. That evening, Liam returned, looking terrifyingly pale. I was in the kitchen pouring water when I heard the commotion and turned around, almost dropping the glass in my hand. “You didn’t take your medicine?” My voice was tight. “It was too bad. I had to go to the hospital to get my stomach pumped,” Liam said weakly, collapsing onto the sofa, the fringe of hair on his forehead damp with cold sweat. My hand shook, and scalding hot water splashed onto the back of my hand, instantly turning it red. Did he love Genevieve so much he’d risk a stomach pump just to eat *her* cooking? I brought him a glass of warm water, kneeling beside him to gently rub his stomach. Liam finished the water, and under my soothing touch, his furrowed brow finally relaxed. He leaned against my shoulder, half-asleep. Just like so many times before. But this time, I didn’t linger, didn’t trace the lines of his face with longing. I gently laid him back on the sofa, covered him with a blanket, and went upstairs without a backward glance.

When I woke up the next morning, Liam was already standing in the living room, sharp in a suit. “Why are there so many things missing from the house?” He frowned, looking around. I opened my mouth, about to explain, but he had already changed the subject. “Genevieve’s art exhibition is today. She invited us to go.” “I…” “She just got back to the country; she doesn’t have many friends,” Liam interrupted me. “Just think of it as doing me a favor, being there for support.” I clenched my fingers, then finally nodded. At the exhibition, Genevieve saw Liam and immediately drew close, her arm slipping possessively through his. “Liam! This is the one I wanted you to see most…” She pointed to a snow-capped mountain oil painting, her voice soft. “I painted this in Switzerland. I thought of you every single day back then…” Liam listened, his gaze fixed on the painting, his expression unreadable. In the end, he bought every single one of her paintings. Whispers immediately broke out around us. “Isn’t that Mr. Blackwood? So generous with his date.” “I heard his girlfriend took care of him for three years; he really dotes on her.” “No, that’s not the Miss Hayes from the news. That’s the one who dumped Mr. Blackwood before…” Amidst the murmurs, someone mistakenly identified Genevieve as me. Liam froze when he heard, then seemed to remember something and turned to me. “What do *you* want?” Just then, a sapphire necklace was presented on stage, gleaming with a deep-sea luminescence under the spotlights. My gaze lingered on it for an extra second, involuntarily. Liam immediately raised his paddle. “Ten million!” “This necklace has quite a story,” Genevieve suddenly interjected. “It was a token of love from a foreign king to his queen, symbolizing loyalty and undying love.” She gave me a meaningful glance. “Perfect for Miss Hayes, wouldn’t you say?” Liam’s hand paused. After the necklace was purchased and brought to him, he handed it directly to Genevieve. “This suits you better.” “Oh, I don’t know,” Genevieve feigned hesitation. “Isn’t this the one Miss Hayes admired?” “I’ll buy her something else,” Liam said, looking at me. “What do you want?” I lowered my eyes, a self-mocking curve on my lips. A gift symbolizing loyalty, deemed unfit for me, yet perfectly suited for Genevieve. The difference between being loved and not loved was suddenly, painfully clear. After the auction ended, guests began to disperse in twos and threes. While Liam was surrounded by people exchanging pleasantries, Genevieve seized the opportunity to approach me. “Sera, surely you see it now?” Genevieve whispered, her red lips twisting into a triumphant, cruel smirk. “Liam loves *me*. The more you cling, the more he’ll resent you.” I looked at her, my eyes, however, were disturbingly calm. “You’ll get your wish.” “What do you mean?” Genevieve frowned. I didn’t answer, turning to leave. “Ah—!” A sudden scream erupted behind me. I turned to see Genevieve tumbling down the stairs! “Sera!” Liam’s enraged roar filled the hall. He rushed over and shoved me away, so hard I stumbled back and hit the wall. “What did Genevieve ever do to you, that you’d treat her like this?” he demanded, his eyes terrifyingly cold. “Even if I didn’t protect you properly before, if you have a problem, come at *me*! Why drag her into it?” My back pressed against the cold wall, my voice soft yet firm. “I didn’t push her.” “Liam…” Genevieve weakly clutched his sleeve. “It was just me being clumsy… it wasn’t Miss Hayes’s fault…” “You don’t need to defend her!” Liam gave me a chilling glance, then bent down and carefully scooped Genevieve into his arms. “I’m not dealing with you. Get yourself home.” I stood there, watching Liam’s retreating back as he hurried away with Genevieve. His suit jacket was still draped over her, and he held her with such agonizing care, as if she were the most precious thing in the world. He was always like this. The moment Genevieve cried, it was always *my* fault. I felt for the plane ticket in my pocket. A flight to London in a week, carrying away all my love and pain. He wouldn’t have to feel I was a burden anymore. Because soon, this burden of a woman would simply vanish from his life, forever. The auction house was far from the villa and in a remote area. I couldn’t hail a taxi, so I had no choice but to walk back. The rain started just as I was halfway home. The cold rain drenched my hair and clothes, and my shoes filled with water. Every step felt like a thousand needles pricking my feet. By the time I finally reached the house, my feet were raw with blisters, and my entire body was burning up. I forced myself to find some medicine, quickly tended to my wounds, then drifted off into a feverish sleep. The next morning, I was woken by commotion downstairs. As soon as I went down, I saw Genevieve’s luggage piled in the living room. Liam’s voice carried from the living room, “Genevieve’s parents are out of the country; it’s not safe for her to be alone, so she’ll stay here for a few days. And you, keep your schemes to yourself.” I gripped the banister, my face pale, as I walked down the stairs. “I won’t.” I wouldn’t play any more games. And I wouldn’t love him anymore. During Genevieve’s stay, I saw a completely different Liam. He’d remember Genevieve disliked cilantro, and he’d even swap out a dish I hated if I so much as frowned. On stormy nights, he’d be the first to comfort a frightened Genevieve. The study, once strictly off-limits to me, was now Genevieve’s to wander in and out of as she pleased. I finally understood. This was how Liam loved someone. I thought back to the past few years, when I used to secretly rejoice that he’d curb his self-destructive urges during his mood spirals just because I was there. I’d foolishly thought it was proof he was starting to like me. How utterly ridiculous. One day, as I passed the study, my peripheral vision caught Genevieve playing with something. I stopped, peering through the half-open door.

In Genevieve’s hand was Liam’s precious, creamy white jade pendant, the one his grandmother had left him! The pendant teetered precariously in her fingers, almost slipping several times. My heart hammered in my chest. I rushed in, snatching the pendant from her hand. “What are you doing? This is Liam’s grandmother’s relic, how can you just…” “What business is it of yours?” Genevieve snapped, snatching it back. Seeing how tense I was, a cruel smirk suddenly curved her lips. “Oh, you care that much? Then…” She deliberately let go. *Shatter—* The pendant hit the marble with a sickening crack, shattering into two pieces. My heart almost stopped beating. That was Liam’s most cherished heirloom, given to him on his grandmother’s deathbed! “What’s going on?” Liam’s voice came from the doorway. I looked up to see him standing there, his face grim, staring at the fragments on the floor. “Miss Hayes broke it,” Genevieve quickly interjected, her voice laced with feigned hurt. “I just picked it up to look at it, and she rushed over to grab it…” Liam’s eyes turned to ice. “How dare you…” “There’s a security camera in the study,” I interrupted him softly, my voice trembling slightly. “You can check it. See what really happened.” The air instantly froze. Genevieve’s face shifted, and she grudgingly changed her story. “I’m so sorry, Liam. It was… I accidentally broke it… Was it very important to you? I can just buy you another one, exactly the same.” To my surprise, Liam’s anger instantly evaporated. He strode quickly to Genevieve’s side, taking her hand. “Are you hurt?” I stood rooted to the spot, watching Liam carefully examine Genevieve’s fingers, a hollow ache spreading through my chest as if a piece had been carved out. No one knew better than I the significance of that pendant to Liam. Three years ago, when Mrs. Blackwood accidentally misplaced it, Liam had just undergone major leg surgery. He’d dragged his injured body through a snowstorm for three hours, searching for it. When he returned, he had a furious argument with his mother, then locked himself in his room, smashing things. It was I who braved the heavy snow, searching inch by inch in the yard, my fingers numb with cold, until I finally found the pendant at dawn. And now, the pendant was deliberately broken by Genevieve, and all he cared about was whether *she* was hurt. I laughed, a self-mocking sound. He loved Genevieve to such an extent. And I, how incredibly naive I was, to ever think Liam would marry me once he recovered. Countless nights, I’d watched over him, seen him suffer through grueling physical therapy, and secretly promised myself I’d stay with him forever. Even in his darkest, most self-destructive moments, I wrote in my diary, a silly, naive wish: “I’ll marry him the day he walks again.” Now, I realized I was a complete and utter joke. Thankfully, I was finally awake. My unappreciated devotion? I would never offer it again. After that day, I barely left my room. Until, during dinner one evening, Genevieve suddenly clutched her stomach, cried out in pain, and crumpled, pale-faced, into Liam’s arms. “What’s wrong?” Liam panicked, immediately calling his private doctor. After an examination, the doctor’s face was grim. “It’s poisoning,” he stated flatly. The entire villa was thrown into chaos. The house staff stood rigid with fear, and the butler immediately began grilling the kitchen for details about dinner prep. “I… I saw it…” a young maid spoke up, her voice trembling. “I saw Miss Hayes put something in the soup…” Liam’s gaze instantly turned to ice. He strode over to me, grabbing my wrist, his grip so fierce it felt like my bones would shatter. “Just because of that jade pendant, you’d try to kill Genevieve? Sera, what has gotten into you?” I looked up at him, my voice very quiet. “I didn’t.” “Still trying to deny it?” Liam’s eyes were cold and sharp. He turned to the maid. “Bring the rest of the soup.” My pupils constricted. “What are you doing?” “To teach you a lesson,” Liam squeezed my chin, his voice chilling. “So you’ll know what to do and what not to do from now on.” The maid brought the remaining soup, and at Liam’s command, forced the bitter liquid down my throat. I fought with all my might, but two burly bodyguards held me fast. The warm soup was forcibly poured down my throat, making me cough violently. The poison took effect almost immediately. I collapsed to my knees in agony, cold sweat instantly soaking my back. I curled into a ball, my nails digging deep into my palms, yet I stubbornly repeated, “I didn’t poison her…” Liam didn’t even spare me a glance. He stayed by Genevieve’s bedside the entire time, carefully feeding her water, gently wiping the sweat from her forehead with a damp cloth, his eyes dripping with tenderness. “Liam…” Genevieve weakly gripped his hand. “Miss Hayes…” “Don’t defend her,” Liam murmured, soothing her. “Just rest.” My vision blurred, my mind growing hazy from the intense pain. The last thing I remembered was being roughly loaded onto an ambulance. I lay in the hospital all night. Not a single soul came to visit me. When I returned to the villa the next day, the entire house was empty. My phone vibrated. It was a photo from Genevieve. Under a clear blue sky, Liam had his arm wrapped around Genevieve’s waist, both of them beaming at the camera. The caption read: `Someone brought me to the beach to clear my head. Says I needed to relax after such a fright~` I quietly locked my screen and began packing my suitcase. As I zipped up my luggage, I suddenly realized how few of my things there were in the place I’d called home for three years. A single 24-inch suitcase held every trace of my life here. I had never truly belonged here. Just as I had never truly entered his heart. “Have you learned your lesson?” Liam’s voice suddenly came from behind me. I turned to see him standing sharply dressed in a suit at the doorway, his brow furrowed, his gaze scrutinizing me. “Yes,” I said softly. My mistake was in loving you. My mistake was in stubbornly staying by your side for so many years. Liam’s expression softened slightly. “Good. Get dressed. We’re going to a party.” “A party?” I was slightly startled. “You don’t remember it’s my birthday today?” Liam’s frown deepened, a hint of disbelief in his tone, as if my forgetting was utterly incomprehensible. Only then did it dimly occur to me. Yes, it was his birthday. In previous years, I would have already prepared a cake, carefully chosen a gift, even decorated everything myself. I would remember his favorite flavors, the decorations he disliked, his wish every year. But now, I had forgotten. “You go ahead,” I said softly, my voice barely audible. “I’ll get changed and ready with a gift, then I’ll be right there.” “Liam!” Genevieve’s voice floated up from downstairs, laced with a hint of a whine. “Everyone’s waiting for you!” Liam nodded, giving me one last look. “Don’t be long.” With that, he turned and left, his footsteps fading into the distance. I stood there, watching his back disappear down the hallway, a self-mocking curve on my lips. Liam, this time, My birthday gift to you, is my permanent disappearance from your world. To let you and Genevieve have your deeply intertwined love, and to finally set myself free. I picked up my already packed suitcase, gave one last look around the place I’d lived for three years, then walked out without a backward glance. The airport buzzed with people. I stood before the boarding gate, pulled out my phone, and sent Liam one last message: `Liam Blackwood, I’m leaving. May your love for Genevieve be deep and unwavering, and may you grow old together.` Then, I turned off my phone and headed towards the boarding gate. Three years of foolish devotion, and now, finally, awake. Our paths diverge, never to cross again.

Meanwhile, in Metropolis’s most luxurious hotel. As one of the wealthiest families in Metropolis, the birthday celebration for Liam Blackwood, heir to the Blackwood Corporation, naturally attracted considerable attention. Guests were the most influential figures in high society. But the man at the center of attention seemed rather distracted. Liam’s friends also noticed his odd behavior. “Hey, that’s weird. Where’s Sera? Did she forget?” “No way! When have you ever known Sera to forget anything about Liam?” “True. But the party’s almost halfway over. This is the first time Sera’s ever been so late…” They exchanged glances, then all eyes turned to Liam. Seeing his mind was clearly miles away, Jason Miller couldn’t hold back any longer. He tentatively spoke, “Liam, maybe you should give Sera another call?” “No, she’s just getting a gift ready,” Liam instinctively shook his head, refusing. Hearing him, the others still felt something was off, but said nothing more. Perhaps they were just overthinking. Just then, the party reached the gift-giving segment. Jason and the other friends presented their gifts, and it was soon Genevieve’s turn. Although Jason and the others still harbored resentment towards Genevieve for abandoning Liam years ago, it was Liam’s birthday party, so they ultimately remained silent. Until she, flushed with bashfulness, presented her handmade gift with both hands. “Liam, this is for you…” But before her words were finished, Liam glanced at his phone, his face suddenly changing. Before everyone’s eyes, he shoved Genevieve aside and sprinted out. “Ah!” Completely unprepared, Genevieve stumbled and fell to the floor, the sharp pain bringing tears to her eyes. She instinctively wanted to call out to Liam, but Liam, who had always prioritized her, didn’t even spare her a glance this time, running straight out of the banquet hall. For a moment, everyone exchanged bewildered glances, unsure of what had just happened. Jason and the others were also caught off guard by the sudden turn of events. Someone remembered Sera, who had yet to appear, and his face paled. “Could something have happened to Sera?” At that, the friends grew anxious and quickly rushed out after him, leaving Genevieve alone, sprawled on the floor, clenching her teeth in fury when she heard their last words. When Liam sped back to the villa, it was already deserted. Still unwilling to give up, he went straight upstairs, searching every possible place, but found nothing. Not only was I gone, but all my belongings had vanished too. He stood bewildered in the empty room, staring at the message that had arrived on his phone a short while ago, and the number saved under my name. After a long moment, as if suddenly remembering something, he dialed the number. He didn’t even realize his hand was trembling uncontrollably as he dialed. The busy tone rang in his ear, churning his insides into a tangled mess. But I didn’t answer. When the call automatically disconnected, the doorbell rang. He didn’t know how he made it downstairs to open the door. Seeing Jason and the others standing outside, looking worried, he still felt a sense of unreality. “Liam, why are you suddenly back? Did something happen to Sera?” He forcefully ignored the strange pang of bitterness in his heart, opened his mouth, and after a long silence, replied in a hoarse voice, “Sera said… she left.” “Left? Left for where?” Jason froze, the worry on his face instantly replaced by bewilderment. The shock on the others’ faces was equally obvious. No one had ever considered the possibility of me leaving. Over the years, they had witnessed Liam’s rise and fall after that accident, and they had seen people come and go from his life. Even they hadn’t had the courage to stay by his side when he was so temperamental and unpredictable. From beginning to end, it had only been me. I came to him in his most desperate and vulnerable state, giving him boundless patience and tolerance. No matter how he lashed out or pushed me away, I never once thought of leaving. So why would I suddenly… Just then, his phone rang again. Almost instinctively, Liam answered it first. “Sera? Where are you…” But before he could finish, Genevieve’s voice came through. “Liam, I twisted my ankle. Can you take me to the hospital?” If it had been before, Liam would have rushed over immediately. But perhaps it was my sudden departure that had rattled him, because he instinctively refused. “I’m busy right now. Find someone else.” At his words, even Jason and the others looked at him in surprise. However, seeing him distance himself from Genevieve, they were naturally pleased. Genevieve hadn’t expected him to refuse so bluntly. She bit her lip, her face stiff and grim, yet she forced herself to appear understanding, her voice thick with disappointment. “Okay. Did something happen with Miss Hayes? Is that why you were in such a hurry just now?” Liam then remembered that he seemed to have pushed something over in his haste. After a moment of hesitation, he finally spoke. “Wait, I’ll be right there.” He hung up and turned to head back to the banquet hall, leaving his friends to exchange glances. At the hospital. “Just a minor bump. Apply some cream, and rest for a few days.” After reviewing Genevieve’s examination report, the doctor handed the results back to Liam. Knowing that Genevieve was fine, he finally relaxed.

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