Before marrying Ethan Zhou, a friend asked him who was the woman he had loved most deeply in his life. He lit a cigarette and was silent for a few seconds before replying: “She’s married now. It wouldn’t be good for her if I said her name.” “So… you’ve been with Olivia for so long, but you’ve never had feelings for her?” Ethan gave a casual laugh: “She’s demure, obedient, and from a good family. She’s the most suitable person to be Mrs. Zhou.” The day before the wedding, the demure and obedient bride-to-be woke up in the best man’s bed. Her eyes still hazy with desire, she said: “Lucas, I really like this wedding gift.” Lucas smiled and pulled her into his arms: “If you like it so much, shall we… go another round?” As I entered the elevator, I glanced up at my reflection. My skin was radiant, my features delicate, but my eyes were dark and intense. At first glance, I had an unremarkable appearance. But when I smiled… Dimples would appear at the corners of my mouth, adding a touch of charm. I thought of what my best friend Katie had said: “You’re really glowing these days.” “Don’t you feel like you’re in great spirits lately, getting more and more beautiful?” I couldn’t help but gently touch my face. The wedding was just three weeks away. I was going to marry Ethan Zhou. That undisguised happiness was like bubbles overflowing from a soda bottle. Bursting in tiny explosions, filling my entire heart. I walked out of the elevator with a light step. The door to a private room nearby was half open. The sound of laughter grew louder. I had returned to the city a day early without telling Ethan. I wanted to surprise him. My heels sank into the soft carpet, Muffling my footsteps. No one in the room noticed me outside the door. They were laughing and chatting animatedly. “Oh yeah, Ethan, you still haven’t answered my question from earlier.” “In all these years, how many women have you truly, deeply loved?” “Remember, we agreed to tell the truth. You can’t lie even a little bit.”

I instinctively stopped in my tracks. Even my breathing unconsciously became quieter. Ethan had his back to the door. I could only vaguely see his profile. He lit a cigarette and was silent for a few seconds. Then he slowly spoke: “One.” “How deeply did you love her?” Ethan gave a soft laugh: “Back then I almost cut ties with my parents for her.” “I was even prepared to live a life of poverty with her.” “I lived with her in a tiny rented apartment for three months, eating instant noodles until I wanted to vomit.” “I sold my watch to buy her a birthday gift. She got angry and scolded me, then cried and threw herself at me to kiss me.” His voice got lower and lower: “I watched her lose our child at a small clinic.” “At that time, I really, really wanted to marry her.” “Damn, who was she? To make you love her that much?” But Ethan just shook his head: “She’s married now. It wouldn’t be good for her if I said her name.” After saying that, he picked up his glass and drained it in one gulp. Then he poured himself another full glass. “I saw her once last year. She wasn’t doing well.” “I gave her some money. We stayed in a hotel for three days.” “When we parted, she cried.” Ethan drank another glass of wine and said quietly: “At that time, I almost wanted to break off my engagement with Olivia.”

I leaned against the wall, feeling a chill seep into my body. Last year when he unexpectedly disappeared for three days, I remember it clearly. I was so worried, I barely slept for those three days. But while I was sick with concern for him… He was spending three days and nights in a hotel with his old flame. I nearly retched and vomited. “So… you’ve been with Olivia for so long, you really never had feelings for her?” He leaned back in his chair and gave a casual laugh. “She’s pretty, obedient, and from a good family. But she’s dull and uninteresting. She’s the most suitable person to be Mrs. Zhou.” “True, you really can’t find any faults with Olivia.” “It’s precisely because you can’t find any faults that she’s boring.” “If you dislike her so much, why don’t you just call off the engagement?” Someone suddenly spoke up, their tone mocking. “Lucas?” Ethan sounded a bit surprised. Lucas gave a cold laugh: “After all, it’s her family that’s marrying up to your Zhou family. What are you afraid of?” There was a moment of awkward silence. Someone quickly tried to smooth things over. “The wedding date is already set. There’s no point talking about this now.” “Besides, Olivia is a great girl. Ethan, that’s all in the past now.” “Come on, let’s drink and not bring up old stories.” Ethan frowned: “Did you eat gunpowder or something? Or is your dad pressuring you to get married and you’re taking it out on me?” Lucas put down his glass: “You think I buy into that marriage bullshit?” “Then where’s all this anger coming from?” “How about I find you a girl to help you blow off some steam?”

Lucas also smiled: “Sure, but you’ll have to find one I actually like.” “Tell me, what kind of girl do you want?” Lucas leaned back in his chair, his posture relaxed and carefree. “Even if I told you, you wouldn’t be able to find her.” But Ethan seemed to get fired up: “I’ll definitely find her for you today, just tell me.” Lucas slowly raised his eyes to look at Ethan. Unlike Ethan’s refined handsomeness, Lucas exuded a raw, untamed masculinity that was even more intoxicating than the strongest liquor. “As it happens, she’s married too.” Ethan froze for a moment, then cursed under his breath: “You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?” Lucas didn’t say anything, just gave a self-deprecating laugh after a while: “Forget it, let’s drink.” He poured a full glass and downed it in one go. The conversation picked up again, the topic smoothly changed. In the end, I didn’t push open the door to go in. Confrontation, arguments, entanglements. None of it would make any difference. The men would think it was all just pre-wedding jitters, no big deal. The elders would think I was making a fuss over nothing, that nothing was more important than the two families joining in marriage. I stumbled along the carpet. Until I got into the elevator and leaned against the cold wall. But Ethan’s words still echoed in my ears. She’s pretty, obedient, dull, uninteresting. The most suitable person to be Mrs. Zhou. I suddenly laughed silently, looking at myself in the mirror again. My features were still delicate, but my eyes no longer sparkled. No matter how hard I tried, the dimples wouldn’t appear at the corners of my mouth again. This was the bland, plain Olivia Zhang. The demure, obedient Olivia Zhang with no personality or temper. The perfect marriage tool cultivated by the family. A tool whose joys and sorrows no one would care about.

At 5 pm, Ethan drove over to pick me up for dinner. My parents were all smiles, warm and happy. My sisters watched me come downstairs wearing new jewelry, excited and envious. Ethan had sent over this set of jewelry specially this morning. The wedding was in just three weeks. Everything was progressing smoothly according to plan. If I said I wanted to call off the wedding now, Both families would immediately brand me the villain. I looked at Ethan. He was still handsome and charming, elegant and unrivaled. His eyes were full of tenderness as he looked at me. My best friend once told me, “It’s good enough if men are willing to act.” “It’s best if they can keep up the act for a lifetime.” “Because in the end, all love and marriage turn out the same way.” “Olivia.” Ethan held out his hand to me. He was smiling, but deep in his eyes was coldness. “When I first saw this jewelry set, I knew it would suit you perfectly.” He took my hand, his eyes full of admiration. I let him hold me, saying a proper goodbye to my family. He gentlemanly helped me into the car. Then we went to that overpriced restaurant with mediocre food. But halfway through the meal, His phone suddenly vibrated. I watched him pick up his phone, his expression changing slightly. My heart knew exactly what was happening. Seeing through his pathetic act and my own pitiful situation.

I put down my fork and knife and asked softly, “Is something wrong?” “I’m sorry Olivia, it’s something at the company…” He trailed off, looking at me with a somewhat troubled expression. As if waiting for me to say what he wanted to hear. “Then you should go, the company matters are important.” He frowned and glanced at his watch, then said, “It’s not urgent, I should take you home first.” “It’s fine, you go ahead. I was planning to do some shopping with Katie anyway.” Ethan seemed to let out a small sigh of relief. “Alright then. Make sure to let me know when you get home.” As he said this, he stood up, but then leaned down to place a light kiss on my forehead: “I’ll spend the whole weekend with you to make up for it.” I didn’t go shopping. I just wandered aimlessly down the streets alone. As a child, I was the good girl. Growing up, I was the model of a refined young lady. I felt wrapped in layers and layers of thick cocoons. Suffocating, unable to break free no matter how I struggled. A string that had been tightly wound in my heart for over twenty years Was about to snap and choke me. Suddenly I remembered the message Katie had sent me on SnapChat a few days ago. Her young boyfriend had taken her racing on his motorcycle. She said: “Olivia, I’ve been married for three years, but this is the first time I’ve felt so free.” “If men can keep mistresses, why should we stay faithful to a rotten cucumber?” “Olivia, seize the day and live a little.”

I went to that racing club too. As the instructor was getting me ready, Someone suddenly called out my name. “Olivia Zhang?” I turned around in surprise and saw Lucas leaning against his motorcycle. He was taking off his helmet, running his hand through his hair. Revealing sharp, handsome features with an untamed wildness. I politely nodded, about to leave. But Lucas spoke again: “You want to learn?” I hesitated for a moment, then nodded, “Mm.” He glanced at the instructor: “I’ll teach her, you can go.” I was a bit surprised and looked at Lucas. He leaned against his bike, broad-shouldered and long-legged, his figure tall and powerful. That intense, overwhelming masculine energy hit me like a wave. I instinctively averted my gaze. But I couldn’t help biting my lip lightly. For some reason, my heart started racing. “Come on, I’ll take you for a couple laps first.” Lucas handed me a helmet. I was about to refuse. But when his large, strong hand reached out to me, I inexplicably took the helmet. After getting on, I kept the maximum distance from Lucas. He planted his long legs on the ground, fastening his helmet strap, And glanced at me in the rearview mirror: “Want to fly off when we start moving?” “Hold onto my waist.” I bit my lip again, reaching out to lightly grip his racing suit. Lucas laughed but didn’t say anything more. He took it easy for the first lap. On the second lap, he gradually picked up speed. As we went faster, I got scared and pressed myself against his back, tightly hugging his waist. The hard, hot muscles under my arms suddenly tensed. The wind howled past us. Lucas’ slightly hoarse voice was carried to my ears by the wind: “Olivia.” He coughed lightly: “You’re holding on a bit too tight.”

I suddenly realized what he meant. But I was too scared to let go because of the extreme speed. I could only try my best to hold back my chest, wanting to avoid that overly intimate contact. But Lucas suddenly slowed down, stopping at the end of the track. He took off his helmet and lifted me off the bike. It was my first time racing, and my legs felt like jelly when I got off. Lucas reached out and steadied me with his hands on my waist. “Olivia.” The lighting wasn’t very bright. But through the goggles, I could clearly see the smoldering fire in his eyes. It was a look I had never seen on Ethan’s face before. An intense, overwhelming desire to possess. I couldn’t help but take a step back. But the large hands on my waist suddenly tightened. I instinctively stepped forward, stumbling into Lucas’ arms. With a click, he unclasped my helmet. The helmet came off, and the wind instantly blew my hair into disarray. I reflexively tilted my face up, wanting to brush back my hair. But Lucas was faster. His slightly calloused fingers brushed away the messy strands at my temples. Before I could react and pull away, He lowered his head and kissed me directly. He kissed me decisively, forcefully. As if he wouldn’t give me any chance to resist or push him away. My lips parted, his tongue slipping inside. His kissing technique was a bit clumsy, making me hurt a little. I frowned, and his movements slowed down. His large, slightly rough hands cupped my face. His fingertips brushed over my cheeks and ears. Instantly igniting sparks of electricity. He lifted me up again, setting me on the motorcycle. His strong, muscular body pressed against me. Like a volcano about to erupt, suppressing everything. My heart was racing, but I also felt panicked and at a loss. When his kiss fell again, my tears slowly welled up. “Olivia.” Lucas kissed the tears on my face. But his voice was unprecedentedly gentle: “Are you unhappy today?” I held back my tears, turning my face away. But his hand followed, cupping my face and refusing to let go. My eyelashes trembled, tears sliding into his palm. But I stubbornly refused to admit it. “I’m just hungry.” “I had a really bad dinner tonight, didn’t eat enough, feeling awful.” He froze, then looked at me with a smile. He lowered his head again, kissing away the tears on my eyelashes: “Let’s go, I’ll take you to get something good to eat.” “Are we going on this?” “It’s chilly at night, I’ll drive.” Very naturally, he took my hand. I struggled a bit, but couldn’t pull away. So he held on even tighter. Just as we got in the car, Lucas’ phone rang. He glanced at the screen, then at me, and answered. “Ethan, what’s up?”

“Calling you out for drinks.” Ethan’s voice sounded a bit down. Lucas smirked, his voice unable to hide his joy. “I’ve got plans tonight, ask the others.” “What plans could you possibly have? Come on, hurry up.” “Really can’t, I’ve got something.” Lucas said, casually turning on some music. Then he turned to ask me: “What kind of music do you want to listen to?” Before I could speak, Ethan exploded on the other end. “Lucas, who are you talking to?” “Don’t tell me you’ve got a girl with you?” Lucas didn’t confirm or deny it. Ethan was clearly intrigued: “No way, didn’t you say the girl you liked got married?” “You didn’t actually take out someone else’s wife, did you?” Lucas raised an eyebrow and gave a light “Mm.” “Holy shit.” Ethan’s voice went up an octave: “Don’t tell me you’re actually being the other man.” Lucas glanced at me, “If it’s her, I don’t mind being the other man.” “Wait, are you serious? You’re actually on a date with someone’s wife?” “Which poor bastard is getting cuckolded by you!” Lucas chose an upbeat song, then asked lazily: “You really want to know that badly?” “Of course, spill it! What kind of goddess could make the great Lucas Lu willing to be the other man?”

“Can’t say.” Lucas leaned back in his seat, a roguish smile on his lips: “She’s married, it wouldn’t be good for her if I said her name.” Ethan was silent for a moment. When he spoke again, he still sounded half skeptical: “Seriously, are you just messing with me, or is this for real?” “I’ve known you for so long, how come I never heard a peep about this?” “You kept your secrets just as well.” Lucas laughed coldly: “Besides, is it something to be proud of?” “That’s true.” Ethan sounded a bit sheepish. “I’m hanging up, we’ll catch up another time.” “Alright, don’t let me interrupt your romantic night.” After hanging up, he started the car and asked me: “What do you want to eat?” I looked out at the night through the car window, my mind still in a jumble. I had overheard most of their conversation just now. But I didn’t really believe it. Lucas came from a good family and had a proud personality. He was uniquely arrogant and unrestrained in the city. His grandfather had beaten him with a cane more than a few times. If he really liked someone, he wouldn’t just watch her get married. I couldn’t figure out why he would make up such a lie. But, it had nothing to do with me anyway. Between us, this was probably our only brief encounter. “Let’s go to the area near C University. There’s a food street there I loved when I was in school.” “Alright.” As he stepped on the gas, Lucas glanced at me again: “Fasten your seatbelt.” I hurriedly looked down to check. My loose hair fell forward, swaying gently and landing on his arm. I reached up to brush my hair back. But suddenly I noticed a white camellia hair tie in the center console storage. It looked very familiar. Because I had a pair of hair ties just like that. I had lost one of them later. But these hair ties weren’t anything special. They had been trendy online for a while last year. So it was probably just left behind by one of Lucas’ female companions. I slowly straightened up, calmly looking ahead. But I couldn’t help raising my hand to brush my slightly swollen lips with the back of my hand. But his kissing earlier had been so clumsy. I don’t know why such strange thoughts popped into my head. I couldn’t help but shake my head in self-mockery. What did it have to do with me anyway? Tonight was just an indulgent dream I had. “Olivia.” “Hm?” “Don’t you have any questions you want to ask me?”

Lucas glanced at me. Then looked back at the road ahead. My gaze fell on his large hands gripping the steering wheel. His hands were very attractive, with defined knuckles, rough and powerful. Not like the pampered hands of a rich young master at all. I have a bit of a hand fetish. Thinking of how he had held my waist and kissed me earlier, I couldn’t help but wonder if his two hands together could completely encircle my waist. “Don’t you want to ask who that person I mentioned is?” I reflexively asked: “Who is it?” Lucas just smiled: “What do you think?” I sat there stunned for a good while, suddenly hearing a buzzing in my ears. Even the upbeat music faded away. The red light came on, a long 78 seconds. The car stopped. Lucas reached out and gently held my hand. “Olivia, I was originally planning to take this secret to my grave.” “If I hadn’t seen you here tonight.” “Why?” Lucas didn’t answer, just held my hand very tightly. “Why were you unhappy today?” “How do you know I was unhappy?” “You’re not like this when you’re happy.” He turned to look at me: “Olivia, when you came in earlier, you looked like a wandering soul.” “Like a porcelain vase about to fall off a shelf.” “If I hadn’t called out to you, you would have fallen and shattered.” I suddenly felt a lump in my throat, tears rolling down uncontrollably. He let go of my hand and turned my face towards him, wanting to kiss away my tears. But the traffic light turned green, and the cars behind us started honking furiously. An annoyed expression flashed across his face. I couldn’t help but laugh: “You should drive.” But Lucas still found a place to pull over and stop. He unbuckled his seatbelt and leaned over to cup my face. “Olivia… don’t cry in front of me.” “I’m not allowed to cry either?” Lucas slowly lowered his head, kissing my wet face. “I can’t stand it.” “Olivia, I can’t stand seeing you cry.” His kisses moved lower, landing on my swollen lips: “I won’t hurt you this time.” “You’ve never kissed before, Lucas?” He didn’t answer, just suddenly deepened the kiss.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “297164”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic

When my girlfriend was at her lowest, I broke up with her. Years later, after she found success and fame, she used every means possible to marry me. Everyone said I was her one true love, her most treasured husband. But in reality, every night she brought a different man home, shattering my heart and turning me into a laughingstock. I never fought back. I never cried or argued. I simply moved into the study, quietly staying out of her way. She hated that. One night, furious, she kissed me roughly and whispered, “Aren’t you jealous?” What she didn’t know was that I was sick. While she spent each day trying to hurt me, I was silently counting down how many days I had left to live. 1 In the third year of our marriage, my wife, Claire, started keeping a young, handsome college student. His name was Ryan. He was tall, good-looking, and exactly Claire’s type. She kept him around for over six months—longer than any of the others. My friends warned me to be careful. They said Claire seemed genuinely attached to Ryan. The first time I met him was on my birthday. That morning, I’d woken up with a nosebleed that wouldn’t stop. At the hospital, the doctor told me I probably wouldn’t live past spring next year. I nodded calmly and said, “That’s fine.” I wasn’t afraid of dying—I just didn’t want it to hurt. There was an expensive medication that could ease the pain, but I didn’t have enough money to afford it. So, I went to Claire’s office to ask for help. That’s where I ran into Ryan. He had just graduated and was working as Claire’s assistant. Claire was in a meeting, so I sat in the lobby to wait. Ryan kept glancing at me, then leaned over to whisper to his coworkers, “So, that’s the husband? He looks awful—so skinny and sickly, like he’s on his deathbed.” He laughed and added, “People say I look like him, but I don’t see it. I’m way better looking.” I caught my reflection in the glossy glass wall. Messy hair, a puffy coat that made me look even frailer. He wasn’t wrong. I wasn’t much to look at—just a man waiting to die. A coworker nudged him and whispered, “Don’t underestimate him. If he cleaned up, you wouldn’t even compare. And don’t forget, Claire loves him. If you piss him off, she’ll destroy you.”

2 Ryan wasn’t convinced. He rolled his eyes and smirked. He brought me a cup of tea and asked mockingly, “So, Mr. Baker, why is Claire making you wait so long? It’s weird—whenever I stop by, no matter how busy she is, she always makes time for me. She says I’m her priority.” He smiled smugly, and for a moment, I saw a bit of my younger self in him. I thought about it. Claire did treat Ryan differently. She’d had countless lovers over the years, using them as pawns in her game to provoke me. Every night, she brought home someone new, testing my limits. But she never kept them around for long. A day or two, maybe a week. She always got bored quickly. Ryan, though, was different. She spoiled him. She took him out to dinner, shopping, and movies. They acted like an ordinary, happy couple. She gave him money, but she also gave him affection. I looked at him and smiled gently. “If you’re so important to her, why settle for being her dirty little secret?” “You should convince her to divorce me and marry you instead.” Ryan’s expression darkened instantly. He glared at me, his voice shaking with anger. “You’re the one who’s useless here! You’re nothing but a kept man!” “You only got to her first. But now? You’re old, you’re ugly. What could you possibly offer her?” His coworker hurried over, pulling him away, clearly worried I’d be upset. But I wasn’t. I’d promised myself long ago that I wouldn’t get angry because of Claire. I wouldn’t feel sad because of her. And I definitely wouldn’t stoop to competing with her lovers. She wasn’t worth it.

3. Ryan was pulled back by a coworker, but he lost his balance, fell to the ground, and shattered the teacup in his hand. Blood poured from the deep cut on his palm, pooling on the floor. Through the glass of the conference room, Claire saw what had happened. Under the watchful eyes of everyone, she threw down her papers, pushed the door open, and hurried over to Ryan. She grabbed his hand with visible distress, frowning as she examined his injury. Her voice was cold as she asked, “Who did this to him?” The coworker who had tried to help Ryan stepped back in fear, their face pale. I let out a dry laugh. “It was me. And honestly, he deserved it.” Ryan gritted his teeth and glared at me, then shouted, “Yeah, I deserved it! I fell for someone I shouldn’t have. I’m the one being called a kept man, a plaything.” “But Claire,” he said, looking into her eyes with a mix of defiance and passion, “as long as you love me, I’ll stay by your side forever. No one can take me away from you.” The words were absurd, but the way he said them—so firm, so sincere—made him seem almost brave. Claire couldn’t help but laugh. She reached out to ruffle his hair and said softly, “Don’t be mad. You’re going to make me worry.” She treated him differently. That much was obvious. I lowered my gaze, no longer interested in the scene. Instead, I calmly said to Claire, “For my birthday this year, I want $50,000.” It was funny, really. We were married, yet we didn’t even have each other’s phone numbers. The only time I reached out to her was when I needed money. Before we got married, we had an agreement: she wanted me, and I wanted her money. Claire had always hated how materialistic I was. But in the past, no matter how much I asked for, she would always give it to me without hesitation. This time, though, she looked at me with a cold smile and said slowly, “You can have the money.” “But, Isaac, first, lower your proud head and apologize to Ryan.” Claire was willing to pay $50,000 to buy back my dignity and give it to Ryan in the form of an apology. It was the first time she had used money to humiliate me for the sake of another man. I clenched my fists and forced a laugh, holding back the sudden wave of pain that surged through my body. I turned and walked away. I didn’t need the money anymore. For the first time, I was curious about Claire. If one day she found out that this money could have given me more time to live… if she knew how much I’d suffered before I died… What kind of expression would she have then?

4. I went home alone, curling up in bed in pain, drenched in a cold sweat. After taking a sleeping pill, I told myself, If I fall asleep, it won’t hurt anymore. Half-asleep, I dreamed of when I was twenty years old. Claire was dirt-poor back then, but she loved me deeply. That year, on my birthday, I walked past a café and saw a couple sitting by the window. The boy was holding a white cake—it looked delicate, delicious, and expensive. I still remember the snow falling heavily that day. I scooped up a mound of snow, turned to Claire, and grinned. “Claire, doesn’t this look like a cake?” She bit her lip, pulled me into her arms, and held me tight. She didn’t let me see the tears welling up in her eyes. Three days later, she showed up outside my dorm with a cake. When I saw the frostbite on her fingers, my eyes turned red with anger. Through gritted teeth, I told her, “Claire, your hands are meant for reading and writing, not for ruining just to make me happy.” I said I didn’t deserve such an expensive cake. She frowned and immediately shot back, “Isaac, you’re the best person in the world. You deserve all the good things it has to offer.” That day, I ate the entire cake through tears. I don’t even remember what it tasted like anymore. I just know that after that, I never had a cake that tasted better. I slept for a long time. Half-conscious, I heard my phone ringing. When I picked it up, Claire’s voice came through. “Isaac,” she said. I smiled faintly, my voice soft as I replied, “Claire, it’s snowing. I want cake.” Before she could respond, I turned over and fell back into a deep sleep.

5. I slept until the middle of the night when hunger woke me up. I went to the kitchen to find something to eat, only to realize Claire had come back. She had bought Ryan a big house. They lived there together. He cooked for her, made her laugh, and waited for her to come home. Claire seemed happy. She hadn’t been back here in a long time. She leaned lazily against the floor-to-ceiling window, her eyes fixed on me. I kept my head down and walked past her, only for her to grab my arm. Frowning, she asked softly, “Why have you lost so much weight?” Her tone was gentle, almost like she still cared about me. For a moment, I froze before yanking my arm away and snapping, “Claire, what’s wrong with you now?” She glanced at her empty hand, her face slowly turning cold. It wasn’t until I reached the dining table and saw a cake covered in candles that I realized the phone call hadn’t been a dream. I’d said I wanted cake, and Claire had bought one. What was this? A peace offering? But I was dying. I didn’t need a cake—or her—anymore. Grabbing the cake, I threw it straight into the trash. Claire frowned, then shoved me against the wall, her voice sharp. “Isaac, are you messing with me?” I smiled, unbothered. “Yeah, Claire, I’m messing with you. So what?” “I said I wanted cake, and you went and bought one. God, you’re just as pathetic as you used to be.” I twisted the knife deliberately, watching her expression grow colder by the second. Her face darkened completely as she grabbed my collar and dragged me into the bedroom. She shoved me down onto the bed, her movements rough and unrestrained. Claire was furious. Her lips crashed onto mine, hard enough to split the corner of my mouth. I shoved her off, my voice icy. “Don’t touch me, Claire. You disgust me.” But she lunged at me again, biting down on my neck. The sharp pain made me suck in a breath. Her voice was low and harsh against my ear. “Isaac, would it kill you to give in to me for once?” “Do you even know how long I’ve waited for you to come to me? How many years I’ve waited for you to just talk to me?” “Do you know how happy I was when you said you wanted cake?” “And then you turn around and treat me like a joke?” She pulled back, her eyes red and brimming with tears, staring at me as if waiting for an answer. My own eyes stung as I glared back at her. The room was dim and suffocating, and neither of us said a word. Claire leaned in closer, her lips just inches from mine when her phone suddenly rang. It was Ryan. She paused, then answered it. I could hear Ryan’s voice, tearful and trembling. “Claire, are you really leaving me for him? You love me. I know you do.” “I’m at a bar right now. I’ve had a lot to drink, and some woman started talking to me…” “I hate her. Please come get me. Take me home, Claire. Please.” Claire said nothing at first. She just stared at me, her lips curling into a cold, mocking smile. Then she spoke, her voice soft but commanding. “Isaac, beg me.” “Beg me to stay, and I won’t leave.” She must have forgotten. A long time ago, I’d already begged her. I’d swallowed my pride and asked, “Claire, can we just sit down and talk calmly?” “Can we stop fighting?” “Can’t we just… be happy together?” “Can you treat me better?” I remember how she had stared at me back then, her gaze cold as ice. And she’d smiled as she said, “Isaac, you don’t deserve it.” Those words had stayed with me ever since, lodged deep in my heart. And now, finally, I could say them back to her. Grabbing her collar, I looked her dead in the eye and said, slowly and deliberately, “Claire, you don’t deserve it.” She froze for a moment, then let out a bitter laugh. Raising the phone to her ear, she said to Ryan, “I’m coming to get you.” Without another glance at me, she stood up, slammed the door, and walked out.

6. The next day, photos of Claire fighting another woman over Ryan spread through our social circles like wildfire. It was the first time one of her affairs had turned into such a public spectacle. Reporters were waiting outside our house. As I walked out, they swarmed me, bombarding me with questions. Claire’s company had grown rapidly over the past few years, and she was a rising name in Westbridge. Not only was she wealthy, but she was also stunningly beautiful, frequently trending online. One young reporter asked, “Mr. Brooks, do you have any comments on what happened between Claire and Ryan?” I didn’t stop walking. Without looking back, I replied, “One’s a cheating wife, and the other’s the kind of man who knowingly gets involved with one. What do you want me to say?” The reporter followed me, persistent. “But I heard that when Claire was at her lowest, you dumped her for money. Then, when she became successful, you guilt-tripped her into marrying you. Now that she’s found true love with Ryan—who’s clearly a better match—you’re clinging to the title of her husband and calling him a homewrecker. Don’t you think you’re the real problem here?” I stopped, turned around, and gave him a cold smile. Grabbing the badge hanging around his neck, I read his name and flipped it over. On the back, there was a student ID from Hillside University. Calmly, I asked, “You’re Ryan’s friend, aren’t you?” “Everyone in these circles knows Claire did whatever it took to marry me. You think I wanted to marry her?” “Or are you here on his behalf, trying to sling mud at me so your buddy can successfully take my place?” The reporter’s face paled. He snatched his badge back and stammered, “I am Ryan’s friend, but I’m a journalist. Everything I say is fair and objective.” “If you really didn’t want to marry her,” he continued, regaining his composure, “then why haven’t you divorced her now that she’s fallen for someone else?” I smirked, about to respond, but then I felt a familiar warmth trickling from my nose. Blood. Someone sneered, “Mr. Brooks keeps saying he doesn’t care, that he was forced into this marriage, but look at him—so stressed out he’s giving himself nosebleeds.” I wiped the blood from my lips with my finger and said evenly, “I’m not stressed. I’m sick. Dying, actually. Nosebleeds are common these days.” The crowd fell silent. The mocking smiles disappeared. Only the young reporter kept talking. “Oh, come on. Quit the act. A nosebleed makes you a dying man now? You’re just trying to play the sympathy card.” “I can’t stand guys like you—always playing the victim, using every dirty trick in the book. You make us all look bad.” With that, he turned and walked away. Something about his retreating figure reminded me of Ryan. Both left the same sour taste in my mouth.

7. The video of me surrounded by reporters quickly made its way onto trending news. Claire responded publicly later that day, saying, “I will never divorce my husband. Please stop bothering him.” That same afternoon, Ryan’s journalist friend was fired. Online, though, the backlash against me only grew. “This guy is disgusting. If he didn’t want to marry her, why did he? No one held a gun to his head.” “And he claims to be her ‘first love’? Please. He’s just a gold digger.” “Claire defends him so much—I’m jealous.” “He dumped her for money back then, and now he’s sticking around for the same reason. All this talk about not wanting the marriage is just him playing the victim.” “Yeah, he’s trying to act noble while still reaping all the benefits. Hypocrite.” Amid the hate, one comment stood out: “Why don’t you all shut your mouths? If you don’t know the truth, stop talking.” People immediately swarmed that account, demanding to know the “truth.” The truth was as cliché as it gets. That year, my mom was diagnosed with a terminal illness. The doctors said it was genetic. Not only was I doomed to eventually face the same fate, but if I ever had kids, they were likely to inherit it, too. The day my mom fell ill, she bled so much from her nose that the floor was covered in red. She lost so much blood that she slipped into a coma for three days. When she woke up, the first thing she said was, “Isaac, you need to break up with Claire.” I stared at her, dumbfounded, and whispered, “Mom, she won’t care about that.” I wasn’t sure if I was trying to convince her or myself. My mom gently held my hand, nodded, and said, “I know. She’s a good girl.” She paused, then smiled faintly. “You two have been together since high school. Every morning, she’d wait for you at the corner with her bike. Did you think I didn’t notice?” “I remember once, she bought you a sandwich for breakfast. It cost all her bucks.” “You were so clueless and greedy. She lied and said she’d already eaten. And you believed her, happily devouring the sandwich while she went hungry.” “She didn’t have much back then. Her parents were divorced, and she was practically an orphan. That twelve bucks might’ve been her entire day’s budget, and she didn’t even hesitate to spend it on you.” “I thought to myself, my son is lucky to have found someone so good.” “She’s smart, kind, and wonderful in every way.” “But because she’s so good, I can’t let her waste her life on you.” That same year, Claire’s grandmother fell ill and was hospitalized. They were incredibly close—her grandmother had raised her. Claire was already overwhelmed trying to pay for the medical bills. My mom said women’s hearts are fragile. If Claire lost her grandmother and me, it would destroy her. I clenched my fists, and after a long silence, I whispered, “Mom… I can’t let her go.” Those words broke me. Tears poured down my face. I can’t let her go.

8. Even ten years later, thinking about it still makes my chest ache. I bought my mom’s favorite persimmons and planned to visit her grave one last time. I was dying. I needed to tell her that I wouldn’t be coming back anymore. Before heading to the cemetery, I decided to stop by Claire’s office to retrieve something. When my mom was alive, she adored Claire. That was back when she was still healthy, and Claire and I were deeply in love. One year, my mom visited a temple and brought back two porcelain dolls for good luck. Inside the boy doll, she tucked my birthdate. Inside the girl doll, she tucked Claire’s. They were supposed to protect us—keep us healthy and ensure that we’d always stay together. My mom asked me to give Claire her doll. But Claire didn’t want the one meant for her. She insisted on taking mine instead. She said the boy doll reminded her of me—awkward and a little goofy, but endearing. She said looking at it felt like looking at me. She liked seeing me. To this day, that doll had sat on Claire’s desk at work. I was worried that after I died, Claire would toss it in the trash like it was nothing. It was something my mom had given me. I needed to take it back and leave it at her grave, so it could stay with her. When I arrived at Claire’s office, she was watching the video of me from that morning—the one where I was bleeding from my nose, casually mentioning that I was dying. When she noticed me, she set her phone aside without saying a word. I glanced at her desk and saw that the spot where the doll used to sit was empty. Frowning, I asked, “Where’s my doll?”

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On the night of my birthday, I waited for Zachary at the restaurant until 10:30 PM. He stood me up again. When I saw Chloe’s post on SnapChat, I was surprised to find that I felt nothing. At that moment, I realized I had finally let go. Zachary had made the reservation for this restaurant in advance. Last month, on Chloe’s birthday, Zachary took her to watch the sunrise by the sea. When I angrily confronted Zachary about it, he accused me of being paranoid, saying it was just a group of friends, not just the two of them. We gave each other the silent treatment for half a month because of that. Yesterday, Zachary sent me a screenshot of the restaurant reservation. I knew this was his way of extending an olive branch. Every time we argued or stopped talking, I was always the one to break the ice, the first to speak to him again. After we made up, he would give me a gift or show some affection, coaxing me a little. I would be over the moon, forgetting all the unpleasantness and fully rekindling my passion for him. This is how we’ve been getting by these past few years. He’d hurt me, then give me a little sweetness, and I’d forget everything. The temperature of our relationship was entirely in his control. I was like a kite in his hands, the string firmly in his grasp. Depending on his mood, he manipulated my emotions. Shame on me for being so weak, always quick to forgive and forget. My love was too humble. But yesterday, when I saw the screenshot of the reservation he sent, I didn’t feel the usual joy. In the past, just the fact that he remembered my birthday would have been enough to make me feel cherished. After all, every year on my birthday, I had to remind him several times a day for days in advance before he would remember to buy me a gift. This year, I had forgotten my own birthday and hadn’t reminded him, yet he remembered on his own. Yesterday at work, when I received his message, I was surprised to realize it was my birthday. I replied, “Okay, see you at the restaurant tomorrow night.” I turned off my phone and continued working, instead of basking in the sweetness of his gesture for hours like I used to. Tonight after work, I received a message from Zachary: “See you at the restaurant later.” After work, I arrived at the restaurant first. The reservation was for 7 PM, and I got there at 6:30. By 8 PM, Zachary still hadn’t shown up. I called him, but there was no answer. I sent messages, but got no reply. At 9:30, the waiter asked if I wanted to order, saying they would be closing at 10:30. I nodded. I slowly ate my steak alone and had some red wine. At 10:30, I walked out of the restaurant. While waiting for a cab by the roadside, I scrolled through SnapChat and saw Chloe’s post. The text read: “You are my sense of security.” The accompanying photo showed Zachary’s profile as he sat on a sofa. The moment I saw the picture, I felt no anger, no hurt, no sadness. My mind was completely calm. Instead, I felt a sense of achievement, as if I had long ago guessed the answer to a riddle. See? I knew it. Every time he stood me up, it was because of Chloe. Strangely, this time, I didn’t feel sad at all.

After getting home, I washed up and went straight to bed. In the middle of the night, while I was sound asleep, I heard the sound of the door opening. I knew it was Zachary coming back. Annoyed at being woken up, I kept my eyes closed and pretended to be asleep, not wanting to deal with him. The soft footsteps stopped at the bedside, and there was silence for a long time. Even with my eyes closed, I could feel his intense gaze on me. Is Zachary crazy? Why doesn’t he just wash up and go to sleep instead of staring at me when he gets back? It’s really annoying to disturb someone’s sleep like this. Could it be because I didn’t turn on all the lights in the apartment and sit angrily in the living room waiting for him to come back, then question and argue with him like I used to? He should be happy, shouldn’t he? After all, in the past, whenever I went crazy or even became hysterical, he would just stand by coldly, his eyes full of impatience and disgust. His condescending gaze made me feel like a ridiculous clown. In the past, when I argued with him about his relationship with Chloe, he would at least explain a little, saying they were just friends and had never crossed any lines, that I was overthinking things. Later, he couldn’t even be bothered to explain anymore. He would let me explode with emotion like a volcano, then slowly burn out on my own. Now, I’ve finally come to terms with it and let it go. Thinking back to how I used to be, I really was quite crazy. I must have looked so ugly when I had those emotional breakdowns. No wonder Zachary was disgusted. At this moment, I had no desire to question him at all. I just wanted to sleep. Zachary stared for a while, and seeing no reaction from me, he called out, “Olivia?” I pretended to be in a deep sleep, not moving at all. After a moment, he finally left. I heard the sound of running water from the bathroom. He was washing up. The faint sound actually had a hypnotic effect, and I fell asleep listening to it. I didn’t even know when Zachary came to bed. The next morning, I got up and went straight to work. All day, I was immersed in my work, and time passed quickly. After work, I ate dinner out before going home. As soon as I walked in, Zachary was sitting on the sofa. “Why are you home so early today?” I asked while changing my shoes. “No overtime,” he said. “Oh.” I nodded, hung up my bag, and was about to go to the study. “Olivia.” Zachary called out to me, “I bought your birthday gift a long time ago. Yesterday—” “Thank you!” I took the small, beautifully wrapped box from his hand. Opening it, I saw a pretty bracelet. “It’s beautiful, I like it,” I smiled at him. “I’ll wear it tomorrow.” As I was about to leave, Zachary grabbed my arm. “I’m sorry about yesterday. I stood you up,” he explained. “I was almost at the restaurant when I got a call from Chloe. She said her ex-boyfriend was stalking her again, and she was scared. It’s not safe for a girl living alone—” “I believe you,” I interrupted him. “It’s true that we can’t let a girl face danger alone. You’ve mentioned before that her ex-boyfriend has an unstable personality. Alright, I still have some work to finish, so I’m going to do some overtime.” “Olivia!” He still didn’t let go of my arm. “Hmm?” I looked back at him, confused. “I haven’t eaten dinner yet.” “Oh, I’ve already eaten. Why don’t you order some takeout?” Saying this, I pulled my arm free and went straight to the study. Just as I sat down, I heard the front door slam shut. When I came out to look, Zachary was no longer in the apartment. He had given me a gift and taken the initiative to smooth things over, but I didn’t take the bait. He was angry.

Zachary and I started giving each other the silent treatment again. In the past, during these cold wars, I would always be in low spirits, wracking my brain to think of ways to make up with him quickly. But now, after a few days of not speaking, I actually felt a sense of relief. At night, Zachary slept in the guest room, and I had the big bed all to myself. I even slept better than usual. In the morning, I no longer got up early to make breakfast for Zachary. I could sleep an extra half hour every day. At work, Zachary’s face no longer popped into my mind at random moments. I stopped sending him messages frequently, and my work efficiency even improved. Tasks that I used to drag out until the end of the workday were now completed ahead of time. After work, I didn’t bother to go home and cook anymore. To ensure Zachary ate healthily, I had honed my cooking skills and made dinner every day after work. However, he had so many social gatherings that he’d be lucky to eat at home twice a week. Not revolving my life around Zachary anymore, I found myself with a lot of free time. I finished watching a TV series in just three evenings. At the office, I heard a newly hired young girl talking about studying for a qualification related to our work. I felt ashamed. This fresh graduate knew to make use of her time to improve herself, while I, having worked for so many years, was still aimlessly drifting through life, taking each day as it came. I could only blame myself for being too focused on love before. After graduation, my life goal was to marry Zachary. Until now, that wish hasn’t been fulfilled. For the old me, the focus of life was revolving around Zachary. I even thought that if Zachary wanted me to quit my job and be a housewife after marriage, I would agree without hesitation. Marrying Zachary, having children, and taking care of our little family was happiness to me, the life I longed for. Now, having suddenly awakened, I realized how much of a failure I was. In terms of love, I gave endlessly but didn’t receive an equal response. He wasn’t even willing to give me the promise of marriage. In terms of work, I was a mess, making no progress. The newly hired girl’s enthusiasm for self-improvement inspired me. I thought, it’s time to make a change. I humbly asked my colleagues for advice, bought study materials, and started preparing for the certification exam. Every day after work, I would grab a quick dinner outside, then go home and shut myself in the study to learn, studying until bedtime. These past few days, Zachary might still be sulking. He came home very late every day. This was perfect. The house was quiet, making it convenient for me to study.

While scrolling through my phone during lunch break, I was surprised to see that Zachary had updated his SnapChat. It was just a photo, without any caption. The photo showed a dining table with several dishes and two place settings. In the corner of the table, a hand was visible, wearing the watch I had bought. I knew Zachary too well. He deliberately posted this photo of him having dinner with Chloe just to provoke me. But I no longer felt that anger and jealousy. I wouldn’t immediately pick up the phone and angrily question him anymore. I just glanced at it and continued scrolling through other people’s updates. In the evening, I received a call from Zachary. “I’ll pick you up after work,” he said, his voice devoid of any emotion. My first reaction was to refuse. “No need, I’m working overtime today. I’ll be back late,” I instinctively lied. “Until what time?” he continued to ask. “Um, eight o’clock,” I pressed on with the lie. “Okay, I’ll wait for you downstairs at eight,” he said and hung up. To maintain the lie, I didn’t leave after work. Instead, I took out my exam materials and started studying in the office. At eight o’clock, I packed up my things and went downstairs with my bag. As soon as I walked out the main entrance, I saw the familiar car parked not far away. I walked over and opened the car door to find Chloe sitting in the passenger seat, flashing me a smile. “Olivia, I just had dinner with Zachary, and he’s giving me a ride home on the way,” Chloe said. “Mm-hmm,” I nodded, opened the back door, and got in. Whenever Chloe was in this car, I never sat in the front passenger seat. I had argued about this more than once, but Zachary clearly favored Chloe, and I couldn’t do anything about it. He said Chloe got carsick, so she was just sitting in the front. He asked why I had to be so petty about such a small thing. I said the front passenger seat was reserved for girlfriends, but he just sneered at me for being fussy. I had never won against Chloe on this issue. But every time it happened, I would be upset. However, now, I didn’t have the mind to care about it at all. After a full day of work and two hours of studying, I felt drowsy as soon as I sat in the car. “Zachary, the crayfish we had today was so delicious. Let’s go to that place again next time,” Chloe said excitedly. Zachary: “Mm, if you like it, we’ll go again next time.” “But every time we eat crayfish, I have to trouble you to peel the shells for me. You don’t find it annoying, do you?” Chloe’s tone was playful. “I don’t. I’m used to it.” “Olivia, Zachary is so good at peeling crayfish. I trained him when we were in college,” Chloe suddenly turned to look at me. “How about that? Shouldn’t you thank me?” Thank her? Thank her for what? For training Zachary to peel crayfish? But he had never peeled crayfish for me. I remember watching a TV show once where a female celebrity said she loved eating crayfish, but if no one helped her peel them, she’d rather not eat them because she didn’t want to peel them herself. The first time I went to eat crayfish with Zachary after we got together, I also acted coy, asking him to peel the shells for me. He paused, looked at me with a half-smile, and said, “Don’t you have hands?” The one who loves more is always the humble one. I immediately fell silent. After that, I never mentioned peeling crayfish in front of him again. I looked up at Chloe. The light in the car was dim, but I could still see the smugness and provocation in her eyes. She was always like this, subtly provoking me to get angry, then waiting for Zachary to scold me and protect her. Time and time again, she never tired of it. However, at this moment, I wasn’t stirred by any emotions, nor did I have any interest in confronting her. “Oh, well, thank you then,” I said perfunctorily.

Not achieving her goal, Chloe bit her lip and turned to chat with Zachary again, smiling. Zachary always spoke to her in a gentle tone. Listening to them chatting animatedly, I felt my eyelids getting heavier, and the surrounding sounds gradually faded away. When I woke up, I found the car parked outside our apartment building, with Zachary sitting quietly in the front seat. Chloe was no longer in the passenger seat. “Why didn’t you wake me up when we got home?” I sat up straight and opened the car door. Zachary followed behind me, not saying a word. As we walked out of the elevator and into our apartment, he finally spoke: “Tired?” “Huh?” “Chloe and I were still talking, but you fell asleep in the car.” “Yeah, a bit tired.” I wasn’t interested in chatting with him, just wanting to shower and go to bed quickly. “Today was Henry’s gathering, just the old college dorm mates. He invited Chloe too. You know, they’re all close to her and like to invite her every time we have dinner. Since it was on the way, I gave her a ride back,” he suddenly started explaining. It was quite rare. In the past, when I argued and asked him why he always hung out with Chloe, he never bothered to explain. Now that I wasn’t asking, he took the initiative to explain. “Mm,” I nodded, walking towards the bathroom. “I originally wanted to bring you along, but you said you had to work overtime, so I only came to pick you up after dinner,” he continued to explain. “Okay, I got it. I’m going to take a shower now,” I said, quickly walking away. After showering, I went straight to bed. The next evening after work, I was surprised to see Zachary downstairs again. This time, there was no Chloe in the car. I still sat in the back seat. Zachary turned to look at me, seeming like he wanted to say something but held back. I have to say, sitting in the back gives me a feeling of treating him like a chauffeur, which is quite nice. I shouldn’t have cared about this before. “Mike is moving house today and invited us over for hotpot,” Zachary said as he started the car. Mike was also his college roommate. Coincidentally, all four of Zachary’s college dormmates ended up staying in this city after graduation. They were close and often organized gatherings or dinners. Zachary had pursued Chloe in college, and his roommates all acted as wingmen, offering advice and strategies. Although he didn’t succeed in winning her over, it didn’t stop Chloe from becoming close with all of them. Over the years, Chloe had dated several boyfriends, but she said, “Boyfriends are boyfriends, friends are friends.” She said Zachary would always be her good friend. Recently, Chloe broke up with her previous boyfriend and started hanging out with them frequently again. Every time I saw Zachary taking care of her, my blood pressure would rise. I had argued and made a fuss about it, but it was useless. Eventually, I simply stopped going to their gatherings. Out of sight, out of mind. “You guys go ahead. Just drop me off at home first,” I said. I really had no interest in their dinner gatherings. Zachary: “We’ll come back right after dinner. It won’t be too late. Mike specifically asked me to bring you along, saying he hasn’t seen you in a long time.” “Alright then,” I didn’t insist anymore. We stood at the door of Mike’s new home, and after the doorbell rang, the door opened. Suddenly, someone burst out from inside, jumping onto Zachary’s back like a monkey, arms tightly wrapped around his neck.

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Olivia’s Nightmare: An intern named Rachel used some kind of “deposit transfer” on me. No matter how much money I put in my account, the balance would always become $50. In my previous life, I dreamed of buying a house near the company. I finally saved up $50,000 for a down payment. But when I tried to make the payment, the real estate agent told me my balance was insufficient. I checked my bank statements, questioned the bank, and even went to the police, but everyone treated me like I was crazy. Because my bank statements showed every transaction clearly. But I never made those purchases! I’ve always been so frugal! I called my parents in tears, but they just scolded me: “Olivia, are you making excuses for becoming a spendthrift?” “You’re could you make up such a ridiculous story! If you want money from us, just say it. No need to lie.” When I told my coworkers about this, after looking at my bank statements, some of the guys even joked: “Olivia’s spending thousands at a certain bar late at night. That price matches up perfectly with hiring male escorts!” Faced with all these misunderstandings, my explanations were useless. I anonymously posted about this online, but netizens all commented that I was making things up for attention. Only one comment suggested I observe if anyone around me had spending that matched my statements. After careful observation, I indeed noticed that whenever Rachel, the new intern in our department, made a purchase, a deduction would appear in my account. Even buying a drink would show up immediately. After confirming my target, I confronted Rachel directly. But she just laughed at me, saying I was spending recklessly and trying to blame others when I couldn’t save money. She said I must be going crazy. She even colluded with other colleagues and me sent to a mental hospital. After two years of torture in the hospital, I couldn’t take it anymore and escaped to jump into a river. But when never expected that when I opened my eyes again, I’d be back to the day before I was going to buy the house.

After my rebirth, the first thing I did was check my online banking balance. Sure enough, there was only $50 left. I quickly gathered my thoughts. At this point, my money had already been transferred to Rachel’s card through some unknown method. I wanted to confront Rachel and end it all, but remembering how my parents’ hair turned white overnight after my death in my previous life, I regretted my actions. If I acted impulsively again like last time, I’d only repeat the same tragedy. Just then, Sarah, our department manager, called me over. “Olivia, this order is tough be a bit tricky, but the commission is $500! Don’t say I’m not looking out for you!” I swallowed hard, almost instinctively. $500 would be enough for a month’s rent, with plenty left over. But I still declined. “Sarah, thank you. But I don’t want to take any orders for the next month.” Ignoring Sarah’s shocked expression, I turned and left the office. Because of the poor soundproofing, the colleagues outside had already heard everything. Immediately, discussions broke out. “Olivia is the top salesperson in the whole company, nicknamed ‘Hardworking Olivia’. She’s actually not taking orders today?” “Not just today, didn’t you hear her say she won’t take any for the next month!” Ignoring the chatter around me, I opened a food delivery app and ordered the largest iced Americano, then deducted the last $50 from my card. You should know, in my previous life, I couldn’t even afford a $4 sweetened coffee. To put down roots in this expensive city, I had tied my life to my belt. Every day, I’d work on client follow-ups until 2 or 3 AM, then get up before dawn to squeeze into the packed subway for two hours, just to clock in at the company on time. One late arrival meant a $50 fine. That was nearly a week’s worth of food money for me. I dreamed of buying a house near the company, even if it was just a 300 square foot studio. Every month when I got paid, I’d only leave $300 for living expenses. The rest, I’d put into my bank account. But I never expected that the $50,000 down payment I had desperso hard would up in someone else’s pocket! Just then, the office door was suddenly pushed open. “Girls! Lunch is on me!” Rachel’s loud voice instantly filled the room. She was beaming, carrying the latest Chanel bag, looking like she’d just won the lottery. “Let’s go to the New Moon Hotel! Order whatever you want!” The office erupted,oded with excitement, colleagues crowding around her. “Rachel, did you strike it rich?” “Which sugar daddy did you hook up with?” I didn’t move, just holding my coffee, staring at her coldly. Because I knew, she was spending my money. Rachel, surrounded by everyone, waved her hand, pretending to be modest: “Oh, it’s nothing. I just bought a lottery ticket the other day and won a small prize.” Someone immediately asked, “How much did you win?”

Rachel glanced at me, a smug smile tugging at her lips. “Not much,” she said casually, few hundred thousand.” “Whoa—” A collective gasp went around the room. A few hundred thousand was an astronomical figure for us working folk barely making over $10,000 a month. But I noticed that since Rachel entered, her gaze kept drifting towards me, intentionally or not. As if observing a lab rat’s reaction. She was watching to see if I had discovered that my bank card had become useless. I suppressed the hatred surging in my heart, holding back the accusations that almost spilled out. I couldn’t startle the snake in the grass just yet. I stood up, forcing a smile that was just right, even with a hint of envy. “Congrats, Rachel! You’ve me bask in your good fortune.” Rachel saw my normal demeanor and flashed a look of surprise, then secretly let out a sigh of relief. She probably thought I hadn’t noticed the anomaly in my savings yet. As lunchtime approached, Lily, who sat next to me, suddenly leaned over. “Olivia, didn’t you say you’d go house hunting once you saved enough for a down payment? When are you going? I’ll come with you.” At the mention of the house, I clenched my fists tightly, my nails almost digging into my flesh. But I quickly relaxed, my face still calm and collected. “No rush,” I said. “I lost my ID card a few days ago and it takes time to get a new one. Besides, with house prices falling so fast, I’ll wait and see a bit longer.” As soon as I finished speaking, I felt a gaze fall on me again. It was Rachel. She was looking at me again, her eyes unable to hide a hint of glee. Rachel was originally an intern who had only been with the company for two months. She was 5’3″, weighed 400 pounds, had an average appearance, and was at the bottom in terms of performance. In our sales department, which valued looks and results, she should have been at the bottom of the food chain. But in my previous life, it was her who took my $50,000 and first went for full-body liposuction, then plastic surgery. She transformed overnight into a beautiful rich girl that everyone loved. It was also her who used my money to buy people’s hearts, colluding with several male colleagues to have me sent to a mental hospital on the grounds that I was “mentally unstable”. Thinking of the torture in the mental hospital for those two years, I took another deep breath to calm myself. At noon, Rachel took us to the New Moon Hotel for lunch, telling us to order whatever we wanted with a grand air didn’t hold back. I opened the menu and pointed straight to the most expensive pages. “King crab, the biggest one.” “Australian lobster sashimi.” “And this, foie gras.” “Let’s have some bird’s nest soup too.” With each dish I ordered, the expressions of my colleagues around me became more and more interesting. Lily tugged at my sleeve and whispered, “Olivia, isn’t this… too wasteful?” I smiled at her without saying a word. How could spending my own money be called wasteful? Rachel’s cheeks twitched, but in front of everyone, she could only force a smile. “It’s fine, Olivia is our top salesperson, she’s worked hard and deserves to eat well, it’s only right.” She smiled brightly. “In the future, she’ll need to eat well and work hard to create more results for our department!” Before I could speak, a colleague next to me chimed in: “Oh, Rachel, you weren’t here this morning so you don’t know. Olivia just told Sarah that she’s stopping all her orders for the next month.” The air instantly fell silent. I wiped the corners of my mouth leisurely with a napkin, raising my eyes to look at Rachel. The smile on her face froze inch by inch. “What did you say?” She stared at me, her voice sharp as she shouted: “Olivia, why are you stopping orders?” “What do you mean?”

I met Rachel’s eyes that were almost spitting fire, slowly curling my lips. “Why are you so worked up about me stopping orders?” The colleagues around also looked at each other in confusion, the fire of gossip burning in their eyes. “Yeah, Rachel,” Lily couldn’t help but speak up, “Olivia isn’t in a hurry, why are you reacting so strongly?” “Right, anyone would think you’re the one stopping orders.” The chatter of the crowd was like cold water, instantly waking Rachel from her outburst. The ferocity on her face quickly faded, and she squeezed out an extremely concerned expression. “I… I’m just worried for Olivia!” She raised her voice, as if that would make her seem more sincere. “Didn’t you say you were just a few orders away from having enough for the down payment? The South City No. 1 orders are so hard to get, if you stop now, how much money will you lose! I’m just feeling bad for you!” She was on the verge of tears, acting as if it were real. I laughed. “I’m tired and want to rest,” I said casually, picking up a lobster and slowly peeling off the shell. “Besides,” I paused and up at her, my gaze pure and innocent, “didn’t you just win big? A few hundred thousand, right? If I really end up short on the down payment, you… wouldn’t refuse to lend me some, would you?” The air froze again. All eyes focused on Rachel. The color drained from her face in an instant, her lips trembling, unable to utter a word. I put the peeled lobster meat in my mouth, adding leisurely. “Our Rachel is so generous, she definitely would, right?” Caught in my trap and scorched by everyone’s gazes, she finally squeezed out a few words through gritted teeth. “Of… of course I would.” Afraid I might really ask, she quickly added: “But I didn’t win that much, it’s just… just pocket money.” I looked at the new Celine dress she was wearing, the limited edition Chanel bag beside her, and this table of food that could feed an ordinary person for half a year. Indeed. My $50,000 really wouldn’t last her long at this rate. I enjoyed this meal thoroughly. Before leaving, I had the waiter pack up all the untouched king crab and lobster. I heard a few colleagues whispering behind my back. “My god, taking leftovers home, how unsightly.” “Yeah, acting like she’s never eaten before, so embarrassing.” I heard them but pretended not to, just smiling at Rachel. “Rachel, look how much you’ve spent, it would be such a waste not to take all this good food home. I’ll take it back to eat, you don’t mind, right?” Rachel’s face had become a palette of colors. But in front of everyone, she could only grit her teeth and nod. “I… don’t mind.” Back at the company, I nonchalantly put the taketakeout boxes in the communal fridge, perfectly ignoring my colleagues’ strange looks. In the afternoon, I knocked on the door of the finance office. “Emily, I want to withdraw half a month’s salary in advance.” Emily, the finance manager, looked up at me: “According to the rules, it needs the manager’s signature, and it’s usually transferred to your account at the end of the month.” I handed over an application form that I had prepared earlier, already signed. “The manager approved it.” “And, I don’t want a transfer.” “Just cash.” If money in the card would mysteriously transferred away, then cash should be safe, right? An hour later, I was back at my desk, holding an envelope with a thick wad of bills. This was my base salary for this month and part of last month’s commission, $1,500 in total. I stuffed the envelope into the deepest compartment of my bag and zipped it up. In my previous life, it was from this $50,000 that I began my descent into the abyss, step by step. In this life, I would climb up from this $1,500. But I hadn’t even sat down for five minutes. My right eyelid started twitto twitch uncontrollably. Thump, thump, thump. Each twitch more violent than the last. An extremely ominous feeling instantly gripped my heart! I hurriedly unzipped my bag and reached into that compartment— Empty! The envelope was still there, but the thick wad of cash inside had vanished! My blood instantly ran cold, every hair on my body standing on end. I hadn’t expected that Rachel’s method of transferring my deposits would have no limits! Was she trying to cut off all my options? I looked towards Rachel not far away, just in time to see a flash of glee on her face. I clenched my fists tightly. Luckily, I had already thought of a way to break this deadlock!

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In the final stages of cancer, my only chance at life-saving chemotherapy was bought out by Frank and given to Rachel, who was in the early stages. I gave up on the doctor’s life-saving plan and swallowed strong pain-blocking medication. The price was organ failure and death in 3 days. During these 3 days, I gave up everything. When I handed over all my hard-earned assets to Rachel, my parents smiled with satisfaction. When Frank presented the divorce papers and I signed without hesitation, he sighed and said I was very understanding. When I pushed Lily to call Rachel “mom”, she excitedly said mom was the best. Even when I gave all my properties and assets to Rachel, they didn’t notice anything wrong. They just looked at me with contentment and said, “Our sensible Chloe has finally come back.” But I’m also curious, will they remember me after I die? Under the doctor’s pitying gaze, I swallowed the pain-blocking medication. I had 3 days left to live. After taking the medicine, I went to Rachel’s hospital room. Inside, Dad was peeling an orange for Rachel while Mom chatted with her. When they saw me enter, the smiles on my parents’ faces instantly turned cold. “What, done pretending to be sick and here to pick on Rachel again? Chloe, I’m warning you, don’t you dare bully Rachel while we’re here!” Dad glared at me, his tone icy. “Our Wilson family has always had strict discipline. I don’t know where you learned such bad behavior, being jealous of Rachel and even trying to steal her treatment opportunity,” Mom scolded, pointing at me. “If I had known, I never should have given birth to you!” In a corner hidden from my parents’ view, Rachel smiled at me, her eyes full of provocation. I lowered my gaze. I had heard these words from my parents countless times before. In the past, I would have argued with them and exposed Rachel’s true nature in front of everyone, even though my parents never believed a word I said. But now I was tired, too exhausted to fight anymore. “Well, it’s good you’re here. I have something to discuss with you,” Dad spoke up. I smiled faintly. “Dad, I have something to tell you too.” “Doesn’t Rachel want my store business and company? I’ve thought it over – she can have it all!” Dad was stunned for a moment. Mom also looked at me in surprise. “How did you know I was going to talk to you about this today? You agree?” I forced a smile. No wonder they were shocked and kept confirming. Rachel had wanted my hard-earned businesses for a long time. My parents had said all kinds of things, good and bad, trying to get me to hand over my life’s work to Rachel. But I had always refused. Now that I was dying anyway, these things meant nothing to me. Seeing I looked serious, Mom finally smiled in relief and stepped forward to pat my head. “You’ve finally come to your senses!” “Rachel has always been more talented than you, even when you were in school. Although she’s sick now, her financial management skills are better than yours,” Mom said. “We’ll feel much more at ease if you let her take over your stores and company.” I forced another smile and handed the transfer documents to Rachel. After seeing Rachel sign, my parents happily held my hands, calling me a good child over and over. I felt a hint of bitter irony in my heart. How laughable – only when I gave in to Rachel would Mom smile at me. But I was also curious – if Mom discovered Rachel’s true nature after I died, would she and Dad regret it? That evening, I returned home to find my husband Frank and daughter Lily cooking in the kitchen. Perhaps because of my late-stage cancer, I closed the door softly. The father-daughter pair seemed not to notice, laughing as they cooked together. Frank turned around with a plate of food and saw me. His smile froze for a moment before returning to normal. “Chloe, when did you get back? I didn’t hear you come in.” I silently looked at the dish in Frank’s hands – stir-fried vegetables, Rachel’s favorite. The presentation rivaled that of a professional chef. How ironic. I was about to die, and only now did I learn that Frank, my husband of 5 years, could cook. In the past, he always complained about my cooking. Under Frank’s influence, Lily gradually started criticizing me too. I had worked so hard for this family, but in the end, I didn’t earn an ounce of respect. In the past, I might have started screaming hysterically by now. But now I just calmly walked past them and sat on the couch, sorting through the things in my bag. Seeing my silence, Frank hesitated for a moment. He put the dish on the table and walked over. “Chloe, there’s something I want to discuss with you today.” Frank rubbed his nose awkwardly, hesitating before continuing: “It’s about your sister Rachel.” My heart sank. A bad feeling suddenly washed over me. Frank’s next words left me stunned: “After Rachel finishes her cancer treatment, she’s been feeling very depressed. So your parents suggested I marry Rachel to cheer her up.” My ears were ringing. It took a long time before I found my voice again. “So… you agreed?” Frank sighed. “Chloe, even though Rachel isn’t your biological sister, she’s still family after your parents adopted her. It’s just to cheer her up. Once Rachel is discharged, I’ll still be your husband and Lily’s father.” Before I could speak, Lily chimed in: “That’s right, Mom. Aunt Rachel has been so sad lately. You need to understand!” I silently looked at the father and daughter in front of me. This was the man I had loved for years. This was the child I had raised with such difficulty. I had never done anything wrong. I had given my all to my family, husband, and child. I could face them with a clear conscience. In the end, this was how they repaid me – with betrayal. But it didn’t matter now. If Rachel wanted everything, I would give it all to her. I didn’t want any of it anymore. I raised my head to look at Frank. “Alright, I agree.” Frank’s eyes flashed with surprise. “Really?”

He quickly took out divorce papers from a drawer and placed them on the table. I smirked inwardly. Oh Frank, you can’t even bother to hide your impatience? I picked up the pen and quickly signed my name. After signing, Frank’s face was full of relief. His expression was solemn yet affectionate. “Chloe, once Rachel is discharged, we’ll remarry. Don’t worry, I’ll never let you down!” Frank finished speaking and signed the divorce papers as well. After signing, he looked at me and sighed. “Chloe, you’ve become much more sensible than before. I’ve made mistakes in the past too. I was wrong. After Rachel gets better, I’ll never let you worry about anything again!” “That’s right, Mom!” Lily chimed in like a little adult. “Mom is so good to Aunt Rachel. I’m proud of you!” Looking at them, my heart turned to ashes. Before this, I had held out one last shred of hope for Frank and Lily. But now… Forget it. I had no expectations left, except for death. I stood up, intending to go back to my room to rest. A wave of intense dizziness hit me. I couldn’t help but faint. In the last moment before everything went black, I saw Frank’s worried face. I was jolted awake by a wave of cold. When I opened my eyes, I was surprised to find myself still lying on the floor. Frank and Lily were looking at me with disappointed expressions. “Dad, I told you Mom was faking again!” Lily said. “Mom, can you stop being so childish? You’re really holding us up from going to visit Aunt Rachel at the hospital!” Faking? Frank also spoke up with disappointment: “Chloe, can you stop making a scene? I already told you, even though we’re divorced, you’re still the one I love. There’s no need to use such childish tricks to test me!” After hearing Frank’s words, I finally understood. The pain-blocking medication I had taken would suppress all symptoms for these 3 days. During this time, I would look like a normal, healthy person. But the side effects were severe. After 3 days, I would die from organ failure. It seemed the medication was working quite well. I forced myself to stand up. “It’s probably just low blood sugar. I’m fine. I’ll go to the hospital with you. There are some transfer documents Rachel still needs to sign.” Frank nodded. There was no surprise on his face. My parents must have told him in advance. At the hospital, Rachel was watching TV in her room. “Chloe, you’re here!” Rachel’s face was still very pale, but her spirits seemed much better. However, I didn’t miss the smugness and arrogance in her eyes. “Chloe, thank you for trusting me to manage your businesses. Don’t worry, I won’t let you down!” “That’s right, Chloe. With Rachel managing your stores and company, you can stay home and collect dividends every day. How nice!” Mom said with a smile. I took out the remaining documents from my bag. “In that case, I’ll let her manage all my assets too. That way I won’t have to worry about anything in the future.” Everyone in the room froze. “Chloe, are you serious? You want to give Rachel all your assets?” Frank grabbed my arm, his eyes full of shock. This time it was my turn to be confused. In the past, they had always sided with Rachel. Whatever Rachel wanted, they gave her. If I refused, they would berate me endlessly. How come now that I was giving Rachel everything, they suddenly didn’t understand? Dad was the first to recover. His eyes were full of approval. “This child has finally come to her senses! Our efforts in raising you weren’t wasted!” “Chloe, it’s good that you’ve learned to accept your sister now,” Mom added. “From now on, you two can live well together. Even when we’re old, we can rest easy!” Rest easy? Dad, Mom, you’ve been fooled by Rachel’s act for too many years. Do you really believe Rachel will manage everything well? My head started spinning again. My nose felt itchy. When I touched it, I realized it was a nosebleed. “Chloe, why are you getting a nosebleed? The weather isn’t even dry,” Mom asked. I paused as I wiped the blood. In the end, I couldn’t help but look at them and speak: “Dad, Mom, if I really died from illness one day, would you regret it?” But Mom’s expression didn’t even change. She just smiled and glanced at me. “Your face looks so healthy, how could you possibly die from illness? Don’t say such unlucky things!” “Yes, Rachel is different. We need to make sure she gets proper nutrition once she recovers!” Dad said, looking at Rachel with concern. “I agree!” Lily chimed in. “Mom looks so healthy. Aunt Rachel is the one we’re most worried about!” The last glimmer of hope in my heart disappeared completely. I had nothing left to look forward to… I lowered my head to look at Lily and smiled as I spoke: “Lily, didn’t you always want Rachel to be your real mom? I agree now. Rachel is your mom now. Why don’t you call her ‘Mom’?”

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My home was about to be submerged by floodwaters, but my rescue captain husband took all his team members to save the woman he’d always pined for – Celeste. That’s when I knew: he’d also been reborn. In my last life, when my husband found out I was in danger, he rushed to save me. Because of that, he missed Celeste’s call. She had a severe depressive episode and ended up taking her own life. But right before she did, she posted online, claiming I’d cyberbullied her for years and stolen her beloved. After her death, I was cyberbullied relentlessly. My husband, Julian, said he didn’t blame me and treated me as he always had. But on the day I gave birth, he broke my limbs and my baby’s. Then, in front of Celeste’s grave, he threw my son and me into a small, portable tub. “I never would have married you if I’d known you’d been bullying Celeste for so many years!” “You can swim, yet you deliberately called me to save you. It’s all your fault Celeste took her own life!” I listened to my baby’s heartbreaking cries, and died in despair. When I opened my eyes again, it was this very day – the flood. This time, let him go save his precious Celeste. …

My house was a cozy two-story home in the suburbs. I’d already run up to the second floor, but the torrential rain was relentless, and the water level was rising incredibly fast, already up to my waist. My baby inside me seemed to sense my fear, moving uneasily too. “It’s okay, baby, we’ll be saved!” I touched my belly, trembling as I climbed onto the desk. This time, I didn’t call Julian. Instead, I called Ben, the deputy captain of the rescue team. But it was Julian who answered. “Enough, Scarlett. This is a critical moment for saving lives. Can you stop causing trouble? You know how to swim, and we have a kayak at home. You’re the least likely person to get into trouble!” He roared in frustration before hanging up. He completely forgot that I’d almost drowned trying to save Celeste before, and since then, I’d had a deep-seated fear of water. As for the kayak he’d given me for my birthday… Celeste had simply said she wanted it, and he’d immediately loaded it into her car. I hadn’t even touched the packaging. But after being reborn, I’d given up on explaining anything to Julian. I called Ben again. This time, he answered himself, but his attitude wasn’t much better than Julian’s. “Seriously, Scarlett, are all you pregnant women this dramatic?” “No matter how deeply Julian feels for you, he can’t handle this kind of trouble. The captain has already taken the other team members to save Miss Celeste. Stop calling; no one has time for your nonsense. You’re just wasting valuable rescue resources!” “You’re only getting away with this because you’re the captain’s wife. Otherwise, I’d curse you out. I hate it when women just cause more problems!” Ben cursed at me before blocking my number. Actually, it didn’t matter if he blocked me or not. Just moments ago, all network communications had crashed. I couldn’t make calls or send messages. Even worse, standing on the desk wasn’t much help. The water quickly rose to my armpits, and I started to feel chest tightness, gasping for air. In about twenty minutes, the water would completely swallow me. I strained to lift my neck, trying to breathe more easily, but tears flowed uncontrollably. In my last life, as soon as the flood reached the second floor, I’d called Julian for help. He was an orphan and had always yearned for his own small family, so he deeply valued the child in my womb. When he received my distress call, he was even more anxious than I was. Julian rushed to save me at top speed, missing Celeste’s call in the process. She then jumped into the floodwaters to take her own life. Before she died, she posted a video, claiming I’d cyberbullied her for over a decade, causing her severe depression. Now, her beloved had also been stolen by me, and she couldn’t bear it anymore. Because Celeste was a well-known anti-depression influencer, this video made me the target of such intense cyberbullying that I had a mental breakdown. I explained I’d never done any of those things, but the internet didn’t believe me. Aside from my family, only Julian stayed by my side. He said it wasn’t my fault, treating me with an unprecedented tenderness and care. I actually felt fortunate, believing I’d chosen the right partner, that I was the happiest woman in the world. However, on the day I gave birth, Julian took us to Celeste’s grave. He made my baby and me atone with our lives in front of her tomb. “You know how to swim, and you had a kayak at home; you wouldn’t have drowned. Yet you insisted on calling me for help… In these ten years, that was the only time I chose you, and it killed Celeste. You truly deserve to die!” But I was his wife, and I was carrying his flesh and blood! Wasn’t it his duty to save us? Julian dragged my hair, cursing me with the vilest, most disgusting words, his eyes bloodshot as if possessed. “If a single strand of Celeste’s hair fell out, I’d feel like I hadn’t taken care of her. How *dare* you bully her right under my nose?” “Does it hurt to watch your own son die? When Celeste died, I felt even worse than you do now!” “Didn’t you lie, saying you almost drowned that day? Then you should also experience what it feels like to drown!” I wanted to say I’d never bullied Celeste. I wanted to scream for help. But I couldn’t utter a single word. I listened to my baby’s painful, sharp cries, as water filled my eyes, nose, mouth, and ears. In the end, I could only die, helpless and despairing, tears streaming down my face.

I didn’t want to go through that agony again, which is why in this life, I sought help from other members of the rescue team. To my shock, Julian had already ruined my reputation within the rescue team, convincing everyone not to save me. I watched my meticulously decorated wedding home being swallowed by the flood, a bitter ache seizing my chest. Julian had once said that his childhood home was a small two-story house with a yard, and that kind of place felt like a true home. So, I gave up buying a house in the city, pouring all my savings into building a small house with him in his old village. Back then, he hugged me, his eyes red, thanking me for giving him his ideal home and promising to love me forever. And I actually believed him… What a joke. As the water reached my neck, I refused to sit by and wait for death. I forced open the highest window and, amidst the howling wind and pouring rain, precariously balanced myself on the sill. Below me, less than two feet away, was rushing floodwater. There was nothing on the roof to hold onto for support. If I lost my balance and fell, I’d surely die. Luckily, I still had some good fortune. Two rescue boats passed by. “Help!” “Help me!” I waved my arms, screaming for help. The first boat heard me and steered closer. It held a middle-aged couple. “It’s a pregnant woman.” “Don’t be scared, darling, we’ll save you now!” Hearing their comforting voices, my eyes stung with tears, and I repeatedly nodded. Thank goodness these strangers were willing to help me. But just as they brought their boat closer, the second rescue boat also approached. Ben was in it, along with several people he’d already rescued. Ben saw someone about to save me and frowned in disgust. “Brother and Sister, you don’t need to bother with her. She can swim, and she has a kayak. Everyone else might get into trouble, but she won’t.” He was Julian’s teammate and best friend; he never questioned Julian’s words. Ben shouted at me, “No wonder Julian always says Miss Celeste is a pampered lady, but kind and generous, while you, an unsophisticated country bumpkin, are selfish and greedy… He really wasn’t wrong about you! Scarlett, you’re wasting rescue resources. Do you know how many lives could be lost because of you?!” With the window open, wind and rain poured into the house, and the water level rose even faster than before. The others listened to Ben’s endless rant, growing desperate. “Are you out of your mind? That’s a pregnant woman! You want her to swim? Would *you* dare to swim in floodwaters?” “She’s a pregnant woman, almost swept away by the flood, and she can’t ask for help? Does she have to die for it not to be a waste of resources?” “Don’t listen to this idiot! Just save her!” Both rescue boats simultaneously sped toward me. But it was already too late. I clung tightly to the window, but the surging floodwaters still ripped me away. I bobbed up and down in the torrent, no matter how hard I thrashed or cried for help, I couldn’t grasp anything to save me. The two rescue boats, which had seemed like my only hope, quickly vanished from my sight. Terror, fear, then finally, despair. In my last conscious moment, I painfully caressed my belly. “I’m so sorry, baby.” “Mommy still couldn’t protect you…”

In a hazy dream, I was transported back to a long time ago. Julian confessed his feelings to me after Freshman Orientation Week. I had never considered dating, but if it was him, I simply couldn’t refuse. We got together. Soon after, rumors reached my ears. Many people said: “Julian’s truly in love with Celeste, but he’s just an orphan who was fostered by her family.” “That privileged lady doesn’t even like him. She was afraid her crush would misunderstand their relationship, so Julian just found a random girlfriend.” “Otherwise, why would Julian, the school heartthrob, ever notice an unsophisticated girl like Scarlett?” I thought Julian wasn’t that kind of person, so I asked him directly if it was true. He said no, and I believed him. After we started dating, Julian was wonderful to me. From high school to junior year of college, our classmates’ relationships came and went, but we remained as if perpetually in love. Even the ones who spread rumors in high school changed their tune. They said they envied us, saying it seemed Julian truly loved me. I always believed that, until senior year, when Celeste returned from studying abroad. “Celeste is sick.” “Celeste is upset.” “Celeste forgot her umbrella.” “Celeste…” My once perfect, attentive boyfriend started to frequently ditch me for another woman. The name “Celeste” became a constant ache in my heart. So, when Celeste actively sent me a friend request, I accepted it. I felt like a thief, sneaking glances at her Ins posts: Turns out, on my birthday, Julian went with her to get her nails done. Turns out, on our wedding anniversary, he was cooking for her at her house. Turns out… There were so many. My eyes stung with tears as I scrolled. My body ached all over. I opened my eyes and found myself in a hospital room. Ben was guarding me nearby. When he saw I was awake, he looked excited, awkward, and guilty. “Scarlett, you’re finally awake. I’m so sorry. Julian said you were just being dramatic and trying to get attention, and I misunderstood you.” “When you were swept away, I was terrified.” “Thank goodness you were lucky enough to be rescued midway, or I really would have regretted it for the rest of my life!” I didn’t respond to him. My stomach was cramping terribly, and crimson blood streamed from between my legs. I tilted my head back, gasping for air, but it felt like I was back in my last life, when Julian broke my limbs and threw me into that tub… The pain was so intense I couldn’t even scream! Ben, terrified, quickly called for doctors and nurses. The doctor came in, holding a stack of test results, his brows deeply furrowed. “The pregnant woman suffered a severe infection in the flood. The baby can’t be saved. We need immediate surgery. Has the patient’s family arrived yet?” “Coming right away, right away!” Ben frantically called Julian. In his haste, he accidentally put it on speaker. Julian’s angry voice blasted from the phone: “Ben, what kind of benefits did Scarlett give you that you’re helping her lie now? And here I thought you were my best friend!” Ben fired back, “Before you speak, lay a hand on your heart! How severe was this flood? Did you really have no clue whether your two-story house would be flooded?!” From Julian’s end, Celeste whimpered, saying she was scared of the thunder outside. Julian’s voice instantly softened with concern: “Celeste isn’t doing well. I need to stay with her. Stop bothering me with calls!” I had always known how much he cared for Celeste. But even now, in this moment, I felt an overwhelming chill. This was the man I had loved with all my heart for over a decade… The medical instruments shrieked, a piercing alarm. The doctor rushed over instantly: “Patient is hemorrhaging, heart rate dropping rapidly! Prepare for emergency resuscitation!”

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The day I paid cash for our marital home, my boyfriend let his ‘one that got away’ move into our bedroom. He even packed up my things and tossed them outside like trash. “Seraphina needs to smell my scent to fall asleep. She can’t handle stimulation. Can’t you just give in a little?” My boyfriend locked me out, and I dragged my luggage through the streets, drenched in rain. A Maybach pulled up beside me. The window rolled down, revealing deep, captivating eyes behind dark sunglasses, twinkling with a mocking smirk. “Need a hand, gorgeous?” I was reborn. Reborn on the very day I paid cash for the marital home with my boyfriend. This time, I wasn’t stupid enough to put his name on the deed. After the paperwork was done, I tucked the front door key into the most hidden pocket of my bag. Then, I went home. Outside the door, a suitcase sat alongside several large bags of my belongings. I inserted the key, twisted it. Just as I expected, the door was double-locked from the inside.

I pounded on the door, so hard that a neighbor flung open their window and started yelling. Only then did Alex reluctantly crack the door open just a tiny bit. He stammered, blocking my entry. “Alex, has Seraphina moved back in?” I called him out, no point in hiding it. My boyfriend turned his face away, avoiding my gaze that seemed to pierce through everything. “Seraphina’s a bit unstable right now. Yelling like this will only worsen her condition.” So, I’m the one in the wrong for just speaking normally? “Alex, you let a woman you haven’t seen in eight years sleep in *our* bed. Are you out of your mind?!” “She’s your high school regret? Then what about our ten years together? Was I just a fool?” “You said you’d marry me when I could afford to pay cash for our marital home. Would you demand the same from Seraphina?” *SPLAT!* Alex slapped me. My right cheek immediately swelled, the searing pain burning through my shock, sharpening my resolve. “Stella! Why are you still so childish?!” “Seraphina just got out of the hospital. She has no one else besides me. What’s wrong with her staying at our place for a bit?” His face flushed crimson, veins popping in his neck, as if *I* was the one being unreasonable. I pointed at the bags of skincare products and clean clothes, overflowing from trash bags on the concrete floor, and sneered: “Heh… So, I have to leave?” Alex turned his back, his voice strained: “Seraphina needs to smell my scent to fall asleep. She can’t handle stimulation. Can’t you just give in a little?” *Your* scent? Alex, I’d like to see how long she can stand *your stench*!

Before my rebirth. Following my boyfriend’s demands, I used every penny of my hard-earned money, working day and night, to pay cash for our marital home. His name was on the deed. He said a woman’s name wasn’t worthy of being written with his. I argued with him, but he threatened my kitten, Luna, forcing me to give in. On the very first day we moved into the new house, he brought a woman home. It was Seraphina, his unattainable high school crush, the ‘one that got away’. Seraphina had a string of failed relationships, more men than I could count. Until she fell for some mysterious guy and ended up in a mental institution… Alex let this crazy woman, fresh out of the asylum, sleep in *our* bedroom. And he had the audacity to ask me to get along with my rival! He lied, saying Seraphina’s parents had asked him to look after her for a few days. I, like a fool, actually treated Seraphina like a sister. It wasn’t until I returned early from a business trip and heard the intimate sounds from our bedroom. Only then did I realize that my boyfriend had never loved me. Everything I’d worked for all these years was just setting someone else up for their happily ever after! Alex kicked me out. I rented a cheap apartment, drifting aimlessly day after day, living like a stray dog on the street. Ultimately, Seraphina found me and pushed me from the eighteenth floor. Heh. This time, my destiny is in my own hands.

I was about to pick up my luggage and leave when the door opened again. Seraphina aimed at me and threw three large bags of trash. The trash bags weren’t tied, and the soup from instant noodles splattered on my pant leg, along with… Leftover durian. So, Alex still remembered Seraphina’s taste. Back in high school, many boys who pursued her brought her durian. Alex was no exception. But at the time, Miss Seraphina looked down on him, dressed in cheap clothes. And now, Alex finally fulfilled his dream of feeding durian to the girl he liked. I don’t like durian; I like strawberries. But he told me strawberries were too expensive and to eat them less. Hahahaha, love and not love, it’s so obvious. Strawberries and durians, can’t you tell the difference between what’s cheap and what’s valuable? I stared coldly at Seraphina. This woman, looking somewhat haggard, was arrogant and brazen, showing no humility for someone staying as a guest. She trusted him, he doted on her. What place did an outsider like me have? “Stella, Alex loves me. All these years, you were just his emotional outlet. If you want to fight me tooth and nail, I advise you to give up. You can’t win against me.” Before my rebirth, because of my foolish trust, I tacitly allowed Alex to bring a wolf into our home. Alex kept promising he only saw Seraphina as a sister. Because of love, I believed his nonsense. But in the end, I was crushed, utterly destroyed. Seraphina certainly had her methods, wrapping Alex around her finger and treating me like a dog. “You’re right. I’ve always been your stand-in. I knew all along Alex could never truly let you go.” I’d secretly liked Alex since high school. But his eyes were only on the popular Seraphina. In college, we unexpectedly reconnected. He was unusually enthusiastic about seeing me again, completely unlike his previous indifference. I’d already given up on him, but his flirting rekindled my feelings. He waited for me outside my dorm for meals. He took me to the movies on weekends. We FaceTimed constantly. My roommates all said my boyfriend and I were so in love. What they didn’t know was… I paid for all our meals. I planned every single date myself. He was the one who kept nagging me to get him gifts for every holiday. And the only thing he ever gave me that could be called a gift was leftover barbecue, packed up for me.

“Stella, catch!” Seraphina threw another bag at me. It felt like a large piece of meat… The bag was tied with a tight knot, but I could still smell the stench of a decaying body. “What… what is this?” My hands trembled as I gently placed the bag on the floor. “What else could it be? It’s a welcome gift for you, of course!” Opening the black plastic bag, I saw Luna, my little cat, her body mangled beyond recognition. She was soaking wet, drenched in her own blood. Her ears were gone, leaving two ugly scars. My head felt like it had been hit by a sledgehammer, ringing loudly. “My baby, why are you like this?!” Seraphina seemed quite pleased with my reaction. She stood with her hands on her hips, laughing hysterically, gasping for air. “Alex said this was your lifeline! Oh, my god, it’s hilarious! I just wanted to see why you’d cherish an animal so much.” Seraphina, you deserve to die a horrible death! She noticed the murderous intent in my eyes and immediately pulled out a defensive dagger. I recognized that dagger. It was a special anniversary gift I’d given Alex in college. Alex had lied and told me he’d lost it. Turns out, he gave it to Seraphina. Unarmed, I couldn’t fight her directly. Retreat was my best option. I gathered Luna’s tiny body, trembling as I walked downstairs. I felt so weak, like an old woman on her last legs, as if even a falling leaf could crush me. “Luna, Mom failed to protect you. Reborn, I never imagined they wouldn’t even spare you!” As I left the street, the sky opened up, pouring rain. I dragged my luggage, aimlessly wandering the streets, as if the heavy rain could wash away my sins. A Maybach pulled up beside me. The window rolled down, revealing deep, captivating eyes behind dark sunglasses, twinkling with a mocking smirk. “We meet again, gorgeous. Need a hand?”

This playful man was Julian, the son of my company’s CEO. Known throughout the elite circles as a notorious playboy. I’d actually known him for a long time. He was my junior in college. The embarrassing part? He used to pursue me back then… I truly don’t know why I was so blind to fall for a jerk like Alex and reject such a handsome, rich, sweet puppy! Even though Julian was a bit of a playboy, he wasn’t a bad person. He was even kind of cute. At least he wouldn’t do anything as disgusting as Alex. After I started dating Alex, I rarely saw Julian again. I remember the only time we met after I started working was at a bridal shop. I was with my best friend, trying on wedding dresses, when I accidentally spotted Julian with a glamorous socialite, also trying on dresses. Julian wore a tailored suit, his hair impeccably styled, looking every bit the business elite. He and the socialite, who emerged from the fitting room, looked like a perfect match, a truly stunning couple. I awkwardly greeted him. Julian’s face darkened as he asked, “Since when did you start liking women?” I stared blankly at my best friend, who was on the phone nearby, and realized he’d misunderstood. The socialite finished trying on her dress, then hooked her arm through Julian’s, asking him jealously who I was. Julian’s throat bobbed, and he glanced out the window. “Just a senior from college.” What he said wasn’t wrong, but why did my heart feel so heavy? Later, my best friend’s fiancé cheated before their wedding, and my best friend swiftly packed up and left the jerk. Julian fled his own wedding, refusing a business alliance. In seven days, it would be the day he was supposed to run. Before he left, I needed to use him well. “Julian!” Rain streamed down my forehead, streaking across my cheeks. I knew I looked utterly pathetic right now. But I didn’t care. Whether Julian was still interested in me or not, I had to take this shot. “I need your help to get revenge.” “Please, help me.” “Will you?”

I got into Julian’s car, my pant legs smelling of beef instant noodles, and the little cat in my arms emitting the stench of death. It made me feel a bit constrained. “Looks like you haven’t been doing so great these past few years, gorgeous.” “Why the lost puppy look?” “Tsk, tsk, tsk, truly pathetic.” Right, Julian’s sharp tongue was one of the reasons I rejected him back then. He had such a beautifully shaped mouth, but only sarcastic words came out of it. Julian wanted to take me to his private residence, but I refused. “I have my own place, in Willow Creek.” “Oh, really? You bought a place there? Pretty impressive.” Julian lit a cigarette, a playful smirk curving his lips. I turned my face away, suppressing the urge to snap at him. The urge to curse him out. I knew he was teasing me; my little studio apartment was nothing but a speck in the eyes of a rich kid like him. And in his eyes, I was probably the same. Julian drove the car to the underground parking garage and followed me upstairs. After opening the door and seeing the empty condo. He lightly scoffed, “No money for decorating?” I’d just been reborn; where would I find the time for decorating? Without a word, Julian made a call and had the problem solved for me. The decor style was a fresh French aesthetic. The balcony was transformed into a cozy little garden where I could relax. I buried Luna, my beloved cat who had been with me for two years, right there. My phone rang. It was Alex’s mom, Mrs. Davis. I locked myself in the bathroom and answered. “Hello?” “Stella, dear, did you buy an apartment in Willow Creek? Good girl, you really are something else!”

Alex had told me he’d marry me the moment I could afford to pay cash for a million-dollar marital home. This wasn’t just Alex’s idea, but mostly his mom, Mrs. Davis, constantly drumming it into my head. Mrs. Davis always looked down on me because I came from a modest background. Every time I went to my boyfriend’s house for dinner, his mom would find various ways to remind me of my place. Good thing I woke up. I almost became her easily manipulated daughter-in-law. I ignored her rapid-fire rambling on the phone and cut straight to the chase: “Auntie, your son’s first love is back. Did you know?” She paused for a moment, then confessed: “Auntie knows, but in Auntie’s heart, you’re the *only* best daughter-in-law candidate!” “Alex is still young, a moment of impulse is normal. He’s just playing around, don’t take it too seriously.” Young? Don’t take it seriously? Are you dense, or am I? Seeing that I had no interest in continuing the conversation, Mrs. Davis no longer hid her true intentions. “Stella, your neighborhood seems great! Auntie’s windows broke during a recent storm, and none of our rooms are livable. Could you possibly…” “Yes, of course.” Free labor? How could I say no?

took a shower. When I came out of the bathroom, the entire condo was transformed. “This… this fast?” I walked around again, disbelieving, my fingertips tracing the low-key yet luxurious furniture. I couldn’t help but marvel at Julian’s extravagant taste. “Like it, gorgeous? If you’re satisfied, pour me a glass of water.” Julian lounged comfortably on the soft sofa. I poured a glass of water, walked over to him, met his teasing gaze, and then chugged the water down myself. “Pour it yourself if you want water. I don’t serve people.” With that, I splashed the remaining bit of water on his handsome face. Julian lowered his gaze and chuckled, then loosened his tie, looking a little flustered. “Stella.” “You’re the only one who dares to be this bold with me. I really can’t find another.” “What makes you so sure I’ll help you?” He patted his thigh, signaling for me to sit down. My fists slowly clenched. Enduring the humiliation, I plopped down and then told him everything about my rebirth, spilling every detail. “Of course I believe you. Otherwise, you’d still be stupidly making money for that guy to buy a house.” “Julian, I need you to pretend to be my boyfriend.” “No need to pretend. I *can* be your boyfriend… or husband, even.” He wrapped his arm around my waist, his gaze intensely possessive. “I’m not joking. Control yourself.” Julian still had that playful, teasing expression. I sighed and said, “You’re still dating Chloe Song, the Song Corporation heiress, right?” His arm tightened, squeezing me until I could barely breathe. “Just for show. She has someone she likes too, just like me.” “Gorgeous, are you perhaps… jealous?”

The next day, my phone rang. Mrs. Davis appeared at the apartment complex entrance, carrying large bags. I gestured to the security guard to let her in. Mrs. Davis called again, asking me to help her carry things upstairs. “Auntie, I’m in a meeting right now.” “Just take the elevator up.” After hanging up, I set my phone to do not disturb. I forgot to tell her: the elevator was under maintenance and couldn’t be used right now. Julian emerged from the bathroom, clad only in a towel. He wrapped his arm around my waist and said he was going to show off his cooking skills. A delicious aroma wafted from the kitchen. “I didn’t expect the great young master to know how to cook.” Julian grinned, his spatula dancing like a sword in his hand. Compliment him once, and he gets all cocky like this. I was inexplicably in a good mood… It must have been because I successfully messed with Mrs. Davis! After breakfast, Mrs. Davis, laden with luggage, had finally climbed all seventeen floors. Julian opened the door. He was wearing just a pair of boxers, his eight-pack abs brazenly on display. Mrs. Davis’s eyes lit up at first, then she adopted the demeanor of an elder. She began pointing fingers at this handsome, shameless young man. “Oh, my! What an eyesore!” “Stella! Who is this man?” “You said you were in a meeting, but you were probably messing around with another man!” “How is my Alex supposed to save face?”

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The new air traffic control intern, eager to cultivate an image as a prodigy, volunteered to direct flights from the control tower. However, due to her lack of experience and poor judgment, she issued a takeoff command despite interference signals, causing a collision between the departing plane and another aircraft that was about to land. Afterwards, she threw herself into my boyfriend’s arms, sobbing: “I didn’t mean to, it was my first time and I was so nervous…” My boyfriend held her close, comforting her: “Everyone makes mistakes their first time. Don’t worry about it.” “You’ll get better with more experience.” Those passengers on the planes were moments away from reuniting with their families. But their lives were forever frozen in that instant. Shaking with anger, I slapped her: “Those were human lives! Not some game you’re playing!” “Your carelessness killed everyone on two planes!” The intern was overcome with shame, wailing that she would atone with her own death. To protect her, my boyfriend and the team leader pushed me out as the scapegoat. The leader secretly altered the duty logs and bribed everyone to fabricate evidence against me. At the press conference, my boyfriend publicly revealed “information” pinning all responsibility on me. Public outrage erupted. I was fired by the company and blacklisted across the industry. Grief-stricken families of the victims stabbed me 38 times until I died. When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to the day of the intern’s fatal mistake. 0

“What… what do I do?” In the control tower, Tiffany, the air traffic controller intern, stared at the radar screen with a pale face, helplessly watching the two planes about to collide. As the aircraft markers turned red and drew closer, disaster was imminent. Unable to handle the pressure, Tiffany burst into tears, switched off her headset and collapsed into my boyfriend James’ arms, refusing to continue. “I’m scared, James,” she sobbed. In my previous life, Tiffany’s arrogance led her to recklessly order a takeoff despite interference signals. When the predictive radar blared urgent red warnings, the entire control tower was thrown into panic. Hundreds of lives that could have been saved were lost due to the actions of Tiffany, an intern who didn’t even have her official certification yet. The incident made headlines, causing a huge public outcry. Everyone was waiting for our airport to provide an explanation. To protect Tiffany, my boyfriend James didn’t hesitate to use me as a scapegoat. The team leader Henry also deleted all the control tower recordings that could prove my innocence, to eliminate any loose ends. At the press conference, I was helpless to defend myself as the blame was pinned on me. Facing astronomical compensation claims and prison time, I was brutally stabbed to death by grieving family members of the victims who had infiltrated the event. In my final moments, I saw the hatred burning in their eyes. Rage surged through me – I wasn’t the one who deserved to die! How could this be happening? Perhaps my unjust death moved the heavens. Incredibly, I found myself back at the moment Tiffany abandoned her post. In this new life, I was determined to make these people pay for their sins and seek justice for my past self. As the situation grew dire, I strode to the control panel, put on the headset and opened the radio channel to the pilots: “Eastern 5195, go around. Previous aircraft has requested landing, climb and maintain 2100 feet on current heading…” The chaotic control room fell silent as they heard my commands, holding their breath so as not to disrupt the rescue. After prolonged communication and cooperation from the pilots, the red alert was finally cleared. This time, the passengers who had died because of Tiffany in my past life would make it home safely. I switched off the headset, saved the recording, and handed off communications to a colleague. Then I turned and yanked Tiffany out of James’ embrace. A clear handprint was left on Tiffany’s tear-stained cheek. I was furious. This slap was not just for my wronged past self, but for all the passengers and crew who had died in my previous life. 0

The force of my slap sent Tiffany stumbling backwards. She clutched her face, looking at me in disbelief. I pointed at the plane that had just safely taken off outside. “You idiot! An air traffic controller’s job is to ensure safety in the skies. You nearly cost hundreds of lives with your stupidity!” Tiffany’s tears flowed freely as she whined, “I was just nervous since it was my first time directing takeoff. I’m sorry!” Always the same trick. Ever since she started her internship, this was how she handled problems. She insisted on cultivating an image as a prodigy despite her mediocrity, just to make everyone see her differently. But when crucial work was actually entrusted to her, she’d screw up royally and leave us to clean up her mess. Afterwards, she’d cry and act cute to beg for forgiveness. But this time, hundreds of living, breathing people had nearly died because of her. “Olivia, that’s going too far!” James yelled. “Mind your own business!” I snapped back at him. “Wasn’t it you who confidently boasted you could handle this flight direction? Now that we actually let you do it, you try to run away when things go wrong!” “What, do you think we all have a death wish? Want us to go to prison with you?” Henry, the team leader, also stepped in to muddy the waters and try to shift blame onto me. “Olivia, you should have given Tiffany more guidance since you knew it was her first time.” “Are you kidding me, Henry?” I scoffed. Henry was taken aback, probably not expecting me to call him out so directly. I glared coldly at the two men shielding Tiffany: “Instead of acknowledging Tiffany’s incompetence, you’re blaming me for not teaching her properly?” “Her poor work performance nearly cost hundreds of lives, and you’re still making excuses for her!” “If I hadn’t stepped in to direct the flights, do you think you’d still be standing here chatting with me?” “Do people actually have to die before you take this seriously? Or are human lives just meaningless to you?” Doubt flickered across their faces, but they still chose to defend Tiffany. “Don’t give me that crap about me not teaching her well or her being some genius! Tiffany was mentored by you two, so if she’s such a prodigy, how come you failed to train her properly?” “Did you all get kicked in the head by a donkey? Have you forgotten our duty to protect air safety?” I let out a cold laugh, looking at Tiffany being comforted in James’ arms: “What you’re doing now isn’t just a dereliction of your professional duties. It’s a blatant disregard for human life! If you want to keep arguing with me, don’t expect me to show any mercy!” 0

By now it was clear to everyone that I wouldn’t let this slide. Seeing my resolute attitude, the two men didn’t dare say anything more. I glared fiercely at Tiffany and ordered: “For the next two months, you’ll retrain with the new batch of interns. Just you, alone. You’re not allowed to participate in any flight direction until you pass the training!” “Do plenty of simulation exercises and learn how to handle emergencies properly!” “And I want to see your written self-reflection at Monday’s meeting. You’ll read it out loud to everyone.” With that, I turned to leave, not wanting to look at Tiffany for another second. “Wait!” James clearly wanted to advocate for Tiffany one last time: “Tiffany was involved in the rescue too. You can’t hog all the credit – add her name to today’s incident report.” Looking at his shameless expression, I responded sarcastically: “Sure, go ahead. And next time she screws up, you can take responsibility for her.” “Olivia! You- if it weren’t for Tiffany you wouldn’t even have this achievement-” I laughed mockingly, cutting him off. “Oh right, I should thank her for creating a mess for me to clean up!” “She doesn’t even have the basic psychological qualities needed for air traffic control, let alone actual directing skills!” “And you, repeatedly acting like this is all perfectly reasonable. How pathetic can you get?” James was at a loss for words, only able to glare at me with a red face. Tiffany’s tears seemed to have opened floodgates. She looked at me defiantly: “Olivia, I know you’ve always had issues with me, but aren’t you going too far today?” I drawled in an exaggerated tone: “Oh, so you know I have issues with you? Then why don’t you stay out of my way instead of constantly causing trouble!” “If you want credit for this rescue, you’d better earn it first. Though I suppose abandoning your post in a crisis is quite a talent too.” “Don’t worry, if you want to keep slacking off and coasting by, I’m sure someone will be happy to take the fall for you when things go wrong.” As I finished, I glanced meaningfully between James and Henry. Their faces twisted as if they’d swallowed flies. I gave a cold laugh and strode away. 0 Back in my office, I had just poured myself some water when Henry opened the door, ushering in Manager Smith with a sycophantic smile. Seeing James and Tiffany following behind, I immediately understood what this was about. An inquisition. I let out a derisive laugh. “Manager Smith, shouldn’t you be in training right now? What brings you to a lowly grunt’s office?” Manager Smith was in his fifties and had spent most of his life working at the airport, constantly squeezing money out of us underlings. All in all, he was a slippery old fox who loved being flattered. I couldn’t be bothered to play nice with someone like him. Seeing my attitude, Manager Smith immediately let out a disdainful snort. “If they hadn’t told me you were bullying your coworkers, I wouldn’t have known your authority had grown beyond mine!” “Making decisions above your pay grade, ordering Tiffany to retrain without reporting to me.” “You clearly have no respect for me!”

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A year ago, Sera Thorne found out she was nothing but a stand-in for Julian Knight’s long-lost first love. She turned right around and agreed to date her college classmate. They spent the night together, and the very next day, he dragged her home to meet his parents. “Dad, this is my girlfriend now, my future wife, Sera Thorne!” I played coy, head bowed, but my face was twisted into a knot of disgust. That’s when I realized he was Julian Knight’s adopted son. Julian’s voice was a low growl, laced with a danger I almost missed: “Sera… Thorne?” I feigned a stomach ache, then scrambled over the wall and vanished. I’d spent a year abroad, even had some subtle work done on my face, before I dared to come back. But I never expected that soon after landing, I’d be bound to Julian Knight’s bed, and then, inexplicably, married to his adopted son. Our reunion was shockingly dramatic. Right after returning home, I’d just landed a new job. My manager, without a word, pushed me into the penthouse suite on the top floor: “I had no choice. This… important person, somehow ended up here, drugged with something powerful.” “If this isn’t handled properly, I’m finished, you won’t get paid, and your mother’s medical bills won’t be covered.” The moment Julian’s eyes locked onto mine, I knew he recognized me. His gaze was deep, authoritative, even without a trace of anger. He didn’t look sedated at all. Instead, he gripped my throat. “You dared to come back?” Julian’s hand clamped over my mouth. He spoke, mostly to himself, a low, furious murmur, “And you dared to use these pathetic tricks?” That was the first time Julian had ever touched me. A night of pure madness. A year ago, I’d yearned for him, and now, it was happening in the most twisted way possible. Daylight poured in from outside. I cautiously rose. The next second, my wrist was seized brutally. He stared at me, his eyes burning with a raw, terrifying crimson. He really must hate me, right? But I never expected Julian to drag me straight to the registrar’s office. I knew something was wrong. Yet, as I was pushed into the marriage registration booth, my lips curved into an uncontrollable smile. I had to admit, a secret thrill pulsed through me. A year had passed, and I had never forgotten Julian, the first man I’d ever loved. Julian had saved me once, in a bar. Learning about my past, he’d waved a hand and sent me back to college. On my birthday, fireworks exploded across the sky, just for me. He’d said: “Sera, I wish you a smooth and easy life from now on.” On Valentine’s Day, acres of flowers bloomed, just for me. He’d said: “Sera, these are Eustoma, also known as thornless roses, symbolizing eternal love.” Could it be that after a year apart, Julian realized *I* was his true love, and he’d forgiven me? If that were the case, I could forgive him for treating me as a substitute… But the fleeting fantasy that had just bloomed was brutally ripped apart by Julian himself. “You didn’t actually think I was marrying *you*, did you?” He gripped my chin, his eyes blazing with pure hatred: “You like throwing yourself at men, don’t you? You’re so desperate to get into the Knight estate?” A cold sneer twisted his lips. “I’ll grant your wish.” The words had barely left his mouth when a group of men in dark suits stormed through the door. One of them pushed a wheelchair forward, and my eyes widened in shock. Sitting in the wheelchair was Leo Sterling! The once vibrant, carefree college student. Now, his eyes were vacant, and a drool-stained bib was tied around his neck. Julian’s voice drifted from behind me, laced with infinite coldness: “A year ago, he got into an accident looking for you, and he became like this.” My knees buckled, sending me straight to the floor. Just before I hit the ground, Julian grabbed my throat, yanking me into his arms. There was no tenderness for his adopted son, only a mocking, humiliating laugh for both of us. “You should take responsibility, shouldn’t you?” I closed my eyes. Julian knew this was my sign of impatience, my urge to resist. He scoffed: “You can try to say no, but the hospital where your mother is being treated? I just bought it.” My eyes snapped open, pupils constricting in horror. “I’ll marry him.” I tried to comfort myself: there’s no hate without love. Julian was retaliating like this because he cared. But I wasn’t the type to sit back and let things happen. I wouldn’t be pushed around. In between taking our wedding photos, I sent a message to an international number: “I accept all your conditions. Help me one more time.” A voice message quickly came back. Deep and magnetic: “I’ll handle everything. I’ll pick you up in five days.”

On our wedding night, I looked at Leo Sterling’s face, still as sharply chiseled as ever. He bore no resemblance to Julian Knight at all—one was reserved and composed, the other bright and cheerful. Despite a sixteen-year age gap, who would have thought they were adopted father and son? I sighed and reached out, covering Leo’s clear, innocent eyes. “You’re such a fool. Why did you come looking for me? If I needed money, I would have come back myself.” Back then, I had just returned to college, and Leo had been instantly smitten. If Julian was a seasoned player in the game of love, Leo was like a clumsy newcomer. He had cautiously shown me affection, awkwardly pursuing me. I only had to crook my finger, and the boy would rush to me impatiently. But I was a bad woman. My conscience had long been lost on the path I’d taken to get here. I truly only saw Leo as a pawn to be used. Watching Leo in his vacant, simple state, I closed my eyes. Then, I kicked him onto the floor. With a thud, Leo hit his head and fell unconscious. In the next room, the sounds of a man and woman making love paused for a moment. Then, the rhythm grew even more intense. I turned off the lights, a bitter ache in my heart. Julian’s first love was back. Tonight was my wedding night with Leo, and it was Julian’s reunion with his ‘white moonlight.’ Earlier today, the moment I stepped through the doors of the Knight estate, they looked at each other. Celeste took the suit jacket from Julian’s hand. Even seeing me, she merely raised a delicate eyebrow, not asking a single question. Julian, however, gently put his arm around her and explained: “This is Leo Sterling’s new wife, Sera Thorne.” Celeste smiled and greeted me, perfectly poised and gracious: “I’m Celeste. We’re not that far apart in age, so feel free to call me ‘Celeste’ if you’d like.” Celeste’s voice was soft, her manner refined and graceful. She stood beside Julian, perfectly matched. I had thought I wouldn’t feel pained by being a “substitute.” But the moment I saw the real deal, I understood. That year abroad, I hadn’t forgotten the pain; I’d just been too busy to dwell on it. Now that I was back, I realized it still hurt. I forced a bitter laugh. Leo’s incoherent murmurs drifted from the floor. I reached out and tossed a blanket over him. Then, I turned and went to sleep, but in my dreams, it was still Julian. What truly made me fall for Julian wasn’t his lavish spoiling, but his sheer gentleness. In my world, which was tattered and stained with ugliness, Julian seemed like a gift from the heavens. Our most intimate gesture was a simple hug. For three whole years, I finally decided to take the initiative. I’d plied Julian with warming wine, but he would rather take a cold shower than touch me. I couldn’t understand why, until I saw his wallet fall from his suit pocket. An old, yellowed photograph slipped out. I picked it up with trembling hands. The woman in the photo looked seven parts like me. That’s when I understood. Fate had always disfavored me. This was poison disguised as sweet nectar. But I still believed Julian cared for me, so I’d acted out of spite, getting together with Leo. I hadn’t known they were adopted father and son. It had all gone horribly wrong.

Before dawn, Mrs. Gable, the housekeeper, dragged me up and pushed me into the kitchen. “Mr. Knight ordered it. As a new bride, you have much to learn.” I expressionlessly shook her off and began picking vegetables. With my back turned, I tossed all the good leaves, leaving only the bitter, unwanted roots to drop into the pot. Halfway through, a sweet, clear voice suddenly called out from behind me: “Sera! I’ll join you.” Celeste, in a white house robe, looked so young, despite being quite a bit older than me. An unwelcome pang of inadequacy twisted in my gut. She had already walked to my side, her eyes curving into a smile as she spoke: “I’m just using you as an excuse to get into the kitchen. Otherwise, Julian always cooks for me, and I never get a chance to show off my own skills.” The words pierced through me like daggers, leaving me momentarily disoriented. Before, I had nothing to give Julian, so I started learning to cook. My most frequent act was bringing him meals. He would always ruffle my hair and say: “Thank you, my Sera. I promise to eat every bit.” Celeste, oblivious, continued to list all the dishes Julian had cooked for her, her tone brimming with happiness. My mind went utterly blank, a deafening roar echoing in my ears. Those were *my* memories, *my* dishes for *him*. My heart clenched, followed by a dense, suffocating ache. Julian, cooking for Celeste? The high and mighty, untouchable magnate had never done such a thing for *me*. I forced myself to stop thinking about it, turning to boil water. Still seething, I poured an entire bottle of salt into the pot. Celeste even came over to help, her innocent and kind demeanor only irritating me more. I sighed, about to wave her away, when she gasped first. “So hot!” I frowned, grabbing her hand and plunging it into a basin of ice water. The next second, a furious roar came from behind me: “You dare hurt her!” Julian walked toward us, his face so dark it could drip ink. He yanked me away. Celeste said, her eyes red, “I just accidentally burned myself.” “Don’t speak for her.” Julian’s gaze swept over me. “I know exactly what kind of person she is—malicious, and she’ll stop at nothing!” Celeste froze, a flicker of confusion in her eyes. I stared at Julian, blinking a few times, my eyes glistening. He was already escorting Celeste to the dining table, carefully applying ointment to her hand. I closed my eyes, then opened them again. Leo bounded down the stairs, calling out “Wifey!” with a vacant, innocent grin. I pinched his mouth shut. I forced a strained, ugly smile. In the end, Mrs. Gable finished making the meal. But just as I was about to pull out a chair, Julian set down his utensils: “You made a mistake, you should be punished. Do you have the nerve to sit down?” “Take this bowl of soup, kneel, and only get up when you admit your fault and apologize to Celeste.” I stared at the man before me. Time had left few marks on his stern face. He used to redden at the sight of my small cooking burns, calling in the best doctors for me. A group of housekeepers came to try and force me, but I waved them away, picking up the scalding bowl of soup myself and kneeling by the dining table. I obeyed because of my mother. Leo didn’t understand what was happening. He walked over, wanting to play with me. In an instant, his hand reached for the scalding water above my head.

“Stop!” I screamed, but it was too late. The scalding soup was about to spill. Julian instantly shot up, instinctively kicking the soup bowl away to protect Celeste, who was closest. But the entire basin of scalding water flowed down my neck. “Ah—!” A piercing scream of agony ripped from my throat. The next second, huge red blisters welled up on my neck and chest, the pain so intense I couldn’t straighten my back on the floor. Leo was also terrified, screaming. Celeste covered her mouth. Julian’s brow furrowed, an inexplicable emotion flashing across his face. Celeste was the first to react, rushing to give me emergency treatment on the sofa. She gently applied burn cream to me, her voice soft: “I’m so sorry. I don’t know why, but Julian’s temper has been terrible these past few days.” I lowered my eyes, saying nothing, but the image of what had just happened replayed in my mind. Julian’s instinctive move to shield Celeste, not caring if the scalding water poured over me instead. Honestly, if he hadn’t kicked the bowl, the soup would have, at most, splashed onto Celeste’s shoes. But he wouldn’t even risk that small inconvenience. I suddenly realized: I really couldn’t compare to Celeste. An inexpressible pain welled up in my heart. Celeste carefully took a silver needle to puncture a large blister. The sharp pain made me yelp and instinctively pull my arm away. Celeste stumbled backward, hitting her lower back on the corner of the table. I quickly whispered, “I’m sorry.” Celeste shook her head, her eyes red. Not far away, Julian immediately noticed the rapidly swelling bruise on her lower back. His gaze was almost devouring. As he approached, he gritted his teeth and said: “You heartless monster! Celeste was trying to help you, and you dared to push her?!” The next second, Julian’s bodyguard roughly grabbed me and shoved me outside. My burns still throbbed, and the push made cold sweat stream down my face, my consciousness blurring. Julian scooped Celeste into his arms and sat on the sofa, his eyes full of worry: “You’re not well. Don’t go near her again.” I was forced to kneel on the lawn by the bodyguard. It was scorching hot, and the lawn was covered in burning hot pebbles. In an instant, a piercing pain shot through my knees. Julian paced over: “You’ve tested my patience again and again. This is your lesson.” I gritted my teeth, glaring at him. I knelt outside for half a day, but he showed no pity. The bodyguards around me changed shifts due to the intense heat. But every time I nearly collapsed, someone would yank me up by the back of my neck. The burns on my body felt like they were being scorched by fire under the sun, waves of excruciating pain washing over me. Sweat trickled into the wounds, making it almost impossible to speak. Finally, Celeste spoke first, “Enough! She didn’t do it on purpose. Let it go.” Julian immediately cooed, “Alright, anything you say. Don’t upset yourself.” With a wave of his hand, the bodyguards released me. I collapsed onto the ground, vomiting violently, feeling like my insides were being torn out. My mind was a blur, my heart torn to shreds. I couldn’t tell if my heart hurt more, or if my body was in more agony. My consciousness gradually faded. Through the haze, I saw someone running towards me…

When I opened my eyes again, it was early morning the next day. My throat felt like it was on fire, and my head was pounding. I should have let go long ago, but I just couldn’t. I had to see it with my own eyes. Now I understood. Julian no longer loved me; only hate remained. I walked to the corridor and made a call. The person on the other end was eager to take credit: “I’ve taken care of your mother’s situation.” “See you in three days.” I breathed a sigh of relief. What I didn’t notice was Celeste standing not far behind me. At this moment, the usual gentleness was gone from Celeste’s face. She bit her lower lip, a flicker of jealousy quietly crossing her eyes. Celeste had returned on her own initiative. Julian was pleased, but she could tell he was a bit distracted. Even when she brought up marriage, he seemed uninterested, changing the subject several times. But yesterday, she had seen with her own eyes Julian frantically scoop me up and call a doctor to treat me. His eyes held a worry he might not even have noticed himself. She finally understood. Julian’s distraction and repeated hesitation were all because of Sera Thorne. A young, beautiful, temperamental girl. Someone unique enough to make him pause. Celeste took a deep breath and stepped forward: “You’re awake? How are you feeling?” I hung up the phone, turned to look at her, and gave a casual smile. Celeste continued to chat with me: “I heard you and Leo were college classmates.” “Julian and I were too. Back then, his pursuit of me caused such a scandal, Grandfather Sterling was furious.” “But he took ninety-nine lashes just to be with me.” I listened to Celeste, my heart a tangled mess of emotions. My head was still hazy. Feeling the ache in my heart, I closed my eyes. Celeste didn’t stop, suddenly taking my hand: “We’re fated. You can call me by my nickname, ‘Celeste,’ from now on.” The name “Celeste” made my eyes widen instantly. I was momentarily dazed, my heart feeling like it was being cruelly squeezed. My throat tightened, and I couldn’t utter a single word. I leaned on the railing, only hearing her last sentence: “Did you see the Eustoma in the yard?” “That’s my favorite flower. Julian just loves these romantic gestures…” I had never felt my heart ache so much, as if it were being torn out of my chest. “Sera, these are Eustoma, also known as thornless roses, symbolizing eternal love.” “Sera, do you like them?” Compared to the thornless Eustoma, I probably preferred thorny red roses. But because of the words “eternal love,” My heart had surged, and I’d embraced him, saying “I love them” with tears for the first time in my life. But now. Sera, Celeste. It turned out I had never truly entered Julian’s heart. Not for a single second! No hate, no love, nothing! Every time Julian called my name, he was just calling someone else through me. I was merely a vessel for his longing. More painful than having and losing was never truly having it at all, yet foolishly believing I did, secretly rejoicing over thin air. Just then, Leo pushed open the door. Seeing me in tears, he immediately rushed to hug me. I tried to push him away, but I saw the boy’s eyes were also red. Even though he couldn’t speak, I knew it was worry. On the other side, Celeste watched us, then suddenly smirked: “Leo loves you this much, even in his condition, so why are you still trying to steal *my* Julian?” At her words, I recoiled in shock, startled by the jealousy on her face. But Celeste held on tight. I forcefully yanked my arm away. Celeste’s lips curved into a smile. She deliberately stumbled backward, dragging Leo with her as they tumbled down the stairs. Several loud thuds shattered the morning quiet of the old mansion. Julian rushed out of his room. Seeing the terrible scene on the ground, his eyes blazing crimson, he charged over. Julian shoved me away. My waist hit the railing, my knees buckled, and I fell down after them.

No one paid me any attention. Everyone was busy rushing the unconscious Leo and Celeste to the hospital. I got up, clutching my waist, and stared at the bloodstains on the ground, momentarily dazed. I was dragged to the hospital with them. I explained: “She threw herself down on purpose.” “She seems to be jealous of me. Julian, isn’t that ridiculous?” Julian’s eyes were closed, and a suffocating low pressure emanated from him. Everyone else hung their heads, but I wasn’t afraid. I wanted to leave, but I didn’t want to be burdened by anything else. Just then, the doctor rushed out, his face anxious: “Mr. Knight, Ms. Dubois is pregnant, but she’s bleeding heavily now. She needs a blood transfusion.” In an instant, everyone present gasped. I gripped the wall, my pupils constricting. Julian’s voice was low and hoarse: “Sera Thorne’s blood type is the same as Celeste’s. Someone!” Hearing this, my eyes widened in fury, and I screamed: “Why?! I told you I didn’t push her! I won’t donate!” Julian gripped my throat, gritting his teeth: “Why should I believe you? Drugging me, seducing my adopted son—have I ever wrongly accused you of anything?” My pupils trembled violently. I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. But he wouldn’t let up: “Born in a place like that, it’s not surprising what you’d do, is it?” His words were like a sharp blade, stabbing straight into my heart. He once pitied my background, pitied that I was born in a red-light district. Now, his true thoughts were exposed. I struggled to yank myself free, then sneered at him, my voice dripping with the malice I’d long mastered: “Don’t pretend to be so virtuous! Are you a saint? You manipulate your own daughter-in-law…” Julian’s eyes were bloodshot, veins throbbing. He slapped me across the face. I staggered and fell to the ground, my ears ringing instantly. This was the first time Julian had ever hit me. Yet, I lowered my head and began to laugh, my laughter growing more and more desolate. Julian turned his back, waving a hand, and his men dragged me away to draw blood. Watching his resolute back, everything I once held dear vanished into thin air. Bag after bag of blood was drawn, and I felt my life force draining away with it. I was utterly weak, my legs so wobbly I could only rely on the nurse to sit upright. My vision blurred. Before I passed out again, I heard the doctor say Celeste’s condition was stable. I collapsed downward, a cold smile on my lips. *Julian,* I thought. *I owe you nothing now.* I don’t know how much time passed. A low male voice reached my ears: “Why isn’t she awake yet? Give her the best medicine!” The next second, I coughed sharply twice on the hospital bed, slowly waking up. Julian immediately cut himself off, then snorted coldly and left the room. This time, I didn’t spare him another glance. Whether fate had given me a gift or poison, I no longer cared. The sky was vast, the sea wide. Would I die without Julian’s love? Clinging to a sliver of strength, I trembled as I rose. Julian walked back into the room. His eyes held an emotion I couldn’t decipher. After a long silence, he finally spoke, his voice hoarse: “Leo’s awake. He wants to see you.” I frowned, sensing something was off, but followed him to Leo’s room.

The once vacant, drooling boy now had clear eyes. I froze. Julian instinctively reached out to steady me. Where I couldn’t see them, Leo stared intently at Julian’s hand on me, his eyes filled with displeasure. Julian reciprocated the look. Adopted father and son, reuniting with no warmth, only overt hostility. Finally, Leo spoke, his voice low and hoarse: “I want to talk to my wife alone.” He deliberately emphasized the word “wife.” Julian frowned, his face darkening as he turned to leave. I sat beside Leo, a rare hint of apology in my voice: “I’m sorry about your accident, but it wasn’t my doing.” “If you insist on blaming me, I won’t take responsibility.” The man on the hospital bed laughed, a sorrowful sound: “Sera, I know everything now.” “Is there no place for me in your heart, not even a tiny bit?” I frowned, turning my face away, my meaning painfully clear. He clutched the bedsheet tightly, staring at me, the corners of his eyes reddening: “You like Julian, but he’s old, fifteen years older than you!” “What can he give you? Only I can give you everything you want!” I frowned, surprised that Leo, who had been incapacitated for a year, was now so perceptive. I bit my lower lip, my tone resolute: “What’s past is past. I don’t like anyone right now.” “Are you really that heartless?” He grabbed my hand, his voice growing firmer. I yanked my hand away. “Yes, I am that heartless. It’s not too late for you to see it now. I was always a bad person.” I turned to leave, but Leo grabbed me from behind, his voice trembling: “Whether you’re good or bad, I like you. Don’t leave me again, okay?” My heart fluttered, but I still broke free and hurried out. Leo insisted on moving from his original room to the bed next to mine. Even late into the night, he kept murmuring, but it was just the same old clichéd words. “You can rely on me to declare war on both of them. Grandfather Sterling really likes me, his grandson.” “Shut up. If you say one more word, I’m divorcing you.” I slept through the night, but my steps were still a bit shaky as I walked. I saw Julian smoking in the corridor, so I turned around. I’d barely taken two steps when he grabbed me. “He’s awake. He doesn’t need your care. I’ve scheduled your divorce registration.” I had my back to him, scoffing. “What’s wrong, Dad? Neither of us really wants a divorce.” “Dad, Leo said he’s going to declare war on you to get revenge for me.” I spoke with deliberate malice, finding a strange comfort in it. “Don’t call me that.” Julian’s voice was displeased, barely suppressing a simmering rage. I turned my head and saw a fleeting look of pain on his face, which I found utterly ironic. He had used such disgusting methods to torment me, never imagining the boomerang would one day strike himself. I glanced over Julian’s shoulder, spotting Celeste being escorted by others not far behind him, and a playful glint flickered in my eyes. The next second, I took Julian’s hand, ignoring his startled gaze. I leaned in, brushing a barely-there kiss on his cheek. Then, I whispered softly in his ear: “I hear you and Celeste aren’t officially married yet, but my marriage has already been ruined by you.” “Your peaceful life will have to pay a price, too, won’t it?” Instantly, Julian’s forehead veins throbbed, his voice hoarse: “What do you want?” A sudden gasp erupted from behind Julian—it was Celeste’s voice. My hands clenched Julian’s lapels, stopping him from turning around. He stumbled, and I rose onto my tiptoes. Our lips met.

His eyes widened in shock. Julian Knight, who had remained calm facing billion-dollar gambles, who could retaliate even when pursued by enemies, who had dominated the business world for years—now, his mind went utterly blank from a fleeting kiss. A wicked smirk played on my lips. “You started it. Now clean up your own mess.” Behind me, Celeste’s scream echoed through the entire corridor, gone was her former gentle composure. Julian kept staring intently at my retreating back, his heart pounding uncontrollably in his chest. It took a loud shout to snap him back to reality. But I was already far away. Under the setting sun, Julian sighed heavily and told Celeste, “Let’s go back.” Julian didn’t know how to explain to Celeste. The woman was completely enraged, not speaking to him all night. He frowned, listening to the doctor explain the key points for maintaining the pregnancy. The first point was emotional stability. He took a deep breath. Julian told Celeste he would pick her up from the hospital and that he would hold a grand engagement party for her. Celeste’s mood stabilized. And news of this engagement party naturally reached Leo Sterling and me. “I’m not going.” I was looking for my passport; I was leaving tomorrow. Leo trailed behind me, step for step, as if trying to completely extinguish any lingering hope I had for Julian. He kept trying to convince me. I finally got annoyed and stopped what I was doing. “I didn’t want to say it, but are you faking it, or are you really that naive?” Leo frowned, looking at me. I quietly slipped my passport into my pocket before continuing: “Julian can have children and raise them, so why would Grandfather Sterling adopt a child for his own son? Unless…” I paused, then a smirk played on my lips. “Unless you’re Grandfather Sterling’s illegitimate son, lost somewhere, so he found a nice excuse.” Leo’s eyes widened, blazing with fury. I leaned closer, my index finger tapping Leo’s chest, and chuckled softly. “Besides, how much truth is there to your feelings for me?” “Don’t tell me you’ve been at the Knight estate for ten years and never met Julian’s ‘white moonlight,’ Celeste Dubois!” Leo froze, his pupils constricting violently. He seemed truly oblivious to everything I had just said. When I walked out of the villa, he didn’t even try to chase me, remaining in a daze. It wasn’t until a sudden thunderclap, and an inexplicable sun shower began to fall, that he snapped back to reality. He clutched his chest and dialed Grandfather Sterling’s number. Meanwhile, Julian and Celeste’s engagement party was about to begin, and all invited guests had arrived. Julian stood at the entrance, watching the sun shower outside, an inexplicable unease bubbling within him. He pulled out his phone and dialed my number, but it went straight to voicemail. He clutched his phone tightly, his eyes showing a hesitation he’d never had before. At the airport, I extinguished my cigarette and smiled faintly at the tall, imposing man who had come for me. I let him put an arm around me as we boarded the private jet. The second before boarding, I looked at the numerous missed calls on my phone. A smirk played on my lips. I pulled out my SIM card and tossed it into a trash can. *Julian, since there’s no love between us, the next time we meet, we’ll be enemies on the battlefield of business.* I hadn’t gone to just anyone; I’d gone to the Moreau family, the Knight family’s century-old sworn rivals. On the other side, Julian finally sensed something was wrong. He abandoned the engagement party. He immediately began tracking my phone’s location. “Mr. Knight, Sera’s phone signal is gone!” “What?!” Julian sat at his desk, his brows tightly furrowed. He opened his eyes, which were a furious crimson.

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Arthur Vance was signing his organ donor papers when Lily Albright’s call came through. “Brandon’s flight is at five. Make sure your things are gone by three. I don’t want him upset.” The call disconnected, followed by a SnapChat transfer notification from Lily, just as always. Arthur lowered his gaze and smiled sadly. Five years. And he still hadn’t managed to melt her heart. But it didn’t matter anymore. He was dying anyway. ………………………………………. “Mr. Vance, regarding the organ donation policy, we do require a signature from a direct family member. You see…” Arthur’s eyes fell on the space for a family member’s signature, a sudden pang of bitterness in his chest. Direct family… Five years ago, his parents had died in a car accident, leaving Arthur all alone in the world. Besides Lily Albright, he had no direct family left. But he didn’t want Lily to know. So, he forced himself to speak. “I’ve agreed. Is a family signature really necessary?” The doctor paused. “It’s standard procedure. Given your current condition, you have about a month left. You should inform your family. Moreover, your records show you’re married. We can’t proceed with the donation without your wife’s consent.” Arthur’s gaze dropped. As hard as it was to accept—leukemia at thirty—it was happening. No matter how much he wished, there was no way back from this. He thanked the doctor, took the organ donation papers, and walked out. Actually, the day he was diagnosed, he’d already made up his mind: donate any usable parts of his body to those in need. He might not have much going for him, but his corneas, at least, were good. Arthur checked his watch. Two hours until Lily’s deadline. Two hours was enough time to visit Martha, the housekeeper who had served the Albright family for twenty years. Martha had lost her sight three years ago due to corneal disease. For the past three years, the Albrights had always sent Arthur to visit her. Over time, Martha had grown incredibly fond of Arthur. He often did things she couldn’t do herself and even hired a caretaker to look after her daily needs. For three years, consistently, Martha had come to treat Arthur like her own child. If she had anything good, Arthur was the first person she thought of. Arthur stepped inside. Martha was sitting on the sofa, sipping tea. Hearing his footsteps, Martha immediately recognized him. “Arthur’s here!” Arthur smiled faintly. “Your ears are so sharp! You guessed it was me so quickly!” Martha pursed her lips in a smile. “I might not know others, but I’d know yours anywhere.” With that, she handed him a plate of osmanthus cakes from beside her. “Lily bought these.” She paused mid-sentence. “Why didn’t you two come together?” Arthur froze slightly, his throat tightening. “When did she come?” Martha looked a little surprised. “Just now.” She gently took Arthur’s hand. “Are you two arguing?” Otherwise, why would she have been accompanied by a stranger? Martha didn’t voice that last thought. Arthur and Lily had an arranged, contract marriage. The Albright family had been pressing hard back then, wanting Lily to settle down quickly. At the time, Lily had a boyfriend, but he was a dead-end street, with no ambition and no future. Under constant pressure from the Albrights, he was eventually forced to leave the country. Lily was devastated, drowning herself in the nightlife every day. Seeing things worsen, the Albrights hired a professional therapist for her. And that therapist was Arthur Vance. The moment Arthur saw Lily, he was captivated. Her delicate features, those full lips, and that small, perfect nose. But it was her eyes, dark and sparkling like stars, that truly captivated him, making him want to get closer. Yet, Lily absolutely despised Arthur. The first time she saw him, she said he radiated this intellectual, almost gentle vibe that she immediately decided wasn’t “manly enough.” Arthur didn’t get angry. Every day, he diligently tried to guide Lily, telling her stories that might lift her spirits. Even when she’d cover her ears, turn her back on him, or even lock him out in the dead of winter just to shut him up, Arthur never showed anger. In his eyes, someone suffering from emotional pain often had uncontrolled emotions. And besides, this was Lily. Over time, Lily seemed to dislike him less. She began to tentatively accept Arthur’s guidance. During his patient counseling sessions, she would turn her back, whispering her deepest, most hidden feelings. Later, when the Albrights suggested another blind date for Lily, she unexpectedly grabbed Arthur’s hand, declaring, “I’ll get married, but I choose him!” Arthur was stunned. He thought Lily had genuinely changed, that she had truly developed feelings for him. It wasn’t until Lily pulled out a marriage contract that he realized the truth. She had only done this to escape the blind dates, using him as a shield. Arthur took a deep breath, forcing a smile to reassure Martha. “No, she’s busy with work. Our schedules just don’t align, so we couldn’t come together.” After he spoke, Arthur slipped a bank card from his bag into Martha’s hand. “My job situation is changing recently, and I might not be able to visit for a long time. Please keep this card. Buy anything you need, don’t hold back.” Arthur glanced at his watch. Before Martha could respond, he was gone. He needed to get back to the mansion before Lily’s deadline. Five years. He knew Lily’s temper all too well. If he didn’t follow her instructions today, she would undoubtedly tear the house apart. Most importantly, he still needed Lily’s signature. With her signature, he could proceed with the donation, and Martha could regain her sight. So, he had to rush back to the mansion now. The car drove on, and Arthur arrived at the mansion at two-thirty. The yard was as quiet as ever. He pulled out his keys, ready to unlock the door. But before he could step inside, Lily opened the door first. **Chapter 2** “Do you have no sense of time? Or are you doing this on purpose?” Arthur instinctively swallowed. “No, of course not. We said three, didn’t we? I didn’t realize you’d be back so early.” Lily’s eyes darkened, as if she realized she was in the wrong, and she lightly coughed. “My flight was moved up. Is that not allowed?!” Arthur said nothing. Lily’s attitude towards him had always been like this. She was a spoiled princess through and through. Her word was law, and whatever she wanted, Arthur had to deliver. So, for five years of their marriage, Arthur had gone along with her every whim, terrified of upsetting Lily. He didn’t want her unhappy, didn’t want to make her angry, because he loved her. But Lily was different. To show off her status as a rich heiress, every time she was happy, she would transfer a sum of money to Arthur. Her goal was to make him understand that he’d only get money if he made her happy. Arthur moved past Lily, who was blocking the doorway, and walked straight into the room to pack his things. Lily had already instructed him yesterday that their contract marriage would end the moment her ex-boyfriend, Brandon Miller, returned. So, he was now diligently packing his bags. As he reached the stair landing, Brandon stepped out of the bathroom, wrapped in a towel. Their eyes met, and Arthur’s heart felt like it had been pierced by a thousand thorns, an indescribable agony. “What are you standing there for? Do you want Brandon to look at you all day?” Lily’s sharp words came from behind him. Arthur’s hand instinctively recoiled. Of course he wanted to leave quickly, but Brandon’s arm was blocking his way. It was clear Brandon didn’t want him to go inside. Arthur tried to walk upstairs, but Brandon still didn’t budge. “Mr. Vance, you haven’t changed your shoes. Aren’t you afraid of bringing germs into the room?” Brandon’s blatant provocation was completely normal in Lily’s eyes. She grabbed Arthur’s shirt, her voice icy as she commanded him, “Didn’t you hear Brandon? What are you waiting for?” Arthur looked down at Lily’s veiny hand on his arm, her eyes clearly showing impatience, as if telling him, “I can’t wait, hurry up.” Arthur turned and walked towards the entrance, putting on the disposable slippers Lily had personally set out for him. These were specifically for him last night because Brandon had a germ phobia and disliked using things others had used. This was also why, in five years of marriage, Arthur and Lily had never slept in the same room. Arthur changed into the slippers and slowly walked towards the stairs. Before returning, he had slipped the organ donation agreement into the divorce papers. He had originally planned to pack his things and then have Lily sign, but now, it seemed better sooner rather than later. Lily always dismissed Arthur, so when he handed her the papers, she only glanced at them. Seeing the bold words “Divorce Agreement,” she quickly signed her name. Arthur flipped the page, revealing only the signature box on the second page. Lily didn’t even look, signing her name directly. Everything was settled. Arthur sighed softly. He was about to say, “We’ll finalize the divorce tomorrow!” Then he swallowed the words. Their marriage had been a contract from the start. They hadn’t held a wedding or even officially registered their marriage. Just a single piece of paper had defined their entire five years together. Arthur walked directly into his room. At that moment, he didn’t look back at Lily, but he could still feel her burning gaze on his thin back. Arthur’s room was a converted study. When he first moved in, Lily had told him. Brandon would return one day, and all the rooms in the mansion were to be reserved for him. And on the day he returned, Arthur was to leave discreetly, without any delay. This was a warning, and the most crucial term of their contract. That was why Arthur had always slept in the study, and why he was so cooperative in choosing to leave. Arthur folded all his belongings into his suitcase. The room’s furnishings were mostly books. Besides his laptop and some clothes, Arthur had almost nothing. Once everything was packed, he picked up his suitcase, ready to leave. Brandon suddenly walked in, blocking Arthur’s path. “This mansion is huge, and Lily’s family has a lot of valuables. Are you…?” He trailed off, his eyes instinctively glancing at Arthur’s suitcase. Arthur understood his implication, but Brandon had no right to question him, nor to inspect his suitcase. Legally speaking, he and Lily hadn’t finalized their divorce yet, so he was still the man of this house. Arthur ignored him, walking straight past him with his suitcase. But Brandon persisted, lunging forward to block the doorway. As he rushed past, Arthur was simultaneously walking out, and by sheer accident, Brandon bumped into the doorframe. When Lily walked in, Brandon was on the floor, clutching his forehead. Arthur, meanwhile, stood expressionless, looking down at Brandon. Seeing this, Lily panicked. She pushed Arthur aside roughly. “Are you crazy?! Why would you do that to Brandon?!” Lily’s shove was powerful. Arthur lost his footing and hit his head against the bookshelf. Blood immediately seeped from his forehead. Arthur quickly pressed a tissue to the wound. Leukemia. The scariest thing was bleeding. Once he started bleeding, it wouldn’t stop. In severe cases, it could lead to infection. **Chapter 3** But Lily didn’t know, and she didn’t care. She flung Arthur’s suitcase out the door, her voice sharp as she warned him, “You, now, immediately, get out of my sight!” Arthur hadn’t eaten all day due to his check-ups. The hunger made him feel weak, almost unable to stand. Brandon, seeing this, grabbed Lily’s hand. “Baby, I’m in so much pain. Can you take me to the doctor? It really hurts…” Brandon clutched his forehead, which showed no trace of injury, pleading with Lily through a pained expression. Lily glared back at Arthur. “You’d better be gone before I get back, or else, don’t blame me for what happens next!” With that, she helped Brandon leave, completely ignoring Arthur, who was still bleeding profusely. Arthur leaned against the corner, gasping for air. He had still held onto some hope for Lily. After all, she had once been inseparable from him, even if that time was because she’d thrown a ceramic vase at him in a fit of rage. But even then, he’d felt a strange warmth. Now, though, he was utterly and completely disappointed. Arthur slowly got up from the floor. The tissue was soaked with blood. He held it to his wound and pulled the first-aid kit from the cabinet. He’d specifically stocked it the day he was diagnosed with his terminal illness. In the five years he’d been with Lily, he had never left the kitchen, often cutting his hand every few days. Each time, the bleeding wouldn’t stop. Ever since Martha got sick, Lily had never hired another housekeeper. She believed that Arthur, by marrying into the Albright family, should contribute something. So, all the household chores were handled by Arthur. He woke up early every day, prepared breakfast for Lily, and then rushed to catch the bus before eight. The first thing he did after coming home from work was prepare ginger tea and dinner for Lily, making sure everything was ready three minutes before she got back. Arthur was immersed in a life of tirelessly tending to Lily. At first, his colleagues at work used to mock him, calling him a “whipped” husband. But Arthur didn’t care. He loved Lily, and he loved doing things that made her happy. Back then, he felt it was all worth it. But now, he didn’t. Arthur sprinkled some hemostatic powder on his wound, then carefully lay down on the bed. Even though his life was counting down, he wanted to cherish the remaining time. Regrettably, the hemostatic medicine had no effect. His blood continued to flow, and the wound throbbed. Arthur forced himself up, hailed a taxi outside the mansion. He leaned his entire body against the back seat, trying to keep his forehead flat against the cushion. When he arrived at the hospital, Arthur’s face was pale, and he stumbled several times from weakness. Finally, a kind stranger helped him into the emergency room. Arthur lay on the bed, his consciousness slowly fading. But he could still feel the doctors and nurses frantically trying to stop the bleeding. The pain made him forget that Lily and Brandon were also there. As Lily walked past the emergency room, a nurse happened to call out Arthur Vance’s name. Lily stopped, casually asking, “Which Arthur Vance?” Brandon pulled her arm. “There are tons of people with that name. Isn’t your Arthur Vance at home?” Lily instinctively turned her head. Seeing Brandon’s jealous expression, she quickly pulled her hand away from the nurse. The two disappeared down the hallway without looking back. Meanwhile, Arthur, due to excessive blood loss, was admitted to the intensive care unit. Fortunately, the hospital had recorded Arthur’s emergency contact. Otherwise, he might have died in the hospital with no family showing up. Martha, supported by Daisy, rushed to the hospital. After the doctor’s explanation and persuasion, Martha collapsed onto the floor. She couldn’t believe it. How could Arthur, who had been perfectly fine, be diagnosed with aggressive leukemia? And with less than a month left? This was even more painful than when she learned she was blind. Martha stood by the ICU room, her eyes filled with tears, the rhythmic beeping of the machines tightening her entire chest. Daisy comforted her kindly. “Arthur’s a good person, good things happen to good people. He’ll be fine!” But Martha knew it was just a way to comfort herself. Arthur’s life was already counting down. Even if she wanted to try her best to save him now, it was too late. As time ticked by, nurses began to emerge from the room. Daisy quickly approached to ask, but was met with stern criticism from a nurse. “How can you be such irresponsible family members? You know the patient can’t get injured at this stage, how could you be so careless? Luckily, we acted quickly today, otherwise, if the bleeding hadn’t stopped, his life would have been in danger!” Daisy stood stunned, unsure how to respond to the nurse’s accusations. But she knew that Arthur’s injury must have something to do with Lily. Martha slowly walked over, crying as she apologized to the nurse, promising to be more careful in the future. But Daisy couldn’t stand it. Arthur was always so careful and steady. How could he get injured without reason? Even if leukemia made bleeding easy, without a violent impact or cut, how could he bleed without cause? The more she thought, the angrier she became. Just as she was about to defend Martha, the doctor stepped out. “The patient is awake. You can go in now!” **Chapter 4** Daisy quickly helped Martha inside. Arthur lay weakly on the bed. Seeing Martha, his heart felt like it was being gnawed by a thousand ants. When the hospital registered his emergency contact, he hadn’t thought much of it. He assumed he would be careful, and no emergencies would arise. But with the hospital’s insistence, he reluctantly gave Martha’s number. He hadn’t wanted Martha to know, worried she wouldn’t be able to handle it. But now, it was impossible to hide. “Arthur…” Martha choked out the name. Arthur raised a weak arm, softly calling out, “Aunt Martha.” Their hands clasped tightly together. Martha fought back tears, bringing Arthur’s hand to her ear. “Why are you so foolish? You’re sick, and there’s no one by your side. How can I not worry?” Arthur’s throat was tight, but he forced a smile to comfort Martha. “It’s okay, I’m much better!” Martha, though blind, wasn’t foolish. She guessed Arthur hadn’t told Lily about his illness. She also guessed that something had gone wrong between Lily and Arthur, likely because of that other man. But she couldn’t ask, couldn’t say anything. Because with Lily’s temper, rushing over to question her now would only lead her to blame everything on Arthur. Besides, she wanted to respect Arthur’s decision. If he chose not to tell Lily, there had to be a good reason. Martha wiped her tears and turned to instruct Daisy to prepare some bland food for Arthur. Though she couldn’t see, she could feel that Arthur was very weak right now. Daisy ran out of the hospital like a flash. When she first came to Martha’s house, it was Arthur who taught her about the local shops and Martha’s preferences. Occasionally, if she broke something, Arthur never blamed her. Instead, he’d comfort her, “Don’t be scared, Aunt Martha won’t be angry. I’ll get her something new.” For three years, whenever Daisy clumsily broke something, Arthur would use his own money to replace it. He treated Daisy like his own younger sister. When Daisy was upset, she would actively seek out Arthur to talk. They had almost no secrets. But now Arthur was sick, and Daisy felt her world had collapsed. She was terrified of losing Arthur, terrified of losing the Arthur who had protected her, taught her, and guided her for three years. She walked and cried, her sorrowful thoughts causing her to not notice Lily approaching from the opposite direction. They collided with force, both falling to the ground. Lily immediately snapped, “Are you blind?! Don’t you look where you’re going?!” It took Daisy a moment to recover. When she saw Lily in Brandon Miller’s arms, her face instantly changed. “What are you doing here?” Lily looked at her in surprise. “Is Aunt Martha not feeling well?!” Daisy was about to speak, but Brandon clutched his forehead and moaned. Lily ignored everything else, reaching out to help Brandon up. By the time she looked back, Daisy had vanished into the crowd. In the hospital room, Arthur seemed to sense something bad was happening. He gritted his teeth and reached for his phone. Before his fingers could touch it, Lily’s call came through. Arthur glanced at Martha, then lowered the volume to the minimum and answered. “Arthur Vance, what good are you? Do you know I just saw Aunt Martha’s caretaker at the hospital? If anything happens to Aunt Martha, I’m holding you responsible!” Lily’s accusing words exploded in his ear. Arthur swallowed, his throat dry. It took him a moment to speak. “I know. She’s fine, just picking up some medicine.” Arthur’s body ached, and he didn’t have the strength to argue with Lily. He also didn’t want Lily to know he was sick, because he didn’t want to receive her shallow, pathetic sympathy. Besides, even if she knew, she wouldn’t feel sorry for him. Instead, she’d blame him for being careless. So, this time, he chose to remain silent. Lily was slightly stunned. She felt Arthur was a bit strange today. Normally, whenever she lost her temper, Arthur would immediately admit his mistake. But this time, he hadn’t said anything, clearly just brushing her off. However, before she could speak, Arthur hung up. This undoubtedly pushed Lily’s last nerve. She quickly started the car, ignoring Brandon’s reaction, and floored the accelerator. Pushing open the mansion door, she shrieked Arthur’s name in a sharp voice, but the house was unusually quiet. Even the magpies that usually chattered noisily in the trees were silent. Lily grew angrier. She strode upstairs and kicked open the study door. But the room was empty, save for a pool of blood on the floor. Arthur was nowhere to be seen. Lily’s brow furrowed. She stepped closer to the bloodstain. After confirming it was human blood, Lily’s heart instantly panicked. She opened her phone and dialed Arthur’s number. The phone rang for several seconds before being hung up. Immediately after, a SnapChat message popped up: “Something came up at work. I’ll pick up my luggage as soon as possible.” Lily’s heart sank like a heavy stone, feeling a mix of suppression and anger. Arthur had never refused her calls, no matter how busy he was. He would always answer without hesitation just as the ring was about to end. But this time… She glanced at the suitcase by the door, suddenly feeling indignant. Saying something came up at work, and then mysteriously leaving a pool of blood—this was clearly deliberate, an excuse to not leave. Thinking this, she lifted her foot, ready to walk out. She wanted to confront Arthur and ask him how he dared pull such a childish stunt. Did he have no shame? But she hadn’t taken many steps before Brandon stopped her from behind. “Lily, my wound hurts. Can you please help me with it again? You know I hate pain…” Lily’s outstretched foot immediately retracted. She looked at the suitcase outside the door, then at the weak, pathetic Brandon. Yes, he hated pain the most. Normally, if he got even a small scratch, he’d desperately pull her arm, begging her to kiss it better. How much more so now? Lily helped Brandon up and then took a cotton swab to gently dab his forehead. At that moment, everything was replaced by Brandon’s cries of pain. **Chapter 5** Three days later, Arthur was discharged. His first priority was to rush back to the mansion to retrieve his luggage. Given his current relationship with Lily, he didn’t want to stay there a minute longer, nor did he want any more entanglement with her. He just wanted to get his bags and spend his remaining time in peace. But the mansion’s password had been changed. Lily and Brandon weren’t there, and Arthur couldn’t get in. He glanced at the time. He still had to go to his office later to hand in his resignation. Waiting indefinitely wasn’t an option. So, he bit the bullet and called Lily. The call connected, and Brandon’s cold, mocking voice came through. “Lily and I are on vacation in Westview. Mr. Vance, if you’re not in a hurry, would you mind waiting outside for a while?” Arthur paused. There was a very important patient list in his suitcase, and his body was getting weaker by the day. If he couldn’t get it today, he didn’t know when his next chance would be. So, he weakly asked, “How long will that be?” Brandon sneered. “That depends on my mood.” Arthur checked his watch again. “I’m afraid I can’t wait. Can you text me the password? I’ll grab my luggage and leave.” Brandon suddenly burst out laughing. “How can I do that? No one’s home. If you take your luggage and something goes missing, how do we account for it?” Arthur’s throat instantly tightened, but before he could say anything, Brandon hung up. Arthur rubbed his hands, which were red from the cold. It was December, and the frigid air made his hands and feet numb. He didn’t dare move around freely. These past few days, Lily had often posted photos of herself and Brandon on Ins, enjoying outdoor excursions. Their locations varied, sometimes far, sometimes near. He was terrified of missing their return. Arthur huddled by the mansion gate, quietly waiting for Lily’s return. Time ticked by, minute by minute. The cold seeped into his entire body, but there was still no sign of Lily. Finally, just as the sun was about to set, a black Rolls-Royce slowly pulled into the driveway. Seeing Arthur huddled by the gate, Lily’s eyes instantly darkened. She quickly opened the car door and walked up to Arthur. “What are you doing out here? It’s so cold, couldn’t you find somewhere to take shelter?” Arthur opened his eyes. Seeing Lily’s irritated expression, the words he was about to say caught in his throat. He just managed to say, “I came to get my suitcase.” Lily’s face immediately fell. “Are you that impatient? So eager to move out?” Even she felt strange saying this. She had been the one to repeatedly urge Arthur to leave, yet now she was questioning him. It truly made no sense. Arthur said nothing, just stood with his head down by the door, waiting for Lily to open it. “The previous lock was broken, and I wasn’t home during the day. For safety, I changed it.” Arthur paused, surprised for half a second. Was she explaining herself to him? But this was her house. She could do whatever she wanted. Why tell him all this? The door opened, but Arthur didn’t go inside. Only Lily’s and Brandon’s slippers were by the entrance. “Could you please bring my suitcase out?” Lily instinctively glanced at them. “Brandon doesn’t like disposable slippers, so I threw them out.” Her eyes flickered slightly as she spoke. “Why don’t you come in? You’ve waited so long, a hot drink wouldn’t hurt.” Arthur smiled. “I have other things to do. I won’t bother you.” Just then, Brandon brought out the suitcase. Lily seemed to want to say more, but Arthur left with his suitcase. Snow fell from the sky, and Arthur’s figure looked desolate and lonely. For some reason, at that moment, Lily felt Arthur had changed. He seemed thinner, quieter. In short, he was completely different from before. Arthur took his luggage to his office and handed over the patient list and his resignation to Dr. Lawrence, the head of the clinic. As a psychologist for five years, Arthur had helped countless patients with mental illnesses, but when it came to himself, he was powerless. Dr. Lawrence looked troubled, his eyes filled with regret. “Actually, with current medical technology, there have been cases of leukemia being cured. Your father-in-law…” “No need,” Arthur smiled. “No need to bother. I’ve already been checked. I don’t have much time left, and I don’t want to waste it on treatment, especially for a disease that can’t be cured anyway.” He looked up at the neon lights outside the window. He and Lily were no longer bound. They hadn’t even registered their marriage back when they signed the contract; at most, they were contractual partners. How could he trouble a top-tier hematology professor for someone who had already been given a death sentence by the hospital? Dr. Lawrence sighed, then put the resignation letter in his drawer. “If you need anything in the future, just tell me. I’ll do my best.” Arthur’s eyes shimmered. “Nothing else, just one thing: please don’t tell the Albright family about my illness and resignation.” “I’m afraid they won’t be able to handle it.” His certain tone and serious expression didn’t arouse any suspicion in Dr. Lawrence, who gritted his teeth and agreed. Arthur walked out of the hospital with his luggage. He had promised Martha that he would stay with her for his remaining days. So, after leaving the hospital, he went directly to Martha’s house. Halfway there, Arthur suddenly stopped. He started bleeding from his nose again, unsure if it was due to the day’s exhaustion or the cold weather. He tilted his head back, wiping with one hand, letting the blood flow back into his nose. The strong metallic taste of blood spread in his throat, making him cough violently twice. Just then, his phone suddenly rang. Arthur, still with his head tilted back, didn’t look at the caller ID. He answered, and Lily’s voice came through. “Do you cook lily bulb and snow fungus soup with cold water or hot water? Brandon’s sick, and I don’t really know how. Could you please…?” “Cold water.” Arthur cut her off before Lily could finish. “Just put the ingredients in when the water boils. You decide how long to cook it.” Arthur’s voice was hoarse with fatigue, sounding distant. But to Lily, it felt like defiant indifference. “You don’t have to be like this, do you? I just asked you to temporarily move out. I didn’t say you couldn’t come back. Why are you overreacting and giving me the silent treatment?” Arthur suddenly laughed. He, giving her the silent treatment? She just asked him to “temporarily move out”? Their contract was expired, both had signed, and she had signed with unusual haste. Now that everything was settled and they could go their separate ways, she was saying she hadn’t forbidden him from returning? Did she really think of him as a pet, summoned and dismissed at will? Arthur didn’t speak, simply hanging up the phone. He was feeling too unwell to argue with her now. But Lily reacted as if she had received a severe shock. She started dialing Arthur’s phone again and again. Arthur carried his luggage with one hand and clutched his continuously bleeding nose with the other. His phone only stopped ringing when it finally died and he stepped into Martha’s house. Daisy quickly brought a basin of hot water and carefully wiped Arthur’s face. Blood trickled down his nose, staining the front of his shirt. Daisy immediately started crying, her voice choked and trembling. “Does it… hurt?” Arthur smiled and shook his head. “It’s just a nosebleed. Normal people get nosebleeds too. It doesn’t hurt.” But Daisy knew Arthur was just trying to comfort her. How could a leukemia bleed be the same as a normal nosebleed? Once it started, it was hard to stop. How could it not hurt? Arthur leaned back on the pillow. Just as he closed his eyes, an urgent knocking came from the door. Daisy quickly ran over. The moment she opened the door, her throat instinctively tightened. “Is Arthur Vance here?” Lily’s aggressive questioning left Daisy momentarily stunned. She pushed past Daisy and walked straight in. Seeing Arthur lying on the sofa, covered in blood, Lily’s expression instantly darkened. “What happened to you?” Arthur paused. In five years, this was the first time she had ever asked him. It made Arthur feel, for a fleeting moment, as if she were concerned about him. But a fleeting moment was all it was. Just as Arthur was about to speak, Lily’s phone rang. He didn’t need to guess who was on the other end. “Lily, where are you? I feel so awful. Please don’t leave me!” Hearing Brandon’s voice, Lily looked directly at Arthur, as if under a spell. “Brandon’s sick and wants your lily bulb and snow fungus soup. Come back with me, and I’ll pay you for your trouble.” Hearing those words, Arthur’s chest began to heave. So, in her eyes, he was just that worthless. But before Arthur could speak, Daisy was already enraged. “Your boyfriend is sick, why should Arthur serve him? He’s sick too, Arthur’s not well! If you want service, do it yourself!” With that, she resolutely stood in front of Arthur. This scene instantly ignited Lily’s already bad mood. She brutally pushed Daisy aside, then grabbed Arthur’s arm and tried to drag him out. Arthur’s nosebleed had just stopped, but his body was still weak. He broke free from Lily’s grip, telling her in a faint voice, “I can’t go. I don’t feel well.” But Lily acted as if she hadn’t heard him. “You just have a nosebleed, but Brandon has a fever! It’s just a bowl of soup! I’ll pay you, isn’t that enough?!” She kept talking, dragging Arthur towards the door. In their struggle, Arthur accidentally tripped on a stone at the entrance, and blood immediately covered his entire face. Lily waved her hands in distress. “Why is there so much blood?” Daisy screamed and rushed over. “Lily Albright, haven’t you caused Arthur enough harm?!” “He’s dying!” **Chapter 6** The air suddenly went silent. Lily hesitated for a moment, then resumed her composed demeanor.

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