• The Disparity of Our Stars

    I was the smartest and prettiest child in the entire orphanage. But everyone who wanted to adopt me ended up dying in bizarre ways, and the police questioned me, the sole witness, about what I had seen. “I don’t know either. It must all be an accident.” “There’s no one at home except for me and my parents.” I tried my best to suppress my smile and asked innocently, “It couldn’t be that I did all of this, could it?” I was the most popular orphan in the home, with countless people wanting to adopt me, but every family that took me in seemed to experience inexplicable misfortune. Just like my first set of adoptive parents, my second set passed away tragically in the third month of my adoption. With no one left to care for me, the social welfare agency had no choice but to return me to the orphanage. As I was leaving, the volunteer responsible for me expressed regret. “Emily is such a well-behaved child; it’s just that misfortune seems to target the unfortunate… “Finding her new adoptive parents under these circumstances won’t be easy. We’ll need your help to take care of her, and we’ll do our best to come by more often.” The volunteer patted my head, and I took a step forward, grasping Amelia’s hand softly, whispering, “Ms. White…” Amelia White, the head of the orphanage, had cold hands that were already beginning to bead with sweat. As I held her hand, I felt her tremble slightly. The volunteers hadn’t left yet, so she couldn’t just shake off my hand. “Don’t worry, Emily has been under my care since she was little. I’ll take good care of her.” In front of others, Amelia smiled and promised, but then she turned to desperately contact couples interested in adoption, trying every way to sell me. “Emily Grace is the most well-behaved child in our orphanage, exceptionally quiet, and never cries.” “What happened before… those were just accidents. She’s just a little girl who doesn’t understand. You can trust her to adopt her.” “No, no, Ms. White, that’s just too ominous.” “Exactly! The two families that adopted her have died. If this time it’s an accident, twice is just too strange.” Days passed, and Amelia returned defeated countless times, her expression growing darker each day. She dressed me in the prettiest dress, racking her brain to praise me, hoping that my adorable appearance would soften the hearts of potential adopters. At first, they were indeed moved, but upon learning about my past, they all shook their heads in rejection. “This child is just too unlucky. Death follows her everywhere. Is she really a jinx?” I listened to their murmurs, but I felt utterly unconcerned. Only I knew the truth. Those “accidents” were all my doing. My first set of adoptive parents was a glamorous couple known for their charitable work. Among the many children in the orphanage, they chose me at first sight, calling me an innocent little angel. It was after I followed them home that I discovered they were not philanthropists at all but traffickers who abducted beautiful children for pedophiles. Just three days after adopting me, they eagerly found a buyer, even choosing a secluded beach villa for the deal. “This little girl is the most obedient I’ve ever seen; she does whatever you ask. “Look at her! She’s more beautiful than any child star. She’s definitely worth the price.” “Isn’t that too expensive? I’ve heard she’s an orphan. You guys are making a fortune out of nothing here.” While they discussed my worth upstairs, I ignited the living room curtains and cut the gas line in the kitchen, quietly slipping out of the villa while no one was watching. That night, flames engulfed the house, leaving my adoptive parents and the buyer as charred corpses. My second set of adoptive parents, unable to have children, had always wanted to adopt. However, most of the boys in the orphanage were disabled and abandoned due to health issues. After much selection, even though I wasn’t the boy they wanted, they took me home because I was smart and well-behaved. At first, they treated me decently. My adoptive father would take me to the amusement park for a day of fun, and my adoptive mother would sweetly give me a goodnight kiss before bed. In that short time, I experienced the warmth of family life. But everything changed one fateful night when my adoptive father climbed into my bed. He was a monster, intending to violate me while drunk. I fought back with all my strength, striking him with a vase, and then turned to my adoptive mother to cry for help. But instead of comfort, she beat me fiercely, calling me a shameless child for enticing my own adoptive father, saying she would sell me to a village for old men. With no other choice, I slipped some antibiotics into my father’s drink and secretly hid my mother’s heart medication. The next day, they were found dead in the house, and I was returned to the orphanage once more. From that day, no one had wanted to adopt me. The other children in the orphanage avoided playing with me, scattering like birds when they saw me return. Only a tall boy named Daniel Reed stood his ground, theatrically shouting, “The jinx Emily is back again! “Your adopters all died. Will your bad luck infect us too?” I ignored him and sat in the shade, flipping through a picture book. Daniel, seeking attention and spurred on by the onlookers, grew red in the face and picked up a stone to throw at me. The stone struck my forehead, blood streaming down and staining the pure white pages. I looked up at Daniel, whose face was round and puffy, his slanted eyes gleaming with malicious delight. Daniel had just arrived at the orphanage last month. The caregivers said he had aggression-related genes, characterized by a volatile temper and poor academic ability. Yet Daniel took pride in this. He wielded his size to bully other children in the orphanage. The children were all afraid of him and dared not resist. “Emily! What’s going on here?” A caregiver noticed the commotion, hastily setting down her work to rush over. In the crowd of children, Daniel was a bully, but in front of adults, he was nothing more than a coward. I tilted my head, watching as Daniel was reprimanded, suddenly recalling the harsh words of my second adoptive mother. “You’ve always been so malicious. It’s clear you’re born bad.” In that light, Daniel must also be bad, but we were not the same. He was simply too foolish. But that was not a reason I could forgive him. As night fell, everyone in the orphanage drifted into a deep sleep. I tiptoed quietly to the boys’ dormitory. Daniel had a volatile temperament; even the slightest annoyance could set him off, and no child wanted to share a room with him. Thus, in the spacious dormitory, only his heavy snoring broke the silence. I stood silently at his bedside and, without hesitation, brought my eyebrow knife down toward his forehead. The pain jolted Daniel awake. As he opened his eyes and saw me, a short, piercing scream was muffled by my pillow. The sharp blade slid down until it rested against his neck. A slight movement could draw blood. The once arrogant look on Daniel’s face was replaced by sheer terror. Trembling, he barely managed to croak out, “W-what do you want?” “I’m here to give you a gift.” I smiled as I tossed the plastic bag onto him, revealing a dissected, bloodied white mouse inside. Blood seeped across Daniel’s bedding, and he shuddered violently, filling the room with the stench of urine. I remained unfazed, softly speaking as I did with the adopters. “Please don’t hurt me anymore, okay?” The next morning, I overheard whispers from the caregiver about Daniel’s twisted psyche. “No wonder they say Daniel has violent genes. That Daniel was secretly dissecting mice in the dorm last night, and his bed was covered in blood!” “That’s downright psychotic, so terrifying!” The caregiver bandaged my forehead, cautioning, “Emily, you must never play with such bad kids again.” I nodded obediently, but just as I wanted to ask for more details, a girl rushed up to me, panting. “Emily, there you are! Ms. White is looking for you.” “Someone wants to adopt you! Hurry to the office!” I paused briefly, then quickly said goodbye to the caregiver. Amelia’s office wasn’t spacious, but when I knocked and entered, I found a crowd packed inside. Cameras and lighting equipment made it feel like a film set. “Oh my, is this Emily?” A beautiful woman sprang to her feet the moment she saw me. She gently stroked my face, concern etched on her features. “What happened to your forehead?” I felt a bit lost and instinctively glanced at Amelia. Amelia’s eyes were cold as a snake as if she could see through me completely. I knew she had to be aware of Daniel’s actions, yet she didn’t pursue the issue, her expression softening once more. “This is Isabella Clarke and Joshua Clarke, the couple who will be adopting you. Say hello!” Amelia introduced them with a smile. “They’re famous influencers and came all the way here after hearing about you.” “Hi, I’m Emily.” I flashed my sweetest, most obedient smile. The photographer hurried to adjust his angles. “Move closer together and have a chat.” Joshua and Isabella exchanged glances, smiling as they pulled me closer to sit beside them. “Good girl, why are you called Emily White?” “Emily has been in the orphanage since she was born, so she has always taken my surname.” Amelia interjected, answering for me, “I named her, hoping she’d grow into a gentle and well-behaved girl.” Isabella nodded, her voice soft. “She truly is a lovely child. Emily, would you like to come with us?” “I would.” I paused, then added, “I’m very happy to be adopted by you.” The photographer nodded in satisfaction and urged, “Hug! Come on, hug again!” I blinked, throwing myself into Isabella’s warm embrace, yet a cold smile crept into my heart. I thought to myself, “I’m not a gentle or obedient girl at all. Ms. White once said I was the child of a devil, abandoned by God. God despises me. That’s why everyone hates me.”

    Isabella and Joshua were a well-known influencer couple on a short video platform. A few months ago, they faced widespread backlash for selling substandard products, and to redeem their image, they decided to adopt a child from an orphanage. Amelia was well aware of their motives, but she was eager to get me out of the orphanage, and she would probably have accepted anyone, even a beggar. However, I didn’t care whether the couple was genuine. To ensure a better life in my new home, I quickly began calling them “Mom” and “Dad” as soon as we were in the car. They were delighted to hear this, and even the photographer captured several clips to help improve their tarnished reputation online. “This little girl is both obedient and photogenic. You’ve struck gold!” “Of course! I searched all over the city’s orphanages and picked the prettiest one.” Joshua boasted, waving his phone. “The online response has been great. We just posted the video and already have collaboration offers rolling in!” “Exactly! You’re so smart, darling!” Isabella beamed, playfully nudging Joshua. “Our previous partners said they won’t terminate our contract for now, and they even want Emily to model children’s clothes.” “Making money is great, but I feel like her face looks familiar…” Joshua scrutinized my features, his brows slightly furrowing. Isabella shrugged it off, saying, “What do you know? Beautiful girls all look alike. Emily is so pretty. She resembles some of those popular actresses.” “That’s true! Let’s shoot a few more videos and see if we can get more children’s clothing ads!” They knew the internet had no memory. From a scandal-ridden internet celebrity to a rare kind-hearted couple, it was just a matter of a few days. After learning they were indeed adopting me, the online community became much more forgiving. Several sets of children’s clothing featuring me sold out quickly, bringing profits to both the manufacturers and the platform hosts. I felt like a robot, complying with Joshua and Isabella’s every demand as we filmed video after video, from dusk till dawn, changing outfits endlessly. If anything wasn’t perfect, we had to start over. “Why are you yawning again?” Joshua pinched me hard, and I shuddered, instantly becoming wide awake. “Sorry, Dad, I’m a bit tired.” “No sleeping! If you can’t handle this little hardship, do you think I’m raising you just to eat for free?” I held back tears, afraid to speak. After becoming my adoptive father, Joshua was no longer the kind man I remembered. If I failed to complete the filming tasks, I wouldn’t be allowed to eat or sleep, and if I slacked off, I’d face harsh reprimands. But Amelia had said they were my parents, and I was a good child who had to obey them. “What are you doing? Don’t pinch her!” Isabella shot Joshua a glare and tugged at my sleeves. “What if it shows in the video and the viewers notice?” “Emily, be a good girl; finish these few outfits and then you can sleep.” Isabella soothed me and signaled to the photographer to keep filming. I obediently followed the photographer’s directions, holding poses until my legs felt unsteady before being allowed to rest. The photographer, Joshua, and Isabella were busy reviewing the photos, leaving me alone on the sofa and sipping hot water to warm my frozen hands and feet. “Emily looks great on camera, but has she grown recently? Her clothes need to be a size up.” The photographer glanced at me, sighing knowingly. “If she ages out of being a child model, she won’t be valuable anymore. You all better find her other options quickly.” Joshua secured a few more advertisement deals for me, but unlike the previous children’s clothing, these were for pajamas, swimwear, and underwear. “Isn’t this dress a bit short?” Isabella frowned as she held up a flimsy lace nightgown. “Tell the manufacturer to send a larger size.” “Why change? This size fits perfectly!” Joshua snatched the dress and held it up to me, grinning. “This is a new opportunity. The profits will be huge.” I crouched by the fish tank, watching the goldfish swim, and Joshua’s lewd smile reflected on the glass made me feel uneasy, prompting me to voice my discomfort. “Dad, I don’t want to wear this dress.” Joshua threw me harshly to the ground, grabbing my hair and forcing me to look at him. “What do you think you are? “Are you going to film or not? If not, get the hell out of here!” “Oh, don’t pull her hair. She still needs to get styled.” Isabella interjected quickly, stopping him to pull my hair as if it were a precious item. “Look what you’ve done! We’ll have to curl it again.” Joshua, frustrated by Isabella’s intervention, flipped the glass fish tank over. The goldfish flopped helplessly on the floor, gasping for air, and within moments, the housekeeper swept them, along with shards of glass, into the trash. Watching the goldfish lose their life, I instinctively glared at Joshua, trembling all over. “Dad, you killed the goldfish.” Joshua was taken aback by my reaction, but he raised an eyebrow and sneered, “Two worthless fish dying doesn’t matter. I haven’t even electrocuted them yet. You know about the kids sent to the correctional center, right? If they misbehave, they get shocked. “If you don’t behave, I’ll find an electric chair for you to join those dead fish. “Isabella, stop dawdling! Hurry up and change her clothes and do her makeup. Mr. Harris is coming over soon to take her photos. “Let’s finish quickly; I have a party to attend tonight.” Isabella nodded, pulling me into the room. The heavy makeup and tight nightgown felt like a second, greasy skin clinging to me, making me want to gag. But Isabella seemed oblivious, measuring my chest disdainfully as she muttered, “Little kids don’t have curves, and this outfit won’t hold up. You need to get some hormones… “Just behave when the photographer takes your picture. Do whatever poses he asks. “If you do well this time, we’ll take you to the amusement park.” I felt like a soulless doll as Isabella pushed me out the door, where William Harris waited with his camera in hand. When he saw my outfit, he couldn’t help but give a thumbs-up. “Joshua, you really nailed it.” “Once child models age out, they usually fade away. You’ve found a unique angle here.” William circled around me, grinning as he said, “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure Emily becomes a big online star too.” I felt his greasy hand resting on my waist, and I forced a smile, suppressing my disgust. “Thank you, Mr. Harris.” The photos spread like wildfire online, but they weren’t your typical nightgown ads. They were marketed as everyday vlogs documenting life. Some fans sensed something was off and flooded the comments. [Why is she dressed so maturely? That dress is way too short and form-fitting.] [Aren’t they just profiting off a child? This couple has gone mad for money.] [Reported.] Isabella didn’t ignore these comments; she even posted a clarification in response to the criticism. [Emily had just reached the age when she loved trying on her mother’s clothes. Every girl goes through that phase, experimenting with makeup and high heels. She’s still a child. We should be more understanding.] Once she said that the comments took a sharp turn. Instead of stopping the criticism, it only fueled the flames. Many brands saw an opportunity and started reaching out, even suggesting I do live streams to sell products, but only if I continued wearing those age-inappropriate outfits to boost the hype. “What a bunch of clueless idiots. They just don’t appreciate it. “I’m showing them these tantalizing photos, and they’re pretending to be shocked?” Joshua scrolled through the comments, satisfied. “Where there’s heat, there’s traffic. That’s cash!” I sat beside him, watching him browse through messages until he reached a solitary comment at the very bottom. [Is it just me, or does this little girl look a lot like that serial killer from years ago?] “A killer?” Joshua’s brow furrowed, and he turned to scrutinize me for a moment before asking, “Do you know who your real mother is?” “No, I’ve been in an orphanage since I was little.” I answered honestly, but Joshua clearly didn’t believe me. He hurriedly opened a search engine, looking up that murder case from over a decade ago. “Damn it, you can’t really be the daughter of a killer, can you?” “What did you say? A killer?” Isabella leaned closer, tossing her bag onto the sofa as she commanded, “Emily, come over and massage my legs. I’m exhausted from shopping all day.” I obediently knelt at her feet and began to massage her legs while Joshua, with a grim expression, threw his phone in front of Isabella. The screen displayed a sensational headline crafted by the media. “The Century’s Most Ruthless Female Serial Killer, Using Her Beauty to Kill Five Men, Still at Large.” “Isabella, do you think they look alike?” Isabella took the phone, scrutinizing our faces for similarities. After a moment, she said, “There is a resemblance. Could she be her biological mother?” “I think it’s highly likely. I thought I found gold, but it turns out I might have stumbled upon a potential criminal.” Joshua’s expression darkened, and he kicked me. “No wonder I always thought she was cunning. She spends all day reading books. Who knows what wicked ideas she’s harboring? “We can’t keep her around; what if her mother comes looking for her?” Isabella’s eyes darted around, and suddenly, she patted Joshua’s arm, looking at me with a sly smile. “What’s there to worry about? Emily is very well-behaved, right? “Sweetheart, how can you be so naive at a time like this? This is a golden opportunity! “Years have passed. Who knows if that female killer is even still alive? We can’t verify anything, and this could be used to create a buzz again—it’ll definitely be a huge profit.” Despite Isabella’s enthusiasm, Joshua remained suspicious of me. He began digging into my past, investigating the two families I had lived with and repeatedly confirming the circumstances of their deaths. However, the police had closed the cases as accidents, and the neighbors had generally spoken well of me, so he found no evidence of anything amiss. In the end, he could only warn me not to harbor any ill intentions. I was currently gaining popularity online, attracting interest from several brands. Joshua spent his days flitting between various social events, returning home each night drunk. Isabella initially showed some concern, but soon, she lost interest, choosing to spend her time at clubs with friends, popping champagne with male models, and rarely being home. Alcohol served as a comforting escape for many middle-aged men, helping them forget their worries. But for me, it became a useful tool. I watched as a drunken Joshua collapsed on the sofa, and William, panting, suggested, “Emily, your dad has had too much to drink. Why don’t you call your mom?” I smiled and nodded in agreement before kindly helping Joshua to the bathroom. “Dad, you should take a shower. I’ve already run the water for you.” “Shower? Yes, I need to shower, and then keep drinking!” Joshua, dazed, began to undress and stumbled into the tub. Through his haze, he saw my silhouette and mumbled, “You little brat, don’t you dare think of anything sneaky! I’ll make you pay for it! “You’re too sneaky. In a few years, I’ll send you out to be a stripper.” “Dad, you’re drunk.” I interrupted Joshua’s words and then adjusted his posture. The damp clothes clinging to his body were not comfortable, but Joshua was so drunk that he didn’t care about these things and soon fell back asleep. Isabella’s new hairdryer was sitting on the sink. I casually plugged it in, turned it on, and tossed it into the bathtub. I knew water conducted electricity, and electricity could kill. Just like they said, those who misbehave would be shocked. A shrill scream came through, and Joshua’s eyes rolled back. His body convulsed and collapsed into the bathtub, just like the dead goldfish before. I checked his pulse, humming a tune as I removed my disposable gloves and turned to call Amelia. “Hello, who is this?” “Ms. White, it’s me.” I greeted her cheerfully and whispered, “My dad is dead. I might have to go back to the orphanage.”

    The police covered the suddenly deceased Joshua with a white sheet and carried him out. Isabella, who rushed over from another man’s tender embrace upon hearing the news, slapped me as soon as she arrived, screaming and cursing, “Did you do it? You little bitch. You kill him! “Murderer! You’re a murderer! Just like your mother, you’re a murderer!” I covered my face and hid behind the female police officer, tears streaming down my cheeks. “Madam, please calm down.” The female police officer quickly embraced me, frowning and explaining, “Your husband died of an accidental electric shock while using a hairdryer in the bath.” “Accidental electric shock, how could such a coincidence happen, she did it! She’s the daughter of a murderer, she’s a devil!” Isabella shakily took out her phone and handed it to the female police officer, sharply saying, “Look! They look exactly the same!” The female police officer glanced at the web page, but she didn’t seem to care. She said coldly, “Madam, I know you’re very sad, but don’t vent your anger on the child.” Isabella’s bloodshot eyes stared at me fiercely; the female police officer was stunned for a moment and silently pulled me further away. “Wait and see! “I will catch you! I will make you pay for it!” The female police officer looked a bit scared as she watched Isabella turn and leave and squat down to comfort me, saying, “Good girl, don’t be afraid.” “Why does my mom hate me so much, I’m really not a murderer.” I sobbed quietly in the arms of the female police officer, “Clearly, my parents had me take photos and videos, and they even made me wear such revealing clothes… why do they say I’m a murderer?” “What?” The female police officer frowned and said seriously, “What did they do to you? “Don’t worry, I’m a police officer, you tell me what happened, and I will definitely help you.” I told the female police officer about my previous experiences without hesitation, and as expected, I received a sympathetic look and comfort from her. Isabella’s mental state was not very stable, to begin with, and she was very likely to harm me. With the help of the female police officer, I left home smoothly and declined the police station’s suggestion to temporarily place me and returned to the orphanage again. Amelia was waiting outside early in the morning, and her face looked obviously ugly when she saw me getting out of the police car. “Ms. White, I’m back.” I took the initiative to hug Amelia, and the female police officer nodded with satisfaction, “It’s really a trouble for you to take care of her for a while.” “It’s okay, it’s not a trouble at all.” Amelia smiled reluctantly, and she patted my hand. It was not until the police left that her true color was completely revealed. “What did you do again! Are you crazy? Didn’t I tell you to listen to them?” “Ms. White, isn’t this what you taught me?” I looked at the irritable Amelia and asked doubtfully, “Didn’t you say that bad people should be killed? “I was obedient. I cooperated with mom and dad to take photos and videos and helped them make money, but they were not good to me. They didn’t let me sleep, didn’t let me eat, they killed my favorite little goldfish, aren’t they bad people? “Ms. White, didn’t you praise me for burning to death those human traffickers who were selling children under the guise of adoption?” Amelia’s face became uglier and uglier; she was like a chicken with its neck pinched and couldn’t say a word for a long time. “Yes, I let you burn to death those demons who were trafficking children under the guise of adoption, but I didn’t let you continue to kill people! “Do you know what you’re doing now? This is a crime! “You killed six people, and you are an unmitigated devil! “God will never forgive you, you will never go to heaven, you will go to hell!” I calmly watched her collapse and go mad in front of me, and threw another bomb at her again. “I am not a devil. “Isabella said I am the daughter of a serial killer.” “Ms. White, so you can’t go to heaven either.” After several months, I saw Isabella again after a long time. Since Joshua’s accidental death and my return to the orphanage, the online public opinion has been fermenting more and more, and the internet celebrity account they used to operate has become a mess. Coupled with the liquidated damages from major manufacturers, Isabella is in debt and has to be busy investigating my background and paying off debts. Her once carefully maintained face has become haggard. After all these days of busy work, she finally returned to the orphanage. “Come here, kid.” I squatted in the corner and watched the fully armed Isabella call Daniel, who passed by. She took out a handful of candy and stuffed it into Daniel’s arms, squatted down, and asked about my situation, “Do you know Emily? What did she do in the orphanage before? Would she bully other kids?” Since being disciplined by me, Daniel has been much more honest. Hearing my name, he subconsciously shuddered and stammered, “No… none, she’s good.” Isabella frowned and was not satisfied with his answer, and then asked, “Where is your dean?” “Ms. White is in the equipment room, the room at the end of the left is.” Isabella did not doubt it, got up, picked up her bag, and quickly walked towards the equipment room. I followed her slowly until I saw her close the door; I touched the smartphone in my arms and boldly listened to the door. “Ms. White, it’s me, I want to ask you about Emily today.” “You are Mrs. Clarke, right?” Amelia asked in surprise and then said, “What’s the matter? Is Emily disobedient? “She is the most obedient and sensible child in the orphanage.” Isabella didn’t buy this. She sneered and replied, “Have you seen the news? Emily killed my husband, and now she is back to your orphanage.” “Murder?” Amelia’s eyes widened in surprise, “How could it be, is there any misunderstanding? She is still just a child.” “She is a child, but her mother is a serial killer, who knows if she has inherited her mother’s antisocial genes?” Isabella’s face became uglier and uglier. She stared at Amelia coldly and said coldly, “I just want to know where her mother is now!” “Emily is an orphan, she was thrown at the door of the orphanage not long after she was born, I don’t even know who her mother is.” “Are you still daring to argue until now!” Isabella angrily took out a photo from her wallet and threw it in front of Amelia. “This is a photo of Emily and her mother, right? It was taken in the garden behind your orphanage! “She must still be in your orphanage now, I’m going to call the police, let the police check you all up and down!” “You’re mistaken, I really don’t know.” Amelia was shocked for a moment, then quickly returned to normal. She explained, “The child in this photo may not be Emily. It might be some other child. “If you still don’t believe it, you can take a look at the files behind, there are records of all the children in the orphanage.” Isabella was stunned by the words. She turned to the side and looked behind her according to the direction of Amelia’s finger. A sharp knife flashed a cold light at this moment, suddenly stabbed towards her heart! Blood gushed out, drawing a blood flower on the door. “You? Someone, help…” “Bitch, you know too much!” Amelia pressed Isabella to the ground, stabbing her arteries one after another until Isabella was completely out of breath. She finally stopped. I was scared and covered my mouth, subconsciously wanting to retreat, but I was tripped by the broken stone at the door and made a sound. “Who’s there?!” Amelia pulled open the equipment room door, her hand still holding the sharp knife with bloodstains. She saw me outside and showed me a ferocious smile. “Emily, it’s you.” “Good girl, come to mom, don’t you always like me?” I kept retreating, kneeling on the ground and begging, “Ms. White, don’t kill me…” “You are a disaster. Living will only bring me endless trouble! “I went through all the trouble of having plastic surgery to look like this, just to have a peaceful life, and now it’s all ruined by you! “If it weren’t for you! Why would I be suspected by that bitch, it’s all because of you!” Amelia raised the sharp knife in her hand high towards me. The next moment, blood splashed. Warm blood dripped on my face. A bullet hit Amelia’s forehead. “Mom, mom…” At the moment when Amelia fell to the ground, I rushed past her to the equipment room, hugging Isabella’s body and crying bitterly. “The criminal has been shot dead. Let the forensic doctors come over! “There’s another dead person inside! “Hurry up! Come on, someone take care of the child, don’t let her destroy the scene!” “Emily, let’s go out first, don’t delay the police work here.” The police hurriedly pulled me away, regardless of the pungent smell of blood on my body, gently holding me in his arms and patting my back, “As soon as we received your alarm call, we came over, fortunately you are fine, the bad guy has been shot dead, you can rest assured.” I shivered and looked at Amelia lying in a pool of blood and said with lingering fear, “I saw Ms. White killing my mother, and she wanted to kill me…” “Emily, you are safe now, don’t be afraid, tell me, what happened?” “I don’t know. I only know that Isabella and Amelia had a quarrel, saying that my dad’s death was because of adopting me, and Amelia was angry and stabbed Isabella with a knife. “Is this my fault? Because of me…my mother and Amelia dead…” The police sighed and said softly, “This is not your fault.” “Can I see my mother one last time?” I lay on the female police officer, tearfully looking at the police coming in and out of the equipment room; the bodies were all tightly covered with white cloth, and the only thing that could be seen was the blood that soaked through the cloth. “Don’t look, Emily, let the nurse take you to take a bath and change your clothes, you go to sleep first, okay?” I obediently nodded and let the female police officer hand me over to the nurse. Taking advantage of the nurse who was going to prepare clothes for me, I found Daniel, who had been secretly following me. He looked at me with fear, and his legs were trembling, but because of my command, he had to stand in place. I looked at Daniel’s somewhat yellow fingers and casually asked, “Do you have a lighter?” Daniel was startled and quickly nodded, tremblingly taking out the lighter from his pocket and handing it to me. I took out the photo that had been hidden in my pocket, which was still stained with dried blood, which I got when I rushed over to hug Isabella’s body. The photo was licked by flames, gradually burning until it turned to ashes. From then on, no one would know Amelia’s past. I thought no one would say I was the daughter of a murderer anymore. Daniel looked at me in horror and laughed, “Amelia and your adoptive parents are all dead, how can you laugh so happily?” “It doesn’t matter, it doesn’t matter…” I looked at the media reporters who rushed to the news outside the window and said with a smile, “I will have new parents soon.” I thought, “The guilty cannot enter heaven. But tonight, please sleep peacefully. Good night, my dear mother.”

    🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MyFiction” app 🔍 search for “397285”, and watch the full series ✨! #MyFiction #Bully #school #Ancient

  • Unrequited Love

    It was the seventh year I had been with Bruce Green. I decided to drop by his office, but as I approached, I overheard him chatting with someone. “Seven years with Mia, huh? Must be pretty happy, right?” Bruce replied coolly, “I’ve never loved her. Do you believe it?” “Come on, you can’t be serious. Seven years without love? You’re not still hung up on Felicity, are you? She’s been gone for years.” “Don’t say that. Felicity and I are ancient history…”

  • Until Forever

    I was wearing my pajamas, carrying groceries from the supermarket as I walked home. That was when Randell Deleon appeared in his luxurious sports car. He sneered. “Is this what you call a better choice? Did you become a maid after leaving me?” Before I could respond, a child suddenly rushed over and hugged my leg. “Mommy, who is this strange man?” Randell’s eyes widened in fury as he stormed toward me. “Is he my child?” I shook my head. “We’ve been apart for five years. There’s no way I could have a three-year-old boy with you.” I never imagined I would run into Randell like this again. I was in baggy coral fleece pajamas. Having just come back from the supermarket, I was surrounded by bags of groceries. At a nearby table, a child was munching on fried chicken. I felt Randell’s icy gaze bore down on me from above. I awkwardly took a sip of the soda in front of me. Randell remained silent. Seconds ticked by, and my part-time job was about to start. Finally, I broke the silence. “Randell…” I hesitated, unsure what to call him. I looked at him in his tailored suit. In the end, I managed to say, “Mr. Deleon, I have things to do. If you don’t need anything, I’ll take the child and leave.” “Mr. Deleon?” Randell repeated my words, his deep voice carrying a nonchalant tone. He sounded casual, but I shivered. Alistair Schultz was always perceptive. He put down her burger and tugged at my sleeve. “Mommy, when are we going home?” I quickly followed her lead. “Mr. Deleon, he wants to go home. We can talk another time.” I stood up, but Randell trailed behind us. “I drove here; let me give you a ride back.” I thought he probably just wanted to see where I lived now, to check how miserable my life had become. Randell’s luxury car parked in front of our shabby community immediately attracted a lot of attention. I hurriedly thanked him and dashed upstairs. But when I came down after changing, I saw Randell’s car still there. He leaned against the car door, a cigarette dangling from his lips. I froze, wondering, “When did he start smoking?” However, I had no time to ponder. I was running late for work. I tried to pretend I hadn’t seen Randell as I walked past him. “Where are you in such a hurry to go? Let me give you a ride.” I paused, glancing at the time on my phone. Being late meant a 100-dollar fine. I had only twenty minutes left. “Then I’d appreciate it. To Seraphine Manors.” Randell’s grip tightened on the steering wheel, his brow furrowing as he looked at me. “What are you going there for?” I wasn’t surprised by his reaction. Seraphine Manors was the wealthy district of Undulis. It was almost an entirely different world from my run-down neighborhood. I bit my lip, giving him what I thought was my most charming smile. “Just like you said, to be a maid.” Randell fell silent again, driving quietly, but his lips were pressed together, revealing his discontent. As we reached the entrance of the community, I heard him say just as I opened the car door, “Do you regret your decision?” I looked into his deep eyes, a serene smile on my lips. “I never regret.” Randell and I met in college. A girl from an ordinary family and a highborn heir shouldn’t have crossed paths. Yet, I, a delivery girl, stumbled into a group of wealthy young men betting amongst themselves. As I pushed open the door to the private room in the bar, all eyes turned toward me. After a brief silence, they erupted into mocking laughter. “Wow! I told you Randell was lucky! Even a delivery girl can be this beautiful!” “Quick! Randell, it’s your turn!” Randell stepped forward amidst their laughter. I recognized him. He was the campus heartthrob. He was the sole heir of the Deleon Group and a prince charming in the eyes of many girls. With a confident smile, he approached me. “Want to go out with me?” I sighed, handing him the fried chicken I was delivering. “Your delivery has arrived.” After saying that, I turned to leave, afraid of causing any trouble. Since there were many universities around, most of my delivery customers were students. I often encountered situations like this. Fearing trouble, I fled.

    The next day, I had no morning classes and slept until noon. As I walked to the cafeteria, I noticed people staring and whispering about me. I had no idea what was happening. Suddenly, the belle of the dance department blocked my path, sizing me up from head to toe. Then she laughed contemptuously. “So, you’re Eleanore Schultz?” Without warning, she slapped me. “I’ll tell you this. I have my eye on Randell. You look so innocent. I can’t believe you dared to steal the man I want.” I had thought Randell was her boyfriend or something, but I soon realized that she was just carrying a torch with him. I never sought trouble, but I wouldn’t let anyone bully me. I grabbed her hair and yanked it back, slapping her hard before pushing her away. But her friends outnumbered me, and they shoved me aside. I thought I was about to get hit when, unexpectedly, I fell into a warm embrace. Looking up, I saw Randell had caught me. My instinct was to break free. He whispered in my ear, “If you don’t want trouble, just listen to me. She knows gang members.” Randell’s words were half true, half not. I couldn’t tell what was real, but fear crept in. I timidly hid behind him, all my earlier bravado vanishing. And so, Randell stayed by my side, claiming it was to protect me. After spending a semester together, I gradually developed feelings for him. We enjoyed several wonderful years of campus life. I thought we would be happy forever. But what happened next proved I was too naïve. On graduation day, I met Randell’s mother, Makayla Deleon. Her grandeur made me feel instantly small. “I heard your parents passed away. Your sister, Denisse, has congenital heart disease and is in the hospital?” I didn’t expect Makayla to bring this up right away. People saw me as lively and ambitious, but I carried my own burdens. My sister, Denisse Schultz, had been hospitalized since my freshman year. My parents worked tirelessly to save money for her treatment. In a tragic accident due to fatigue, they lost their lives. “I can give you a million dollars if you stay away from my son.” I never thought the drama from television would play out in my life. I knew I should toss the check back at her and tell her my relationship with Randell couldn’t be measured in money. But just two days ago, I received a call from Denisse’s doctor. He told me a suitable heart had become available. If I could pay the fees within a week, Denisse could undergo surgery. Taking a deep breath, I accepted the check. “Fine, I’ll take it.” “Eleanore! Are you really giving up on us for a million dollars?” Hearing his voice made me realize Randell had been eavesdropping on my conversation with Makayla. His eyes were red, fixed on me with intensity. I was afraid to meet his gaze. I could only look down and walk away quickly. He grabbed my wrist tightly. Randell’s voice trembled, “If you say this is false, I’ll believe you.” I took a deep breath, forcing out a smile that looked more like a grimace. “Randell, I never liked you. I was with you just to get money. I’m leaving with your mother’s check. Please don’t chase after me, okay?” After saying that, I hurried away. I didn’t dare look back at him. After the surgery, Denisse’s heart rejected the transplant. Shortly after giving birth to Alistair, she passed away. Facing Alistair, who also had congenital heart disease, Denisse’s husband chose to leave. And I took on the responsibility of caring for Alistair.

    When I finished work at Seraphine Manors, it was already past ten in the evening. Under the dim streetlights, Randell was still standing there. The ground was littered with cigarette butts. I approached and asked softly, “Why are you still here?” “Where’s the father of your child? He just left you to work this late?” “He’s gone.” Randell slammed his fist against a nearby tree, blood immediately trickling down his hand. “Randell, what are you doing?!” He muttered an expletive under his breath. “You left me for a million dollars, and now you’ve chosen a man like that? If you were with me, you could have had wealth and luxury! You wouldn’t have to live like this, with no dignity, working as someone’s maid!” I didn’t argue back. I whispered, “But I never regret it.” I felt that if I could go back, I would still choose that check without hesitation. Randell was furious. “Eleanore! Fine! You’re really something else!” After we parted that day, I thought I would never see Randell again. But fate seemed unwilling to let me go. I continued my routine, preparing dinner for Alistair after work, then heading to Seraphine Manors. As I changed in the storage room, I unexpectedly ran into Randell. He paused for a moment, then coldly turned his gaze away. He acted as if we had never met. I set out the snacks in front of them. Randell looked at me. “Mrs. Ruiz, I haven’t seen this maid before.” Gerda Ruiz glanced at me. “She’s Eleanore, recommended by a maid who used to work for us. She comes every night to prepare some late-night snacks.” “Really?” “What’s the matter? Randell, I just went upstairs for a bit, and you’re already flirting with my little maid?” The young lady, Lesly Ruiz, came down the stairs. Randell smiled and walked over to her, casually wrapping his arm around her waist. “What are you thinking? Are you jealous?” As he spoke, he playfully tapped Lesly’s nose. Seeing them so close, I felt I had no business being there. I quickly set down the tray and fled to the kitchen. Randell’s presence made my part-time job surprisingly easy that night. When my shift ended, I gathered my things and prepared to leave. I ran into Randell again. In Lesly’s garden, he grabbed my shoulder, covered my mouth with his hand, and pushed me against a tree stump. I couldn’t resist. Lesly’s voice came from behind us. “Randell, where did you go? Randell!” Fear widened my eyes; I was terrified Lesly would see me. Randell bit my earlobe, his warm tongue teasing my neck. He knew full well that was my most sensitive spot. I trembled, my legs giving way as I melted into Randell’s embrace. He laughed playfully, “Eleanore, after all these years, your body still remembers me.” I knew Randell hated me for leaving him for a million dollars. That was why he was deliberately tormenting me, trying to humiliate me. My nails dug deep into my palms. It wasn’t until Lesly left that I finally summoned all my strength to push Randell away. Randell didn’t give me the chance to refuse. He grabbed my face and kissed me fiercely. The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth. Randell seemed even more exhilarated. I struggled to breathe, my consciousness fading. I fought back with everything I had, but it was futile. I felt like a toy being played with at will. Tears of frustration and sorrow streamed down my face uncontrollably. Feeling my tears, Randell finally stopped. I slapped him hard across the face. “Randell, you bastard!”

    🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MyFiction” app 🔍 search for “397284”, and watch the full series ✨! #MyFiction #BillionaireRomance #Rejected #Pregnancy #SecondChance #SecondChanceatFirstLove

  • Scorned and Broken

    In the seventh year with Elena, I went to the office to find her, but overheard her chatting with someone else. “It’s been seven years with Jacob; you must be very happy, right?” Elena Russell replied faintly, “I’ve never loved him. Do you believe that?” “Stop joking. If you never loved him, how could you be together for seven years? You’re not still thinking about Hector, are you? Elena, Hector has been abroad for years.” “Don’t say that. I and Hector have long since moved on—” There was an unspoken melancholy in Elena’s tone. Hector Elliott was Elena’s first boyfriend. I hadn’t heard that name in a long, long time. My friend fell silent, and I gradually let go of the doorknob I was gripping. The warm thermos I held was the soup I had made for her that morning. She had said she felt a bit tired and wasn’t in good spirits lately. The temperature of the thermos suddenly dropped; it felt so cold, chilling to the bone. I turned around and placed the thermos on her assistant’s desk, leaving calmly. Seven years had passed. We had been together for seven years. It’s a lie to say I wasn’t hurt to hear her say she never loved me. The so-called seven-year itch is real, but unfortunately, Elena probably never felt it. Outside, the rain began to pour, and the rumbling thunder was somewhat frightening. I curled up on the sofa, watching TV. It was one in the morning, and Elena still hadn’t returned. If it were before, I would have kept calling her, asking when she’d come back, worried about her drinking too much and harming her health. She would always impatiently ask me, “Jacob, don’t you have your own life?” In the past, I would jokingly reply, “My life is you.” Suddenly, I felt a bit pitiful. It seemed Elena was right; I didn’t have my own life anymore. It is indeed rather pathetic for a man to live this way for a woman. The television was playing a boring drama. Besides the thunder and the faint sound of the TV, the whole villa was terrifyingly silent. Around two o’clock, Elena came back. As she pushed the door open, the dampness from the rain rushed in, bringing a slight chill. Seeing me, she looked a bit surprised. “It’s so late; why aren’t you asleep?” I weakly replied, “I can’t sleep.” She didn’t say anything else, changed her shoes, and went back to her room. We slept in the same bed, back to back, with no extra words. Outside, lightning flashed and thunder roared, and countless times I replayed Elena’s words from earlier in my mind. “I feel like I’ve never loved him.” A dull pain shot through my heart; I bit my lip, and tears uncontrollably streamed down. How strange; I hadn’t cried all day, yet when Elena returned, I couldn’t help it. Elena wasn’t asleep; she turned over and hugged me. “Tomorrow is our wedding anniversary. How do you want to celebrate?” Elena’s body was hot; her warm breath brushed against my neck, tickling me a little. I had loved her embrace for seven years, but now, I felt a bit resistant. I sniffled and replied, “Anything is fine.” “I’ll be busy tomorrow and won’t have much time to spend with you. I remember there was a watch you liked; I’ll have my assistant buy it for you tomorrow.” After saying this, she let go of me and turned back to sleep. I was used to this; for so many years, I had spent our wedding anniversaries alone. I didn’t expect this time to be any different. I couldn’t sleep all night, and only fell into a deep sleep after dawn. When I woke up, Elena was not by my side. While having breakfast, the doorbell rang. It was Elena’s assistant, Mylo Lee, young and energetic. When he saw me, he offered a standard but unfriendly smile. “Mr. Green, this is Mrs. Green’s anniversary gift for you.” I reached out to take it; it was a watch I had liked before. If I hadn’t heard those words, I thought I would be happy right now. But now, my heart felt like a still pond. I took the gift and casually asked, “Who picked it?” “Mrs. Green chose it herself. Don’t you like it, Mr. Green?” Like it? How could I not? It was the same brand of watch; she had already given me three, all the same style and color. I didn’t know when it started, but Elena had long lost her patience with me. She was just going through the motions. Besides, today isn’t even our wedding anniversary; that’s next month. But I was tired; I didn’t want to fuss over it anymore. I planned to bring up divorce with Elena today. After being together for seven years, I didn’t want to make a scene. Before cooking for Elena, I called her to confirm she would be home for dinner. After three hours of effort, I made a feast. Fish and Chips, Spicy Glazed Ribs, Salad… all her favorites. Actually, I didn’t know how to cook before being with Elena. She had a sensitive stomach and would get sick from takeout, which worried me, so I started to learn. After we married, she said she didn’t want me to suffer too much and told me to enjoy life while she took care of me. I loved her too much; I became a full-time husband for love, and my friends often teased me about it. Elena had a habit of being late for our dates. I sat at the table, watching the dishes gradually cool, feeling no ripple of emotion inside. I called her. After all, I wanted to discuss the divorce face-to-face.

    The phone rang twice, but no one picked up. I wasn’t discouraged and tried a third time. This time, she answered, and I could hear her deliberately lowered voice. “I have something to do; you don’t need to wait for me to eat.” “I—” I started to say, but a familiar male voice came through. “Elena, I’m so hungry! What do you want to eat?” That voice was Hector! He was back! A sharp pain pierced my heart; I tightened my grip on the phone. “Elena, today is our wedding anniversary.” “Does one anniversary really matter that much?” she raised her voice and questioned me. “I said I’d accompany you tomorrow. Isn’t that enough?” “Hector is more important to you than I am,” I scoffed coldly. “After all these years, you still can’t forget him, can you?” “Elena, is the steak medium-rare again?” Hector urged, and Elena hastily replied, “I’ll hang up; we can talk when I get back.” “Does that mean even the divorce can wait until tomorrow?” “Jacob, can you please stop being unreasonable?” Even with the distance between us, I could feel Elena’s patience wearing thin. “How many times have we talked about divorce, and how many times have we actually gone through with it? Fine, Jacob, happy seven-year anniversary.” Happy? I wasn’t happy at all. I listened to the busy tone on the phone, sneering. Elena, oh Elena, you won’t even give me a proper chance to say goodbye. Taking out the divorce agreement, I firmly signed my name on it. I packed up all my things and left Elena’s villa. After my parents passed away, I no longer wanted to go back to that cold home; I turned to my brother’s place instead. “Are you really going to divorce Elena?” This was the eighth time Nicolas Collins asked me today, his shock evident on his face. I nodded, packing my bags as I replied, “I’ve already signed the papers.” “Jacob, you must be sick.” He felt my forehead. “That’s Elena, the one you’ve loved for fifteen years.” Yes, I loved Elena for fifteen years. I started liking her when I was ten, and now I’m twenty-five. But Elena has never loved me; she has always loved Hector. “I don’t love her anymore.” I brushed his hand away, my tone calm. Nicolas wanted to say something else, but my phone rang. It was Elena calling. It was now 10 a.m. the next day, and she had just realized I was missing, which meant she had just come home. After a night out, it was obvious who she had been with. “Aren’t you going to answer?” Elena called five times, but I didn’t pick up. Nicolas rubbed his forehead, his eyes wide. “Jacob, are you serious?” I remained silent as Elena sent me texts. [Where are you? Are you really going to divorce me? Are you serious?] [Stop messing around; you know I won’t agree to it.] [Just because I didn’t come home on our anniversary, you’re going to divorce me? Jacob, you’re not that petty.] Three texts were sent in a row, all questioning me. Nicolas chimed in. “Over an anniversary? That’s unnecessary; you know Elena is busy.” I lifted my eyelids and said weakly, “Yesterday was not our anniversary; it’s on the fifteenth of next month.” Nicolas immediately fell silent. I wanted to bring up Hector but felt it was unnecessary. Whoever Elena was with in the future wouldn’t concern me anymore. I simply turned off my phone and continued packing my bags. Halfway through, a cold sweat broke out on my forehead, and my stomach churned violently. I rushed to the bathroom and started throwing up uncontrollably. Nicolas was startled. “Jacob, what’s wrong?” “My stomach hurts a bit—” At this point, the pain was so severe I could hardly stand. My stomach had always been a problem. Every time I was busy preparing a feast for Elena and waited for her to come home, the food would grow cold, and I would end up not eating. Gradually, my stomach began to hurt, and now, after not having eaten since yesterday, the pain was unbearable. “You idiot.” Nicolas’ voice was thick with emotion. “Why do you have to torture yourself like this? I’ll take you to the hospital.”

    After I said good bye to the doctor, several hours had passed. I said it was just stomach pain, and the doctor casually prescribed some medication. After taking it, I felt much better. As Nicolas helped me walk out, he couldn’t help but speak up. “Jacob, open your phone and see; maybe Elena is looking for you. You’re in this state, and she has some responsibility too—” Ignoring my objections, Nicolas turned my phone back on. Nothing was there; besides the previous three texts, there was nothing else. Nicolas frowned, his expression darkening. I looked at the phone’s dimming screen and forced a smile. “Maybe to her, it’s the same whether I’m here or not.” I had gotten used to it by now; I didn’t even expect anything anymore. “No way, Elena must be busy.” To keep me from feeling worse, he kept making excuses for Elena, but just as he turned around, he spotted Elena walking from a distance with a man by her side. “Oh my God, who is that? Hector?! How could he come back?” Nicolas gasped, grabbing my hand and shaking it. “Jacob, your wife is going to be taken away by that man!” Taken away? Perhaps, Elena never belonged to me in the first place. I stood frozen, but Nicolas couldn’t hold back anymore. “No way, I’m going to ask Elena what this means. She should be worried since her husband is going to divorce her, yet she’s here with her first love at the hospital?” Perhaps Nicolas’ voice was too loud; the two quickly noticed us. The moment Elena looked up, I saw the surprise in her eyes. “What are you doing here?” she asked me, worry etched on her face. “Hector sprained his ankle this morning, and I brought him to the hospital.” My gaze fell on her hand; she was carefully supporting Hector, treating him as if he were a fragile treasure. “Hey, Jacob, long time no see.” Hector greeted me, smiling innocently. He was still handsome as ever. In contrast, I looked pale and unkempt. “Long time no see,” I replied expressionlessly, not wanting to say much, and I turned to leave. Elena grabbed my arm. “Where are you going? Are you not feeling well? I’ll take you home.” “Do you have time right now?” I stopped and retorted, “Aren’t you going to take your first love home?” Hector spoke up apologetically. “I just got back and haven’t found a place to live. I stayed at Elena’s house last night. Jacob, you don’t mind, do you? By the way, you didn’t come home last night; where were you? Elena was worried about you all night.” Haha, so he went home last night; so she had known I was gone. Yet she could hold off calling me until now. Even before we were officially divorced, Elena was already so eager to bring her first love into her life. “I don’t mind; Mr. Elliott can stay as long as he wants. I’m getting a divorce from Elena.” After saying that, I turned to leave, but unexpectedly, Elena followed right behind me. Surprisingly, she left Hector standing there and ran after me. “You need to clarify your words.” At the end of the hospital corridor, Elena lit a cigarette. “Why do you want a divorce? Just because I didn’t spend our anniversary with you? Jacob, I already gave you a gift; what else do you want? You know I’m busy, remembering the date is already pretty good. Besides, I personally picked out the gift; what more do you want? You always have to make a fuss every year; aren’t you tired? If you’re not tired, I am.”

    The smell of smoke was a bit overpowering, and my stomach began to feel uncomfortable again. I turned my head, not wanting to see her face; I really didn’t want to talk to her. “Elena, our anniversary is on August 15th, not July 15th.” Elena froze in her smoking motion and looked at me for a long time. “It was just a mistake about the wedding date.” She extinguished the cigarette and steadied me with her hand. “I promise I’ll remember next time, okay? Just give me one more chance; I guarantee it.” I promise—she had said that on our wedding day too. She had promised to treat me well and never betray me. Over the years, she indeed kept that promise. My friends all said Jacob is so lucky; Elena earns money outside while Jacob enjoys life at home. They envied that Elena always sent gifts and flowers right on time for every holiday. For these seven years, Elena treated me well; she would hold my hand proudly at any event, show off our love, and take care of me meticulously. But she was also a great actress, acting to the point where I almost believed she loved me. Until I heard her say that she had never loved me. She had always loved Hector. “Let it go, Elena; I’ve already made my decision.” “I won’t agree to that.” Elena was a bit irritated. “I’ll apply for separation; even if you don’t agree, we’ll still get divorced in two years.” Without saying anything further, I turned and walked away. Back at Nicolas’ house, I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. When I woke up, it was already dark outside. My throat was dry, and as I opened the door, I saw Nicolas leaning over the balcony, looking down. “Jacob, you’re finally awake. If you hadn’t woken up, Elena would have turned into a stone waiting for her husband.” I poured myself a glass of water and drank it all in one go. “What?” I only heard his words after finishing the drink. “It’s Elena! She’s been waiting for you downstairs for a long time! She knocked on the door, but I didn’t let her in, so she’s just been waiting there.” Nicolas pointed to the sky, “It’s getting dark and looks like it might rain again. Should I call her up? I think she’s serious this time.” I glanced downstairs, and indeed, Elena was standing there. She looked beautiful, dressed in a professional suit, her figure slender and well-proportioned. I started to get confused about what Elena wanted. She had clearly said she didn’t love me; divorce should have been the best choice for her. Was she afraid that the divorce would affect her company shares? But with our marriage being in such a state, why was she trying to win me back? As Nicolas said, the sky began to rain, with large drops pounding on Elena, yet she showed no sign of wanting to get into her car. Soon, she was soaked through. Nicolas couldn’t bear to see it. “Let her come up, Jacob. Think about it; Elena hasn’t done anything wrong to you. Why don’t you two have a good talk?” After Elena came up, Nicolas left us alone. “Come home with me, Jacob,” Elena said as I was scrolling through my phone. Hector had tweeted a picture of a woman holding a hairdryer, captioned: [The ideal happy life; this moment I’ve waited for so long.] That hand—I recognized it. I was even more familiar with the wedding ring on it. It was Elena. After seven years of marriage, she had never once blown my hair dry. Love and indifference had always been so clear. “Are you blaming me for forgetting dates or for accompanying Hector instead of you?” Seeing that I didn’t reply, Elena continued. “He just returned to the country, with nowhere to go. Besides looking for me, he has no one else to turn to. Jacob, you know, Hector is an orphan. If I don’t take care of him, no one will.” Yes, Hector is an orphan. How did we meet? I suppose it was when he was bullied, and I stepped in to save him, later introducing him to Elena. The ten-year-old Elena fell for Hector at first sight. They grew closer, and even Elena’s father took Hector as his godson. Later, they got together, but their relationship wasn’t well-received, and Elena’s father spent a fortune sending Hector abroad. During those years when Elena was dejected, I was the one by her side. Everyone said we were a perfect match, and amid everyone’s blessings, we got married. I thought after seven years, Elena had forgotten about Hector and had fallen in love with me. But I never expected that all the sacrifices I made over those seven years were just a joke.

    “Jacob, talk to me!” Elena finally lost her temper. “Do you think this is funny? Isn’t it enough that I’m groveling for you?” I slowly lifted my gaze. “Why did you come to find me? Elena, did you ever love me?” Perhaps she didn’t expect me to ask such a deep question; Elena was stunned and didn’t answer for a long time. “What about Hector? Do you love him?” “He’s different from you; Hector needs me—” Elena answered quickly, looking serious. I laughed self-deprecatingly; love can really take shape at certain moments. For example, when Elena called my name, there was always anger in her voice. But when she called Hector, it was so gentle. I tiredly rubbed my temples, ready to speak when her phone rang. “Hector, what’s wrong?” “Elena, where are you? When are you coming back? I’m hungry.” “I’m dealing with some things; wait for me. I’ll be back soon to cook for you.” Elena hung up the phone and looked at me expressionlessly. “You can stay as long as you want. As for the divorce, I won’t agree. You can live here at Nicolas’ place for as long as you need.” Elena left in a hurry. She had to return to cook for Hector because he was hungry. I watched Jacob’s back, my eyes inexplicably turning red. After seven years of marriage, she had never cooked for me. She said she couldn’t cook, but when Hector said he was hungry, she would rush back to make him food without hesitation. I pressed my dry lips together. “Forget it, I will no longer have any hope for you, Elena.” In the following days, I could barely eat anything. My stomach hurt more and more, and I vomited increasingly often. Nicolas was worried and insisted on taking me to the hospital for a check-up. When Nicolas was registering me, I felt weak all over and staggered back a few steps. Fortunately, someone caught me. “Jacob?” A gentle voice reached my ears. I looked up and saw a warm face. A glimmer of joy flashed in my eyes as I managed to stand upright. “Chloe, you’re back?” Chloe Shaw was a friend who grew up with Elena and me; she was a doctor who had been studying abroad for several years. I didn’t expect her to appear at the hospital. “I’ve been back for a while; what’s wrong with you?” she asked. Sitting in her office and seeing how mature Chloe had become, I couldn’t help but exclaim, “You’ve turned into a big beauty now, Chloe!” “You’ve changed a lot too.” She was looking at my medical report, and her expression didn’t look good. “Your face looks so bad; what’s wrong? Do I have a terminal illness?” “Jacob, your health isn’t good. What about Elena? Call her; I need to talk to both of you.” Chloe tightly held the report and didn’t give it to me. “Late-stage stomach cancer, Jacob. I will do my best to ensure you have a comfortable time, and there are now effective special medicines abroad. You still have a lot of time…” I was stunned, unable to hear what Chloe said afterward, staying silent for a long time. I have stomach cancer? Late stage? “Does Elena know? You need to call her immediately; she needs to know this.” Chloe picked up her phone. “I’ll call her and ask her to come.” “No!” I pressed her hand down. “Don’t tell her; we’re in the process of getting a divorce, so don’t tell her about my illness.” Chloe frowned. “Why? Don’t you love her very much?” See, in everyone’s eyes, I was the one who loved Elena the most. I would never divorce her. “Then—” Chloe hesitated to speak. “Let me think about it.” I picked up the report and stood up from the chair. “Please help me keep this a secret, don’t tell anyone, especially Elena.” The person who would be most heartbroken to know I was sick was Nicolas. “Jacob, I just looked it up online and consulted authoritative doctors at Riverstone Medical Center. With proper treatment, you still have a long life ahead—three years, five years. We can definitely wait for a cure to be found, so don’t lose heart!” Nicolas has been comforting me all the way; it seems he has forgotten that I’m planning to divorce Elena.

    There hasn’t been any progress on the divorce, and soon it will be Elena’s grandfather’s 80th birthday. No one in the Russell family knows about our plans to divorce. Early in the morning, Elena appeared downstairs at Nicolas’ house. “It’s Grandpa’s birthday; he really wants to see you. Let’s go back together,” Elena said, her tone more like a command. Elena’s grandfather has always treated me well, and I didn’t want to disappoint him. After buying a gift, I went back to Russell Manor with Elena. The Russell family was happy to see me, and Elena’s grandfather held my hand, asking when Elena and I planned to have a child, saying he had been looking forward to it for a long time. I felt a mix of emotions; Elena didn’t love me at all, let alone want to have a child with me. Elena seized my hand and said, “Don’t worry, Grandpa. Jacob and I won’t use contraception anymore; we’ll try to conceive a chubby grandson by the end of this year.” Under the lights, Elena’s beautiful profile still shone brightly, just as it did when I first saw her. “You shouldn’t always prioritize your career. Over the years, you’ve shouldered the Russell Group alone and fulfilled your parents’ wishes. You should take better care of your family and treat Jacob well so that your marriage can last. All I want is for you to be happy. If you and Jacob are doing well, I’ll be content,” her grandfather said. “Grandpa, I’m good to him! I promise I’ll always treat him well.” Elena reassured him again, her demeanor making me feel somewhat sick. Overcome by nausea, I couldn’t hold back and pushed past Elena to rush to the bathroom to vomit. Afterward, I felt much better. As I was washing my hands, Elena caught up to me and handed me a tissue. “What’s wrong? I saw you were sick last time I was at the hospital!” I ignored her, taking out my own tissue to wipe my mouth. I felt a strong aversion to Elena—her acting and even her scent began to irritate me. “How long are you going to keep this up?” Sensing my rejection, Elena took a step closer, but I quickly backed away to create distance between us. “Elena, you’re a great actress,” I mocked, and she clearly heard me. “I’m not acting; I haven’t treated you poorly all these years, have I?” With that, she turned and left, her face cold. Watching her back, I felt a chill in my heart. She was right; she hadn’t treated me poorly, but it was never genuine. Standing in front of the mirror, I managed a weak smile. How pathetic I look. I used to be the heartthrob of Astoria University’s finance department; how did I end up like this? Since falling ill, I’ve been vomiting almost every day and barely eating anything. I’ve also been sleepless at night, which has worsened my health. How did I let myself get like this? I mocked myself. I’m a man, yet I’ve let myself become like this for a woman. “What’s wrong? Not feeling well?” A familiar voice came from behind—it was Hector. He turned on the faucet while smiling at me, but that smile felt unsettling. I ignored him and turned to leave, but he called me back. “You’re quite self-aware, mentioning divorce, Jacob. You’ve known all along that in Elena’s heart, you’re just my substitute.” Hector smirked. “Now that I’m back, you should step aside.” “Even if I step aside, it doesn’t mean Elena will be with you.” I looked up, glaring at him coldly. “Hector, Elena’s grandpa Marcus doesn’t like you; his family won’t allow him to marry an orphan. If it weren’t for that, you would’ve been together seven years ago, right?” Hector was furious, glaring at me with rage. “Do you think you’re something special? You’re just slightly better off than me, Jacob! Let me tell you, the person I hate the most these years is you! Why should your background be better than mine? Why do Mr. Qin and Marcus like you but not me? Why was I forced to go abroad while you stayed by Elena’s side?” I scoffed. “Why? Because, except for Elena, everyone else isn’t blind! Everyone knows what kind of person you are!”

    Hector isn’t a good person; throughout his life, he has done many bad things to win Elena’s affection. In front of her, he pretends to be a harmless little rabbit. I almost saved him, changing his life, yet he repeatedly destroys everything important in mine, continuing to act in front of Elena. He presents himself as an innocent girl while making me out to be a heartless villain. He has done almost everything that the vicious male antagonist in novels would do. Yet, Elena remains blind to it. After all these years, she hasn’t gotten better; in fact, she seems even more blind. “I’m betting Elena is blind, Jacob. I’ve come back this time to be Elena’s husband; I want you to know I’m no longer that Hector who could be pushed around!” As soon as he finished speaking, he raised his hand to slap me. I was quick to react, blocking his hand and then slapping him back. “You hit me?” Hector was stunned, covering his swollen face as tears began to flow. Those tears were worthy of a Best Actor award at the Unicorn Awards. “Jacob, believe me, I came back with no other intentions; I just wanted to see you guys. I won’t ruin your relationship with Elena, I promise!” “What are you doing?” Before I could process it, Elena rushed over. She supported Hector’s arm and glared at me fiercely. “Jacob, what did you do to Hector?” Looking at the two in front of me, I found it amusing. “Can’t you see? He tried to hit me, and I fought back.” “Hit you? How could Hector hit you? Jacob, you bullied Hector since childhood; now that he’s back, you treat him like this. How could you be so heartless?” In Elena’s eyes, I’ve always been the bully, and now it’s no different. I bit my lip and said nothing, only feeling pain in my stomach. It hurt so much that I started to bend over. Hector rushed over. “What’s wrong? You look terrible!” He feigned concern, then whispered into my ear, “See? In Elena’s heart, there’s only me! I can tell you’re not well; if we both felt unwell at the same time, who do you think Elena would take to the hospital?” My stomach was cramping painfully, and I didn’t want to respond to Hector’s words at all. At that moment, Hector fell to the ground. “Ah, it hurts! Elena, my stomach hurts!” I didn’t have time to care about his poor acting. The pain in my stomach became unbearable, and the next moment, I felt a wave of nausea; I vomited blood. The air filled with a strong metallic scent. “Elena—” I struggled to reach out to her, wanting to tell her my stomach hurt and that I might die. But Elena couldn’t hear me at all; she just panicked and held Hector in her arms. “What’s wrong, Hector? Where do you feel sick? I’ll take you to the hospital right away!” As she tried to leave with Hector, I reached out and grabbed the corner of her clothes. “Elena, my stomach hurts so much. Can you—” Elena violently shook off my arm without looking at me. “Can’t you understand? You can’t compete with Hector at a time like this! Jacob, can’t you see Hector is suffering?” The force with which she pushed me made my already agonizing pain worse, and I fell to the ground. Elena turned her back on me, taking Hector away. Throughout it all, she never acknowledged me; she didn’t even glance at me. If she had looked, she would have seen the blood on me, so shocking! But she didn’t see anything! A chill spread from deep within my heart to every corner of my body. I clenched my fists tightly, my sharp nails digging into my palms. It hurt so much, my entire body ached, yet there was no pain in my heart. “Jacob!” Chloe’s terrified voice rang in my ears as she saw me vomiting blood. “What happened? How did this happen? Where’s Elena?” “Take me—to the hospital!” I couldn’t say anything else; the pain made me black out.

    I don’t know how long I slept, but when I woke up again, I heard someone talking beside me. “Is she out of her mind? Jacob is terminally ill, and she’s still with another man! No way, I need to go confront her!” “He said he didn’t want to tell Elena he was sick,” Chloe stopped Nicolas. “Since they’ve already decided to get divorced, not knowing about this might be better for them.” Nicolas’ voice was choked with tears; I could tell he was very sad. Chloe sighed. “When he wakes up, I believe Jacob will make his own judgment.” Nicolas’ voice grew quieter. “But he doesn’t have much time left.” My heart tightened, and my closed eyes trembled. Time is running out? I haven’t figured out what to do yet. I haven’t even decided whether to accept treatment, and now I’m told I don’t have much time? In a daze, I seemed to hear Elena’s voice calling me. “Jacob, we want to have a child.” Once upon a time, we were in love; why has it come to this? Since it’s like this, then so be it. Nicolas stopped talking, and Chloe fell silent too. The ward was terrifyingly quiet; I clenched my fists and slowly opened my eyes. “Jacob, you’re awake,” Nicolas rushed over, grabbing my hand, his eyes red. “I didn’t tell Elena about your situation.” I blinked and weakly nodded. “Yeah, there’s no need to tell her.” My parents had poor health and passed away a few years ago, which is good; now I don’t have to worry about them being upset. As for Elena, she probably wishes I were dead so that Hector could have his spot. “How do you feel now?” Chloe asked me, “Do you feel uncomfortable?” I shook my head. “No.” I raised my hand to my abdomen, deep in thought. Chloe opened her mouth, unsure of what to say. Just then, my phone rang. Nicolas hesitated for a moment after picking it up but didn’t hand it to me. “Is it Elena?” I licked my dry lips. “Give it to me.” When the call connected, Elena’s cold voice came through. “Where are you?” “At the hospital.” “Why did you go to the hospital again?” Elena said in a deep voice, “Grandpa called us for breakfast; I’m here to pick you up.” Her tone was the same as usual, as if she had forgotten everything that happened yesterday. She never cared about why I was in the hospital. “I’m busy,” I replied flatly. I really don’t want to see her anymore. My love for Elena has gradually faded away in just a few days. I don’t have much time left, and I don’t want any relationship with her anymore. Since that’s the case, there’s no need to meet again. “If it weren’t for Grandpa wanting to see you, do you think I would want to see you right now? Jacob, I haven’t let you off the hook for hitting Hector yesterday!” I realized that Elena’s attitude toward me had already changed significantly since Hector returned. She didn’t even want to pretend anymore. “Jacob,” she added, “don’t think I don’t know; it was entirely your idea for my dad to send Hector abroad!” My grip on the phone tightened, as if I had been discovered, my heart racing. “Okay, I’ll be there soon.” I hung up the phone and threw back the covers to get out of bed. Nicolas supported me. “What are you doing? Are you really going? Are you trying to kill yourself?” I grasped Nicolas’ hand; his palm was warm, slowly warming my icy heart. “I’m going, Chloe; this time I need to make it clear to Elena that I never want to have anything to do with her again.” Maybe my gaze was too determined; Nicolas nodded slowly. Chloe took her coat and draped it over me. “I’ll go with you; if anything happens, I can help you.” I nodded. “Thank you.”

    When I arrived, Elena was standing at the entrance of the antique-style restaurant. She was dressed in a chic outfit, her figure appearing extremely cold under the sunlight. Seeing me, Elena squinted her eyes. “You just throw on a coat to see me? You look terrible; are you trying to make Grandpa think I’ve wronged you?” After finishing, she noticed Chloe beside me, and her expression turned even colder. “Chloe, I’ve heard you were back for a long time; I didn’t expect it to be true.” She glanced at me and Chloe. “Still the same as when we were kids, always wanting to follow me and Jacob.” Her words dripped with sarcasm, but Chloe didn’t mind; she just leaned close to my ear and softly said, “I’ll wait for you in the car. If anything happens, call me, and I’ll come right away.” Chloe’s gentle tone was a long-lost warmth that made my heart feel a bit warmer. I nodded, tightening the coat belonging to Chloe. “What are you wearing?” Elena’s gaze finally landed on the coat; before I could answer, she took it off and threw it into Chloe’s arms. “Take your stuff away!” “Jacob is unwell and shouldn’t be in the wind,” Chloe frowned, wanting to help me put the coat back on, but Elena’s face darkened further. “I can take care of my husband myself; you don’t need to interfere!” Elena directly took off her own coat and forcefully draped it over me. Her movements were somewhat rough, causing me some pain. I was about to refuse when she tightened her grip on my arm. “Don’t move around if you don’t want me to get angry.” Not wanting to have any more arguments with Elena, I stopped struggling and followed her into the restaurant. Inside the peaceful private room, Marcus was sitting upright, his white hair particularly conspicuous under the light. Upon seeing me, the old man was very happy. “Jacob is here; come sit by Grandpa!” He even got up to help me sit in the chair beside him. Noticing my pale face, he immediately grew concerned, “Why does your face look so bad? You’ve lost a lot of weight; is it because Elena has treated you poorly? If she has, you tell me, and I’ll help you! Elena has managed the group for many years; she’s used to being strong, but she’s a good person; you should be more tolerant of her. Also, why didn’t you say goodbye to me before leaving last night?” Last night, Chloe had taken me out of the back door of Russell Manor, and there were not many people who saw us. Naturally, Marcus didn’t know, and I’m afraid that until now, no one in Russell Manor knows that the blood in the bathroom was mine. “Grandpa, let’s eat first; we arrived early.” Elena, too lazy to watch me talk to her grandfather, urged while constantly looking at her watch. After all, her white moonlight was still waiting in the hospital. If it weren’t for handling her grandpa, she wouldn’t have come at all. “Here, Jacob, your favorite Eggs Benedict; Grandpa specially ordered it for you.” Grandpa Elena placed a piece of shumai into my plate, and looking at that piece of shumai, my eyes gradually watered. Among the entire Russell family, Marcus is the one I miss the most. But today, I didn’t come here to eat. I didn’t touch my fork. I only looked up at Elena. “Elena, I have something to say to you.” Elena raised her eyes, her cold gaze sweeping over me. “What is it?” Her eyes carried a warning; I knew she didn’t want to mention anything in front of Grandpa. But if I didn’t bring it up today, the divorce would likely be postponed indefinitely. I pressed my lips together and said lightly, “Let’s talk about the time Hector went abroad to study.” “Shut up!” As expected, Elena exploded in anger. “It’s not the time for you to bring this up!” “Elena, what’s your attitude?” Marcus raised his hand and slapped Elena on the head.

    I looked at the two in front of me, my expression blank, and said, “Seven years ago, I overheard Dad saying he didn’t like Hector. He said the best way to make you two break up was to send Hector away. I knew Hector had always wanted to study design, so I encouraged Dad to send him abroad for further studies.” As I saw the flames igniting in Elena’s eyes, I slowly continued. “After Hector left, I deliberately stayed by your side, helping you through that difficult time, and then got Dad to allow us to marry. Elena, our marriage was actually something I forced.” As soon as I finished speaking, Elena picked up a cup from the table and threw it straight at me. “I told you to shut up! Don’t say these things in front of Grandpa!” Her speed was too fast; I slightly turned my head, and the cup grazed my cheek before smashing against the wall behind me. The sound exploded in the air, glass shards flying everywhere, yet I remained unharmed. Marcus didn’t know what I had said today, but seeing Elena like this, he still furiously intervened. “What a terrible temper! How can you lay a hand on Jacob? No matter what he did, you know how he has treated you all these years! What is so good about that man that you’ve been so devoted for all these years? Don’t think Grandpa is blind; last night at my birthday party, you left with that man. Did you think I wouldn’t know?” “Grandpa, this is between Jacob and me.” Elena calmed down and sat back in her chair, looking coldly at me. “Don’t think that saying this in front of Grandpa will make me forgive you.” “I don’t want your forgiveness.” I smiled and pulled a divorce agreement from my bag. The last signed copy was left at Elena’s house. But she probably hadn’t signed it; knowing Elena, she likely threw it away long ago. “Elena, I want a divorce. This time it’s real, not a threat or a joke.” I handed her the pen, saying, “I’ve already signed. Once you sign, we’ll have nothing to do with each other anymore.” Looking at my serious expression, Elena’s face grew colder. “Jacob, don’t think I won’t sign!” she said, almost through gritted teeth. I nodded. “I know. Go ahead and sign. Once you do, you can be with Hector. You can marry him or let him move in with you, so he can openly be by your side. Isn’t that what you’ve always wanted?” Throughout this, my tone remained flat, as if I were discussing something unrelated. Marcus tried to speak several times but hesitated. I knew he respected me; he had always respected me. So even though he wanted to intervene, he never spoke up. I was grateful for him and the care he had shown me over the years. In the Russell family, the only warmth I felt came from him. Elena stared at me but refused to take the pen. I stood up and forced the pen into her hand. “You should hate me, Elena. I used tricks to send your beloved man abroad, and I tried every means to marry you. A man as manipulative as me doesn’t deserve you, right? If you can endure all this, then you’re really useless.” I used my words to provoke her; this was how Elena reacted best. She gripped the pen tightly as if to crush it. “Jacob, remember, everything today is what you asked for. Don’t regret it!” “Hmm.” I nodded vigorously. “I won’t regret it, not ever.” “Don’t come crying to me to stop the divorce like before! I won’t agree again!” I continued to nod. “Hmm, don’t worry, I won’t, Elena.” In the past, I had no self-respect; my life revolved around her. But from this moment on, Jacob was a new Jacob. I wanted to live for myself; I no longer wanted to care about Elena.

    “Fine! Jacob, I’ll grant your wish.” Elena picked up the pen and signed her name on the divorce agreement. Her handwriting was still beautiful, just like the day we got our marriage certificate. I thought this would probably be the last time our names appeared together. After she signed her name, the load in my heart finally got lifted. I grabbed the agreement, and as I stood up, I stumbled slightly, nearly losing my balance. My head spun, and my body felt weak; even Elena’s face began to blur. I steadied myself by holding onto the table, shoved the agreement into my bag, and called Chloe to come pick me up. After doing all this, I had no more strength left. Supporting myself on the table, I took a few steps towards the exit and glanced back at Marcus. He looked at me with concern, his face etched with sadness. “Grandpa, I’ll come visit you when I have time.” After saying that, I turned to walk away, but I stumbled and fell to the ground, dropping my bag. I had rushed too much; my bag was unzipped, and its contents scattered everywhere. Among them was my medical record. When I saw that medical record fall to the ground, my heart tightened. I reached out to grab it, but someone beat me to it. Elena asked, “What is this?” I reached out to snatch it back. “Give it back to me; it’s none of your business!” But it was too late. Elena opened the medical record. She was incredulous. “Late-stage cancer? You’re actually sick? Why didn’t you tell me?” I bit my lip, my body swaying, and weakly said, “It’s none of your concern. Give me back my things, Elena; we’re no longer related!” “Late-stage cancer? What’s going on?” Marcus approached, but Elena grabbed my wrist and whispered angrily, “Jacob, I want you to clarify, do you have late-stage cancer, or did you forge this medical record to deceive me?” She pointed toward the door, where Chloe had just appeared. Seeing me, Chloe quickly came over, pulling me away from Elena’s grip and looking down with concern. “How are you, Jacob? Are you okay? I’ll take you away.” “Haha, no wonder you want a divorce; you’ve been with her all along?” Elena threw the medical record in front of me. “Jacob, are you really that despicable?” “Yes, I am despicable.” I tilted my head, calmly looking her in the eye. “Aren’t you despicable too? You can flirt with Hector; why can’t I?” Elena was silent for a long time, then stared at me, saying each word slowly, “Tell me, do you really have late-stage stomach cancer?” “Yes.” I chose not to hide it; at this point, there was no need for secrecy. “I don’t have much time left.” “Why didn’t you tell me?” Elena shook her head, her face showing rare anger and sadness. “To be with Chloe, to completely cut ties with me, are you willing to give up your life?” “Life? Elena, don’t you know about my illness? To cook for you, to wait for you to come home, I hardly ate regularly these seven years. Can you say this illness has nothing to do with you?” I scoffed. “Last night, I told you I had a stomach ache; you didn’t care, did you? Your eyes were only for Hector; you never saw me!” Elena looked at me, a flicker of surprise crossing her face. “Last night, weren’t you arguing with Hector—” “Yes, in your eyes, I’m always causing trouble. I’m never as good as Hector; I’m the worst one. He’s always the most important one in your heart. So even if I stand before you, covered in blood, you wouldn’t notice me! Elena, remember, my illness is your doing! Last night, you ignored my plea for help; you were indifferent! My time is running out.” As I spoke, I broke down in tears, screaming. Isn’t it heartbreaking? How could it not be? I’m so young, and I should be enjoying life, yet everything is ruined. I’m going to die. I closed my eyes, tears streaming down my face. My heart ached so much it felt like I was dying. “Elena, I really never want to see you again.”

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  • Hidden Devotion

    I unexpectedly ran into my ex-girlfriend, and old feelings flared up again. She had divorced her husband for me, but she had hidden a shocking secret. Her child was mine. But soon, I realized things were not so simple. As I left the office, I was chatting with a boss named Rodger Navarro about some machine issues today. I owned these factories and had come to check on the equipment. Suddenly, we turned a corner and encountered a woman. From a distance, I thought she looked familiar. She was being scolded by a manager, nodding submissively. She looked pitiful and timid. “I’m sorry, manager, I’ll clean up right away.” “You’re too slow; even a monkey could do better than you.” I recognized her as my ex-girlfriend, Sally Garcia. The manager’s tirade had left her dazed, and she turned just in time to bump into my arms. More accurately, I had caught her. Sally looked up slightly, her eyes glistening with tears as if she had suffered a great injustice. She was a country girl with a stunning figure. Her beauty was delicate and striking. Even in her cleaning uniform, her perfect shape was accentuated. “I’m so sorry…” Sally instinctively bowed her head in apology, as polite and humble as she had been with the manager. The thought that she might have forgotten me unsettled me; after all, we shared so many beautiful memories. The manager nearby started to get riled up again. Seeing his angry demeanor annoyed me. “She did nothing wrong; don’t take it out on her,” I warned softly. “Keep this up, and you won’t be working here anymore.” He jumped at my words, hurriedly backing off, afraid to say more. I hadn’t forgotten his earlier attitude towards Sally and silently noted his badge number, planning to transfer him later. Turning to Sally, I asked quietly, “You’re not scared, are you?” Sally shook her head, looking at me timidly. “You don’t remember me? I’m Barnard Moore,” I couldn’t help but introduce myself. Finally, recognition dawned on Sally. “Barnard, is it really you?” Seeing Rodger’s curious expression beside us, I refrained from saying more and simply took her hand to leave. Sally and I had met in the countryside. When I first knew her, I was just an appliance repairman. I often saw her washing clothes by the river. Among the village women, she was the most beautiful and often faced teasing and harassment. Once, after finishing a repair, I spotted her being blocked by someone and rushed over. From a distance, I recognized the man as Denny Boyd from the neighboring village. He was leering at her, looking like he intended to make a move. I yelled out, “Mr. Benton!” Coyle Benton was a respected elder in the village; even the local toughs held him in awe. Upon hearing someone approach, Denny spat and scowled, leaving in a huff. When I reached Sally, I found her on the ground, looking utterly helpless. Her clothes had loosened, revealing her full chest, contrasting sharply with her slender waist, causing my heart to race. I bent down and caught a whiff of her faint, sweet fragrance. Sally lunged into my arms. Holding her, I felt an instant reaction. From that day on, I often stayed close to protect her. She would smile at me, trusting me completely. I shattered the stereotypes others had of her, realizing she was not only enchanting but also a gentle and innocent girl. We quickly fell in love. Later, due to family reasons, I left my hometown and the woman I loved. I eventually heard she had gotten married, and I started my own family. Now, she should be in her thirties, yet she looked just like a girl. Her figure was even more alluring than in her youth, radiating the charm of a mature woman. I pulled her into my office, lowering the blinds to shield us from prying eyes. Sally looked down, a flush creeping onto her cheeks, though I couldn’t tell if it was from shyness or something else. “How have you been all these years?” Having dated her, I naturally cared about her well-being. I had always felt guilty for leaving her. “Barnard, are you really concerned about me?” Sally looked up, her eyes misty with tears. I thought, could it be that she hadn’t been happy all this time? A flicker of hope crossed my mind.

    I reached out to wipe the tears from the corner of her eye. “Of course I care about you.” A sudden knock at the door interrupted our conversation. Sally jumped back, pushing me away. I let go of her hand, her soft, smooth skin sparking romantic thoughts that reminded me of how she once made me feel. That night, I tossed and turned in bed, my heart ablaze. In my youth, I was quite the charmer, adept at winning over girls. During that time, Sally and I had shared a whirlwind of wild and sweet moments. When we sneaked off to the fields, she hesitated at first but eventually went along with my plans. Her hand would rest gently on my neck, and though she looked slightly upset, she still let me take the lead. I could vividly recall her enchanting figure in the cornfield and her tender, youthful body. It was my first sexual experience, and just thinking about it kept me awake. Eventually, I fell asleep but dreamt of her. In my dream, Sally leaped into my arms, full of affection. We laughed and played, and I was lost in her warmth. Then, I dreamt of her being chased by a crowd. Cornered and desperate, she came to my door, begging for help. In the dream, her eyes were frantic, like a trapped rabbit. I shut the door and turned to pin her beneath me. She was too nervous to speak but didn’t resist. Her soft arms draped over my shoulders, and she whispered, “Barnard.” Even after waking, the dream lingered in my mind. It had been a long time since I felt this way. I got up and made a call to transfer Sally to a position closer to my office. I arranged for her to have a lighter workload so she could be nearer to me. The next day, I watched my plans unfold with satisfaction, yet Sally still appeared timid in front of me. Whenever I glanced up, I caught sight of her graceful figure. It seemed she sensed my feelings, keeping her head down in shyness. Her ears flushed red as she busily wiped the desk. I chuckled softly, thinking, “She’s still so easily flustered, just like a girl.” As she passed by, I tugged at her hand, and she gasped, falling into my embrace. Her body was still that delicate and soft, stirring my heart. Sally was always neat. Her clothes were immaculately clean, carrying a light scent of lavender. Even her neck turned pink, resembling rose petals. She tried to push me away but couldn’t budge. Her slender, pale neck swayed before me. “Barnard, don’t do this. It’s not right.” “What’s not right?” I spoke brazenly, though I kept my actions in check. I couldn’t help but reminisce about my youthful audacity. In her younger days, Sally never rejected me, and I wouldn’t let her say the things I didn’t want to hear. I loved to make her blush, her clothes half undone, leaving her speechless. Now, her curvaceous body swayed in front of me, igniting my desire. Her rounded hips brushed against my thigh, but I still hesitated to make a move. Gently, I caressed her thigh and asked, “How about dinner with me tonight?” “I need to go home and cook for Alick tonight.” I didn’t ask who Alick was; after all, I already knew her story. After her marriage, she had a child named Alexander Guzman, who was very well-behaved. “Have you forgotten our past?” I placed her hand against my face. “I haven’t forgotten you, Sally. It’s rare for us to…” “The past is the past,” Sally’s voice dropped, seemingly recalling unpleasant memories.

    “Alright, alright, I was just joking. But I’d like to ask if you could have dinner with me.” I quickly released her, not daring to provoke her any further. After all, I was the one who had wronged her first by leaving her behind in the countryside. She agreed to my request. During dinner, she remained quiet, her demeanor restrained and polite, as if afraid I might make another move. I was interested in her, but I didn’t want to overstep her boundaries. I had a plan in mind, so I took her to a high-end restaurant. As expected, Sally sat there looking helpless, fiddling with her napkin, unsure of what to do. I wrapped my arm around her and took her hand, guiding her on how to handle the napkin. As I explained, I leaned my head gently against hers, savoring her warmth. At that moment, she seemed to forget the distance between us, her eyes filled with admiration as they had been in our youth. Even my ex-wife had never given me such a feeling. Sally appeared to recall her past feelings for me. We locked eyes, slowly drowning in affection. The space between us faded away. I caressed her soft shoulder, my other hand moving to hold her securely. I leaned down to kiss her, giving her no chance to escape. Good times always seemed fleeting. Before we could finish the meal, she received a phone call and rushed to leave. “Can you come out with me tomorrow since it’s the weekend?” I pulled her hand insistently, ignoring the angry shouts on the other end of the line. I already knew she had a child and a husband, yet jealousy gnawed at me. She looked down, caught in a rare conflict. Seeing her like this, I understood that she still held feelings for me. Watching her leave made me feel disappointed. Before she left, I gifted her several items. She hesitated to return them, but I noticed the surprise and shyness in her eyes when she received the gifts. I thought to myself, “Take it slow. As a hunter, you must have patience.” To my surprise, the next day at the office, I didn’t see her. The manager told me she had taken a leave of absence. I felt confused. As soon as I turned away, I overheard them gossiping. “Sally has it tough. Her husband is incompetent and has a bad temper. What a shame.” Those words unsettled me, and I thought, “Is she in trouble?” I tracked down Sally’s address from the manager and drove over. After a long journey, I arrived at an old, secluded house. People passed by quickly, making me feel inexplicably anxious. Today, I had dressed down. I didn’t drive my car in, calmly walking into the building. Eventually, I found her home. Sally stood at the door, dressed simply yet exuding a certain elegance. She was adjusting a boy’s clothes and smiling as he left. When she turned to see me, she froze. “Barnard, what are you doing here?” Once she said that she seemed a bit flustered, quickly lowering her gaze. Her hands trembled, fidgeting nervously in front of her. I didn’t care if anyone saw; I quickly walked over, my gaze intense as I looked at her. “Why didn’t you go to work? Is it because you didn’t want to see me?” No matter how many women a man has, there’s always something different about his first love. Besides, I was now older, and suddenly, there she was before me. She was still as beautiful as ever, her movements still reminiscent of a young girl. Now, she carried a mature allure. I admitted to myself that I couldn’t let her go. I never wanted her to be far from me again. My feelings for her were strong. Even if I was a bit upset, seeing her in this shy state made me soften my voice, afraid of scaring her. “Barnard, I… I didn’t…” Sally stepped back slightly, her fingers anxiously tugging at her apron. Suddenly, someone appeared behind her. “Sally, who’s this?” The man was scruffy, yawning as he looked at me with a hint of malice. Sally tensed even more. I spoke up. “I’m Sally’s boss from the factory. I wanted to ask why she wasn’t at work.” I wasn’t particularly polite. I knew that for someone like him, status carried weight. Sure enough, he instantly shifted to a more courteous demeanor, speaking in a flattering tone. “You’re the owner of that factory nearby? Nice to meet you. The big boss has a different presence, doesn’t he?”

    He chattered incessantly. I merely responded with half-hearted replies, barely looking at him. After all, if it weren’t for Sally, he wouldn’t even be worthy of speaking to me. I glanced at Sally, who was pouring water nearby. She was dressed simply today, but that only accentuated her curves, radiating the allure of a mature woman. Her skin was delicate, and her figure was stunning, swaying with her every movement. It seemed that her dress was slightly snug in the front. I realized she wasn’t wearing a bra. The thought quickened my heartbeat, and images of Sally beneath me from last night’s dream flooded my mind. Sally’s soft waist sank onto the couch as she sat next to me. Her anxious eyes darted around as if afraid someone would discover what we had done. We had indeed crossed a line. I reached under the table and grasped her hand. Sally froze, looking at me with a pleading expression. I placed her hand on my knee. Her hands felt rough, marked by calluses, no longer as soft as they had been in our youth. A pang of tenderness and guilt washed over me. When it was time for dinner, her husband, Jackson Guzman, warmly invited me to stay, so I did. As we ate, Jackson brought out some wine. I was a seasoned drinker, and before long, I had him drunk, his head resting on the table as he mumbled incoherently. “I missed you after just one day. Didn’t you miss me?” I confidently pulled Sally onto my lap. Her long dress revealed her pale, shapely legs and her ample bosom stretched the fabric to its limits. It was an irresistible sight. Embracing her with her husband just a few feet away sent a thrill through me. I couldn’t help but get closer, feeling her softness and the faint scent of her skin. Sally finally pushed me away. She was breathless, tears glistening in her eyes as she glanced nervously at Jackson, who lay passed out. “Please don’t do this.” Seeing her like that stirred something within me. I took a few swigs from the wine bottle, losing the restraint I had earlier. Sally gently grasped my hand, her voice laced with concern. “You shouldn’t drink so much; it’s not good for you.” “Do you still care about me? Why are you lying to me?” She shyly lowered her head, falling silent. She leaned against me, her tender breasts brushed against my body. I could no longer hold back. I swept her into the bedroom and pressed her against the door. Having had a bit to drink, my face felt flushed, yet I asked her, “Will you be with me?” Her hands explored my face, tenderly caressing my forehead and lips. Then, she leaned up to kiss me. On the bed, she was as captivating as ever. Her expression held a mix of shyness and allure, reminding me of the beauty of first love. Now, she possessed a mature charm that left me craving more. Outside, Jackson lay in a drunken stupor, while inside, we burned with passion. We lost ourselves in each other multiple times. If I weren’t afraid of being caught, I would have held her even longer. As I prepared to leave, I felt reluctant. The flush on Sally’s face had yet to fade, and beads of sweat glistened on her neck, making her skin appear even more radiant. Her pink dress was wrinkled from my hands, emphasizing her full breasts, and it was damp in places. Sally gazed at me softly, her eyes filled with tenderness. I couldn’t resist taking a deep breath as we shared a reluctant kiss before I hurriedly left her home. For several days, I continued to pull her into my playful escapades. We intertwined in my office or at motels. Occasionally, I couldn’t help but pick her up. We reminisced about our youthful secret encounters in the woods, where we had reveled in nature’s fragrant embrace. Now, our escapades were even more reckless. Recently, though, Sally seemed to withdraw, hesitant to get too close. I suspected it was because of her fear of being discovered by her husband. Though I understood her concerns, the feeling frustrated me. One day, she surprisingly suggested I come to her house.

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  • Reborn in Flames

    After Rebirth, the Real Daughter of a Rich Man Went Crazy In the moment my adoptive mother was about to slice me open, the wealthiest man in the land finally tracked me down. He was my biological father. He wept, begging me to return and promising recompense. I feigned a cringe, asking, “My foster mother said I could be sold to fund my brother’s education abroad. “Are you taking me away so that my sister can go abroad, too? “But I believe I’m worth more as a whole person.” My biological father was so distraught he contemplated killing my adoptive parents. I laughed it off. But the person I truly wished to eliminate was the one pretending to be me.

  • He’s A Keeper

    The year I graduated from college, I was kidnapped. My ex-boyfriend married the woman who murdered me. Seven years later, he went from being a punk to a big shot. He broke off the murderer’s ten fingers. “Isabella was in much more pain at that time than you are now.” Isabella was me.

  • The One That Got Away

    Not long after the SAT exams ended, my sister Hattie Moran unexpectedly killed someone. My mother begged me to take the blame. “Aviana, you’re Hattie’s sister. Can you bear to see her go to jail?” Since Hattie and I were twins, we looked exactly alike. So, the face on the surveillance footage could easily be mine. I looked up at Hattie, who was sitting on the couch crying, only to find her suppressing a smirk. I knew she was doing it on purpose. After all, the person who had been killed was someone I cared about. What Hattie didn’t know was that this had been my trap all along.

  • rebirth:again

    My stepfather treated my mother terribly, and she would cry to me every day. I urged her to divorce him, but she immediately turned around and told my stepfather, “Even my daughter advises me to leave you, but I still treat you so well.” Furious, my stepfather struck me in a fit of rage, accidentally killing me. After shedding tears, my mother, as the family member, wrote a letter of forgiveness, doing her utmost to reduce his sentence. “The child is gone, but those of us still living must carry on.” In my second chance at life, I returned to the day my mother married my stepfather. She asked, “What do you think of your new dad?” I sneered, “The two of you are meant to be together forever.”

  • The Heiress

    My boyfriend of five years, Dominic Ortiz, wanted to break up with me because he had fallen in love with my best friend, Riley Graham. At work, Dominic slapped me and forced me to publicly apologize to Riley. He sneered, “Riley is the only daughter of Elite Group’s president. How can someone like you compare to her?” But I was very confused. Riley’s father was the president of Elite Group, so what about my father, Matteo Morales? After work, I hastily left the office. Having worked tirelessly day and night, I closed the biggest deal I had ever received. My efforts finally paid off. I headed straight to the supermarket and bought a variety of lively seafood, including Dominic’s favorite lobsters, with the intention of cooking a special seafood dinner for him tonight. Upon entering our apartment, I couldn’t wait to share my hard-earned achievements with Dominic. I exclaimed, “Dominic, I closed a major deal today, and the bonus is 20 thousand dollars!” However, when I opened the door, what greeted me was my boyfriend and best friend making out on the couch. I was frozen to the spot. My sudden appearance obviously frightened the two of them. Dominic hastily disengaged from Riley and stammered, “Nevaeh, I can explain. We truly love each other.” When Riley saw me, her eyes flickered with a hint of guilt before she proceeded to dress herself slowly. Then, her face took on a smug expression mixed with contempt. Her voice dripped with provocation as she uttered, “What’s there to explain? Nevaeh, it’s exactly what you see. “You’ve only just realized it now, but Dominic and I have been together secretly for two years. “Nevaeh, since you’ve never tried any man, I tried him for you. “You’re welcome.” I stood there, holding two heavy bags filled with groceries, sweat dripping down my forehead and hair, making me look disheveled. In contrast, Riley appeared radiant. After hearing Riley’s hurtful words, I took a deep breath, suppressing my emotions. Opening the grocery bag in my hand, I noticed all the seafood I had bought still wriggling around inside. I picked up one of the octopuses, took aim at Dominic’s face, and struck him forcefully. Caught off guard, he received a direct hit. His expression changed, and he glared at me as he prepared to speak, but before he could utter a word, I launched more octopuses at their faces and bodies. Riley screamed, “Nevaeh, you mania! Stop it!” One of the octopuses ended up clinging to Riley’s head, its tentacles tightly adhering to her face. She desperately tried to remove it, but the tentacles clung tighter with each tug. The agitated octopus began squirting ink, which trickled down Riley’s head. I continued hurling various seafood at them, from octopuses to crayfish. The crayfish might not have had long spines, but their sharpness and hardness caused pain upon impact. Dominic and Riley were left with no choice but to frantically dodge and leap around the living room. I persistently threw the seafood. Finally, after some consideration, I hesitated and placed the expensive lobsters I had spent 800 dollars on back into the bag. Glancing at the two once more, I observed Riley’s face turning black as she struggled to remove the octopus tentacles from her face. One of them had also attached itself to Dominic’s leg, causing him to grimace and howl in pain. With a blank expression, I swiftly gathered my belongings, grabbed the bag containing the lobsters, and left.

    It had been a while since I last returned to my own home. With a dejected expression, I opened the door to the villa I hadn’t visited in a long time, coincidentally encountering my mother. Excitedly, she called out to my father, “Matteo, come downstairs! Nevaeh is back!” Upon hearing the voice, my father rushed down barefoot, not even bothering to put on his slippers. “Nevaeh, you’re back. Why didn’t you let us know in advance so we could clean up your room?” he said. My mother chimed in, “Are you hungry? I’ll prepare your favorite food for you right away.” Dad added, “You even bought my favorite lobsters. I knew you loved me the most.” As I gazed at my concerned parents, emotions that had been suppressed suddenly overwhelmed me. I embraced them tightly, tears streaming down my face. My parents were momentarily at a loss but quickly attempted to console me. Once calmed down, my mother had already placed a plate of spaghetti in front of me. “Come on, Nevaeh. Eat up and then rest,” she urged. I began devouring the spaghetti, while my parents watched me silently without mentioning my embarrassment just now. After finishing the meal, I retreated to my long-missed room, which had already been tidied up. Exhausted, I collapsed onto the bed. Images of the sweet and wonderful moments Dominic and I once shared passed before my eyes. Everything had changed so rapidly that I struggled to fully accept it. Suddenly, the ringing of my phone interrupted my thoughts. It was Dominic calling. I answered, but before I could speak, an aggressive voice came from the other end. Dominic bellowed, “Nevaeh, Riley is still in the hospital because of you. “The octopus tentacles caused many wounds on her face, and she’s allergic to seafood, so her face remains red and swollen.” My face darkened. He betrayed me, yet now he played the role of the accuser? I retorted, “She deserved it! “When she fooled around with you, did she ever consider the consequences?” However, Dominic’s response grew harsher. “Riley saw you as her best friend. Is this how you treat your best friend? “Nevaeh, how could you be so vicious? I was a fool for being with you in the first place.” I laughed out of anger and said, “Have you ever seen a true friend sleeping with her friend’s boyfriend? “Dominic, it was you who publicly confessed your love for me. “I was the one foolish enough to be with you!” Dominic fell silent for a moment, then spoke venomously, “You might not know this, but Riley’s father is the president of Elite Group. You’ve harmed Riley, and from now on, you’ll suffer in Goldford!” Of course, I knew. Riley had come to me in tears, explaining that her mother was sick and in need of costly medical care. That was why I had requested my father to promote Riley’s father from an ordinary employee to the position of director. But why was Dominic claiming that her father was the president? Quickly, I asked, “What did you say? Riley’s father is the president of Elite Group?” Dominic’s tone oozed with pride as he said, “Nevaeh, it’s not too late to apologize to Riley. She will forgive you. “Anyway, you hurt her today, and we’re still at the hospital. The medical bill is three thousand eight hundred dollars. You’ll have to pay for it!” How could he be so shameless? I scoffed, “Dominic, if it had been a cat or a dog needing that money for treatment, I would pay without hesitation. “But those bastards are not worth me wasting even a penny on them.” “You…” Dominic seethed with anger, preparing to retort. But I quickly interjected, “Dominic, if you don’t have money, you can go to the veterinarian. “It’s cheaper, which suits the two of you perfectly.” With that, I hung up the phone. Love had blinded me before, preventing me from seeing Dominic’s true colors as a hypocritical person who couldn’t distinguish right from wrong.

    The following morning, while having breakfast, I casually asked my dad, “Dad, do you remember Jett Graham, the person you promoted to director?” Upon hearing Jett’s name, my father frowned and replied, “Nevaeh, you said this person was practical and capable, deserving of the director position.” After a momentary pause, he continued with a hint of embarrassment, “But ever since his promotion, he has been slacking off. There have been issues with several important documents and proposals that passed through him. “I’ve been considering if there is an appropriate chance to transfer him to a more suitable position.” My father looked at me cautiously, seeking my reaction. Seeing my father’s distress caused by my actions, I couldn’t help but regret my impulsive behavior. Riley had once confided in me about her parents’ hardships, her mother’s illness and hospitalization, and how her father had dedicated years of hard work to the company without receiving due recognition. Out of sympathy for Riley’s situation, I shamelessly threw a tantrum upon returning home, pressuring my father into promoting Jett to the director position. My father had always taught me to maintain a low-key approach in life and work, so I secretly helped Riley in many ways, unbeknownst to her. She never knew my true identity and naively believed any benefits she received were solely due to her own fate. Reflecting on the years we spent together, I had done everything in my power for Riley. Yet, in the end, I found myself betrayed. After breakfast, my father insisted on driving me to work, leaving me with no choice but to accept. As usual, upon arriving at the office, I went to my desk and began working. However, mocking whispers started circulating around me. “She couldn’t steal one man, so she found another target.” “She rode in a Range Rover. Must have hooked up with a rich guy.” “She’s shameless, trying to get on top using dirty tricks.” I glanced up and saw everyone in the office casting ambiguous looks my way—filled with inquiry, contempt, and even disdain. At that moment, Riley appeared and coldly admonished them, “Shouldn’t you all be busy with your work? “Seems like everyone has already hit their sales targets for this month, right?” Upon hearing Riley’s scolding, those people dispersed. I looked at Riley, noticing a bandage on her forehead and a mask covering her face. She expressed concern, saying, “Nevaeh, don’t pay attention to what they say. I’ve forgiven you.” I just felt absurd. She had an affair with my boyfriend, yet now she was the one offering forgiveness? I sneered, “Drop the act. Do you not feel any guilt for what you’ve done? “Riley, are you aware how shameless you are?” Riley remained silent, but suddenly, a wicked grin crept across her face as she fell backward. She crashed onto the floor, wearing an aggrieved expression as she looked up at me. She said, “Nevaeh, I know you hate me, but Dominic and I truly love each other. I wanted to give him to you, but love is something you can’t possess even if it is offered. “Nevaeh, I don’t blame you; I only blame myself.” With her head lowered, she began sobbing softly. I was utterly confused, unable to grasp her intentions. Suddenly, a hand emerged and delivered a powerful slap across my face. Staggering from the impact, I stood there, stars dancing in my vision until I gradually regained focus. I lifted my head to see Dominic glare at me with rage. He shouted, “Nevaeh, you’ve gone too far. You’re still not satisfied with hurting Riley’s face?” Riley wept bitterly but still grabbed Dominic’s hand, trying to dissuade him. “Nevaeh, don’t blame her. It’s all my fault.” Onlookers condemned me, and I became the target of public criticism. No one would believe anything I said at this moment, and people only trusted what they saw. I glanced up at the company’s surveillance cameras and then collapsed to the floor. “Help… Help! I feel dizzy,” I cried out, rolling my eyes and convulsing. Dominic clearly doubted my condition. He snapped, “Stop pretending. Don’t think that you can get away with it by feigning illness. Apologize immediately!” Still lying on the floor, I persisted with my act. At this time, whispers sounded. “I don’t think she’s faking it. Could it be that her brain is damaged?” “Yes, Mr. Ortiz’s slap just now was quite forceful. It must hurt.” “We should call an ambulance. If something happens, we can’t bear the responsibility.” Panic spread, and soon, someone called an ambulance while someone even called the police. The incident quickly grabbed the attention of our boss, Greyson Snyder. When Greyson arrived, he saw me lying on the floor, foaming at the mouth, arms and legs flailing as if seized by uncontrollable spasms. Even though I was panicking, I still continued with my performance. Greyson approached, quickly crouching down to examine me. He pressed an ear against my chest, listening to my heartbeat. As I wondered about his intentions, Greyson’s face suddenly drew near. He whispered into my ear in a voice only we could hear, “Stop pretending. I was a med student.”

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