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On my wedding day, my fiance’s childhood friend, Cecilia, brought a group of people to “surprise” us by throwing confetti and cream at us, sticky filth ruining everything. Not only did my fiance, Leon, not stop them, but he advised me to be tolerant. I gave him a tight slap on the spot and told him to find another bride if he insisted so. In the end, I unexpectedly learned something that shattered my world.

The day I found out I was dying, James broke up with me. I have been James Evan’s “contract lover” for five years, until his true love came back. He canceled our contract and told me to get lost. I thought that after five years, his frozen heart would thaw for me. How wrong I was. So I packed my things and left. Without telling him… I only had three months left to live. —— James Evans’s private jet landed at LAX international airport at 7:00 PM. By 7:30 P.M, Amelia Garcia was taken to the Silver Tower Penthouse as requested. Per their contract, she had to be thoroughly cleaned “inside and out” without any traces of perfume or makeup. She strictly followed his preferences, thoroughly cleaned herself, changed into a silk pajama, and then went to the bedroom on the second floor. James was already working on his computer. When Amelia entered the room, he gave her a casual glance. “Come here,” he demanded. His voice was cold and emotionless, weighing heavily on Amelia’s heart. James was enigmatic, Ameilia didn’t dare to hesitate for a moment, worried that he might get angry with her, and quickly walked over to him. Before she could steady herself, he pulled her into his arms and lifted her chin with his long fingers. He lowered his head and kissed her ruby lips, the kiss was aggressive, without any traces of warmth. James might seem noble and restrained, but he showed no such thing when it came to sex. He was never tender with her. No sweet talk, no soft kisses. Just sex. He had been abroad on a business trip for three months, he probably wouldn’t let Amelia go easily tonight. As she had expected, he was rougher than usual. James didn’t stop his thrusts until she was too exhausted. … When Amelia woke up, she found herself alone in bed, but the sound of running water came from the bathroom. She looked in the direction of the water sound and saw a slender figure reflected on the frosted glass. Amelia was surprised because James usually left without waiting for her to wake up after their encounters. But this time, he didn’t leave. She struggled to sit up from the bed and quietly waited for the man to come out. A few minutes later, the sound of running water stopped abruptly, and James came out wrapped in a bath towel. Water droplets from the tips of his hair fell onto his bronze skin, slowly sliding down his abs, the firm and strong lines carrying a deadly temptation.His face was finely chiseled, exquisitely handsome, with sharp, distinct features. His eyes, almond-shaped in hazel in color, were aloof and distant, deep and unreadable. James’ charm armed him from head to toe, and so did his cold aura. In one glance, you can tell this man was not easy to get along with. Seeing that Amelia was awake, he gave her a cold look and said, “You don’t need to come anymore.” Amelia was stunned. What did he mean by “No need to come anymore?” James withdrew his gaze from her, turned around, and handed her a document. “I’m canceling our contract, you’re fired.” He said fired. Not break up. Because that’s their relationship, the employer and the employee. Nonetheless, his words stung. As soon as Amelia saw the document laid out before her, she understood. He didn’t leave early today because he didn’t want her to be his secret lover anymore. After being with him for five years, Amelia always knew this day would come, but she didn’t expect it would end so abruptly—No reason or explanation. Suppressing the sharp pain in her heart, Amelia slowly raised her head and gazed at James, who was now fully dressed. “The contract will expire in six months. Can’t we wait for a little longer?” she asked, somewhat pleading. The doctor said she only had three months left and she wanted to stay with him until the end of her life. James didn’t respond, just looking at her with a cold gaze, showing no regret at all, as if he was kicking away a toy he had grown tired of playing with. His silence was all she needed, it meant, his decision was final. After five long years of trying, Amelia had failed to thaw Jame’s frozen heart. She knew it was time for her to wake up from her illusion. Amelia took the contract and put on a fake smile, attempting to feign indifference. “Don’t be so serious, I was just joking.” she teased. “I’m glad this is over, I get six months off, how perfect!” Amelia added as if to convince herself. James paused as he adjusted his shirt sleeves, then lifted his cool gaze to size up Amelia. On her face, there was no sadness, only a hint of excitedness… or relief? James frowned and asked, “You’re glad it’s over?” Amelia nodded like she didn’t care. “Yes, I’m not young anymore. It’s time for me to get married and have children. I can’t always be with your contract lover, can I?” What a perfect lie. She laughed at herself in her mind, it was impossible for her to get married or have children, but in front of James, she had to leave with dignity and grace. She forced a smile and asked James, “Does that mean I can finally have a normal boyfriend once I leave here?” James’ eyes were filled with deep and unidentifiable emotions. After staring at her for a while, he put up his watch and turned to leave. “Do whatever you want.” Those were the last words he said before he left. Looking at his back, Amelia’s smile faded. James hated it when other people touched his things, including his woman, but he didn’t react when he heard she wanted to have a boyfriend. Seems like… He really is sick of her.

After James left, Andrew, his assistant, walked in with the pill. He handed the pill to Amelia and said respectfully, “Ms. Garcia, please take it as usual.” This was a birth control pill. He didn’t love her, let alone allow her to get pregnant. After having sex, Andrew would always come with the pill and he would stand there watching to make sure she took it. Staring at the pill, Amelia’s heart started to hurt. She wasn’t sure if the pain was caused by heart failure or James’s cruelty, but regardless, it was so intense that she struggled to take a breath. “Ms. Garcia…” Seeing that Amelia didn’t take the pill, Andrew urged her with a nervous expression, afraid that she would cause trouble on the last night with James. Amelia glanced at him, took over the pill, and put it in her mouth. She didn’t even drink water with it and forced it down. Andrew let out a breath of relief, then he took an apartment deed and check from his briefcase and placed them in front of Amelia. “Ms. Garcia, this is Mr. Evans’ compensation for you. In addition to real estate and luxury cars, he also gave you 5 million dollars. All yours.” How generous. Too bad, he never knew what she truly wanted. “I don’t want it,” Amelia looked up at Andrew with a smile and said. Andrew was stunned and confused. “Do you think it’s not enough?” Hearing this, Amelia felt heartbroken. Even Andrew thought she was doing it for the money, let alone James. He offered her such a high breakup fee. Was it because he was afraid she would pester him again for more money in the future? Amelia picked up the bag beside her with a bitter smile, took out a debit card, and handed it to Andrew. “This is all the money James paid me over the years, I never spent a single penny. You can give it all back to him. Oh and the pin number for this card is his birthday.” Andrew was dumbfounded. Did Ms. Garcia really never use any of Mr. Evans’ money in the past five years? Amelia didn’t care whether Andrew believed her or not. She placed the card on the pile of documents Andrew brought for her. Then she turned around and left the Silver Tower Penthouse … Winter was cold in Arcadia. Amelia walked alone on the empty street. Her thin figure was cast on the ground by the street light, looking gaunt and fragile. She tightened her beige coat, gritted her teeth, and walked back to her apartment in her high heels. She pushed the door open. It was huge inside, taking up an entire floor. Despite the luxurious decorations, the apartment couldn’t seem to dispel the chill that permeated Amelia’s heart. She sat on the sofa, stared blankly at the surroundings for a moment, then Amelia began to pack. This apartment was also given to her by James. Since he did not want her anymore, she would not take anything that he gave her. Amelia took out her suitcase, opened the closet, and put all her clothes into the suitcase. She didn’t bring many things here, and after a quick pack, she left the apartment with her suitcase. After getting into the car, she sent a text message to Andrew. [Andrew, the password of Hudson Apartment is 0826.] Andrew was smart. He immediately understood when he saw the text message. Not only did Ms. Garcia not spend a penny from Mr. Evans, but she also didn’t want the apartment Mr. Evans gave her. She had packed her stuff promptly and efficiently, she was nothing like the girl from five years ago. The crying girl who begged Mr. Evans to purchase her virginity for a million dollars. Andrew returned to the company, handed the things back to James, and told him what Amelia said. With an indifferent gaze, James glanced at the items on his desk. Then, his cold gaze was fixed on the debit card. “There is an added one million dollars in there?” he asked Andrew coldly. “Yes.” Andrew nodded. Before Andrew returned to the company, he went to the ATM to check the balance on the card. Other than the money that Mr. Evans transferred to Amilea every month, there were another million dollars in it. Obviously, this was the money Amelia had returned to James for buying her that night. James frowned. After pondering for a while, he stretched out his hand, picked up the card, and snapped it in half He pushed the pile of deed certificates and other things towards Andrew and said in a cold voice, “Get rid of it then.” Andrew opened his mouth and wanted to say something nice for Amelia, but James had already turned on his computer and started to work. Andrew sensibly shut his mouth, picked up the pile of documents, and left the office.

Amelia took her suitcase to her friend Eva Miller’s residence. She gently knocked on the door and waited. She and Eva were both orphans who grew up together in the same orphanage. They were like sisters. “Amelia, if anything happens to you, come home.” Eva said when James took Amelia away five years ago. Because of Eva, Amelia was able to easily move out of the apartment James bought for her. She still had a home to return to. Eva soon opened the door. A wide smile appeared on her face when she saw Amelia. “Amelia, what are you doing here?” Amelia tightened her grip on the suitcase and said with somewhat embarrassment, “Eva, I need a place to crash.” Only then did Eva see the suitcase in her hand, and the smile on her face instantly froze. “What’s wrong?” Eva asked Amelia with a worried expression. “I just broke up with him.” Amelia forced a smile to hide her pain. Eva looked closely at Amelia and saw past her pretense in a matter of seconds. Her heart ached for her best friend. Amelia was thin and pale, her eyes sunken. Eva hugged her tightly. “Don’t worry. I’m here for you.” Amelia couldn’t help but tear up at Eva’s words.She hugged Eva and patted her gently on the back. “I’m fine, Eva. Don’t worry.” Eva knew that Amelia was just trying to comfort her. She knew how much Amelia liked James. In the past five years, Amelia had worked hard to earn a million dollars and return it to James. She was so naive and innocent to believe that as long as she returned the money back to him, his feelings for her would change. Maybe if she gave him back the money, they could… be something more than just “employer and employee.” But in the end, she couldn’t be more wrong. Eva remembered that rainy night five years ago… If it weren’t for Ryan Jones, she wouldn’t have met James. If that accident never happened, Amelia would have had a happy life. But the past is in the past, and there’s no time machine. Amelia didn’t want to burden Eva with her sorrow. After gently pulling back from the hug, she smiled and said, “Girlie, aren’t you going to let me in? It’s freezing out here!!” Eva was relieved to see Amelia still as strong and energetic as before. She believed that Amelia would soon recover from this breakup. For orphans like them who had no one to rely on, being abandoned is a walk in the park for them, right? Nothing would drag them down as long as they were still alive. With this in mind, Eva felt better. She took Amelia’s suitcase and led her into the house. “Amelia, don’t say things like you need a place to crash or anything like that. This is your home too. You can stay as long as you want!” After that, she turned around, fetched clean pajamas, and handed them to Amelia. “Go take a shower. I’ll make you something to eat, have a good sleep. Don’t think about anything else, okay?” “Okay.” Amelia took the pajamas and nodded. Eva had always been like this. She was unconditionally good to her, like a beam of light that sliced through the darkness in her life. It was a pity that Amelia suffered from terminal heart failure, and her life was soon coming to an end. If Eva found out that she was going to die, with such a kind and gentle heart, she would cry. Amelia didn’t want to make her cry. She looked at the busy figure in the kitchen and slowly walked over. “Eva, I want to quit my job.” Eva nodded in agreement and said, “Yeah, you should. You have been working hard for years. God, you must be exhausted. Quit your job and take a good rest at home. Don’t worry about the money anymore, I got your back.” “Okay,” Amelia responded and felt her heart warm. Then she turned around and went to the bathroom with tears in her eyes. Fate had never favored her. If she and Eva were meant to be apart from each other, she should use the last three months of her life to be with Eva, to keep her company. The next morning, Amelia put on some makeup to cover up her pale face and lips, and went to the company to quit her job. Just as she sat down and was about to turn on the computer to write her resignation letter, her colleague Bella came over. “Amelia, have you read the email?” Amelia shook her head. She spent the whole weekend in James’ penthouse, so she didn’t have time to read the email. “Lily sent a letter of appointment saying that the chairman’s daughter will come to take office as CEO today,” Bella explained. Amelia had no impression of the chairman’s daughter, so she was not interested. She was about to quit anyway, it didn’t matter to her who was going to take over the CEO position. Bella on the other hand was very intrigued, “I heard she had just returned from studying abroad, so she doesn’t have much work experience. Is she even qualified for the job?” Another colleague, Olivia, sneered and said, “Who would dare question her? She is the long lost love of Mr. Evans.” Hearing this, Amelia froze on the spot.

“Oh em gee, REALLY?” Bella’s jaw hung open in shock. She pulled Olivia close and whispered excitedly, “Didn’t you say that the CEO of the Evans Group wasn’t interested in women? Sounds like he might have a secret love! AND she’s the future CEO of our company!?” Olivia patted Bella’s hand with a smile. “You really should try to be more informed about these things, Bella. How can you work in the CEO’s office and not know all this hot gossip?” “Well c’mon, hurry up and tell me now, I’m all ears!” Bella said, quickly tugging on Olivia’s sleeve. Olivia lowered her voice. “Mr. Evans and the chairman’s daughter were childhood sweethearts. Rumor has it, Mr. Evans proposed to Ms. Moore five years ago. But she turned him down to focus on her studies, so they split up. They haven’t even contacted each other for the last five years. But as soon as Ms. Moore returned to the country, Mr. Evans personally went to the airport to pick her up. That’s enough to prove that Mr. Evans still has strong feelings for her.” Bella covered her mouth, widened her big round eyes, and almost exclaimed, “Oh my god! It’s like the perfect sweet romance!” Amelia’s heart ached in her chest, and gloom spread through her face. So the truth was… James terminated their contract early because his long lost love, his real love, had come back. But if he already had a childhood love, why did he buy her for one night five years ago? And after sleeping with her just once, he even forced her to sign a contract to continue their “relationship”. And whenever he touched her, he went so crazy that he couldn’t control himself and keep his hands off her, spending hours and hours in bed together. Amelia couldn’t believe it. Just as she was about to ask Olivia where she had heard this gossip, the elevator opened with a ding! The executive assistant of the chairman, Lily, and several department managers walked out first. Right after, a man in a luxurious suite with a cold aura followed. He had a face and body carved and chiseled by the gods, with the same aloof temperament. He seemed almost unreal, like he’d stepped out of an oil painting, a mix of elegance and coldness, always keeping a distance from others. Amelia would recognize that face anywhere. ‘James…’ Lily gestured to the people inside. “Mr. Evans, Ms. Moore, here is the president’s office. This way please.” ‘Why is he here?’ she thought, watching James turn and offer his hand to someone in the elevator. Then, a delicate, fair hand was placed in his, and a woman stepped out. The moment Amelia saw her face, she finally understood why James bought her for the night and made their contract, all those years ago. Except for a few minor differences, Amelia had almost the exact same face as James’ former lover. She used to think James would return her feelings one day and love her for who she was, but now she knew… she was just a temporary substitute. Her chest suddenly tightened, and pain swept through her body, turning her face pale. Bella immediately asked with concern, “Amelia? What’s wrong? Are you feeling sick?” Amelia shook her head gently, and before Bella could say anything else, Lily led the two of them over. She quickly lowered her eyes and didn’t dare look them in the eyes. She couldn’t stop her hands from trembling on the keyboard as Lily introduced them one by one. “This is the president’s office. The assistants here are available to help you with anything you need, Ms. Moore.” Ms. Moore nodded, looked at everyone, and said softly, “Good morning, everyone. My name’s Emily Moore. Starting today, I’ll be your new CEO.” ‘Emily…’ Amelia couldn’t seem to get enough air into her lungs, and she felt lightheaded. Memories started flooding back of her and James, their bodies writhing and entwined in bed. Every time, he’d softly call out a name that she could never fully hear, and she always hoped it was hers—Amelia… Only now did she realize that he was not calling out to her, but to Emily… Amelia clenched her fists, and her long nails dug into her flesh, but she felt no pain. The suffocating feelings of humiliation and abandonment overwhelmed her, and she couldn’t fight her tears. She was so stupid to have fallen in love with James, a man who would never ever love her back.

After exchanging pleasantries, Emily took James’s arm and followed Lily to the CEO’s office. Bella craned her neck and looked at their backs with envy. “Mr. Evans personally picked her up and escorted her on her first day of work? That HAS to mean he still loves her!” Olivia patted her shoulder and said, “It’s not just that. She’s only just returned to the country and she’s already taking over as CEO, so the old shareholders may not be completely convinced she’s up to the task. By personally escorting her on her first day, Mr. Evans is warning everyone that she has the backing of the Evans Group!” “He’s so quick to show his love and support for her. Mr. Evans really is the perfect man.” Bella cupped her hand on her chin and sighed. Olivia’s eyes were also full of jealousy. “If she weren’t the chairman’s daughter, she wouldn’t have been chosen by the most powerful man inArcadia,” she said. Bella shook her head disapprovingly. “Don’t think so. Ms. Moore is accomplished too. She’s highly educated and classy, and obviously she also looks beautiful . Speaking of her looks…” Bella looked at Amelia and continued, “Amelia… don’t you think you look kind of similar to our new CEO?” Olivia also came over to take a close look. “Jesus… you do look a bit like her, Amelia. But honestly I think you’re way prettier!” “Don’t be ridiculous,” Amelia said abruptly, and then she got up and went to the bathroom. “What’s up with her?” Bella looked at Amelia’s thin back and asked worriedly. Olivia sneered and said, “Maybe she’s jealous because she thinks Emily is so much luckier than her, even though they practically have the same face!” Bella didn’t continue. Olivia had always been two-faced, so it was better not to talk to her too much. Amelia entered the bathroom and quickly took out some medicine to relieve the pain in her heart. She was so anxious that she swallowed it down without drinking any water. After calming down for a few long moments, she turned on the faucet, splashed her face with cold water, and looked up at her reflection. It was clear that Amelia’s illness was ravaging her body, her cheeks sunken and her skin dull. ‘But Emily…’ While she was in a daze, the bathroom door opened, and in came Emily, her high heels clicking with each step. Her face was soft and delicate, with a rosy glow, and she exuded an effortless elegance. It was like Bella said. She wasn’t just beautiful. She was educated, classy, successful… Everything that Amelia was not. When her eyes met Emily’s, she felt inferiority pierce through her chest. She quickly lowered her head, pulled out a tissue, and turned to leave. “Wait a minute.” Emily suddenly called out to her. Amelia froze on the spot. She felt a strange sense of shame flow through her, after spending so many years as this woman’s “substitute”. Emily walked up to her and smiled gently. ” You’re an assistant in the CEO’s office, right? Was it ‘Amelia?’” Amelia tried to calm her pounding heart, lowered her head, and nodded at Emily. “Yes that’s right, Ms. Moore.” “Nice to meet you again, Amelia.” Emily raised the watch on her wrist, looked at the time, and said to her, “I’m going to hold a board meeting in half an hour. Can you make me a coffee and send it to my office? I need a little ‘pick-me-up’.” Amelia was a little hesitant. James was still in the president’s office, after all. But she had not resigned yet, so she still had to do whatever Emily asked her to. Amelia had no choice but to nod, thinking she would ask Bella to bring the coffee in her place. “Thank you,” Emily said, and walked out with her head held high, the textbook image of a CEO. Her confidence and brilliance were a stark contrast to Amelia. She felt as though she was like a counterfeit Emily. Useless, something to be discarded. Just like James did to her Amelia stood there motionless for a while before she collected herself, exited the bathroom, and went straight to the break room. She made a simple coffee and went to ask one of the others to send it to the CEO’s office. However, they had already been called to perform other tasks, so she had to bring it herself. Amelia timidly knocked twice on the office door. “Come in please.” Emily’s gentle voice came from inside. After taking a deep breath, she summoned the courage to open the door and enter. When she opened the door, she saw Emily sitting on James’s lap. Although she was mentally prepared to see James, she hadn’t expected this sight. Her hands trembled, and she struggled not to spill the coffee all over the floor. Afraid that the two of them would notice her discomfort, she quickly lowered her eyes and pretended as if nothing was wrong. “Ms. Moore, here is your coffee.” Emily was a little embarrassed and said to Amelia, “Just leave it here, thank you.” Amelia nodded, put the coffee on Emily’s desk, and turned to walk out. She didn’t look at James once the whole time. After leaving the CEO’s office, Amelia’s legs buckled under her. She leaned against the wall to regain her balance. The way Emily sat so comfortably in his lap… It reminded Amelia of how James would position her in the same way, when they would have sex. Although the two didn’t do anything explicit, Amelia’s mind was flooded with images of them together before, moaning and grinding and loving each other. She imagined James’s hands touching Emily’s body while she sat in his lap, the same way that James had touched her first. But no… that wasn’t correct. It wasn’t her that James touched first. He had definitely made love to Emily in that position, and so many more, long before she ever came along. Because she… was just his substitute lover.

Amelia pressed down on her chest, trying to force her heartbeat to slow in fear that it would stop, and struggled to return to her desk. She wanted to quit as soon as possible. She couldn’t bear to see the two of them so happily in love in front of her every day, for her few remaining days on Earth. She was afraid she might even lose it, and walk right up to James in front of everyone at the office, weeping and asking him why he couldn’t love her like she loved him. After she finished writing her resignation letter, she went to ask Lily, who was in charge of the CEO’s office, to approve it. Lily never really liked her. She didn’t try that hard to convince Amelia to stay, and only said a few words before agreeing to approve her resignation. The whole process would take a month, and Amelia could not leave immediately, so she had to take half a month of annual leave first. She had worked at Elite International Corporation for five years, and the annual leave she had was 15 days. It would make sense for her to take a break before resigning. Seeing that Amelia was in such a hurry, Lily couldn’t help rolling her eyes. “I can approve your leave, but as soon as it’s over you’d better come back and finish your work before your last day.” “Okay,” Amelia replied. Then, she picked up her bag and left. As she hurried out of the company, she saw Kevin Harris, the president of the Harris Group. He was a well-known pervert in Arcadia, and he loved to play with women, regardless of whether they wanted to play too. Amelia was so scared when she saw him walking towards her, a snakelike smile on his face, that she quickly turned around. But Kevin was quicker. He grabbed her hand and pulled her into his arms. “Where are you going in such a rush, baby?” He lowered his head, leaned close to Amelia’s ear, and gently blew against her. His warm breath on her ear made her goosebumps rise, and she shivered in disgust. Amelia pushed Kevin away desperately, but he held her waist tight, unable to move. “You smell so good…” He pushed his nose into her hair and inhaled deeply, while his hands moved upward to touch her chest. Amelia pressed down on his hand and said coldly, “Mr. Harris, please behave yourself.” “Behave? Why should I?” Kevin said mischievously, nibbling on her earlobe. Kevin may have looked unassuming, but his words and actions repulsed Amelia to her core. She turned her head and showed disgust in her eyes. But Kevin didn’t care. In fact, it excited him even more. The more a woman resisted, the more he wanted to conquer her. Kevin lifted her chin with one hand and caressed her cheek with his fingers. “Mr. Harris, please. Have some dignity. We hardly know each other.” Amelia shook off his hand angrily . Kevin first targeted Amelia when she went to deliver documents to the Harris Group a month ago. Since then, he had often come to the company to harass her under the guise of business. Whenever he met her, he touched her inappropriately or harassed her with rude words. Amelia needed this job to earn money, so she couldn’t afford to offend Kevin, and so she always endured his harassment. But now that she was about to leave this company for good, she was no longer afraid of him. Unexpectedly, although she treated him coldly, Kevin was not fazed. He even pinched her face affectionately. “Maybe we aren’t close,” he hissed. “But if you accepted my offer to spend the night with me, we could get to know each other much better.” He was persistent, she gave him that. Amelia suppressed her disgust and pushed his body away. The more she resisted, the tighter his grip on her became. He kissed her hard on her cheek. The feel of his ice-cold lips on her skin almost made Amelia puke. Just as she was about to punch Kevin in the face, she suddenly heard a voice behind her. “James?”

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On my birthday, my boyfriend bought me a cake and celebrated the occasion with me in the classroom. When I closed my eyes and made a wish, someone suddenly pressed my head into the cake. I felt a sharp pain in my face. There was a blade hidden in the cake. When I opened my eyes again, something dazzling was shining on me. Someone laughed and took pictures of my face covered in cream and blood. My boyfriend who once took great care of me sat on the desk, laughing, and snapped his fingers. “Your dream ends now. Caitlyn, welcome to the real world.”

His serpent-like tail wrapped around me, and he whispered in my ear, “You’ve locked me up for so long. Now, it’s your turn…” I was one of the top biologists in the Institute of Biology. After the experiment had failed, I was abducted by the snake-human hybrid I had created with my own two hands…

My brother had always hated me. Once, he wished for me to die. Later, his wish came true, and I was diagnosed with stomach cancer. However, he regretted it. In the end, I was dead. With a smile, I died right in front of him.

I had been a simp for Edward Parsons for six years, obeying his every command. When he hugged another woman, drinking and flirting with her, I was diagnosed with leukemia at the hospital, with only three months to live. Later, he knelt by the hospital bed, crying and begging me to accept the bone marrow transplant. How funny. I never thought of living at all.

I had been Milton Fleming’s mistress for four years. On the day of my death, he was marrying someone else. “This is my big day and you didn’t even come. What’s the matter? Jealous because the bride isn’t you?” “Or do you think I will compromise if you play these petty tricks?” “Phyllis Graves, I’ll only say this one last time. If you don’t show up today, don’t think about coming back to me in this life.” Later, he knelt before my grave and carved the epitaph for me with his hands. “Beloved Wife Phyllis Graves. Born when all the flowers were gone and died on the year I loved her the most.” That was the first time he admitted that he loved me. But so what? I was already dead.

The day I found out I was dying, Alpha Griffon Knight broke up with me. Our relationship was a contract, but when his true love came back, he didn’t need me anymore. He canceled our contract and told me to get lost. I thought that after five years, his frozen heart would thaw for me. How wrong I was. So I packed my things and left. Without telling him… I only had three months left to live. —— Taya Griffon Knight’s private jet landed at the airport at 7:00 p.m., just as the sun was starting to set, vivid orange and red giving way to the bright light of the moon. Within a half hour of his arrival, he requested that I be brought to his downtown penthouse. Per our contract, I must be thoroughly cleansed “inside and out” without any traces of perfume or makeup. As an Alpha, his senses were more perceptive than most other wolf shifters. I strictly followed his preferences and requirements, changed into freshly washed silk pajamas, and then went to the bedroom on the second floor. Griffon was sitting in front of the fire in his leather wingback chair, one ankle resting on his knee in a relaxed manner, flipping through a stack of documents. When I entered the room, he gave me a glance before placing the papers on the side table next to him. “Come here,” he demanded, his wolf flashing amber in his dark eyes for a second as he narrowed his gaze at me. A chill ran over my spine. His voice was gruff and emotionless, weighing heavily on my heart as it always did. I longed, just once, to hear something in his tone when he spoke to me. But he always maintained his powerful and mysterious aura, never giving an indication of what he was thinking or feeling. I didn’t dare to hesitate for a moment, worried that any delay might anger him. Keeping my head tilted down in deference to his formidable presence, my bare feet were silent on the plush carpet as I rushed over to him. As soon as I was at his side, he pulled me into his arms and onto his lap, lifting my chin with his large hand. He lowered his head and kissed my waiting lips aggressively, without any traces of the warmth I longed for. His tongue delved into my mouth, twisting around mine, and desire flowed through my body, pooling in my nether regions. Griffon might seem noble and restrained to his pack and other pack elites, but he showed no such thing when it came to sex. He was never restrained, never tender with me. No sweet talk, no soft kisses. Just hunger, desire, sex. With me, he was always the animal. Always the coarse Alpha, never the cool, calm, and collected leader that others saw. He had been away on pack business for three months; he probably wouldn’t let me go easily tonight. As I had expected, he was rougher than usual. It was as if he was all feral wolf instead of just mostly wolf like he typically was. Griffon didn’t stop his thrusts until I was too exhausted for more, his wolf shining in his eyes and his face twisted in a snarl the entire time. *** When I woke up, I found myself alone in bed. Instead of the usual silence I typically wakened to, I heard running water came from the bathroom. I frowned in confusion and looked in the direction of the sound, surprised to see Griffon’s tall and muscled form reflected in the glass door of the shower. He usually left immediately after our encounters. No goodbye, no waiting for me to wake up. I struggled to sit up, my body spent from hours of lovemaking, and I quietly waited for the man to come out. A few minutes later, the water stopped, and Griffon came into the room, a towel wrapped around his waist. Water droplets from the tips of his dark hair fell onto his bronze skin, slowly sliding down his well-defined abs. His face was finely chiseled, exquisitely handsome, with sharp, distinct features. His eyes, almond-shaped and hazel in color, were aloof and distant, deep and unreadable. Even in his human form, his dark wolf side showed through, creating even more of an enigma surrounding the Alpha. To everyone else, he was charming yet distant, friendly yet aloof and unattainable. With one glance, people could tell he was not an easy man to get along with, but not completely impossible. To me, he was simply cold, harsh, and unreachable even when he was inside me. Seeing that I was awake, he gave me a stony look and said, “You don’t need to come anymore.”

I blinked, clutching the covers tightly around my body, my knuckles white as a sliver of panic raced through my heart. What did he mean? Griffon turned around, went to the side table, to the papers he’d been looking through last night. He shuffled through them, then tossed one onto the bed in front of me. “I’m canceling our contract. You’re fired.” I felt the blood drain from my face, and my heart stopped for minute. Fired. Not “we’re breaking up.” Fired. Regardless as to how our relationship had started, regardless of how I’d come to feel about him, I knew this day would come. Because in reality, we had no “relationship”. We were employer and employee, and I served only one purpose for Griffon. Nonetheless, his words stung. I’d never expected that he would end things so abruptly. I’d thought I’d have more time. Sure, I’d expected his typical unemotional coldness, but this was beyond that. After being with him for five years, he gave me no reason or explanation. He didn’t think I deserved that, and it was painful to think about. Suppressing the sharp pain in my heart, I slowly raised my head from staring at the document on the bad and gazed at Griffon. Enough time had passed with my being frozen by his words that he was now fully dressed in his typical dark suit. “But…the contract will expire in six months. Can’t we wait for a little longer?” My voice was somewhat pleading, and I struggled to keep it from cracking. The doctor said I only had three months left, and the only thing I wanted was to stay with him until the end of my life. Griffon remained silent, staring at me with his stoic, vacant expression, as if he were kicking away a toy he had grown tired of playing with. His silence was all I needed. His decision was final. After five long years of trying, I had failed to thaw Griffon’s frozen heart. It was time to wake up from my illusion. I took the contract and plastered on a fake smile, attempting to feign indifference. “Don’t be so serious. I was just joking.” Then, I added, “I’m glad this is over. I get six months off. How perfect!” Griffon paused as he adjusted his shirt sleeves, then lifted his gaze to me. It took everything in me to make sure there was no sadness in my eyes, to make sure the only emotions he might see were excitement or relief. The absolute last things I felt. Griffon narrowed his eyes and frowned. “You’re glad it’s over?” I nodded and shrugged one shoulder as if I hadn’t a care in the world. “Yup. I’m not the little girl I was when I agreed to this. It’s time for me to get married and have children. I can’t always be your contract lover, can I?” Inside, I laughed at myself. It was impossible for me to get married or have children, but I’d be damned if I ever let Griffon know that. I would leave with dignity and grace. I forced another smile and asked, “Does that mean I can finally have a normal boyfriend once I leave here?” Griffon’s eyes were filled with deep and unidentifiable emotions. After staring at me for a while, he looked at his watch and turned to leave. “Do whatever you want.” Looking at his back as he turned and walked away, my smile faded. Griffon hated it when other people touched his things, including his woman. His wolf would push through, his eyes flashing amber and his claws coming out. But this time, there was no reaction. He truly was done with me.

After Griffon left, his assistant walked in. Andre handed a morning-after pill to me and said respectfully, “Ms. Palmer, please take it as usual.” Griffon would never allow me to get pregnant. Not only was I just his contracted lover, I wasn’t even a wolf shifter. I’d always grown up around wolves, and had spent time in the shifter orphanage, but I’d never gained her wolf at puberty. No one knew where I came from, though the assumption had always been that at least one of my parents had to have been a shifter in order for me to be dropped off at the shifter orphanage. Staring at the small pill in the palm of my hand, my heart started to hurt even more. I wasn’t sure if the pain was caused by my heart failure or Griffon’s cruelty, but regardless, it was so intense that I struggled to take a breath. “Ms. Palmer…” When I didn’t immediately take the pill, Andre urged me along with a nervous expression. He was probably afraid that I would cause trouble since it had been my last night with Griffon. I swallowed through the pain in my chest and tossed the pill in my mouth. I didn’t even bother with water, forcing it down dry. Andre let out a sigh of relief, then took an apartment deed and check from his briefcase and placed them in front of me. “Ms. Palmer, this is Mr. Knight’s compensation for you. In addition to the real estate and cars, he had also placed five million dollars in your account.” How generous. Too bad, he never knew what I truly wanted. “I don’t want it.” I set her mouth in a grim line and shook my head. Andre was stunned and confused. “Do you think it’s not enough?” My heart shattered beyond what I’d thought possible. Even Andre thought I was doing it for the money. It was too much. So much money, plus an apartment and a luxury car. Was he afraid I would ask him again for more money in the future? I picked up the bag beside me with a bitter smile, took out a debit card, and handed it to Andre. “This is all the money Griffon paid me over the years. I never spent a single penny, and I don’t want it. The pin number is his birthday.” Andre was dumbfounded, a confused look making his brows furrow. I didn’t care whether he believed me or not. I placed the card on the pile of documents. Then I left the penthouse without another word. *** Winter was cold in Arcadia. I walked the empty street, alone and shivering. The shadow of my thin figure was cast on the ground by the streetlight, gaunt and fragile. I tightened my beige coat, gritted my teeth, and walked back to my apartment in my high heels. I pushed the door open. It was huge inside, taking up an entire floor. Despite the warmth inside and the luxurious decor, the apartment couldn’t dispel the chill that flooded me. I sat on the sofa, staring blankly at the surroundings for a moment. Then I began to pack. Griffon had purchased this apartment for me to live in so that I would be close to his penthouse, able to rush over at a moment’s notice. I had loved that he wanted me close by, wishing and praying to the goddess above that somehow it meant more than what it really did. Since he didn’t want me anymore, I didn’t want anything that came from him. Taking out my suitcase, I opened the closet and pulled out all of my clothes. I hadn’t brought many things with me, and it didn’t take me long to pack up everything and leave. I packed quickly and efficiently, with no outward emotion, nothing like the girl from five years ago. The desperate, crying girl who’d begged Griffon to purchase my virginity. After getting into the car, I sent a text message to Andre. [The key code to the Hudson Apartment is 0826.] *** Andre returned to the Knight Pack headquarters, handed the documents to Griffon, and told him what Taya said. With an indifferent gaze, Griffon glanced at the items on his desk. His stoic gaze fixed on the debit card. “You checked the balance?” “Yes, Alpha.” “There is additional money in there?” “Yes, Alpha.” Andre nodded. The exact amount Griffon had paid Taya for her virginity. Griffon frowned, and Andre heard his wolf rumbling. After a moment of staring at the card, he stretched out his hand, picked up the piece of plastic, and snapped it in half, his claws starting to extend. He pushed the pile of documents toward Andre, his fingers curled and starting to crumple the papers. He was clearly resisting his wolf’s urge to shred them. “Get rid of it then.” Andre opened his mouth and wanted to say something nice for Taya, but the Alpha had already turned away and was looking at his phone, a snarl on his face. He knew better than to speak when his Alpha was like this, so he picked up the pile of documents and left the office.

I took my suitcase to my best friend Harper Duke’s. I gently knocked on the door and waited. Harper had grown up with me in the same orphanage, and we were like sisters. Except Harper had her wolf. “If anything happens, come home,” Harper had said when Griffon took me away five years ago. It was because of Harper that I could leave everything from Griffon behind. As soon as Harper opened the door, a wide smile appeared on her face when she saw me. “What are you doing here?” I tightened my grip on the suitcase. “I need a place to crash,” I said quietly. Only then did Harper see the suitcase, and the smile on her face disappeared, a look of worry replacing it. “What’s wrong?” “I just broke up with him.” I forced a smile to hide my pain. Harper looked closely at me and saw past my pretense in a matter of seconds. Her eyes narrowed, then she frowned. I knew how I looked. I was thin and pale, my eyes sunken. Harper hugged me tightly. “Don’t worry. I’m here for you.” I couldn’t help but tear up at her words. I hugged Harper and patted her gently on the back. “I’m fine. Don’t worry.” Harper knew how much I liked Griffon, how much more I wanted with the powerful, distant Alpha. We shared everything. Over the past five years, I had worked hard to earn the amount Griffon had paid me so I could give it back to him. I was so naive and innocent, I believed that if I returned the money, his feelings for me would change. Maybe then we could be something more than just “employer and employee.” But I couldn’t have been more wrong. Harper remembered that rainy night five years ago just as might as I did. If it weren’t for Silas Johnson, I wouldn’t have met Griffon. If the accident never happened, I could have had a happy life. I didn’t want to burden Harper with my sorrow. After gently pulling back from the hug, I smiled and said, “Girlie, aren’t you going to let me in? It’s freezing out here!” I stood there, forcing myself to believe that I would soon recover from this. For orphans like us, who had no one to rely on, being abandoned was just another day, right? Harper took my suitcase and led me into the house. “You don’t need a place to crash. This is your home, too.” After that, she turned around, fetched clean pajamas, and handed them to me. “Go take a shower. I’ll make you something to eat, and you can get some sleep. Don’t think about anything else, okay?” “Okay.” I took the pajamas and nodded. Harper had always been like this. She was unconditionally good to me, like a beam of light that sliced through the darkness. Most other people didn’t know what to do with me. I lived in a gray area…raised by wolves yet not a she-wolf. It was a pity that I suffered from terminal heart failure, and my life was soon coming to an end. Had I been blessed by the goddess with my wolf, there would be other options, other treatments. But with no wolf to help me heal… If Harper found out that I was going to die soon, she would be devastated. And the last thing I wanted to do was burden her with that knowledge. I gazed at the busy figure in the kitchen and slowly walked over. “I want to quit my job.” Harper nodded in agreement and said, “You should. You’ve been working so hard for so long. God, you must be exhausted. Quit your job and take some time to yourself. Don’t worry about anything; I’ve got your back.” I wrapped my arms around my best friend and squeezed her tightly, filled with too many emotions to verbalize them. Then, I turned around and went to the bathroom with tears in my eyes. Fate had never favored me. If Harper and I were meant to be apart, I should use the last three months of my life to be with her. To be with someone who truly loved me. *** The next morning, I applied makeup to conceal my pale face and lips and went into the office to quit my job. Just as I sat down and was about to turn on the computer to write my resignation letter, my colleague Brielle came over. “Have you seen the email?” I shook my head. I’d spent the whole weekend in Griffon’s penthouse; I hadn’t had time for anything else other than him and…recovering from him. “Lila sent a letter saying that Elder Thorin’s daughter is taking over today,” Brielle said. I had no impression of the elder’s daughter, so I wasn’t interested. Plus, I was about to quit anyway. Brielle, on the other hand, was very intrigued. “I heard she had just returned from studying abroad in one of the European pack cities, so she doesn’t have much work experience with pack politics and business. Is she even qualified?” Another colleague, Margaret, sneered and said, “Who would dare question her? She’s the long-lost love of Alpha Knight.”

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I thought growing up half-witch, half-wolf, hated by both, was the worst thing that could happen to me. But then one day I was rescued by an Alpha who treated me better than anyone had in my entire life…until he found out who I am. He’s my true mate. My worst enemy. And the connection between us will either save us or kill us all.