Everyone called me Declan Thorne’s most pathetic doormat. Even he believed it. But what he didn’t know was that I only chased him, fawned over him, all because of another man. The moment I received my overseas study admission letter, I was done. Completely done. After graduation, I got an offer from a prestigious firm back home, only to be locked in the office by my new, parachuted-in boss. His eyes were bloodshot, and he pressed against me, looking all teary-eyed and wounded. “You actually dared to come back?” When I went to find Declan Thorne with my admission letter, he was laughing with his roommate in the hallway. One of his roommates, Leo, slung an arm around his shoulder, and with a snarky, mischievous grin, said, “Declan, are you seriously not going to consider Harper?” “Out of all your admirers, she’s the prettiest, and she loves to follow you around all day.” “If you don’t like her, just pass her over to me.” Declan casually swiped through his phone, glanced at Leo, and replied, “I’m not bored yet. When I am, you can have her.” Then he pulled out a pendant I’d given him, swinging it back and forth. “She’s like a pathetic puppy, always at my beck and call.” “Last week during that huge downpour, I just mentioned I didn’t have an umbrella, and she actually rushed over from off-campus to bring me one.” “Oh, and that time Seraphina and I went hiking and got stuck on the mountain, she stubbornly climbed all night, completely on her own, just to find us.” “And another time, we went to Disneyland. Seraphina went back home later, and I went to look for her, forgetting to tell Harper. I swear, she waited from morning till night, standing there. Hahahaha, I nearly died laughing.” …… He listed every time I chased him, asked him out, and then how he’d ditched me, showing off to his roommate and trampling all over me in the process. They roared with laughter, slapping their knees, while another guy leaned casually against the hallway wall, his long legs slightly bent, eyes downcast. He quietly said, “You’ll regret it.” That guy was Caleb Vance, the one who told me to chase Declan Thorne. Declan bent closer, staring into Caleb’s eyes, then paused. “How could I regret it? I’ve never even liked her.” He lowered his head, muttering to himself, yet it sounded like he wanted Caleb to hear. “The only person I’ve ever liked is Seraphina.” He suddenly stood up straight, hands in his pockets, kicking at the tiles with an almost vengeful energy. “Caleb, haven’t you always hated me being with Harper?” Caleb didn’t answer, just gave him a meaningful look and walked away.

I stood around the corner, clutching my admission letter. I’d originally intended to say goodbye to Declan, but now it seemed completely unnecessary. My pursuit of Declan started three years ago when I was working at a bar and nearly dragged into a private room. Caleb Vance, who was nursing his sorrows at the bar, saved me. I guessed he was probably upset about Declan pursuing Seraphina at the time. Caleb and Seraphina had grown up together, childhood sweethearts, practically inseparable since they were kids. But then Declan suddenly appeared and captured all of Seraphina’s attention. Perhaps Caleb wanted to use me to drive a wedge between Declan and Seraphina. Out of gratitude and a desire to repay him, I agreed to his request to chase Declan. I only had one condition: I’d chase him, but any expenses incurred would have to be reimbursed by Caleb. Later, it took me a year to stand out from Declan’s numerous, nameless admirers. At that time, he and Seraphina were having a disagreement. Seraphina wanted to study abroad, while Declan wanted her to stay by his side and get married right after graduation. Seraphina refused, saying her world wasn’t just Declan; she had her own path to walk. Anything that became a stumbling block on that path, she would remove. She also said she wanted to pursue her dreams and wouldn’t stop or give them up for anyone, even if that person was important to her now. If Declan loved her, he shouldn’t clip her wings and cage her, claiming it was love. Because of Seraphina’s insistence, they eventually fell out, and that’s when I saw my chance and swooped in. Every time I asked him out, he never refused. He even deliberately took me to places where Seraphina would see us, as if to say, “I’m not exclusively yours.” If it weren’t for Caleb, I would have *loved* to slap him silly. How could he say he loved Seraphina while openly flirting with someone else? Even though I was “the other person,” deep down, I felt Seraphina deserved someone better. Perhaps she was destined to shine in her own field. Seraphina was the undisputed queen of our humanities department, determined to become a diplomat. Even the professors in our department praised her endlessly, calling her a rare talent. She was incredibly knowledgeable, highly cultured, and had amazing adaptability. And as it turned out, the queen wasn’t just beautiful; she was kind-hearted too. She paid no mind to Declan’s little displays, even telling him not to hurt others because of his own unhappiness. When she found out we were in the same major, she shared many study tips and resources with me. She even gave Declan a meaningful look and earnestly told me, “Don’t let a relationship interfere with what you should be learning at this stage.” “Otherwise, you’ll eventually regret it.” I loved hearing that, but I still pitied Caleb and Declan a little. Eventually, Seraphina really did go abroad. Declan was constantly surrounded by new women – a revolving door of temporary flings, but Declan was always the constant. I approached Caleb, thinking since they’d broken up, I didn’t need to continue chasing Declan. He said, “You need to put some effort into it and make him fall for you. I’m afraid he’ll keep bothering Seraphina while she’s abroad.” So, I really did put in the effort. I crossed campus to bring him breakfast, saved seats for him, and sat through his classes. When he was upset, I’d try every trick in the book to cheer him up, even making a fool of myself. Once, he got into a fight playing basketball and busted his head, needing stitches. I was on my period, doubled over in pain, but his call came in, and I immediately dragged my pale self, clutching my stomach, to the hospital to take care of him. Every holiday, I’d meticulously prepare small gifts and handwritten letters, even though he’d always disdainfully toss them in the trash. His stepfather’s son accidentally broke a gift his mother gave him before she passed away. I scoured countless repair shops, finally finding a replacement in a small, obscure shop downtown. I was in such a hurry on the way back that I didn’t watch the road and was hit by a speeding car, injuring my leg. I was hospitalized for several days. It was because of this incident that my “relationship” with Declan took a step forward, though it only meant he was willing to spare me an extra glance. When Caleb found out, he even joked, “You were born to be a doormat, weren’t you?” “Just don’t actually fall in love with him in the end. You know, without me telling you, that it’s never going to happen between you two.” Of course, I knew. Over the next two years, I realized more deeply with each passing day that we lived in two different worlds. And Seraphina was indeed still in his heart. He’d call me when he was drunk, murmuring “Seraphina.” When people spoke ill of Seraphina, he’d get a dark look on his face and, without a word, beat them up so badly they ended up in the hospital. He’d spend every evening flipping through old photos of him and Seraphina, over and over again. And he’d often ditch me when we had plans, choosing instead to fly abroad to find Seraphina. It happened so many, many times, so often that I grew completely accustomed to it. So much so that whenever we made plans, I stopped bothering to get dressed up. Instead, I’d grab my study materials and head to the library. Because I knew he’d always have some excuse. Thankfully, I wasn’t really in love with him.

I had played the doormat for three years, just as Caleb requested. I figured it was enough to repay him for helping me all those years ago. During those three years, even my own roommates turned hostile, constantly pulling petty stunts behind my back. Like tossing my laundry from the line downstairs or secretly deleting my project assignments from my laptop. Every time I was nominated for an award, they’d report me to the Dean’s office. For instance, my overseas study application was almost rejected because of their reports. They claimed I had inappropriate behavior and cheated on exams. But they didn’t know that while they were out having fun, I was holed up in the library studying. They thought I was out chasing Declan when I was actually furiously writing in the study room. They knew nothing, only saw the surface, and yet they wanted to effortlessly destroy three years of my hard work. Fortunately, my homeroom teacher and course instructors vouched for me and explained the situation. But just when I thought everything had settled and I could smoothly go abroad, an unexpected turn occurred. A few days before I was supposed to leave, my professor told me my spot had been taken. My mind was a chaotic mess, my head empty, and a sharp pain in my stomach left me feeling cold all over. Declan, with messy hair and wearing flip-flops, appeared before me. Without a word, he grabbed my arm, squeezing it as if to break my bones. He gritted his teeth and asked, “Are *you* going abroad too?” For the first time, I ignored him, completely consumed by the news that I couldn’t go. Tears started to fall, uncontrollably. I hadn’t shed a single tear in three years, despite all the injustice, mockery, and pain I’d endured. I tried to tell myself that crying was useless, but the tears just wouldn’t stop. I was a slow learner. Anything I wanted to achieve, I always had to put in more effort than others. That’s why I never dared to stop for those three years. I was terrified my GPA would be lower than others, afraid my abilities would be inferior, afraid I wouldn’t place well in competitions. Before every project presentation, I’d practice endlessly, my voice hoarse, my mouth sore. All I wanted was to avoid mistakes, to do a good job, and leave a good impression on my professors. But now, it was all gone.

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After the redemption arc finally concluded, my husband grew tired of me. We had been married for eight years, the perfect picture of a couple, a flawless façade for all to admire. But then, the heroine of the original story suddenly returned to the country. Caleb started drifting off more frequently, and the scent of unfamiliar perfume often clung to him. The third time I caught him tangled up with her, I looked at him with an unnerving calm. “Let’s get a divorce.” As we walked out of the civil affairs office, he murmured, “You can’t go back, you know. I’ll give you a huge sum of money… We can still be friends.” “No thanks. I hope we never meet again.” I transmigrated into a novel, tasked with saving the troubled, obsessive male lead. I arrived earlier than the original heroine, staying by his side, attending school with him, and helping him through every obstacle. When his father brutalized him, I threw myself over him, shielding him, then brought him back to my place to patch him up. To quell his suspicions, I told him I’d come to this world just for him. After my mission was complete, he begged me to stay. Later, we married. Life lost its former drama, settling into the mundane grind of daily routines. He started to grow tired of me. “Man, if I’d known, I wouldn’t have gotten married so soon. Could’ve had a couple more years of fun. Not like you can go back anyway, right?” He lay on the couch, chatting casually, almost joking. When he saw the strained look on my face, he turned, grabbing my hand tightly. “Vivian, that’s not what I meant. You know how much you mean to me.” I didn’t reply. My heart felt like it had been plunged into a vat of acid, a burning, unbearable ache. “Goodnight. I’m a little tired.” With that, I opened the door, quietly walked to the bed, pulled the covers over me, and wept silently.

“So many young, pretty women are lining up for your attention, you could easily go out and have some fun. Your wife is getting old, after all.” “Don’t say things like that, ever again. Vivian… she’s wonderful. It’s just…” Caleb and his friend Noah were casually chatting in the study, just shooting the breeze and laughing. I stood outside the study door, holding a fruit platter, my feet glued to the spot. I had deeply analyzed Caleb’s personality. His childhood had been a dark, cold, oppressive void, leaving him with an insatiable hunger for thrills. He would kneel all night in a torrential downpour, begging the one he loved not to leave. He’d even free-climb six stories for a business deal. At his core, he loved adventure and excitement. Now, our peaceful, comfortable life was boring him. He was just waiting for the right moment, a perfect excuse to shatter the fragile, surface-level peace between us.

Coming home from work, the housekeeper had already prepared dinner. I looked at the empty chair across from me and asked, “Is Caleb not coming home for dinner tonight?” “Mr. Caleb said he was tied up with a business dinner, very busy.” I didn’t say anything, eating alone before lying in bed, not an ounce of sleep in me. Caleb’s “business dinners” were growing more frequent, and the strange perfume clinging to him was becoming unbearably sharp. In the dark, I counted every tick of the clock. It felt like an eternity before I finally heard the familiar click of the keypad lock outside. I sat up, ready to head to the living room. “Aurora, this is far enough. You’ve had too much to drink, I’ll have the driver take you home.” Aurora’s voice, laced with a faint, almost desperate joy, said, “Caleb, I can’t believe you still have my access code saved…” “I just tried it on a whim, and it actually worked… I’m so sorry.” I leaned weakly against the door. Hearing those words, my heart felt like it was being ripped apart by a hurricane. A few minutes of silence passed outside. Then Caleb spoke, his voice flat. “You should go home. It’s late.” “Caleb, I’m really scared. Every night, I’m haunted by those painful memories. Can I just stay here tonight?” “You once told me you’d always keep a room for me here. Is it… still available?” Aurora’s voice cracked, raw with a vulnerability that would make anyone instinctively pity her. And Caleb, after a few drinks, was even more susceptible. Caleb was silent for a moment, his voice hoarse. “I’m married.” They were locked in a stalemate outside. Another stretch of silence, then Aurora’s broken sobs grew louder. Caleb sighed softly. “Keep it down, don’t wake Vivian. And that room… yes, it was always meant for you…” “Thank you, Caleb…” Aurora’s joyful tone made the bitterness in my heart spread even further. When we were decorating this house, I’d wondered why that room was as large as our master bedroom. When I’d asked him, he’d explained it was for close friends or his parents when they visited. Now, it was clear he had lied to me. My tears streamed down uncontrollably. Caleb’s actions outside only deepened my disappointment. I heard him say, “Go get some sleep. Vivian doesn’t usually wake up until eight. I’ll wake you at six, so you won’t run into her.” In those few short sentences, Caleb was determined to keep me completely in the dark. Any last flicker of hope in my heart was mercilessly extinguished by his words.

That night, countless times I wanted to storm out of the room and confront Caleb, but each time, I bit down hard on my lip, forcing myself to regain composure. I carefully considered everything that had happened recently… Aurora’s sudden return had stirred Caleb’s already restless heart. The girl he had yearned for in his youth was now, literally, within arm’s reach. After Caleb and I married, I’d foolishly thought the heroine’s allure had finally faded. In a haze, I recalled Caleb and Aurora’s past… His father, fueled by alcohol, had thrashed Caleb’s back with a belt like a madman. I called the police, screaming for help from the neighbors, but no one responded. I watched the boy, bruised and bleeding on the floor, my fists clenched, ready to grab a kitchen knife and charge at his father. I threw myself over him, stopping him, taking the blows of the belt myself. He released his grip, trembling, and held me tight. We were both covered in blood as the faint wail of police sirens approached. At that moment, Aurora appeared in a white dress, timidly peeking in from the doorway. “Are you two okay?” Caleb and I were still embracing, but his eyes had already shifted to Aurora. Perhaps in that moment, Aurora appeared like an angel in his heart, reducing my presence to a mere fleeting second. My heart had ached that night, just as it did tonight. All my careful efforts couldn’t compare to Aurora’s single, fleeting appearance. After that, he started noticing Aurora, the shy boy awkwardly approaching her, ready to offer her everything. But Aurora was never truly his. When Aurora was twenty-two, she left the country and married the male lead of the original story. Caleb then seemed to have finally moved past that chapter of his life, turning his gaze to me, who had always been by his side. It seemed we had both found our happy ending. … From our wedding day until now, he had always been good to me. He protected me, respected me, and made me the radiant Mrs. Caleb. I had money, status, a career… just no love. I wasn’t a victim. I wasn’t pitiful. But the memories still stung. The Caleb who had knelt in the pouring rain that night, begging me not to leave, was a man I found impossible to forget, impossible to let go of. I suppressed the ache in my heart and closed my eyes. Tomorrow, I had work. 4 (Note: The original text has two ‘4’s. I will follow this format but note it’s likely a typo in the original.) Putting on a brave face, I headed for the parking lot. I planned to get my car detailed before work. At my usual dealership, I was surprised to find Caleb and Aurora there. The manager, oblivious to my relationship with Caleb, warmly grabbed my hand and said: “Ms. Aurora and her boyfriend are so sweet! He doesn’t want her battling the subway every day, so he’s getting her a new car. That sales rep is gonna have a great month!” I watched the three of them chatting animatedly, trying my best to control my emotions. I greeted Aurora. “Aurora, why didn’t you tell me you were back? And honey, you too, you know how long it’s been since we all got together.” The manager was quick. In an instant, he understood, subtly signaling to the sales rep before patting my shoulder and excusing himself. “Vivian, I just got back myself. I ran into Caleb by chance at work,” Aurora said, deftly changing the subject. Caleb quickly chimed in, “Aurora was alone and it wasn’t convenient, so I offered to help her look at cars.” I let out a brittle laugh. “Oh, is that right? Because the manager was just telling me you two were a couple. For a second there, I almost thought Caleb was cheating.” My sarcastic tone must have been too obvious, because both of them looked visibly uncomfortable, almost embarrassed. Especially Caleb, under my unyielding gaze. I saw his lips move, but no words came out. He looked like he was sitting on a bed of nails. Finally, he abruptly stood up, mumbled something about urgent company business, and rushed off. Aurora quickly said her goodbyes to me as well. Watching them walk away, I smiled, a bitter smile that brought tears to my eyes. This was Caleb, the man I had spent years trying to redeem, my husband. There was no room left for us to talk things through. I couldn’t find any excuses for him anymore. Before, when he was entangled with Aurora, I still believed it was the force of the plot. The System had told me that before the story ended, supporting characters would involuntarily be swayed by the protagonists around them. But eight years after the grand finale, eight years after we married, Caleb and Aurora were thousands of miles apart. He wasn’t under any control. His kindness to Aurora, from beginning to end, had been genuine. He was doing it because he *wanted* to.

A strong wind outside quickly dried my tears. I drove to Caleb’s company. Looking at Caleb, bent over his desk, my heart felt like a barren wasteland. “Explain yourself.” Caleb looked a bit flustered. “Aurora and Spencer divorced five years ago. She was stranded abroad with nowhere to go. I couldn’t just leave her, could I?” “Now that she’s back, she only knows the two of us here. It’s difficult for her to navigate things alone, so I’ve just been helping out.” “I know it was wrong not to tell you I was in contact with her, but there’s genuinely nothing romantic or ambiguous between us.” He finished speaking, looking at me with an expectant gaze, as if my forgiveness was just a clear explanation away. Perhaps, in the past, it would have been. But this time, I didn’t want to compromise. My heart was just too tired. His heart was still set on his ‘white moonlight’—that idealized, unattainable first love. So why did he beg me to stay? He never truly forgot Aurora, yet he had pretended to love me with a passion that defied death. He’d deleted everything related to Aurora right in front of me, only to secretly message her, not missing a single day. The last, fragile string holding my heart together finally snapped. I gave him a bitter smile. “Caleb, let’s get a divorce.” He stared at me, astonished. “Vivian, calm down. There’s really nothing going on between Aurora and me. Are you really going to divorce me just because you saw us looking at cars?” I watched Caleb frantically trying to distance himself from Aurora, and a wave of pure disgust washed over me. Isn’t this exactly what he wanted? Aurora was back in his life, bringing new thrills. “I’m leaving now. When I get home tonight, we’ll discuss the divorce, in detail.” Caleb tried to stop me and say more, but I was already in the elevator, heading out of the company building.

When Caleb came home that night, I was standing on the balcony, smoking. The smoke swirled between us, forming an opaque veil that felt impossible to lift, a permanent barrier. “Why are you smoking again?” He approached me, snatching the cigarette from my hand, throwing it to the ground, and crushing it under his foot. My expression was blank. “Caleb, have your lawyer draft the divorce papers quickly.” “I won’t divorce you. You stayed for me; I’ll take responsibility for you.” Caleb’s phone buzzed with a message. He glanced at it, a look of urgency on his face, then grabbed his jacket and headed out. “Vivian, something urgent just came up at the office. I’ll be right back.” With that, he disappeared from my sight. I covered my face, a bitter laugh escaping me. Responsibility… He knew all along that he didn’t love me anymore. He knew, deep down, that I’d stayed in this world *for him*, yet he still chose to betray me. Why couldn’t people’s hearts be like computer hard drives? Just a click, and everything could be reformatted, including emotions. I clearly knew Caleb’s cruelty, yet I couldn’t immediately sever my feelings for him. I could only toss and turn countless nights, swallowing the bitter taste of reality. That night, Caleb didn’t come home.

Perhaps due to mental and physical exhaustion, I woke up with a raging fever the next day. I called Briar, my secretary, telling her I’d be resting at home today. After agreeing, Briar hesitated, clearly having something else on her mind. “Boss, a colleague took some photos of Mr. Caleb yesterday. I’m really torn about whether I should send them to you…” I took a deep breath. “Send them to me.” Soon, my phone vibrated a few times. Several photos came through. The screen showed photos of Caleb escorting Aurora into a hotel. Yesterday, I was so sick I felt like I was going to pass out, yet he was checking into a hotel with Aurora. And he hadn’t come home all night.

In the evening, Caleb finally returned. He didn’t notice my discomfort, only looked down and explained, “Work’s been pretty hectic lately, lots of overtime.” “Are you busy with work, or with Aurora?” My gaze was mocking as I stared at his face. Caleb seemed to exhale a sigh of relief. “I can’t just abandon her. And you… you can’t go back anyway. In this world, I’m your only family. Can’t the three of us just… coexist?” I choked back a silent sob, unable to speak for a moment. Then I finally managed, “Are you out of your mind? We’re getting a divorce. I don’t need your pity, or your responsibility. If you refuse to agree, I’ll take you to court.” With that, I showed him the photos of him and Aurora entering and leaving the hotel last night. Caleb looked at me, puzzled, as if he couldn’t understand why I was doing this. “If you’re so determined to divorce, I’ll leave you enough money to live comfortably. Think about it. We’ll talk again tomorrow.” He turned and left again. Now, I understood clearly. Caleb had always been utterly shameless. He believed I was utterly dependent on him, trapped in this world, which gave him the license to act with such blatant disregard for my feelings. But… I actually had one more chance. I sat on the bed, deep in thought, gnawing at my fingers until they bled, a testament to the agonizing decision I was finally making.

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My in-laws’ family got bitten by venomous snakes while camping. Only my husband’s company had the antidote. I called my husband, but faint, suggestive moans and the unmistakable sound of splashing water came from the other end. Before I could even speak, he hung up. My in-laws’ family died at the hospital due to delayed treatment. Then Liam called me back, “Don’t cremate your parents’ bodies; bring them to my company as cadavers for anatomical study.” He thought my parents were the ones bitten by the snakes. I hung up, looking at the five bodies behind me. Following his instructions, I sent them to his company. When I arrived at the hospital, my in-laws’ family was already in critical condition. The doctor said this venomous snake was extremely rare, and only my husband Liam’s company stocked the special antidote. I frantically called Liam, but each time, he rejected my call. On my hundredth attempt, he finally picked up. “It’s Serena’s birthday tonight, and I’m spending the evening with her. Stop being so paranoid!” Worried about my in-laws in the ER, I swallowed my questions and quickly said, “Our parents and Willow, Jackson—they were all bitten by snakes. The hospital doesn’t have the antidote for this type of snake, only your company does. Please, bring the medicine to the hospital now!” Before I could finish, Liam impatiently cut me off, his tone mocking and cold. “One dose of antidote costs hundreds of thousands. Chloe, do you and your family have no shame?” “Your whole family got bitten, and now you’re trying to exploit my company? What do you take me for? A fool?” “You should really reflect on yourself.” He hung up mercilessly, then blocked my number. I slumped onto the hospital chair, my mind numb, utterly unable to believe those words had come from my husband’s mouth. My phone pinged with a notification from the Chanel sales associate, informing me that a custom-ordered, limited-edition bag, a birthday gift my parents had gotten for me, worth a fortune, had just been picked up by my husband. I didn’t need to guess. That bag was probably already slung over Serena’s arm. Stealing my things to give to his pure and perfect Serena—he’d done it countless times. Every time I protested, he’d just scoff. “You have a husband; no one cares if you’re showing off with such an expensive bag. Let Serena use it; she’s closing some business deals lately.” “Don’t be so petty, Serena is like a sister to me! If you love me, you should tolerate my kindness towards her.” He put Serena on a pedestal, giving her limited-edition bags without a second thought, lavishing sports cars and luxury homes on her like they were nothing. He might as well carve her name on his heart. And I, his actual wife, wasn’t even deemed worthy of a few doses of life-saving medicine. It was laughable. I was typing a message to the Chanel sales associate when Liam posted on Ins: “The most precious bag for the most precious person. Tonight belongs to us.” Serena’s post followed immediately: “My knight said he’d always be there for his princess. Your medicine not only saved my family but also saved my heart.” The post featured a photo of them intimately embracing. Serena had my bag slung over her shoulder, holding up the special antidote, grinning from ear to ear. A blinding rage surged through me, so intense I almost blacked out. Liam was a heartless monster, throwing away fortunes to worship Serena, yet ignoring the lives of his own family! The emergency room doors slowly opened, and the doctor walked out. I rushed over, “Please, just a little more time. I’ll get the medicine here as fast as I can.” The doctor shook his head, removing his mask. “It’s no use. The patients no longer have vital signs. Please accept our condolences.”

My nose stung with unshed tears, my heart a raw knot of pain. Just two hours ago, they were laughing and talking. Now, they were five cold, lifeless bodies in the hospital, while their son was out having a good time, worse than an animal. I held back my tears and texted the sales associate. “I haven’t been to the store recently to pick up anything. The bag must have been claimed by someone else. Please report it to the police immediately.” The doctor said the venomous snake that bit my in-laws’ family was almost extinct in this country, which was why the hospital had no antidote. It was too much of a coincidence. A rare venomous snake appearing in my in-laws’ tent. And five people dying from it. The police took the case seriously and acted quickly. Soon, they found out someone had bought venomous snakes online in bulk and released them. The suspects were Serena’s parents. The very people Liam had rushed to save were the ones who had destroyed his family. I hoped he wouldn’t look too pathetic when he finally learned the truth. The police explained to me, “Ma’am, we’ve clarified the situation. But the two suspects are currently in the hospital, also being treated. We can’t question them just yet.” I stared blankly. “They were also bitten by snakes, but the antidote has already been administered. They’ve recovered.” “It shouldn’t stop you from questioning them. You can go right over.” The officer gave me another look, clearly puzzled how I knew this. But seeing my crestfallen expression, he didn’t ask further. “Don’t worry, the police will uncover the truth and ensure justice is served.” After the police left, I filed a lawsuit with the court on my phone. A sudden call interrupted me. Liam’s voice was furious, “Chloe, are you deliberately causing trouble? I’m your husband; is it wrong for me to pick up a bag for you from the store?” “And you’re calling the police about this? Were you bitten by a venomous snake too? Is your brain messed up?” His accusations and curses rained down on me like a barrage, completely oblivious to my raw agony in that moment. I spoke coldly, “Something’s not right because I never saw that bag. You said you picked it up for me, fine. So, I ask you, where is that bag now?” Liam fell silent. After a tense pause, his tone softened. “You and I share a bed, why are we being so particular? It’s all shared marital property, isn’t it?” “Serena wanted a limited-edition bag, and this was the only one at the boutique. Today is her birthday, I just wanted to make her happy.” “It looked so perfect on her. Giving a rose leaves a lingering fragrance in your hand, so don’t dwell on it.” He was utterly shameless. I lashed out mercilessly, “How can you even say such things? Why don’t you buy her something with your *own* money? You’re worthless!” Liam froze for a moment, his voice incredulous. “You, you actually said that to me?! Have you lost your mind?!” In the past, I would have protected his ego and chosen my words carefully. Now, I realized his thick skin was impervious to anything. I didn’t want to give him a chance to argue. I quickly said, “If you’re human at all, get to the hospital morgue immediately and see the stupid thing you’ve done!” “They’re already dead! My going there won’t bring them back to life! Don’t ruin this good day for me!” Liam roared, then added, “Don’t cremate your parents’ bodies yet; see if you can send them to my company to be cadavers for anatomical study.” “Serena’s parents got into trouble; she’s distraught. I’m going to comfort her first.” The phone clicked off. I smiled. So he thought my entire family was dead. I had originally planned to let his parents rest in peace quickly, but now I ordered five large industrial freezers. Just as Liam wished, I had his entire family brought out of the morgue, along with the freezers, and a moving truck took them to his company. After a frantic morning, I got home, intending to take a nap, when Liam burst in and slapped me across the face. “Serena is practically hysterical! Her parents just came out of the ER, and you’re suing them? Do you have no humanity?!”

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Victoria’s phone home screen had a counter, and for three years, I watched it tick from 001 to 999. The night before our wedding, I curiously asked her what it meant. She just stared silently at her phone for a long time, then faintly smiled, “Nothing, it won’t be there starting tomorrow.” In the middle of the night, she didn’t even have time to change out of her pajamas. Her eyes red, she said she needed to go out for a bit and told me to get some sleep. After she left, I opened the hidden folder on her computer for the first time. Nine hundred ninety-nine videos, nine hundred ninety-nine condoms. The password was the date we got together, and also the date she broke up with Leo. The cover was a screenshot of their chat. They had agreed that after breaking up, they would completely forget each other once they’d used up the thousand condoms they had stockpiled. Today marked exactly three years since their breakup, and it was also the last night before our wedding. I spent six hours watching all nine hundred ninety-nine videos. Dawn broke, leaving just one hour until the wedding. I dialed the number I’d kept hidden for three years. “If you show up within an hour, we’ll go and sign the marriage papers.”

I did many things within that hour. Audrey arrived in ten minutes. We went to City Hall, signed the marriage papers, then picked up our immigration visas, and even bought one-way tickets to leave the country in seven days. I rushed to the wedding venue, dispersed the guests, apologized profusely to each person, and handed out the carefully selected wedding favors I’d prepared. After all that, an hour and a half had passed since the wedding was supposed to start, and Victoria still hadn’t arrived. I went home, packed all my belongings into a suitcase, and stared blankly at the red wedding decals above our bed for ten minutes. At the exact moment we should have been exchanging rings, I finally made the call. Victoria answered after a long delay, her voice a little hoarse. “Sorry, Daniel, I drank too much last night and forgot to set my alarm. I’m on my way now, can you ask the host to keep things going…?” “No need. I’ve already sent the guests home. The auspicious hour was long gone. Let’s do it another day.” My tone was flat, devoid of emotion. Victoria paused slightly. “Daniel, I’m so lucky to be marrying such a thoughtful and caring husband.” Then I heard her say, “I’m sorry.” I didn’t know if she was apologizing for being late to the wedding today, or for something else entirely. I softly hummed in acknowledgment and hung up the phone. While Audrey and I were waiting in line at City Hall, I received a message from Leo. I tapped the voice message. Leo was sobbing, begging Victoria to stay. “Victoria, it’s been a thousand times, how can I still not move on? I can’t forget you! Not even after a thousand times!” Victoria was silent for a moment, her voice trembling. “Then let’s keep going, until you completely forget.” Leo continued to ask, “Can’t you just not marry him?” Victoria’s low voice carried a hint of sorrow, “I can’t. Leo, it’s over between us.” Leo suddenly pushed her away. “We only stockpiled a thousand condoms! There won’t be a thousand and first time! Just leave!” A long silence. I heard Victoria trying to soothe Leo, “I’m pregnant. I’ll take responsibility myself. I’ll tell Daniel everything and have the baby.” The clock pointed to ten. I didn’t know if this was their thousandth-and-something time. I only knew Victoria was lying to me. They had gotten so caught up that not only had she not made it to the wedding, she probably hadn’t even managed to tear herself away from Leo. Our wedding home had been completely redecorated, inside and out. I had personally pasted every single one of the nine hundred ninety-nine red wedding decals. I thought those numbers were about us, so every time Victoria’s counter increased by one, I bought another decal and put it up in the house. Now, there was no need to tear them down. I’d leave them for whoever needed them next. We had lived together for three years, and I didn’t have much luggage. Audrey, always efficient and no-nonsense, couldn’t wait and came to pick me up herself. Audrey’s car and Victoria’s car passed each other at the entrance to our apartment complex. Leo, in the passenger seat of Victoria’s car, and I, in the passenger seat of Audrey’s, exchanged a distant glance. A silent understanding passed between us, and neither of us spoke. Audrey cleared her throat. “Should we say hello? Or start a fight?” I finally cracked a smile and told her to focus on driving. Seven days later, Audrey and I would emigrate. Our new home was already bought overseas, so Audrey first dropped me off at my parents’ house. “I need to handle some company matters. I’ll pick you up in seven days.” I nodded faintly and ignored Victoria’s incoming call.

Victoria chased me to my parents’ house. “Daniel, why did you move all your stuff out? Are you angry?” I pressed my lips together. “Victoria, I sent you a breakup text. You probably didn’t see it.” Victoria’s eyes were a little red. “Daniel, it was wrong of me to be late for the wedding today. It was all because I accidentally drank too much with some girlfriends yesterday. It won’t happen again, ever.” I didn’t speak. She sounded like she was talking to herself, repeating, “It’s all over, Daniel. Nothing like this will ever happen again.” Over? Half an hour ago, I had personally seen her drive Leo back to our apartment complex. I reiterated, “Victoria, we’ve broken up. You don’t need to make promises to me.” Victoria reached for my hand. “How can we be broken up? We were about to get married! After today, we’re husband and wife. A little spat won’t break a marriage, right? Come back with me, please?” She pressed close, brushing against my arm. I caught the strong scent of Leo’s cologne on her. Leo liked to groom himself; he was a completely different style from me. I pulled my hand away, unable to resist asking her, “Where’s Leo?” Victoria looked at me in shock, her hand dropping guiltily. “What do you know, Daniel?” So much. Those thousand condoms, that breakup note, those nine hundred ninety-nine videos, the missed wedding… Where should I even begin? Finally, I spoke. “What were you doing bringing him to our wedding home?” Victoria breathed a sigh of relief. “Daniel, we were about to get married. He just came to pick up some things he’d given me before.” “I made him take everything that had anything to do with him. That’s my statement, Daniel. Since I decided to marry you, I won’t have anything messy with anyone else.” “I’m truly sorry about being late for the wedding. I swear on my life I’ll never stand you up again. If I ever do, I, Victoria, don’t deserve to marry you, and I deserve to be single forever.” Sweet words couldn’t erase anything. I pushed her towards the door, wanting to rest. Victoria suddenly pulled out an old almanac and waved it at me, her face full of smiles. “Daniel, I’ve picked a new wedding date! This time, I had a master fortune-teller calculate it. They said our stars aligned perfectly, and seven days from now is a truly blessed day! We’ll get married then, and we’re sure to have a beautiful, long life together!” “Last time, I was fooled. Today wasn’t suitable for us to get married at all! The snag and the delay were actually a blessing in disguise.” The first time we picked a wedding date, Victoria had chosen that day too. She said a friend had given her an almanac, and it said today was auspicious for marriage. Yesterday, I learned that even our wedding date had been picked by Leo. He had deliberately chosen an unlucky day, just to provoke me. But ironically, I felt that the fortune-teller was worse than Leo, because we had no future. No seven days later, no beautiful, long life together. I gave a self-deprecating laugh. “Did the master not calculate that I’ve already married another woman?” Victoria’s face hardened. “Daniel, don’t say things like that. You’ll always be mine. Who else could you marry, besides me?” We had been dating for three years, but I had liked her for ten. She was naturally confident that I was just being childish with her. But she didn’t know that ten years ago, I had made a bet with myself: if Victoria still didn’t like me after ten years, I would give up on her. Today marked exactly ten years. I had accumulated enough disappointment that it almost felt numb now, not as painful. Victoria refused to leave my parents’ house. I had no choice but to say, “The bride and groom shouldn’t see each other before the wedding. It’s bad luck.” She finally beamed, visibly relieved, and patted her chest. “Oh, is that it? I knew you couldn’t bear for me to go through the trouble of moving, so you deliberately moved out yourself.” “Daniel, get some good rest. Remember to pick me up in seven days.”

I sold our wedding home. It was a gift I had given Victoria. My name was on the deed, and Victoria had voluntarily chosen not to add hers. She said, “Daniel, I’m not with you for your money, I’m just with you for you. If I ever betray you, you can just kick me out.” Now I decided to kick her out for good, and everything I had ever invested, I would take back. After agreeing on a price, I went to the real estate agency and signed the contract. I hadn’t wanted to see Victoria again, but the new owner insisted I accompany them for the inspection, so I reluctantly went and knocked on the door. Victoria opened it in her pajamas and slippers, looking a bit tired. I glanced around; indeed, many things were gone, and there were no signs of Leo. The owner frowned at the numerous wedding decals throughout the house. “Why are you selling a wedding home?” Older generations had superstitions; they avoided buying houses meant for newlyweds, believing all the good luck would be sucked out. I quickly explained, “We didn’t have the wedding yet. We were preparing for it, but it didn’t happen. We hadn’t even moved in as a married couple.” The owner was immediately satisfied. A house like this, they thought, would be brimming with good luck. “Perfect, I’ll buy it for my daughter’s wedding home. No need for renovations, she can move right in.” Victoria frowned. “Daniel, you’re selling the house? What does this mean?” I said blandly, “I need money.” Victoria paused. “If you need money, tell me! I can lend it to you. Why would you sell the house?” “Our wedding is in only seven days, there’s no time to buy another house. We can discuss it after the wedding, okay, Daniel…” The owner became impatient. “No, that won’t do. I won’t buy a house that’s already been lived in as a married couple. Besides, I’ve already paid. You need to move out.” I nodded. “It’s fine. My name is on the deed, so I make the decisions. The contract is signed. We’ll be out in three days.” The crowd dispersed, and Victoria and I sat facing each other, silent for a while. Victoria cautiously began, “Daniel, are you going through some difficulty?” I casually replied, “Immigration. They require financial verification. I’m two million short, so I sold it to make up the number.” Watching the final approval go through, my heart finally settled. I stood up, ready to leave. “Alright, Victoria. Remember to move out in three days. From now on, we owe each other nothing.” Ten years. How could we owe each other nothing? It was just that I didn’t want to bother counting anymore. But Victoria insisted on counting. She stood up. “What exactly do you mean? A grown man, running away from home *and* selling our wedding home? Are you trying to back out of the marriage? Daniel, have you had enough of this tantrum? You’re an adult. I indulged your moods, and now you’re being relentless, is that it? Selling a house, you’d actually do that? And immigration? Have you ever even been out of the country? Do you have any idea how complicated immigration is?” That, I genuinely didn’t know. I only knew Audrey had been tirelessly handling all the preparations for me. I’d have to thank her properly. I looked at her, puzzled. “Didn’t you stand me up at the wedding? Are you blaming me now?” Victoria stammered, “That was… that was…” “That was you saying goodbye to your past, for my benefit. But Victoria, how many times has Leo been in this house?” I answered for Victoria. But at the second question, she fell completely silent. That night, for six hours, I counted. Ninety-three times, it was in this house, on our bed. “Since this is my house, and it’s been defiled, I’m going to sell it. Is there a problem with that?” “Are we supposed to have our wedding night on the same bed where you and him… I find it disgusting.”

Victoria raised her hand and slapped me. As her palm connected with my face, Victoria seemed to regret it, pulling back some of her force, but her sharp nails still scraped my cheek. It stung. My heart skipped a few beats. I looked up, utterly disbelieving. Victoria frowned. “Leo, he sacrificed so much for you. You shouldn’t talk about him like that. You know he comes from a humble background, he’s sensitive. You can’t call him disgusting.” “Daniel, I never hid my past with him from you. You knew about it. Now I’ve chosen you, and I’m going to marry you. He’s the one who’s hurt. You’re the one who benefits from this, so you shouldn’t treat him this way.” I didn’t understand what I had gained. Victoria’s love? But what Leo received was always her preferential treatment. I couldn’t even magnanimously give Leo anything, because I had never received as much as he had. So, I would just erase my presence, and slowly withdraw. Victoria sighed. “Daniel, I admit I wronged you before, but everything I did was to be responsible for our marriage. I’ve completely cut ties with him. From now on, my world only has you.” She stepped forward, reaching out to touch the red mark on my face, but I pushed her hand away. Victoria was about to say more when her phone rang. It was Leo’s unique ringtone. “Victoria, everyone in the town is laughing at me… After something like this, I can’t bear to live anymore. Since you’ve chosen him, I have nothing left to hold onto. Goodbye, Victoria.” Half an hour ago, those nine hundred ninety-nine videos had been uploaded online, going viral across every platform. Leo’s name was trending. The videos had blurred Victoria’s face, but Leo had grown up in a small town with traditional family values. The damage to him was unimaginable. Victoria almost instantly raised her hand and slapped me hard again. “Was that you?” I frowned, then immediately dismissed the possibility of Audrey deliberately leaking the videos to get revenge for me. Although Audrey was extremely well-connected and getting the videos wouldn’t be difficult for her, I knew Audrey. She would never do something that would tarnish someone’s reputation in such a way. I shook my head. “It wasn’t me. I wouldn’t do something like that…” The door was kicked open. Leo and Victoria’s mutual friends stormed in, tackling me to the ground. Victoria’s eyes were bloodshot. “If not you, then who?! Only you dislike Leo! Only you would go so far as to destroy him! I already chose to marry you, I already cut ties with him, what more do you want?!” “Daniel, don’t forget, you were the one who begged to be with me! You were the one who said you didn’t mind that I moved on so fast, you were the one who said you’d wait for me!” I was dragged up by the group and thrown into a car, covered in scrapes. My leg felt broken. “Come with me to save him. You did this, you go talk him down. If anything happens to him, I’ll jump with you. We owe him this.” On the rooftop, Leo’s face was ashen. He gave a bitter laugh. “Victoria, do you remember this place? This is where I confessed to you ten years ago. We were just students then, weren’t we? So beautiful.” More and more people gathered below, insults and jeers echoing ceaselessly. “Shameless! What did their parents teach them? Only got a lower body, huh?” “I heard he’s a kept man. The videos are all with other people’s wives. Deserves to be exposed!” “Hey, the netizens have already found you a job! You’re so good at it, the pay must be decent. Don’t jump, benefit the public! Plenty of rich ladies at exclusive clubs!” Victoria shrieked, her eyes bloodshot, “Shut up! All of you, shut up!” It was useless. She could only tremble as she walked towards Leo, trying to cover his ears. “Leo, don’t listen to them, don’t do anything stupid. I’ll make Daniel explain.” My leg throbbed, and I was sweating profusely, my vision blurring. “Explain what? I told you I didn’t leak the videos.” Victoria raised her heel and stomped on my injured leg. “Besides you, who else would know the password? You know exactly when Leo and I broke up. If not you, then who?” “Daniel, I had finally made up my mind to marry you and build a good life together, but you’ve disappointed me so much. I never thought you’d be such a malicious person…” “Enough!” Leo clenched his fists. “It’s come to this point, what good is talking about it now? Victoria, don’t come near me! If you take one more step, I’ll jump! Make Daniel come over here!” I was tossed around like a football by the group, thrown towards him. My hand slammed against the iron railing, a steel nail piercing right through it. I finally tensed up. For a designer, a ruined hand was no different from a ruined life. I yelled at the crowd, “Call 911! My hand is badly injured! Get me to a hospital!” Victoria said coldly, “Daniel, you’re quite an actor. But I won’t believe you anymore! If you want me to forgive you, then get Leo to forgive you first!” I grabbed Leo’s arm, begging him, “The videos really weren’t from me! Victoria and I have broken up. You don’t need to do this, you two can be together.” Leo suddenly curled his lips into a smile, then violently grabbed me in a tackle, pulling me onto the rooftop as we wrestled. “Of course I know the videos weren’t from you, because I’m the one who spread them myself!” “Daniel, after all these years, you still haven’t improved. With just a slight effort, I can win Victoria back. You’re too weak. How about you die for me instead?” My body was covered in injuries, and I felt my strength draining. My body was already over the railing. “Goodbye, Daniel.” Leo said, slowly letting go of my hand. I was powerless to resist, falling into a chaotic void, my body plummeting rapidly. Suddenly, a hand grabbed me, holding me tight. I saw firefighters rushing up, and at the front of the crowd was Audrey, her hair disheveled from running.

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I was beaten to death by my husband, Alex, all because a paternity test claimed the child wasn’t his. But then, as he was about to throw our son from the sixteenth floor, my mother-in-law, Brenda, dropped to her knees, sobbing, “He’s your brother, Alex! He’s *my* son!” My supposed best friend, Clara, even showed up and helped Alex cover up my murder. That’s when I finally understood: Clara and Brenda had conspired to swap my baby! — I woke up, reborn, the day before giving birth. I watched Alex, my husband, peeling a pomegranate for me, and a chilling hatred flashed in my eyes. Because he was my killer. Our marriage had crumbled, and I wanted a divorce. But then he suddenly insisted on a paternity test for our son. The results came back: our son wasn’t biologically his. He came home, cornered me in our room, and smashed my head with a chair. I fought back, but I was no match for his towering strength. Brenda sat on the floor, crying, while Arthur, my father-in-law, terrified of getting caught in the crossfire, simply shut the door. After he beat me to death, he threw my body out the window, staging it to look like a suicide, shaming me even in death. My son, little Leo, was being choked by Alex, moments away from being tossed from our sixteenth-floor apartment. Brenda fell to her knees, pleading, “Alex! Little Leo is your brother! He’s *my* son!” My best friend, Clara, who lived next door, also appeared. She helped Alex conceal my murder. My spirit lingered in that house for three days, witnessing the entire horrific truth. It turned out Brenda had given birth just two days before me. No wonder she’d claimed she was going back to her rural hometown when I was a few months pregnant, and she hadn’t shown up once during my postpartum recovery. When I gave birth, she’d bribed a nurse. Together with Clara, they’d thrown away my daughter and given me her son to raise. After I died, Alex even went to my parents, demanding back all the money my parents contributed to our wedding. He claimed our marriage lasted less than two years and the child wasn’t his, so all the wedding funds should be returned. God, they had no idea. My parents’ generous wedding contribution of nearly three hundred thousand dollars, along with my own pre-marital millions, all went into his restaurant. They even gave us a million-dollar house as my dowry, which his entire family moved into. Back then, I thought finding a soulmate was rare, and money could always be earned again, so I helped him without hesitation. My parents, unaware of the truth, even used their retirement savings to repay what he demanded. Even so, they were subjected to relentless online harassment, ultimately leading to their tragic deaths on the streets. And Alex and Clara exploited me to the very end. Even after my death, the entire internet condemned me as immoral, a cheater, claiming that demanding back the wedding funds was entirely justified and I deserved it. His restaurant flourished, supported by countless people who sympathized with him for marrying a ‘loose woman’ whose child wasn’t his. They praised his ‘magnanimity’ for still raising the child after my death. His business grew exponentially. Eventually, he married Clara, who had become a major influencer, and their family raked in money, living a seemingly blissful life. That’s how people online are—a self-proclaimed righteous mob whose kindness was easily manipulated. And it was in this burning hatred that I was reborn, the day before I gave birth. That idiotic, love-struck version of me deserved to die, I suppose. But my parents shouldn’t have been shamed and scorned because of me. None of this was truly my fault. And my daughter, whom I never even met… I failed her. Thankfully, it wasn’t too late. Everything still had a chance to change. I looked at Alex now, and my voice came out cold, “Where’s your mother?” He flinched, surprised by the sudden chill from his usually gentle wife. But he didn’t think much of it, attributing it to pregnancy mood swings. Still, at the mention of his mother, his eyes flickered with a hint of evasion. “She went back to her rural hometown. You know, she said she had to take care of a couple of old sows on the farm.” Before I could say anything more, he placed the pomegranate in front of me. “I have to go out now. I’ve got a networking event.” I sneered inwardly. He already knew about his mother’s pregnancy. His whole family had just been hiding it from me. His mother wanted another child. She always wanted another child, but it was never the right time, or maybe she felt too old to openly have another baby. Now, with Alex’s restaurant starting to do well, they suddenly decided they wanted another one. But they were afraid I wouldn’t agree. I mean, who has their grandson and their own son born in the same month? And they worried that if they died, their baby would have no one to care for. Since it would bear the same family name, they figured they could just let me raise it. And because I gave birth to a daughter, they just went ahead with a complete swap – keeping it a secret even from Alex. That’s why he killed me. I forced myself to calm down. The memory of him beating me to death flooded me with an all-consuming hatred! This life, I swore, they would pay! Seeing my silence, he quickly explained, “You know the restaurant is just starting up. It needs connections, networking. If I don’t go to these events, all the money your parents contributed will be lost.” I sat on the sofa, listening to Alex. Feigning softness, I said, “Give me eighty thousand dollars.” His eyes widened, and he sat bolt upright. “Eighty thousand dollars? What do you need it for?” My gaze was sharp as a laser. “I’m going to a postpartum retreat! Your mother hasn’t shown up at all, and my due date was yesterday! Who’s going to care for me during my postpartum recovery? All my money is invested in your business, so I have to ask you.” Alex’s face darkened at my words. “Lily, you know the restaurant is just getting off the ground. We can’t afford an eighty-thousand-dollar postpartum retreat right now. Tell you what, when you have our second baby, I promise I’ll send you! For this one, I’ll take care of you. After all, I’m a chef, I can make you all sorts of delicious postpartum meals.” A second baby?! My hatred burned even hotter. There was no way I would ever have another child with this monster. Last life, he’d promised to make me delicious postpartum meals too, but he always claimed the restaurant was too busy and never cooked a single one. He didn’t like strangers in the house, so I couldn’t even hire a live-in nurse. I just called in-home chefs to cook and leave. Thinking back, that past version of me was truly the biggest fool. I looked at him. “Then call your mother and tell her to come back. Otherwise, I’ll have to tell my parents the truth. You already made them repay the wedding funds, and now you have no money for my postpartum care.” Alex was a social climber, and he absolutely hated it when my family, with their old money, looked down on him. The old me would have protected his fragile ego. Now… *Hah*. I’ll gladly stomp all over it. “Lily!” His eyes held a dangerous glint. “I’ll transfer it right now. But the restaurant will really struggle. You know, it’s my life’s work…” I smiled sweetly at him. “Then transfer the money. I’m booking it now. There’s only one suite left.” Alex stared at my smile. He was silent for a moment, then pulled out his phone and transferred the eighty thousand. He stood up, his expression shifting. “You rest well today. I’m heading back to the restaurant. Some important city officials are coming to dinner tonight.” I ignored him, picking up my phone to book the postpartum retreat. Birthing assistant, nursing staff, and all the labor necessities – the retreat provides everything. Normally, it would be around sixty-eight thousand, but because I was booking for tomorrow, it added an extra ten thousand. I didn’t regret spending a single cent on myself. I gently touched my belly, my heart warming. *My little one, your father is trash, but you are innocent. I will be responsible for you your entire life.* After booking the retreat, I called my parents and told them to come to the city first thing tomorrow morning. Only with them by my side did I feel truly safe. 2 That evening, I called an in-home chef to prepare dinner. It was going to be my last meal before delivery, so I asked him to buy all my favorite dishes. The chef hadn’t arrived yet, but someone else knocked on my door. I saw the woman’s face on the monitor, my eyes burning with hatred. I wanted to kill her! My nails dug deep into my palms. I closed my eyes, then reopened them, my expression carefully neutral. I opened the door, and Clara threw herself at me. “Sweetie! Long time no see, did you miss me?” She leaned in for a kiss, but I gently pushed her face away. She squealed, “Baby, you smudged my makeup!” I felt a surge of disgust, but I knew now wasn’t the time to reveal my true feelings. I knew, from my past life, that she and Alex had been sleeping together since I was two months pregnant. As a woman who believed in devotion and loyalty, up until the day I died, I still thought I hadn’t been good enough, that I’d somehow made my husband fall out of love with me. Now, it seemed so utterly laughable— I looked at the powder on my hand and sneezed. She realized she was a bit too excited and quickly grabbed my hand. “But it’s okay if my makeup’s smudged! I went to Star-Moon Entertainment today, and they’ve agreed to sign me tomorrow! They’ll manage my social media accounts, and whenever I go live, the company will arrange for big spenders to shower me with gifts.” She spoke with beaming confidence. “Once I’m a mega-influencer with millions of followers, I’ll take you on a trip across the country! Without Alex. Just seeing him annoys me, hmph, stealing my best friend!” The old me would have hugged her tightly, comforted her, then gone to her live streams to buy gifts and boost her viewership. The new me could only feign tiredness. I needed to catch them off guard, to get solid proof of Alex’s affair. Last life, they were so good at manipulating public opinion, weren’t they? This time, I’d beat them at their own game! “Lily, what’s wrong?” She saw my silence, a flicker of tension crossing her face. “Just worried about the baby,” I sighed. “My due date was yesterday, and there’s still no sign.” Clara exhaled in relief. Good, she hadn’t discovered anything. She linked her arm through mine. “It’s fine, a few days either side of the due date is totally normal.” “And my mother-in-law, I don’t even know where she is,” I pulled my hand away, looking at the empty, spacious house. “If I go into postpartum recovery, I won’t have anyone to care for me. I’m thinking of divorcing Alex. I’ve never felt so neglected in my life, not even at home.” I’d only been married to him for a little over a year. At my parents’ house, I was their little princess. Here, I tried to emulate my mother and care for his entire family. How naive, how utterly foolish I had been to end up like this. Clara grabbed my hand again, a hint of glee in her eyes. “Divorce is fine, but now that the restaurant is finally taking off, you need to be very clear about dividing the assets.” Just as I was about to say something, there was a knock at the door. Clara rushed to open it. “Is he back? Don’t worry, I’ll scold him for you!” Clara opened the door and saw a man holding several bags of groceries. She swallowed her words. “You are?” The man wore a face mask, his long, almond-shaped eyes striking. Veins stood out on the hand holding the groceries. Dressed in a white chef’s uniform, I could vaguely discern the pleasing shape of his chest muscles. His voice was deep and pleasant. “Hello, I’m the in-home chef the hostess booked.” I called out from behind, “Come on in!” I hadn’t expected it to be the chef I’d hired before. Their app assigned chefs by number, and I remembered him as “Chef #2.” He gave a slight nod, stepped inside, put on shoe covers, and headed into the kitchen. Clara watched the man’s retreating back, then practically skipped over to sit beside me. “Where did you find such a handsome guy? I knew it! You must have a backup, but I never expected him to be so hot! How long have you two been seeing each other?” She was secretly thrilled. Because if Lily was cheating, she wouldn’t get a dime! “You don’t know about ‘Sky Chefs’ catering?” I asked, feigning surprise. “Their chefs are all former military cooks, specially trained for in-home service.” Clara’s eyes lingered on the man in the kitchen. “So, he’s not your backup, then.” I frowned. “Clara, can you show some respect? He’s a veteran. Your comments are disgusting.” Clara hadn’t expected me to say that. She quickly linked her arm through mine. “Oh, sweetie, I’m so sorry! I just thought…” “Stop thinking!” I pulled my hand away and walked into my room. Back in my own space, I realized how utterly stupid I was. I couldn’t fake it. Seeing my enemies, all I wanted was to destroy them. I couldn’t keep up the act. But then I thought of the baby in my belly. I had to keep pretending. Just being around them made me sick! I threw on a light cardigan and went back to the living room, seeing Clara on the phone. The way she was trying to hide it, I didn’t need to guess who she was talking to. She hastily hung up. “Lily, please don’t be mad. It’s my fault for speaking without thinking. I’ll slap myself.” She made a gesture of slapping her mouth. I picked up my phone, sat on the sofa, and called Brenda. I needed to confirm her whereabouts. The moment she picked up, I heard a baby crying on the other end. My grip on the phone tightened, my gaze sharp. That was *my* son—no, *her* son’s cry. She answered quickly, ducking into the bathroom, muffling her voice. “Hello? Lily? Is everything alright?” Her voice sounded strained, a little weak. I pretended not to know anything, asking coolly, “Mom, where are you?” After a two-second pause, she laughed. “I’m at your Aunt Martha’s house. Her daughter-in-law just had a big, healthy baby boy, and since Aunt Martha broke her leg helping out on the farm, I’m just here to lend a hand. That’s why you can hear a baby crying.” I had to admit, the lie was airtight. “Oh,” I glanced at Clara beside me. She seemed to know something, smiling at me. “I’ve already booked a postpartum retreat. You can stay there and take care of other people’s daughters-in-law.” I hung up, wanting only to observe Clara’s expression. It turned out everyone in this family, except me and Alex, knew Brenda had given birth. They probably kept it from Alex because they feared he wouldn’t want to raise his own younger brother. Everyone knew how cruel and ruthless he could be when he was heartless. Clara sat beside me. “Lily, don’t be sad. Mrs. Hayes grew up in the village; she probably can’t let go of village affairs. Anyway, you’ve booked a postpartum retreat, so don’t let this upset you.” I poured a cup of tea. “I know, but it still hurts a little.” Clara placed her phone on the table and linked her arm through mine, her expression overly affectionate. “It’s okay. You still have me, don’t you?” But a cold sneer flickered in her eyes. *Why does everything good always belong to you?!* *We grew up together! Your parents were affluent, mine just ran a small convenience store. My parents died young, and you claimed we were best friends in the world, yet you never asked your parents to take me in as a stepdaughter! That’s why I didn’t even finish middle school and had to go work in a factory! You’re the biggest hypocrite in the world, Lily Reed!* I reached for my teacup, but she suddenly dug her nails into my arm. Startled, I accidentally knocked over the teapot. The tea spilled directly into her phone’s charging port, and the phone crashed from the tall table onto the marble floor. “Ah!” Her leg was also scalded by the splashing tea. I shrieked too. “Why did you pinch me for no reason?!” Clara’s leg was bright red from the scald. The chef in the kitchen heard the commotion and rushed out. He looked at me intently. “Are you scalded?” I shook my head. Clara darted into the bathroom, quickly running cold water over her leg. He nodded, then walked back into the kitchen, completely ignoring the one who was actually scalded. But I was slightly surprised by his gaze just now. It was as if he’d known me for a very long time— I looked at Clara’s phone. The screen was shattered, and it was completely dead. When she walked out, her eyes were bloodshot. “It hurts so much, it’s already blistering.” I looked at the angry red on her leg. The old me would have been heartbroken and sent her five thousand dollars as comfort. Now, I just picked up the phone from the floor. “This is all your fault. Why did you pinch me for no reason? Look, I still have your nail marks on my arm.” Clara’s face hardened. She was just remembering how much she hated me back then, wasn’t she? She forced a smile, but when she saw her shattered phone screen, she couldn’t maintain it. “My brand-new phone!” She snatched it back, staring at the unresponsive screen, stamping her foot in frustration. “I paid over a thousand dollars for this! I’ve only had it a few days, and I haven’t backed up my files!” She looked genuinely anxious. “The contract is on it. I need it first thing tomorrow morning.” No stores were open now, and she couldn’t buy a new phone first thing tomorrow. She was signing with a major agency and had to be at their office by seven AM. I didn’t know what contract she was talking about, but the more anxious she got, the happier I felt. “I have a computer. I can back up the files and print them out. You can just take that tomorrow.” I stood up. “Besides, I remember Alex has an old burner phone. You can just put your SIM card in it for now.” She visibly relaxed at my words. “That’s great! Thank you, sweetie.” I picked up her phone. “Give it to me, I’ll back it up for you.” She was about to hand it over, then remembered something, her face stiffening. “The files are in the phone’s internal storage…” “Your phone is broken; you can’t open SnapChat or any other apps. I can only access the internal storage. Don’t worry, I won’t see any private stuff. You don’t have anything to hide from me, do you? Unless…” I looked at her, a hint of a smile in my eyes. “Got a new boyfriend? Don’t want me to know?” Clara’s expression softened a little, and she smiled, handing me the phone. “No boyfriend. In my line of work, the last thing you want is the company finding out you’re dating. They said I’m talented and they want to move me into film, so I can’t have a boyfriend.” She had just signed, and these were mandatory rules. Otherwise, the breach of contract penalties would be in the tens of millions. Clara tried to recall. This phone was brand new; there shouldn’t be anything incriminating on it. The contract for tomorrow was urgent, so she could only look at me with pleading eyes. “Then thank you so much.” I looked at her leg. “There’s a pharmacy downstairs. Go buy some burn cream. Otherwise, a beautiful leg like yours might get scarred.” She remembered her photoshoot tomorrow and quickly nodded. “Okay, I’ll go buy the cream then.” After she left, I went into the adjacent gaming room. Inside were two high-end gaming rigs, their keyboards already gathering dust. Alex and I met playing ‘Mythic Realms’ – a popular online RPG. I was a total gaming nerd, a homebody who’d poured millions into games since college. But I could also make money from gaming. I was an official strategy guide influencer. Because I studied computer science, coding and game development were second nature to me. I’d even developed a few viral mini-games for TikTok, like ‘Herd It’ and ‘Pig Out,’ earning a small fortune. Alex was just a low-level player in our guild. During his first guild battle, his damage output was abysmal, and the guild master ripped into him. Because we won, I said a few words on his behalf. It was just a game, no need to be so harsh. He added me to thank me, and I, perhaps too bored, started chatting with him. Later, we met in person. He was handsome and would blush when he spoke to me. Perhaps I’d had enough of a good life, so I went looking for a pile of crap. After we got together, I dreamed of our future. The gaming room was one of our first projects. We’d game together, fight guild battles together… But after we married, he became incredibly busy, and my heart was so completely wrapped up in him that I stopped focusing on my own career. Now the mini-game craze had passed, and I hadn’t figured out what work to do next, so I felt anxious and started saving money, no longer spending on games. Even my expensive La Mer skincare was replaced with Lancôme. Seriously, sometimes I wondered, what was I even living for? That a fool like me would get a second chance at life? The universe truly was kind. I took out her SIM card and put it into an old burner phone I kept nearby. After receiving the verification codes, I restored her chat logs. Then I backed up the phone’s content. Just as the backup started, there was a knock on the door. I walked out and took twenty dollars in cash from a drawer. Everyone used cashless payments now. I knew she’d realize she had no money when she got downstairs. This was also part of my plan. I opened the door. Her face was flushed red. “No phone, no cash. They wouldn’t sell to me.” I handed her the twenty dollars. “I wanted to stop you, but you ran off too fast.” She looked at me. “How’s the phone doing?” I shook my head. “Still working on it. Because it was so damaged, it might take another twenty minutes to load everything. I don’t know which folder you saved it in. Go buy the cream, and we can look for it together.” “Okay!” She immediately dashed downstairs again. I watched her hurried back. She was truly foolish. She hadn’t studied hard in school, didn’t even finish middle school. So easy to fool. If she hadn’t gotten plastic surgery, she wouldn’t have made it in the internet world. I closed the door. Passing the kitchen, I saw the chef in an apron, chopping vegetables. Back in the gaming room, the backup was complete. A dummy like Clara wouldn’t know that her phone could restore chat histories from a previous phone. I scrolled through her chat logs with Alex, my fists clenching. I called Clara foolish, but I forgot to call myself the biggest fool of all. Lately, a quote I saw online, liked by millions, resonated deeply: “Don’t blame your past self, for she was just as lost, standing in the fog.” It turned out everyone had done foolish things; they just didn’t want to admit it. After the backup finished, I put her SIM card back in her phone. She returned and knocked on the door just as I finished. Everything was going exactly as planned. Once a woman stops loving you, she becomes calm and sharp. But as long as she loves you, she’ll rationalize and accept everything about you, including your mistakes. And now, for Alex’s family and Clara, I felt nothing but hatred and disgust. Clara eagerly followed me into the gaming room. Seeing that the screen genuinely only displayed internal storage access, she visibly relaxed and finally applied the burn cream. “Is this the file?” “Yes, yes! That’s the one! I had the company’s front desk save it for me. It’s called ‘WSsb’ or something.” I glanced at it and printed it out. I had a printer right there. She looked at the document and finally smiled. “This is great!” I told her, “Alex took his spare phone, so you’ll sleep here tonight. I’ll make him give it to you later, otherwise, you won’t even be able to call a taxi tomorrow.” She nodded. “Good thing I have you.” Then she looked a little apologetic. “I was just having some trouble with my nails earlier, that’s why I pinched you.” “It’s fine,” I waved it off. “Dinner’s almost ready. Let’s go eat.” I shut down the computer. She glanced at it, then followed me out of the room. Sitting on the sofa, she chattered about influencer gossip. I used to find it interesting, but now it just felt tedious. When dinner was ready, the chef prepared to leave. He looked between us, a flicker of hesitation in his eyes, as if he wanted to say something, but he just left with the kitchen trash. “This handsome chef’s food is really delicious!” Clara looked utterly satisfied. “Introduce him to me! I’ll have him come cook for me too.” I just smiled and said nothing. After dinner, Clara sat in the living room watching TV. Without her phone, she seemed a bit bored. Seeing it was getting late, I walked into the bedroom, saying I was going to shower. A moment after I entered, I heard voices from the living room. “Clara’s here?” It was Alex’s voice. She grumbled, but her tone was teasing. “Yeah? What, you’re not happy to see me? I’ll tell Lily to beat you up!” Alex chuckled. “How could I dare? Your friendship is even stronger than my marriage to Lily.” Listening from the room, I felt sick to my stomach. Clara always acted like she disliked Alex, so I used to think there was no way my best friend would ever go after my husband. I never imagined I was just a pawn in their game. I pushed the door open. Clara immediately started complaining to me. “Baby, Alex is annoyed I’m staying here! Scold him!” Alex, looking smug, played innocent. “I didn’t say anything! You two haven’t seen each other in half a month, I wouldn’t dare interrupt.” He shrugged, looking at me. “I’m going to shower first, little queen.” “You work so hard, honey.” I forced a sickeningly sweet smile and leaned into him briefly. Alex’s body stiffened, and Clara’s smile froze. I felt the baby stir in my belly, as if she also found being near this father utterly disgusting. Alex forced a smile and walked into the bedroom. I sat on the sofa, but Clara suddenly stood up. “Baby, I learned a new method for peaceful sleep in Europe recently. It’s to drink a cup of warm milk before bed. I’ll go warm it up for you.” Before I could refuse, she was already in the kitchen. I raised an eyebrow. This didn’t happen in my last life. Realizing something, I quickly placed a black vase, filled with fake roses, next to a potted plant. Clara walked out with the milk. “You have to drink this. You always struggle with insomnia, and this is incredibly effective.” I nodded. “Thank you, Clara. If it weren’t for you, I don’t know how I’d manage my anxiety.” Compared to when I first saw them, I had managed to regain my composure over these past few hours. Clara leaned against me. “You’re my best friend. I’m just happy I can help you.” Just then, Alex called my name from inside. “Lily, there’s no more body wash or shampoo! Can you bring some in?” I clutched my belly, my face pale. “I feel a bit unwell. Clara, can you take the body wash and shampoo to Alex?” “Me?” Clara looked at me, seeing that my pain wasn’t faked. “I hate him so much, and you want me to take him things!” She looked displeased but stood up. “If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t even give someone like him a second glance on the street.” She said, then walked into the guest bathroom, got the body wash and shampoo, and entered the master bedroom. As soon as she went in, the door automatically clicked shut. I poured the milk into the black vase. This would be useful later. I dipped a finger in, touched it to my lips, and then picked up a newspaper to read. Clara emerged after a while, her face flushed, her lips slightly swollen. “I saw a few new LV bags in your walk-in closet. I was just looking at them for a bit. When did you get them?” I didn’t answer her question. Instead, I looked at her mouth. “Your lipstick’s smudged.” She looked a little nervous, then rubbed her lips. “Must be an allergic reaction to mangoes… You finished your milk, then? I’m going to shower too. I have that contract to sign tomorrow. You should get some sleep.” She said, then hurried into the guest bedroom. I just smiled, then walked back into my room. Just then, Alex walked out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist, a smug, satisfied smile playing on his lips. Seeing me, his smile froze. I lay down on the bed. “Clara’s milk really works. I’m so sleepy after drinking it. I’m going to bed.” I said, then turned off the bedside lamp and drifted into dreams. “Goodnight, wife.” He turned off his own light and lay beside me for a while. Once he confirmed I was asleep, he quietly left. As soon as he left, I opened my eyes. I tiptoed to the bathroom and took the burner phone out of its hidden spot. It held a video. I’d been reborn so suddenly that I hadn’t had time to set up proper cameras. It showed Alex pulling Clara into the bathroom when she brought him the items, pinning her against the wall and kissing her. Just watching it made me sick. I opened the bedroom door. All the lights in the living room were off, but a sliver of light escaped from under the guest bedroom door. I walked over and heard male and female voices inside. They were very passionate. I quietly opened the door a crack, but they didn’t notice, their backs to me as they stood by the window. I silently filmed them, and then I overheard their conversation. Clara asked, “Am I prettier or is your wife prettier?” Alex replied, “Someone like her, with no charm whatsoever, couldn’t possibly compare to you. You’re the real little temptress.” Clara then said, “She brought a man home again today. I think she’s been up to no good with him.” Alex spat, “Once she gives birth, I’m getting a paternity test!” Alex was done in just a few minutes, so I closed the door at that point. I walked back into the bedroom, staring at the ceiling, wondering what kind of fool I had been in my last life. Everything had been right there, clear as day, yet I chose to ignore it. For them to do something like this while I was pregnant, it was utterly shameless, beyond despicable!!! I tried to suppress my rage, but it still affected the baby in my belly. She seemed angry too. Suddenly, I felt my water break. My labor was starting earlier than in my last life! But I didn’t panic. I called my parents. They said their high-speed train tickets were for 6 AM tomorrow, so they’d arrive around 8 AM. Last life, I gave birth past 10 AM, so their 8 AM arrival would have been perfect. But this life, it was early! I could only tell them not to rush, that I probably wouldn’t deliver until tomorrow morning, worried they were stressing too much for me. I called the postpartum retreat, but they said I was booked for tomorrow, and no one could come today. Because I was such a homebody, I barely had any friends. Now, I felt a surge of panic. Just then, I looked at the SnapChat transfer I’d just sent. The recipient had just accepted the money. I immediately initiated a FaceTime call. “Hello, Ms. Reed, is there a problem with today’s meal—” He hadn’t finished speaking when I interrupted. “I’ll give you ten thousand dollars! I need your help with something!” His voice was formal. “Ms. Reed, my rates are clear; I won’t take a cent more than I’m owed from clients.” I immediately blurted, “Tomorrow, you need to prepare formula for my baby for the whole day!” There was silence on his end for a few seconds. “You… you’ve been reborn too?” I gasped, utterly stunned, then heard him sigh. “It seems so. You know your baby was swapped, and you know what you’re facing, don’t you? I can help you, no charge. It’s the City General Hospital, right? I’m heading there now to wait for you.” My head was buzzing. I couldn’t believe he was also reborn, and he knew so much about my situation. There was no time to think. The pain in my body brought me back to reality. I grabbed my phone and struggled to get up. I turned on the living room lights and knocked on Clara’s door. “Clara, Alex must have gone somewhere, and I think I’m going into labor.” The two inside nearly jumped out of their skin. Clara scrambled to put on her clothes, her legs weak, and she accidentally fell to the floor. She winced in pain. Alex urged her to answer the door, terrified I might come in. Clara rushed to lock the door. “I just woke up, give me a minute! Alex probably went to the bathroom. Check around the apartment for him.” I had no intention of opening their door. I knew how ruthless those two were. If I caught them in the act, they might just kill me right there. Claim it was an accident during childbirth. I couldn’t risk it. “I’m in too much pain, I can’t get up off the floor,” I pretended, making it sound like I couldn’t open the door. The two inside breathed a sigh of relief. Right now, they didn’t care about my condition; they only cared about their affair being exposed. I braced myself, walked to the sofa, and sat down. Scaring those two adulterers made me feel much better; even the pain in my body wasn’t as bad. Clara was the first to emerge, her face flushed. She glanced behind her, then helped me up. “Come on, let’s get you to the hospital. Alex must have had an emergency and left.” “Okay,” I said, and we left. Alex finally emerged from the room. He looked around the apartment. He hadn’t gotten his hands on the house yet. She used to be so rich; she must still have savings. He couldn’t expose himself until he secured those things. 3 We arrived at the hospital, and Clara bustled around, handling admissions and other paperwork. The two of them had been busy with their ’emotional exchange’ earlier. Alex even remembered to give her the burner phone. She used it to call Alex, covering for him. She told me, “The restaurant really *is* busy. He said there were mice in the kitchen in the middle of the night, and he had to rush back to check. He’s so focused on his career he completely forgot about his wife! I’ll never find a man like that again. A wife should always come first, no matter what. I’m going to give him such a lecture when he gets here!” She picked up her phone. “I’m going to step out and call my boss to see if I can go in later tomorrow. Nothing is more important than you.” With that, she walked out. She went to the elevator bank and dialed, but it was Brenda she called. “Mrs. Hayes, she’s about to give birth. You can bring the baby over now. I’ve already taken care of the nurse, don’t worry.” “Thank you so much, Clara. If only you were my daughter-in-law.” Clara’s heart swelled with delight. After all, what did Lily Reed have on her, besides her rich background? She walked back into the hospital room. The doctor said I needed to be three centimeters dilated to go into the delivery room; I was already two. My face was pale with pain. Luckily, I’d eaten and used the bathroom before coming, otherwise, I’d not only lack strength during labor but also face potential embarrassment. Clara had just entered when a tall man followed her in. He wore a heavy jacket and a face mask, giving him an unapproachable aura. “You?!” Clara exclaimed, recognizing him as the in-home chef. I looked at Liam Stone, and the tight knot of anxiety in my chest finally loosened. I told him, “When I go into the delivery room, remember to feed my baby formula.” He nodded. “Part of the job.” Preparing formula and cooking food were both about feeding people, essentially the same. Clara eyed us suspiciously, but then Nurse Kelly pushed open the door. She checked me over. “You’re ready for the delivery room.” I felt a surge of nerves. Even though I’d given birth once in my last life, the pain was still etched in my memory. I grabbed Liam’s hand. “Thank you!” He nodded. “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of her.” I was wheeled into the delivery room just as Alex finally arrived, carrying several bags. Clara explained to him that Liam was the man I’d hired to care for the baby. “A man at the postpartum retreat?” Alex looked surprised. Clara, however, hinted meaningfully, “He’s the in-home chef, and he and Lily are very close.” Alex’s face darkened. He rushed forward and grabbed Liam’s jacket. “Are you my wife’s lover?!” Liam, with his muscular physique and military training, was no match for Alex. He swiftly reversed Alex’s grip, pinning him against the wall. His voice was icy. “She’s just a friend to me, more like a sister. Unlike you, you bastard who cheated on his wife during her pregnancy!” Alex and Clara both panicked. They never expected their little secret to be discovered by a stranger. *What about Lily? Does she know?* Alex, pinned and unable to move, could only threaten, “You’re lying! I can sue you for defamation!” Liam released him, smoothing his jacket. “You know the truth.” A bloodcurdling scream echoed from the delivery room. Clara sat on the bench, her heart pounding. Alex was still fuming, but his phone suddenly rang. On the other end, his mother’s voice was a desperate wail. “Son, your father was in a car accident, right here on Eagle Avenue! You need to come quickly, they’re demanding twenty thousand dollars!” Alex was stunned. “You guys weren’t in the village?!” Brenda was still crying. “I was thinking you’d be delivering soon, so I rushed back to care for you! Who knew we’d get into an accident?” Thinking of his father, Alex could only look at Clara. “Can you look after Lily? My dad was in an accident, I need to go see.” “Okay,” Clara readily agreed. She desperately wanted him gone; otherwise, he’d find out his baby was a girl, making the swap impossible. In truth, the idea for this plan was to make Alex’s mother like her. It was also to make Alex divorce Lily, and to make Lily suffer. Losing her own child, raising someone else’s… *Hahahaha*, as long as Lily was in pain, Clara was happy. With Alex gone, she started thinking about how to get rid of Liam. She poured a glass of water and offered it to him. “I don’t know what your relationship with Lily is, but thank you anyway. Have some water—” She purposefully splashed the water towards his pants, but Liam easily dodged it. The water ended up splashing all over her own pants instead. “What’s wrong with you?! I was kindly offering you water, and you splashed me!” Clara was on the verge of tears, glaring at him. Liam’s tone was flat. “The water you poured? I found it dirty. It’s only fitting that dirty things splash on you.” Clara gnashed her teeth, but she couldn’t leave. She was stuck sitting on the bench with her pants soaked. When Alex’s mother, Brenda Hayes, arrived with a baby in her arms, she also saw the tall man, but paid him no mind, assuming he was waiting for another woman in labor. “Clara, has she given birth yet?” Clara pulled her aside. They huddled in the hallway, whispering. Brenda listened to her description, furious. “That little wretch dares to cheat on my son? I’ll kill her!” Clara urged, “Don’t rush. Wait until she’s handed over all her money to raise your son, then expose her. That way, she won’t get a single cent!” Brenda looked at her, satisfied. “Clara, you’re so smart!” Clara mused, “But now, how do we get rid of that man? Otherwise, we won’t be able to swap the babies.” “We’ll go find the hospital security…” However, before they could strategize further, they heard commotion from the delivery room, asking for Lily Reed’s family. They had to rush back. The nurse holding the baby was the one they had bribed, pretending to be Lily’s friend. She walked towards the two, holding the baby. “The mother gave birth to a son.” Everyone in the hallway heard it: *a son*. Brenda and Clara immediately moved to take the baby, intending to swap it with the one Brenda was holding. The receiving blankets were identical. However, Liam blocked the nurse. “I’m Lily Reed’s brother. She had it confirmed; it’s a daughter. How could it have turned into a son?” His voice was loud, reaching not only the nurse, but also the chief physician and even the woman in the next delivery room. Even if the new mother had passed out, everyone else knew that a girl had been delivered. Last life, they got away with it. This life, it wouldn’t be so easy. “Lily Reed is my daughter-in-law! I know she doesn’t have a brother! You’re her lover, aren’t you?!” Liam ignored their mudslinging. He snatched the baby into his arms. He looked towards a spot down the hall. “Sister-in-law, how long are you going to watch?” Just then, a few people emerged from around the corner. Nurse Kelly’s eyes widened at the sight of them. It was the Director! Director Miller’s face was stern. She looked at Nurse Kelly. “Our hospital will pursue legal action against you.” Several chiefs of obstetrics and gynecology also looked grim. They couldn’t believe something like this was happening at their hospital, a baby swap! Everyone else in the hallway was stunned. What was going on? Clara and Brenda were dumbfounded. They never expected this guy to know the Director, and even call her “sister-in-law.” Director Miller took a look. “It is indeed a girl. Dr. Owens, you go with Liam. Get the baby fed first. I’ll handle things here.” “Okay,” said Dr. Owens. Liam followed Dr. Owens out. He had arrived at the hospital early, first going to find his old comrade’s wife – his squad leader had always been upright and honorable, and his wife was an ambitious, decisive woman. Clara and Brenda were mortified. People were pointing and whispering. They tried to slink away but were called out by Nurse Kelly. “Director, it was Lily’s mother-in-law who wanted to swap the baby! It has nothing to do with me! I just misspoke about the gender!” She knew if the Director really sued her, she’d face enormous fines, and her career would be over. She shouldn’t have cooperated with Clara for five thousand dollars! Director Miller’s eyes narrowed. “You didn’t take money?” Nurse Kelly fell silent, then knelt, begging the Director not to sue her. But Director Miller had already called hospital security. Director Miller couldn’t do much about Clara and Brenda directly; this would have to be handled by Lily herself. She just hadn’t expected Liam to call her here for a patient. *Could that boy be…?* *No, it’s unlikely. He’d turned down so many beautiful women she’d tried to set him up with.* Director Miller shook her head and entered the delivery room. When I woke up, everything was settled. Liam was standing by the window, holding my baby, saying something. I vaguely heard, “Uncle couldn’t save you last life, but this life, I’ve helped you. You have to grow up happy. Your mother has suffered too much…” “Liam Stone, thank you.” Liam heard me speak and walked over with the baby. He looked at me. “Clara went to her company. Your mother-in-law and Alex are outside, arguing.” He recounted the events. Yesterday, to get Alex to leave, Brenda had Alex’s father, Arthur, intentionally crash into a car. She’d claimed the car looked common and probably wasn’t expensive, maybe only a few thousand dollars in damages. Who knew it was a Rolls-Royce Cullinan, requiring over two hundred thousand dollars in repairs? Alex was overwhelmed. His parents, thinking they’d never get into an accident, hadn’t bought insurance. The amount was huge. He wanted to demand it from Lily. The traffic police had arrived, and the rich owner didn’t care about repair costs or lost wages. Then, at the hospital, this whole other incident happened. He found out his mother had secretly given birth to his younger brother seven days ago, which infuriated him to the point of nearly throwing up blood. Hearing my “thank you” brightened my mood considerably. I was even more grateful to him. Liam, however, looked at me. “I should be thanking you.” I was puzzled. “Why?” “You probably forgot all about me, but I never forgot you. When I was seventeen, my parents died, and my ten-year-old sister went missing. I knelt at the entrance of Annan Train Station, just begging for a meal.” He looked at me intently. “You gave me a thousand dollars and bought me a bowl of noodles, telling me not to give up on life, asking me to tell you about my sister. You searched for me online…” I was surprised. “That was twelve years ago!” I had almost forgotten. Back then, I’d just finished my college entrance exams and gone traveling. I’d earned my first pot of gold through gaming, and I thought doing something good would bring me more luck, maybe make me richer in the future. Seeing that boy, roughly my age, kneeling so formally, I felt a pang of pity. Many people told me I’d been scammed, but I didn’t care. I even put his sister’s photo and description in our gaming guild chat. Many people shared it across various gaming groups, and I never knew if they found her. Over time, I started to think I’d been scammed, so I stopped trying. I never imagined that one act of kindness would become my hope in this life. He took off his mask. “Yes, twelve years have passed. With the money you gave me, I enlisted in the military, becoming a Special Police Officer. After eleven years of service, I came back, planning to use this in-home cooking job to find both you and my sister.” I looked at him. “Did you find your sister?” He nodded. “I did. I visit her grave every Qingming Festival.” His sister… she had passed away. “Then what do you mean you were reborn too?” I asked, confused. He slowly explained, “Last life, you often had me come to cook. By then, I had confirmed you were my benefactor, my ‘sister.’ Then I saw the news that you had jumped from your building, and I learned everything about your family’s situation.” “And before that, one of my comrades found a dying little girl in a trash can. It was too cold in winter, and she couldn’t be saved.” “It was only today, seeing her, that I realized she was your daughter.” “I wanted to help you get justice. When I woke up, I saw the money you’d transferred and your request to take care of your baby. I knew then that you must have been reborn too. I was so happy. Everything still has a chance to be set right.” I looked at him. “I’m happy too.” Looking at the sky, which was gradually brightening outside, I told him, “Go do me a favor. I’ll send you all the videos. Also, on the table at my house, there’s a black vase with milk inside. Can you get its contents analyzed? And I have some chat logs backed up on my computer…” I laid out my entire plan to him. I couldn’t wait. I wanted to deal with that scumbag couple while I was still in postpartum recovery, still vulnerable. I wanted to make them lose everything! I wanted them to suffer the online mobbing they put me through! Liam nodded. “Okay.” He handed the baby back to me, then paused at the door. “Sister, you’re actually quite smart too.” He chuckled softly and walked out of the hospital. I pouted. What? Giving a huge sum of money to a stranger twelve years ago, then falling in love with a beast in this life—does that mean I’m not smart? I just thought that living a little more ignorantly, forgetting things easily, not dwelling on gains and losses, would make me happier. But I’ve found that if you live like that, others will think you’re a dumb pig, specifically put on earth for them to bully! Alex’s family walked in. Brenda was still holding a baby. I glanced at him—the child I’d raised as my own son, who after my death, treated Clara, his stepmother, better than he ever treated me. I felt no affection for him anymore. Alex looked at me. “Lily, my mother had a baby. He’s little Aurora’s brother, so don’t be angry about it.” Brenda also leaned in, smiling. “Yes, Lily, Aurora will have a brother to protect her…” “Brother?” I sneered. “The family tree is a bit… tangled, isn’t it?” Their faces showed a hint of embarrassment. Yes, by rights, he should be called “uncle.” “An uncle born in the same year and month? Aurora certainly doesn’t have that ‘blessing’,” I looked at Alex. “Let’s get a divorce. My parents will be here soon. I don’t want us to make this any uglier than it has to be.” I had defied my parents to marry him, and he’d promised not to disappoint them. Now, it had come to this. I no longer cared about appearances; I just wanted to save my daughter and myself. He suddenly stood up, pointing angrily at me. “You want a divorce just because my mother had another child?! Lily Reed, you’re being completely unreasonable!” Just then, the door opened, and a middle-aged man and woman walked in. It was my parents. Seeing them again in this life, my eyes welled up, but I fought back the tears. “Lily, what’s going on?” My father’s hair was streaked with gray. He looked at me, then at everyone’s troubled faces. My mother didn’t even want to look at Alex’s family. She placed her bags down, talking to me. “These are the new clothes I bought for the baby.” She walked over and held Aurora, her eyes filled with doting affection. “This child looks just like you when you were little.” Aurora reached out to her, smiling as soon as she saw her. My mother couldn’t put her down. “My sweet Aurora, you’re happy to see Grandma, aren’t you?” Brenda saw how close the baby was to her grandmother, a hint of hatred in her eyes. She knew her in-laws always looked down on them, so she simply didn’t bother speaking to my mother. “Whose child is that?” My father saw Brenda holding the baby. I spoke directly. “My mother-in-law just gave birth a few days ago.” My mother and father were stunned. They looked at Alex’s family, their eyes blazing with anger. “You… you’re truly shameless!” With my parents here, I no longer needed to pretend. “Dad, I want to divorce Alex Hayes…” Another day of acting for Alex’s family would make me sick. My parents said in unison, “Divorce him!!” I was incredibly moved. Yes, in broad daylight, with my father here, I had to be strong for my daughter. My father-in-law, Arthur, spoke earnestly, “Mr. and Mrs. Reed, this matter can still be discussed. If Alex and Lily don’t want to care for us, we’ll go back to the countryside. But the child is born, it’s our Hayes bloodline, we can’t just abandon him.” My father retorted, “Did you consult my daughter when you decided to have a child?” Brenda spoke defiantly, “Well, she wouldn’t agree, would she? I finally have a child in my old age, and she only gave birth to a worthless girl…” My mother immediately rushed forward, grabbing Brenda and starting to hit her. “You’re the worthless one, you old hag! My daughter and my granddaughter are NOT!” “Ahhh!” The scene erupted into chaos. Alex suddenly walked over, pulled a strand of hair from my daughter, and immediately left. He was very suspicious today. After all, that man came to take care of her baby, cooked for her in their home, and Clara claimed they had been seeing each other for a long time. He suspected this child wasn’t his. If she had cheated, he would make sure she died a terrible death! My daughter wailed. My mother came over to hold the baby. Brenda tried to charge forward but was kicked away by my father. My father, after retiring, had been practicing spinning tops and parallel bars in the park; he was quite strong. It wasn’t until hospital staff came in and forced Alex’s family out that things calmed down. I told my parents about the dream I’d had, and about Alex’s affair. I had all the evidence. My mother cried heartbrokenly, hearing how much I’d suffered. When Alex’s family returned to the hospital room, I had already left with the postpartum retreat staff. I stayed at the retreat. For three days, Alex’s family didn’t visit. Alex was still suspicious that the child wasn’t his, so he was waiting for the paternity test results. Clara came by but was turned away; she didn’t get to see me at all. Liam had gone to my house that day, had the drugs in the milk analyzed, and organized all the evidence. He came to the postpartum retreat and sat across from me. “Sister, what do you plan to do?” I didn’t hesitate. I hired an expensive lawyer. “I’m taking them straight to court!” I couldn’t wait. Another day felt sickening. What they did to me hadn’t happened yet in this life, but that didn’t mean it wouldn’t. I wouldn’t get a second chance to be reborn, so I wanted to make them suffer public humiliation while I was still in postpartum recovery, still vulnerable. I wanted them to experience the taste of online mobbing! When Alex Hayes and Clara Bell’s affair was exposed, the entire internet erupted. Clara had just signed with a major company, and her live-streaming revenue over the past three days was over a million dollars. Everyone loved this cheerful, beautiful girl.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “298629”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic

When Liam loved me most, I broke up with him. Our next meeting was an accident. He, in his Porsche, hit me, riding a rental bike. I stared at the ripped knee of my jeans, clutching the critical prognosis in my hand. When Liam stepped out of his car, his assistant was right behind him, holding a large umbrella to shield him from the sun. In the sweltering heat of June, he looked perfectly composed, while I was drenched in sweat. He was impeccably dressed in a suit, his expression cold and stern, exuding the polished arrogance of a rising mogul. He was no longer the gentle, carefree Liam I’d known just a year ago. I quietly picked myself up from the ground, wiped sweat from my brow, and quickly hobbled to gather the scattered papers, clutching them tightly. They were my medical reports, with the hospital’s logo clearly visible. But thankfully, Liam’s face was etched with impatience; he didn’t notice them at all. I breathed a sigh of relief.

He still carried that subtle, clean scent. Once, it was the laundry detergent I picked out for him. Now, I supposed, it was an expensive cologne. I greedily inhaled, then patted the dust off my elbow. A scrape on my knee had broken the skin, and a trickle of blood began to seep through, just like my heart. A searing, bone-deep ache spread through me, densely covering my whole body. We were, inevitably, drifting further and further apart. “Ma’am, would you like me to take you to the hospital?” his assistant asked, snapping me out of my thoughts. I shook my head, saying I was fine. Just a scrape, a bit of antiseptic would fix it. In such a stark contrast, I didn’t want to stay any longer, nor did I want to see his new, indifferent gaze. “So, how much compensation do you need? Just name your price,” Liam said, pulling a wad of cash from his wallet. I glanced at Liam, who stood by, head down, and started to right my bike, preparing to leave. “What, not enough?” Liam scoffed, mocking me, his icy gaze sending a chill straight through my chest. His words were a bullet to my heart, tearing a gaping hole where the icy wind now roared. It was true. A year ago, I had dumped him when he loved me most. No matter how he pleaded, even if he knelt on the ground, I remained unmoved. So, his current coldness was understandable. I forced a strained smile, my voice raspy, like gravel grinding, “A thousand dollars? How is that enough?” He laughed then, a bitter, angry sound. He snatched the wallet from his assistant, pulled out a check, scribbled across it, and flicked it at my face. The edge of the check stung my cheek before fluttering to the ground, just like my dignity. I fought to control my emotions, keeping my face blank, and bent down to pick it up. I didn’t want to linger, afraid he’d see through me, or that I’d break down. As I quickly turned to leave, Liam’s voice cut through the air behind me. “Willow, do you regret it? Do you regret your decision, looking like this now?” Every word was a dagger to my heart. My heart felt like it was bleeding. Back then, when he had nothing, I broke up with him. I told him I was tired of scraping by, tired of the struggle. I couldn’t do it anymore, couldn’t keep going through hard times with him. His project was at a critical stage then. If it succeeded, he would join the ranks of rising moguls. He cried and begged me not to break up, promising he’d have money soon, that I wouldn’t suffer anymore. He pleaded agonizingly, knelt and grabbed my legs, even threatening to harm himself if I left. But I left anyway, resolute, moving out of our apartment, blocking all his contacts, and ignoring his new calls and texts. I met his pleas with cutting sarcasm. Now, he had succeeded. He drove expensive luxury cars, looking sharp and composed even in the scorching heat. And I? I wore the cheapest shirt, pedaling my rental bike under the scorching sun, drenched in sweat. But I didn’t regret it. Not one bit. Because I was dying. My doctor said I only had three months left, at most. At that thought, I held back my tears and softly said, “No, I don’t regret it.” I desperately choked back a sob, then hobbled away. I couldn’t see Liam’s expression behind me, but as soon as I entered the subway, I burst into tears. I pounded my chest, but it did nothing. Staring at my medical file, I raged at the universe. Why me? I was only twenty-five. Liam and I had so many dreams, a beautiful future. Now it was all dust. Strangers stared, a mix of curiosity and indifference, as I completely fell apart.

After a night of quiet grief, I thought that was our last meeting. But fate, it seemed, had a cruel sense of humor. The very next day, I ran into him again at the hospital. He was supporting a beautiful woman, her stomach slightly rounded, as they waited in line outside the OB-GYN clinic. My mind went blank, my heart seized up. Before I could even react, my body moved on its own. I quickly backed away, hiding behind a wall. Peeking through the crack, I saw Liam, tall and broad-shouldered, his profile still impossibly handsome. The woman beside him was graceful, with just a slight bump showing, her skin glowing with health. They looked perfect together. I clutched my chemo schedule and turned to the correct floor. I’d never made a mistake before, but today, a cruel coincidence had led me to this sight. Perhaps the universe was telling me my choice had been right, my decision not wrong. It was good. His happiness was exactly what I wanted, wasn’t it? I wiped away my tears and took a deep breath. After my chemotherapy, I walked towards the hospital exit in a daze. Suddenly, someone came out of a side corridor and bumped into me. I steadied myself and looked closely. It was Liam, and the pregnant woman beside him. He carefully steadied the woman, then looked at me with a frown of blame. “Watch where you’re going.” *But she bumped into me, didn’t she?* I thought indignantly, biting my lip so hard to keep from losing control in front of him. I didn’t want to prolong the encounter, so I mumbled an apology and turned to leave. But the woman spoke softly, “Liam, it was my fault. I wasn’t watching. Why are you blaming her?” Liam shot me an icy glance. “I was afraid she’d try to make a scene.” My heart tightened. The woman gave Liam a gentle, chiding look, clearly disapproving. “This lady looks very kind. How can you say that? Apologize to her.” Liam looked at me with a half-smile, saying nothing. I awkwardly waved my hand, indicating it was fine, and quickly bolted out the door. Only once I was far away did I let out a heavy breath. Seeing the man I loved with his wife, showing such affection to her while giving me a cold shoulder – the feeling was unbearable. Most painful of all, I had once seen and felt his tender gaze, imagined our married life, a life with children. No, stop thinking about it. I slapped my cheeks, trying to clear my head. But just as I started to feel a little clearer, sadness overwhelmed me again as I scanned for a rental bike. From a distance, I saw Liam helping the woman into a car. Unlike the luxury sports car from last time, this one was different, more practical and comfortable, likely for the pregnant woman. But it was just as high-end. Liam carefully placed his hand on the door frame, shielding her head so she wouldn’t bump it. Once she was settled, he gently closed the door and walked around to the driver’s side. I watched, numb with sorrow. Suddenly, Liam looked up in my direction. Though he was far away, I still ducked my head like I’d been caught doing something wrong, scanned the code, and cycled away. It was almost eight in the evening when I returned to my apartment. I looked at the ghost of a woman staring back at me from the mirror, and forced a strained smile. My last three months. I didn’t want to give up. Even if I had no family left in this world. I cooked myself a hearty dinner, ate until I was full, tidied up my apartment, and went to bed promptly at ten. Usually, it took an hour or two of pain before I could fall asleep, but tonight my body was unusually calm. Perhaps the universe was finally taking pity on me. That night, I had a dream I hadn’t had in ages. I dreamed of freshman year, when I saw him, tall and handsome, at orientation and instantly fell for him. I launched into a relentless, borderline shameless pursuit. He went from being completely indifferent to slowly getting used to my presence. At his big lecture classes, his roommates, who used to just watch our little drama unfold, started saving a seat next to him for me. And he, well, he never said anything, but he knew. One time, I skipped his early morning class, choosing to sleep in my dorm. He texted me, *What happened? Why aren’t you here?* I was in such a deep sleep that I didn’t hear several messages come in. After class, he called. I answered, groggy and my voice thick with sleep, clearly having just woken up. He got so angry he hung up without saying a word. Later, I learned from his roommates that because I hadn’t shown up or replied to his texts, he thought something had happened to me. He was distracted throughout class, and even his favorite calculus professor publicly scolded him, saying he shouldn’t let love interfere with his studies. “How could the top student, the absolute academic superstar, be derailed by a clingy groupie?” He snapped back at the professor, his face tight with anger, right there in front of everyone: “She’s not a groupie. She’s my girlfriend.” After class, he immediately called me, worried sick, only to find out I was just sleeping. He was in a silent huff for ages after that, refusing to talk to me. Later, on a walk, I said, “Didn’t you say I was your girlfriend? Why are you giving your girlfriend the cold shoulder?” He just glanced at me, neither denying nor confirming. I puffed out my cheeks, pretending to be annoyed, and loudly declared, “Since you’re not denying it, you’re my boyfriend starting today!” He didn’t argue. He looked calm on the surface, but the flush creeping up his ears gave him away. Seeing his eyes filled only with me, I felt a rush of heat and leaned in to kiss him. It was early March, the air just turning warm. A crescent moon hung above, mirroring his surging, yet restrained, affection. The willows by the road were just budding, fragile and new, just like our love. After a moment of stunned surprise, he held me tight and said seriously, “I’ll never let go of you, and you must never leave me.” I nodded vigorously in his arms. He always kept his word. For the next seven years, he cherished me, indulging my every whim. But I was the one who broke my word.

I woke up crying from the dream, a crushing wave of loneliness enveloped me, making me curl up and sob uncontrollably. I quickly pulled the comforter over my head, terrified of my sobs carrying to the next apartment. I didn’t need another complaint. I allowed myself to miss Liam – his eyes, his smile, his doting affection, the way he would lose control and kiss me. The result of this indulgence was a fierce dressing down from the doctor the next day at the hospital. “You know your condition, staying up all night is terrible for you. It’s been almost a year, why are you still not listening?” I smiled sheepishly, promising profusely that I wouldn’t do it again. The doctor knew, of course. Waking up in pain was common, and sleepless nights unavoidable. It was just that my complexion looked particularly terrible today. After chemotherapy, passing the third-floor OB-GYN clinic, I couldn’t help but glance over. No Liam. I felt a strange sense of loss. Every meeting from now on would be one less. Even if it was unpleasant, I was willing to see him one more time. As I turned to walk downstairs, feeling disheartened, I ran straight into Liam, who was returning with some reports. He looked surprised to see me, then his face hardened. But unlike yesterday’s disdain, he uncharacteristically asked, “Why are you back at the hospital?” Two days in a row at the hospital had clearly raised his suspicions. Thankfully, I had my bag today, and the payment slips were inside. I shook my head, lying, “Ryan’s sick. I came to pick up his medication.” At Ryan’s name, Liam’s face grew cold, and he sneered, “Your face looks terrible. Is he dead or something, that you’re picking up his medicine?” I touched my sunken cheek, unable to answer. He scoffed, “Willow, this is the good man you chose after you threw me aside.” Yes, back then, when I broke up with him, he pleaded desperately and refused to believe me. So I told him I’d found someone better, that I was going to be with Ryan. Ryan, in his eyes, was the catalyst for my abandonment, the proof of my betrayal. “Looking at you now, do you really not regret it?” As he passed me, he suddenly turned his head to look at me, his eyes sharp, as if trying to pierce through my gaze to find the answer he wanted. I dodged his eyes, looking down in silence. Footsteps echoed as he gradually walked away. I don’t know why, but tears suddenly gushed out. I choked with sobs, my heart feeling like it was being squeezed by an unseen hand. Liam hadn’t gone far, and afraid he’d hear me, I roughly wiped my tears with my sleeve and rushed out of the hospital. Perhaps it was fate, but when I went to a nearby restaurant for lunch, I ran into Liam again. He was, as usual, helping the pregnant woman, pulling out her chair, and bringing her warm water once she was seated. He was attentive to her every need, a truly enviable sight. Eating my bland meal, I suddenly remembered a night in junior year when I had a high fever. Liam, I don’t know how he found out, came to my dorm building late at night and took me to the emergency room for an IV drip. We sat there, and he touched my burning forehead, clearly worried sick, but I couldn’t stop smiling. I watched him bring me warm water, wring out a cloth to wipe my forehead and arms, bustling around, trying to bring my fever down. I was so happy, I almost didn’t want to get better. Even the night nurse envied me, saying, “Your boyfriend is so good to you.” I giggled, replying, “He is! He makes me want to be sick all the time.” He glared at me playfully, “Who wishes for illness?” I cheekily stuck out my tongue, earning a light flick on the forehead. The faint taste of tomato in my mouth interrupted my thoughts. *Well, now I really am always sick,* I thought, mocking myself. *Serves me right for jinxing myself.*

I hastily gobbled down a few bites of food and left the restaurant. They were far away, and hadn’t seen me. I decided to go visit Ryan in the inpatient ward. He wasn’t actually a better catch. He was just like me, a cancer patient. A year ago, he was also in the mid-to-late stages. Now, I had three months left, and he only had one. He was bedridden, confined to his hospital bed. Thankfully, his family had some money and could afford it. When I arrived, his mother was sitting alone in the hallway outside his room, silently wiping away tears. He was her only son, from a loving family. The news of his cancer had devastated them, leaving them in constant tears. A mother burying her son—her heart must be breaking. I went and sat quietly beside her, saying nothing. Comfort, at this point, was futile. When she composed herself a little, she took my hand and said, “Thank you, child.” I shook my head, softly saying there was no need to thank me. Entering Ryan’s room, I saw he was even more emaciated than last week, a skeletal figure hooked up to countless tubes, a stark contrast to the man I’d met a year ago. Some might think, *what’s the point of living like this? Better to just die and be done with it.* I used to think that too. But after getting sick, I didn’t anymore. We all have people we care about in this world, and even when we know the end is coming, we still feel fear. We dread the despair in our loved ones’ eyes. We cling to hope, wondering if the universe might open its eyes and grant us a miracle. I chatted with him for a while, then said goodbye in the evening and walked towards my apartment. Passing by the inpatient rooms, one after another, I saw them filled with patients suffering from various illnesses. They were all so quiet, so still, as if someone might die any moment. Their families sat on the hallway chairs, their expressions sorrowful yet numb. I had witnessed this scene hundreds, thousands of times. I no longer broke down in tears like I used to. I could even crack a dark joke about it and manage a laugh. But when I saw Liam standing outside my apartment, I stopped laughing. His expression was unreadable, a strange mix of anger and torment. As I approached, I realized he looked as distant as he had earlier. I took out my keys to open the door and asked, “Can I help you?” The lock clicked, and at the same moment, his hand covered mine, stopping me from opening the door. His touch was cool, unlike before. His hands used to be faintly warm, like a small furnace in winter. I always loved to hold them to warm my own. “Willow, do you truly never regret it?” he finally spoke, his voice hoarse and raspy, like an old bellows. Hearing that familiar name from his lips, I almost broke down in tears. I clenched my jaw, calming myself for a few seconds, before finding my voice again. “What is there to regret?” “I know everything.” My heart tightened. *What did he know? Did he know I didn’t have much time left?* Liam said, “Ryan has cancer. He’s dying soon.” I let out a breath. *Good, good, he still doesn’t know.* I looked up, meeting his eyes directly. “Yes, he’s dying. What does that have to do with you?” Liam avoided my gaze, then asked with difficulty, “You wanted to find someone better. Am I not a ‘better catch’ than Ryan?” I froze, unsure what he meant. He looked directly at me again. “You think that ‘accident’ that day was just a coincidence?” “I saw you that day. I immediately told my driver to ‘accidentally’ hit you. Running into you at the hospital later was pure chance, but the next day, I deliberately waited there. I was gambling on whether you’d show up again. I swore to myself that if you did, I would follow you, not let you disappear again. I wanted to seize the chance the universe gave me. I watched you visit Ryan. He’s dying, isn’t he? So, can we… can we start over?” I stared at his lips, moving up and down, my mind a complete blur. Oh, how I wanted to throw myself into his arms, to hold him tight, to unload all the suffering I’d endured, to tell him about the fear of dying and the terror of lonely nights. But I couldn’t. It had been a year. I’d already committed to this lie. I couldn’t let all my efforts be for nothing now, not in my last three months. “We can’t go back, Liam. What’s done is done. Let go.” At that moment, I was surprised by how calm my voice was, not betraying a hint of my turmoil. Liam’s eyes turned red. He wouldn’t give up. “I don’t believe you don’t love me anymore, I don’t believe it. You must have a reason you can’t tell me. Your interaction with Ryan today was clearly not like a couple. You’re lying to me, Willow. Tell me the truth, tell me!” I pleaded with him to stop. “Liam, the past is the past, no matter the reason.” “Is there… no chance at all?” I shook my head firmly, my voice resolute. “No.” Silent tears streamed down Liam’s face. He didn’t wipe them away, letting them mix with his lips. Oh, how I longed to kiss him. To keep myself from losing control, I quickly slipped inside and slammed the door shut. Behind the closed door, I collapsed, sobbing silently, my insides tearing apart. It felt like my organs had been ripped out, then shoved back in, raw and bleeding. The next day, I went to the hospital for chemotherapy, as usual, with dark circles under my eyes. This time, the doctor just sighed and said nothing. He probably figured I didn’t have much time left, so there was no point in saying anything more.

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Right in front of everyone, Caleb let his childhood sweetheart, Seraphina, douse me with scalding hot soup. And then, he demanded I apologize. All because I’d said a few blunt words to her. I cried, asking him if my life was worth less than a single one of Seraphina’s fingers. He just gave a dismissive laugh, scoffing, “Stop being so dramatic. You won’t die from a little splash.” I was completely blindsided when Seraphina hurled that entire bowl of spicy, chili-infused soup at me. I froze, my eyes uselessly clapped shut. My carefully chosen dress, my meticulously applied makeup—all of it was utterly ruined, drenched in crimson oil. The pungent spice burned my nostrils and eyes, and tears streamed down my face instantly. The private room fell into a stunned, deathly silence. Everyone just sat back, casually watching the spectacle unfold. I stood there alone, utterly isolated and defenseless. Through my blurry, tear-filled vision, I looked at Caleb. He sat to the side, arms crossed, a frown of clear impatience on his face. “Luna Hayes, apologize to Seraphina.” A wave of overwhelming hurt surged through my brain, instantly bringing fresh tears. For the first time in a long time, I completely lost my composure in front of Caleb, shouting in despair. “I’m your girlfriend! You just stood there and watched me get bullied by an outsider, and now you want *me* to apologize?” Caleb’s frown deepened. He grabbed a wet wipe from the table and dabbed at his sleeve, which had been splashed. “If you hadn’t insulted Seraphina first, why would she have thrown it? And anyway, Seraphina isn’t an outsider.” Seraphina, meanwhile, casually played with her nails, interjecting, “Caleb, is this the kind of daughter-in-law your mother picked? Yelling in public like this, it’s truly a disgrace to the Sterling name.” The icy glare in Caleb’s eyes felt like a sharp blade, piercing right through me. “Luna Hayes, where are your manners?” Soaked and humiliated, I looked at the distant, aloof expression on his face and Seraphina’s triumphant smirk. A bitter laugh escaped me. “What if Seraphina held a knife to my throat one day? Would I still not be allowed to fight back? Or would *that* also be ‘bad manners’ in your eyes?” Caleb scoffed dismissively, “You always overthink everything. It was just a splash, are you going to die?”

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I woke up from a vivid dream, and it was like the entire plot of a book had been laid bare to me. Turns out, I was nothing but the villainess, and my non-blood related, obsessive brother was the one and only male lead. I was madly in love with the second male lead, Julian, and in my desperation, I did everything I could to provoke and hurt my brother, Caleb. Later, Caleb would be saved by the female lead, Seraphina. Only then would I realize who my heart truly belonged to, but by then, it would be far too late. And just moments ago, I had personally forced Caleb to drink that spiked wine… I shot up, the wine glass in my hand shattering into a thousand pieces. We were in a noisy private room, and my small outburst didn’t catch anyone’s attention except for Julian, who was sitting next to me. He glanced over, his sharp and captivating eyes promising little warmth, yet his voice was deceptively gentle. “Anya, what’s wrong?” I shivered, my teeth chattering as I looked at the man before me, the same man who would one day treat me worse than a stray dog. The thought of his future cruelty – how he’d beat me until I miscarried, then force me to sleep with clients right after being discharged from the hospital – instantly wiped away any love I had for him. It was as if, after waking from that dream, I couldn’t find a single reason why I ever had to love him. “My stomach hurts, I need to use the restroom…” I stammered, a well-placed grimace of pain on my face. “Go on, I’ll wait for you.” Julian’s expression remained unchanged; he believed me. I nodded obediently, then slowly walked out of the private room. The moment the door closed, I bolted, running like a madwoman towards the hotel rooms upstairs. … I had just done something incredibly stupid. I had personally handed my brother a glass of spiked wine. I remembered Caleb’s eyes, red-rimmed, as he asked if he *really* had to drink it. I cruelly said: “Of course. If you don’t drink it, I will.” Using myself to blackmail him, he had no choice. He had always been helpless against my whims. He took the glass and emptied it in one gulp. I laughed with delight, reaching up to gently caress his earlobe. “Good boy, Caleb. Always be this good.” His eyes, already red, grew even redder. I thought he just didn’t like drinking. He’d always been a good kid, the golden boy, destined for greatness in everyone’s eyes. But after the entire plot of the book was revealed to me, I finally understood: Caleb was an obsessive lunatic. He had already figured out that Julian and I were setting him up. He had willingly walked right into our trap. The drug took effect quickly. Caleb’s face was flushed, his consciousness fading. Julian had someone take Caleb to a hotel room, ready to execute the second part of their plan. As I left, I heard Caleb calling my name, again and again. “Anya… Anya… I don’t feel well… Please take me away…” I didn’t even turn my head. I laughed sweetly, clinging to Julian’s side, eagerly awaiting his praise. Like a cheap discount item. Lost in my infatuation back then, I had no idea that I was just one of many insignificant pawns at Julian’s feet, as easily discarded as a broken toy. The only reason he gave me any special attention was because my brother, the brilliant man he couldn’t ignore, loved me too much. Back then, I was Caleb’s only weakness.

All the hotel rooms looked exactly the same. I didn’t know where Julian’s people had put Caleb, so I had to search room by room. Knocking, accidentally walking in, apologizing. My steps were hurried, my eyes red-rimmed, but I couldn’t stop. I was terrified of being too late. Until I inadvertently stumbled into a room that wasn’t properly closed. The sound of running water came from the bathroom. I crept closer, pushing open the slightly ajar door, and saw Caleb, disheveled, soaking in the bathtub. He was safe for now. I let out a long sigh of relief, then turned to close the door. As I did, I caught sight of a girl in the hallway, backing out of another room. She was muttering to herself, as if talking to someone invisible. “System, didn’t you say the male lead was spiked and locked up nearby? I’ve knocked on so many wrong doors, if I make another mistake, security will come kick me out!” “Did someone get to him first? No way! If I can’t win him over, how am I supposed to go home?” My gaze fixed on the girl walking towards me. Seraphina. The female lead of this story. The one I, trapped in this book, could never defeat no matter how hard I tried. The one who would save Caleb, exposing his obsessive true nature and making him love her to death. She had appeared. No one would guess that Seraphina, fragile like a delicate white flower on the outside, was far more cunning and ruthless than any villainess like me, known for my wicked ways. The biggest difference between us was that she excelled at hiding her true self from Caleb. While I just kept stirring up trouble. Initially, Seraphina approached Caleb to complete a System mission. But then she gradually tasted the benefits of having the System and the opulent life Caleb provided. She decisively gave up the chance to return to her original world, choosing to stay and spend her life with him. At that time, there was one major obstacle standing between them. Me. So Seraphina targeted me, suppressing me at every turn. We fought tooth and nail. Ultimately, I was brutally defeated. I, Anya, the adopted daughter of the Lu family, because of my endless misdeeds, was erased from existence by the System. No, I won’t be erased. And I won’t let my brother fall in love with anyone else. Since I’m destined to be the villainess in this book, then let me be a wicked person one more time. *Knock, knock, knock…* The door was knocked. I opened it, calmly meeting the gaze of the girl standing before me. Seraphina. She didn’t know me yet. “Can I help you?” “Uh… is this your room?” Seraphina’s eyes darted past me, boldly exploring the gap beside me, fixated on the bathroom. But I had already closed the door tightly. I smiled faintly. “Of course. Who are you looking for?” “Oh, my bad, I must have gotten the wrong room.” Seraphina stuck out her tongue and quickly walked away. From behind, she seemed to still be complaining to her System. My smile flattened. I quickly closed the door and called the front desk. I told them there was a suspicious girl in the hallway, knocking on doors everywhere, and that she might be a dangerous person. I hoped they would take it seriously. After hanging up, I sat by the bed in a daze for a while. Suddenly, I heard the sound of a heavy thud from the bathroom. I rushed in. “Caleb…”

Caleb was awake. He had climbed out of the tub himself, but his legs gave out and he fell awkwardly to the floor, his heavy body unable to stand. This was Julian’s goal: to use the drug to restrict Caleb’s mobility. Afterwards, he would arrange for a few men to come, take some compromising videos, and then he would lead others to “accidentally” walk in, witnessing Caleb’s humiliation and exposing it to the public. This would completely ruin the golden boy. Once the scandal broke, no company would dare to invest in Caleb’s products, no one would collaborate with his company, and Caleb would have no chance of rising again, only to be forever suppressed and forgotten. Julian was on the verge of succeeding. Unfortunately, Seraphina, with her System’s special power-ups, appeared and changed everything. She found Caleb in advance, took him out of the dangerous room, and used her body to help him detox. Julian’s plot was foiled, but Seraphina and Caleb’s entanglement began then. Only this time, I wouldn’t give anyone else a chance. I was going to change my own destiny. Even if I was just cannon fodder, I wouldn’t die a tragic death. “Caleb, I’ll take you out of here.” I grabbed Caleb’s arm, trying to pull him up from the floor, but I’d severely overestimated my own strength. After several tries, he just pulled me down with him. “Anya.” His breathing was ragged, his bloodshot eyes, strained with effort, looked at me, wet and shimmering. There was even a hint of barely suppressed hurt in his voice. “Didn’t you… not want me anymore?” “If you didn’t want me, why did you come looking for me?” His petulant words held a hidden choke in his voice. But clearly, his eyes still concealed a restrained joy. My heart twisted. Damn it, the old me. How could I have repeatedly hurt this man who loved me more than life itself, all for a bastard who didn’t treat me like a human being? “How could I not want you? You’re my most important brother!” I said seriously. When I was abandoned at the orphanage, Caleb’s parents wanted to adopt a daughter. They were actually looking at someone else, but Caleb insisted on choosing me. Later, when our adoptive parents’ jobs changed and they were often away, Caleb was the one who raised me, cooked my meals, and helped me with my homework. He even bought my first pad, blushing as he showed me how to use it with instructions. From childhood, Caleb and I had always been so close. So close that I couldn’t stand to hear anyone say anything to hurt him, or do anything to hurt him. But I don’t know when it started, I changed. I began to resent Caleb. I hated him for paying too much attention to me, hated him for meddling in my life, hated him for not approving of my feelings for Julian. The hatred came so inexplicably, just like my inexplicable love at first sight for Julian. A promiscuous playboy. He was definitely not my type. It was the book’s narrative, forcing me onto this path, pushing me to hate Caleb, turning me into someone I didn’t even recognize. Caleb’s eyes darkened upon hearing my words, devoid of joy. I suddenly remembered how I’d used the exact same sweet-talk to trick him into showing me his product design plans, only to immediately steal them and hand them over to Julian as a gift. Later, two tech products were released one after another. Caleb’s was the second, causing him to be branded a plagiarist and nearly bankrupting his fledgling company. Now, his company’s reputation was in tatters, and a large part of that was my doing. “Anya, you need to go. Leave here. I don’t want to hurt you.” Caleb’s breathing became more rapid, his entire face flushed a deep, alarming red, like he’d been boiled alive. Julian’s drug was potent; he was at his limit. I knew Caleb couldn’t wait any longer. Just as I was about to call, a frantic knocking echoed at the door. “Caleb! Caleb, are you in there?!” “Open up! If you don’t open the door, you’ll die!” It was Seraphina. She had returned, and the System must have given her Caleb’s exact location. With her System’s special power-ups, a mere security guard couldn’t stop her. I reached out and touched Caleb’s trembling face, then tore off a bath towel and wrapped it around his wet, transparent clothes, tying it securely. *Humph*, Caleb was mine, and only I could see him like this. Done, I stood up, intending to open the door. Caleb frantically reached out and grabbed my hand. His eyes were terribly red. His voice was broken. “Are you… abandoning me again?” His consciousness was already hazy. His reactions were mostly subconscious. I knew exactly how to soothe him. Better than anyone. I gently leaned down and pressed a kiss to his slightly cold lips. “Caleb, I would never abandon you. I’m just going to open the door.” A flicker of starlight seemed to pass through Caleb’s eyes. He hesitantly released my hand.

When I opened the door for Seraphina, I was on the phone with a doctor from the downtown hospital. The lock was about to be violently forced open, but I unhurriedly stepped forward and opened the door. Outside, Seraphina was holding a fire extinguisher, poised to smash it down. I made a ‘wait a moment’ gesture, and she froze. “Yes, at the Grand Hotel. It was an accidental poisoning from something he consumed. Can an ambulance be here in ten minutes? Good, I’ll bring the patient down.” I hung up, then looked at Seraphina with a sincere expression. “Are you my brother’s friend? He accidentally got food poisoning. Could you help me get him down to the hotel lobby? The ambulance will be here any minute.” “…” Seraphina’s expression shifted unpredictably. The situation was completely different from what she had expected. But she couldn’t figure out what had gone wrong. In the hotel lobby, Caleb leaned against me, his thin lips pressed tight, long lashes trembling, and a slight crease in his brows gave him a fragile, almost broken look. The book described him as a rare beauty, saying even the hottest celebrities couldn’t compare. Before, I was so used to Caleb that I thought he just *was* that way. After my awakening, watching him quietly in my arms, my usually calm heart started pounding like a drum. I couldn’t stop it. He was so freaking handsome… Anyone who didn’t find him attractive must be truly blind. Caleb’s consciousness was hazy, and his head unconsciously leaned towards Seraphina. I quickly pulled him back, giving her a look that said, “My bad, looks like my man is quite the sight, isn’t he?” It was provocative, but subtle. Seraphina’s scrutinizing gaze grew colder. Ah, fighting the female lead for the male lead, it really was exhilarating. When the ambulance arrived, the paramedics carried Caleb onto the gurney. I followed him in, then turned to see Seraphina about to step in. I politely but firmly refused, “Thank you so much for your help, but there’s clearly not enough space in here. This is as far as you need to go.” Seraphina’s mouth opened. She was probably wondering why I was deviating from my character. Julian’s lapdog, caring about Caleb’s life? But I didn’t want to give her time to react, nor did I care about her souring expression. I slammed the door shut. At the hospital, I explained Caleb’s situation to the doctor. I told them he had consumed an unknown liquid. The doctor diagnosed it as poisoning and rushed him to the emergency room for stomach pumping. Half an hour later, Caleb was moved to a private room. He was still sleeping. I went to the convenience store to buy clean towels and water; I wanted to wipe his face later. When I returned to the room, I saw Seraphina standing by the bed, slowly leaning down, as if she intended to kiss Caleb. “CALEB!” I screamed. Seraphina instantly recoiled, a flush of embarrassment on her face.

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The day I died, the man I loved most married the woman he adored. I sat among the guests, smiling through my tears, applauding their union. Twenty-five years of my youth taught me one bitter truth: Turns out, even a lifetime of shared memories can be eclipsed by a dramatic, destined connection. But thankfully, I was dying soon. All that once was, would fade into the past. Clara Reed and Alexander Sterling’s story was finally coming to an end. At Alex Sterling’s wedding, I had a few too many drinks. When he and Isabella Hayes came over to our table to make their rounds, I clumsily stood, raising my glass. “Alex, congratulations.” “May you grow old together and be blessed with a beautiful family.” Alex frowned, his gaze fixed on me, but in the end, he said nothing, just tilted his head back and drained his glass. Isabella smiled at me, a soft, knowing look in her eyes. “Thank you, Clara.” She giggled gently, her hand caressing her slightly swollen belly. “When the baby’s born, we’d love for you to be the godmother.” Alex’s eyes finally softened, a faint smile touching his lips as he looked at her stomach. He said, “Clara, you absolutely have to come to the baby’s one-month celebration.” I smiled back, raised my glass, and emptied it in one gulp. Too bad, I wouldn’t live to see that day. After toasting our table, Alex, hand-in-hand with Isabella, walked away. I set my glass down, watching their retreating figures, lost in their seemingly perfect world. They were perfect, a true match made in heaven. He was a handsome, talented man, and she was a beautiful woman. And me? My looks were just passable, my personality dull and uninteresting. No wonder Alex didn’t want me. Someone as effortlessly distinguished and proud as him, truly, he was meant for someone as aloof and self-assured as Isabella. The table was filled with Alex’s older relatives, people who’d watched Alex and me grow up since we were kids. They looked at me with pity. “Clara, you and Alex simply weren’t meant to be. Just forget about everything from your childhood.” I didn’t reply, simply stood up, my head swimming. My stomach churned, a familiar, sharp pain coiling within me. Gritting my teeth against the agony, I headed for the restroom. Behind me, someone sighed softly. “How twisted fate can be. Back then, everyone thought Alex Sterling would marry Clara Reed.” “Exactly! Their bond was so strong back then.” … Yes, everyone thought I would be Alex’s wife. Who would have imagined that years later, I’d be sitting at a guest table, sipping celebratory wine, watching him marry another woman with my own eyes? I never even dreamed of such a thing. Outside, white snow fell softly, silently. I looked back, watching his tall, imposing figure in the distance. Suddenly, I remembered a snowy night many years ago. “Clara Reed, I love you.” “From this moment, through all the years to come, may we share a lifetime, never parting, until our final breath.” “Clara Reed, will you marry me?” I will. I truly will. But… The boy who promised to marry me that night was lost somewhere in the years, never to return.

Alex and I were childhood sweethearts. From my earliest memories, I was always like his shadow, trailing behind him, calling him “Alex, my big brother.” He was always so reserved, barely acknowledging anyone. But I was persistent. The more he ignored me, the more I wanted to cling to him. “Alex, wait for me!” “Alex, will you play on the swing set with me, please?” “Alex, someone’s bothering me, can you help?” I was clumsy and slow, doing everything at a snail’s pace. Even though Alex would often complain, he’d always follow behind me, cleaning up my messes. Of course, he’d punish me too. If I accidentally ruined his paintbrushes, he’d get mad and draw whiskers on my face. If I accidentally left dirty handprints on his new shirt, he’d deliberately frame it and hang it in the most obvious spot, silently mocking me. If I threw a tantrum and refused to eat, he’d threaten me, saying he’d never speak to me again. He was truly awful. He knew perfectly well that being ignored by him was my biggest fear. Once, someone teased him, asking if he’d marry me when we grew up. I was little then, happily munching on an apple, beaming. “Yes, please! When I grow up, I want to be Alex’s bride!” His face flushed red. He grabbed a tissue and covered my face. “Wipe your face, you’re so messy.” The Reeds and the Sterlings were old family friends. We lived close by and had a very close relationship. When I was little, I’d often sneak off to Alex’s house and stay there all day. All day, I’d only stick to Alex. He was three years older than me, with a calmness and maturity beyond his years. Back then, I thought that by having a small corner in his life, I could have him for a lifetime. But time flies. Neither of us ever imagined that a childhood love could be eclipsed by a fated encounter.

I was hunched over the toilet, throwing up until I felt lightheaded. Someone knocked on the door. “Do you need help?” I fumbled to flush the toilet, wiping my mouth. The glaring red on the back of my hand, I didn’t have time to clean it, so I hid my hand behind my back. When I opened the door, Mrs. Sterling, Alex’s mother, stood there. She looked surprised to see me. “Clara?” I awkwardly greeted her and quickly made my escape, feeling utterly disheveled. “Clara!” Mrs. Sterling hurried after me, her eyes a little red. She looked at me, hesitating to speak. After a moment, she quietly said, “I’m sorry.” My throat felt parched, my voice hoarse. “Mrs. Sterling, you don’t need to apologize.” What happened back then was my own choice. Nothing else mattered. Mrs. Sterling looked at me with aching sympathy, tears welling in her eyes. “Clara, you and Alex weren’t meant to be. Just forget him.” Everyone said Alex and I weren’t meant to be. Even I believed it. But why? Back then, our love was so fiery, so passionate. Why could Isabella’s appearance erase over a decade of our shared history? I clutched my chest, suppressing the agonizing, tearing pain, and forced a pale smile. “Mrs. Sterling, I let go a long time ago.” As I left the hotel, I saw Alex and Isabella standing by the entrance, seeing off guests. I didn’t go over, just watched Alex from a distance. Someone bid him farewell. “Congratulations, Alex, you finally married the girl you love.” He rarely smiled, but at that moment, a touch of genuine joy softened his eyes and lips. “Thank you.” I watched him, and it felt as if time and space had frozen. It was like going back years, to that sweltering summer. He held my hand under the stars, giving me a rose as a promise. “Clara, why haven’t you grown up yet?” “I wish I could marry you sooner, my silly girl.” Once upon a time, there was a boy who loved me with such devotion. In the most beautiful years of our lives, we promised each other forever. We shared our first innocent kisses on snowy nights. And finally, in a spring filled with pear blossoms, we pledged our lives to each other. Time flowed on and on. In the end, the boy I loved married someone else.

Back home, I couldn’t hold on any longer and coughed up a mouthful of fresh blood. I numbly wiped the blood from my lips, poured a glass of warm water, and swallowed my medicine. Stomach cancer, compounded by depression, was slowly consuming my life. I knew I was dying soon. But I didn’t want to die in a messy way. Even if I was dying, I wanted to do it with dignity. I packed my things overnight and drove out to the countryside. The old Reed family estate was there. It held the most beautiful memories of my youth with Alex. The house was old and dilapidated, covered in a thick layer of dust. The cobblestones in the yard were blanketed by pristine white snow. It looked exactly like the night, years ago, when Alex first kissed me. Alex and my story started here. And it should end here. I wondered if he would come to see it, if he heard of my death. Would he remember that night, beneath the old locust tree on the estate, he’d promised a girl a lifetime of devotion, a love for only one?

I put on pretty makeup, wore my favorite white dress, and in the dead of winter, walked barefoot on the snow. I was here to say goodbye. But in the end, I couldn’t help but wander through the old house. The rusted door lock, the small casement windows rotted by the wind. The chipped red walls, and the faded clay figurines. A male and a female figurine sat quietly on the windowsill of the east wing. Those were the figurines I had meticulously molded and hand-painted when I was fifteen, a birthday gift for Alex. After we broke up, Alex returned them to me. I couldn’t bear to throw them away, but I didn’t want to be constantly reminded of him, so I left them at the old estate. They represented the purest emotions of my youth. Now, they, along with their owner, were abandoned. It turns out, things not cherished, just like people, become so cheap. A chilling cold crept from my toes, straight to my heart. I clutched my chest, unable to bear it anymore, and vomited a large gush of blood. The fresh blood stained the pristine white snow. Just like my relationship with Alex. The clean, pure first love in my memory had actually become utterly muddied long ago. Before I died, I desperately crawled to the locust tree in the courtyard. On its trunk, immature handwriting carved two names. Clara Reed. Alexander Sterling. I traced the ancient letters on the tree trunk, laughing dazedly. People always move forward. Alex had already moved on. Only I stubbornly remained in place. Clinging relentlessly to those shattered memories, living out the rest of my days. I leaned against the tree. In a haze, I seemed to hear my dad’s voice. “Alex, came to play with Clara again?” “I’m here to help her with her homework.” Young me, wearing his favorite white dress, ran out of the attic, overjoyed. “Alex, my big brother!” The girl was so lovely, with rosy cheeks and eyes that crinkled when she smiled. She stood before the boy, looking up at him with a sweet smile. Her starlit eyes held only him.

The wind howled, and snowflakes drifted down, dampening the corners of my eyes. Time flowed, and the old house seemed to regain its former tranquility. My mom sat in the living room knitting, smiling at Alex. “Alex, how about you marry Clara when she’s older?” I took a bite of my apple, the sweet juice reaching my heart, and smiled, my eyes crinkling. “Yes, please! When I grow up, I want to be Alex’s bride!” The boy’s face turned red. He covered my face with a tissue. As if that could hide his shy gaze. The clock ticked on. Ten years passed in a blink. Under the moonlight, the boy had grown into a handsome young man. I secretly climbed over the wall, knocked on his window, and pulled him to the locust tree. On the century-old tree, our names were carved in childish handwriting. The moonlight that night was beautiful, and the wind was gentle. I mustered my courage and looked at him. “Alex, my big brother, will you be my boyfriend?” He was silent for a long time, as if frozen by the night, not speaking for what felt like an eternity. My eyes reddened, feeling wronged and sad. “You don’t want to?” “If you don’t, then just pretend I didn’t say anything.” He snapped back to reality, sighed, and pulled me into his arms. “My silly Clara, it’s a boy’s job to confess first.” I leaned into his embrace, listening to his wildly pounding heart, so happy I felt like I could fly. Later, he cradled my face, kissing me devoutly. “Clara, I love you. Will you be my girlfriend?” “In this lifetime, I only want you.” But childhood promises were too light. The “lifetime” Alex spoke of only lasted a mere three years.

I never imagined Alex would abandon me. He loved me so much. My hands and feet were always cold. In winter, he would wrap my small hands in his warm ones, placing them against his chest to warm them. At night, he would check the floor heating in my room and thoughtfully prepare a hot water bottle for me. When I was fifteen, I had an argument with him and angrily ran away. He was too proud to chase after me. That night, I encountered some thugs on the street and almost got into trouble. He rushed to my rescue, using his young fists to fight off the menacing drunkards. That was the first time I saw fear and panic in his eyes. He held me tightly, his injured lips resting against my ear, whispering my name repeatedly. “Clara.” “Clara.” “I’m sorry, it’s my fault.” “There won’t be a next time.” “From now on, I won’t let anyone hurt you.” He succeeded in not letting anyone else hurt me. Later, he was the one who personally plunged the knife deep into my heart. Uttering the cruelest words in the calmest voice. He said, “Clara, I don’t love you anymore.” But Alex, do you know? More than not being loved, I would rather you had simply not wanted me.

I died, but my soul lingered in the courtyard. My body rested quietly beneath the tree. My delicate, pale face, with frozen tears like beads of ice at the corners of my eyes. What was I thinking in my final moments? It was probably during my freshman year of college. It was the eve of my nineteenth birthday. Alex had secretly taken a day off from school, coming a day early to surprise me for my birthday. When I saw him at the campus gates, he was wearing a white sweater and black casual pants, his hair casually falling across his forehead. Those normally aloof, distinguished eyes, when they saw me, would curve slightly, softening with a hint of a smile. I screamed and ran to him, jumping into his arms and covering his face with kisses. “Alex, my big brother, what are you doing here?” His handsome face flushed slightly. He carried me toward a secluded corner. “So many people around, you’re shameless.” “What’s there to be afraid of? You’re my boyfriend.” I held him tightly, as if I was embracing the whole world. At that moment, I innocently believed I was the happiest person alive. That day, we walked through the city’s streets and alleys, watching the myriad of lights. We shared tender, lingering kisses as fireworks exploded in the sky. That night, I, blushing, secretly slipped into his bed. I knew what he wanted. But he was always afraid of hurting me, always holding back. That night, Alex kissed me with almost sacred devotion, each kiss a potent poison. “Clara, I’ll be responsible for you.” “Next year, when you turn twenty, we’ll get married.” That night, the moon was bright and the stars shone. The boy’s face, in my eyes, drifted closer and further away. The night was gentle, and his eyes were like the vast summer sky. Full of tiny stars, and all of them were me.

The Reapers came to take my soul. They looked at my body, very angry. “Why did you kill yourself? Your time wasn’t up, suicide goes against the natural order of things!” I looked at them helplessly. “I have stomach cancer and depression. Death was only a matter of time.” The Black Reaper said, “You have a fated romance ahead of you; you can’t die yet.” But I didn’t want to live anymore. I said, even if you don’t let me die, I’ll still find a way to end it. The White Reaper glared at me. “I’ll give you one chance, one hour to return to your body, to do what you want, and see if you can find a reason to live.” I agreed. The first thing I did after returning to my body was to take out my phone and dial Alex’s number. The call took a long time to connect. “Clara, what is it?” Hearing his voice, I was momentarily lost. Even after we broke up, he still habitually called me Clara, never changing it. As if, between us, there had never been a separation. And I was still the girl he cherished, forever his. “Alex, my big brother.” I looked up at the falling snowflakes, and for a moment, it felt like I was back in that snowy night ten years ago. There was a long silence on the other end of the line. I knew he probably hadn’t processed it. After all, I hadn’t called him that since we broke up. “Alex, my big brother,” I whispered again, “If…” “Honey,” Isabella’s questioning voice came through the phone. “It’s so late, who are you talking to?” I heard the click of a lighter. Alex must have lit a cigarette. “No one,” he said. “Just a casual acquaintance.” A casual acquaintance. So, in his heart, I was nothing more than a casual acquaintance now. I laughed sardonically and hung up the phone. The snow had stopped. The moon emerged from behind the clouds, gentle and beautiful. I gazed at the moon, tilting my head back, trying not to let my tears fall. “Alex, my big brother,” I softly murmured, speaking the words I hadn’t had time to say. “If I died, would you be sad?” I knew I would never get an answer. He probably wouldn’t be too sad. After all, I was just an insignificant passing stranger in his life. Of no consequence. I died again. My soul floated in the air. The Reapers looked at me, huffing and puffing. “Do you truly have no desire to live?” I nodded.

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I broke his heart the year Caleb loved me most. Six years later, he came back to this city. Mom suddenly found him, asking urgently, “Did Hazel come back with you? How is she doing? Can I see her?” He scoffed, a bitter, hollow sound. “That woman you’re so worried about? She ran off with some sugar daddy years ago.” His resentment towards me hadn’t faded an inch. But what he didn’t know was that the day he left the country, I had already died. 1 When Caleb returned, every major platform was live-streaming his arrival. The once ordinary boy was now a skyrocketing tech mogul. I stood beside Mom, watching him emerge from the airport through the phone screen. Mom happily clutched her phone. “Caleb is back! That boy made something of himself, so many people are filming him!” I couldn’t help but feel a surge of joy myself. Caleb’s stunning looks and distinguished aura had garnered him countless fans. The live chat and comment sections were flooded with adoration. Everyone swooned, wondering who could ever be lucky enough to have a man like him. Even a fleeting moment with him would be enough. Reading those words, a strange sadness washed over me. Even after all these years, countless memories of Caleb still flickered in my mind. My heart ached, a sharp, constant throb that screamed one undeniable truth: I still loved him. Snapping back to reality, I looked at Caleb’s familiar face and suddenly felt a profound distance. When the live stream ended, Mom stared at the screen, her whole body radiating sorrow, tears silently streaming down her face. She touched the screen aimlessly. “Why did it end? Where’s my Hazel? Why didn’t they show my Hazel? Did my Hazel not come back with Caleb?” She frantically started calling my phone. It was always either busy or went straight to voicemail. Because the person on the other end wasn’t me, but Briar’s friend abroad. Briar, busy in the kitchen, heard Mom’s distress and rushed out, putting down her cutting board. She had known Caleb was returning today. And she knew about the live stream. No matter how hard she tried to hide it, she never expected Mom to hear about it from other neighborhood ladies. Left with no choice, she had to open the live stream for Mom. Unsure how to face the situation, she retreated to the kitchen, her ears constantly straining to catch any sound from the living room. Six years ago, Briar had held my urn alone, setting up my headstone. Mom’s health was fragile, and Briar feared she couldn’t handle the shock of my death. So, she lied, claiming I had been living abroad with Caleb all these years. She got a new phone number and, on holidays, pretended to be me sending messages to Mom. She gently embraced Mom, whose hair was now streaked with white. “Hazel might have things to handle abroad…” Briar trailed off, simply too exhausted. Juggling three jobs to pay off debts, caring for our mom, and constantly maintaining this elaborate lie. Her forehead rested on Mom’s shoulder, tears streaming down her face. Floating beside them, all I could feel was self-blame. I couldn’t do anything, not even speak to them; it felt like an impossible luxury. 2 But I never expected Mom to find Caleb’s address. She missed me too much. After failing to reach me by phone, she thought seeing me through Caleb would be enough. Since it was a gated community, hard to get into, she applied for a cleaning job, hoping to sneak in. She was vibrant and cheerful every day, and Briar thought Mom had found new friends and was feeling happy. I watched from the side, anxious and helpless. All I could do was pray she wouldn’t find Caleb. But when I accompanied her to Caleb’s front door, a sliver of hope ignited in my heart. Had Caleb forgotten me? Or did he still hate me? Mom pressed the doorbell. The butler came out, and seeing Mom’s attire, a flicker of disdain crossed his eyes. “We don’t need your services in this area.” Mom’s mind was solely focused on me; she didn’t notice his expression. She smiled politely. “Hello, I’d like to see Caleb.” Hearing Caleb’s name, the butler gave Mom another once-over, then turned to go back inside. Mom shouted “Thank you!” after his retreating back, believing the butler would pass on her message. Instead, several house staff emerged, brooms in hand, shooing Mom away from the entrance. She, who once lived a life of luxury, had never faced such blatant disrespect. Watching this scene, I tried to grab her hand to pull her away. I tried again and again. My hand simply passed right through hers. A sharp pang hit my chest, and my eyes welled up. Mom didn’t leave. She stubbornly settled in an unnoticed corner. She had come all this way, she wasn’t going to leave just like that. She was determined to wait for Caleb here. I stayed by her side, keeping vigil. I couldn’t help but think of when I was little, waiting with Mom on the living room sofa for Dad to come home. Only then, we were happy. Now, there was only a chilling emptiness. As dusk fell, a car finally pulled into Caleb’s driveway. Mom hastily got up and hurried toward it. She saw Caleb emerge from the garage from the doorway. Most of his face was hidden in shadow. Looking at him from a distance, he felt utterly unfamiliar. “Caleb! I’m Hazel’s mom! Caleb!” Mom shouted excitedly, her voice cracking, afraid Caleb hadn’t heard her. Caleb paused for a moment, then continued walking as if he hadn’t heard anything. Maybe he really had forgotten me. This realization sent a tremor through my heart. Mom didn’t understand why Caleb was ignoring her. The Caleb in her memory was polite and kind; he wouldn’t simply disregard her calls. “Caleb! Did Hazel come back with you? How is she doing? Can I see her?” Mom’s voice was hoarse, but she tried to raise it, wanting Caleb to hear her clearly. She was a music major, and she used to be a prominent figure in the music scene. She cherished her voice, but now, for me, she didn’t care about it anymore. 3 The butler walked over with the staff, their steps betraying impatience. Caleb finally turned back, giving Mom a glance. He gave a hollow, bitter laugh. “The woman you’re so desperately looking for? She ran off with some sugar daddy years ago.” My heart gave a painful lurch. Mom’s eyes were wide with disbelief. She stumbled back several steps. She murmured toward Caleb’s retreating back, “No, that’s impossible. My Hazel wouldn’t do that. You’re lying to me.” As she spoke, her tone grew furious. “Caleb, you heartless man, how could you spread rumors about my daughter!” The butler sneered. “Why are you still holding on? Mr. Caldwell said your daughter ran off with an old man. You should leave and never show your face here again.” “Your daughter is no good; don’t embarrass yourself here.” Mom’s emotions began to spiral out of control. “How dare you! My daughter isn’t like that!” She was pushed out of the gated community by the staff. The butler spoke to the security guards, ensuring Mom would never be allowed back in. Mom turned, utterly distraught. Faintly, she could hear the staff’s mocking laughter from behind. “Her daughter has no taste, abandoning Mr. Caldwell for an old man.” “I wonder how that old woman even dared to show up.” “Like mother, like daughter. Both shameless.” Mom’s face instantly paled, her lips bitten blue. Her recovering body couldn’t withstand this ordeal. Her vision blurred, and she felt a sudden dizziness before collapsing straight onto the ground. My eyes burned red, and I screamed, “Mom! Mom! Wake up! “Someone help! Please, someone help my mom!” My heart felt like it was being cruelly squeezed. So, even a soul could experience such intense emotional turmoil. A security guard nearby saw her and immediately called 91

When the ambulance arrived, I followed Mom into the vehicle. At the hospital, Briar also received the call and rushed over. Fortunately, everything turned out to be okay. I floated aimlessly in the hallway. At the end of the corridor were two familiar figures. Caleb looked up, and our eyes met. I instinctively wanted to rush back to the hospital room. But then I remembered I was a spirit now; he couldn’t see me. I drifted closer. I clearly heard Caleb’s mother’s voice. “You still haven’t forgotten Hazel, have you? Why don’t you try to find her and bring her back?” My nails dug into my palms. If it hadn’t been for that specific year, Caleb’s mom wouldn’t have actually opposed us being together. Caleb heard her and spoke indifferently, “She dumped me back then. She didn’t love me. Why would I want her back?” My lips pressed together, a lump in my throat. I desperately wanted to say that wasn’t how it was. I pinned my hopes on Caleb’s mom, wishing she would reveal the truth. Caleb’s mom looked at him with concern. “You’re just being stubborn. If you’d truly moved on, you wouldn’t have rushed to the hospital so quickly.” She sighed. “Ah, maybe you two were never meant to be. Otherwise, why would your apartment have caught fire the night you left for abroad? It must be fate!” My heart felt like a bucket of ice water had been poured over it. Was this truly fate? Caleb impatiently stood up. “Stop talking about her. She’s a heartless person. She wouldn’t even show up if her own mother collapsed.” I knelt on the floor, looking up at Caleb’s retreating back, feeling a surge of unprecedented injustice. 4 Caleb and I met in college. From sophomore to senior year, we dated for almost three years. Everyone said Caleb was lucky, that with his good looks, he’d snagged a rich girl from the Cloud family. The year we graduated, my dad passed away. Our family fortunes plummeted. Mom suffered a sudden illness and was hospitalized due to the immense stress. We were deep in debt. It was also around this time that Caleb received an acceptance letter from a university abroad. He wanted to stay for me, to work and help our family pay off our debts. He said, “Hazel, no matter what happens, I’ll be by your side.” “You don’t have to worry about these debts; I’ll figure something out.” Hearing those words, I couldn’t help but be deeply moved. When everyone thought the internet market was saturated, he found a new path and innovative ways to play. He was pulling all-nighters constantly back then. When he handed me the first significant money he’d earned, he grinned like a kid who’d just won the grand prize. Everyone in our circle whispered that I’d hit the jackpot, landing a guy as incredible as Caleb. Even my best friend was a little jealous, lamenting how great it would be if Caleb were her boyfriend. Rain poured outside as I took the bank card from Caleb’s hand. Right in front of him, I threw it on the ground and stomped on it fiercely twice. I didn’t pause, afraid my emotions would crumble. Caleb’s eyes widened in pure shock. Even if he was confused or angry, he didn’t let it show. He just quietly picked up the card from my feet, carefully wiped it clean, and stubbornly placed it back in my hand. “Hazel, I know this isn’t enough yet, but please take it. We’ll pay off all the debts in less than three years.” My lips began to tremble uncontrollably. I fought hard to maintain control. I flung the card at Caleb. It grazed his face, leaving a red mark on his cheek. I ignored the disappointment in his eyes, looking down at him. “Caleb! Don’t you get it? I don’t need your card! And I can’t wait three years for you!” “I’ve been pampered my whole life; I’m used to the good life. I don’t want to shoulder these debts for even one day!” “I’ve already found a new option.” I spoke vaguely, wanting to leave myself a way out for the future. Caleb picked up the card again, but this time he didn’t hand it to me. He lowered his head. “Is it Mr. Thompson?” Hearing Mr. Thompson’s name, my mind went blank for a moment. Then I realized it must have been my best friend who told him. Because she had seen Mr. Thompson and me leaving a hotel. She wanted to use that to make Caleb leave me. I stayed silent. When he didn’t get an answer, Caleb’s jaw tightened. “Hazel! Do you even know what you’re doing? That man is old enough to be your dad!” “Snap!” A slap landed on his face. It instantly turned red, merging with the earlier mark. “Caleb, my business is none of yours! Mr. Thompson can pay off all our family’s debts right now. Can you?” “I was just playing around with you. I never liked a poor kid like you anyway.” With those words, we were completely over. He packed his bags and left the country. I thought we would eventually meet again, and then I would explain the misunderstanding. But before I died, looking at the plane in the sky, I knew we were destined to be separated by life and death. I could never explain it to him now. 5 I floated back to the hospital room; Mom had already woken up. Briar held her hand, cautioning, “Mom, don’t walk so far alone anymore.” “And don’t… don’t look for Caleb either…” Mom slowly nodded. “I know. Hazel must be sad because of the breakup, so she’s staying abroad and doesn’t want to come back.” “I’m a little hungry. Could you get me something to eat?” Briar stood up, turned, and left the room. Mom stared at the empty air in the room, her clouded eyes filled with tears. “Hazel… I thought I heard your voice…” My tears flowed uncontrollably. Mom’s consciousness returned, and she gave a self-deprecating laugh. “But my Hazel is still abroad. How could I hear your voice? Mom must just be missing you too much, having hallucinations.” But I felt it was enough, even if Mom thought it was a hallucination. At the same time, my soul seemed to fade a little. I couldn’t foresee my death, but now, I could feel my time floating in this world entering a countdown. After bringing Mom her meal, Briar left again in a hurry. I knew she had to go home to prepare things for her street food stall at the night market. The former Miss Cloud, now busy like a spinning top just to make ends meet. And I, a mere observer, could do nothing but feel guilt. After confirming Mom was perfectly fine, I followed Briar, watching her prepare the ingredients for her crepes. I remembered her boasting at my tombstone after learning how to make them. “Hazel, look, this is just like the crepes from your favorite shop by the university.” “Every time we passed it, you’d clamor for one, always with extra ham.” “I specially learned from their owner, and it tastes exactly the same.” “You’ll have a treat now; I’ll bring them to you often.” When she first started her stall, she was very clumsy. Now, she had many repeat customers and several customer groups. I watched the passing crowds, seeing the long line at Briar’s stall, and felt a profound sense of peace. A young boy looked up. “Big sister, I want a hundred crepes.” Briar looked at him helplessly. “Little one, go tell Leo I’m not making him a hundred crepes.” I smiled. Leo and Briar were childhood sweethearts. If our family hadn’t suffered misfortune, they would have been engaged that year. Leo’s mom didn’t approve of Briar, and Briar, with her fierce independence, found herself in a deadlock with Leo. Leo tried every way possible to help Briar, but she refused all his attempts. He just kept waiting for her. Sometimes I would float to Leo’s house, wanting to see if he was a good man. After staying for a while, I found that Leo was building his own business, intending to break free from his family’s control. He politely turned down advances from women at business dinners. Almost every day, he would make time to watch Briar work from a distance. That’s when I learned that true, unwavering love really exists. Maybe I once had it too, but I lost it. 6 Briar was ready to close up around one in the morning. I squatted on the ground, counting how much ham was left in Briar’s box. My mouth watered, but I couldn’t taste it. “I heard this place tastes exactly like the crepe stall by the university.”

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