The day the cruise ship sank, raging fire and thick smoke billowed. Everyone fought frantically for the last lifeboat spot. I clung to the railing, my knuckles white, but Seraphina, right beside me, acted as if I wasn’t even there. She frantically searched through the crowd for my younger brother, Caleb Stone. Finally, she shielded him in her arms and pushed him onto the lifeboat. When she looked back at me, the tenderness in her eyes vanished. “Caleb isn’t mentally stable; he can’t handle this.” “But I’m your therapist. I know your willpower—it’s incredibly strong.” She promised, “Once he’s settled, I’ll be right back for you.” But even as the ship exploded, and I was dragged into the icy waves, my mind fading, before I completely sank, her figure never appeared. Years later, we met again. Seraphina looked at the child I was holding, her eyes blazing red as she gripped my wrist. “I told you to wait for me! How dare you have a child with another woman?!” Seven years later, I stepped onto the ferry heading for that very ocean again. The sea air tasted salty and raw, whipping up waves that crashed against the hull with a dull thud, an echo of that sinking ship’s final wail seven years ago. I stood on the deck, my son Leo’s hand in mine. This time, it wasn’t for sightseeing, but for a formal farewell to the past. I was back, a new man. “Daddy, the ocean is so big!” Leo looked up, his small face beaming with excitement, pointing at the distant seagulls. I ruffled his hair, smiling, the gloom in my heart lifting a little with his cheerful laughter. But that calm was shattered by a disbelieving female voice. “Liam Stone?” My body froze. The voice seemed to come from a century away, blurry and distant. I hadn’t seen Seraphina in seven years. Instinctively, I pulled Leo closer, turning to duck into the cabin. But Seraphina was faster. She lunged forward, gripping my wrist in an iron vice. I looked up, meeting those familiar eyes. Once, they held so much tenderness. Now, only raw fury burned there. Her gaze dropped to Leo beside me, her pupils instantly shrinking. “A child?” Her voice trembled. “I told you to wait for me. Is this how you waited?” “How dare you have a child with another woman?!” She shrieked, drawing the stares of curious passengers around us. Leo, terrified by her distorted face, went pale. He clung to my leg, whimpering, “Daddy, I’m scared…” My heart ached. I pulled my son protectively into my arms and coldly yanked my wrist free. “Ms. Blackwood, please show some respect. We’re long past having any relationship.” “No relationship?” Her bloodshot eyes were filled with mockery. “Liam Stone, is your heart made of stone? I searched for you for seven years! Seven years! You hid away, had a kid with some other woman, and now you’re telling me we have no relationship?” Before she could finish, a tall, slender figure rushed forward and tightly hooked an arm around hers. It was my dear brother, Caleb Stone. He looked at me, a flicker of venom flashing in his eyes. “Bro, it’s really you! We all thought you…” He choked up mid-sentence, his eyes welling with tears at just the right moment. “It’s so wonderful you’re alive!” “We took this ferry because Sera wanted to come mourn you. We searched for you for seven years, we thought you were already…” He put on a performance of genuine emotion, then his tone shifted. His gaze lingered on me ambiguously, and he spoke with clear insinuation: “Bro, where have you been all these years? When the ship went down, did you get stranded on some deserted island all alone, with some wild woman…?” He didn’t finish, but his scornful look said everything he left unsaid. Seraphina’s face darkened further at his words. She looked at me as if I were something vile. “I kept myself pure for you for seven years, and you debased yourself like this!” She pointed at the ocean, her face contorted in anguish. “I came here every year, hoping to find a trace of you! But where were you? Living it up somewhere else!”

Her twisted version of events made me laugh, a bitter, angry sound. She was the one who pushed me into the abyss, and now she dared to question me, playing the victim. How dare she? Seeing my cold silence, her emotions flared even more. She reached out, ready to grab me. “Tell me, who is that woman?!” I dodged her, wanting nothing more than to get my son away from this toxic scene. Just then, her gaze locked onto the red string on my wrist. Instantly, her expression softened, a triumphant smile touching her lips. She smiled, a smile of absolute certainty. “I knew it,” her voice softened. “You still care for me. You kept this red string.” A wave of pure disgust welled up inside me. She thought I’d spent seven years, wearing her love token, yearning for her return. But she didn’t know the one she gave me had snapped and vanished the moment I plunged into the freezing depths, just like my dying heart. This red string on my wrist was given to me by someone else. A woman who reached out to me when I was lost in the depths of despair. Seeing my silence, Seraphina’s smile widened. She confidently reached out to touch the red string, but I sidestepped, avoiding her hand. Her hand froze in mid-air, her face coloring slightly, but she quickly plastered on that facade of deep affection. “Liam, I know you’re still angry with me. But I had no choice back then.” She glanced at Caleb, who looked somewhat helpless beside her. “Caleb… you know, he can’t be without me.” Caleb immediately lowered his head, trembling slightly, playing his part. “Bro, don’t blame Sera. It’s all my fault… If it wasn’t to save me, you wouldn’t have…” I was too tired to argue with them. I just wanted to leave with my son. “Leo’s feeling a bit seasick. I need to take him to rest.” My voice was ice cold. “Bro, now that we’ve found you, how can you not come home with us? Mom and Dad have missed you for seven years, they’ve cried their eyes out, practically blind from weeping!” Caleb immediately grabbed me, putting on a show of being a dutiful son. “Can you really bear to let them keep grieving?” He brought up our parents, and I couldn’t refuse. After all, they were my parents. Even if they’d caused me endless pain, the ties of blood were still impossible to sever. I hesitated for a moment, then nodded. Seeing this, Seraphina immediately tried to eagerly help with my luggage, but I coldly refused her. Her expression faltered. Caleb seized the moment, hooking his arm through hers, and mouthed silently to me: *See? She’s still mine.* I just found it pathetic. What he wanted, I had long since stopped caring about. The plane landed in Coast City. Back in that familiar yet strange home, my parents were overjoyed to see me, tears streaming down their faces. They hugged me, repeatedly checking if I was truly safe and sound. “It’s good you’re back, so good you’re back, my son…” My mother sobbed, breathless. This long-lost warmth made me waver for a moment, as if all those neglected years were just a nightmare. However, a single sentence from Caleb instantly slammed me back to reality. “Mom, Dad, look, big brother didn’t just come back himself, he brought a kid too.” He pushed Leo forward with a beaming smile, his tone innocent yet utterly venomous: “Big brother is really something, surviving alone overseas, must’ve been tough, huh? I hear things are pretty open over there… easy to accidentally become a dad, with such a big kid at such a young age.” The air instantly froze. The surprise and affection on my parents’ faces froze, replaced by pure disgust in their eyes when they looked at me. They believed him. Just like before. They didn’t hesitate to believe Caleb’s most vicious slander against me. Leo couldn’t understand the adults’ complicated expressions. He only knew these were the grandparents he’d learned about in his books. He looked up with his innocent little face, opening his arms and babbling sweetly, “Grandpa, Grandma, hug.” The child’s pure smile seemed to melt the ice in my parents’ hearts. They hesitated for a moment, then bent down and picked up Leo. Caleb saw this and shot me a venomous glare.

That evening, after I settled Leo to sleep, Caleb pushed open the door and walked in. The facade he wore during the day was gone, replaced by raw, naked jealousy. “Liam Stone, why didn’t you just die out there? Why did you have to come back?!” He hissed, his face twisted in a snarl. “To steal Sera from me, to steal Mom and Dad’s affection?!” I watched him calmly, like he was nothing more than a petulant clown. “I didn’t come back to fight you for anything. This home, too, take it all if you want. I don’t care.” “You don’t care?” He cackled shrilly, “If you don’t care, then why is Sera still obsessed with you? If you don’t care, what’s with that red string on your wrist? Don’t think I don’t know, Sera knitted that for you herself!” I said calmly, “The old me would have fought you. Because I thought those were the only life rafts I had.” “But now I understand. Something that’s already rotten, no matter how tightly you cling to it, will only drag you down with it.” My calmness completely enraged him. “Don’t act so high and mighty! Liam Stone, don’t forget, everything you have today, I gave you! If it weren’t for me, you’d have died in the hands of traffickers!” His words were like a sharp knife, brutally tearing open my already scarred wound. Bleeding profusely. When I was seven, he and I were both kidnapped. On the run, the traffickers caught up to us. I desperately clung to the trafficker’s leg, biting off a chunk of flesh with all my might, screaming for him to run, to go find Mom and Dad to save me. I thought he was going for help. In that dark, foul-smelling cellar, I was tortured beyond recognition, praying day and night for someone to save me. I waited for a long, long time. It wasn’t until the traffickers snatched another little girl in a pretty dress, and her family used immense power to track them down, that I was incidentally rescued. Only when I got home did I realize Caleb hadn’t gone for help at all. He told Mom and Dad that I’d wandered off by myself, being too playful. When I confronted him, he cried, saying he was too scared, too scared to speak. And my parents just held their trembling son, then turned around and blamed me: “Your brother is scared stiff. You’re back safe and sound, isn’t that enough? Why are you still holding this against him? Ultimately, wasn’t it your own fault for running off that you got kidnapped in the first place!” From that day on, nightmares plagued me every night—the traffickers’ gruesome faces, my helpless screams. I developed severe PTSD. Mom and Dad finally felt a flicker of guilt towards me. But just then, Caleb claimed he was also sick, that he had nightmares every night too. And so, all their care and affection were once again poured onto him. While I became the gloomy, paranoid, unlikable son. Until Seraphina appeared. She was my therapist. She patiently listened to all my pain, gently guiding me out of the darkness. I clung to her like a drowning man to a straw, falling in love with her. But that salvation soured the day Caleb started seeing her for therapy too. She started calling me paranoid and suspicious, saying I was jealous of my brother, claiming I was just seeking sympathy. Later, we had a huge fight because Caleb deliberately harmed my pet dog, and we got into a car accident. I instinctively shielded her, but ended up with a leg injury, walking with a slight limp. She embraced me, full of guilt, promising she would treat me well from then on. I believed her. It wasn’t until that burning cruise ship, when she chose Caleb without hesitation, leaving me alone in a despairing inferno, that I truly woke up. A person rotten to the core could never bloom into a flower facing the sun. I looked at the hysterical Caleb before me, my eyes ice cold. “You’re right. Everything I am, everything I’ve become, is thanks to you.” I said, every word dripping with ice, “So, what you owe me? I’ll collect it all back. Every single cent, with interest!” He was stunned by the cold in my eyes, frozen in place. Finally, with a bravado that quickly faded into fear, he spat, “You just wait,” and stormed out.

The next morning, I woke up to an empty bed beside me. Leo was gone. My heart clenched. A wave of immense panic instantly seized me. I burst out of the room, searching frantically through the house. “Leo! Leo, where are you?!” In the living room, Caleb was leisurely sipping coffee. Seeing my distraught appearance, a triumphant, cold smirk played on his lips. “Bro, what are you looking for so early? Did your little bastard son go missing?” I lunged forward, grabbing his collar, my eyes blazing red. “Where did you take Leo?!” “I don’t know.” He blinked innocently, but the defiance in his eyes was crystal clear. “Maybe he missed his wild woman mom and ran off to find her? After all, a bastard child is always starved for love.” “Caleb!” I shrieked hysterically. “I’ll kill you!” Just then, the front door swung open, and Seraphina walked in. What she saw was me, tearing at Caleb like a madman. While Caleb wore a look of utter grievance, his eyes rimmed red. “Liam Stone! What madness are you on about now?!” Seraphina rushed over, shoving me away forcefully, pulling Caleb protectively into her arms, her face filled with concern. “Why do you always have to target Caleb like this? What has he ever done to deserve this from you?!” I stumbled backward from her shove, hitting the wall. A searing pain shot through my leg. But at that moment, I couldn’t care less. My hands shaking, I pulled out my phone and dialed the number I knew by heart. The call was answered almost instantly. A calm female voice came through. “Liam, what’s wrong?” “Anya…” My voice choked, I could barely speak. “Leo… Leo’s gone!” “Don’t be afraid.” The voice on the other end instantly turned utterly calm. “Stay right where you are. I’m on my way. Tell me the address.” I hung up, feeling as if all my strength had drained away, collapsing to the floor. Seraphina looked at me, her eyes filled with contempt and disdain. “Keep acting. Go on, keep it up.” She sneered, “Liam Stone, your tactics are still so pathetic. To provoke me, you not only got a child, but now you’ve got a woman pretending to be your wife?” “What, did you rent that kid? Is the lease up today, so now you’re claiming he’s missing?” Caleb burst into an exaggerated laugh, echoing, “Yeah, bro, your acting is totally fake. Sera, don’t fall for it. He just wants to make you jealous, he wants you back.” Seeing the nauseating faces of the couple before me, pure rage consumed me. “If anything happens to Leo,” I lifted my head, glaring at both of them with burning hatred, “I’ll make your lives a living hell!” Seraphina scoffed, about to launch another taunt, when the front door burst open with a loud bang. A group of bodyguards in black suits streamed in, quickly securing the entire living room. Immediately after, a figure walked in, silhouetted against the light. She walked straight to me, took off her coat and draped it over me, then gently helped me up from the cold floor and pulled me into her embrace. Then, she lifted her eyes, her sharp gaze sweeping over Seraphina and Caleb, who stood frozen. Her thin lips parted, her voice chilling. “When my husband wants to make someone’s life a living hell, does he need to put on an act?” The entire living room fell into a deathly silence. The mockery on Seraphina’s face instantly froze, her whole body rigid with shock.

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In my past life, I took the fall for the Reed family’s foster son and served five years in prison. But the day I was released, I was greeted by his extravagant birthday party. The Reeds stripped me naked and threw me into a snowdrift, leaving me to freeze to death. When I opened my eyes again, I was five years old, on the very day my biological parents, the Reeds, were supposed to take me home. That’s when my sister, Brooke Reed, suddenly burst out. She stood fiercely in the doorway, a desperate barrier, pointing at my tattered clothes. “Dad, Mom, don’t bring him back! He’ll destroy our family!” Seeing her reaction, so utterly different from my past life, I instantly knew she had been reborn too. After my parents left, looking disappointed, she walked up to me and forcefully shoved a piece of candy into my hand, her voice like ice, sharp and cutting. “The Reeds have enough with one son, Tyler.” “You, you menace. This time, you should just rot out here.” I squeezed the candy tightly, my nails almost piercing my palm. She was right. In her eyes, in my past life, my only purpose was to ward off misfortune for the Reed family, to step up and take the blame whenever Tyler got into trouble. Now that she had a second chance, she foresaw that my existence, this stain, would ruin the Reed family’s reputation. So, this useless thing that I was, naturally had no reason to return to the Reed home. I smiled, but my tears betrayed me, streaming down against my will. I fiercely wiped them away, telling myself that Alex Reed was dead. The person alive now was *me*. I turned and walked back to my quiet corner of the orphanage. Not long after, a black sedan pulled up at the entrance. Director Thompson led a distinguished elderly woman, with elegant white hair, inside. All the children in the orphanage erupted in excitement, like a flock of excited birds, chirping and fluttering around her, each desperate to show off. “Hello, Grandma!” “Grandma, I’ll sing for you!” “Grandma, look at my drawing!” Only I remained, quiet in an inconspicuous corner, feeling like an outsider. The old woman noticed me. She gently pushed through the crowd, leaning on a dark wooden cane, and walked step by step toward me. “Little one, why are you sitting here all by yourself? Don’t they like you?” I shook my head, looked up, and held out the candy in my hand, which had grown warm from my tight grip. “Grandma, have some candy.” I tried my best to appear calm and mature, far beyond my years. She paused, clearly surprised. She took the candy, unwrapped it, and put it in her mouth, a relaxed smile spreading across her face. “Hmm, very sweet.” She looked at me deeply, then asked, “What’s your name?” “Director Thompson calls me Alex.” “Alex…” She repeated my name, then nodded. “Do you want to come home with me, little one? Be my grandson.” The room instantly fell silent. All the children’s gazes locked onto me, filled with burning envy. I didn’t hesitate for a second, nodding forcefully. “I do.” She burst into hearty laughter, her voice ringing out. “Good! Excellent! From today on, your name is Alex Vance.” She took my hand, her palm warm and dry. “Knowing the law and understanding speech, discerning right from wrong.” “My child, Grandma hopes you will become a person who upholds justice and fairness.” I understood the weight of her words, her high hopes. She was none other than the retired legal titan, a former Supreme Court Justice – Justice Eleanor Vance. In that moment, I tightly clutched her hand. I became the most cherished grandson of the Vance family. Grandma Vance treasured me like precious jade, personally teaching me legal principles and logic, taking me to observe court trials, and opening up a whole new world for me. My aunts and uncles in the Vance family, though all busy legal elites, always brought me various law books and fascinating case studies whenever they returned home, showing genuine care. The one who doted on me the most was my older sister, Scarlett Vance, ten years my senior. The first time she saw me, she took off her wire-rimmed glasses, a gentle smile gracing her beautiful face. “No one touches our precious little brother, Alex.” That was a phrase she often said. Surrounded by such immense love, I almost forgot the pain of my past life. I studied diligently. From law school to the bar exam, my grades were always top of the class. Debate trophies from various mock trials filled my room. Twenty years later, I became the youngest and most renowned star prosecutor in the country.

My days were calm and fulfilling. I thought the Reed family would vanish from my life forever. Until that day, when my assistant knocked on my office door. “Mr. Vance, there’s a Ms. Brooke Reed outside. She specifically asked to see you.” “She said she wants to hire you as a consultant for a major commercial fraud case her corporation is involved in.” Hearing that name, my heart still gave an uncontrollable lurch. I took a deep breath, suppressing the surge of emotion, my voice calm and steady. “Let her in.” A tall woman, dressed in a sharp business suit, walked in. Her face had shed the awkwardness of youth, becoming even more captivating and refined. Brooke froze the moment she saw me. Her deep-set eyes were wide with shock and disbelief. She never would have imagined that the rising legal star she had gone to such lengths to hire would be me, the boy she had personally abandoned twenty years ago. After a long moment, she finally found her voice, her tone full of doubt. “You… you’re Alex Vance, the prosecutor?” I nodded. “Ms. Reed, please have a seat. However, you might be mistaken. I am a prosecutor; I don’t handle private cases.” She seemed not to hear me, scrutinizing me instead. “Are you really a prosecutor? How confident are you that you can handle our case well?” Her attitude made it sound like I was some kind of charlatan chasing fame. My assistant, Chloe, could barely stand it, blurting out, “Ma’am, Mr. Vance is one of the top prosecutors in our system. His time is extremely valuable…” I looked at Brooke, a faint, almost imperceptible curve on my lips. “It seems Ms. Reed doesn’t have much faith in my professional abilities.” “In that case, this meeting is over.” “Chloe, please show our guest out.” Brooke’s face instantly darkened. She gritted her teeth, but in the end, said nothing, turning and slamming the door behind her as she left. Chloe stomped her foot in frustration. “Mr. Vance, that woman is so rude! Who does she think she is?!” I just smiled nonchalantly. “It’s fine, just a client who doesn’t know what’s what.” For me, it truly was just a trivial little incident. After work, Brooke suddenly appeared at the entrance of the Department of Justice building, blocking my way. Her face held a complex, somber expression. I instantly frowned. “Something wrong?” She stared at me, her gaze unyielding. After a long silence, she squeezed out a sentence through gritted teeth. “Alex Reed, I’m warning you.” “No matter who you are now, don’t even think about using this case to harm Tyler.” I almost laughed in exasperation. Twenty years ago, she had cruelly prevented me from returning to my biological family. Now, she was calling me Alex Reed again. She came to me herself, yet her first impulse was to warn me not to harm Tyler? Why did she think I would waste my time on someone like him? I looked at her as if she were an unreasonable lunatic. “Ms. Reed, my surname is Vance, and my name is Alex Vance. Please don’t get it wrong.” “Furthermore, I don’t know you, and I certainly don’t know your brother.” “As a prosecutor, my duty is to uphold justice, not to frame others.” “So, why would I harm a complete stranger I don’t even know?” Brooke froze, a flicker of bewilderment crossing her face. “You… you don’t remember me?” She seemed unable to accept this fact, her voice unconsciously rising. “Twenty years ago, at the orphanage entrance! I was the one who stopped you…” She stopped mid-sentence, seemingly finding her past actions too shameful to articulate. I watched her embarrassment, feeling only speechlessness and disgust. Of course, I remembered. I remembered every look of revulsion she gave me, every hateful word she uttered. I remembered how she had personally pushed me away, severing all my illusions of family affection. But I chose to pretend I didn’t. I feigned a moment of deep thought, then adopted an expression of dawning realization. “Ohh—” I deliberately drew out the sound. “So it was you.” I looked at her, smiling innocently. “I’m really sorry, but events from twenty years ago are so distant. I’ve long forgotten them.” “After all, I have so many important case files to review every day. Who has time to remember petty little things?”

Brooke’s face instantly turned ugly. Petty little things? In her eyes, that had been a momentous event that determined my destiny. This hurt her more than any direct insult. She bit her lip, unwilling to concede. “Don’t play dumb with me!” “Are you telling me you’re not holding a grudge because I prevented the Reeds from adopting you back then, and now you’re looking for a chance to get revenge on me and my brother?” I finally couldn’t help but scoff. “Ms. Reed, are you perhaps a little too self-important?” I dropped my smile, my eyes turning cold. “Revenge on you? Are you even worth it?” “If anything, I should thank you. If you hadn’t been so determined to stop them back then, how would I have had the chance to become Justice Eleanor Vance’s grandson?” “How would I have achieved what I have now?” “So, I’m too busy being grateful to you. Why would I hate you?” Every word I spoke was light and casual, yet they landed like knives, piercing deeply into Brooke’s heart. She was utterly speechless, her face fluctuating between green and white. “Eleanor Vance? Don’t you dare spout nonsense here!” She seemed to have grasped some leverage, immediately retorting with sarcasm. “You think just because your name is Vance, you’re related to the Justice? Dream on! Someone like you could never get through the Vance family’s front door!” The moment her words fell silent. A black Bentley glided silently to a stop beside us. The car door opened, and a tall, elegant woman stepped out. She quickly walked to my side, naturally draping a trench coat over my shoulders. She didn’t even spare Brooke a glance, simply gently ruffling my hair. “Alex, why are you still here? Grandma’s getting impatient.” Then, her gaze finally fell on Brooke. “Little brother, who is this?” I linked arms with Scarlett Vance, smiling brightly. “Oh, it’s nothing, Sis. Just a client who wanted to consult about a case and chatted with me for a bit.” Brooke was utterly frozen in place. She stared incredulously at Scarlett and me, at our intimate gestures, then at the luxury car that proclaimed their status. She wasn’t foolish. Of course, she recognized Scarlett Vance, the founder of the country’s top law firm, Vance & Co. And of course, she knew that Scarlett Vance had a younger brother, cherished by the entire Vance family. But she never in her wildest dreams imagined that brother would be *me*. Unbidden, the image of the young man in a prison uniform from her past life, his eyes vacant as he looked at her through the glass in the visitation room, flashed in her mind. And now, that same young man was smiling, linking arms with another woman, and sweetly calling her “Sis.” While she was still in a daze, I had already gotten into Scarlett Vance’s car. The next day, my assistant told me that Brooke Reed was trying to use various connections to have her corporation’s case transferred to the Department of Justice where I worked, hoping I would intervene as the prosecutor. Chloe tidied up my documents while complaining. “Mr. Vance, is this Brooke Reed crazy?” “The day before yesterday, she looked like she didn’t trust you at all, and today she’s practically throwing herself at you again.” “I bet she just realized you’re a Vance and wants to climb the social ladder!” I merely smiled, saying nothing. I signed my name on the case transfer request. I wanted to see what kind of act she was planning now.

At three in the afternoon, the entire Reed family, including Tyler, arrived promptly at my office. This time, they were summoned as family members of a suspect in the case. Twenty years hadn’t changed Tyler. He was still meticulously dressed, maintaining that innocent, delicate look that made people instinctively want to protect him. Brooke’s attitude was a hundred times more respectful than last time. “Mr. Vance, I was too impulsive last time. I apologize.” Mr. and Mrs. Reed stood awkwardly beside her, their eyes on me filled with complex emotions. I couldn’t be bothered with them. My gaze fell directly on Tyler. “The suspect stays. Family, please wait outside.” The office door closed, shutting out their sight. Only Tyler and I remained in the room. The innocent, pale look on his face vanished instantly. In its place was an undisguised expression of jealousy and malice. He eyed me up and down, a mocking smile playing on his lips. “Alex Reed. No, I should call you Alex Vance.” “Who would’ve thought, you’re really hard to kill.” “Thrown out by our family, and you still managed to climb up the Vance family’s high branches. What a skill.” I looked at him calmly, as if watching a pathetic clown. “Tyler Reed, this is an interrogation. Please maintain your composure.” My coldness seemed to infuriate him. He leaned back in his chair, continuing to provoke me with a sharp, sarcastic tone. “What? Being a prosecutor makes you special? Don’t you still have to watch enviously as I live a better life than you?” “Let me tell you, what if you’re a Vance now?” “In my sister’s heart, you’ll never compare to even my little finger!” “She only asked for you because she didn’t know you were *the* Mr. Vance. Don’t flatter yourself!”

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The day Eleanor and I got married, the man who had taken my place committed suicide. By our second year of marriage, that event had completely torn us apart. She hated that I, the true heir, had returned and caused Brandon Montgomery’s death. I resented her for still clinging to the man who had usurped my identity for twenty years. For ten years, we attacked each other with the vilest words, cursing each other to hell. Until an earthquake hit. She shielded me with her body, her spine bearing the brunt, creating a path for me to survive. The ceiling beam crashed down, leaving her a bloody mess. As she lay dying, she whispered in my ear, “If I had known he would die, I wish I’d never brought you home.” “If there’s a next life, I only want you as my family.” Ultimately, I died in the aftershocks. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day she brought me to meet my birth family. She suddenly pulled back. “Julian, I made a mistake. The Montgomery family’s son, lost twenty years ago, isn’t you.”

Eleanor blocked my path outside the Montgomery family’s mansion, her face a mix of struggle and grim determination. I said nothing, but instantly, a vision flashed before my eyes: steel and concrete crashing down, her bloodied spine, and her words whispered into my ear. “If I had known he would die, I wish I’d never brought you home.” So, this was her choice. In another life, she’d choose to abandon me from the very start. Fine by me. Those ten years of hellish marriage in my previous life—she hated me, I resented her. We tortured each other day and night, finding release only in death. Now, to be able to cut all of it off at the source, I felt a strange sense of relief. I looked at her and calmly nodded. “Okay.” A flicker of surprise crossed Eleanor’s eyes; all her prepared arguments got stuck in her throat. “What did you say?” she almost instinctively blurted out. “I said I understand,” I repeated. “Since it was a mistake, let’s just leave it at that. Thanks for bringing me here; I should head back to school.” With that, I turned to leave. But her hand shot out, grabbing my arm. “Julian!” She sharply called out my name, her voice laced with a hint of panic. “What kind of attitude is that? Didn’t you always want to find your family? Now that I’m saying you’re not, you’re giving up so easily?!” I turned back to her, finding it somewhat amusing. She’d gone to great lengths to lie, precisely because she wanted me to give up, didn’t she? Now that I was doing exactly what she wanted, she wasn’t satisfied. “What else?” I countered. “Eleanor, are you telling me that what you said wasn’t the truth, and I actually *am* the Montgomery family’s real son?” Upon hearing that, the panic in her eyes intensified, and her grip on my arm tightened unconsciously. She lowered her gaze, not letting me see her expression. “Let’s just drop this. Don’t ever bring it up again, and don’t go near the Montgomery family.” “I understand.” I pulled my hand free, rubbing my wrist where her grip had left it red. “I won’t bring it up again, and I won’t go near them. Eleanor, are you satisfied now?” She looked at my empty hand, as if she’d lost something important, her expression momentarily bewildered. She didn’t know I’d been reborn too. In this life, I wouldn’t step through that door again, wouldn’t become a Montgomery, and certainly wouldn’t… become her husband again. She wanted to protect her childhood friend, to complete their world. I’d gladly hand it to her. “I’m leaving.” I didn’t look at her again, turning towards the bus stop. Behind me, Eleanor’s voice chased after me, tinged with irritation. “Stop! I’ll drive you back.” Eleanor didn’t take me back to my school dorm. Instead, she drove straight to a luxury apartment in the city center. I watched the rapidly receding streetlights outside the window, understanding perfectly. In my previous life, after we married, this had been our home. It had held our tenderest moments, and it had also witnessed how we slowly became a resentful couple, eventually consumed by hatred. The car stopped. She unbuckled her seatbelt and turned to face me. In the dim light of the car, her expression was unreadable, but her tone had softened considerably, unlike her harsh voice at the Montgomery mansion gate earlier. “Let’s go inside. We need to talk.”

I followed her into the apartment. The familiar decor, the minimalist design with cool tones – just like her, elegant and aloof. Only this time, I felt not a trace of the fondness I once had. She pulled a bottle of water from the fridge and tossed it to me, then walked to the floor-to-ceiling window and lit a slender cigarette. White smoke curled, forming a hazy mist that seemed to separate us. “Julian, I know you’re upset,” she began, her voice muffled through the smoke. “I didn’t handle the situation with your identity well. But Brandon’s mental state is very unstable right now. He… can’t handle any more stress.” Always Brandon Montgomery. I lowered my eyes, twisted open the cap, and silently took a sip of water. The cold liquid slid down my throat, but it couldn’t quell the bitter surge in my heart. She’d said the same thing in my previous life. She’d said Brandon had a history of self-harm, that he was fragile, and asked me to be more accommodating after I was reunited with my family. I listened. I let him have all of Eleanor’s favoritism. I even chose to back down and stay silent during his countless unreasonable provocations. Yet, he used a suicide attempt to condemn my marriage with Eleanor to a ten-year life sentence. Seeing my silence, Eleanor assumed I was still upset about not being able to join the Montgomery family. She put out her cigarette with a sigh of resignation. She turned, walked over to me, and looked up slightly at me sitting on the couch, a hint of reassurance in her eyes. “Please, don’t be mad at me, okay?” Her voice was soft as she reached out and covered my hand holding the water bottle. “I admit, I messed up today. I gave you false hope.” “Whatever compensation you want, just name it. Anything I can give, I will.” She paused, her voice turning earnest. “But the Montgomery family… let’s just put that out of our minds for now, alright?” Her guard was completely down; the love for me practically poured from her eyes. I saw it clearly: she was truly afraid of my anger, afraid of me leaving her. But this love came at the cost of my identity. I looked up, meeting her gaze, and a sudden urge to laugh overcame me. “I don’t want anything.” I calmly pulled my hand away, a movement that dimmed the light in her eyes for a moment. “Don’t worry. Even if the Montgomery family came begging on their knees, offering their entire fortune, I wouldn’t spare them a glance.” “You don’t need to apologize. You don’t owe me anything. Let’s just end this between us.” Eleanor’s brows furrowed tightly. She suddenly stood up straight, her face instantly turning cold. “End this? Julian, are you playing games with me? Because I didn’t let you go back to the Montgomery family, you’re trying to force my hand like this?” She leaned in close, hands braced on the sofa beside me, trapping me in her presence. “I only told you not to go back to the Montgomery family. I didn’t say I was breaking up with you! We can be like before. No, I’ll be even better to you than before!” I looked at her and suddenly felt incredibly tired. She thought that by stripping me of my “true Montgomery heir” identity, we could return to square one, loving each other safely. But she didn’t know that the root of our tragedy was never about whether I returned to the Montgomery family or not. “Eleanor,” I pushed her away, stood up, and widened the distance between us. “I’m tired. I want to go home.” With that, I walked towards the door, not looking back. This time, she didn’t stop me.

In the days that followed, I threw myself entirely into the final preparations for my overseas application. Soon, I received an acceptance letter from a university abroad, with my departure date set for the following month. The day before I was due to leave, I had just walked out of the library when two men in black suits blocked my path. “Mr. Hayes, Ms. Thorne would like to see you.” I was forced into a car that sped off, eventually stopping at the top floor of a skyscraper overlooking the entire city skyline. “Ms. Thorne is busy. Please wait here.” The bodyguard led me into a glass-walled room, then turned and locked the door. The room had an excellent view, with an entire wall made of huge, floor-to-ceiling glass. And directly opposite the glass was the city’s most exclusive rooftop garden restaurant. At that moment, the restaurant was brightly lit, buzzing with people, and a grand birthday party was underway. The guest of honor was Brandon Montgomery. He was dressed in a lavish suit, surrounded by a crowd. And standing beside him, adjusting his tie, gazing at him tenderly, was Eleanor. I watched as Eleanor took Brandon’s hand and they began the first dance. They spun, drew close, whispered, intimately resembling a perfect couple. The surrounding guests clapped, their faces filled with congratulations. I suddenly wanted to laugh—laugh at my obsession in the previous life. Was it worth sacrificing my entire life for a woman who didn’t love me? I closed my eyes, not wanting to see that dazzling scene anymore. But Eleanor’s bloodied face from the earthquake in the previous life, and her trembling spine as she shielded me, resurfaced in my mind, uncontrollably. She hated me, yet she saved me. This debt felt like a giant net, trapping me, unable to move. I don’t know how much time passed, but the party seemed to be winding down. The door behind me suddenly opened. I turned and saw Brandon Montgomery standing in the doorway. A triumphant smile played on his lips as he walked towards me, step by step. “Julian Hayes,” he stopped in front of me, looking down at me. “How does it feel? Watching the woman you love throw such a grand birthday party for *me*?” It clicked. These bodyguards weren’t sent by Eleanor; they were Brandon’s. He wanted me to give up completely. But he didn’t need to do this; in this life, I had no feelings left for Eleanor. I said nothing, just looked at him coldly. My silence seemed to infuriate him, and the smile on his face twisted. “You think you can pretend to be noble by staying silent? Let me tell you, what’s not yours, you’ll never get!” He leaned in closer, lowering his voice. “Do you know? If you hadn’t suddenly appeared, Eleanor and I would have been engaged by now! You ruined everything for me!” “Are you done?” I asked calmly. “If so, please let me leave.” Brandon Montgomery trembled with rage at my attitude. He suddenly pulled a knife from his suit’s inner pocket, its blade gleaming menacingly in the light. My heart clenched. “What are you going to do?” “What am I going to do?” Brandon sneered, a flicker of madness in his eyes. “I’m going to show Eleanor how you pushed me! I’m going to make her realize that as long as you exist, I’ll never have peace!” Before I could react, he raised the knife and slashed his own wrist. He looked at me, a smile on his face, then shrieked loudly, “Please! I can give you anything! Why do you insist on pushing me to my death?!” Outside, hurried footsteps immediately sounded. Eleanor was the first to rush in, clutching Brandon tightly in her arms, her face grim. Brandon leaned weakly against her, pale, and pointed a trembling finger at me. “Eleanor, he said he’s the real Montgomery son, that I don’t deserve any of this, that I should just die…” Eleanor looked up, her eyes blazing with fury. “Julian Hayes,” she said coldly. “Didn’t I warn you to behave?” “Today is Brandon’s birthday. It was supposed to be the happiest day for him, and you ruined everything!”

I looked at her, my heart sinking deeper and deeper into despair. She’d forgotten that today was actually my birthday too. Brandon and I were born on the same day, same month, same year. Only one was in the clouds, and the other in the mud. She immediately summoned the bodyguards to restrain me and threw a combat knife at my feet. Her words were almost merciless. “However much blood he spilled, you’ll pay back double!” I stared at her in disbelief. “Eleanor, are you insane?!” I began to struggle violently. But she only gave me a glance and ordered the bodyguards to act. Sharp pain instantly shot through my arm, and warm blood immediately welled up. I groaned, cold sweat beaded on my forehead, and I bit down hard, my mouth filled with a metallic taste. The second cut, the third cut… I didn’t know how many times I was cut, only that the pain had turned numb, and everything before my eyes began to blur. I looked at Eleanor’s cold face, at the triumphant smirk on Brandon’s lips as he lay in her arms. My heart truly died. “Enough,” Eleanor finally said, stopping the bodyguards. “After you’re done, take him to the hospital.” With that, she didn’t look at me again, carrying Brandon in her arms as she swept out. I lay in a pool of blood, my consciousness slowly fading. Before I completely lost consciousness, I thought I saw that earthquake again. This time, Eleanor wasn’t shielding me. She simply stood by, coldly watching as I was swallowed by massive rubble, not a ripple in her eyes. Eleanor, this debt for saving my life, I’ve repaid it. When I opened my eyes again, the scent of hospital disinfectant hung in the air. Eleanor sat by my bedside. Seeing me awake, her eyes lit up. “I’m sorry,” she suddenly said. I froze. “Last night, I went too far.” She lowered her eyes, her voice filled with regret. “I was so angry at the time; I couldn’t control my emotions. I…” “So?” I cut her off, asking calmly, “Are you saying you regret it?” She sharply looked up, her lips moved, as if wanting to say something, but in the end, it was just a sigh. “Julian, don’t talk to me like that.” Her voice softened. “I know you hate me, but Brandon really almost died.” “Eleanor,” I looked into her eyes. “You don’t need to apologize. Just consider this me repaying what I owed you.” “Owed me?” She frowned, clearly not understanding what I meant. “Yes.” I managed a bitter smile. “In my previous life, you saved my life during the earthquake. In this life, I’ve repaid you with a life. We’re even now.” As I finished speaking, a crash sounded as the chair was knocked over by her sudden movement. Her lips trembled, and her pupils constricted violently in shock. “You… you were reborn too?”

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I was the most envied woman in the entire city. My billionaire husband adored me, treating me like a queen, and my powerful brother doted on me, loving me to bits. Three years ago, I was diagnosed with a rare illness. They told me they’d give anything, even their lives, to make me well again. And they meant it. Asher stopped several critical projects, blowing billions searching the globe for a compatible kidney; And Ryder canceled all his engagements, staying by my side day and night at the hospital, never leaving my bedside. Three years later, I was basically cured. I could finally return home. I didn’t tell them, wanting to give them a surprise. But I was stopped at the familiar villa gate. “Who are you looking for?” “This is my home. I’m Asher Vance’s wife,” I said with a smile. The guard froze for a second, then a look of pure disgust, like he was looking at a gold-digger, crossed his face. “Mrs. Vance doesn’t look like you.” As he spoke, the guard pulled out his phone and opened his photo album. The woman in the picture had eyes and brows strikingly similar to mine, and when she smiled, two shallow dimples appeared. I recognized her. It was Chloe Miller, the woman who donated her kidney to me back then.

I stumbled, my phone almost slipping from my hand. The guard’s disgusted look intensified. “See? If you had any sense of self-awareness, you’d know not to come here and make a fool of yourself.” “Mr. Vance treats his wife wonderfully; we can all see how much they love each other. You’re dreaming.” With that, the guard gave me a hard shove. I lost my balance, and coupled with the exhaustion from the long journey, I fell heavily. My head hit the ground, leaving me dizzy. Just then, the guard’s walkie-talkie buzzed. A familiar voice came through— “What’s all the noise out there?” The guard’s attitude instantly turned fawning. “Mr. Vance, it’s just a gold-digger, claiming she knows you.” “Get her out of here quickly. Mrs. Vance just fell asleep, don’t disturb her.” I distinctly heard Asher Vance’s voice. It was arrogant, impatient, yet filled with tenderness and care for the “wife” he spoke of. So, Asher Vance and “the wife” were living in this villa now. Living in the marital home he and I once shared. My blood ran cold. So many beautiful memories, of him and me, were in there. And he let another woman live in it? My blood boiled, and a bitter, metallic taste flooded my mouth. “Asher, who is it?” A woman’s sleepy voice drifted from the walkie-talkie. Then came Asher’s voice, softened to an almost unbearable degree. “It’s nothing, just a small matter. Go back to sleep.” “Stay with me.” “Alright, alright, you’re impossible.” “Tomorrow, I still have to see my brother…” The walkie-talkie clicked off abruptly. My heart felt like it was being squeezed tight, so painful I couldn’t breathe. That soft voice, filled with love. Before, he only spoke to me like that, as if he wanted to melt me in his palm. And my brother… Did my brother know about this too? Of course, how could anything happening here be hidden from Ryder? I don’t remember how I left. I walked along the road in a daze, my phone buzzing non-stop. Asher’s message came through right on cue. [Babe, are you feeling better today?] [Did you take your medicine? When is your surgery scheduled?] My brother’s message arrived at the same time. [My dearest sister, my adorable little sister, did you miss your brother?] [Brother’s been busy with work lately, couldn’t be abroad with you. Are you mad at brother?] Looking at these messages, my tears flowed uncontrollably. They seemed to love me so much, but why? Why would they let someone else take my place? Chloe Miller was the compatible kidney donor Asher and Ryder found for me years ago. She had a face strikingly similar to mine. The first time I saw her, I even joked that maybe we were alternate versions of each other from a parallel universe. Back then, Ryder cradled my face and said: “My sister is one of a kind. No matter how much she looks like you, she can’t compare even a fraction.” And Asher Vance hadn’t given Chloe Miller a second glance the entire time. Asher’s assistant talked with Chloe Miller about the compensation after the kidney donation. That’s when I learned Chloe Miller’s family was very poor. She was forced to donate her kidney to pay for her seriously ill mother’s treatment. I still remember Chloe Miller back then, wearing a faded T-shirt, looking at me awkwardly. “Miss, I’ll take good care of myself and cooperate with the surgery.” I looked at her, feeling a little soft-hearted. I slipped her a card: “Take this to pay for your mother’s treatment first.” But she refused to take it, saying she wouldn’t accept charity.

The memory abruptly stopped. I suddenly looked up, toward the brightly lit villa in the distance. On the second-floor balcony of the villa, Asher Vance held a petite woman tightly in his embrace. On a crazy impulse, I called him. The next second, he hung up. I called again. He hung up again. My heart ached, and I squatted on the ground, gasping for air. About ten minutes later, he scooped the woman up into his arms and went inside. Then, he reappeared on the balcony. And my phone rang. “Hello, babe, what’s wrong? I was just in a video conference.” I wanted to expose him directly. But the words caught in my throat, bitter and dry, I couldn’t squeeze out a single one. “Babe?” Asher Vance asked, confused. I still didn’t speak, biting my lip hard, forcing myself not to cry out. Asher finally realized something was wrong, and his voice turned worried: “Did someone upset you?” I wanted to say, the ones who upset me are you. I smiled bitterly: “Asher Vance, do you remember what day it is today?” The person on the other end was silent for a moment, then suddenly chuckled. “Oh, so you’re mad I forgot our wedding anniversary? My little princess is throwing a fit again.” “I’m sorry, babe, I was just so busy today. I’ll come abroad and spend some quality time with you in a few days, okay?” Just then, I saw Chloe Miller come out again. She stood on tiptoes and kissed Asher Vance on the lips. A sickening smacking sound came clearly through the phone. A shiver of disgust ran through me. My voice was already hoarse: “No need. If work is busy, then focus on work. Don’t mind me.” “Alright, babe, you’re getting more understanding.” The call ended. The two on the second-floor balcony embraced tightly under the moonlight, looking like a truly devoted couple! My tears gushed out instantly. Was this what betrayal felt like? The eighteen-year-old Asher Vance and Aria Blackwood would never have imagined that the twenty-five-year-old Asher Vance would betray his beloved. He had loved me so much. That summer, a boy held a basketball, dazzling under the sun. The wind blew across my face, carrying the voice of an eighteen-year-old boy through time— “Aria, I love you, I’ll only ever love you. If I, Asher Vance, ever betray you, may I die a terrible death!” The night wind made me tremble uncontrollably. I leaned against the wall and slowly stood up, then turned to leave. I hailed a taxi. The place I went to was the small apartment Ryder had given me for my eighteenth birthday. My hand trembled as I inserted the key into the lock. The moment the door opened, a damp, dusty smell assaulted me. It was clear no one had lived here for a long time. The furnishings inside were just as I had left them three years ago. On the desk sat a photo of Ryder and me. Ryder was in a black suit, and I, standing next to him, had a high ponytail and was smiling brightly. Ryder and Asher learned of my return the next day. They both gathered at my small apartment. These two men, who commanded respect and power in the outside world, now faced me with looks of surprise and awkwardness. Asher stepped forward first, reaching out to take my hand as he used to. “Aria, you’re back? Are you… are you well?” I subtly avoided his hand. Ryder’s eyes welled up, his voice choked. “Sister, this is great, as long as you’re okay.” Asher’s hand froze in mid-air, a little surprised. Then, a deeper tenderness melted into his eyes. “Are you too tired from the long flight?” Hearing this, Ryder quickly walked to my side, worried, and reached out to feel my forehead. I didn’t move, my body stiff. Ryder checked carefully, “No, your temperature’s normal.” I forced a smile. “Yeah, I guess I’m just a little tired.” Asher smoothly picked up the conversation. “In that case, you should stay here and not run around.” “It’s close to the hospital, so it’s convenient for your follow-up check-ups.” My lips curved into a smile. Was he afraid I’d discover his secret mistress? How absurd. I, his wife, was living outside. While his lover was brazenly living in our home. It seemed I was the one who looked like the mistress. I chuckled bitterly, “Whatever.” It wouldn’t be for long anyway. Asher’s brow relaxed, his voice filled with his usual宠溺. “Good girl. Rest well here, I’ll come to see you often.” Ryder also visibly relaxed: “Okay, then I’ll have Mrs. Davis come over and tidy up. Tell me if you need anything, sister.” “Mhm.” I played along with their charade.

Asher’s phone suddenly rang. He glanced at the screen, then awkwardly looked at me. Then he walked to the balcony, his voice deliberately kept very low. But blurry words still floated into my ears. “Good girl, I’m busy now, can’t come back yet… I’ll be done soon… Mhm, I’ll bring you a small cake…” When he hung up and turned around, the tenderness hadn’t faded from his face. Asher walked over, his gaze towards me now tinged with apology. “Something urgent came up at the company. I need to handle it. I’ll be back later to have dinner with you.” I nodded, saying nothing. Ryder looked at Asher with concern. “Is something wrong?” “Minor issue.” They were playing a charade in front of me, thinking I didn’t know. Ryder eventually left with Asher. At the door, they both turned back to look at me. Asher’s eyes were filled with lingering affection: “Aria, wait for me. I’ll be back tonight.” Ryder also looked at me with doting affection. “Sister, go to bed early. Brother will take you for your hospital follow-up tomorrow.” I smiled and nodded. The next second, the door was gently closed. The front door isolated me from them, and it also severed my last shred of hope. Only I remained in the spacious living room. The wall clock ticked, seemingly knocking against my shattered heart. It felt like Ryder and Asher were slowly killing me, all in the name of love. That night, Asher didn’t return. He only sent me a message: [Company business is hectic; I’ll have to stay at the office tonight. Babe, get some rest.] And the next day, Ryder, who said he’d come to pick me up for my follow-up, didn’t show either. I took a taxi to the hospital by myself. After my check-up, as I was about to leave, a commotion suddenly erupted nearby. I subconsciously looked up. Just one glance, and my blood instantly froze. Asher Vance was carefully supporting Chloe Miller, his face filled with tenderness and concern. Ryder followed on the other side, his tone cautious and worried. “Walk slowly. The doctor said you’re at risk of miscarriage, you can’t exert yourself now.” I froze. Chloe Miller was pregnant… Chloe Miller looked at Asher Vance coquettishly, her voice sickeningly sweet. “It’s all your fault, you didn’t come back to be with me last night for so long, that’s why I almost had a miscarriage.” “Yes, yes, it’s all my fault.” Asher Vance lowered his head, one hand supporting her shoulder, the other touching her belly. The doting affection in his eyes was impossible to hide. “I’ll stay with you from now on, okay?” “My husband is so good to me.” Chloe Miller burst into tears, then a smile. Ryder also chimed in: “As long as you’re well, we’ll do whatever you want.” The three of them stood there, backlit, their figures searing my eyes. Chloe Miller leaned against Asher Vance’s chest: “Husband, will you always be good to me?” “Of course. You’re my wife, and you’re carrying my child in your belly. Of course, I’ll be good to you.” Asher Vance looked at her, his profile unbelievably soft. Ryder joked from the side. “You’re just spoiling her rotten.” But there wasn’t a hint of blame in his tone, only pure indulgence. Chloe Miller giggled, clearly amused… That metallic taste surged into my throat again. I clapped a hand over my mouth, forcing myself to swallow the blood. Not long after leaving the hospital, my phone vibrated a few times. It was a message from Ryder: [Sister, how were your check-up results?] [Brother’s quite busy here and can’t get away. Next time, I’ll definitely go with you.] I looked at that text, smiling through my tears. After getting home, I took a cold shower. Finally, I felt a little clearer. Asher Vance’s words to Chloe Miller, “You’re my wife…,” kept echoing in my ears. I sent a message to a contact with a plain black profile picture. “Julian, help me look into Asher Vance…” About ten minutes later, he called me back. “Aria, I found out you and Asher Vance divorced six months ago.” “Asher Vance’s current wife is named Chloe Miller.” I clutched my cramping stomach, laughing and crying on the sofa. It was so absurd, so ridiculous. I was a joke. In three years, someone had completely taken my place. The person on the other end of the line sounded anxious. “Aria, are you okay?” “I’m fine, Julian, I’m fine. And—I agree to marry you.”

There was no room for me here anymore. And no need for me to stay and be an eyesore. After talking things over with Julian, I fell into a deep sleep. The next few days, I was busy with preparations to go abroad. And handling my assets here. Ryder and Asher always seemed to have something going on and no time to see me. I knew they were both with Chloe Miller. A few days later, I was woken up in the middle of the night by faint whispers. I was conscious, but my body couldn’t move. It was Ryder and Asher. “Are you sure she won’t wake up?” Ryder’s voice was worried. “No, this diffuser produces a scent that will put her into a temporary coma. She won’t wake up tonight.” Asher said with a chuckle. Then, he skillfully pressed my finger into an ink pad. And then pressed my ink-stained finger onto a document. “Alright, with this statement, we can clear Chloe of the mistress label.” My head felt woozy. What mistress label? Then I heard Ryder sigh, “She just got back, and bad rumors about Chloe started circulating – do you think Aria did it?” Asher let out a snort of laughter. “How could that be? Aria’s just a spoiled little princess; if she found out about Chloe, she’d make a huge scene, she wouldn’t just pull strings in secret.” I felt like I’d been plunged into hell. So, Ryder thought the so-called “mistress label” was spread by me? And Asher’s next words made me even more disgusted. “Chloe’s pregnant with my child, she’s very important to me now.” “I hope Aria didn’t do it, otherwise I…” Asher didn’t finish his sentence, but his meaning was clear. I really wanted to ask. Otherwise what? What do you, Asher Vance, intend to do to me for Chloe Miller? After they left, the room returned to quiet. I only found out what had happened the next day. It turned out, the truth about Chloe Miller being a mistress had been exposed. That day at the hospital, the three of them were photographed and posted online. Netizens were initially shipping them. But then an insider came forward and revealed the tangled web of our relationships. They even attached my photo. Suddenly, the hashtag “The rich family’s body double takes over” caused a sensation online. Of course, these hashtags didn’t stay up for long before they were taken down. Soon after, topping the trending list was a statement with my fingerprint: “I, Aria Blackwood, solemnly declare that Ms. Chloe Miller is my savior, and she is not a mistress.” I looked at my phone, my breathing quickening. How dare they speak for me? Pain, despair, confusion… In the end, only a stagnant pool of emptiness remained deep inside me. Chloe Miller came to my door at that moment. As she entered, she kept clutching her stomach. “Miss Blackwood, please don’t misunderstand. That day at the hospital, Mr. Vance and I met purely by chance.” “They were just thanking me for donating my kidney to you, and they saw I was alone for my prenatal check-up and felt sorry for me, so they stayed with me.” “You really shouldn’t overthink it, we’re innocent.” She clutched her stomach, her eyes red, and lowered her head, sobbing. “We… anyway, none of us did anything to wrong you.” “If you don’t believe me, I can only… only leave.” As she spoke, she covered her face and ran off. In her emotional state, she seemed not to notice the stairs in front of her. Her foot missed a step, and her body tilted. My heart leaped, and I quickly rushed forward, “Be careful!” I lunged to grab her. But the next second, a force knocked me over. I lost my footing and tumbled down the steps. In a split second, I saw Asher Vance and Ryder both rush towards Chloe Miller. Chloe Miller was pulled back by Asher Vance and held tightly in his arms. They spoke in unison, “Chloe, are you okay?” “I… I’m fine…” Chloe Miller’s voice was choked with sobs, tinged with lingering fear. She trembled as she pointed at me, “She looks… she looks pretty bad.” Following the direction of her finger. Only then did Ryder and Asher Vance notice that the person who had fallen down the stairs was me. Through my blurring vision, I saw the two men, faces pale with shock, rush towards me. “Aria!” At the same time, a message popped up on my phone: “Okay, the marriage certificate is done.” “Allow me to introduce myself, I’m your husband, Julian Reed.”

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The donor heart I’d waited two years for was snatched away and given to Leo, the son they pretended was theirs. My doctor, Dr. Davies, told me I had just one week left to live. So, I decided to have my body cryopreserved. I donated my body to Leo’s research lab. The day I signed the donation papers, my daughter Lily rushed into my arms, saying, “Daddy, you and Uncle Leo are finally getting along again!” My parents, Eleanor and Richard, praised me for finally understanding “brotherly love” and being helpful. Serena, my wife, looked relieved, saying I’d finally put aside our differences and saw reason. I just smiled faintly. Yes, I really learned my lesson this time. I was going to give Leo back his identity as the Mo family’s son, and make all of you happy. … “Your time is short. Now, say your goodbyes to your family.” Dr. Davies’ voice was gentle, full of pity, but it felt like a boulder crushing my chest. I knew this was coming, but when the death sentence was finally pronounced, my eyes still welled up. I’m only twenty-eight. I’ve fought so hard to live. But the donor heart I finally found was stolen by my wife. She had it transplanted into Leo, the son who wasn’t really ours, who only had a mild heart condition. In a daze, I made my way to Leo’s hospital room. There were my parents, Eleanor and Richard, my wife Serena, and my daughter Lily, all gathered around him, fussing over him. When I walked in, Serena, who was just feeding Leo water, quickly put down the cup. She walked over to me. “What did the doctor say?” I looked at her. Her eyes flickered away, a tell-tale sign of guilt as she stammered, “It was an emergency, Alex. If Leo hadn’t gotten the new heart, he would have died from the pain.” My mom, Eleanor, immediately chimed in, “Serena’s right, Alex. It was a life-or-death situation. You’re not going to be so unreasonable as to resent us for this, are you?” The words I was about to say died on my lips. I just said flatly, “I’m not angry. The doctor said there would be good news in a week.” I paused, then added, “Good news for all of us.” Serena’s captivating eyes instantly lit up with a smile. “A suitable donor heart so soon? I knew our decision that day was the right one.” My dad, Richard, also let out a sigh of relief, smiling. “Our Leo is truly blessed. If you hadn’t given him your heart, he wouldn’t have made it another week.” My mom nodded repeatedly, gently stroking Leo’s hair. “Our Leo’s blessings are still ahead of him.” “Unlike some people, who could have waited for another donor heart, but chose to make a huge scene instead, embarrassing our family.” Even though I was already beyond disappointed with them, at that moment, my heart still ached. I clenched my jaw so hard I thought my teeth would shatter, forcing back the tears that threatened to spill. Serena looked at me tenderly, but her words were chilling, sending shivers down my spine. “You were too impulsive that day. I think you should apologize to Leo.” I stared at her, utterly disbelieving. Leo stole my heart, and she wanted *me* to apologize to *him*? My mom seconded her. “That’s right. And if you hadn’t bullied Leo that day, he wouldn’t have had those chest pains in the first place.” “You should be grateful he’s lying here, recovering. Otherwise, I would never have acknowledged you as my son.” I remembered that day. Leo stood in front of me, triumphantly displaying the marks on his neck, boasting about his intimacy with Serena and her passion… I couldn’t help but punch him. They walked in just as it happened. Serena furiously rushed forward and pushed me away. I was shoved to the ground, the room spinning around me, as my mom charged in and started hitting me. My dad stood coldly a short distance away, as if he also thought I deserved a lesson. Right after that, my heart flared up, and I could barely breathe. My mom, initially worried, asked what was wrong, but then Leo suddenly clutched his chest, gasping, “It hurts so much!” My mom immediately abandoned me and ran to his side. Everyone believed I was faking it, and he was genuinely in pain. Thinking of this, I twisted my lips into a bitter smile. I said flatly, “My apologies. It was my fault.” Everyone was surprised by how docilely I apologized. Serena looked at me with a hint of suspicion, a seed of unease beginning to sprout in her heart. Leo also frowned, giving me a look that screamed, “How can you be such a good actor?” My parents watched me warily, as if afraid I would cause more trouble. Only my daughter Lily rushed into my arms. “Daddy, that’s great! You finally admitted you were wrong.” “Don’t bully Uncle anymore, or I won’t like you, just like Grandma and Grandpa.” I lowered my gaze, looking at her. My parents’ and wife’s coldness, their misunderstanding and favoritism, I could endure all of it. But her, my own child, whom I raised with my own hands and poured all my love into – she also favored Leo. That was something I couldn’t bear. But, I no longer had the strength to fight. I gently stroked her face, smiling. “Daddy will listen to you.” My mom, Eleanor, finally nodded in satisfaction. “Good. It seems you’ve finally learned your lesson, Alex.” Serena also let out a complete sigh of relief. “My husband has finally grown up.” Watching her feign affection, I only felt a wave of nausea in my chest. Just then, Leo suddenly cried out, “It hurts!” Serena immediately rushed to his side. My daughter, who had just been hugging me, let go and ran over too, calling out, “Uncle Leo, where does it hurt? Lily will kiss it better!” My parents’ eyes were red with concern. Standing there, a distance away, I felt like a clown. I couldn’t stand the atmosphere anymore. I used being tired as an excuse, turned, and left the hospital room. 2 The moment I reached the door, the pain in my chest nearly made me pass out. I leaned against the wall and crouched down, frantically searching for my potent painkillers. I swallowed several pills before the pain subsided. Inside the room, I could still hear my mom scolding me for my coldness. She thought I didn’t care about Leo. But I knew that as long as I was there, Leo would always feel “unwell.” It was his usual trick to grab attention. But he didn’t even need to do it, because from the very beginning, my parents, my wife, my daughter — they only ever loved him, the son they pretended was theirs. And I, just like the name my parents gave me, “Alex,” was meant to be kept away. This was the name they gave me the day I returned, sixteen years after I went missing. My mom said she hoped I would be cautious, never getting lost in sudden wealth. But that night, I overheard Mom comforting Leo. She told him that in her and Dad’s hearts, he was their only son. The name she gave me, Alex, was actually a play on words, a subtle hint: ‘Don’t come close.’ That night, it was as if someone had doused me with a bucket of cold water. I fully woke up from the joy of having found my parents. I should have known all along. I was, and always had been, the unwanted child. Dazed, I left the hospital and took a taxi to Leo’s research lab. I had already arranged to donate my body for their cryopreservation and revival experiments. When I signed the agreement, the staff member asked, “Mr. Alex, do your parents and wife know about your decision?” I smiled faintly. “They are all very respectful and supportive of my decision.” The staff member said enviously, “That’s wonderful. Your family must love you very much, hoping you’ll have a chance to be revived one day.” Looking at her admiring gaze, I almost felt like I really was a man deeply loved by his parents and wife. My lips curved up involuntarily. I smiled. “Yes, who doesn’t love their own family?” With that, I handed over the agreement. After confirming everything, I left and returned home. The moment I walked in, I saw my belongings piled up in the living room. I frowned, looking at Brenda, who was standing there directing everyone. She was Leo’s nanny, who had raised him. Why was she here? Brenda, like my parents, clearly disliked me, the real son. Seeing me, she gave a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Mr. Alex, Leo is being discharged today. Mrs. Eleanor asked me to come and take care of him, and to pick a room for him to recover.” “I thought the master bedroom, being so bright and spacious, would be perfect for Leo to recuperate.” “All the other rooms in the villa have a purpose, so I’m afraid you’ll have to make do with the downstairs utility room.” I said flatly, “Alright.” Brenda probably didn’t expect me to be so agreeable. All the words she was ready to say got stuck in her throat. She looked at me suspiciously. “You’re not angry, Mr. Alex?” I shook my head and turned, walking towards the utility room. Brenda scoffed disdainfully. “Well, it seems Mr. Alex has finally learned some sense. If only he had been like this sooner.” “If you had been like this sooner, the master and madam wouldn’t have disliked you so much.” I didn’t say anything. As I entered the utility room, an overwhelming stench of mildew hit me. The cramped space was filled with all sorts of items. There was only a cramped twin-sized bed, half-covered with books, the other half empty. I just lay down on it and drifted off into a heavy sleep. I was so tired. I just wanted a good night’s rest… But even that small wish couldn’t be granted. I don’t know how much time passed, but I was suddenly pulled awake by a strong force. When I opened my eyes, I saw Serena’s face, filled with panic. Seeing me awake, her worried expression instantly turned cold. She angrily demanded, “Why did you post about our marriage online?” “Don’t you know Leo is being cyberbullied right now? He just had surgery, his body is already fragile.” “Because of this, the shock and stress caused him to collapse!” “I actually thought you had learned your lesson. Turns out you were just silently planning how to get revenge on us!” My head felt like it had a hammer pounding inside it. The intense pain made it hard to understand her words. I could only say weakly, “I didn’t do anything… If you don’t believe me, check my phone.” Serena roared furiously, “Enough! Those reporters admitted you paid them to publicize this! “How long are you going to keep up this act? Come with me now, go kneel and apologize to Leo!” 3 Serena roughly yanked me off the bed, dragging me out. She moved too fast. My leg slammed hard against the doorframe, making a dull thud. The pain instantly made me tremble. But she only glanced back at me before continuing to drag me outside. When we reached the living room, she threw me violently to the floor. My whole body felt like it was falling apart. Just as I tried to stand, my dad, Richard, rushed over and slapped me several times. A foul, metallic taste like decay bubbled up, overwhelming me. I looked up to see Leo clinging to my mom, Eleanor, looking incredibly frail. My mom, meanwhile, glared at me with a contorted face. Her dark eyes were filled with disgust and hatred for me. As if tearing me limb from limb wouldn’t be enough to satisfy her. Perhaps my gaze was too cold, because my dad swung another punch at me. I couldn’t hold it back anymore. A mouthful of blood sprayed out. Blood splattered all over his hands and face, making him freeze. I collapsed exhaustedly, blood also starting to trickle from my nose. Serena rushed forward in horror, asking anxiously, “What’s wrong with you? Why are you spitting up so much blood?” I looked at her. Her hands were trembling. She almost looked genuinely worried about me. I pushed away her hand as she tried to help me up. I tried to stand, but then I started to shamefully vomit large mouthfuls of blood again. A hint of fear finally appeared in my dad’s eyes. He shook his head. “I… I only slapped him a few times! I didn’t do anything else!” Then, with rare concern, he asked, “Alex, what’s wrong? Dad… Dad will take you to the hospital right now…” My mom also walked over. “What’s happening? Quick, help Alex up first.” My daughter Lily also ran over, crying. “Daddy, you’re bleeding so much! Are you going to die?” My dad sternly said, “Don’t say such nonsense!” Just then, Brenda, the nanny, suddenly walked out. She was holding a bag of something and said angrily, “Mr. Alex, how could you use a fake blood pack to scare the master, madam, and Ms. Serena?” A fake blood pack? What fake blood pack? Before I could process it, my mom had already rushed to Brenda’s side. She looked at what was in Brenda’s hand, then furiously threw it to the ground. She screamed in anger, “Alex! You truly are devious! You actually tried to use a fake blood pack to trick us into pitying you!” I smiled bitterly and shook my head. I had already learned my lesson, so why wouldn’t they leave me alone? Serena crouched down, looking at me with disappointment. “Alex, how could you have become like this?” My dad furiously kicked me, saying in disgust, “You ungrateful brat! You’re truly an unruly street kid, cold-blooded and unscrupulous!” “You’re not even a fraction as good as our Leo! No, you’re not even worth a single hair on Leo’s head!” I said nothing, just desperately swallowed the blood that threatened to surge up. Lily, who had been hugging me, now pushed me away in disgust. She frowned. “Daddy, I thought you’d changed. You’re so bad, I don’t like you anymore!” Then, she ran to Leo’s side, leaning on his lap. “I want Uncle to be my daddy!” My heart withered to dust. I gripped my hands so tightly that my fingernails dug deep into my palms. Serena sighed, then reached out and wiped the corner of my eye. “You know how awful it feels to be betrayed by the person closest to you.” “So why did you do such a thing? Now Leo’s reputation is ruined, and our company’s stock is fluctuating.” “All of this is because of you. So, you not only need to apologize, but also take responsibility.” I wanted to say I knew nothing, but Leo started to cry. He sobbed, “It’s alright, Serena… My brother has hurt me repeatedly. I’m afraid if I make him apologize again, he’ll hate me even more.” “Even though I don’t know why he dislikes me so much, I… I’m willing to overlook it for Mom and Dad, and for you, Serena.” My mom, Eleanor, said with concern, “Leo, you’re just too kind, that’s why he bullies you.” “Don’t worry. Dad and I will always stand by you. With us protecting you, he won’t have another chance to hurt you.” Then, she turned to me with a cold face. “Listen closely. For the sake of our families’ reputations, we’ve already discussed a solution.” “You and Serena will get a divorce tomorrow. Then she’ll marry Leo.” “We’ll announce to the public that Serena and Leo were already married.” “It’s just that you weren’t well and were infatuated with her, so they kept it from you.” I looked at Serena. “You agree to this?” Serena avoided my gaze, frowning impatiently. “There’s no other way. Who else caused this mess but you?” She paused, then added, “But don’t worry, this is just a temporary measure. Once the storm passes, I’ll divorce Leo.” I looked at her. Though I had a thousand words, I no longer had the strength to speak. Perhaps it was guilt, or perhaps she saw my silence as defiance, which made her very displeased. She said coldly, “Whether you agree or not, I will…” I slowly began to speak. “Congratulations. Happy wedding.” 4 Serena’s voice caught in her throat. She stared at me blankly, a strange panic blooming in her heart. She felt like the current me was a light piece of paper, liable to be blown away by the wind to a place she could never see. I slowly got up, leaning on the wall and wiping the blood from my face. I looked at my mom, Eleanor. “Serena and I never actually got married.” “So, she can go ahead and marry Leo directly.” My mom looked a little surprised. “You didn’t get married?” Serena’s face was grim. She frowned and explained, “We were too busy before, and then we just forgot.” But my mom clapped her hands. “That’s even better!” Lily, my daughter, tentatively looked at me. “So, Uncle will be my daddy now?” I nodded to her, smiling. “Happy?” Lily jumped up excitedly. “That’s wonderful! Uncle is going to be my daddy now!” Then, as if afraid I’d be upset, she added, “Daddy, oh, I mean, Mr. Alex, as long as you promise not to bully Uncle anymore, I’ll still like you.” I lowered my eyes. “Understood.” Leo was overjoyed, on the verge of tears. “Brother, are you really willing to let Serena marry me?” I said calmly, “Yes. Don’t call her ‘Sister-in-law’ anymore.” Leo glanced at Serena, a look of longing in his eyes. He thought Serena would be thrilled, but she was just staring at me. He instantly clenched his sleeves, hiding the jealousy in his eyes. When he looked up again, his eyes were full of innocence. He said sincerely, “Thank you, Brother.” I shook my head. “We’re family. No need to be so polite.” “Besides, I’ll need to rely on your care in the future.” Leo didn’t know that I had donated my body to his research lab. He thought I was just being polite and immediately chuckled. “We’re brothers. I’ll definitely take good care of you, Brother.” My mom, seeing us “reconciled,” finally nodded in satisfaction. “That’s right. If you had been this sensible earlier, how could your father and I have been angry with you?” I looked at her, wanting to ask her, *Was I really insensible?* I was the actual son of the Mo family, but everyone thought I was their adopted son. Serena was the one who insisted on marrying me, but everyone thought I was the disgusting third wheel. I willingly took care of her and Lily without a title, all for Serena, but everyone thought I was manipulative… I slowly closed my eyes, forcing back the surge of tears. I didn’t want to appear pathetic in front of them anymore. Because I knew if I showed any dissatisfaction, Leo would immediately feign injury. Then, even my pain would become a mistake. When I opened my eyes again, the constant ache in my heart felt completely numb. Like an old clock, it had simply stopped ticking. I looked at Serena. She was still watching me, and her eyes held a hint of pity. The feeling struck me as absurd. I quietly asked, “Can I go back and rest now?” Serena nodded. “Yes, go rest.” I breathed a sigh of relief and slowly shuffled towards the utility room. But my mom said, “Pack your things and go back home.” “There are reporters everywhere outside. If people find out you’re still living at your sister-in-law’s house, who knows what rumors they’ll start.” I obediently nodded. “Alright.” My mom told Serena to drive me back. Once we were outside, Serena suddenly grabbed my hand. “I’ll go with you into surgery in a week.” “After your surgery, we’ll talk properly.” “Leo and I… it’s really not what you think.” I saw Leo’s face suddenly change. I smiled at Serena and said, “Okay.” But she didn’t know that I wouldn’t have a chance to hear her hollow explanations. Serena looked at me strangely. She felt as if the person standing in front of her was a block of emotionless wood. She said impatiently, “Let’s go.” Once in the car, the ride was silent. Serena tried to speak several times, but each time she saw my pale, blood-stained face, her desire to talk vanished. The car had only gone halfway when she received a call from my mom. The next moment, she pulled over to the side of the road. She said anxiously, “Leo suddenly fainted. It might be a severe rejection reaction.” “I have to rush back. You can take a taxi.” I glanced at the clock on the dashboard. It was 3 AM. And this was a deserted overpass. A taxi? Where would I find a taxi? But I didn’t say anything, just obediently got out of the car. Before I could even steady myself, Serena stomped on the gas and drove off. The roar of the sports car tore at my heart, making it ache. I clutched my chest, taking a long time to recover from that excruciating pain. But just as I started to feel better, a dull rumble of thunder echoed overhead, as if even the heavens were enraged by my weakness, roaring in fury. Soon after, large raindrops began to fall, some hitting my head, stinging painfully. Hearing the “thump, thump, thump” sounds, I realized it was hailing. I quickly covered my head and walked forward. Hard hailstones relentlessly pelted my hands and face. As I walked, my vision suddenly went black, and I collapsed to the ground. A long, long time later, I think I heard an ambulance, and then Dr. Davies’ familiar voice. He sounded like he was crying, repeatedly demanding, “What happened? He still had a week to live! How… how could he suddenly be gone?” My ribs hurt so much, Doctor. You’re pressing down too hard on me. Are you performing CPR? But… it really hurts… Living hurts so much… Please, just let me go… “Beep…” Patient Alex Mo was pronounced dead at 5 AM on June 1st, aged 28. Simultaneously, the renowned Ingenuity Medical Research Lab received his body and initiated cryopreservation.

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The first thing I did after my rebirth was to dump my devoted boyfriend and immediately accept the pursuit of the obsessive guy. Why? Because in my previous life, my best friend Emma had bound an app that could transfer all my boyfriend’s love for me to herself. The 999 golden roses he prepared for me ended up in her arms. The hotel he bought for me was registered under her name. His gaze towards me changed from passionate to cold and distant, yet when he turned to look at her, it was filled with the tenderness I once knew so well. When I cried and asked him why he had changed, he looked at me with disgust. “We broke up long ago. Stop harassing my girlfriend!” On my birthday, Emma livestreamed, showing off the entire amusement park my ex-boyfriend had rented for her, with fireworks blazing behind her. As for me, they joined forces to send me to a mental hospital. They said I was a madwoman who couldn’t accept rejection. I died in despair amidst endless electroshock therapy and drug injections. When I opened my eyes again, I was reborn. This time, I didn’t invest an ounce of true feelings in my ex-boyfriend. Instead, I played along with the obsessive guy’s pursuit. When Emma opened the app again to absorb all of the obsessive guy’s overwhelming love, I smiled. I wanted to see if she could handle it. 1 “Lily, I love you!” The deafening confession, accompanied by the screams of the crowd around us, yanked me back to reality. My boyfriend, Lucas, was holding a bouquet of golden roses, professing his love to me. Cheers erupted from all sides. “Say yes! Say yes!” I was momentarily dazed before realizing I had been reborn. I had returned to the day when Lucas was about to publicly declare his love for me in front of the entire school with 999 roses. In my previous life, I had waited here, full of anticipation, for him to approach me. But just when he was one step away from me, he suddenly turned and handed that bouquet to my best friend, Emma, who was standing behind me. I could never forget that moment. The love in Lucas’s eyes that was originally meant for me extinguished in an instant, only to reignite when he turned towards Emma. Later, I learned that Emma had an app on her phone that could steal love. It was her, like a thief, who stole Lucas’s love for me. And now, history seemed to be repeating itself. I could even sense Emma behind me, quietly raising her phone, ready to use her old trick again. The cheering around us grew louder, and Lucas’s smile became more radiant. I beat him to the punch, saying in an extremely calm tone: “Lucas, let’s break up.” Everyone’s expressions froze, and the cheering came to an abrupt halt. Lucas’s smile stiffened, and he looked at me in disbelief, as if he hadn’t heard clearly. “Lily, what… what did you say?” “I said, let’s break up,” I repeated, my tone as cold as ice. “I don’t like you anymore. I’ve lost feelings for you.” These words exploded like a bomb in the crowd. “What the hell? What’s going on? Has Lily gone crazy?” “Lucas treats her so well, everyone knows that. How can she say break up?” “Is she playing hard to get? That’s too cruel!” Lucas’s face instantly turned pale. His hands holding the flowers trembled slightly, and the deep affection in his eyes was replaced by immense shock and pain. “Why? Lily, tell me why? Did I do something wrong? I can change!” In my previous life, I had also pleaded with him like this, only to be met with his disgust. Now, it was his turn to experience this pain. “Lily!” A hand grabbed my arm. It was Emma, looking at me anxiously. “Don’t be impulsive! You and Lucas have such a good relationship, how can you break up just like that? Quickly apologize to him, stop fooling around.” I looked at her hypocritical face and laughed coldly in my heart. She was panicking, as expected. I suddenly understood that her app probably could only transfer the love of my current boyfriend. Once I broke up with Lucas, she wouldn’t be able to steal anything. That’s why she was so anxious to persuade us to reconcile. I forcefully shook off her hand, abandoning the weakness of my previous life, and stared at her with a piercing gaze. “My business is none of your concern.” With that, I turned and pushed my way through the crowd, leaving behind a commotion and Lucas’s heartbroken calls. 2 The news of me dumping Lucas spread like wildfire across the campus. I became a heartless woman in everyone’s eyes, ungrateful and playing with feelings. Wherever I went, I could feel the pointing fingers and whispers behind my back. “That’s her, the one who dumped Lucas, such a good boyfriend.” “I heard she’s just riding a donkey to find a horse, must have found someone richer.” “Who would have thought, she seemed so quiet usually, but she’s so manipulative.” I didn’t care about any of this. These rumors and gossip, compared to the electroshock therapy and torture I endured in the mental hospital in my previous life, were like a gentle breeze. Emma had been buzzing around me like a fly these past couple of days, earnestly trying to persuade me to get back together with Lucas. She kept hinting at how miserable Lucas was, how he couldn’t live without me. “Lily, Lucas hasn’t been able to eat for days. He’s lost so much weight. Can you really bear to see him like this?” She held my hand, speaking with apparent sincerity. “You two were the campus’s golden couple. Don’t give up because of some small misunderstanding.” I pulled my hand away, looking into her hypocritical eyes, finding it all so ridiculous. “If you care about him so much, why don’t you date him yourself?” I said flatly. Emma’s face froze for a moment before she quickly recovered. “I’m saying this for your own good. I’m your best friend. I can’t stand by and watch you make a mistake.” “Oh, really?” I smiled. “Then I should thank you for your kind intentions.” I ignored her and walked straight towards the campus basketball court. On the court, one figure stood out. He was tall, with skin so pale it was almost sickly. His eyes were startlingly black, with a beauty mark under them that gave him an otherworldly allure. He wasn’t playing basketball, just leaning lazily against the hoop. Within a three-meter radius around him, there was no one else. This was Ethan, from a prestigious family background, but with a volatile temperament and unpredictable mood swings. He was the epitome of a yandere. In my previous life, I had heard about his exploits. A girl who had dated him for less than a month was forced to transfer schools. I took a deep breath, walked across the court, and stood in front of Ethan. He seemed to sense someone’s presence and lazily lifted his eyelids. Those pitch-black eyes fell on me, carrying a hint of scrutiny and impatience. “What do you want?” His voice was as cold and indifferent as his person. I looked straight into his eyes and said word by word: “I’ve broken up with Lucas. Now I’m agreeing to be your girlfriend.” As soon as I finished speaking, Ethan was stunned. He slowly straightened up, looking down at me with a playful smile tugging at his lips. “Didn’t you say you were deeply in love with Lucas when I pursued you before?” “What, now you’re willing to break up with him?” Ethan’s words suddenly reminded me of the time I had spent with Lucas over the past few years. Back then, we were very much in love, but that was before Emma transferred Lucas’s love away. I tried to keep my voice as calm as possible, “Not interested? If not, forget it.” I was about to turn and leave when he suddenly chuckled softly. “Of course I’m interested.” As soon as he finished speaking, Ethan’s lips came crashing down on mine. 3 The news of me getting together with Ethan spread even faster and wider than when I had dumped Lucas. The entire school was in an uproar. “Oh my God, has Lily lost her mind? Dumping Lucas to go after Ethan?” “Does she think Ethan is as good-natured as Lucas? Just wait, she’ll be a wreck within three days.” “I bet a week before she comes running back to Lucas, crying for reconciliation.” I became the laughingstock of the entire school, with everyone waiting to see how this drama would unfold. Lucas, whom I had ruthlessly dumped, finally couldn’t take it anymore when he heard the news. He burst into my classroom, his eyes bloodshot, and confronted me in front of everyone. “Lily! What the hell are you trying to do?!” He pointed at me, his voice filled with the anger of betrayal. “You broke up with me just to be with him? Why are you torturing yourself like this?!” Before I could respond, Emma immediately stepped forward, putting on an act of deep concern. “Lucas, calm down.” She held Lucas back but turned to scold me, “Lily, how could you be so foolish!” “Throwing away someone as good as Lucas, and for what? To go after someone like Ethan? What’s he worth that makes you do this?” “As your best friend, no matter how much you hate me, I have to knock some sense into you!” She stood on her moral high ground, speaking righteously, as if she truly had my best interests at heart. The classmates around us chimed in. “That’s right, Lily. Emma’s right, you should break up with Ethan right away!” “Lucas treats you so well, don’t be stupid.” I looked at this farce unfolding before me and found it laughable. “Lucas, you’re already in the past. Why can’t I start a new life?” I then turned to Emma, my eyes full of mockery: “And you, Emma, do you live by the sea? Why are you so concerned with everyone’s business?” Emma’s face turned pale instantly, probably not expecting me to publicly embarrass her like this. Lucas was so angry he was shaking all over, trembling so much he couldn’t utter a word. Suddenly, a male voice rang out. “Since when did my girlfriend become someone you could lecture?” Ethan was leaning against the doorframe, hands in his pockets, looking at everyone present. He slowly walked to my side, naturally shielding me behind him. His gaze fell on Lucas, and he immediately launched into a tirade of mockery. “Losing to me isn’t shameful.” “After all, whether it’s family background or looks, you’re far behind. Instead of barking here like a defeated dog, why don’t you go look in a mirror and see why you got dumped?” Lucas was humiliated to the point of turning red, he glared at me fiercely before turning and running out. At this moment, I noticed Emma’s gaze was glued to Ethan, even more intensely than when she used to look at Lucas. I smirked coldly. The fish had taken the bait. From that day on, she no longer tried to persuade me to get back together with Lucas. Instead, she began to do everything she could to promote my relationship with Ethan. She revealed almost all of my preferences to Ethan. From small things like my favorite color to big things like what kind of person I liked. Ridiculously, Ethan actually listened to Emma’s advice and molded himself into a perfect boyfriend. Until one day at a class gathering, Emma deliberately locked me, who had drunk too much, in an empty private room with Ethan. As she closed the door, she turned back and gave me a meaningful smile. She thought that after tonight, Ethan’s love for me would reach its peak. Then she could reap the benefits and steal all of this intense love. She wasn’t wrong. But what she didn’t know was that I had been waiting for this moment too. 4 In the private room, only Ethan and I remained. He was indeed drunk, his eyes unfocused, his usually pale face flushed an unnatural red. He approached me step by step, calling my name in a low voice. “Lily, you’re mine, only mine…” He wanted to forcibly possess me. At this moment, I was eerily calm. Just as his lips were about to fall, I didn’t dodge. Instead, I raised my hand and, using all my strength, delivered a precise chop to the back of his neck. Bang—! Ethan’s tall figure collapsed softly, unconscious. I panted heavily, looking at him lying on the ground, without a shred of pity in my heart. The night was long. I sat on the sofa, quietly watching Ethan sleeping on the floor. During this time, I felt that suffocating love emanating from him. It was a hundred, no, a thousand times more intense than Lucas’s. It felt like countless invisible chains binding and suffocating me. In my previous life, it was in the mental hospital that I felt Lucas’s disgust after his love was stolen, dying in despair. And in this life, I wanted Emma to personally experience what it was like to be wrapped in this kind of distorted love. Time passed minute by minute, second by second. Finally, just before dawn, I felt the heavy feeling on my body suddenly being forcibly pulled away! What followed was an unprecedented sense of lightness. I smiled. Emma, you finally made your move. Almost at the same time, there was a soft click from the door lock. The door opened. Emma stood in the doorway. Seeing me unharmed, she was visibly stunned. “Lily! Are you okay? I… I accidentally lost the key last night and spent all night looking for the spare key.” “You and Ethan… how are things?” As she spoke, she anxiously looked into the room, searching for Ethan. I played along with her act, putting on a heartbroken expression, my eyes instantly reddening. “We… we broke up,” I choked out. “When he woke up, it was like he had become a different person. He said he had no feelings for me anymore and told me to get lost.” Hearing this, Emma’s eyes instantly filled with poorly concealed triumph and wild joy. She forcefully suppressed her upturned lips and came over to hug me with fake concern. “Lily, don’t be sad. You’re better off without a man like that! He doesn’t deserve you! It’s not worth crying over someone like him!” “Mm…” I buried my face in her shoulder, revealing a victorious smile where she couldn’t see. “I’m going to leave now. I need some time alone.” I pushed her away and walked out, looking lost and dejected. Emma almost eagerly saw me off. I didn’t actually go far, but hid around the corner of the hallway, coldly observing. Sure enough, as soon as I left, she immediately tidied her hair and clothes, and with a smile of certainty on her face, pushed open the door and entered the private room. The door wasn’t completely closed, leaving a small gap. Soon, I heard a man’s deep, suppressed voice, and a woman’s coquettish laughter from inside. “Mr. Ethan, you’re awake?” “…Who are you?”

My wedding with my boyfriend of three years was just around the corner. But then, I found so many texts on his phone. Every single word, sent by him to another girl. “I’m getting married.” “Any regrets?” “I’m happier than you.” … The night before our engagement, he sent her four final texts: “Fine, you’ve really got guts.” “Stop being so stubborn, okay?” “The wedding date’s set, the dress is ordered.” “Just come back, and you can be the bride.” It was my birthday when Scarlett Thorne returned. A crowd was celebrating with me, showering me with birthday wishes, when she pushed the door open. The woman wore a plush fleece jacket, her long hair cascading. She strode up to us in high heels, just a few steps. Then, she raised her hand and simply flung the contents of the teapot in front of her right onto my face. After dousing me, she crossed her arms, a smirk playing on her lips. She looked at the man sitting beside me and sneered, “Is *that* the kind of person you’re dating now?” “Terrible taste.” The private room fell silent. The lively chatter that had filled the air just moments before vanished completely. She held her head high, smiling triumphantly, as if absolutely certain the man beside me would pamper her just like old times. After an eternity of silence, Liam Carter reached for a few napkins. He gently wiped the tea stains from my cheek. He cupped my face, his gaze serious yet tender, as if his eyes could only hold me. “Oh? I think my taste is excellent.” “Ms. Thorne, my wedding with Bella is next week. I hope you can make it.” As if unable to believe these words could come from his mouth, she took a step back, then stormed out, slamming the door shut. But even after she left, no one in the room dared to breathe. Liam lowered his eyes, still gently wiping the tea leaves from my face. Yet, as he wiped, he suddenly lifted his hand and violently smashed the priceless teacup on the table. A deafening crash echoed. Still, his smile remained perfectly composed, almost angelic. He scanned everyone present. Including me. His thin lips curved slightly, and he said softly, “Everyone, get out. Now.”

If time could rewind four years. Everyone would have assumed Liam was destined to marry Scarlett. He, who was always so cold and detached, would travel halfway across the city just to buy flowers for Scarlett. He, who hated socializing, willingly mingled with the entire art world for Scarlett. Even for Scarlett’s exhibitions, he would cancel important meetings, personally attending every single one. Our friends used to joke, “Who would’ve thought Liam had a romantic bone in his body?” But their ending was anything but good. So bad, in fact, that Liam came to despise Scarlett. So bad that Scarlett didn’t return for four whole years after leaving the country. And I, somehow, picked up the pieces. Everyone knew Scarlett Thorne hated me the most during our school days. I still remember that night, one of his friends, drunk, pointed at me and said, He was only marrying me to spite Scarlett Thorne.

The temperature dropped a few days ago, and Liam started coming home later and later. But I couldn’t demand anything from him, even though we were getting married. Liam paid off my loans. Liam paid my tuition. My life… Liam saved it. So, I didn’t even have the right to resist, not even a little bit. I stared at the dinner on the table, wondering if I should microwave it again, when Liam returned. He casually hung his suit jacket on the hanger by the door. He leaned in slightly, smiling at me. “Help me untie my tie, wife.” His tone was both flirtatious and natural. As if the man who’d exploded in rage yesterday because of Scarlett’s appearance wasn’t him. As if the man who’d calmly told everyone to get out wasn’t him either. I walked up to him, tilting my head to study the structure of his tie. I knew he was looking down at me, his gaze as bright as the overhead lights. Until he raised his hand and gently took my wrist. He whispered into my ear, “Clumsy.” “…” After becoming an adult, I’d only ever done that with Liam. He was always unhurried. This time, though, he paused when his hand brushed over a scar on my back. How that scar got there. Both of us knew perfectly well. Scarlett Thorne had made it, with an X-Acto knife, cut by cut.

Back in school, I had a friend everyone envied. That was Liam. Perhaps even then, the concept of class had already divided us. A poor student like me was worlds apart from Liam and Scarlett’s circle. They were a group no teacher could control. Fights and brawls? Someone always covered for them. Every day, people flocked to fawn over them. It was in this environment that Liam got very close to me, a girl who couldn’t even afford the school buns for all three meals. I thought, during that time, Liam truly considered me a friend. He gave me his unused textbooks. He gave me his meal card so I could eat. He eagerly discussed homework problems with me. Back then, a group of girls used to bully me. He stepped in front of me. He said I was *his* person, and they shouldn’t bully me anymore. —Everything was so perfect before that, wasn’t it? He was my savior. Until one day. He told me he had a crush on a girl. It was Scarlett Thorne. The very girl… who used to bully me. “She’s actually quite interesting.” “Stubborn, I like that.” That was his evaluation of Scarlett. It was only then that I realized he never really saw me as a person either. That night, he took me out for drinks. Scarlett called a group of people and cornered me in the restroom. She used an X-Acto knife to carve my back, over and over. I still remember her face, refined, perfect, Like a demon from hell. She said she hated people like me who thought they were hot stuff because of someone else.

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For seven years, **Alistair Vance** still called out his **Sera’s** name when he was drunk, even to me. “Sera, please, don’t leave me.” I’d softly agree, then take out his hearing aid. And whisper **Liam’s** name to him. He always believed I was so madly in love with him that I’d willingly play the substitute. Until **Liam**, who was supposed to have died seven years ago, suddenly returned. Seeing the divorce papers I handed him, **Alistair’s** eyes blazed. “You never loved me?” “Of course not.” “Don’t you have anything to say to me?!” I smiled gently. “Thanks for the five million. Otherwise, I still wouldn’t have found him.” 1 The day news of **Seraphina Hayes’s** divorce spread back home. I was with **Alistair Vance** at the hospital for his follow-up. His permanently damaged hearing was beyond recovery, and his legs still couldn’t walk. But hearing that the culprit behind it all was back in the country. A flicker of joy still crossed his usually indifferent eyes. That evening, he got drunk. His eyes hazy, he held my hand and whispered, “Sera, now that you’re back, don’t ever leave me again.” I obediently said, “Okay, I won’t leave you.” But he looked at me again, his expression slowly fading. “You’re not Sera.” My movements stilled. **Alistair** grabbed the small blanket draped over his wheelchair and flung it at my face. “Just because you have a face like Sera’s, you think you can *be* her?” “You don’t deserve her, **Audrey**.” “If there’s nothing else, get out.” His tone was calm, unhurried, as always. The blanket didn’t hit hard, but it felt like a slap across my face. A wave of intense humiliation washed over me, pulling me back years. I was eighteen, the night before my art school auditions. It was **Seraphina Hayes**, **Alistair’s** white moonlight, who tore up all my paintings. She took a small silver hammer, studded with jewels, and systematically broke my fingers, one by one. Even after they healed, my hands would tremble uncontrollably the moment I picked up a paintbrush. I could never paint again. **Alistair** found me, acting as **Seraphina’s** protector. He pushed a check across the table. “If it’s not enough, name your price.” I gripped my trembling hands, biting back the urge to scream at him. “What’s the use of your money? My dreams, my future, she destroyed them all!” Then, **Alistair**, sitting across from me, smiled. He looked at me with an expression of gentle contempt. “Just take it. Aren’t your ‘dreams’ just a way for people like you to earn a little more cash?” Back then, he was aloof and aristocratic, just twenty-three, already the youngest head of the Vance family. He looked down on me, completely. Neither we, nor anyone else in the Vance family, would have guessed then— **Alistair** and I would marry two years later. 2 On my twentieth birthday. It was also **Liam Carter’s** fourth year as a police officer. He fell into the open sea while rescuing our citizens kidnapped by pirates. The country searched that sea for a month afterward, but he was never found. They all said **Liam** was dead. I was in a daze for two months, on the verge of a breakdown. But then, in the corner of a blurry photo on a hidden overseas website, I saw his figure. The image quality was terrible. But **Liam** and I had known each other for over ten years, and I had a gut feeling—that was him. Still, finding him based on that photo was like searching for a needle in a haystack. I needed a lot of money. That’s when it happened. **Seraphina Hayes** abandoned **Alistair**, who was injured because of her, and went abroad to get married. And **Alistair**, once healed, found me. … **Seraphina Hayes** returned seven nights later, late at night. **Alistair** had specially sent people to wait at the airport for a whole day to pick her up. Compared to her triumphant departure, **Seraphina** looked considerably more haggard. She wore a simple white dress, her expression stubborn. “Alistair, you still remember me.” Her gaze shifted to me in the corner, and she suddenly froze. A moment later, she shrieked, almost losing control. “Audrey Stone, you poor, cheap knockoff, what are you doing here?” I silently watched her. **Alistair** calmly stated, “She is my wife now.” **Seraphina** looked incredulous, her eyes red as she demanded, “What do you mean by this?” “You said you’d wait for me forever, and now? You can like *this* kind of person?” She stood stubbornly, tears streaming down her face. That face, which was seventy percent similar to mine, held a fragile beauty. **Alistair** turned his head and ordered me, “Push me over there.” The wheelchair was pushed in front of **Seraphina**. **Alistair** took her hand, sighing softly. “Sera, you were gone so long. I missed you too.” “She’s just a cheap stand-in, don’t mind her.” “Oh, so she’s just a stand-in.” She picked up the steaming cup of water from the table and threw it straight at my face. “Now that I’m back, can I be annoyed by this knockoff face?” **Alistair** didn’t spare me a glance, just looked at her with indulgent understanding. “Of course, you can.” The liquid streamed down my neck, soaking my clothes, leaving a burning sensation on my skin. I was in so much pain I could barely stand. Tears welled up instantly. “Why are you crying? Playing pitiful again, are we?” **Seraphina** looked at me with disgust. “It’s sickening.” **Alistair** finally spared me a glance. He looked at my scalded red face, frowning slightly. And calmly said, “**Audrey Stone**, get out.” 3 The next morning, I received five hundred thousand dollars in my account from **Alistair**. No memo, no explanation. But I knew perfectly well. It was his compensation to me for **Seraphina’s** actions. I was no longer as naive and stubborn as I had been at eighteen, fantasizing about getting justice. I accepted it calmly, even sending him a text saying thank you. After my injuries healed, **Alistair** looked at my face and suddenly smiled. “**Audrey**, I thought you’d always be so proud.” I meekly lowered my gaze. “Mr. Vance, people always change.” There was a gala tonight. **Alistair** had specially prepared it for **Seraphina**. After she went abroad and married, the Hayes family’s influence back home had waned. **Alistair** was using his connections to pave the way for **Seraphina**. During the dinner, **Seraphina’s** old rival, **Mason Reid**, suddenly stood up with a drink in hand. “Seraphina Hayes, weren’t you supposed to be a princess for some royal family overseas?” “How did you end up sneaking back like a stray dog, looking so pathetic?” **Seraphina’s** face instantly turned pale. **Mason** had someone bring a bottle of high-proof liquor and pushed it in front of her. “I know what Mr. Vance’s purpose is for this party tonight.” “Alright, Seraphina. You drink this whole bottle, and all our past grudges are settled.” “If you want to establish yourself here in the future, maybe I can even help you out.” **Seraphina’s** eyes reddened. She looked at **Alistair**, tears trembling on her lashes. “This is hard liquor, I’ll die if I drink it all.” “Alistair, didn’t you say you’d always protect me?” **Alistair** reassuringly squeezed her hand and looked at **Mason**. “Sera used to be stubborn and she probably offended you, so it’s normal that you want to get even.” “How about this drink, someone else can drink it as an apology.” He paused, then looked at me. “**Audrey**.” “Go drink it, then apologize to Mr. Reid.” **Mason** leaned back in his chair, one hand on the backrest, looking amused. “If your wife agrees, I have no problem with it.” The wounds on my face hadn’t fully healed yet. The doctor had specifically told me not to drink. I froze in my chair, pinching my slightly trembling wrist, silently meeting **Alistair’s** gaze. He calmly said, “I’ll have my assistant transfer you a million after this.” The atmosphere was still for a moment. I stood up, picked up the bottle, and tilted my head back, chugging it down. The intense burning sensation from the strong alcohol spread from my throat all the way to my chest. The potent fumes surged up, climbing my windpipe, making my eyes stream with tears. **Mason’s** buddies applauded and cheered. “What a drinker! What a woman!” “Mr. Vance’s wife is so fond of money, what, was she poor in her last life?” Their tone was full of mockery. After I finished, I put down the bottle and bowed deeply to **Mason**. “Mr. Reid, I apologize for any past offenses. Please forgive me.” **Mason** toyed with his glass and smiled. “A million dollars, Mr. Vance certainly has deep pockets.” “Alright, Seraphina. Our grudges are settled.” 4 The restroom outside the banquet hall was dimly lit, permeated with a faint, sweet scent. I clung to the toilet, throwing up until my vision blurred. My stomach and throat were numb with pain, so much so that when I saw streaks of fresh blood in the vomit, I realized— It seemed I was quite seriously hurt. I forced my aching body to call 91

It wasn’t until I was hooked up to an IV drip that I received a call from **Alistair**. “Where are you? Did you get lost throwing up, or are you throwing a tantrum?” His tone carried an implicit note of displeasure. I paused. “At the hospital, on an IV.” He chuckled. “Spending all these years with me has made you quite delicate, hasn’t it?” I didn’t say anything, just looked up at the flickering fluorescent light above me. Perhaps the light was too harsh, stinging my eyes, filling them with tears. “I’ll have my driver pick you up from the hospital later. No one else takes care of me as thoroughly as you do.” With that, **Alistair** hung up. He had injured his legs and ears saving **Seraphina** back then. **Seraphina** abandoned him and went abroad, and I married into the Vance family in her place. Because **Alistair** was paralyzed, we didn’t even have a marital life. I, his wife in name only, was nothing more than his personal caregiver. When I got home late that night, **Seraphina** was already asleep. **Alistair** was waiting for me in his study. He’d had some wine, looking at me hazily. “The money has been transferred to your card.” “Okay.” “Audrey, don’t blame me. Sera has never suffered any grievances since she was a child. She’s not like you.” I sniffled and softly said, “I understand.” “Mr. Vance, I’d like to go abroad next month to see an art exhibition, if I may?” **Alistair** smiled. “Of course, you can.” “Audrey, see? Your so-called dreams are only worth this much money, aren’t they?” I said yes. Perhaps due to the alcohol, he leaned back in his wheelchair, eyelids heavy with drowsiness. Looking at that face, which was maybe thirty percent similar to the one in my memory. I reached out, took off his hearing aid, and spoke in a hoarse voice. “Liam.” Just that one name, and tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. “It’s been seven years. Please, let me find you next month, okay?” 5 Perhaps because I was going to look for him. That night, I dreamed of **Liam** again. We grew up in the same orphanage. He was always brave and had a strong sense of justice. Later, he became a SWAT officer. I wanted to study art, to go to art school, and he sent me all his income. “Go to a good art studio, don’t skimp on materials.” He came to visit me at school, ruffled my hair, and slipped me a debit card. “You just pursue your dreams. Leave everything else to me, Audrey.” I wanted to become a famous painter, to make **Liam** proud of me. But all of that was destroyed by **Seraphina Hayes**. The second month after my fingers were broken, **Liam** returned from a mission. He almost lost his mind. The unit’s expert marksman, capable of shooting accurately from thousands of yards away, his bullet never deviating from its trajectory. But he held my hand, trembling uncontrollably. He couldn’t suppress the anger in his voice. “I’ll kill them.” “Don’t say such things, **Liam**.” I rested my head on his shoulder, closing my eyes wearily. “I’m so tired.” “I need to sleep for a bit.” For that entire month, my injuries healed slowly. **Alistair** kept sending people to torment me mentally. Every day, I woke up repeatedly from pain and nightmares. It wasn’t until I leaned against **Liam**, smelling his familiar scent, that I finally relaxed. The Hayes family’s influence was too great, and they had the Vance family allied with them. They produced a psychiatric diagnosis certificate for **Seraphina**. And paid me a large sum for medical expenses. **Liam** was a man of integrity and honor, risking his life to protect others. But he was helpless against **Seraphina Hayes**. After I recovered, he returned to his unit. Before he left, he held me and promised, “One day, I’ll see **Seraphina Hayes** brought to justice.” “You believe me, Audrey.” Tears streaming down my face, I nodded desperately. I had always believed him. I just… didn’t wait for him. 6 With **Alistair’s** relentless help, **Seraphina Hayes** perfectly integrated back into the social circles within half a month of her return. The night before I was to leave the country, I dropped them off at a business meeting and prepared to head back. “My flight is early tomorrow morning.” I softly told **Alistair**, “Mr. Vance, I’ll head back and rest now.” He nodded, his expression indifferent. **Seraphina**, standing nearby, suddenly spoke up. “Hold it.” She held a glass of red wine, tilting her head slightly as she looked at me. “I heard you’re going abroad to see an art exhibition?” “Your hands are useless, you can’t even hold a paintbrush. **Audrey Stone**, are you still dreaming of being a great artist?” I ignored her and continued towards the door. She directly smashed the wine glass against my back. The wine splashed out, staining the back of my dress. “Did I say you could leave?” **Seraphina** lowered her voice. “Get back here and help me drink tonight.” “Anyway, you common folk, you’re born to serve.” I froze in place, unmoving. **Alistair** sighed softly, speaking to me with a resigned yet indulgent tone. “Listen to Sera, Audrey.” “Otherwise, I’ll have to cancel your flight for tomorrow.” In that moment. I suddenly thought of **Liam** again. Back in the art studio, the first time **Seraphina Hayes** publicly humiliated me. She pinched her nose, standing several feet away, and said loudly, “It stinks.” “How dare people like you stay in the same art studio as us?” That night, I called **Liam**. “Are people born with different statuses, high or low?” He was on his way to a mission then. The car window was open. The wind from the open field whistled through the phone into my ear. **Liam’s** voice was slightly muffled, but it seemed to carry the force of a thunderclap. “Audrey, all humans are born equal.” “No matter where they’re born or raised, for example, right now, the same moon shines on all of us.” 7 Under **Alistair’s** protection, no one dared to mention **Seraphina Hayes’s** messy divorce anymore. Everyone praised her instead. “I hear Ms. Hayes is a renowned painter and artist abroad.” “Her works are priceless, even royal families from various countries compete to buy them.” **Seraphina** was very pleased, her smile elegant. “You all flatter me. I just have a bit of talent for painting.” She was allergic to alcohol, so she couldn’t drink. I had to drink for her. That night, I went to the restroom several times to throw up. My neck broke out in red rashes. When I went back, I happened to hear people quietly discussing. “That woman Seraphina is with, is that Mr. Vance’s wife? She looks so much like her.” “What wife? She’s just a servant. She sold herself to be a stand-in for money, lost all her dignity.” “That knockoff will be kicked out of the family soon, won’t she?” A few people laughed, their eyes full of scorn. My back was soaked with cold sweat. I leaned against the hallway wall, trying to catch my breath. I opened my phone. **Alistair** had transferred another million. “I hung ‘Moonlight Over the Wild’ in the exhibition. Sera is in a bad mood, don’t blame her.” I knew. Recently, she was holding an art exhibition, and someone offered a high price, wanting her to paint another piece exactly like ‘Moonlight Over the Wild.’ But that painting wasn’t by **Seraphina Hayes**. It was a piece I’d painted after that phone call with **Liam**, when I was seventeen, staying up all night. Later, to raise money, I sold it for twenty thousand dollars. After marrying **Alistair**, I found out he was the anonymous buyer. The wind in the wilderness had shape, and the moonlight shone equally on every piece of land. This was something **Seraphina Hayes**, who constantly called people “inferior,” could never paint. 8 The seventh year. I finally found the photographer who took that picture. “Do you know where he is now?” He shook his head. Seeing my disappointment, he hesitated, then lowered his voice. “Actually, I photographed this person again six months ago.” I stiffened abruptly. “But the place where the photo was taken is very dangerous. If I expose it to you, I’ll have to move from here immediately and move across the ocean.” “If you want it, you’ll have to pay a high price.” I was still two million short of the money I needed. After returning home, I found **Alistair**. Before he could say anything, **Seraphina Hayes**, who was beside him, laughed. “How shameless. Do you really think you’re worth that much money?” I ignored her, my gaze fixed on **Alistair**. “Mr. Vance, whatever your terms, just name them.” He met my desperate gaze, a slight愣. But still said, “**Audrey**, Sera isn’t happy lately. I need to console her.” “This matter, she’ll decide.” **Seraphina** looked at me, smiling slowly. “Audrey Stone, aren’t you proud that your talent is higher than mine? Don’t you despise us rich people the most?” “You want money? Fine, then get on your knees and beg me.” The moment I knelt before her. My lips were chapped and bleeding. **Seraphina** suddenly burst into laughter. “You actually believed that? How stupid can you be?” She narrowed her eyes. “Just kidding.” “Back when I broke your hands, your brother went to my uncle just like that, saying he’d bring me to justice—he didn’t know that when he was begging like that, I was sitting right next door, enjoying the show.” “Your brother is just like you, naive and foolish, one of those common folk.” “I heard he died? Well, that’s truly—” She leaned slightly closer, her smile as sweet as a poisonous flower, mesmerizing. “Per-fect.” The taut string in my mind snapped. Before I even realized what I was doing, I was grabbing her hair, slamming her head against the edge of the table. I bit into her shoulder, wanting to tear a piece of flesh off. **Seraphina** had never suffered like this. Tears streamed down her face from the pain. But she was used to living in luxury, utterly no match for my strength. “Audrey Stone, are you insane?!” She struggled desperately to push me away, screaming hysterically, “You rabid dog!” Finally, **Alistair**, sitting in his wheelchair, called for the butler and servants. His face was cold, for the first time dropping his facade of gentle politeness in front of me. “Audrey, you’ve been married into this family for seven years, and you still haven’t learned what decorum means.” “I’ve been too good to you, letting you lose your sense of proportion.” When I was forcibly pulled away by several people, my mouth was full of blood. **Seraphina** was nearly hysterical. She slapped me twice, then ordered the others to drag me into the bathroom. The bathtub was filled with cold water. My face was shoved in. Water flooded my nostrils and eyes, making me tremble and convulse with pain. Just as I was about to suffocate, I was yanked up by my hair. And shoved back down again. In the second before I lost consciousness. I wondered. When **Liam** fell into the open sea. Was it like this too? Was he this desperate too? Did he think of me like this? 9 **Seraphina Hayes’s** attack was too brutal. In the end, I was rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment. I fell seriously ill. As compensation, **Alistair** transferred three million dollars to me. He said, “It’s more than what you asked for, so don’t make a fuss with me anymore, Audrey.” I didn’t bother arguing with him. I transferred the money, wanting to buy that photo. But the money was sent back. The photographer’s account was deactivated. I sat blankly in the hospital. The sunlight poured in like molten gold through the window, illuminating me. But I felt like I couldn’t perceive any warmth at all. I don’t know how much time passed, but then there was a knock on the door. I looked up and saw a serious-looking middle-aged man. On the day I was discharged, he led me into an unassuming, secret small building. “The situation is very dangerous. Don’t look for **Liam** anymore. We can’t even contact him right now.” He said, “Whether he’s alive or dead, we’ll have an answer in at most a month.” I looked at him blankly. “So, he’s not dead?” “He wasn’t before, but now it’s hard to say. His mission is extremely dangerous. He went off-grid a week ago.” Tears streamed down my face. My voice trembling, I asked, “Then why didn’t he let you tell me?” “Liam knew you were married, and that you married… **Alistair Vance**.” “He said it was to avoid disturbing you.” “He wanted you to believe he died seven years ago.” … When I left the small building, darkness had fallen. I looked at the setting sun, feeling as if fate had played a cruel joke on me. When I returned, **Alistair** was waiting in his wheelchair in the villa’s courtyard. Seeing me, he spoke in a low voice, “Where did you go after the hospital, Audrey?” “Are you mad at me?” I looked at his arrogant face, subtly hinting at displeasure. In truth, it bore only a fleeting resemblance to **Liam’s** sharp, battle-hardened face after going through so many life-or-death situations. I just… I just missed him too much. Even that small resemblance was enough to pull me back from the brink of suffocation. But after today, it seemed everything was meaningless. I walked past him numbly, ignoring him. But my wrist was grabbed. “If it’s about Sera, I admit, I did favor her a bit.” His tone was deliberately softened. As if he’d made a huge concession for me. “As compensation, I’ll have my assistant transfer another sum of money to you.” “Don’t make a scene anymore.” I didn’t speak, just stared into the distance, at the setting sun during twilight. It was swallowed by the distant mountains, little by little. The moment night fell, I spoke quietly. “Alistair, let’s get a divorce.” 10 He frowned, warning me, “These years, I’ve really spoiled you, made you forget your place.” “Who else would give someone in your position this much money if you leave me?” I covered my face and laughed. “What use is money to me?” “Useless? Did you forget how you knelt and begged me before?” I ignored him, simply placing the drafted divorce papers on his desk. And moved out of the Vance mansion. Days passed. A month later, I received an invitation from the orphanage where I grew up. To attend their charity fundraiser. These days, **Alistair** initially thought I was just sulking, not wanting me to push my luck. Later, he seemed to realize I was serious. And started lowering himself to coax me. “Don’t make a fuss with me, Audrey.” “Come back, and I’ll have Sera personally apologize to you.” I never replied. On the day of the fundraiser. I walked onto the stage and immediately spotted **Alistair** in the audience. He was staring intently at me. The host asked me, “I hear Ms. Stone grew up in this orphanage and has made multiple donations since.” “Yes, I want the children who come after to have a better life.” This was something **Liam** had been doing ever since he graduated. He was gone, so it fell to me. “As far as I know, Ms. Stone had a brother who grew up with her here, working a very commendable profession, named **Liam Carter**?” Hearing **Liam’s** name, I suddenly froze. My gaze swept across the room, then settled on a dim corner of the hall. The heart in my chest suddenly began to pound wildly. It took a long time to find my voice. “…Not my brother.” “He’s not my brother.” “Liam is six years older than me, but I never called him brother, because I love him.” Below the stage, **Alistair**, sitting in his wheelchair, his face abruptly turned ashen. The most fervent, unmasked affection of my life had always been reserved for **Liam** alone. The host was stunned. “But… Ms. Stone seems to be connected to Mr. Vance, who is also here tonight—” “It was just a transaction. **Alistair** and I are already divorced.” I said, “Thank you, Mr. Vance, for the compensation all these years, which gave me ample funds to search for **Liam**.” “Whether he’s alive or dead, I had to find him.” “He will always be a hero in my heart.” As I said these words, I didn’t look at **Alistair**, whose eyes were red. I just stared intently at that dim corner. Watching that familiar figure step out of the shadows. Into the light. Walking step by step toward me. He was so much thinner, his cheeks slightly sunken, and exposed skin was covered in scars. But those cold, sharp eyes were fixed on me, bright as stars, softening in an instant. “Now, you’ve found me.”

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“Aria, I’m over it.” Leo rolled off the couch, chin tilted defiantly, an arrogant smirk playing on his lips. I froze, my hand instinctively flying to my shirt buttons. “Okay.” “Okay?” “It’s too late now. Taxis are expensive,” I said, reaching for the bag he’d tossed onto the table, pulling out my phone to check the time. “You can leave tomorrow morning.” His beautiful eyes fixed on me, saying nothing. “If you can’t wake up,” I added, my voice incredibly soft, “tomorrow afternoon works too.” He reached out, grabbing my outstretched hand. His six-foot-plus frame suddenly loomed, an overwhelming presence. “You’re something else, Aria,” he whispered close to my ear. The next morning, squeezed onto a packed subway during rush hour, my SnapChat groups exploded with messages. The reason? A famous actress had been caught on camera late at night, spending time in a wealthy heir’s apartment. I work in entertainment media, and this concrete proof was absolutely explosive. Blake Davis, from the Davis family, worth hundreds of millions. Born with a silver spoon in his mouth. “Maybe she’ll actually marry him,” a colleague grumbled to me. “No, she won’t,” I replied curtly. “How do you know?” Because I’m Blake Davis’s wife. Or, to be precise, his ex-wife. It took everything I had to marry Blake. The subway pulled into the station, and I squeezed out like a sardine, accidentally dropping my earbuds. I turned back to see them on the ground, stepped on a few times. Before I could even pick them up, the train doors closed. Rushing to clock in, I sped to the office, barely catching an elevator. But then it beeped loudly, overloaded, and under everyone’s watchful eyes, I had to step out, defeated. Ah… my perfect attendance bonus… With a sigh of resignation, I waited for the next elevator. Pulling out my phone, I saw a text from Leo from fifteen minutes ago. He’d ordered breakfast delivery to my office and told me to remember to answer the rider’s call. I swiped up and saw a missed call from an unknown number five minutes ago. Must be the delivery rider. I’d missed the call. I called back, but it was immediately hung up. After a moment, a text came through: “In a meeting. Hold on.” A meeting? I texted back: “Delivery rider? Just leave it at the front desk, thanks.” I turned to walk towards the front desk when my phone rang. I answered, speaking quickly, “Hi, I’m at the company entrance. You can just bring it over.” There was a moment of silence on the other end, then a calm, unbothered voice. “Rider?” Blake Davis. My feet froze. The last time we’d spoken felt like a lifetime ago. Six months, to be exact. “Is there something you need?” I asked. “Come back to the family estate tonight,” he said. Divorcing him was my idea. He, however, thought I was throwing a tantrum. “Is that all you’ve got?” His eyes held an impatient sneer. “Short on cash again?” He’d found a convenient reason for my actions. Meeting my serious gaze, his brow furrowed. “Is this supposed to be amusing?” He leaned back in his chair, narrowing his eyes. I handed him the divorce papers. He stared into my eyes, like a dangerous predator, and I felt his anger slowly radiating from him. Provoking him, it seemed, had become my source of perverse pleasure in our dysfunctional marriage. But now, it all felt so utterly meaningless. “Stop the drama, just sign,” I said, my voice flat, lightly tossing the agreement onto the table. He watched my actions, then actually chuckled, as if he’d seen right through me. His tone was full of mockery: “Sign? Why wouldn’t I sign?” He seemed convinced I was just trying to manipulate him into staying. I watched as his pen quickly scrawled across the agreement. Once he was done, I reached for it, but he grabbed my wrist, pulling me hard into his embrace, a sensation both strange and unsettlingly familiar. “Leave with nothing but the clothes on your back,” he whispered in my ear. “Let’s see how long you last without me.” “Aria, coming over tonight?” I received Leo’s text just before leaving work. I didn’t reply, putting my phone away and heading to a ride-share with two large bags of groceries. In the car, I thought about it, then picked up my phone to text back. “Busy.” The car pulled up to the outer perimeter of the upscale gated community. The security guard at the gate wouldn’t let us in. I rolled down the window and greeted the guard. He immediately broke into a smile. “Mrs. Davis, it’s been a long time!” As soon as I stepped inside the front door, I caught the rich aroma of pork rib and lotus root soup. Mrs. Davis, the housekeeper, carried the groceries into the kitchen. Then Mrs. Davis, Blake’s mom, quickly untied her apron and rushed into the living room. “Aria, you’re back?” “Mom,” I said, changing into slippers as I walked over. “Smells like pork ribs. So good.” “Yes, it is! I specially simmered it for you this afternoon.” Mrs. Davis was meticulously well-preserved, her skin smooth and glowing, making her look no older than her early thirties. “Oh, Aria, why are your dark circles so heavy? Is work very tiring?” “It’s fine,” I said, sitting on the sofa. “Just used to staying up late.” “Well, that won’t do,” Mrs. Davis said, sitting beside me, her expression serious. “Your health is the most important thing. I always tell Blake to stop making you work so hard, but he always says I’m being meddlesome. Oh, I’ve watched you grow up since you were little, you’re dearer to me than a daughter. It’s just Blake’s personality isn’t good, he doesn’t know how to care for people.” Mrs. Davis held my hand, talking softly and incessantly. “Mom.” Blake’s voice came from behind us. “You’re back?” Mrs. Davis turned. “Oh, why are you two still arriving separately?” “I came from the office,” Blake said, turning to go upstairs. Six months had passed. His voice felt almost like a stranger’s to me. My phone vibrated. It was Leo. “Can’t sleep without you, Aria.” I turned off my phone screen. Mrs. Davis turned back to me. “Are you two staying at the family estate tonight?” “Depends on him,” I said. Mrs. Davis nodded, then remembered something and got up to go to the kitchen. I opened my phone and replied to Leo. “Then don’t sleep.” Blake handed me a bowl of lotus root soup. When my fingertips brushed his, there was a strange, uncomfortable sensation. His gaze flickered to my face for an instant, then away. “Stay at home tonight,” Mr. Davis, Blake’s grandfather, said. “I have something tomorrow,” Blake said, “so no.” Mr. Davis put his bowl down with a thud, which prompted a few coughs. The air suddenly thickened. Blake continued eating as if nothing happened. “Her company is on the north side of the city. Commuting from the family estate would take two hours.” The atmosphere eased slightly. Mr. Davis turned to me. “Still doing that job, dear? “Are you adapting well?” Mr. Davis asked with concern. “If it’s too much, just let Blake lighten your load.” “It’s fine, Grandpa. I’m very used to it.” Blake drove me home. “You’re driving yourself?” I asked from the passenger seat, awkwardly breaking the silence. He said nothing. Always like this. My words, he’d selectively answer. I ran my fingers along the right car window frame. It had been too long since I’d ridden in such a nice car. The feel was so smooth. He turned his head to glance at me, just a fleeting look. Like a royal decree. We drove through the city night, the car silent. Suddenly, a phone rang. Blake answered it. The car was too quiet, so I, sitting in the passenger seat, heard the woman’s voice on the other end crystal clear. She was whining, begging for company. His beautiful eyes flickered to me, an imperceptible glance. Not from guilt, just a test. “I’ll be there tonight,” he said, his tone neither warm nor cold. The woman on the other end was clearly overjoyed, rattling on endlessly. “Don’t call while driving,” I said, my voice low, but it instantly silenced the woman. Blake, however, chuckled. He said a few more words, then hung up. “Deliberate?” He couldn’t help but ask, turning the steering wheel. Heaven’s honest truth, I was only thinking of my own life. “When we were married, I never cared about you seeing other women,” I raised my eyebrows. “We’re divorced now, what business is it of mine?” His car was as cold as he was. I reached out to turn on the heating, but he slapped my hand away. “Outside air circulation,” he said, pressing a button, glancing at me. “Your perfume is suffocating.” “I’m not wearing perfume,” I retorted. Red light. He reached to touch my head. I instinctively flinched back. His hand paused, then he sneered coldly, quickly pulling it away. “Your hair.” I touched my hair, brought it to my nose, and sniffed. Ah, I understood. It was the smell of shampoo from Leo’s apartment. A men’s fragrance. I lowered the strand of hair I’d picked up and looked at Blake. He was waiting for my explanation. I turned my head to the window. “We’re divorced.” Things I didn’t care about before, there was even less reason to care about now. He remained silent. The car was terrifyingly quiet. “Subway station, get out,” he said. I opened my phone to check the time. “The subway’s not running now.” Twelve thirteen AM. “Can you call a taxi?” He pulled the car over to the side of the road, his voice laced with annoyance. “Get out.” He saw I hadn’t moved. “What? Can’t you understand me?” His tone was harsh, like a prelude to an explosion of anger. I met his dangerously intense gaze. He was waiting for me to back down. But I only wanted to challenge his limits even more. I smiled, my fingers lightly tapping on the comfortable window frame. “You get out,” I said. “What?” He didn’t react, turning to look at me, still with that impatient expression. “What? You don’t understand me?” I smiled back at him. He finally understood, his eyebrows furrowing. “What’s wrong with you—” He didn’t finish his sentence, putting on a look of not wanting to argue. “Stop messing around, get out. “I’ll reimburse you for the taxi,” he sighed faintly. I laughed. “You get out, I’ll reimburse *you* for the taxi.” That really pissed him off. “What are you doing?!” “Oh, you don’t know how to call a taxi yourself?” My voice was gentle. “Then I’ll call Mr. Chen to come pick you up, okay?” I made to call, but his large hand covered my phone. “What do you mean?” His breath brushed my ear. I leaned back slightly, pulling away from him. “We’re already divorced. If you want to wait for the right moment to tell your family, I can help you play along. “But that doesn’t mean I have to put up with your terrible temper anymore.” I shook my phone at him. “How many years have you used this trick of telling me to get out of the car?” He tried to snatch my phone, but I held it tightly. He stared deeply at me, as if recalling something, his grip leaving a red mark on my wrist. He snatched my phone, brushing past my ear, and slammed it against the car window. “Keep messing around if you dare.” Then he turned and got out of the car. I picked up my phone, moved into the driver’s seat, and drove off without looking back. I drove the car to Leo’s apartment’s underground garage. I turned to him. “What happened to your forehead?” He rubbed his forehead. “Nothing, just bumped it.” Ouch, his face is so handsome, it’d be a shame to scuff it. “Worried about me?” He leaned in closer. Seeing I didn’t speak, he asked again, “Where did you get the car?” I turned off the engine and handed him the car keys. “It’s yours.” He raised an eyebrow. “Got guts now? Where’d you steal it from?” I pressed the car keys into his hand, ready to get out. My wrist was suddenly grabbed. But he didn’t dare use force, afraid of hurting me. “What do you want?” I asked him. “Don’t you want to try?” “Try what?” “What do you think?” He smiled broadly, rubbing my wrist. The next morning, I was woken by my phone ringing. Muffled under the covers, I didn’t want to move. Didn’t want to go to work, didn’t want to get up. Leo got up, took the phone, and handed it to me. Then he pulled me into his arms, his warmth enveloping me. “Hello, who is this…” My voice was muffled from under the blankets. “Do you know there’s surveillance in my car?” That woke me up. I tried to push Leo away and get up, but his big arms and legs bundled me in, holding me down. I coughed abruptly, glancing at the caller ID. Blake Davis. Ugh. “I didn’t,” I cleared my throat. “Now you do,” the voice on the other end said. What kind of person is that? Installing surveillance in his own car. “Aria, can I drive you to work?” Leo drowsily leaned against the bathroom door frame, following me like a puppy. “You have morning classes,” I said, washing my face. “Hurry up and go to school.” Leo walked behind me, unable to open his eyes, just resting his head on my shoulder. “No, you’re heavy,” I nudged his head away. His hair was fluffy, truly like a dog’s. “Beep, beep, beep,” he murmured, his voice slightly deeper in the morning. “What are you doing?” I splashed warm water on his face. He rubbed against my neck. “Hold on, I need to recharge.” I pushed him away, exasperated. I grabbed my bag, ready to brave the subway. “Oh, right,” I said before leaving. “You can drive that car whenever you want, but there’s a camera inside. Find it and take it out.” “Camera?” He leaned against the door, seeing me off. “Aria, you really have a lot of tricks up your sleeve.” **Part Two** At eight PM, Julian returned to the country. S11 Club. Just before clocking out, I received a SnapChat from Blake. Read, then deleted. “Can’t find it.” Leo called me when I had just gotten back to my own apartment. “Can’t find what?” I asked, wedging the phone between my ear and shoulder as I changed shoes. “The camera,” Leo said, his voice laced with amusement. “Alright, Aria, are you messing with me?” I paused. “You really can’t find it?” “I’ve searched everywhere,” he said. Music was loud on his end, like someone was calling him. “Are you coming to see me tonight?” he asked. “No.” I hung up. My phone showed exactly eight PM. Time for my online class. I opened my TOEFL notes and began speaking English to my kind foreign teacher on the computer. “Why not?” Blake’s voice held no discernible emotion. “There’s no camera in your car,” I said, taking a sip of water, changing the subject. “Were you testing me?” “Why are you so guilty?” he asked me. “What do you care?” I countered. “I care?” His emotions finally showed some fluctuation. “You *want* me to care?” He’d stated a question as a declarative sentence. It was his usual blind self-confidence. The foreign teacher on the computer called my name, pointing to his watch, signaling that the break was over. “Are you seeing foreigners now?” Blake sneered. “Is this all you have left? “It won’t work,” he said. “When did you start English classes?” He looked displeased, the car stopped at a red light. Outside, the city night was cold under a fine, misty rain. “Six months ago,” I said, looking out the window. Blake’s profile was reflected in the glass. Half an hour ago, he’d appeared at my apartment door, wearing the same expression. Only angrier. “Why are you learning English?” he asked me. “Why are you at my apartment?” I asked him. He turned to look at me, his eyes carrying the unique mist of a cold night. The mist would spread, clinging to my skin in the confined space of the car. “Why do you think?” he said, his tone mocking. Green light, the car moved. His expression cleared, returning to his usual calm and restraint. Julian was still as youthful as ever. “Let’s wish CEO Sterling a happy thirty-third birthday!” As soon as I entered the private room, I heard people shouting inside. Julian looked over the crowd and saw me, and then he saw Blake standing behind me. “Well, CEO Sterling’s sister is here,” someone called out. I was pushed forward, facing him directly. He was wearing a cream-colored cashmere sweater. He raised his hand as if to place it on my head, his eyes briefly sweeping over Blake, then settling on my shoulder.

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I woke up and found myself the heroine of a brutal romance novel. The day I slashed my wrists, the male lead was picking up his idealized first love, Genevieve, who had just returned from overseas. He sneered, “Didn’t you say you’d put up with anything just to marry me? Can’t even handle something this trivial?” Genevieve purred, “He loves me. If you hadn’t threatened his mother’s life, he would never have been with you. It’s time to return what was mine.” His mother, Patricia, whose life I’d saved, coldly added, “Here’s your money back. Can you please just let my son go? It’s better for everyone if you two divorce.” But I wouldn’t leave him. Because he was about to die. I woke up lying in a bathtub. Blood was everywhere. My phone was on speaker, and Julian’s angry voice blasted from it: “I’m home. Where the hell are you? Is it fun constantly creating drama like this?” I hung up, dialed 911, and the next time I woke, I was in a hospital room. The doctor said, “Another five minutes, and we wouldn’t have been able to save you. Luckily, your will to live is strong.” “Yeah, I know.” I had transmigrated into a dark romance novel. The original heroine, Maya, had desperately loved Julian, but he never returned her feelings. His constant emotional abuse had left her with severe depression and strong suicidal tendencies. Tonight, Julian was throwing a lavish welcome-home party for his idealized first love, Genevieve. Maya, pushed to her breaking point, had felt she couldn’t take it anymore and called him to come home. He was the one who had ignored her desperate plea for help. Her life was supposed to end today. But not anymore. “Your phone kept ringing. The caller ID said ‘Husband.’ We notified your family, and he’s on his way.” “Doesn’t matter. How’s the baby?” Maya had been pregnant when she tried to kill herself. “The fetal heartbeat almost stopped, but fortunately, the baby’s will to live is as strong as yours. For now, it’s out of danger. The detailed report will be ready soon.” “Thank you.” A while later, Julian, impeccably dressed in a suit, pushed open the door. He took one look at my bandaged wrist and scowled, his handsome brows furrowed. “Playing this game again? Maya, you try to kill yourself every other day. Why aren’t you dead yet?” “You’re not dead, so I’m not in a hurry,” I calmly looked at him. “I’ll be sending you off first, Julian.” In the original novel, after Maya lost both her and the baby, Julian seemed to suddenly fall in love with her. He was filled with belated regret. All that belated, overflowing affection. A year later, Julian died of stomach cancer. A year. Not long. I could wait. Julian had never heard such venomous words from Maya. He froze for a second. “I just went to a reunion with an old friend. Is it really that big of a deal?” His “old friend” was his idealized first love, Genevieve. Of course, I didn’t care. “The desire to kill someone can’t be hidden. Whatever you do, I want you dead. It has little to do with who you meet or what you do.” Julian shook his head in disbelief. “Maya, are you crazy? Constantly talking about dying, but don’t drag others into it.” “What kind of talk is that? She’s a depression patient. And you keep saying ‘die.’ How is that any different from attempted murder?” The doctor scolded him, then softly said to me, “Here’s the report. The baby is fine. You two are incredibly lucky. Mother and child are both safe.” “You’re pregnant?” Julian was stunned, then his face turned cold. “I told you I didn’t want kids. I always used protection. What did you do to the condoms?” “The best birth control is not to do it at all. Don’t you know that basic fact? Or are you saying I deliberately forced myself on you? If so, go call the police. Accuse me of marital rape.” Maya had always been a gentle, quiet woman. This was the first time Julian had seen her so sharp-tongued. He was so furious he could barely speak. “…You’re being unreasonable.” “Men who are terrible at arguing are boring. They’re useless beyond a pretty face, just annoying.” I pulled the covers over me and went to sleep, wondering what Maya ever saw in him. Julian stared at my back. His phone rang, and I faintly heard Genevieve’s voice: “…Julian, I’m drunk. I don’t know how to get to the hotel…” Julian glanced at me. “It’s not a good time tonight.” “It is. Go on, get lost,” I interjected. Julian was supposed to be with Genevieve tonight anyway. And Maya was supposed to bleed out, slowly. “Haven’t you made enough of a scene?” Julian’s voice was always laced with annoyance when he spoke to me. “You’re truly impossible to please. When I clung to you, you found me disgusting. Now that I don’t want to see you, you stick to me like superglue. What, have you fallen for me?” Julian glared at me, then stormed out, slamming the door. A moment later, he brought in a bedside chair, set it next to me, and lay down without a word.

I stayed in the hospital for a while, and Julian remained stone-faced during his visits. One day, I went for a psychological therapy session. My attending physician, Dr. Alex Thorne, spoke with me for a bit, then asked me to undergo a full battery of organic lesion tests and a new psychological evaluation. He looked at my reports as if he’d witnessed a medical miracle. “Your depression… it’s completely cured. Both your psychological assessment and test results are perfectly healthy.” “Depression often begins when a patient becomes overly fixated on a single goal, leading to narrowed focus, accumulated frustrations, and eventually self-attack and self-loathing. I used to love Julian, and my eyes were only on him. When he didn’t love me back, I felt worthless. Now that I’ve let go, my life force has naturally begun to flow again.” Dr. Thorne smiled and shook my hand. “Congratulations. I say that as a friend.” Dr. Thorne was the only one who truly cared about Maya. He had witnessed how this poor woman had sunk deep into the mire of love. All her efforts had been for naught. The most sincere emotions, had brought nothing but pain. “So, what are you going to do now? Divorce him?” “No,” I curled my lips into a smile. “He is a CEO, after all.” When he dies, the company will be mine. Why would I divorce him?

The day I returned home, Julian said he was busy and didn’t come to pick me up. Instead, I received a text from an unknown number. It was a picture of Julian. His eyes were slightly glazed, and he smiled gently at the camera, two buttons of his shirt undone, revealing his sculpted collarbone. Maya had never seen him look like that. But I was completely unfazed. I forwarded it to my lawyer, asking him to archive it. I had just stepped inside when I heard the lock click open again. It wasn’t Julian who entered, but his idealized first love, Genevieve. “All these years, his door code has remained my birthday, Maya. What makes you think you can compete with me?” She looked at me with the arrogant disdain of someone who felt deeply cherished. “Does playing doorman for us make you happy?” Genevieve never expected me to hit back: “Genevieve, if I hadn’t gone abroad to study five years ago, none of this would have happened. You see, the moment I came back, Julian couldn’t wait to see me. If you had any self-awareness, you’d pack your bags and leave immediately.” I dropped two lemon slices into a glass of warm water. “If I recall correctly, Ms. Genevieve, you went to New York? That’s not exactly far, a 25-hour flight. Why did it end up like a parting of the ways for eternity, forcing you to break up?” “Five years, 1800 days, 43,800 hours. He wouldn’t even spend 25 hours on you, never once visited you in America. How dare you believe he loves you? Were you being manipulated by him?” Genevieve froze for a second. “Julian couldn’t afford a plane ticket back then! If he had money, would he have let you leverage his mom’s life to force him to marry you?” “So you knew Julian was a guy who couldn’t even afford a twenty-five hundred dollar plane ticket five years ago? A man who clawed his way up from nothing?” I turned, holding my glass. “Now that he’s the CEO of Sterling Group, you’re telling me to get lost? Heh, you’re trying to commit grand theft in broad daylight!” As soon as the words left my mouth, police sirens wailed outside. Genevieve frowned. “You called the cops?” I raised my glass to her. “Any normal person calls the police when they’re being robbed. Just so you know.” As she was being led away by the police, she was still yelling, “Let’s see what charge you can pin on me!”

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