When I was 20, Caleb’s first love, Seraphina, was gravely ill. He begged me to donate a kidney. To finally marry him, I made a deal. “I’ll donate my kidney. In return, you give me the rest of your life!” He agreed. I got what I wanted and walked down the aisle with him. After we married, I helped him build an empire from scratch, turning him into a rising star in the business world. On our wedding anniversary, Seraphina tossed the five million dollars Caleb and I had earned right in my face. “Caleb gave me five million. I’m buying you out of this marriage.” It was then I finally understood. Caleb had agreed to marry me, but he’d never really cut ties with her. I took the card, my eyes burning. “Give me a hundred million, and I’ll leave Caleb willingly in seven days.” A delighted smile spread across her face. “Deal!” But she had no idea. Without me, Caleb wouldn’t be where he was today! I grabbed my phone and made a call. “Pull all investments from Caleb’s company. Now!” … After Seraphina showed her true colors, she stopped pretending. She moved right into my home. She clung to Caleb, looking frail and delicate, utterly unlike the woman who’d arrogantly thrown money at me just days before. “Maya, I’m so sorry to intrude on you two…” Before she could even finish, Caleb wrapped his arms protectively around her, his voice chilling. “Seraphina had to leave the city because of you, and she didn’t get top-tier medical care. Now, her condition risks a relapse. To be safe, she needs to come back to the city for treatment.” “I know you’ve always had an issue with her, but this time, I hope you won’t make a scene!” I slowly looked up at him, a wave of bitter sadness washing over me. I hadn’t said a single word, yet he’d already judged me. “She has no friends in the city, so she can only stay here for now. Don’t make things difficult for her during this time. Once the hospital confirms her condition is stable, I’ll personally send her away.” He’d said the exact same thing when he knelt before me, begging me to donate a kidney to save her. But he’d secretly kept in touch with Seraphina for four long years, hiding it all from me. I pressed my lips together, my voice catching. “So, was the million dollars last night to buy the right to use a room?” Last night, Caleb had been unusually gentle with me. He’d even, for once, prepared a Valentine’s Day gift for me. Even though it was just a bank card that required no thought, it had kept me awake with joy all night. But the moment I saw Seraphina, that bank card felt tainted. Now, it sat quietly in my bag, yet it seemed to burn my palm, making me tremble uncontrollably. He frowned, his face tight with displeasure as he retorted, “What kind of talk is that?!” “You’ve been a wealthy wife for so many years, yet all you talk about is money? Are you some insatiable pet I picked up?” I froze, unable to move. Caleb’s gaze on me was filled with utter disgust, as if he were looking at some ugly beggar. I opened my mouth, but no words came out. I’d thought that four years of living together, experiencing ups and downs side-by-side, would have gradually warmed his feelings for me. But now, I finally understood. No matter what I did, I could never melt his heart, a heart that would never love me. Seeing my silence, he sneered. “Don’t worry. What happened between Seraphina and me is in the past. I can assure you, for now, no one can threaten your position!” “So, be a good girl. Go prepare a bedroom for Seraphina. She’ll need someone by her side once she moves in, and you’re idle all day, so you can take good care of her.” And in that instant, a flicker of triumph gleamed in Seraphina’s eyes, stinging mine. I bit down hard, slowly speaking. “What if I say no?” He hadn’t expected me to refuse. Caleb’s face turned as dark as thunder. “You’d rather do this the hard way, wouldn’t you?” “Since you’re so ungrateful, why should I show you any more mercy!” He barked an order. “Brenda, pack up all of Mrs. Maya’s things and move them to the storage room. Clear out the master bedroom for Miss Seraphina!” Seraphina’s appearance crushed my dignity instantly. I curled up on the small bed in the cramped storage room, tears streaming down my face. Remembering Caleb’s kindness during this time, I realized it was all just to pave the way for Seraphina. Suddenly, my phone rang. My brother, Jax’s, furious voice came through. “I heard the mistress has moved in, and you’re still not divorcing him? We let you indulge that jerk and his little company for years, but not to see you suffer like this!” “Seven days from now, if I don’t see you home, I swear I won’t let Caleb off the hook!” Jax always knew Caleb was my weakness, but soon, we’d have no connection at all.

Just as dawn broke, frantic knocks pounded on the storage room door. My eyes were swollen and red, but I painfully got up and opened the door to see Seraphina’s irritating face. She tilted her head slightly, glaring at me, her eyes full of displeasure. “Caleb’s already gone to the office. You’re still asleep? Are you really treating him like a complete fool, just keeping you around?” “Get up! I’m hungry. I want breakfast!” The storage room was too small. I hadn’t slept well at all, so I had no energy to deal with her. I frowned, raising my eyes sharply. “We have a housekeeper.” With that, I tried to close the door to shut out her incessant chatter. But she blocked the door with her foot. “Caleb told you to take care of me. If you don’t listen, I’ll tell him right away and have him come back and teach you a lesson, you little bitch!” Yesterday, Seraphina had been so timid and demure. Today, she was a total witch, like she’d had a double shot of espresso and a side of rage. Her nagging had completely ruined my sleep. I didn’t want to argue with her, so I started walking towards the kitchen. As I moved, she flashed a triumphant smirk. “First, pour me a glass of warm water. I’m thirsty!” I turned back, expressionless, poured the water, and handed it to her. “Here.” She took the glass and, without a moment’s hesitation, dumped the warm water all over my head. The warm liquid streamed down my face and dripped onto the floor. I gasped for air, my muddled brain suddenly crystal clear. She hooked a finger under my chin, forcing me to look at her. “You’ve occupied Mrs. Caleb’s position for so many years. I’m a little annoyed, so this is just a tiny punishment for you.” She chuckled. “Don’t worry, I’ll gather the hundred million within seven days. I promise you’ll leave smoothly!” “But you need to remember this: because of you, I was robbed of my right to be by Caleb’s side. So now, even if I want you dead, you’ll have to accept it!” I slapped her hand away without mercy, sighing at her stupidity. “You’re pathetically foolish. If I’d known you were this stupid, even if Caleb had died right in front of me back then, I wouldn’t have uselessly given up my kidney to save you!” Even now, she still believed everything Caleb had was solely due to his own efforts. But how could she know that without me, his biggest shareholder, backing him from behind, he would never have become a rising star in business! The next second, a stinging slap landed unexpectedly on my face. Caleb’s disgusted voice pierced the air. “Maya, how can you be such a malicious person!” I was stunned, my head ringing. In four years of marriage, Caleb’s concern for me had been rare, but he had never laid a hand on me. “Caleb, Maya didn’t mean it.” “She’s just upset that I’m in her master bedroom, that’s why she said those things. It’s okay…” Seraphina’s cloying voice drifted over, her eyes red as she feigned trying to stop Caleb. I instinctively spoke, my eyes blurred. “That’s not how it was…” Before I could finish, Caleb’s cold voice cut me off. “I heard it with my own ears! What more do you have to say? I can’t believe you’re so wicked you wished Seraphina dead!” “If I hadn’t come back in time, would you have put a knife to her throat?!” In Caleb’s eyes, Seraphina was always good and kind, and I was always malicious. He never listened to my explanations. Every word I spoke seemed to disgust him. I stood rooted to the spot, touching my burning cheek, silent. As long as Seraphina was around, he would never see my disheveled state, my humiliation. Perhaps realizing his attitude toward me was too extreme, he actually softened his expression and explained. “I already told you Seraphina wouldn’t threaten your position. Why do you still make things so difficult for her?” “When did you become so unreasonable?” Suddenly, he chuckled, meeting my eyes with a scornful look. “Oh, I forgot. You’ve always been like this.” With that, Caleb picked up Seraphina and turned, leaving me alone, bewildered. It was only then that I understood. For him, this marriage was just a transaction, a means to keep Seraphina alive. If there had been no Seraphina, if a kidney match hadn’t been found… Would I not have become a sacrifice between them?

Exhausted, I returned to the small storage room and saw the photo I’d worked so hard to get. My eyes blurred. In the picture, I smiled brightly. Caleb, though expressionless, still went through all the motions with me. It was one of the rare times he’d shown me a shred of patience. It was then I remembered the text message I’d seen on his phone that day: “I had the most amazing takeout today! Come home quickly, let’s try it together!” A simple takeout meal had brightened his mood. Yet, the meals I painstakingly cooked, even burning my fingers for, were met with his sneers. A thousand tiny ants seemed to gnaw at my chest, a searing, throbbing pain ripped through me. No matter how much effort I put in, I could never truly enter Caleb’s heart. I wearily looked around, realizing how few things I had that were truly mine. Everything in the villa had been arranged according to Caleb’s preferences. Now, it felt utterly ironic. My phone chimed. A text from Jax: “Don’t make me fly back and find you.” Just a few simple words, but they filled me with an inexplicable sense of security. I wiped away my tears, gathered my things, and left. Now, to leave, the only thing I needed was a visa to Country A. After my interview, I only had to wait five more days before I could leave this place. I could leave Caleb forever. On the way back, I saw a jewelry store and decided to pawn all the gold jewelry Caleb had given me. Each piece was laid out on the counter. I remembered the exact moment Caleb had given me every single one. Every piece, I had treasured like precious gems. I carefully ran my fingers over each engraving, my eyes welling up. Under the staff’s urging, I reluctantly let go. But the next moment, the staff member frowned, and his words plunged me into an abyss. “These are all fake. Only this necklace can be bought back.” How was that possible? I picked up the jewelry, disbelief written all over my face, inspecting them repeatedly. Still not convinced, I handed him the ring on my finger. “What about this one?” He took it, burned it with a flame, and after a moment, glanced at me sideways, sighing and shaking his head. The staff next to him looked surprised. Seeing my distraught expression, he tried to comfort me. “Perhaps your husband accidentally bought fakes. It’s common these days for people to be scammed into buying fake gold. It’s understandable.” “Please don’t overthink it…” By the end, he seemed to lose conviction in his own words, his voice trailing off. But even the ring we used for our wedding was fake. What, then, could possibly be real? Four years of genuine devotion, and I had been completely oblivious. I took the only genuine gold necklace, a bitter ache in my heart. I never would have thought that the only real gold among them was something I had practically begged Caleb for! “I’ll sell this one.” “You can dispose of the rest for me.” After the payment went through, I left the jewelry store, my expression numb. I looked up and saw Caleb and Seraphina walking into another jewelry store together. They were holding hands, smiling, looking so intimate, as if *they* were the real couple. I lowered my eyes and quickly walked away, my heart sinking as if a stone had been tied to it.

For the next four days, Caleb and Seraphina were nowhere to be seen. Perfect. It made it easier for me to bring people to view the villa. I was leaving anyway; there was nothing left to keep. When we first bought it, I had insisted on adding Caleb’s name to the deed. But Caleb, his face filled with disgust, pushed me away. “Your name doesn’t deserve to be written next to mine!” Thankfully, he refused. At the time, I hadn’t thought much of it. I even naively believed I could slowly melt his heart. Now, I saw it was just my wishful thinking. While showing the house to a client, my phone pinged. A text message. I clicked on it, my brows furrowing in surprise. Caleb had fired me from the company. The next moment, my phone rang. Caleb’s icy voice cut through the air. “Maya, you’ve been absent from work for five days without authorization. Starting today, you are officially terminated from the company.” “And, I’ll be reclaiming all the shares I gifted you.” I hadn’t even opened my mouth before the call abruptly ended, leaving me stunned. “Ms. Maya, I’m very satisfied with this house. When can we finalize everything?” “Don’t worry, the full payment will be deposited into your account one week after the process is complete.” The client’s voice pulled me back to reality. I forced a bitter smile. “I’ll arrange for an expedited process. Everything will be completed within 15 days.” I paused, looked around, and spoke again. “Do you need me to handle the interior renovations beforehand?” This villa was the first house Caleb and I bought since starting our business, so I treasured it immensely. Even during the renovation, to make Caleb happy, I had volunteered to oversee the project, waking early and sleeping late every day, putting my heart and soul into the design. But all I got in return was his sarcasm: “Is this the result of all your painstaking efforts?” My memories abruptly stopped. I suddenly realized that for four years, I had constantly chased after Caleb, almost losing myself in the process. The client, seeing my willingness to help with the demolition, looked delighted. “Of course! If you’re willing to help, Ms. Maya, I’ll gladly add an extra one hundred thousand dollars to the original price!” I waved a hand. “I’ve disliked these renovations for a long time, so I’ll handle them for free.” Soon, I arranged for a demolition team, and by that afternoon, all the interior renovations in the villa were completely stripped away. I gazed at the ruins before me, tears involuntarily streaming down my face. It was all over. Caleb, this is truly goodbye. [PayPal: One hundred million dollars received.] The next second, my phone rang abruptly. Seraphina’s haughty voice came through. “Maya, the hundred million you asked for has been transferred to your account. I hope you’ll keep your promise. Caleb and I don’t want to see any trace of you when we return tomorrow!” I spoke coldly. “Don’t you worry.” The villa was sold, the renovations were stripped, and Seraphina had transferred the hundred million she promised. Now, all Caleb owed me was this company. But soon, he would have nothing at all. How could he know that even if he reclaimed the few shares he gifted me, I was still the company’s largest investor? The moment I left, news of my withdrawal of funds would spread throughout the entire company. Pushing my suitcase, I stood at the villa’s entrance one last time. I wasn’t waiting for Caleb, but for a delivery guy. “Please deliver this document to XX Company.” Inside were divorce papers and a lawyer’s letter. Watching the delivery guy’s retreating back, I let out a quiet sigh. Caleb, goodbye forever.

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On our fifth anniversary, Serena’s lover showed up at our door with their secret son. Julian cried, looking innocent as hell, “Caleb, I’m not here to break you two up.” Serena looked guilty. “Caleb, don’t overthink this. The baby was just an accident. Besides, Julian has a terminal illness, only a month left to live. Once he’s gone, you can raise the child.” I stared at the five-year-old in front of me, my heart twisting in agony. Five years of marriage. I’d been severely injured protecting her, and our own child was lost in that car crash. Yet she already had a child outside, and now she expected me to raise *their* son! I didn’t say a word. I just quietly drafted the divorce papers, then dialed that long-dormant number. “You once said you’d marry me if I divorced. Does that still stand?” The person on the other end immediately burst into a smile. “It does!” Signing the last stroke on the divorce papers, my eyes burned. I quickly squeezed them shut to hold back the tears. It was supposed to be our fifth anniversary. I’d booked this restaurant a month in advance, wanting to celebrate with Serena. Now, it was pointless. But then the manager called me. “Mr. Stone, your wife, Mrs. Stone, has already been seated with two guests. She said you’d be covering the rest of the bill.” My fingers tightened around my phone. She didn’t just take her lover to the restaurant I booked; she expected *me* to pay for it? “Alright, I’ll be right there.” Twenty minutes later, I stood outside the restaurant. Through the glass, I saw Serena gently serving Julian food, carefully wiping Noah’s mouth. A happy family of three. It made my heart ache. We’d celebrated our first anniversary at this very restaurant. Back then, Serena had booked my favorite window seat in advance and ordered a table full of my favorite dishes. She’d meticulously served me, gently wiping sauce from my lips. But now, same scene, all that tenderness, all that care, was for another man. I pushed down the storm of emotions inside me and walked into the restaurant. Serena saw me and spoke coldly. “You’re here, good. Settle the bill.” “The restaurant’s pretty good. Julian likes the food here.” Serena didn’t even bother to look up at me. Julian, on the other hand, had a gleam of pure defiance in his eyes. “Caleb, don’t just stand there, why don’t you join us?” He turned to Serena, feigning innocence. “Serena, I really want their signature dessert. Could you ask if they still have it?” Serena smiled indulgently. “Alright, wait for me. I’ll be right back.” As soon as Serena left, Julian’s smile vanished. “Caleb Stone, it’s been five years, and you still lost to me.” He slowly wiped his mouth. “She’s always loved me, from the very beginning.” I looked at him calmly. “Are you done?” Julian seemed surprised by my composure. “You know what? I don’t have a terminal illness at all. It was all an act!” My heart fluttered slightly, and I gave a bitter twist to my lips. Five years of marriage, shattered so easily by a single lie. Did Serena know? Before I could even process it, Julian’s face suddenly changed. He grabbed the soup bowl in front of him and splashed it all over himself. He cried out in pain. “Caleb, I know you don’t like me, but how could you throw hot soup on me? I’m a patient, my body’s so weak…” Before I could react, Serena’s scream came from behind me. “Caleb! What are you doing?!” She rushed forward, pulling Julian protectively behind her, checking his injuries. “Serena, my hand hurts so much.” Julian’s eyes were red-rimmed, and he held out his scalded hand. Serena saw the red mark on his hand, and her fury surged. She picked up the cup of hot tea that had just been poured for me and, without hesitation, splashed it all over me! The scalding liquid hit my arm, instantly turning it red and swollen. A fiery, sharp pain instantly spread, making me almost lose my footing. Serena saw my reddened arm, but she just said coldly, “That’s your lesson!” “Julian can’t be left alone! I was even planning to spend two days a week at home with you, but I can’t believe how petty you’re acting for a grown man!” I looked at her and suddenly felt utterly pointless. “Serena, don’t bother. Divorce me, and you can be with him every day.” Serena snapped her head up, her expression complicated, but her impatience was practically spilling from her eyes. “How old are you, acting so jealous and throwing threats? I told you Julian’s sick, I’m just looking after him. Your mind is just twisted, you see everything in a dirty way!” With that, she stopped looking at me, shielded Julian and Noah, and walked away, leaving me standing alone amidst the mess.

“Need help?” A voice sounded behind me as I walked out of the restaurant. I turned around and met Harper’s deep eyes. I hadn’t expected her to arrive so quickly. Seeing the unhesitating worry and heartache in her gaze, my eyes finally welled up. I spoke, as if seeking solace, “Harper, I want a grand wedding.” “Okay, Caleb. As soon as your divorce is final, I’ll marry you. How about we set the wedding for four days from now?” “Caleb Stone!” Serena had returned at some point. Seeing me with Harper, her face twisted into a terrible expression. She rushed at us like a madwoman, raising her hand to slap Harper’s face. Harper, quick as lightning, caught her wrist. “Harper! You b*tch! You snake! Taking advantage of my misery!” Serena shrieked, her eyes bloodshot. “Caleb Stone, you’re already hooking up with your old flame? You couldn’t wait, could you?” “Serena, what right do you have to talk about Caleb like that?” Harper stepped in front of me, her voice colder than I’d ever heard it. “I gave you five years, but you failed to take care of him! Now it’s my turn!” That sentence completely choked Serena. She looked at me with a complex gaze, then at Harper. She was probably remembering the past. Harper and I were childhood sweethearts. Serena came later. Both pursued me, but in the end, I chose Serena. For five years of marriage, I poured my heart out for Serena, believing she did the same for me. I never imagined she still held a grudge about my past with Harper. “Let’s go!” Serena glared at us fiercely, dragging Julian away in a rage. I looked at Harper, my thoughts drifting back years ago. We grew up together, almost inseparable from kindergarten to high school. Everyone thought we’d naturally end up together. After I went public with Serena, everyone joked, “The childhood sweetheart never wins against destiny’s pick.” Back then, I just smiled and said nothing. Serena, to me, truly felt like a gift from heaven. If not for what happened later, if I hadn’t chosen Serena… Harper spoke softly, pulling me from my thoughts. “Caleb, let’s get your arm treated first.” I nodded and followed her. The next day, Serena’s father asked to see me. I hesitated, then agreed. If there was one person from the Stone family I was reluctant to let go of, it was this elder who treated me like his own son. At the coffee shop, Mr. Harrison pushed an ornate keepsake box across the table, his eyes brimming with tears. “This was for the baby,” he choked out. “I’ve kept it all this time.” I opened the box. Inside was a pure gold longevity locket, intricately carved. It had the traditional wishes for ‘Peace, Joy, and Long Life’ inscribed on it. My eyes welled up too. That child I never met was the deepest pain in my heart. When Serena was three months pregnant, Mr. Harrison excitedly dragged me to a jewelry store, saying he wanted to buy a gift for his future grandson. We spent an entire afternoon picking it out, finally settling on this locket. “Dad, actually…” I wanted to tell him I was getting divorced, but the words caught in my throat. “Serena let you down,” Mr. Harrison gripped my hand. “I never liked that Julian from the first moment I saw him. You’re the son-in-law I always wanted!” My tears finally fell. After that miscarriage, the doctors said Serena’s body was damaged, and it would be very difficult for her to have children again. Though she outwardly comforted me, I clearly saw the blame in her eyes. She believed it was my poor driving that caused the car crash. Only Mr. Harrison patted my shoulder, saying the accident was something no one could have foreseen, and told me to focus on my recovery. He still treated me like his own son. “Dad, I have to go,” I said, putting away the locket and forcing a smile. “Thank you for always taking care of me.” Mr. Harrison held my hand, his eyes filled with reluctance. He wanted to say more, but in the end, he just patted my hand. After leaving the coffee shop, I suddenly remembered the pair of baby bracelets still in the safe at home. They were my only keepsake. I had to get them back.

As I reached the front door, I heard Julian’s voice from inside. “Serena, remember that time? My cat went missing during a huge rainstorm. I called you, and you were in the middle of surgery. But you didn’t hesitate, you just got off the operating table and rushed back to help me find him.” My steps froze. “Of course, I remember,” Serena’s voice was indulgent. “Good thing we found the kitten in the end.” “What happened to that patient?” Julian asked. “Died,” Serena said, her voice eerily casual. “Their family raised hell, but the hospital shut them down.” My blood ran cold. At the time, Serena’s explanation was that she felt unwell and couldn’t continue the surgery, resulting in the patient’s death due to delayed treatment. The patient’s family was furious, rushing into the hospital with a knife, wanting to get to Serena. To protect her, then pregnant, I rushed in to block them. In the chaos, I took a knife intended for her. And it was because of that very chaos that she accidentally fell, losing our three-month-old baby. I couldn’t take it anymore. I violently pushed open the door. They were embracing on the couch. Seeing me, a flicker of panic crossed Serena’s eyes, and her voice unnaturally rose. “Caleb Stone, what are you doing here again?!” I stared at her, my voice trembling. “That surgery… you weren’t feeling unwell?” Serena was momentarily stunned by my question. “You heard all that?” Then her impatience returned. “That family was being completely unreasonable anyway, but you just had to get involved, making things worse!” “But you lost our child that time!” I screamed. Perhaps she remembered that child too, as a hint of emotion crossed her face. At that moment, Julian cautiously spoke up. “Caleb, don’t blame Serena so much. She certainly didn’t want to lose the baby.” As soon as Julian spoke, Serena’s softened expression vanished, her face hardening. “And you have the nerve to question me? It’s your own fault you’re useless! You couldn’t even protect your own wife and child!” I couldn’t believe my ears. She was blaming *me* for everything! This was the woman I had loved for five years! My heart died completely. “Sign it,” I said, handing her the divorce papers. Serena frowned. “Caleb Stone, I don’t have time for your drama! I’m already exhausted taking care of Julian these days. Are you trying to cause more trouble?!” “I’m not causing drama. Signing this is good for everyone. You’ll have more time to take care of him, and I can marry someone else in peace.” Serena scoffed, “Marry someone else? What woman would want a divorced man? Don’t tell me you’re trying to play hard to get now.” I felt a bitter irony. So, Serena was also capable of being so utterly repulsive. “I’m marrying Harper. I only just realized today, she’s a million times better than you!” “Enough!” Serena suddenly roared. “Divorce, you say? Fine! Let’s do it! Just don’t come crying back to me later!”

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I bravely saved someone but hit my head. My girlfriend of eight years came to visit me in the hospital. I pretended to have amnesia and jokingly asked her who she was. She paused, then her voice calm, she said, “We’re classmates.” Classmates… I stared at Chloe’s face, my girlfriend of eight years, trying to find a hint of a joke, but there was none. She was serious, and so… calm. I forced a strained smile. The words “Just kidding!” got stuck in my throat. Classmates? Not even close friends. I wondered if she would’ve even come if the doctor hadn’t called her. But I didn’t question her. I just put on a normal smile. Watching her glued to her phone the entire time, my eyes darkened. I replied, “If you’re busy, you don’t have to…” “I actually am quite busy. Since you’re fine, I’ll head out.” She cut me off before I could even finish, grabbed her bag, and walked out. Maybe I still held a tiny bit of importance in her heart. After she pulled the door open, she turned back and looked at me, cautioning, “Get some good rest.” A faint smile lingered on my face, and I politely nodded. But that smile didn’t last long. The moment she left, it vanished from my face. Chloe and I had been together for eight years, ever since university. But no one at the company knew about our relationship. At first, we just felt workplace romance was a bit awkward. Later, we both became directors, each leading our own departments, competing for sales. At that point, it was even harder to go public. But the company didn’t forbid dating. Sometimes I’d ask her about going public, but she’d always just smile it off. Sometimes, I even doubted if our relationship was just a shell of what it once was. Now, I didn’t have to doubt anymore. She’d wanted to break up for a long time, hadn’t she? The doctor told Chloe I was fine. But when my condition didn’t match what the doctor said—when it was contradictory—she didn’t question it. She even flatly stated we were just classmates. Maybe she didn’t care if I had real amnesia or was faking it. Or more accurately, she just wanted to use those words to make her stance clear. After all, if we broke up, she could be with Leo.

It wasn’t like I hadn’t noticed her changes. We’d been together for eight years, over two thousand nine hundred days and nights. We knew each other inside out, so close we were practically one person. I could spot her abnormal reactions instantly. Back then, a new employee, a pretty handsome guy named Leo, joined her team. Only our Chairman shared the surname “Eleanor” in the entire company. And coincidentally, when Leo filled out his personal information, he listed Eleanor as his mother, Eleanor Smith. At first, Chloe would explain to me that she was taking care of Leo because he was young, just graduated, and the Chairman’s son, so she had to look after him carefully. She even told me not to worry, saying she wasn’t into that puppy-dog type. But Chloe didn’t know that the “puppy-dog” she claimed was young and just graduated was actually three years older than me. Later, I needed a video for work. My laptop wasn’t handy, so I borrowed Chloe’s. But to my surprise, her password had changed. I called her to get it, and that’s when I found out her password was Leo’s birthday. Just as I was naively thinking it was a coincidence, her wallpaper had changed too. It was a photo of a bar, and the main subject in the picture was clearly the hand of some guy making a heart shape. I remembered, she used to be super bossy, telling me not to change my wallpaper, and she promised she wouldn’t change hers either. So for years, my computer wallpaper was her photo, and her computer wallpaper was my photo. I also remembered she hated places like bars. Perhaps Chloe belatedly remembered this, because just after I opened her laptop, she immediately called me back. “Alex, that wallpaper? An old employee accidentally changed it for me.” She told me not to overthink it. I believed her, but after that, she never let me touch her computer again. I don’t know if she changed it back. But she also didn’t know that I actually knew who that man was the whole time, because his hand was too distinctive. There were many similar incidents after that, like the celebration dinner the company held when she landed a big deal. I was working on another project at the time, so I didn’t go to that party. That day I was so busy I couldn’t even eat, but I still called Chloe right away to congratulate her. I even had a surprise planned for her. But she didn’t answer the phone. Maybe she was busy. I sent her a text, but she didn’t reply to that either. Until I saw her post on Ins: she was holding a bouquet of roses, smiling so sweetly. I’d sent her Lisianthus, her favorite. Leo also posted on Ins that day, and he too was holding a bouquet of roses, grinning widely. Their photo location and poses were identical. At first glance, it looked like they were about to go public. Chloe even left a comment on his post: *Don’t forget to grab dinner.* I can’t remember how I felt then, only that the day after that happened, I saw the flowers I’d sent her in the trash can outside the company. And in her office, there was that bouquet of roses. She once told me she hated roses, calling them tacky. But it turns out, people eventually become tacky.

I stayed in the hospital for two days. After my last check-up confirmed I was fine, I was discharged. Chloe hadn’t contacted me at all during these two days, not even a message about me being discharged. But thankfully, she did buy me my favorite cake. So I decided to give her one more chance. I placed the cake on a chair and called Chloe, my voice gentle. “Chloe, I’m discharged today. Could you come pick me up?” We silently agreed not to mention my amnesia stunt. There was a moment of silence on the other end. After a while, she finally spoke: “I’m a bit busy over here. How about you come back on your own?” She asked tentatively, and it was my turn to fall silent. Then she offered to call a car for me. I just shot back, “How busy could you possibly be?” My words clearly caught her off guard, because I’d never been so sarcastic with her before. And I knew the company was currently in a restructuring phase; it shouldn’t have been that busy. Yet she was telling me she was busy. I could even hear faint, noisy singing in the background. She didn’t answer, maybe still processing, but I just hung up, laughing at myself a little bitterly. Love or not love, it’s always so obvious. I remembered that summer when I was working out of town. I suddenly came down with a high fever. Drowsily, I called Chloe. Then I fell asleep—actually, I passed out from the fever. When I woke up, I was in a hospital bed, and she was tiredly watching over me, her eyes bloodshot. She said she sensed something was wrong with me and rushed over from another city overnight. She hadn’t even had time to change out of her pajamas and slippers. “Alex, you have no idea how scared I was when I was banging on your door and you weren’t answering me.” “When I saw you lying unconscious in bed, I nearly lost my mind!” “Thank goodness, you’re awake now.” She buried her head in my chest, my shirt soaked with her tears. Back then, she really cared about me. But now, all I could say was, things change, people change. I expressionlessly tossed the cake into the trash can. Suddenly, a girl walked up to me and softly asked, “You don’t like it?” I was stunned. She immediately explained, “I’m the little girl you saved back then! I just got out for summer break these past few days, so I’m sorry I’m late.” “I heard you were getting discharged today, so, this is a small gift for you. If you don’t like it… then if there’s anything else you need, I… I’ll do my best to help you.” So, the cake was from someone else. I apologized to the girl, explaining the misunderstanding. Inside, I was laughing bitterly at myself. This time, Chloe and I were truly over.

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I woke up in a delivery room, intense contractions making me see stars. Somehow, I had become the protagonist of a tragic romance novel, currently giving birth while my cheating husband plotted against me. I knew I was destined to die from complications if I didn’t act fast. Gritting my teeth through the pain, I tried to climb off the bed to save myself. But Quinn coldly shut the door, trapping me inside. “Zoe, stop being dramatic,” he said dismissively. Just as despair started to set in, the door burst open with a bang. A beautiful older woman stormed in and slapped Quinn hard across the face. “You bastard! How dare you mistreat the heroine while I’m around!” she yelled. Looking at her familiar features, so similar to my best friend’s, I realized I might have an unexpected ally in this story world. 0I had somehow woken up in the middle of giving birth, wracked by agonizing contractions. Unfamiliar voices drifted to my ears: “Mr. Quinn, are you sure you don’t want us to perform a C-section? Your wife has a high fever and the amniotic fluid is cloudy. If we wait much longer, we risk losing both mother and child!” Quinn’s icy reply sent chills down my spine: “Wait a bit longer. Once she’s delirious from the pain, have her sign the divorce papers before you operate. And as for the baby…get rid of it. Remove her uterus while you’re at it, to prevent any future complications.” As I listened in horror, I realized I had somehow been transported into the plot of a novel. The man trying to kill me was the cheating husband from the story. My character, Zoe, had married into the wealthy Quinn family five years ago to repay a debt between their families. Though initially happy, everything changed when Quinn’s older brother died in a plane crash. Quinn took in his sister-in-law Megan and nephew Felix, claiming it was to care for them. In reality, he had been having an affair with Megan all along, showering her with money and affection while neglecting Zoe. Once Zoe became pregnant, Megan felt threatened. She began sabotaging Zoe at every turn, even convincing Quinn to divorce Zoe and get rid of the baby. But Zoe loved Quinn desperately and refused to let go, believing he would come back to her. In the original story, she died in childbirth after Quinn and Megan delayed her treatment. Determined to avoid that fate, I summoned every ounce of strength to crawl off the bed towards the door. “Help! Someone help me! They’re trying to kill me!” I screamed hoarsely. But Quinn coldly shut the door, blocking my escape. “Zoe, stop making a scene,” he said coldly. I clutched desperately at his clothes, trying to stop him from closing the door. I felt liquid gushing between my legs as my strength faded. Just as I was about to give up hope, the door flew open with a bang. A well-dressed older woman rushed in and slapped Quinn hard across the face. “You bastard! How dare you mistreat the heroine while I’m around!” I looked at her in shock, noticing how similar she looked to my best friend Summer from the real world. Could it be…? “Summer?” I asked hesitantly. Her eyes lit up with recognition. “Rachel? Is that you?” I let out a huge sigh of relief. My best friend had somehow been transported into this world too – as my mother-in-law no less! With her here, I finally had a chance at survival. 01 Quinn held his reddening cheek, looking bewildered. “Mom? What are you doing here? Why are you hitting me over her?” I suddenly realized my friend had been transported here as well, incarnating as my mother-in-law! This was the best news I could have hoped for. I grabbed Summer’s hand tightly, my voice shaking. “Summer, it hurts so much. Please help me!” Summer snapped into action, shoving the stunned Quinn out of the way. “Get out of here, you’re in the way!” she yelled at him before turning to the doctor. “Give her an epidural immediately and prep for surgery!” “And get your best surgeons in here for my friend. If anything happens to her, your whole hospital will pay!” she threatened. “Offending my best friend means offending the entire Quinn Corporation!” The medical staff scrambled to follow her orders, quickly administering pain medication. As the agony started to fade, I drifted into a dreamlike state. Memories from the original Zoe’s life flashed through my mind, filling in the backstory. I saw how Quinn had slowly turned cold towards her, believing Megan’s lies about Zoe mistreating Felix. Despite Zoe’s desperate pleas and attempts to prove her innocence, Quinn chose to trust Megan time and time again. In my dream, I watched the tragic end of the original story play out – Zoe dying alone and in agony on the operating table while Quinn and Megan delayed her treatment. Just before the dream faded, I saw Zoe’s spirit cradling a baby, whispering in my ear: “Please, you must make Quinn regret his actions. In return, you’ll inherit all my wealth in this world and be able to return to your own. I’m counting on you.” I clenched my fists, silently vowing not just to make Quinn regret his choices, but to make him pay dearly for his cruelty. When I opened my eyes again, Summer was by my side. The cry of a newborn filled the air. Though I knew intellectually it wasn’t truly my child, I felt an inexplicable surge of protectiveness and love. Perhaps some of the original Zoe’s emotions were bleeding through. Summer gently wiped my brow, murmuring soothingly. “You did great, sweetheart. Don’t worry, I’m in charge now. I’ve taken control of 60% of Quinn Corp’s shares. This baby is as good as my own grandchild. I’ll make sure that bastard Quinn never hurts either of you again, even if I have to ruin him to do it.” I nodded gratefully through my tears, overwhelmed by everything that had happened. “God, I can’t believe this. All I did was leave one snarky comment on a trashy novel, and now I’ve been transported inside the story as the tragic heroine! If you hadn’t shown up, I don’t know what I would have done.” “Don’t worry, I’ve got your back,” Summer reassured me, patting my shoulder. “We’ll get through this together.” In the original novel, the heroine was supposed to die today along with her baby. The infant’s organs would then be harvested for Megan’s son Felix. Now that I had survived, who knew what Quinn and Megan might try next? I remembered how in the book, after marrying Megan, Quinn was mauled by vicious dogs she set on him for merely glancing at his secretary. As I fretted over how to avoid their schemes and make Quinn regret his actions, the man himself walked in with Megan in tow. He looked down his nose at me imperiously. “Zoe, how could you be so inconsiderate? Running around during labor and worrying everyone like that? And childbirth isn’t such a big deal – why on earth did you call my mother back? So immature.” He turned to look at the baby, his expression cold. “Since you’re clearly too irresponsible to care for a child properly, I’ll be taking the baby home with me. No need to trouble Mother with it.” I nearly laughed at the sheer audacity of his words. How could he say such blatantly awful things with a straight face? But my main concern was keeping the baby safe – in the book, this child was literally torn apart for organs. I clutched the infant protectively, my face pale with fear and anger. I locked eyes with Summer, silently communicating. “Fine, I’ll sign the divorce papers,” I told Quinn. “But this child will take my surname and have nothing to do with you. We’re going our separate ways from here on out.” Summer immediately caught on to my plan. I had always joked about finding a handsome sperm donor to have kids someday – this situation was oddly perfect. Meanwhile, Megan’s eyes glittered with poorly concealed excitement, though she put on a show of concern. “Oh Zoe, what are you saying? Blood is thicker than water – how could Quinn possibly have nothing to do with his own child?” “Actually, if you hadn’t pushed Felix into the pool that time, Quinn wouldn’t have gotten so angry and wanted a divorce in the first place,” she added slyly. “Are you sure you don’t want to reconsider the divorce?” Before I could respond, Quinn’s cold voice cut in: “There’s nothing to reconsider. We’re signing those divorce papers right now.” 0

“Mom, please don’t try to stop me. I’ve made up my mind to marry Megan. She and Felix need me!” Summer’s hand lashed out, slapping Quinn again. “How dare you make a scene in front of a woman who just gave birth! If you want a divorce so badly, fine – but you’ll leave with nothing but the clothes on your back.” Quinn held his reddening cheek, looking betrayed. “Mom, do you really love her so much that you’d choose her over your own son?” Without hesitation, Summer replied, “Yes, that’s exactly right.” Quinn glared at me venomously. “I see how it is, Zoe. You called my mother back just to force me to stay married to you? How devious.” He threw a stack of divorce papers onto the bed. “Sign them. I don’t care if I lose everything, I’m divorcing you today no matter what.” I had to suppress a surge of excitement. “Are you sure? No taking it back now!” According to the book, the Quinn family’s assets were worth billions. And since our families had been close, Quinn hadn’t signed a prenup. Most of his current wealth counted as marital property – if he really left with nothing, I’d be entitled to a divorce settlement worth hundreds of millions at least. Though Summer controlled the company now, Quinn’s personal assets were still substantial. This would definitely hit him where it hurt. I couldn’t help but smile slightly. Money, a baby, and no cheating husband – wasn’t that many women’s dream? Seeing my calm demeanor seemed to infuriate Quinn further. “What are you plotting now, Zoe? You used to beg me not to leave you, insisting on having this baby. Weren’t you just after the Quinn family fortune, hoping your son would be the heir? Now you’re acting all nonchalant – is this some reverse psychology tactic? It won’t work!” He pulled out another document, waving it in my face. “Whether you sign the divorce papers or not, I’ve already changed my will. I only recognize Megan’s child as my heir. Your son means nothing to me!” “Give up your little schemes. Clinging to the Quinn family won’t do you any good. Just sign the papers and get out of our lives!” I was about to happily agree when a sharp pain lanced through my chest. The original Zoe must be heartbroken right now. After all, she had just given birth to this man’s child, only for him to immediately demand a divorce and disown the baby. If I were truly her, I’d probably be in tears. But the woman who inhabited this body now wasn’t Zoe – it was Rachel Lin, a complete stranger to Quinn. I nodded, wiping away a single tear that had unconsciously fallen. “Alright, we’ll do things your way. I’ll sign the papers. The baby will take my surname and have nothing to do with you.” Quinn nodded in satisfaction. “Good, you’re finally being sensible.” Megan clung to Quinn’s arm, putting on a show of compassion. “I tried to talk Quinn out of making you leave right away. A woman is most vulnerable right after childbirth, you know? He wanted you out of the Quinn mansion today, but I convinced him to let you stay until you’ve recovered. Aren’t I considerate?” My friend Summer – now the Quinn Corporation’s major shareholder – rolled her eyes dramatically at this display. “Oh please, spare us the act. Like I can’t afford to take care of my bestie?” she scoffed. She pulled out her phone, barking orders to her assistant. “Book the best postpartum care center in the city. What, only $5 million a month? Too cheap, upgrade to the $10 million package. And book it for 6 months to start.” Megan’s eyes nearly popped out of her head. “Mom! What are you saying? When I had Felix, you didn’t book me anything nearly that nice. You have to be fair!” Summer laughed coldly. “You think you can compare yourself to my best friend? Get out of here with your fake nice act. Can’t survive without latching onto a man, huh? The minute big brother was gone you started seducing his little brother. Disgusting.” She turned to Quinn and Megan, her voice hard. “From now on, neither of you are allowed to bother Zoe at the hospital. If you try, you’ll regret it.” “As for you,” she said to Quinn, “I couldn’t care less what you do after the divorce. Go to the moon for all I care. Just stay away from us – you’re nothing but an eyesore now.” “And since you’ve chosen to leave with nothing, you three can pack up and get out of the Quinn mansion. I don’t need an ungrateful son like you around.” Quinn’s face turned ashen. He lunged towards Summer, sputtering in rage. “Mom, how can you kick me and Megan out? And Felix is your grandson! How could you-” “Zoe? What lies have you been telling my mother?” he demanded, rounding on me. I just rolled my eyes, not bothering to engage. At that moment, two huge, muscular men flanking Summer cracked their knuckles menacingly. “Mrs. Quinn said to leave. Now,” one of them growled. I tossed the signed divorce papers back at Quinn, flashing a victorious smile. “Don’t let the door hit you on the way out!” 0

At last, peace and quiet descended. Summer bustled around, quickly arranging my baby’s birth certificate and household registration. As the mother, I was able to handle all the paperwork myself. The name and other details were entirely up to me. Even the ID bracelet on the baby’s wrist simply read “Son of Zoe Chen.” I thought of the poor woman whose body I now inhabited – the original Zoe who had suffered so much. In her memory, I named the baby Chen An, meaning “peace.” I knew that was likely her greatest wish for her child. Summer handed me the freshly printed documents. “There you go – just like you always wanted. A baby with no pesky husband attached! Even if we never make it back to our world, I promise I’ll make sure that scumbag never treats you like his punching bag again.” Seeing I had gone quiet, she worried I might be upset. She produced another file with a flourish. “Check this out – I’ve officially stripped Quinn and Megan of all inheritance rights. The entire Quinn empire belongs to you and the baby now. And that divorce settlement you squeezed out of that jerk? Just consider it pocket money.” “Even if we’re stuck here forever, the three of us will live like queens,” she declared confidently. Hearing her words, I finally broke down sobbing. Back in our world, I was an orphan with a congenital heart condition. My parents had abandoned me as a baby. Summer was the only one who befriended me in school, never treating me differently. Now here we were in this strange book world, and once again it was Summer coming to my rescue. Through my tears, I told her about the dream I’d had – how the original Zoe’s spirit had spoken to me. I sniffled, wiping my nose. “It’s all my fault, Summer. I left some nasty comment on this stupid novel and shared it with you. That’s how we both ended up transported into the story.” “It wasn’t until I took over Zoe’s body that I realized how much she suffered. Quinn is even more of a monster than I imagined.” “But Zoe’s ghost told me that if I can make Quinn truly regret his actions, we’ll inherit all her wealth in this world. And we might even be able to go back home.” Summer’s eyes lit up at this news. “Really? That’s amazing! I’ve been throwing money around like crazy, but it still doesn’t feel real. Like I’m spending someone else’s cash, you know?” “And I really miss my parents,” she admitted, her own eyes growing misty. I squeezed her hand tightly. “Don’t worry, I’ve read this whole book. After Zoe dies in the original story, Quinn finally realizes how good she was to him. He starts obsessively seeking out women who look like her to be his mistresses. It ruins his relationship with Megan too.” “Eventually he and Megan end up fighting over the inheritance. Oh, and get this – the real reason Quinn got together with Megan is because they had an affair while his brother was still alive. Quinn always thought Felix was his son.” My mind raced as I formulated a plan. “So I think the fastest way to trigger the plot is for me to fake my death with the baby. Then you can reveal the paternity test results to Quinn and watch him implode.” “Once Quinn truly regrets losing ‘the woman who loved him most in the world,’ we should be able to go home. God, I miss your mom’s lotus root and pork rib soup so much.” Summer’s eyes sparkled with excitement at my scheme. Just then, her phone pinged with a new message. It was a wedding invitation from Quinn. The ink on our divorce papers was barely dry, but he and Megan were already rushing to the altar. A sharp pain lanced through my chest again. The original Zoe’s lingering emotions, no doubt. Quinn had refused to hold a wedding when he married Zoe, claiming he disliked flashy events. In reality, he had been sulking because the woman he truly loved – Megan – had just married his older brother. As a result, though Quinn and Zoe were married for five years, the outside world never knew of Zoe’s existence as the Quinn family’s daughter-in-law. I stared at the photo of Quinn beaming as he embraced a white-gowned Megan, my mind made up. After a long moment, I looked up at Summer with steely determination. “Their wedding is in a week. That’s when I’ll stage my ‘suicide’ by jumping into the sea with the baby.” “Can you get my travel documents in order? We’ll flee the country after I fake my death.” “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure to record all of that scumbag’s reactions for you,” Summer promised with a wicked grin. She nodded solemnly. Over the next few days, she worked tirelessly to prepare for my staged demise.

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My Vengeance, His Redemption I woke up in a shifter romance novel. Not as the heroine, but as the sickly, wicked villainess, married off to the Lion King himself, a brute known for his violent rages. The System told me: Bear him an heir. Use my super-fertile body to stabilize his royal bloodline, and I’d live. Simple as that. And he did. He grew gentler by the day. He’d awkwardly try to soothe my morning sickness, fiercely fend off all the scheming rivals who eyed his throne, and even cast aside the original heroine for me. I genuinely believed I’d softened his heart with love, bending the story to my will. But he had no idea. The very day I gave birth, the System’s cold, metallic voice echoed in my mind: [Congratulations, Host! Breeding mission complete. Energy full. Initiating sacrifice protocol. Your flesh and blood will reconstruct Queen Lyra’s body.] It hit me then. All his tenderness, all his supposed love… it was all a ploy. He needed me to willingly become a human sacrifice for his true love, Lyra – his ‘White Moonlight.’ On the brink of death, I gathered my last ounce of strength and forged a symbiotic pact with my newborn, divine bloodline cub. “My darling husband, you want my life for her rebirth? Why don’t you ask your own son if he agrees first!”

I held my newborn cub, and Rhys’s kiss brushed my forehead. “My Queen, you’ve been through so much.” His voice was gentle, his eyes overflowing with affection. The cub slept peacefully in my arms, his tiny face flushed, his breathing even. This was the happiest I’d been since I woke up in this cursed book. [Ding! Congratulations, Host! Breeding mission complete. Energy full. Initiating sacrifice protocol. Your flesh and blood will reconstruct Queen Lyra’s body.] The System’s cold, metallic voice rang in my ears. My blood ran cold. Rhys’s eyes turned to ice. All tenderness vanished without a trace. He roughly snatched the crying cub from my arms. “Rhys? What are you doing? Give him back!” I reached out to reclaim my child, but he pushed me away. “Time to fulfill your final purpose.” I was forcibly dragged from the bed, my legs so weak I could barely stand. Post-birth weakness left me utterly defenseless. The altar was ready, bathed in silver moonlight pouring through the high dome. At the altar’s center, Lyra’s ‘perfect doll’ lay still. Her face was identical to mine, yet somehow more exquisite, flawless. Her soul drifted out from a shimmering prayer crystal, clad in a Queen’s gown that should have been mine. Golden embroidery gleamed on the hem of her dress in the moonlight. “Well done, my little breeding tool.” She contemptuously ran a finger down my cheek. “Thank you for bearing such a perfect vessel and bloodline for me.” “Now, it’s my turn to be reborn.” Her smile was beautiful and venomous. Rhys forcibly shoved the wailing cub into Lyra’s arms. The cub, sensing a stranger, cried even harder. “Look closely, this is your true mother.” Rhys pointed at me, his eyes filled with disgust and disdain. “She? She’s just a stain, a filthy vessel that polluted your pure bloodline.” The cub struggled desperately in Lyra’s arms, tiny hands reaching frantically for me, tears blurring his golden eyes. “Mommy… Mommy…” It was his first word. It might be his last. My heart tore into a million pieces. Rhys raised the sacrificial blade, its edge glinting coldly in the moonlight. “Don’t be afraid. Sacrificing your life for Lyra’s rebirth is the greatest honor you could ever achieve.” “You should be proud.” The blade point hovered over my heart. Gazing at his alien, cruel face, everything clicked into place. From start to finish, I was nothing but a tool. A tool to bear their child, to provide the very flesh they needed. The instant the blade was about to plunge into my heart, I bit down hard on my tongue. My heart’s blood surged out, arcing a crimson line through the air. “By my blood, I bind thee! By my soul, I swear!” I screamed the ancient symbiotic pact, pouring every ounce of my spiritual energy into it. “In life and death, we are one! Blood to blood, heart to heart! Harm me, harm my son!” The crimson pact transformed into golden chains, swirling and dancing in the air. One end bound to me, the other searing itself onto the cub’s brow. Golden light flared. The pact was sealed. Rhys’s blade plunged into my shoulder without hesitation. Excruciating pain flared, but I bit back a scream, gritting my teeth. Blood streamed down the blade, dripping onto the altar. At the same moment, the cub in Lyra’s arms let out a shrill wail. An identical wound appeared on his tiny shoulder! Blood stained his swaddling clothes, and his little face instantly went pale. “What’s happening? Why is the Royal Heir injured?” Rhys stared, horrified, at his bleeding son. The blade in his hand trembled, unable to plunge deeper. “A symbiotic pact! It’s a symbiotic pact!” Archon Gabriel rushed in, face ashen. “My King, you cannot kill her! If she dies, the Royal Heir dies too!” Rhys’s hand trembled violently. He frantically poured his power into me, desperate to stop our bleeding. Warm healing energy flooded my body. The sacrifice was halted, and Lyra’s scream ripped through the entire altar. “No! My rebirth! My perfect body!” Her soul-form trembled violently, on the verge of dissipation. “It’s all your fault! You cursed wretch!” “I’ll kill you! I’ll tear you apart!” I collapsed into the blood, holding my child close. His wound was already healing, his breathing steadying again. At least we were alive. And I still had a chance to protect him.

I was imprisoned in the deepest chambers of the royal palace. My body was weak, clinging to life only through the power Rhys forcibly infused into me daily. They stripped me of the right to see my son. “You are the source of the curse, the carrier of this plague.” Rhys stood at the door, his eyes as cold as ancient ice. “Do not approach the Royal Heir, and never defile his pure bloodline again.” The heavy iron doors clanged shut before me, sealing me within this gloomy cage. Lyra, under the guise of ‘purifying the Royal Heir,’ monopolized the nursery day and night. She deliberately had a magic scrying mirror transmit everything for me to see. To make me watch her seize everything that was mine. In the mirror, she wore my clothes, sat at my vanity. Using my lipstick, styling her hair like mine, even mimicking my tone of voice. “See this, my dear ‘sister’?” She smirked at the scrying mirror, her eyes venomous and triumphant. “Your husband, your clothes, everything you have, will be mine.” “And you? You’re just a trapped mouse in a cage.” She walked to the cradle and clumsily picked up Jasper. Jasper, sensing a foreign touch, immediately started wailing. “My Jasper, say ‘Mommy’.” Lyra forced his gaze onto her face. “I am your true mother. Forget that woman.” The cub cried harder, his little face flushed crimson. He struggled desperately, trying to escape Lyra’s embrace. “He doesn’t like me. It’s all that woman’s fault.” Lyra’s face darkened, becoming truly frightening. “Her tainted bloodline has corrupted my child.” She glared venomously at my image in the scrying mirror. “Burn everything she prepared for this bastard child!” She ordered the handmaidens to dispose of all the clothes I had prepared for my child. Those tiny clothes I’d hand-stitched, the swaddling embroidered with gold thread. “Burn them all, every last one! They reek of her lowly presence!” Flames soared, turning my heart’s effort into ashes. Rhys entered the nursery, his face grim. Seeing the cub’s persistent cries of discomfort. Instead of soothing him, he turned his anger on me. He warned coldly through the scrying mirror: “Your bloodline is rebelling. It’s causing chaos.” “It seems a more thorough purification is needed!” “If he continues to wail, I’ll sever your connection completely.” Late that night, I bore the agony, sensing my son’s faint cries of hunger and fear through our bond. That heartbreaking pain, ripping through me, was transmitted via our pact. I could only weep silently in the darkness. Lyra deliberately brought the cub to my door. Letting the child cry out for me, but refusing to let me near. “Did you hear that?” She chuckled triumphantly, her eyes brimming with malice. “He’s begging *me*, his ‘mother,’ not you, the ‘sinner’.” “You filthy vessel, you’ll never be worthy of being his mother.” The cub’s tiny hand reached through the bars towards me, his golden eyes filled with longing and sorrow. “Mommy… Mommy…” His voice was hoarse from crying, as weak as a kitten’s whimper. I reached out to touch him, but an invisible barrier blocked me. Rhys issued a final command, setting up a powerful barrier outside my chambers, completely severing all connection between me and the cub. “From this moment on, you will have no ties.” His voice was cold and merciless. “He is the Royal Heir of the Lion Clan, and you are nothing but a criminal.” I was confined in darkness, unable to hear or feel my child. All I could do was silently pray that my Jasper would survive each day. Pray that he would remember, somewhere in this world, there was someone who truly loved him.

By the third day, the cub’s cries grew weaker and weaker. Lyra’s inept care was rapidly draining his life. High fever, refusing to eat, his life hanging by a thread. She knew nothing of infant care, only roughly shaking him, trying to make him stop crying. Archon Gabriel burst into the nursery, his face etched with horror. “My King, the Royal Heir is failing!” “His temperature is too high, his breathing shallow. He could die at any moment!” Rhys’s face turned ashen, rage burning in his eyes. “How can this be? Wasn’t Lyra taking care of him?” “The Royal Heir needs his mother’s essence. Only his true mother’s essence can save him.” Archon Gabriel pointed, trembling, towards my prison. “The Queen must come here. Otherwise, the Royal Heir won’t survive the night.” “She’s the source of the curse! Letting her near will only worsen things!” Rhys’s fists clenched, veins bulging. “There must be another way!” “My King, bloodlines do not lie.” Archon Gabriel’s voice was stern and urgent. “The Royal Heir’s body is instinctively rejecting everything but his true mother.” “He cannot wait. Any more delay and it will be too late.” Rhys gritted his teeth, finally giving in. He had no choice but to bring me from my chambers to the nursery. My clothes were disheveled, and I was dragged along like a prisoner, heavy shackles clanking on my wrists. Lyra stood nearby, her eyes burning with hatred. “Hurry up. Don’t waste time.” Her voice dripped with disgust and impatience. “Once he’s recovered, you can crawl back into your cage.” The moment the cub was back in my arms, I nearly broke down in tears. His little face was pale, his breathing ragged. But sensing my presence, he instantly calmed, greedily suckling. His tiny hands clutched my clothes tightly, as if afraid I’d disappear again. “My precious, Mommy’s here.” I gently stroked his little face, tears streaming down my own. “Mommy will always love you, and I will never abandon you.” It was my only comfort in days. Feeling his strong suckling, hearing his satisfied murmurs, my heart finally found a moment of peace. The cub’s temperature slowly returned to normal. His little face regained its color, his breathing steadied. He slept contentedly in my arms, his tiny mouth still softly moving. Just then, Rhys abruptly snatched him from my embrace, handing him back to Lyra, who had been waiting impatiently. “Enough. Your purpose is served.” His voice was icy and devoid of gratitude. “Your use is at an end.” Lyra took the child, flashing me a cold, triumphant smirk. “Thank you for the ‘nourishment,’ my good milch cow.” She deliberately emphasized the words ‘milch cow’. She turned to Rhys, malicious glints in her eyes. “My King, since her purpose has been fulfilled…” “It’s time for the ‘Severance Ritual’.” “To completely eradicate this curse and restore the Royal Heir’s pure bloodline.” Rhys looked at me, his gaze utterly devoid of warmth. As if I were a tool, used up and ready to be discarded. “Tomorrow, at the Hundred Clans Homage Ceremony.” “I will, before all assembled…” “Drain every last drop of your tainted blood from my son’s life.” “Drain it all, until nothing remains!” “Let everyone witness the consequence of defying the royal will!” I was roughly dragged back to my chambers, my shackles scraping a harsh sound across the floor. I stared at my fingers, where my child had suckled. Feeling the ancient power stirring within me, awakened by the Sacred Fruit. A plan, for mutual destruction, began to form in my mind. If you want my blood, then I’ll give you a ‘gift’ you’ll never forget. Let you pay the price for your greed and cruelty. The Hundred Clans Homage Ceremony began as scheduled. The entire royal palace was adorned with colorful banners and flowing flags. I was chained like a sacrificial offering, dragged to the foot of the hundred-step staircase leading to the throne. All the tribal chiefs were present, observing the ritual. The Tiger Clan, the Eagle Clan, the Wolf Clan… hundreds of nobles gathered. Their gazes held curiosity, indifference, and cruel excitement. Rhys, in his golden royal robes, stood majestically on the throne. Crown on his head, scepter in hand, he seemed sacred and inviolable. “Fellow kin!”

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After I got pregnant, my husband, a notorious playboy, utterly transformed. He not only cut off all his flirtations but also showered me with affection. Until one day before my due date, I accidentally overheard him talking to his buddy, Jake. “Marcus, that young woman you’ve been sponsoring, is she still bothering you? She’s younger and prettier than your wife. Don’t you feel anything for her?” Marcus scoffed, a sneer twisting his face. “What is she? She’s not even fit to shine my wife’s shoes. I’m just doing something good to earn some good karma for my wife. The sooner she’s gone, the better.” A wave of sweetness swelled in my heart. I thought I’d finally found true happiness. But who would’ve thought? The very next day, as I was on my way to the hospital, that girl drove her car straight into us. She held a terminal diagnosis in her hand, tears streaming down her face, unable to stop them. “Marcus, I don’t have much time left. If you won’t have me, are you forcing me to die to finally feel at peace?!” I was already bleeding, kneeling in the car, begging Marcus to rush me to the hospital. But he ruthlessly kicked me away and locked the car doors. “Get out! If Vanessa gets hurt, neither you nor the baby in your belly will live!” I was trapped in the car for an entire day and night. By the time someone found me and pulled me out, my baby’s heartbeat was gone. At my lowest, Marcus actually called. “Let’s get divorced first. Vanessa’s condition can’t wait. I need to take her abroad for treatment as her husband.” Tears streaming down my face, I agreed to his demand. I clutched my baby’s ashes and left that heartbreaking place. Five years later, I was living in a remote fishing village, scavenging for junk to survive. I never expected to see Marcus again. His gaze fell on my three-year-old daughter in my arms, and his eyes actually reddened. “Didn’t I tell you to wait for me at home? And what do you do? You’re out here picking up trash with my daughter! Look how thin she is! Are you even fit to be a mother?”

“A five-year-old kid is so thin. Aurora Hayes, how exactly do you take care of her as a mother?” “I thought you were so principled, not contacting me for five years. Turns out you’re just out here picking up trash with the kid, huh? Don’t tell me you knew I was coming for an inspection today and decided to put on this show for me?” My little daughter was in my arms, and my mind went blank, being yelled at by the man who’d suddenly appeared. It took me a while to realize who he was. It was Marcus Sterling, my ex-husband from five years ago. And the woman clinging to his arm, dressed in designer clothes, was none other than Vanessa Bell, the young woman he’d sponsored back then. Seeing them so intimate, I instinctively hugged my daughter tighter. My mind spun, memories dragging me back five years. Back then, I’d just gotten pregnant. Marcus, who was always cold and distant, suddenly started sponsoring a high school girl from an orphanage and even let her move into our home. The first time I saw Vanessa, pale and in worn-out clothes, my heart softened. Even with my baby bump, I cooked her nutritious meals. I’d stay up late, helping her with her studies, tutoring her often. Under my care, Vanessa brightened up significantly, smiling more often. Her grades skyrocketed from last in class to first in her grade, and she eventually got into a prestigious university. But I never imagined that the first thing she’d do after turning eighteen was to hook up with Marcus, betraying me! Seeing that I hadn’t spoken, Marcus’s eyes fell on my daughter. His brows furrowed, and he said with clear dissatisfaction, “Why is it a girl? My mother has been hoping for a grandson for years, and she was already unhappy with you. Now you have another daughter? How am I supposed to explain this to her?” Only then did I realize he thought the child in my arms was his. I couldn’t help but let out a cold laugh. He had the nerve to bring that up? That child, our child, had died five years ago, suffocated to death inside me. And the one responsible for the baby’s death was *him*, the biological father! Anger churned in my chest. I took a deep breath and stepped back, hugging my daughter tightly. “You’re mistaken. This child isn’t yours…”

My clarification was cut short. Vanessa suddenly interrupted me, shaking Marcus’s arm as she purred, “Marcus, I can give you children! My illness is long gone. I can have as many as you want.” Marcus affectionately pinched her nose, smiling. “You’ve just recovered, sweetheart. I can’t bear for you to go through that right now. You just need to be my little princess.” Then, he turned to me, looking utterly disdainful. “Aurora Hayes, for the past five years, Vanessa has suffered so much abroad, endured so much pain. And you? All you know is to compete with her, throwing tantrums all day, not even a single word of comfort. Someone as cold and heartless as you truly doesn’t deserve her kindness.” I rolled my eyes at his words, completely speechless. For the past five years, my email had been flooded with photos and videos Vanessa sent from all over the world. In those pictures, she looked rosy-cheeked and full of life. Where was the sick patient? I had no interest in saying more. I picked up the garbage tongs beside me and waved them in front of him. This gesture instantly scared Vanessa, and she started crying. Marcus looked me up and down, pinching his nose and frowning as he took a step back. “Look at you now, a complete mess! You reek of garbage. What’s the difference between you and a homeless person? So you pretended to be dignified for five years? In the end, you still came crawling back to me, didn’t you?” “Don’t think bringing a child here will make me take you back or start over. We ended things the moment you impulsively blocked me.” My daughter in my arms was startled by his tone and burst into tears. Marcus’s expression softened slightly, and he reached out to her. “Shh, don’t cry, sweetie. Daddy will take you home. Don’t stay with this crazy woman.” What he got in return was Lily’s even more heartbroken scream: “I don’t want you to hug me! You’re not fit to be my daddy! You’re a meanie who bullies Mommy! I hate you the most!” Publicly humiliated, Marcus’s face instantly darkened. He glared at me and said coldly, “Is this how you raise her? She has no manners whatsoever! I lived with you for five years, no wonder you’re full of flaws! My family won’t acknowledge such an ill-mannered child. Don’t show your face to me again until you’ve sorted yourself out.” No one can tolerate someone speaking ill of their child like that. I clenched my fists and spoke coldly, “You’re wrong. This isn’t your daughter. She has nothing to do with you.” Marcus froze for a moment. Then he scoffed, completely uncaring. “Aurora Hayes, always so quick with your words, aren’t you? I hate that fake innocent act of yours. It’s disgusting.” “Still pretending at a time like this? If you don’t get down on your knees and beg me, then just get lost and spare me the sight of you!” With that, he pulled a few bills from his pocket and slapped them against my face. “Look at how poor you two look. Take this and buy yourselves some decent clothes. Don’t go around embarrassing yourselves.” Then, he put his arm around Vanessa and walked away. I looked down at my old, orange work uniform and couldn’t help but curse his ancestors in my mind. Marcus, of course, had no idea that the T-shirt I was wearing underneath was a limited-edition design by world-renowned designer Krena, priced at a staggering one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. My daughter’s cartoon jacket was also a high-end luxury brand. As for me, I had remarried four years ago and had another child. How could I ever go back to the past? My special ringtone rang. I collected myself and answered. A gentle, deep voice came from the other end: “My dearest wife, you must be tired from your business trip. I’ve arranged the lounge for you. Take the baby in and get some good rest.” “I really want to see you right now. I’ll come over right after my meeting this afternoon.” My usually reserved husband was actually whining like a big kid, and my heart warmed. After hanging up, I led my daughter to the lounge door. From inside, I heard faint, intimate sounds of heavy breathing…

Pushing the door open, I saw Marcus and Vanessa entangled on the sofa, in a very intimate embrace. I quickly covered my daughter’s eyes and ears. Marcus angrily picked up a nearby water glass and threw it at me. “Get out! Who let you in? Is this a place for a beggar like you?!” The glass hit my forehead, and the pain made my vision swim. Before I could even recover, Several project managers rushed in, politely apologizing to Marcus. “We’re truly sorry, Mr. Sterling. We were negligent. We’ll take her out immediately.” Furious, I shook off the person holding me and shouted, “This is *my* lounge! What right do you have to kick me out?” The scene fell into a sudden silence. Then, a few people started laughing. Seeing they didn’t believe me, I was about to pull out my phone to prove myself. But Marcus rushed over, snatched my phone, and violently smashed it on the floor. The screen shattered into several pieces. Before I could speak, He sneered coldly, “Have you been dreaming for too long? Is your mind not clear? This lounge is exclusively for Caleb Hayes, one of the wealthiest men in the country. Even I can only sit here to discuss business. Who do you think you are, spouting such nonsense?” “You’ve gone this far to seduce me. You really have no shame.” A few stout middle-aged men eyed me with strange looks. “Mr. Sterling, who is this woman?” Marcus chuckled coldly, casually saying, “Don’t know her. But looking at her, she’s probably selling herself, isn’t she?” Vanessa leaned against him, giggling, her fingers tracing circles on his chest. “Marcus, you’re so mean to my sister.” After hearing Marcus ruthlessly humiliate me, The project managers’ faces immediately twisted with disgust. A barrage of nasty comments followed. “This kind of woman actually dares to come here and seduce Mr. Sterling, and with a child! She has no shame. Be careful not to catch anything.” “With your pathetic appearance, you can’t do anything else. You might as well go beg for food.” “We’ve seen plenty of women like you. They’re full of tricks, willing to do anything for money. If Mr. Sterling doesn’t want her, you can give her to me to play with. I haven’t seen a piece of trash like this in ages.” I kept my daughter tightly hugged, not letting her hear those vulgar words. “Don’t go too far! There’s a child here!” But it still scared Lily. The little girl cried out. Marcus seemed to think it had gone a bit too far. His face darkened, and he roared, “Who told you to talk like that? Are you looking to die?!” The men exchanged glances and quickly shut up. I ignored him, focusing on comforting my daughter in my arms. Just as I finally managed to calm her down, I looked up and saw Marcus staring at me thoughtfully, a hint of complexity in his eyes. He seemed about to say something, but Vanessa spoke first, putting on a generous and gentle facade: “Sister Aurora, it must have been hard for you raising a child alone all these years. My body is still recovering, and I just happen to need a nanny. Why don’t you come and take care of me? I’ll pay you two thousand five hundred a month. It’s much better than picking up trash outside.” As soon as she finished speaking, Marcus pulled her close and kissed her deeply on the lips. “Vanessa, you’re so considerate. You really break my heart.” Vanessa blushed and buried her head in his chest. Watching them being so sickeningly sweet, I felt goosebumps all over my body. Suppressing my disgust, I refused: “Thank you for your kind offer, but I really like my current job.” With that, I ignored Marcus’s grim face, hugged my daughter, and walked straight out. These two lunatics. If I can’t deal with them, I can at least avoid them, right? Behind me, I heard the sound of things smashing, mixed with Marcus’s furious roar: “Aurora Hayes, are you really that useless? You’re still a complete failure, aren’t you? And you still think you can remarry me? No way!” I slammed the door shut.

My phone was shattered, so I had no choice but to find a shady spot to rest with my daughter. The little one leaned softly against me, asking in her tender voice, “Mommy, who were those people just now? Why were they saying mean things? When is Daddy coming to pick us up?” I gently kissed her forehead, softly telling her, “Those were bad people, Lily. Don’t mind them. Daddy will be here soon to pick us up. Let’s wait patiently, okay?” She nodded vigorously, and her expression made me kiss her little cheek again. The weather was getting hotter. I told my daughter to sit quietly here and wait while I went to get some water. But when I came back with the water, I suddenly heard my daughter crying loudly, “Mommy, help me! Let go of me!” The sight before my eyes broke my heart. Vanessa was clutching my daughter by the neck, slamming her onto the ground. Seeing this, my rage erupted. All reason vanished. I lunged forward and slapped Vanessa hard across the face. Just as I snatched Lily from her grasp, Marcus rushed over. Vanessa was already crying uncontrollably, snot and tears running down her face as she threw herself into his arms. “Marcus, I saw her alone there and just wanted to be nice and keep her company. But then this child suddenly bit me! I only said a few words to her, and Sister Aurora rushed over and hit me!” Marcus looked at the red mark on her face and the teeth marks on her hand. His face instantly turned cold, his eyes blazing with fury. “Aurora Hayes, how dare you lay a hand on my woman?! You truly don’t respect me!” He grabbed my hair and ruthlessly kicked me in the chest. The kick was so heavy that I coughed up blood. My chest throbbed with excruciating pain, as if my whole body was falling apart. “Mommy! Mommy!” My daughter’s heartbreaking screams came from behind me. Marcus didn’t seem satisfied. He turned and slapped my daughter, sending her sprawling onto the ground. “You little brute! If your mom can’t control you, I’ll teach you a lesson!” Hearing my child’s cries, my heart twisted with pain. I struggled to crawl towards her, but Marcus stepped on my head, pinning me to the ground. Vanessa walked over, hugged my crying daughter, and clamped her hand over Lily’s mouth, forcibly muffling her cries. Lily’s face turned bright red from holding her breath. “Sister Aurora, since you don’t know how to raise a child, making her suffer so much, why don’t you let me take her?” Marcus looked down at me with a cold sneer. “Stop talking nonsense. This woman doesn’t deserve to be a mother. The child belongs to me today. You’ll never see her again.” His leather shoe pressed down heavily on my back, and he continued with his cruel words: “She can’t even control a child. If this keeps up, this little brat will grow up to be just like you, causing trouble. Might as well get rid of her now.” “Marcus!” I shrieked, suddenly grabbing his ankle, my nails digging into his flesh. I screamed the truth hysterically— “She’s only three! She’s not your child at all! She’s Caleb Hayes’s child! And I’m Caleb Hayes’s wife, the current Mrs. Hayes!”

As my voice echoed. Everyone’s faces instantly changed. Then, piercing laughter erupted. “Hahaha, Mr. Sterling, what is this woman spouting? If she’s Mrs. Hayes, then I must be the richest person in the world! Are you serious? Is she out of her mind?!” “What nonsense! Everyone knows Mr. Hayes’s wife is a beautiful, elegant woman. This tramp, picking up garbage, thinks she can compare?” “Yeah, and the Hayes family only has one young master. That little girl beside her isn’t even fit to carry Mr. Hayes’s son’s shoes.” Amidst the noisy laughter, Marcus grabbed me and yanked me off the ground. “Aurora Hayes, you really don’t prepare your lies, do you? Someone as high-and-mighty as Caleb Hayes, do you think he’d even glance at a woman like you, a woman I tossed aside?” Marcus’s eyes were full of contempt, as if I were a piece of dirt on the ground. “I was actually wondering if you were genuinely remorseful, if I could take you back. But it turns out you’re not only unrepentant, you’re also trying to cling to Mr. Hayes. Aurora Hayes, your very essence is worse than this trash. No matter how much you wash, you’re still garbage.” Before he finished speaking, Marcus picked up a nearby garbage can and dumped it over my head. The putrid smell quickly enveloped me, making me gag. The surrounding managers pinched their noses and laughed. “Well done! That’s how you teach people like her a lesson.” One man offered a suggestion. “Mr. Sterling, rumor has it that Mr. Hayes is extremely protective of his wife. If he knew someone was impersonating his wife, he certainly wouldn’t let her off easily. I know there’s a cold storage nearby. Let’s lock her in there and let Mr. Hayes deal with her personally when he arrives. Then our collaboration project will surely be a go.” Looking at this group of ugly-faced people, my heart filled with hatred. Marcus stared at me and sighed. “Aurora Hayes, I’m giving you one last chance to apologize. Just kneel down and apologize to Vanessa in public, and I’ll let you go. Otherwise…” “You wish!” Seeing my defiance, Marcus’s expression turned completely cold. He gave a look, and several burly men immediately swarmed me, binding my hands and feet before tossing me into the cold storage. In the freezing cold storage, below ten degrees Celsius, my entire body quickly became covered in frost. A strong will to survive made me incessantly bang on the door, desperately scratching at the metal with all my might. My nails were ripped off, exposing raw, bloody flesh. My daughter cried out for Mommy from outside, only to be slapped several times. “Who do you call ‘Mommy’? From now on, *I’m* your only mommy! You little thing!” Seeing Lily continue to cry uncontrollably, Vanessa simply stuffed a foul-smelling rag into her mouth. Suddenly, a roaring sound came from a distance. A black Maybach screeched to a halt beside them. A pair of perfectly tailored long legs stepped onto the ground, and a custom suit outlined the cold, handsome figure of the newcomer. He was holding a cute little boy in his arms. In the split second before my consciousness faded, I heard someone shriek: “Mr. Hayes and the young master are here!” Caleb Hayes stepped out of the car, holding his son. He looked around, but couldn’t spot the familiar figure he was searching for.

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The apocalypse struck, unleashing a deadly virus. My all-powerful husband called, his voice softer than I’d ever heard it. “Don’t be afraid, my helicopter will be there soon. I’m bringing you to Safe Zone One.” Faintly, from the other end of the line, I heard his ‘true love,’ Eleanor Vance’s sickly sweet voice. “Darling, why waste time on that mobile blood bag? My purification pod is ready. Hurry up and get her over here to donate!” In my previous life, I believed his promise. But what arrived was a squad of soldiers. They tied me to an experimental table, draining my special, virus-resistant blood. All to save his frail Eleanor. Finally, they discarded me like trash into the horde of infected. Only after my death did I realize: he married me simply because my unique blood type matched his beloved’s, making me her perfect “living source of medicine.” When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day the apocalypse broke out. Listening to his hollow reassurances over the phone, I smiled. He didn’t know that the virus antidote I was developing didn’t rely on blood at all. It needed my living cells for its final activation. And the highest authority key to Safe Zone One, the very fortress I’d personally built, was my heartbeat. Want to live? Fine. But first, watch your Eleanor Vance take her last breath right in front of me. **1** Not long after the call ended, I heard the approaching roar of a helicopter outside my window. Did Dorian Blackwood really think I was still that fool he could twist around his little finger? I hadn’t stayed home waiting to die. I’d long since moved to my true sanctuary—the ‘Heart’ lab beneath the villa. This was my personal creation, a secret base even Dorian Blackwood knew nothing about. The roaring grew closer. Through the surveillance monitors, I saw the familiar black helicopter. Inside the cabin, Dorian Blackwood’s hypocritical face peered down through the window. Pathetic. *Bang!* The villa’s front gate was violently breached. It was Dorian Blackwood’s special forces. Leading them was Captain Ryder, his fiercely loyal commander. They stormed into the living room, only to find the house empty. Just then, I activated the projection system. My image instantly appeared on the living room wall, at least ten feet tall. “Hard at work, gentlemen?” My voice echoed throughout the villa via the sound system. Captain Ryder’s head snapped up, his gun instantly aimed at my projection. “Seraphina Jiang? Where are you?” “No need to be nervous, Captain Ryder. I’m right beneath your feet.” Captain Ryder’s face changed. Realizing something, he immediately contacted Dorian Blackwood via his comms: “Boss, target isn’t on site. Suspected to be in the basement.” Soon, Dorian Blackwood’s furious voice came through the comms: “Find her! Now!” I switched channels, connecting directly to Dorian Blackwood’s private line: “Mr. Blackwood, if you want to invite your ‘mobile blood bag,’ you should at least come in person, shouldn’t you? Hiding in a helicopter, what kind of power is that?” “Seraphina! What exactly do you want?” Dorian Blackwood’s voice was laced with suppressed rage. “What do I want?” My laugh turned sharper. “I want to live. But your Eleanor Vance can’t wait, can she?” From his end, Eleanor Vance’s sickly sweet voice chimed in impatiently: “Darling, hurry up, my purification pod is ready…” Hearing that voice, my heart gave a sharp, painful lurch. In my previous life, it was that same voice that had accompanied my last moments. But this time, things were different. I cut off Dorian Blackwood’s channel, connecting solely to Captain Ryder’s comms. “Captain Ryder, want to hear an interesting story?” Captain Ryder frowned. “Ms. Jiang, please cooperate.” “Cooperate?” I sneered. “Like last time, when I cooperated by letting you tie me to an experimental table?” Captain Ryder froze. He had no idea what I was talking about, because that had happened in my previous life. But I had proof. “Listen to this.” I played an audio recording—encrypted files I’d hacked from Dorian Blackwood’s phone. Dorian Blackwood’s voice came through clearly: “Once you get the blood, dispose of Seraphina Jiang. And Captain Ryder’s entire squad, leave no one. Too many people know; it’s bad for Eleanor.” The recording cut off abruptly. Captain Ryder’s face instantly twisted. His squad members behind him exchanged glances, their eyes wide with shock and disbelief. “This… this isn’t possible…” Captain Ryder murmured. “Impossible?” My voice dripped with mockery. “You’ve risked your lives for him for years, and he wants to silence you all. Captain Ryder, does that still seem impossible?” I watched Captain Ryder’s wavering expression on the monitor, a surge of satisfaction rising within me. Loyalty was crumbling. Just then, Dorian Blackwood’s voice came through the comms again: “Ryder! What are you doing? Get her out of there, now!” Captain Ryder stared blankly at his comm unit. I struck while the iron was hot: “If you want to live, listen to me.” As soon as I finished speaking, I activated the villa’s defense system. *Rumble—* Heavy alloy gates slammed down from the ceiling, sealing the entire villa shut. Captain Ryder and his squad were trapped inside. **2** Dorian Blackwood indeed came in person. The cabin door opened, and Dorian Blackwood emerged, cradling a dying Eleanor Vance. Her face was pale, her breathing shallow, looking as if she could expire at any moment. Dorian Blackwood’s expression was strained and anxious, completely devoid of his usual composure. “Seraphina! Come out!” he shouted at the villa. “Eleanor’s fading fast!” I activated the hidden passage in the ground. A metal door, just wide enough for one person, opened beneath their feet, revealing stairs leading underground. “Come down,” my voice echoed from the loudspeaker. Dorian Blackwood didn’t hesitate, carrying Eleanor Vance inside. As soon as they stepped into the observation room, the alloy door behind them slammed shut. It was a fully transparent, reinforced glass room, with clear views in all directions. I sat at the control panel, watching them through the glass wall. Eleanor Vance leaned weakly in Dorian Blackwood’s arms, yet her eyes still held a defiant glint: “Seraphina Jiang, you can’t win against him. Hurry up and give your blood, and I might spare your life.” I ignored her. “Want to save her? It’s simple. Transfer all the highest authorities of your corporation to my name.” Dorian Blackwood paused, then burst out laughing: “Seraphina Jiang, are you insane? For a dying woman, you want my entire business empire?” “Do you think I’m joking?” I lightly pressed a button. The room’s air purification system activated, but I secretly lowered the oxygen concentration. From 21% down to 19%. Eleanor Vance’s breathing immediately became more labored. Already weak, she now gasped for air. “You… what did you do?” Dorian Blackwood noticed the anomaly. “For every minute you hesitate, the oxygen concentration drops by 1%. How long do you think she can last?” Eleanor Vance’s face grew even paler, and she desperately clutched Dorian Blackwood’s clothes: “Dorian… I… I can’t breathe…” Dorian Blackwood’s expression instantly transformed. Anger, shock, and a hint of panic. “Seraphina! You’re insane! Let us out!” He frantically pounded on the glass wall. The glass didn’t budge. I watched his frantic state, an unprecedented thrill surging through me. In my previous life, they had trapped me on that experimental table, forcing me to watch my own blood drain away. Now, it was their turn to experience this despair. Time ticked by, minute by minute. The oxygen concentration dropped to 18%. Eleanor Vance began to cough violently, her face turning purple. She weakly lifted her head, her eyes filled with venom: “Seraphina Jiang… you bitch… Dorian won’t let you get away with this…” “Really? Then let’s see what price he’s willing to pay for you.” Sweat began to bead on Dorian Blackwood’s forehead. He looked at the dying Eleanor Vance in his arms. “Seraphina Jiang, what exactly do you want?” “I told you. Your corporation, all its authorities.” “Impossible!” Oxygen concentration dropped to 17%. Eleanor Vance was completely unable to speak, only gasping for breath with her mouth open. Her fingers began to turn purple, her eyes unfocused. Dorian Blackwood finally panicked: “Wait! Wait! We can talk!” “Now you want to talk?” My finger hovered above the button. “Too late.” “Seraphina Jiang!” His voice trembled. “You can have anything you want! Money? Status? I’ll give it all to you! Just spare Eleanor!” I paused my hand. Not out of softness, but because I saw genuine fear in his eyes. This man, once so arrogant, who had treated me as a tool, finally had a weakness. “Money? Status?” I laughed. “Dorian Blackwood, do you think I lack these things?” He froze. Yes, I, Seraphina Jiang, the youngest virologist with multiple patents before the apocalypse, had already amassed a fortune in the hundreds of millions. I never lacked money. What I lacked was his life. The oxygen concentration continued to drop. 16%. Eleanor Vance’s eyes began to roll back, her body convulsing. Dorian Blackwood completely broke down: “I’ll transfer it! I’ll transfer everything to you! Please, save her!” I watched him kneel on the ground, but the rage in my heart showed no signs of calming. In my previous life, I had knelt like that, begging them to spare me. But how did they respond? “Why waste time? The purification pod is ready, hurry up and donate blood.” Now, it was their turn to taste despair. I slowly stood up and walked to the glass wall. “Dorian Blackwood, do you know? In my previous life, when you killed me, I begged you like this too.” He snapped his head up, his eyes filled with confusion. But soon, he would understand everything. Because the real game had just begun. **3** Oxygen concentration dropped to 15%. Eleanor Vance had completely lost consciousness. Dorian Blackwood knelt on the ground, repeatedly banging his head: “I’ll transfer it! I’ll transfer everything to you!” I pushed a special terminal towards him. His fingers frantically tapped on the screen, stock transfer agreements flashing by one after another. All corporate authorities were transferred to my name. The moment the transfer was complete, oxygen levels returned to normal. Dorian Blackwood gasped for air, holding Eleanor Vance tightly: “Quick! Save her!” I stood up and walked to the glass wall. Behind me, a giant screen lit up. Complex gene sequence diagrams densely covered the entire wall. “You thought the antidote was in the blood?” My voice was chillingly calm. “Idiot.” Dorian Blackwood froze. “The virus antidote requires my living cells as a culture medium. The final activation and proliferation must occur inside my body.” Data scrolled across the screen. Lines of technical jargon flashed by. “Draining my blood would only get you useless plasma.” His face instantly turned ashen. “Impossible… The doctor said…” “Doctor? Which doctor?” I sneered. “Only I, in this entire world, could decipher this virus. Who do you think understands it better than me?” “Furthermore.” “The activation process is irreversible. It will drain all my life force.” “Saving her means my death.” I activated another projection. An AI simulation appeared on the screen. Images of me, in my previous life, tied to the experimental table. Blood being drawn, drop by drop. My agonizing struggles. My pleas for mercy. My tears. Until the very last moment of my life. Then, I was thrown into the horde of infected. Torn apart. Devoured. Eleanor Vance woke up. She looked at the images on the screen, and to my surprise, she smiled. “Hahahaha… I really hope you died that horribly…” **4** Although Eleanor Vance had resumed normal breathing, the brief oxygen deprivation had reactivated the virus within her. Eleanor Vance lay in Dorian Blackwood’s arms, her breath growing weaker. Black vascular patterns began to appear on her skin, signs of the virus’s spread. Dorian Blackwood completely broke down. He knelt before the glass wall, frantically pounding on the transparent barrier: “Seraphina! I was wrong! Please, save Eleanor! The virus is taking her life!” “I’ll give you anything! The corporation, the fortune, the power! Just save her!” I looked at his pathetic state, a slight smile playing on my lips: “For the sake of what we once were, I’ll give you a chance.” As soon as I spoke, the lab’s automated equipment activated. A mechanical arm slowly extended to my arm, precisely extracting cell tissue. Culture dishes began to churn, complex biochemical reactions unfolding in transparent containers. A progress bar appeared on the large screen. Antidote synthesis: 1%… 5%… 12%… Dorian Blackwood and Eleanor Vance’s eyes instantly lit up with wild joy. “Seraphina! I knew you still cared for me!” Dorian Blackwood’s voice trembled with excitement. Eleanor Vance, though weak, her eyes sparkled with a desperate will to live: “Dorian… I’m saved…” The progress bar steadily climbed: 35%… 58%… 74%… They watched the screen intently, seeing the hope of survival. 89%… 95%… 98%… Just as the progress bar was about to reach 100%, I pressed the pause button. *Ding—* With a crisp chime, the entire synthesis process stopped. Dorian Blackwood froze: “Seraphina? Why did it stop?” I turned around, the smile completely gone from my face: “Oh, I forgot something.” “The key to initiating the final synthesis is my heartbeat.” “And right now, I’m-not-in-the-mood.” Eleanor Vance’s eyes widened, staring at me in disbelief: “You… you’re joking, right?” “Joking? Like you two joked with my life?” The immense chasm between hope and despair instantly shattered Eleanor Vance. She opened her mouth, trying to say something, but couldn’t draw another breath. Her eyes wide, she simply breathed her last. “Eleanor! Eleanor!” Dorian Blackwood clutched her lifeless body, letting out a raw scream. Consumed by loss and rage, he violently ripped open his collar, revealing a miniature bomb detonator: “Seraphina! I’ll make you die with her!” “Let’s die together!” The moment he pressed the button— All the lights and power in the entire base flickered out. Darkness consumed everything. Only a soft blue light, emanating from my chest, illuminated my face. It was the glow from my heart rate monitor. “Forgot to tell you,” my voice echoed in the darkness. “The lab’s highest authority isn’t electricity, it’s not software.” “Your detonator signal can’t get out.” “It’s my heartbeat.” “Here, I am a god.”

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On my girlfriend’s birthday, her guy best friend held her close and kissed her passionately. For a moment, everyone in the room held their breath, their eyes fixed on me. I simply smiled faintly. A few moments later, I broke the silence. “Go on, don’t ruin the game.” * It was Chloe’s birthday, and the private room was packed with our college friends. I sat on the sofa, feeling sharp in my suit. My girlfriend, Chloe, was currently singing a love song with her male best friend. “Noah, when are you finally going to marry our Chloe?” Maya, one of Chloe’s friends, teased from the side. I was about to speak when I witnessed a scene I would never forget. My girlfriend and her male best friend embraced tightly. “Kiss! Kiss!” All our college friends cheered in unison. Their attention was completely drawn to another matter – a game Chloe and Noah were playing. Chloe had lost, and the loser had to kiss the other person. Of course, Noah had come up with that rule. Noah was Chloe’s ex, and her ultimate crush. In recent years, he’d suddenly reappeared as her “male best friend,” but it was clear he had an ulterior motive. “Oh… I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Chloe said, feigning shyness, but her eyes were full of longing as she looked at Noah. Noah returned her gaze with the same intensity. Their eyes met, brimming with affection. “Come on, everyone, don’t you see her boyfriend is right here?” Maya tried to intervene. Noah looked at me, a victorious smirk playing on his lips. Everyone else in the room held their breath, their eyes on me. I kept my smile in place and broke the silence: “Go on, don’t ruin the game.” “Look at Liam, he’s so cool about it! That’s the kind of boyfriend you need!” Chloe’s friends, clearly eager for more drama, egged them on again. I couldn’t be bothered to watch them, so I just drank my drink alone. “He said he doesn’t mind, so let’s continue,” Noah said, looking incredibly smug. Chloe, though, seemed a little taken aback, as if she couldn’t believe I’d said that. Then a flicker of anger crossed her face, and she glared at me: “Liam, I’m coming for you when we get back!” In the end, they kissed passionately. “Whoa!” The people around them immediately erupted in cheers. My heart was a mess, my mind replaying everything that had happened between Chloe and me. The nervousness of my first confession to her, the joy when she accepted me, the careful way I treated her. Her smiles, her tears. In the end, none of it belonged to me. Something stolen eventually has to be returned. It was just a pity for my two years of devotion. I sighed, disappointment clouding my eyes. I knew Chloe had been waiting for this moment for a long time. Chloe, you must be so happy right now. Getting what you’ve always wanted must feel good. Just like how I felt when I successfully won Chloe over. But sadly, it was all in the past now. A woman who doesn’t love me isn’t worth keeping. From that moment on, I made a decision deep in my heart. I would take back all my love. “Liam, what’s wrong with you today?!” After the party, Chloe feigned a pouty anger. Of course, she was still such a good actress. She’d crossed the line, yet she still pushed the blame onto me. The truth was, she didn’t care about me anymore, even if she once had. I’d known it for a long time, I just hadn’t wanted to believe it. In college, Chloe was delicately beautiful and full of charm, lively and cheerful. One faint smile from her was enough to make anyone fall for her. She was incredibly talented, excelling in everything from music and dance to academics, and she was the president of the dance club. Her figure was perfect, and her grades were consistently at the top of her class. A girl like her was practically flawless. She was proud, beautiful, and gifted, untouchable. Suitors lined up from one end of campus to the other, and I was one of them. From the first moment I saw her in freshman year, I was instantly captivated and fell deeply in love. To make her notice me, I studied hard and improved my grades. I learned calligraphy and dancing, just to have common topics with her. I constantly followed Chloe’s news, showing her affection again and again. Bubble tea, pastries, fruit—they never stopped. I sent countless designer bags and necklaces. I just hoped she would spare me a glance. But she returned every single gift. Right, how could the campus queen, recognized by everyone, change her mind for a few gifts? She was so proud, and her pride was exactly what I loved about her. But she ignored me completely. Back then, she was confident and radiant, devoted to only one person. That person was the campus heartthrob, recognized by everyone – Noah. In college, Noah was handsome, with outstanding grades, and he represented the school in many competitions. He could sing and dance, and played a mean guitar. Whenever the school held an event, his appearance would inevitably draw screams from countless girls. He even had his own fan club called the “Wind Chasers.” Noah had many admirers and was definitely a popular figure on campus. No wonder Chloe was so infatuated with him. One was the campus king, the other a recognized talent – truly a perfect match. Chloe relentlessly pursued her crush. When Noah broke up with his girlfriend, Chloe seized the moment and made her move. Finally, on the first Valentine’s Day of sophomore year, Noah accepted Chloe’s confession. This golden couple, famous throughout the school, officially started dating. And I, holding a bouquet of flowers, ready to confess my feelings to Chloe, could only watch, disheartened, a mere bystander. The news of campus king Noah and dance club talent Chloe dating quickly spread to every corner of the campus, becoming a romantic legend. Unfortunately, good times don’t last. Though Noah was handsome, he was a massive playboy. He was flirting around constantly, and Chloe soon found out. On her birthday, Chloe cried her eyes out. She took her cake to the rooftop and happened to run into me, who was studying for an exam. I showed her every bit of concern, comforting her endlessly. Every day, I tirelessly brought her tea and water. Finally, I won the goddess’s approval. Chloe became my girlfriend. At first, she was indifferent to me, and wouldn’t let me make any intimate gestures; I didn’t force it. At the time, I felt incredibly happy just to be the boyfriend of the goddess Chloe. I cherished her like a priceless gem, loving her immensely. I gave her meticulous care, took her traveling to relax, took her out for meals and shopping. Even when work was busy, I’d always update her. I’d come home on time every day to cook, treating her like the most precious thing. Slowly, she started to accept me. She asked about my joys and sorrows, smiled at me, and even began to care about my preferences. I believed that during that time, she did love me. But love that has to be begged for is ultimately hard to sustain. Nourished by love, I became more ambitious. I worked hard, striving to improve my performance. I wanted to work hard enough to buy our own marital home, to truly give her a warm home. I even fantasized countless times about having a child with her. A family of three, sharing meals, living happily together. Everything back then was so beautiful. I felt like I was dreaming, and then one day, the dream ended. Her Prince Charming had returned. Noah inexplicably reappeared in our city, in Chloe’s life. On the street, their eyes met. Just that one glance, and I knew Chloe’s heart no longer belonged to me. But I still couldn’t let her go, couldn’t let go of these years we’d spent together. I chose to deceive myself, maintaining this hollow relationship by feigning ignorance. Gradually, she started coming home early and leaving late, sending flirtatious texts with Noah, growing annoyed by my concern, and meticulously dressing herself up. I looked at Chloe in the mirror and knew I had lost. We had been together for two years, and to please her, I’d bought her countless expensive pieces of jewelry, clothes, and bags. But she had never really dressed up for me. She told me we were family, no need to care so much. Now it seemed she just thought I wasn’t worth the effort. A woman dresses up for the one she wants to please, and clearly, I wasn’t that person for her. All she cared about was Noah. I struggled, unwilling to give up, telling myself she was just wavering, and if I was good enough, she would come back to me. Until that birthday party, when she kissed Noah. I knew my dream had to end. That day, when I got home, I ignored Chloe. I walked straight to the living room and slept on the sofa. *Bang!* A loud slam of the door echoed through the apartment. Chloe was clearly angry. She didn’t understand why her number one worshipper suddenly stopped worshipping. Actually, it was just that I no longer loved her. Love is like that: when I love you, you are a flower, a sea, the wind, the clouds, all the beauty in the world. When I don’t love you, you are just you, and you have nothing to do with me. I had a wonderful sleep. Without the burden of love, my mind suddenly felt much clearer. It was the most peaceful sleep I’d had. No worrying about Chloe being unhappy, no enduring her bad temper, no fearing Noah would steal her away. All I had to think about was whether *I* was happy. The next morning, Chloe had made breakfast. At the dining table, she kept staring at me. I quietly ate. Her cooking was still as bad as ever. Only because she said housework made you age faster, I’d pretty much handled all the chores over the years. She was only responsible for eating, playing, and looking beautiful. Back then, I thought life was perfect. Now, thinking about it, it just felt ridiculous. “Liam, don’t you have anything to say to me?” Chloe broke my train of thought. She finally couldn’t hold back. She was the goddess; in her eyes, her personally making me breakfast was a huge gift. I should naturally be delighted, walk down her pre-set steps, Answer her questions, and beg for her affection. I knew she wanted to ask why I hadn’t cared yesterday. But it didn’t matter anymore. I didn’t want to waste words. “The food’s a bit salty.” I dropped those four words, turned, and walked out the door, leaving Chloe stunned. The weather today was exceptionally good, just like my mood.

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I saw an art class girl being assaulted by someone weirdly dressed. I stepped in, saved her, and called the police. The next day, she accused *me* of being the attacker. She even claimed I forced her to make a false statement the day before. Then, the police took me away, and I lost my guaranteed spot at a top-tier university. My dad, who had a disability in his leg, wrote a desperate letter in his own blood, pleading my innocence, then took his own life outside her house. With insufficient evidence, I was released, but I’d lost my university admission and missed the college application deadline. My life was pretty much over. I drifted aimlessly for six months, then saw the art class girl and her actual assailant walking hand-in-hand. Furious, I charged over, demanding why she’d betrayed me. The attacker shoved me, and I was hit by a speeding car, sent flying. When I woke up again, I was back to the night it all happened. “Don’t touch me, or I’ll scream!” “Help! Someone, help me!” “Is anyone out there?!” I should be dead. Why could I still hear those screams from six months ago? Not far away, hidden in the bushes, a man in strange clothes was assaulting a helpless woman. It wasn’t just familiar; it was exactly the same scene. I stood frozen on the sidewalk. A car flashed its hazard lights and honked, shaking me out of my trance. I quickly moved to the other side of the road. In my past life, I saw Tiffany, a girl from my art class, being assaulted. My sense of justice flared, and I rushed over, throwing my backpack at the attacker’s head. The man clutched his head with one hand, pulling up his pants with the other, swearing as he left, not forgetting to threaten me, “Alex Miller from Year 11, right? I’ll remember you. You’ll pay for this!” It was Blake, the school’s resident jerk. I didn’t take his threat seriously. I took off my shirt to cover Tiffany, comforted her as she reeled from the trauma, and even encouraged her to call the police. When I got home, I told my dad about my heroic act. Years ago, my dad had his leg broken stepping in to help someone, but he never regretted it. He patted my shoulder proudly. “That’s my boy. I’m proud of you.” But the next day at school, Tiffany showed up with the police to arrest me. She was an acting student, alright. The tears flowed like a faucet, and she looked utterly distraught, enough to fool anyone. “Alex Miller assaulted me yesterday, and he threatened to kill my whole family if I ever told anyone.” She wiped her tears, glaring at me with venom. “The worst part is, he played the victim, making me out to be the hero, demanding our family give him a commendation banner in front of all the teachers and students.” It was like I’d been hit by a truck, completely disoriented. It wasn’t until I was in the police car that I reacted. “That’s not true! I helped you! I got rid of that guy and even comforted you. How could you betray me like this?” Her eyes were red, and she started crying again. “A girl’s reputation is everything. I wouldn’t joke about something like this.” Everyone seemed to believe her.

I became a pariah, a public enemy. It didn’t help that most people sided with her, the ‘victim.’ The online mob attacked me, and they doxxed my dad. They even claimed my dad’s heroic act years ago was just because he knew the kid he saved was from a rich family and he was trying to get a payout. I lost my guaranteed spot at a top-tier university and was expelled from school. My dad wrote a desperate letter in his own blood, then took his own life outside Tiffany’s house. The news blew up, and public outrage reached a fever pitch. The police reopened the investigation, and I was released, innocent. But no university would accept me anymore, and more importantly, I’d lost my dad, the only family I had. I drifted aimlessly for six months. Outside an apartment complex, I saw Tiffany and her real attacker, Blake, walking hand-in-hand. Furious, I charged over, demanding why she’d betrayed me like that. “How could I, just a regular person, fight against the heir of the Blake Corporation?” “If I hadn’t done what he said, my whole family would have been killed. I had no choice but to accuse you.” I yelled, “Do you know you ruined my entire life?!” “You’re still alive, aren’t you? So what if you went to an Ivy League school? You’d just end up working for rich people anyway.” “But my dad died!” She showed no remorse. “Everyone dies eventually. Better off dead, honestly.” I was so angry I grabbed her by the throat. Blake, who had been silent, yanked my collar. “Loser, hands off my girl!” He shoved me hard. I was hit by a speeding car, sent flying, and landed on the curb, dying instantly. Now, hearing those screams nearby, a bitter smile touched my lips. Not this time. No way I’m making that mistake again.

I walked to the night market. My dad was calling out to customers for his hot dogs. I hurried over to help. My mom died when I was born, and my dad never found another partner. After his leg was broken, no company would hire him. He also refused help from the person he saved. So, every night, he’d come to the night market to sell hot dogs, just to put me through school. Seeing his lean, busy figure, my heart ached. In my last life, I ruined everything for you, Dad. Not this time. I’m going to turn things around. I’ll go to the best university, get the best job, and make sure you can enjoy a comfortable retirement. But things didn’t go as I hoped. The next day at the school gate, Tiffany grabbed me and slapped me hard. “Why didn’t you help me last night?” I took a deep breath, then slapped her right back. I’m a guy, so my slap had force. She was stunned, covering her face. “You… you dared to hit me back.” “I’m not a doormat. Why would I just take it if you hit me?” “Why didn’t you help me yesterday?” “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Class starts soon. Please stop bothering me.” My expression was cold and distant as I clutched my books and walked inside. She rushed at me from behind, snatched my books, and threw them on the ground, stomping on them. “Are you working with him? Were you a lookout for him?” “You’re a despicable, disgusting person for not helping me! You deserve to die, just like him!” I pushed her away, bent down, and picked up my books. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” “You ruined my reputation for life by not helping me! Don’t you know you’re wrong?” She unleashed all her frustration on me, like a madwoman. She lunged, pushed me down, and started clawing at my face. I wasn’t about to give her the chance. I used my hands and feet to push her away. Her face contorted in fury, and she rushed at me again. Other students who were passing by quickly intervened, pulling us apart, and then called Dean Miller.

Dean Miller was a big, imposing man with a stern look, and all the students were a little scared of him. He just stood there, and no one dared to make a sound. In my last life, everyone believed her, but he was the only one who comforted my distraught dad. His sharp eyes swept over us. “What’s going on? You have less than a month until exams. Do you want to disrupt everyone’s studies?” “Alex Miller has a guaranteed spot at a top-tier university. What about you? You, on the other hand, only qualified for some basic art program at a lesser-known college. What are you even making a fuss about?” Tiffany immediately got angry and said indignantly, “Dean, even though I’m an art student, I want to study hard too. Alex got into an Ivy League, but you can’t just cover for him because of that!” “Covering for him? I don’t cover for anyone. Come on, both of you. To my office, now, and explain everything!” In the office, Tiffany embellished the story of what happened last night. “So, you’re saying Alex Miller saw you being assaulted but ignored you. You were upset, so you confronted him at the school gate this morning, and a fight broke out?” Tiffany nodded. I said, “First, I didn’t hear any cries for help. Second, even if I did hear them and knew it was you, helping you would be an act of kindness, but not helping you is my right. Now you’re trying to twist the story and guilt-trip me? That’s messed up, isn’t it?” Thinking of what she did in my past life, I added, “You didn’t catch the real attacker, so you’re trying to blame the victim, aren’t you? Are you planning to say *I* was the one who assaulted you?” I wanted to cut off her escape route right then and there. Tiffany’s face turned bright red, and she shrieked, “You scumbag! How could you think that of me? And to think you’re a top student with a guaranteed spot at an Ivy League university! You’re worse than dirt!” “No matter how angry or upset you get, I can’t testify to something I didn’t see, and I won’t admit to something I didn’t do.” She was furious and lunged at me, trying to choke me… Dean Miller barked, “Enough! If you can’t sort this out, then call the police! You two are seriously wasting everyone’s time. What are you thinking, acting like this now?” Perhaps Dean Miller just said it casually, but Tiffany’s face immediately went pale, and her hands trembled. “If I call the police, my life will be over.”

I watched her coldly. “Since you don’t want to call the police, then deal with it yourself. High school students are busy; let’s not waste each other’s time.” Dean Miller nodded. “That’s right. You decide. Call the police or find another way to resolve this. It’s up to you.” Tiffany lowered her head, hesitant. She’d caused a scene at the school gate, and many students had seen and heard it. Word would spread like wildfire, and her story would quickly become public. In a small town like ours, news travels fast. And for a girl to go through something like this… people would talk, her reputation would be ruined, making it impossible for her to have a normal life or find someone to settle down with. But worse than any of that, the whispers and rumors are what truly destroy a person. After much thought, she nodded. “Alright. Call the police, then.” After an investigation, I was just a passerby, not even a witness, and was immediately released. But Tiffany screamed in the police station, “He must have seen the attacker! He didn’t help me; he just watched me get assaulted! He must be an accomplice; you can’t let him go!” The officers exchanged glances, clearly thinking she was out of line. “Alex Miller was just passing by, he wasn’t…” Tiffany interrupted the officer frantically, “Don’t think he’s a good person just because he got into an Ivy League. He might be the attacker’s accomplice! They might have teamed up to assault me together! People like him should be locked up!” She was completely irrational. The officers shook their heads repeatedly. “Don’t overthink this. This is a police station; it’s a place of fairness and justice. You can’t just falsely accuse people or make wild guesses. Based on your statements, this incident has nothing to do with Alex Miller. Unless you have evidence.” “I clearly saw him glance over at me! He must have seen it!” Dean Miller wanted to speak up for me, but I quickly gave him a look. If he spoke, Tiffany would surely think he was covering for me. My gaze was firm, and I said in a low voice, “I already told you I didn’t see anything. It was late at night; how could you possibly see that I saw it? Do you have telescopic vision?” “No, you definitely saw it! You’re an accomplice! An accomplice!”

The officers’ patience ran out. “Alright, that’s enough! Alex Miller, you can go. Tiffany, you stay here for further investigation.” Tiffany wasn’t happy. She sat directly on the floor, kicking her legs and waving her arms like a child throwing a tantrum, or a woman completely losing her mind. “You just think I’m an easy target because I’m a girl with no family or background! He clearly saw me being assaulted and just walked away! That’s wrong!” “He deliberately let me be humiliated! He deliberately wanted to see me embarrassed! People like him should go to hell!” “My life is ruined anyway, and even if it is, I’m taking someone down with me! Alex Miller, who did this, can’t get away with it!” … I rubbed my ears, watching her in exasperation. “I just passed by that road, and that makes me a criminal? That means I deserve to die? There must have been other people passing by that night; why don’t you go after them? Oh, I know! Because you and I are from poor backgrounds, with no one to back us up, so you just randomly accuse me?” The officer frowned, looking at the girl on the floor. “Tiffany, you’d better get up and cooperate with our investigation, or your behavior could constitute obstructing an officer in the line of duty, and the consequences will be severe…” Tiffany froze, then quickly stood up, embarrassed. “I… I was just angry and confused. I didn’t mean to obstruct you. Let’s continue, let’s continue.” I gave her a long, hard look, then turned and left. This time, things were already different from my last life. I hoped everything would continue on the right path. But the next day, right before school let out for lunch, Tiffany burst into the school with the police. I had just come out of the teaching building when I saw her approaching, and I froze. This scene was exactly like before. Was she going to put on another act? Sure enough, she and the police blocked my path. “Officers, this is Alex Miller, the man who assaulted me the night before last!”

I stood there, stunned. It had only been a day and a night since yesterday, and she had suddenly changed completely. In the crowd, I saw Blake, the person who had truly assaulted her that night. Someone nearby was holding a phone, starting to record. The more people there were, the straighter Tiffany stood, as if being assaulted wasn’t shameful now, but something to brag about. “It was him! That night, he had evil intentions towards me!” Besides the students leaving school, there were parents picking up their kids and passersby at the gate. Everyone leaned in, trying to catch what was being said. “Oh my god, Alex Miller, our class genius, is an attacker? That can’t be true!” “Yeah, he’s always so polite to girls. How could this happen?” “Some people just put on a holier-than-thou act, but deep down, their minds are rotten and their hearts are vicious.” “Tiffany is our school’s campus beauty; she was really… by her own classmate?” “Yesterday, Dean Miller took both of them to the police station; so that’s what it was about.” “I don’t believe Alex Miller would do something like this. He’s got a guaranteed spot at an Ivy League university, a bright future ahead of him. Why would he do something so disgusting? I’m with Alex Miller.” “Yeah, I also think Alex Miller is innocent. On the other hand, this campus beauty, Tiffany, has always used her looks to hook up with countless guys. Who knows who she was flirting with or who assaulted her?” … Everyone was chattering, but it was already different from my last life. In my past life, everyone watched as the police took me away. I was so nervous and scared that I didn’t know how to defend myself. Later, Blake even sent people to spread all sorts of rumors about me online, and all the students sided with her, convinced that I was the one who assaulted Tiffany. Actually, many people knew that Tiffany didn’t exactly have a clean reputation. Our families lived in the same complex, and on the way to and from school, I often saw her with different guys. So, I should thank her for throwing that tantrum at the school gate yesterday; it gave the students room to think. Plus, I was much calmer than in my last life. I knew how to explain and refute, and everything was slowly changing. I calmly looked at her. “Is the police station yours to command? Yesterday, your statement was that I was just passing by. How did I suddenly become the attacker today?” “You threatened me and made me say that.” Tiffany said it without batting an eye, looking at the officer beside her. “Quick, arrest him!” The officer took out handcuffs, ready to cuff me. Before I could speak, a tall, dark figure rushed over and blocked the officer. “I was at the police station yesterday too. Tiffany clearly stated then that the attacker was someone else. Why has she suddenly changed her story today? And you’re just going to put handcuffs on him, without any concrete

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When the police arrived, I had already dismembered my wife and hacked off my son’s legs. I sat amidst a pool of blood, casually carving up my wife. The gruesome murder of my wife shocked the entire nation. Everyone condemned me as a monster, yet I couldn’t be immediately sentenced to death. Because I had hidden my one-year-old grandson. No one knew if he was dead or alive. Under intense police interrogation, I demanded a nationwide live broadcast. “Dad… why? Why did you do this?” My son, Milo Hayes, dragged his severed legs, struggling to crawl towards me. Just then, I brought the axe down, severing my wife’s head. Blood splattered into his wide-open mouth, and he let out a horrifying shriek. Tonight was supposed to be my thirtieth wedding anniversary with my wife. Milo had meticulously decorated the mansion, even replacing the carpets with new ones. The decorative flowers on the walls hadn’t even wilted, but the pristine white carpet was already completely drenched in blood. At the peak of her happiness, I plunged a knife into her abdomen. Twenty consecutive stabs. Until her last breath, her beautiful eyes tragically questioned me, “Why?” When the police stormed into the mansion, I had already chopped my wife into unrecognizable pieces. Even my salt-and-pepper hair was dyed crimson, dripping with blood. A dozen guns were pointed at me. I calmly lowered the axe and obediently extended my hands, letting them cuff me. From the moment I committed the murders, I had no intention of hiding anything. The mansion’s front door was wide open, blood spilling onto the street. The area around the mansion was sparsely populated, but not entirely empty. I saw my neighbor dart past the entrance, but I didn’t stop them. BANG! The fluorescent lights flickered on, their harsh glare stinging my eyes. “Name.” “Victor Hayes.” “Why did you kill them?” “…” Detective Miller, the officer interrogating me, stared with undisguised disgust. “Please take our questions seriously. We have gathered overwhelming evidence for your murder charges. The case is closed. Your struggle is futile!” I remained silent, eyes closed, leaning back in the chair. It had been years since I felt this relaxed. The police’s intense questioning sounded like a lullaby to me; I was actually starting to feel drowsy. He asked several more questions, but I offered no reply. Not until he finally asked, “Where have you hidden your one-year-old grandson, Leo Hayes?” I opened my eyes and grinned maliciously. “Guess?” Detective Miller’s face darkened, absolutely furious. I had no doubt that if it weren’t for laws prohibiting torture, he would have lunged at me. “Victor, do you have any heart?! That’s your beloved grandson! You’ve raised him since birth! The child is so young, he knows nothing, he’s done nothing wrong!” See? I’ve committed murder, yet these cops can only cycle through their interrogation tactics, unable to inflict any real harm. I wasn’t in a hurry at all. I just watched the officers hustle in and out with stacks of files, knowing they’d never find my grandson. As a renowned philanthropist in the city, the news of me murdering my wife and mutilating my son instantly dominated the headlines. No one dared believe I could commit such a monstrous act. To outsiders, I was a devoted husband, a loving father. My social media was filled with snippets of my wife and child, and I frequently donated to charities supporting people with disabilities. But the truth was, I did it. I didn’t even spare a one-year-old child. Online communities started digging deep into my past, searching for any signs of cruelty. I feigned ignorance of all this, still refusing to answer the police’s questions. Just as our stalemate continued, a young, energetic officer burst into the room. “Detective Miller, urgent news!” Detective Miller took the paper. After a single glance, his expression turned grave, and he sharply met my gaze. “You’re not Victor Hayes. Who are you?!” I sneered. After interrogating me for so long, they finally figured it out.

“Who *are* you? Why do you look exactly like Victor Hayes? Where’s the real Victor Hayes?” I replied calmly, “The car accident three years ago. That’s when I became Victor Hayes.” “Three years ago?” Detective Miller flipped through his files. “April 21st, three years ago, Victor Hayes was involved in a car crash on Highway 301. The vehicle caught fire. His driver, Arthur, was pronounced dead. Victor Hayes was unharmed…” “You’re Arthur.” Detective Miller stated, certainty in his voice. I simply smiled, neither confirming nor denying. “We’ve checked. You had no deep-seated animosity towards the Hayes family. Quite the opposite, they treated you well. High wages, Victor himself would often share good liquor and cigars with you. Eleanor even tried to set you up with women, seeing you as a lonely single man.” “So what was your motive for murder? Was it simply pure envy of their wealth and happiness?” “You’ve successfully assumed Victor Hayes’s identity, living a lavish life without anyone suspecting. You’ve been living the high life. I don’t understand why you killed Eleanor. If it was just to tie up loose ends, you made no effort to clean the crime scene.” I replied, “Officer, you have a lot of questions. If you want the truth, I have a condition.” Detective Miller frowned. “Remember your current status. A criminal has no right to make demands.” “Then you’ll never know where the child is.” It had been a day since the child disappeared. A one-year-old has no chance of survival on their own, so the police had no choice but to compromise. “I want Milo to live stream himself kneeling before me.” It was a strange demand. Detective Miller went out to send someone to negotiate with Milo. He would agree. Because when I cut off his legs, I also crushed his manhood. That child was his only remaining heir, his only hope for a family. He had to compromise for him. Milo, still not out of danger, was wheeled into the police station. He started the live stream, then painfully crawled off his wheelchair, scuttling like a dog to my feet, kowtowing repeatedly. “Please, I beg you! All the mistakes are ours! If we ever offended you, just kill me! Please, don’t harm my son!” Seeing his pathetic, disgraced state, a smirk of satisfaction played on my lips. The live stream comments were filled with insults against me. Some even threatened to dox me and dig up my entire past. Milo’s eyes burned with hatred as he looked at me, his lips bitten raw. “I’ve kowtowed. Now will you tell me where my son is?” I looked down on him, sneering, “When did I ever promise I’d tell you just because you kowtowed?” “You! You son of a bitch! I’ll kill you!” He lunged at me, his face contorted with rage through the iron bars, as if he wanted to tear my flesh with his teeth. I burst into laughter. Detective Miller couldn’t stand it. He tapped his baton against the bars, warning me. I stopped laughing and told Detective Miller, “Agree to one more thing, and I’ll tell you exactly where the child is.” Detective Miller’s face was grim. “Don’t waste our police resources and time. We don’t have time to play games with you. No matter how much you stall, you can’t change your death sentence!” I shrugged. “Fine by me. Then the child can join me in the grave.” “No, no, no! Detective Miller, agree to his terms! My son can’t be harmed!” Milo grabbed Detective Miller’s pant leg, snot and tears streaming down his face.

“I want you to investigate the truth behind the death of a little girl named Lily Arthur, who died on the train tracks ten years ago.” Detective Miller’s sharp eyes narrowed. “Arthur? What’s your connection to this girl?” “She was my daughter.” I closed my eyes, a vivid image of the little girl’s innocent smile appearing in my mind. Our conversation was still live-streamed. After hearing my daughter’s name, online users immediately started researching what happened back then. Lily’s death had even made the news. Reports stated that a six-year-old girl, unsupervised, wandered onto the train tracks and was crushed by a speeding train. Over a dozen trains. Her small body was pulverized into the damp earth, her blood painting the tracks with a thick layer of crimson rust. I still remember that day. Seeing Lily’s mutilated remains, my hair turned white overnight. I spent a week, from dawn till dusk, slowly searching for Lily along those tracks. A tiny finger, a fragment of liver… Each time I found a piece, I felt both a surge of joy and overwhelming sorrow. My Lily was the prettiest little girl; I couldn’t let her leave incomplete. But a large part of my Lily was still missing. My Lily was so obedient. After school, she’d dutifully wait by the school gates for her dad to pick her up. But that day, someone lured her away. Detective Miller, following my lead, reopened the investigation. The case had originally been classified as a tragic accident caused by a child’s mischievous play. He initially only gave the files a perfunctory glance, but unexpectedly, he discovered inconsistencies. The railway surveillance only showed snippets of Lily being run over by the train, but there was no footage of her arrival. He exerted considerable effort trying to locate the surveillance footage from the first train that hit Lily ten years ago, but too much time had passed. That specific train had even been decommissioned by higher-ups who deemed it ‘unlucky’ after the incident. But any intelligent person could connect the dots: Lily’s death had to be linked to the Hayes family. This provided a clear motive for my revenge against them. While the police were bogged down with endless applications and procedures just to get information, skilled hackers among the online community had already uncovered crucial clues. The hackers and the police approached the investigation from different angles. The hackers started by looking into Lily’s school, using big data to sift through surveillance footage from around the school ten years ago, pinpointing clips that showed Lily’s face. Finally, they found a blurry video. In it, three or four teenage boys were leading six-year-old Lily towards a secluded area. The hackers used advanced techniques to enhance the faces, and one of the boys bore a striking resemblance to Milo Hayes. Once the video was released, it ignited a firestorm online. [I *knew* Arthur had a grudge against the Hayes family! Otherwise, why would he be so brutal?] [Holy crap! So Milo led the little girl onto the tracks? He’s responsible for her death, indirectly, right?] [Then Arthur’s revenge against the Hayes family makes sense. But why kill the others? Milo was the one involved!] [But it’s been so long, and Milo wasn’t even an adult back then. He didn’t directly kill the little girl. The chances of him being sentenced are slim, right?] [I guess that’s why Arthur cut off his legs.] Milo, who had just returned to the hospital, was cuffed by police who had seen the video and ‘invited’ him back to the station.

“Milo, can you explain why you took Lily?” I stood outside the one-way glass, gazing at the pale Milo. The officers guarding me couldn’t help but cast pitying glances my way. Milo’s eyes darted nervously. “I-I was just playing a prank, that’s all! It was so long ago, and besides, I didn’t kill her…” BANG! The interrogating officer slammed his hand on the table, making Milo jump. “Was it *really* just a prank?” Milo tried to regain some composure. “Of course! I was just a kid back then, didn’t know any better. If I’d known this would happen, I’d never have done it, not even if you killed me!” The officer sneered, slamming several printed SnapChat group logs onto the table in front of him. “Then explain *this* group chat, will you?” Milo stiffly lowered his head. When he saw the chat logs, he started trembling uncontrollably. “N-no, this isn’t me! You’ve got it wrong… You’ve got it all wrong!” Never underestimate the power of internet sleuths. They will go to any length to uncover the truth. They dug up Milo’s entire life history, from childhood, even exposing his school bullying and academic fraud. Someone even hacked into Milo’s account and unearthed a SnapChat group he’d long since left, buried deep in his archives. A [CANNIBAL] group! I didn’t know what a [CANNIBAL] group meant. I turned my bewildered gaze to the officer beside me, my voice hoarse. “Officer, what… what does a [CANNIBAL] group mean?” The young officer kept his head down, avoiding my eyes. I gripped his arm tightly, my handcuffs rattling. With tears in my eyes, I asked him, word for agonizing word, “Tell me. What does that mean?” The officer’s voice was barely a whisper. “Some people have a condition called pica, where they crave non-food items like dirt or paint chips. And then there are others…” He paused, then continued, “…who crave human flesh.” Tears streamed down my face. A chilling answer began to form in my mind. “So, what does this have to do with my daughter’s death?” “You said your daughter’s body was missing a part. That part… was eaten by them.” The hackers… The group they found had remained active for ten years, never disbanding. It contained a chilling archive of cannibalistic videos. And ten years prior, a few young teenagers, driven by morbid curiosity, joined this ‘cannibal’ group.

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