I noticed something was off with my wife sleeping next to me. When I tried to get close, she was as unresponsive as a dead fish. I thought maybe it was just that the spark had faded after years of marriage. Until I overheard her talking to her hot best friend: *My husband sleeps like a log every night. You could put a corpse next to him, and he wouldn’t wake up!* So, my wife found a corpse to replace her? I jolted awake, hearing faint, soft noises from the living room. It sounded like someone groaning or gasping. In the pitch black, a shiver of dread crawled down my spine. I instinctively reached out and nudged my wife beside me. “Honey, I think there’s someone outside…” I nudged her a few times, but she didn’t stir, seeming to be in a deep sleep. Maybe she was just exhausted from her day? In the end, I decided not to wake her. Slowly, I got up, grabbed a vase nearby, and held it firmly for defense. Could it be a burglar? I crept silently in the dark, pushing open the bedroom door. The living room was shrouded in black, nothing visible. After a moment’s thought, I braved the darkness and stumbled into the kitchen, grabbing a knife. A surge of courage immediately filled me. I then fumbled for the light switch by the door, flooding the house with light. Instantly, the living room brightened. I scanned around, seeing nothing out of place. I checked the other bedrooms; no sign of anyone. Not a single valuable item was missing. I stood there in the living room,愣神, wondering if I’d imagined it all. The next morning, I woke up and came into the living room to find Chloe already at the dining table, looking at me with a radiant smile. “Honey, you’re up? Come have breakfast!” My wife, Chloe, was tall, curvy, and a total knockout. We’d had a whirlwind romance, getting married just a month after meeting. Despite the fast pace, our relationship had always been good. She’d stuck by me from when I had nothing to now, as a general manager at a company. I was the envy of every guy in my social circle. Ever since my business took off, she’d quit her job and became a full-time housewife. My only regret was that after six years of marriage, we still didn’t have a baby of our own. At first, we thought something might be wrong with us, but hospital tests showed both of us were perfectly healthy. Maybe it just wasn’t our time yet! I washed up and sat down, taking a bite of my warm sandwich. Remembering last night, I couldn’t help but ask her about it. Chloe rolled her eyes at me, clearly annoyed. “Honey, were you dreaming?” I wanted to say more, but she’d already gotten up. “Alright, honey, you need to go to work. Hurry and eat! I need to go catch up on some sleep. I don’t know why, but I’ve been so sleepy lately.” Chloe stretched, passing by me and heading to the bedroom. I didn’t know if it was my imagination, but I thought I caught a faint, strange smell on her. I didn’t think much of it. After a quick breakfast, I left for work. The next night, I don’t know how long I’d been asleep before I was startled awake again. The gasping outside was louder this time. I got up to check, and again, nothing was missing. A chill ran down my spine. Was it not a burglar, but a ghost in the house? I’m an atheist, but right then, the only explanation I could think of, besides a haunting, was nothing at all. But for the next half-month, everything seemed to return to normal. That eerie sound never came back. I thought that was the end of it, but it turned out to be just the beginning. That night, I had a fantastic dream. In it, Chloe and I were completely wild, but just at the crucial moment, I suddenly woke up. The lingering desire left my entire body feeling like it was roasting over a fire. I instinctively pressed closer to Chloe’s body, whispering her name. “Honey, are you asleep?” Just like before, I called for a long time, but my wife didn’t respond. It felt like I was next to a dead person.

But I was already consumed by endless desire. There was no way I was letting her off the hook. My soft whispers turned into vigorous shaking. “Honey, wake up.” Just as my mind started running through all sorts of bad scenarios. Chloe finally showed a hint of reaction. Her voice came out low and muffled. “Sleeping.” Of course, I wouldn’t give up. I pressed close to her body again, whispering in her ear, “Honey, we haven’t been intimate in ages. How about we go wild tonight?” As I spoke, my hand started to wander. She didn’t refuse me, so I didn’t hold back, my actions growing bolder. But I vaguely felt the skin I was touching was cold, not soft and warm like my wife’s usually was. And her scent seemed different from before, which gave me a strange sense of novelty. However, just as my hand was about to reach its destination, she suddenly grabbed my wrist. “No… no, I need to take a shower first.” Before I could react, she scrambled out of bed, wrapped herself in the blanket, and fumbled her way out of the room in the dark. Watching her whole routine, I was completely baffled. But since she wanted to shower, all I could do was wait, hoping she’d be quick. However, after waiting for a long time in the room, I started to feel drowsy. So I got up, intending to go urge her along. Suddenly, I heard voices from the living room. To my surprise, there was another woman in the living room besides my wife, Chloe. It was Chloe’s best friend, Hailey. I’d seen her a few times before, and honestly, Hailey was every bit as stunning and curvy as my wife. Tonight, she was wearing only a thin T-shirt on top, which perfectly accentuated her fiery figure. Her bottom half was a pair of extremely short denim shorts, revealing long, fair legs. She was the kind of beautiful woman who made you instantly start fantasizing. For some reason, Hailey looked a bit off, with a hint of fear in her eyes. “When did she get here?” Chloe immediately linked arms with Hailey and said to me, “Oh, she just got here, honey. Someone’s been making noise late at night downstairs at Hailey’s place, and she couldn’t take it, so she came to stay with us for the night.” I nodded at her explanation. Just as I was about to turn and go back to the bedroom, I suddenly noticed something wrong again. “Wait, honey, weren’t you taking a shower? Why are you still wearing a dress?” Chloe had just said she was going to shower, but now she wasn’t wearing pajamas or a nightgown; she was wearing a tight-fitting bodycon dress, the kind you’d wear out. She even had high heels on. Chloe looked at me, annoyed. “Well, Hailey just called me to pick her up. I couldn’t very well go down in a bath towel, could I?” I didn’t think much of it and went back to the bedroom. The heat I’d felt earlier had dissipated, and it was late. Plus, I had a routine meeting at the office tomorrow. In the end, I couldn’t finish what I’d started with my wife and drifted off to sleep. But what I never expected was that Hailey’s appearance in my home tonight wasn’t as simple as my wife had made it seem.

One day a week later, I finished my work early at the office and had nothing else to do, so I fell asleep in my office. I slept very deeply, as I had indeed been quite stressed lately. That night, having rested for a long time during the day, I wasn’t sleeping as deeply. I vaguely woke up to find my wife wasn’t in bed. I initially thought she was in the bathroom and didn’t think much of it, preparing to go back to sleep. But suddenly, I heard hushed whispers coming from outside the door. Could my wife be on the phone with someone? A wave of unease washed over me. It was so late, my wife wasn’t in the room, and she was secretly talking to someone in the living room. Was there something wrong with our marriage? I rushed to the door, pressing myself against it as if I wanted to merge into it. My wife’s voice drifted in. “Hailey, please just help me out again. Your company hasn’t paid you in months, right? If you help me, I’ll give you an extra thousand, no, how about two thousand?” So, she was talking to Hailey! The knot in my stomach loosened a bit. But then, Hailey’s voice chimed in. It wasn’t a phone call; she was right there in the living room with my wife. “No, no, Chloe. Even if I’m desperate for money, I can’t agree. Your husband almost found out last time…” I froze. Found out what? My wife continued, “It’s fine, that was an accident. Don’t worry, I promise something like that won’t happen again.” “Look, if you agree, not only will I give you an extra two thousand, I’ll also get my husband to arrange a position for you at his company. The salary will definitely be higher than your old company.” Hailey seemed to fall silent. I was completely baffled. What extra money? What did Chloe want Hailey to agree to? And it even involved me? What was going on? After a long while, prompted by my wife, Hailey seemed to waver, but she said, “Ugh, Chloe, I really don’t know why you’re doing this. It’s clear your husband loves you so much. Why don’t you two just have a baby? Maybe that would make you change your mind.” My heart, which had just settled, leaped back into my throat. Chloe’s voice wasn’t loud, but I could hear a hint of dismissiveness in her tone. “I don’t want to become a total mess because of a baby. I want to party it up for a few more years, you know? I’ve been secretly taking birth control pills after every time I’m intimate with my husband.” “I can’t live without the strong bodies of those younger guys outside!” When I heard that, I almost collapsed onto the floor. So, my so-called full-time housewife was secretly going out to party it up behind my back every day. And that “can’t live without” line was just an excuse. And the fact that we hadn’t had a child all these years? It was all her secretly pulling the strings behind my back. Resentment, pain, and fury instantly surged through my head. I wanted to rush out, slap her hard a few times, and demand to know why she was doing this. But just then, she spoke again, pleading with Hailey. “Alright, Hailey, my husband has been under a lot of stress for a while now. He sleeps like a log every night. You could put a corpse next to him, and he wouldn’t wake up!” A lightning bolt flashed through my mind. A disbelieving suspicion formed in my heart.

Could it be that Chloe always secretly sneaked out at night to mess around with young guys, but she was worried I’d wake up in the middle of the night and notice she was gone? So she found her best friend Hailey to lie next to me instead. After all, they both had similar figures. That way, even if I woke up in the middle of the night, I wouldn’t be able to clearly see who was lying next to me in the dark, and I naturally wouldn’t disturb my supposedly sleeping wife. That means the two times I heard the door open before weren’t a burglar breaking in. It was my wife letting Hailey lie next to me, then secretly slipping out to fool around. Thinking about this, everything clicked into place: why I suddenly noticed my wife’s voice was off, why she felt stiff and rigid when I touched her, like she was touched by a stranger. Because it wasn’t my wife, Chloe, at all; it was Hailey. I finally understood why she always had a faint smell of alcohol on her in the mornings, and why she was wearing formal clothes that night I saw her with Hailey. Hailey must have realized she couldn’t keep the deception going and called Chloe from the bathroom, telling her to hurry back. That’s why Hailey didn’t dare look me in the eye that day, constantly avoiding my gaze. At this thought, I collapsed onto the bed. I laughed self-deprecatingly. I never thought such a flawed trick would go completely unnoticed by me. If I hadn’t suddenly woken up today and overheard their conversation, I’d probably still be playing the clown. I suddenly got up, ready to yank open the bedroom door. But in the end, I calmed down. Even if I rushed out now and tore Chloe apart, it wouldn’t change anything. A heart that has strayed is like spilled water—you can’t un-ring that bell. I wanted to see what else she would do to keep me from finding out. With that thought, I slowly returned to bed and lay down, ignoring the voices outside. It was already midnight. I just lay there silently. About half an hour passed, and the room fell completely silent. Then, a faint closing sound came from outside again. Compared to the previous two times, this door closing was much softer. If I had been asleep, I wouldn’t have heard it at all. That single sound of the door closing completely shattered my heart. Perhaps our marriage was a mistake from the very beginning. Another half an hour passed. The lock on the bedroom door clicked, barely making a sound, pulling me back from my complicated thoughts. It must be Hailey coming in. In the dark, I squinted, unable to see clearly. I could only make out a silhouette entering the room, carefully closing the door, then tiptoeing to my bedside. It was undoubtedly Hailey. Every move she made was like walking on eggshells, extremely cautious, as if she feared I might suddenly wake up. After reaching the bedside, she paused for a long time. Finally, she gently pulled back the covers and slowly lay down. Honestly, my emotions right now were incredibly complex. There was the pain and anger of my wife’s betrayal, but surprisingly, there was also a strange mix of excitement and tension from her personally delivering her best friend to my bed. After Hailey lay down beside me, even her breathing was barely audible. I knew she was incredibly nervous right now too. I laughed at myself again, bitterly. My wife, just to go out and fool around at night, actually sent her beautiful best friend to my bed. This was something even movies wouldn’t dare to portray, yet it was happening to me. I thought to myself, *Chloe, Chloe, I genuinely believe I never did anything to wrong you. Ever since we got married, I tried my best to give you everything you wanted, and this is what it’s come to. I hate it so much!* Recalling all the past events, my anger soared. In an instant, an extremely bold idea surged into my mind. Fine, Chloe, you forced my hand. Since you sent Hailey to my bed to impersonate you, then it’s perfectly fine for me to be intimate with my ‘wife’ now, isn’t it? I’ll just pretend that the person lying next to me is Chloe. I want to see how you’re going to clean up this mess. Thinking this, my head began to heat up. A strong desire for revenge filled my mind. I stopped pretending to sleep and slowly got up, feigning a trip to the bathroom.

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At the parent-teacher conference, Tiffany’s essay, “My CEO Dad,” won first place, and the whole class applauded. After the meeting, my son, Leo, ran to me crying, five fiery red handprints marring his face. “Mom, Tiffany hit me again! She said I don’t deserve to be in the same class as her, and she spit on me!” I picked Leo up and headed straight for his homeroom teacher to confront her. Ms. Albright scoffed, “Stella, kids roughhousing is perfectly normal. Don’t blow things out of proportion.” “Besides, Tiffany is the daughter of Andrew Maxwell, the CEO of Maxwell Group. Who do you think you are?” “Since Tiffany said so, if you know what’s good for you, just transfer schools and get lost. Don’t ruin Tiffany’s learning environment.” I froze for a second. Then I called my private lawyer. “Prepare the divorce papers. I want to strip Andrew of everything.” He dared to use my money to support his mistress and illegitimate daughter? That was absolutely insane. After the parent-teacher conference ended, I approached Ms. Albright. “Ms. Albright, I’d like to talk to you about my son, Leo.” Ms. Albright was tidying up her desk, not even looking up. “Oh, Leo. What’s the problem?” “He’s been coming home crying a lot lately, saying Tiffany and her friends keep pouring water into his backpack and drawing on his face.” Ms. Albright impatiently said, “Stella, how serious can kids’ stuff be? It’s just minor scuffles, perfectly normal.” I started to doubt my own ears. “But my son’s backpack was deliberately soaked, and his stationery was hidden. You call that ‘minor scuffles’?” Ms. Albright waved a hand. “Ugh, why are you parents so sensitive these days? Tiffany is such a lively kid, and she even chooses to play with your son! That’s a blessing for him!” “Her dad is the CEO of Maxwell Group. You should be thanking her for even *acknowledging* your son.” My fists clenched instantly. “A ‘blessing’? My son is being bullied, and you, as a teacher, not only do nothing but call it a blessing?” Ms. Albright was clearly annoyed. “Stella, you’re being unreasonable. Andrew, Tiffany’s dad, donated so much money to our school. It’s normal for a child to be a bit spirited. Don’t make a big deal out of nothing.” “Besides, isn’t this all just kids playing?” “Playing? My voice couldn’t hide my fury anymore. He comes home crying every day, sometimes his clothes are torn and tattered. You call that playing?” “Oh, kids these days are just too sensitive,” Ms. Albright scoffed, curling her lip. “Tiffany is so excellent. Her dad is a CEO, and her mom is a respectable lady. It’s an honor for your son to be friends with her.” “I advise you to go home and properly educate your son. Tell him to learn how to fit in and stop being so petty.” Fine. Just fine! Is this the respect I earned by stepping back for my family? Is this the teaching ethics I earned by anonymously donating millions in scholarships to the school every year?

After leaving the teacher’s office, I walked to the parking lot to drive Leo home. But I found the road blocked. I leaned out to look and saw a group of people gathered in the middle of the road, completely obstructing traffic. I got out of the car and walked closer. It turned out to be a few flamboyantly dressed parents chatting animatedly around Bianca. I walked up and said, “Excuse me, could you please move aside?” The group of parents immediately turned their heads, giving me a disdainful look. A plump woman wearing a gold chain rudely said, “We’re talking to Ms. Bianca here. Who the hell do you think you are to interrupt?” Bianca noticed me then. She glanced at me, then at my car, and scoffed, “Oh, a pauper dares to act all high and mighty here?” The other parents chimed in: “Exactly! Doesn’t even know her place, daring to lecture Ms. Bianca?” “Ms. Bianca is Mr. Andrew Maxwell’s wife, the CEO of Maxwell Group! She’s worth hundreds of millions! What gives a broke person like you, driving a junk car, the right to shout here?” “If you know what’s good for you, get lost and stop being an eyesore!” Ten years ago, for my husband and son, I chose to step back, dedicating all my love to them. Maxwell Group? That was just a little company I casually bought to keep my husband happy back then. But now, this little toy I used to amuse my husband had become an object of worship for these people. I looked at Bianca, then at the familiar luxury car behind her – the very car I’d given Andrew for his birthday last year. Bianca noticed my gaze, thinking I was admiring her car. She patted the car door even more proudly. “See this? Never seen one, huh? This is a global limited edition, you can’t buy it even if you have the money!” I spoke calmly, “Indeed, I haven’t seen one.” “Of course not!” Bianca said, her face full of superiority. “This level of car isn’t something people like you can even come close to.” I continued, “I just haven’t seen anyone dare to drive *my* car.” The air suddenly went silent for a second. Bianca froze. “What did you say?” “I said, I bought this car,” my voice was calm. “The last digits of the license plate are Andrew’s birthday.” Bianca first froze, then burst into laughter. “Hahaha! Did you hear that? This pauper says this car is hers!” The surrounding parents joined in the laughter: “Is this person crazy?” “Ms. Bianca, don’t mind a delusional patient like her!” “Seriously, people these days, shamelessly trying to take credit for something that isn’t yours!” Bianca wiped away tears from laughing. “Sweetie, do you know how much this car costs? Three million! Look at that junk car you’re driving, it’s not even worth thirty thousand secondhand! And you dare say this Maserati is yours?” “And you just said the license plate ends with Andrew’s birthday? Bianca grew even more smug. My husband’s birthday can be found on any public website if you bother to look. You think you can fool me with such a pathetic trick?” Bianca pulled out her phone, triumphantly saying, “Come on, let this hick see what real high society life looks like!” She opened her photo gallery, and the screen showed a picture of her and Andrew together. In the photo, Andrew was wearing a custom suit I’d bought him, worth hundreds of thousands, his arm around Bianca’s, leaning intimately together. “This one, this is our photo under the Eiffel Tower in Paris.” I looked at the photos on the screen, my heart felt like it had been hit by a lightning bolt. During that time, Andrew had told me he was going on an important business trip for a week. “And this!” Bianca opened a video. “This is our daily life at home last weekend.” In the video, Andrew was busy in the kitchen, wearing an apron, meticulously chopping vegetables and stir-frying. Bianca hugged him from behind, and they interacted sweetly. I was stunned. Andrew never cooked. In our ten years of marriage, he always said he couldn’t cook, either ordering takeout or having the housekeeper prepare meals. Even when I was sick and wanted a bowl of congee, he would say he was too busy and told me to order takeout myself. But now, he was cooking for another woman, with a gentle smile I had never seen on his face. Just then, a sharp voice cut through the crowd: “Mommy!”

I turned my head and saw Bianca’s daughter, Tiffany, running from the school gate. She was wearing a branded school uniform, her face sporting a cocky expression. Bianca stroked her daughter’s head. “Tiffany, you’re just in time. Someone here says our car is hers. What do you think?” Tiffany sneered, speaking in an unnervingly mature tone, “Mom, I’ve seen plenty of people like her. There’s a kid in my class who’s always bragging about how rich his family is, but he can’t even afford a decent toy.” She glanced at me. “Auntie, do you know how much this car costs? My dad said it’s enough to buy a whole house. Look at yourself, do you look like someone who could afford it?” Then she pointed at my clothes. “Your entire outfit probably doesn’t even cost as much as one of my shoes, and you dare to say our car is yours?” “Just a pauper!” Tiffany made a face. “My dad said poor people like her should just get lost and not stain our eyes!” Bianca laughed heartily. “My daughter’s right! If you know what’s good for you, get out of here before you embarrass yourself even more!” I looked at the mother and daughter, my anger boiling. What kind of child had this girl been raised to be? Just then, my son, Leo, also got out of the car. He ran to my side anxiously. “Mom, why aren’t we leaving yet?” The moment Tiffany saw Leo, her eyes lit up. “Oh, if it isn’t the poor kid!” She walked up to Leo, deliberately blocking his path. “I heard your mom says our car is hers? Like mother, like son, both love to lie!” “Poor kids should know their place!” With that, she pulled a utility knife from her backpack. “If you don’t apologize, I’ll show you what happens when you mess with me!” Leo recoiled in fear, tripped over his own feet, and fell to the ground, crying hysterically. I didn’t hesitate. I rushed forward, grabbed Tiffany’s wrist, and snatched the utility knife from her hand. “Ah! It hurts! Let go of me!” Tiffany shrieked. I put the knife away and released her hand. Tiffany immediately sat on the ground and wailed, “Mom! She took my stuff! And she squeezed my hand!” Bianca immediately rushed over, pointing at me furiously. “You dared to lay a hand on her? Do you know how precious my daughter is?” “She was threatening my son with a knife!” I said, pointing to the utility knife in my hand. Bianca glanced at the utility knife and said disdainfully, “That’s just art supplies the school provides, kids just play with it! Why are you making such a big fuss?” The surrounding parents chimed in: “Kids roughhousing is normal, adults shouldn’t interfere!” “And if your son was a good kid, Tiffany wouldn’t have pulled out a knife!” “Ultimately, you were the ones who started it, that’s why Tiffany got angry!” “Look at your son, crying like that, he must be spoiled. A little thing like this and he can’t handle it!” “At the end of the day, it’s your mother and son’s problem!” Bianca sneered, “Poor people are just poor people, they don’t even know how to raise kids. No wonder others bully them!” I smiled, watching these people twist the truth. No matter what Tiffany did, in their eyes, we were always the ones in the wrong.

Bianca pulled out her phone and quickly dialed a number. The phone rang once and was immediately picked up. “Honey!” My heart sank. Every time I called Andrew, it would go straight to voicemail. He always said he was in a meeting, busy, no time to answer the phone. But now, Bianca’s call was answered instantly. Bianca said a few words into the phone, and in less than a minute, she hung up. “My husband will be here any minute!” Bianca looked at me and said, “If you’ve got guts, don’t run.” Not long after, a white BMW X7 pulled up to the side of the road. The car door opened, and Andrew, with a stern expression, stepped out. Bianca immediately rushed to him, her face full of grievance. “Honey, you’re finally here! There’s a lunatic here causing trouble, she not only said our car is hers, but she also hit Tiffany!” Tiffany also cooperated, raising her wrist, which indeed had a red mark. “Daddy, this auntie is so mean, she took my knife and squeezed my hand!” He patted Tiffany’s back reassuringly. “Don’t worry, Tiffany, Daddy will make sure you get justice!” “Honey, it’s that mother and son!” Bianca pointed at me and Leo, gritting her teeth. “That woman is a psycho, and the kid isn’t any good either! You have to make them pay, make them disappear from here!” The surrounding parents, seeing the ‘main character’ arrive, started adding fuel to the fire, chattering excitedly: “Mr. Maxwell, it’s this person! She not only insulted Ms. Bianca but also laid hands on Tiffany!” “Exactly! I bet she’s just jealous of Ms. Bianca’s happy family and successful career, deliberately looking for trouble!” “Yeah, this person is too arrogant, she clearly doesn’t respect you!” The surrounding parents started to stir up trouble again. Andrew looked in the direction everyone was pointing. When his eyes landed on my face, the anger on his face instantly solidified, and a flicker of guilt darted through his eyes. He walked up to me and said coldly, “Madam, there might be some misunderstanding here. But no matter what, laying hands on my daughter is wrong.” “And so?” I retorted calmly. “So, I hope you can apologize, and we’ll leave it at that,” he said, his eyes uncontrollably flickering, unable to meet mine. Bianca saw Andrew handling the matter so lightly and immediately interrupted, dissatisfied. “Honey, how can an apology fix this? This person made me lose face in front of so many people today! She not only said our car was hers but also humiliated me in front of everyone, and then she laid hands on Tiffany! I can’t let this go!” Bianca grew more agitated as she spoke, pointing at me furiously. “Look at all these parents watching! If you let her off so easily, how will I, Bianca, ever fit in this circle again? What will everyone think of me?” A few parents immediately nodded in agreement: “Ms. Bianca is right! Mr. Maxwell, you’re too kind-hearted!” “Exactly, someone like this needs to be taught a lesson, or more people will come to cause trouble later!” “Mr. Maxwell, you’re too merciful, people will take advantage of you!” Bianca’s face grew even uglier when she heard these voices. She looked at Andrew anxiously: “Honey, did you hear that? If we let this go today, tomorrow all the parents in the school will know that Bianca was bullied and didn’t dare fight back! My reputation, our family’s reputation, have you considered that?” “Shut up!” Andrew suddenly exploded, his voice so sharp it stunned everyone present. Bianca was startled by the sudden roar and took a step back, looking at Andrew in disbelief. “Honey, what… what’s wrong with you?” I smiled. “Apologize? Sure.” Andrew and Bianca both froze, seemingly surprised that I agreed so easily. Bianca’s face immediately showed a triumphant expression. “Smart move!” I pulled out my phone and dialed a number. “Chief Miller? It’s me, Stella.” “I’m at my son’s school. Someone stole my car and is claiming it’s theirs in front of all these people. Could you send a few officers to handle this?” After hanging up, I looked at Bianca. “Ms. Bianca, don’t worry. My apology will be here any minute.” Bianca sneered, “Heh, still faking calls? Do you think we’ll believe you just because you found a friend to back you up?” The surrounding parents also chimed in, “Seriously, people these days. ‘Chief Miller,’ what a joke!” Five minutes later, three police cars sped up, sirens wailing. A middle-aged police officer, leading the group, walked quickly toward me. Seeing me, he immediately saluted. “Ms. Stella, are you alright? Who dared to steal your car?”

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At the parent-teacher conference, Leo Stone’s essay, “My CEO Mom,” won first place. The entire class applauded. After the meeting, my daughter, Lily, ran crying towards me, five angry red marks blooming on her face. “Daddy, Leo Stone hit me again! He said I don’t belong in the same class as him, and he even spat on me!” I picked up Lily and went to confront Ms. Davies, our class teacher. Ms. Davies just scoffed, “Mr. Foster, kids play rough sometimes, it’s completely normal. You’re making such a big deal out of it.” “Besides, Leo Stone is the son of Victoria Hayes, the CEO of Hayes Corporation. Who do you think you are?” “Leo himself said it. You’d better know your place and just transfer her out. Don’t you dare disrupt Leo’s schooling.” I froze for a second. Then I called my private lawyer: “Prepare the divorce papers. I want Victoria Hayes to lose everything in the divorce.” She dared to use my money to support a lover and his illegitimate child. She had truly crossed the line.

After the parent-teacher conference, I went directly to Ms. Davies. “Ms. Davies, I’d like to discuss my daughter, Lily Foster’s situation.” Ms. Davies was tidying her desk, not even looking up. “Oh, Lily Foster, is there a problem?” “She’s been coming home crying a lot lately, saying Leo and his friends often dump water in her backpack and draw on her face.” Ms. Davies impatiently waved her hand. “Mr. Foster, it’s just kids being kids. How serious could it be? Just a bit of roughhousing, perfectly normal.” I started to doubt my own ears. “But my daughter’s backpack was deliberately soaked, and her stationery was hidden. You call that roughhousing?” Ms. Davies sighed, “Goodness, why are you parents so sensitive these days? Leo is such an energetic boy. It’s a privilege for your daughter that he even bothers to play with her!” “His mom is the CEO of Hayes Corporation. You should be thanking her son for even acknowledging your daughter.” My fists clenched instantly. “A privilege? My daughter is being bullied, and you, as a teacher, not only do nothing but call it a privilege?” Ms. Davies clearly looked annoyed. “Mr. Foster, that’s going too far. Victoria Hayes has donated so much money to our school. It’s normal for a child to be a bit spirited. You’re making a mountain out of a molehill.” “Besides, isn’t it all just kids playing?” “Playing? My voice couldn’t hold back the anger. She comes home crying every day, sometimes her clothes are torn. You call that playing?” “Oh, kids these days are just too sensitive.” Ms. Davies scoffed, pursing her lips. “Leo is such an excellent kid. His mom is a CEO, his dad is a respectable man. Your daughter should be honored to be friends with him.” “I advise you to go home and educate your daughter properly. Teach her to fit in and stop being so petty.” Fine, just fine! Is this the respect I get for stepping back to support my family? Is this the professional integrity I get for anonymously donating millions in scholarships to this school every year?

After leaving the teacher’s office, I was about to drive Lily home. But I found the road blocked. I leaned out to see, and a group of well-dressed parents were gathered in the middle of the road, completely blocking traffic. I got out of the car and walked closer. It turned out they were eagerly chatting around Mark Stone. I stepped forward and said, “Excuse me, could you please move aside?” The group of parents immediately turned their heads, scrutinizing me with utter disdain. A fat man with a gold chain rudely snapped, “We’re talking to Mr. Stone here. Who do you think you are to interrupt?” Mark Stone noticed me then. He looked at me, then at my car, and sneered, “Well, well, a nobody like you daring to lecture us here?” The other parents chimed in: “Exactly! He doesn’t even know his place, daring to lecture Mr. Stone?” “Mr. Stone is the husband of Victoria Hayes from Hayes Corporation, worth hundreds of millions! What right does a pauper driving a beat-up car like you have to make a scene here?” “You’d better know your place and get out of our sight!” Ten years ago, for my wife and daughter, I chose to retire, giving all my love to them. Hayes Corporation? That was just a little trinket I bought to make my wife happy back then. But now, this small toy I used to amuse my wife has become an object of worship for these people. I looked at Mark Stone, then at the familiar luxury car behind him – it was the exact car I had given Victoria for her birthday last year. Mark Stone noticed my gaze, mistaking it for envy, and even more smugly patted the car door. “What do you think? Never seen one before? This is a global limited edition, money can’t even buy it!” I spoke calmly, “I haven’t indeed.” “Of course not!” Mark Stone said with an air of superiority. “This level of car isn’t something people like you can even dream of touching.” I continued, “I just haven’t seen anyone else dare to drive *my* car.” The air suddenly went silent for a second. Mark Stone froze. “What did you say?” “I said, this car is mine,” my voice was calm. “The last digits of the license plate are even Victoria’s birthday.” Mark Stone first froze, then burst into laughter. “Hahaha! Did you hear that? This pauper says this car is his!” The surrounding parents also joined in the laughter: “Is this guy crazy?” “Mr. Stone, don’t stoop to the level of a delusional patient like him!” “Exactly, these days anyone can come along, daring to flatter themselves like that!” Mark Stone wiped away tears of laughter. “Buddy, do you know how much this car costs? Three hundred thousand! Look at the junker you’re driving, a used one isn’t even worth three thousand! And you dare to say this Maserati is yours?” “And you just said the license plate ends with Victoria’s birthday?” Mark Stone became even more arrogant. “My wife’s birthday is public knowledge, you can find it online! You think you can fool me with such a pathetic trick?” Mark Stone pulled out his phone, triumphantly. “Come on, let me show you, a country bumpkin, what real high society life looks like!” He opened his photo album, and the screen displayed a picture of him and Victoria. In the photo, Victoria was wearing a custom-made gown I had bought her, worth tens of thousands, her arm linked with Mark Stone’s, both intimately leaning against each other. “This one, this is our photo under the Eiffel Tower in Paris.” I looked at the photo on the screen, my heart struck by lightning. At that time, Victoria had clearly told me she was going to attend an important business conference, requiring a week-long business trip. “And this!” Mark Stone opened a video. “This is our daily life at home last weekend.” In the video, Victoria was busy in the kitchen, wearing an apron, seriously chopping vegetables and stir-frying. Mark Stone hugged her from behind, and they interacted sweetly. I froze. Victoria never cooked. In ten years of marriage, she had always claimed she couldn’t cook, either ordering takeout every day or having the housekeeper prepare meals. Even when I was sick and wanted a bowl of soup, she would say she was too busy and told me to order takeout myself. But now, she was personally cooking for another man, with a gentle smile on her face I had never seen before. Just then, a sharp voice cut through the crowd: “Dad!”

I turned to see Leo Stone, Mark’s son, running from the school gate. He was wearing a designer school uniform, with an arrogant expression on his face. Mark Stone ruffled his son’s hair. “Leo, perfect timing. Someone here says our car is his. What do you think?” Leo sneered, saying in a precocious tone, “Dad, I’ve seen too many people like this. There’s a kid in my class who always brags about how rich his family is, but he can’t even afford a decent toy.” He glanced at me. “Mister, do you know how much this car costs? My mom said it’s enough to buy a house. Look at yourself, do you look like someone who could afford it?” Then he pointed at my clothes. “Your entire outfit probably costs less than one of my shoes, and you dare to say our car is yours?” “Just a pauper!” Leo made a face. “My mom said, people like you, poor as dirt, should just disappear. You’re a blight on our eyes!” Mark Stone burst out laughing. “My son’s right! You’d better know your place and get out of here before you embarrass yourself!” I looked at this father and son, my anger intensifying. What kind of upbringing did this child have? Just then, my daughter, Lily, also stepped out of the car. She ran worriedly to my side. “Daddy, why aren’t you leaving yet?” Leo Stone’s eyes lit up the moment he saw Lily. “Well, well, if it isn’t the poor little girl!” He walked in front of Lily, deliberately blocking her path. “I heard your dad said our car is his? Like father, like daughter, both of you love to lie!” “Poor kids should know their place!” Saying that, he pulled out a craft knife from his backpack. “If you don’t apologize, I’ll show you what happens when you mess with me!” Lily recoiled in terror, tripped over her feet, and fell to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably. I didn’t hesitate. I rushed forward, grabbed Leo Stone’s wrist, and snatched the craft knife away. “Ah! Ow! Let go of me!” Leo Stone shrieked loudly. I pocketed the knife and released his hand. Leo Stone immediately sat on the ground, wailing. “Dad! He took my stuff! He squeezed my hand!” Mark Stone immediately rushed over, pointing at me furiously. “You dared to lay hands on him? Do you know how precious my son is?” “He just threatened my daughter with a knife!” I said, pointing to the craft knife in my hand. Mark Stone glanced at the craft knife and scoffed, “That’s just school art supplies, kids play with them! Do you have to be so dramatic?” The surrounding parents also chimed in: “It’s normal for kids to roughhouse, adults shouldn’t interfere!” “And if your daughter were a bit nicer, Leo wouldn’t have pulled out a knife!” “Ultimately, you two started it, that’s why Leo got angry!” “Look at your daughter, crying like that, she must be spoiled rotten, can’t handle anything!” “At the end of the day, it’s your father-daughter problem!” Mark Stone sneered, “Poor people are just poor people, they don’t even know how to raise kids. No wonder others bully them!” I watched these people twist the truth, a cynical smile playing on my lips. No matter what Leo Stone did, in their eyes, the fault would always be ours.

Mark Stone pulled out his phone and quickly dialed a number. The moment the phone rang, it was answered instantly. “Babe?” My heart jolted. Every time I called Victoria, she’d hang up immediately. She’d always say she was in a meeting, busy, no time to answer. But now, she answered Mark Stone’s call instantly. Mark Stone spoke a few words into the phone. In less than a minute, he hung up. “My wife will be here any minute!” Mark Stone looked at me. “If you’ve got the guts, don’t go anywhere.” Not long after, a white BMW X7 pulled up to the curb. The car door opened, and Victoria Hayes stepped out, her expression grim. Mark Stone immediately rushed to her, looking wronged. “Babe, you’re finally here! This lunatic is making a scene, not only claiming our car is his but also hitting Leo!” Leo Stone also cooperatively held up his wrist, which indeed had a red mark. “Mom, this mister is so mean. He took my knife and squeezed my hand!” Victoria soothingly patted Leo Stone’s back. “Don’t worry, Leo, Mom will make sure you get justice!” “Honey, it’s those two, the father and daughter!” Mark Stone pointed at me and Lily, gritting his teeth. “That man is a maniac, and the little one is no good either! You must make them pay and disappear from here!” The surrounding parents, seeing the main person arrive, started eagerly adding fuel to the fire: “Ms. Hayes, it’s this man! He not only insulted Mr. Stone but also laid hands on Leo!” “That’s right, I think he’s just jealous of Mr. Stone’s happy family and successful career, deliberately looking for trouble!” “Yes, this person is too arrogant, he just doesn’t respect you at all!” The surrounding parents started to incite again. Victoria Hayes followed the direction of their fingers. When she saw my face, the anger on her face instantly froze, and a flicker of guilt flashed in her eyes. She walked up to me and said coldly, “Sir, there might be some misunderstanding here. But no matter what, you laying hands on my son is wrong.” “So?” I retorted calmly. “So, I hope you can apologize, and we can put this matter behind us.” She said, her eyes uncontrollably darting away, avoiding my gaze. Mark Stone, seeing Victoria handle the situation so lightly, immediately interrupted, clearly displeased: “Babe, how can an apology just end it? This guy made me lose face in front of so many people today! He not only said our car was his, but he humiliated me in front of everyone, and then he laid hands on Leo! I can’t let this go!” Mark Stone grew more agitated as he spoke, pointing at me furiously. “Look at all these parents watching. If we let him off easy today, how can I, Mark Stone, ever mix in this circle again? What will everyone think of me?” A few parents immediately nodded in agreement: “Mr. Stone is right! Ms. Hayes, you’re too kind-hearted!” “Exactly, this kind of person needs to be taught a lesson, otherwise more people will cause trouble later!” “Ms. Hayes, you’re being too lenient, people will take advantage of you!” Mark Stone’s face darkened when he heard these dissenting voices. He eagerly looked at Victoria: “Babe, did you hear that? If this matter is settled today, tomorrow all the parents in the school will know that Mark Stone was bullied and didn’t dare fight back! My reputation, our family’s reputation, have you considered that?” “You shut up!” Victoria Hayes suddenly burst out, her voice so sharp it made everyone present freeze. Mark Stone was startled by the sudden roar and took a step back, looking at Victoria in disbelief. “Babe, you… what’s wrong?” I smiled. “Apologize? Of course.” Victoria and Mark Stone both froze, seemingly not expecting me to back down so easily. Mark Stone’s face immediately showed a triumphant expression. “Smart move!” I pulled out my phone and dialed a number. “Chief Miller? It’s Alex Foster.” “I’m at my daughter’s school gate. Someone stole my car and is claiming it’s theirs in front of all these people. Could you please send some officers over to handle it?” After hanging up, I looked at Mark Stone. “Mr. Stone, don’t rush. My apology will be here any minute.” Mark Stone sneered, “Heh, still putting on a show with phone calls? Do you think if you get a friend to back you up, we’ll believe you?” The surrounding parents also scoffed, “Exactly, these days anyone can make up stories. ‘Chief Miller,’ big talk!” Five minutes later, three police cars sped up, sirens wailing. The middle-aged police chief leading the group walked over quickly. Seeing me, he immediately saluted. “Mr. Foster, are you alright? Who would be so foolish as to steal your car?”

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My blood ran with a secret power, a living cure for any poison. Seraphina Hayes, the untouchable heiress from one of the city’s most powerful dynasties, had been bitten by a venomous snake and was clinging to life. In that critical moment, I slit my wrist and let my blood flow to save her. Only later did I learn the cruel truth: whoever saved Seraphina’s life would become the chosen son-in-law of the Hayes family. But the first thing Seraphina did after inheriting her family’s empire was drain every last drop of my blood, then had my body chopped into pieces and fed to their dogs. “Julian had already brought the antidote,” she’d sneered, her eyes glittering with malice. “If I had just waited five more minutes, I could have married him without a single obstacle.” “But you had to butt in, didn’t you? You stole his place as the Hayes family’s son-in-law, driving him to despair and suicide.” “You claimed your blood could cure all poisons? Well, Asher Vance, let’s see how many doses of antidote we can squeeze out of you.” My entire body was drained of blood, then thrown into a gladiator pit. There was nothing left of me. My parents, ruined by the Hayes family, took their own lives, together. When I opened my eyes again, I was back. Back to that fateful day Seraphina Hayes was poisoned. Eleanor Hayes, Seraphina’s mother, looked at me with a hopeful gaze. “I heard you were born with a unique gift, a living cure. Would you be willing to save my daughter’s life?” I immediately shook my head. “All those stories are just rumors, Mrs. Hayes. Besides, using blood as medicine? That’s just barbaric and unsanitary.” “You don’t need to worry, though. I heard Mr. Thorne is already rushing here with a special antidote. Miss Hayes will surely pull through!” A thrill of dark anticipation rippled through me. Without my blood to cure her… Seraphina Hayes? Forget inheriting her family’s empire. She’d be lucky to last another month!

Eleanor Hayes hadn’t even had a chance to mask her disappointment when suddenly, a gut-wrenching cry echoed through the hall. Silence fell instantly. No one dared to utter a sound. A rush of hurried footsteps came from the entrance, and several bodyguards carried Seraphina Hayes inside. Her eyes were tightly shut, and half of her arm was a sickening blackish-purple. It was a gruesome sight. The grand hall instantly erupted into chaos. Many people shrieked, backing away several steps. Richard Hayes’s face was terrifyingly grim. “Why do I even bother keeping you useless fools around?! I told you to protect her closely! How could you let Miss Hayes get bitten by a venomous snake?!” The bodyguards hung their heads low, sweat trickling down their temples, but not a single one dared to speak up. Just then, Julian Thorne was practically shoved to the front. “It’s not their fault… Seraphina said she didn’t like too many people following her.” A doctor rushed forward, quickly examining Seraphina’s injury. Seraphina’s body suddenly trembled violently. Finally, her eyes slowly fluttered open. “It’s Julian,” she whispered, her voice weak. “He risked everything to bring me the antidote. If it weren’t for him, I’d probably be dead already.” The doctor quietly added, “Indeed. If not for the uniquely potent antidote Mr. Thorne brought, the consequences would have been unthinkable.” Hearing this, Richard Hayes’s expression finally softened a little. His gaze turned to Julian. “You saved Seraphina’s life. You are a great benefactor to the Hayes family. Tell me, what do you want? As long as it’s within my power, I won’t refuse.” A flicker of light crossed Julian’s eyes. He stole a quick glance at Seraphina, his lips parted, but he couldn’t find the words. Seraphina’s expression darkened. She suddenly reached out and took his hand in hers. “Father, Julian is too shy to speak. I’ll speak for him.” Her voice was unwavering. “I want to marry him. I don’t care what anyone outside says. He saved my life, and I want to repay him with my entire future.” The atmosphere in the hall abruptly froze. Everyone gasped. Julian Thorne was merely the son of the Hayes family’s housekeeper. Although he had grown up with Seraphina, his background was simply too humble. The idea of him becoming their future son-in-law had never even crossed Richard and Eleanor Hayes’s minds. Richard Hayes frowned, a clear look of displeasure flashing in his eyes. Eleanor Hayes, standing beside him, suddenly spoke, her voice chilling. “You want to marry a housekeeper’s son? Do you want everyone to laugh at the Hayes family?” “You are the future heir of the Hayes Corporation. Don’t you understand the stakes involved?” Seraphina turned her head to look at Julian, who stood beside her. She made up her mind and slowly spoke.

“I understand the responsibilities of a Hayes Corporation heir, but I believe managing this empire requires capability and shrewdness, not relying on my partner’s power!” “The status I want, I’ll fight for myself. I don’t need outsiders to get it.” A single sentence plunged the banquet into a brief, stunned silence. Richard Hayes’s face turned a sickly shade of green, veins throbbing in his temples. I lowered my head, rubbing my fingers, a faint smile playing on my lips. Seraphina Hayes. She truly was ruthless and arrogant to her very core. Too bad she’d forgotten that her father only managed to pull their company back from the brink during that crisis years ago because my family bailed them out. That’s when Richard Hayes made a verbal agreement with my father for Seraphina and I to marry. “Fine! Very well!” Richard Hayes was seething. He slammed his hand on the table. “Since you’re so capable, I’ll let you have your way. Let’s see how long you can last without our support!” With that, he stormed off in a rage. Eleanor Hayes quickly stood up and followed him. Seraphina extended her arm, pulling Julian into a tight embrace, and solemnly promised him. “Don’t worry. The Hayes family’s son-in-law position will always be yours. No one can ever shake that!” I watched the two wrapped up in their own little world, preparing to leave. But Seraphina’s quiet voice stopped me. “Wait.” She pushed away Julian’s helping hand, swayed slightly, and came after me alone. She leaned close to my ear, speaking in a voice only we could hear. “Asher Vance, did you also come back with your memories?” “Good, you’re smart enough not to block Julian’s path this time. If you hadn’t meddled in my past life and made me lose Julian, I wouldn’t have been so ruthless towards you. This time, as long as you stay in your place, I can spare you and the Vance family.” “If you want to stay by my side, I’ll tell you now: I won’t give you any official title.” I raised an eyebrow, feigning confusion. “What are you talking about, Miss Hayes?” “My family may not be an old dynasty, but we still have pride. Why on earth would I agree to be some kept man?” I met her eyes directly. I didn’t want her to know too much, and I certainly didn’t want the bloody hatred of my past life to bring disaster upon my family again. I glanced down, noticing her arm was still black. I scoffed internally. The blood debt from the past life—did she really think a few sweet words could erase it? Seraphina Hayes clearly underestimated me. Just wait until the poison in her right hand flares up again. She won’t even be able to save her own life. I ignored her, letting out a dismissive laugh, and ruthlessly pushed her hand away. “Are you out of your mind, Seraphina? You’re talking absolute nonsense.” With that, I walked around her and quickly left. Seraphina lunged for me, but suddenly lost her balance, stumbled, and collapsed to the floor. Julian let out a panicked shriek. “Seraphina!” I calmly adjusted my cuffs, not even bothering to look back. Heaven had granted me a new life. I would never let anyone hurt my family or me again. The next morning, I heard the frantic shouts of the staff downstairs that someone had broken in. Julian Thorne stormed in, his eyes blazing red, pointing at me and demanding furiously. “Asher Vance! You’re from a distinguished family, you lack nothing! Why do you insist on stealing Seraphina from me?!” “Don’t you know she was supposed to be mine?!” I sat up straight, my hair still a mess. “Are you sure you’ve got the right person? When have I ever competed with you for anything?” “You!” Julian bit his lower lip, tears welling up again, his voice filled with resentment. “Then what did you two talk about yesterday? Seraphina kept shouting your name after she fainted!” I raised an eyebrow at him, my voice flat, almost amused. “Didn’t she tell you? She’s begging to marry me now.”

Julian’s face instantly paled. He bit his lip, his voice turning shrill. “How could that be?! You bastard! You must have used some underhanded tactics!” I was about to explain when he suddenly shrieked and lunged at me, his hand already flying towards my face. The next second, a fluffy white ball of fur shot out like a flash from the corner. Snowball bit down hard on Julian’s wrist. Julian shrieked, stumbling back several steps and landing hard on the floor. I instinctively reached out, wanting to help him up. But the front door was kicked open with a loud bang. Seraphina Hayes stood at the doorway, her face like stone. “Asher Vance, how dare you incite this beast to harm Julian?!” Seraphina’s dark eyes swept over Snowball, then settled on me, her thin lips forming a grim line. “I told you, anyone who hurts Julian deserves to die.” “What are you waiting for?!” Her voice, relentless and cold, tore through any remaining illusions I had. “Throw that beast into the shredder!” The two bodyguards by the door instantly obeyed, lunging forward and grabbing Snowball by her small neck. Snowball’s eyes were wide with terror and fury. Her four paws struggled desperately, but she couldn’t break free from the men’s thick arms. My heart leaped into my throat. I yelled. “Stop it!” But a bodyguard held me fast, unable to move a muscle. “Miss Hayes, Mr. Thorne came here to insult our young master! Snowball only bit him to protect him!” One of the housekeepers tried to defend me. “Lies!” Julian cried, clutching his hand, his voice thick with tears. “He deliberately raised a crazy dog to hurt me!” Seraphina gave me a cold, dismissive glance, then bent down to help the fallen Julian. “Get rid of this mad dog, now.” Snowball was lifted into the air. Her neck was visibly about to snap. My blood ran cold. I didn’t think, I just wanted to snatch Snowball back from them. “Seraphina Hayes! Snowball was just protecting me! Julian provoked her first! He was the one who made the first move…” But she didn’t even spare me a glance. She simply tossed Snowball aside like trash. Snowball twitched twice on the ground, then her neck went limp, and her struggles ceased. I knelt there, stunned, horrifying images flashing through my mind again. In my past life, Seraphina had been just as ruthless. She’d bribed the vet, and Snowball had been used as a lab experiment, finally dying on a cold operating table. I bit down hard on my lower lip, swallowing back the sob that threatened to tear through my throat. “Seraphina Hayes, you can’t even tolerate the dog I raised since I was a child?!” I clenched my fists, my voice raw. But Seraphina merely scoffed. “Asher Vance, I’m already being merciful by letting you live. Don’t push your luck.” “My heart has always belonged to Julian and only Julian. If you dare to cross him again, you’ll be the next one to die.” Seraphina wrapped an arm around Julian and led him away without a backward glance. I bowed my head, my nails digging into my palms. Julian looked back, glaring at me, a smirk of disdain and triumph on his lips. Seraphina probably didn’t realize that she hadn’t just killed Snowball; she had killed her last hope of survival. Forget inheriting her family’s empire. She’d be lucky if death itself showed her mercy. Snowball’s body was already stiff. I picked her up with trembling hands and dug a grave in the yard. Since I was a child, Snowball was the only one who truly stayed by my side. Even in my last life, tortured to her death, she never let go. My tears splattered onto the soil. In that moment, the pain was so crushing, even breathing hurt. “Do you need help?” I looked up, meeting Valentina Cross’s dark, gentle eyes. At yesterday’s banquet, besides Seraphina being bitten by a venomous snake, Valentina had also been poisoned. In my previous life, my entire focus was on Seraphina. I cut my wrist and gave her my blood, saving her. This led to Valentina not receiving timely medical treatment and dying from the poison. But yesterday, I had someone deliver the special antidote made from my blood to Valentina in advance. She took it immediately after being bitten, and only then did she escape danger. I wiped away my tears. I looked at her, my voice deadly serious. “Valentina Cross, interested in a partnership?” “I’ll help you bring down Hayes Corp, and you marry me.” The words had barely left my mouth when Valentina’s eyes lit up with surprise. A smile touched her lips, as if her long wait had finally paid off. “Alright, it’s a deal. Don’t you dare go back on your word.”

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I was born with a unique gift: my blood is a natural antidote, capable of neutralizing any poison. The aloof heir of a powerful family, Damien Blackwood, was bitten by a venomous snake and was on the brink of death. In that critical moment, I sliced my wrist and bled to save him. Only later did I learn that whoever saved Damien Blackwood’s life would secure their place as the future Mrs. Blackwood. But the first thing Damien did after inheriting the family empire was drain me dry, then had me chopped up and fed to his dogs. “Willow clearly brought the antidote. If I’d just waited five more minutes, I could’ve openly married her.” “But you had to butt in, snatching her rightful place as Mrs. Blackwood, driving her to desperate suicide.” “You claim your blood can cure all poisons. I’d like to see how many antidotes your blood can produce now.” My blood was completely drained, and I was thrown into a fight pit, my body torn to shreds. My parents, after being driven to bankruptcy by the Blackwoods, both took their own lives, driven to despair. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day Damien Blackwood was poisoned. Mrs. Blackwood looked at me with hopeful eyes. “I hear you have a unique medicinal constitution. Would you be willing to save my son’s life?” I quickly shook my head. “Everything they say outside is just rumors. Besides, using blood as medicine, how unsanitary is that?” “You don’t need to worry, Mrs. Blackwood. I heard Ms. Willow Hayes is rushing over with a special antidote. Young Master Blackwood will surely pull through!” A faint sense of anticipation stirred within me. Without me to cure his poison… Damien Blackwood wouldn’t just lose his chance at inheriting the family business; he’d be lucky to last another month!

Mrs. Blackwood hadn’t even had time to hide her disappointment when suddenly, a heart-wrenching shout echoed through the hall. Everyone fell silent instantly, not daring to make a sound. A flurry of urgent footsteps approached from outside the door. Several bodyguards worked together to carry Damien Blackwood in. His eyes were tightly shut, half his arm a horrifying black-purple. It was a ghastly sight. The grand hall erupted into chaos. Many people shrieked, backing away. Mr. Blackwood’s face was a dark storm cloud, truly terrifying. “What good are you useless bodyguards?! I told you to protect him closely! How could you let the Young Master get bitten by a venomous snake?!” The bodyguards hung their heads, sweat dripping down their temples, but not one dared to talk back. Just then, Willow Hayes was pushed to the front. “It wasn’t their fault… Damien always said he didn’t like too many people following him.” A doctor rushed forward, quickly examining Damien Blackwood’s injury. Damien’s body suddenly trembled violently, and he slowly opened his eyes. “It’s Willow. She risked her life to bring me the antidote. If it weren’t for her, I’d probably be dead already.” The doctor beside him quietly added, “Indeed. If it weren’t for the unique effectiveness of Miss Hayes’s antidote, the consequences would have been unthinkable.” Hearing the doctor’s words, Mr. Blackwood’s expression finally softened slightly, his gaze shifting to Willow. “You saved Damien’s life. You are a great benefactor to the Blackwood family. Tell me, what do you want? As long as it’s within my power, I won’t refuse.” Willow’s eyes flickered with a faint light. She stole a glance at Damien, her lips moving, but she couldn’t seem to utter a single word. Damien’s expression was grim. Suddenly, he reached out and took her hand in his. “Dad, Willow is too shy to speak. I’ll speak for her.” His voice was firmer than ever before. “I’m going to marry Willow. I don’t care what anyone says outside. She saved my life, and I want to spend my life repaying her.” The atmosphere in the hall abruptly froze. Everyone gasped. Willow was just the daughter of the Blackwoods’ housekeeper. Though she and Damien had grown up together, her background was simply not respectable enough. The Blackwood family had never once considered her as a future daughter-in-law. Mr. Blackwood frowned, a clear look of displeasure flashing in his eyes. Mrs. Blackwood suddenly spoke, her voice chilling. “You want to marry a housekeeper’s daughter? Do you want everyone to laugh at the Blackwood family?” “You are the future heir of the Blackwood empire. Are you truly unaware of the stakes involved?” Damien turned his head to look at Willow, who stood beside him. He made up his mind and slowly spoke.

“I understand the responsibilities of the Blackwood heir, but I believe managing this corporation requires capability and skill, not clinging to a partner’s influence!” “The position I want, I’ll fight for it myself. I won’t rely on outsiders.” With that declaration, the room fell into a brief, stunned silence. Mr. Blackwood’s face turned a dangerous shade of green, a vein throbbing in his temple. I lowered my head, rubbing my fingers, a faint smile playing on my lips. Damien Blackwood, that man, was truly arrogant and heartless to the core. What a pity, he’d forgotten that his father had only managed to turn the tide during the company’s crisis back then because the Stewart family had extended a helping hand. At that time, Mr. Blackwood had made a verbal pact with my father, promising my hand to Damien. “Good! Very good!” Mr. Blackwood was enraged to the extreme, slamming his hand down on the table. “Since you’re so capable, then I’ll grant your wish. Let’s see how long you can last!” With that, he stormed off in a huff, Mrs. Blackwood hurriedly getting up to follow him. Damien extended his long arm, pulling Willow into his embrace, and solemnly promised her, “Don’t worry, the position of Mrs. Blackwood will always be yours. No one can ever shake it!” Watching the lovey-dovey pair, I was about to leave. But Damien’s low voice stopped me. “Wait.” He brushed off Willow’s assistance, swayed for a moment, then came after me. He leaned close to my ear, speaking in a voice only we could hear: “Stella Stewart, did you come back too? With your memories?” “Good, you’re smart enough to know your place this time and didn’t get in Willow’s way again.” “In the last life, if you hadn’t interfered and made me lose Willow, I wouldn’t have been so ruthless with you. This life, as long as you stay quiet and know your place, I can spare you and the Stewart family.” “If you want to stay close, let me make one thing clear: you’ll never have any official title from me.” I subtly raised an eyebrow, feigning confusion. “What are you talking about, Mr. Blackwood?” “The Stewart family might not be old money, but we have our pride. We don’t do ‘mistress.’” I lifted my gaze, meeting his eyes directly. I didn’t want him to know too much, nor did I want the bloody vengeance from the last life to bring disaster upon my family again. I glanced down, catching sight of his still-darkened arm, and smirked inwardly. He thought a few sweet words could erase the blood debt of the past life? Damien Blackwood truly underestimated me. Once the poison in his right hand flared up, his life wouldn’t even be safe. I ignored him, scoffed, and ruthlessly shrugged off his hand. “Did you eat something funny, Damien? Because you’re clearly out of your mind, spouting such nonsense.” With that, I walked around him and quickly left. Unexpectedly, Damien, rushing to grab me, suddenly lost his balance, stumbling and falling to the floor. Willow screamed in terror. “Damien!” I straightened my cuff, not bothering to look back. Heaven had granted me a new life. I would never let anyone harm me or my family again. Early the next morning, I heard the frantic shouts of the downstairs staff, saying someone had broken in. Willow, her eyes red, stormed in, pointing at me and demanding loudly, “Stella Stewart! You’re an heiress of a prominent family, you lack nothing, so why do you insist on fighting me for Damien?” “Don’t you know, he was supposed to be mine!” I sat up directly, my hair still a mess. “Are you mistaken? When have I ever fought you for anything?” “You!” Willow bit her lower lip, tears almost spilling again, her voice full of resentment. “Then what were you two talking about yesterday? After Damien fainted, he kept calling your name!” I raised an eyebrow at her, my tone so faint it was almost a laugh. “Didn’t he tell you? He’s begging me to marry him now.”

Willow’s face instantly paled. She bit her lip, her voice suddenly shrill. “How is that possible! You must have used some cheap, underhanded tricks, you bitch!” I was about to explain when she suddenly shrieked and lunged at me, her palm aimed for my face. The next second, that round, white furball in the corner shot out like lightning. It viciously bit her wrist. Willow screamed, stumbled back several steps, and plopped onto the floor. I instinctively reached out, wanting to help her up. But the front door was kicked open with a loud bang. Damien Blackwood stood in the doorway, his face cold. “Stella Stewart, how dare you incite this beast to harm Willow?” Damien’s dark eyes swept over Snowball, finally settling on me, his lips forming a thin, cold line. “I said, anyone who harms Willow deserves to die.” “Why are you all just standing there?” His next words, spoken with menacing intensity, shattered all my illusions. “Throw this beast into the shredder!” The two bodyguards at the door immediately responded, lunging forward and seizing Snowball by his small neck. Snowball’s eyes were filled with terror and rage, his four paws desperately struggling, but he couldn’t break free from the men’s thick arms. My heart leaped to my throat, and I screamed, “Stop!” But a bodyguard held me firmly in place, unable to move. “Mr. Blackwood, it was Miss Hayes who came here to insult my young mistress! Snowball only bit her in defense!” one of the maids spoke up for me. “Nonsense!” Willow clutched her hand, her voice choked with tears. “She deliberately raised a mad dog to hurt me!” Damien cast a cold glance at me, then bent down to help the fallen Willow. “Get rid of this mad dog, now.” Snowball was lifted into the air, his neck visibly twisting. My heart turned cold. I didn’t think twice, I just wanted to snatch Snowball back from their cruel hands. “Damien Blackwood! Snowball was just protecting me! Willow was the one who provoked first, she was the one who struck out—” But he didn’t even look at me, casually tossing Snowball aside. Snowball twitched twice on the ground, his neck went limp, and then he was still. I knelt there, stunned, painful images flickering in my mind. In the previous life, Damien had been just as heartless. He bribed a vet, and Snowball was treated like a lab animal, dying on a cold, sterile table. I bit down hard on my lower lip, swallowing back my sobs. “Damien Blackwood, you can’t even tolerate the dog I raised since I was a child?” I clenched my fists, my voice hoarse. But Damien was dismissive. “Stella Stewart, I’ve already shown you mercy by sparing your life. Don’t push your luck.” “My heart has always belonged to Willow alone. If you dare to bother her again, you’ll be the next one to die.” Damien put his arm around Willow and left without looking back. I lowered my head, my fingernails digging into my palms. Willow looked back and glared at me, her lips curling with disdain and triumph. Damien probably didn’t know that he hadn’t just killed Snowball; he’d also killed his last hope for life. Forget inheriting the family business; he’d be lucky if the Grim Reaper granted him another month. Snowball’s body was already stiff. I trembled as I cradled him, digging a grave in the yard. From childhood, only Snowball had always stayed by my side. Even in the previous life, tortured to death, he never let go of my hand. Tears streamed down my face, splashing onto the soil. At that moment, the pain was so intense even breathing hurt. “Need a hand?” I looked up, meeting Julian Vance’s dark, kind eyes. At yesterday’s banquet, besides Damien being bitten by a venomous snake, Julian had also been poisoned. In my last life, my heart was entirely focused on Damien. I cut my wrist and bled to save him, which led to Julian not receiving timely treatment and dying from the poison. But yesterday, I had someone deliver the special antidote made from my blood to Julian in advance. He took it immediately after being bitten, which is why he survived. I wiped the tears from my face. I spoke with utter seriousness. “Julian Vance, interested in a deal?” “I’ll help you ruin Blackwood Inc., and you marry me.” The moment the words left my mouth, Julian’s eyes lit up with surprise. A smile played on his lips, like he’d finally gotten what he’d been waiting for. “Okay, it’s a deal. Don’t you dare go back on your word.”

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My husband has a mistress. It’s his childhood friend, Chloe, who just married and moved overseas. At Chloe’s wedding, he actually walked up to the altar, took her hand, and warned the groom, “If you ever hurt her, I swear, I’ll take her back.” My friends secretly said I was too soft, that I didn’t even get mad. When I needed his signature after a severe car accident and heavy bleeding, he flew to Africa for Chloe’s birthday: “Chloe will be lonely in a foreign country; she can’t celebrate her birthday without me.” The day Chloe came back, her friends forced me to chug 99 shots of hard liquor. My husband poured 98 of them down my throat himself. The last one? I smashed it in his face. He didn’t know that the day before, I’d already sent a message to my father, a powerful figure in the underworld: 【Dad, I was wrong. I’ll be back in three days to take over the family business.】 I had spent seven years trying to be a good girl for him, almost forgetting who I really was. … My actions froze everyone in the room. One of Chloe’s friends shouted at her, “Chloe, your friend is so rude!” Chloe glanced at Derek, her face twisting in anger. “Derek, what’s wrong with your wife? My friend was kindly inviting her for drinks, and she acts like this?!” Derek’s face was still dripping with liquor, his expression dark. He glared at me, pointing at my face and yelling, “Autumn, what the hell is wrong with you?!” I ignored him, turning around and walking out of the club. Behind me, I heard Chloe’s snarky, ‘I’m not like other girls’ kind of comment: “See, this is why I don’t like dealing with women. So much drama!” When the rideshare arrived, I got into the passenger seat. But my hand brushed against something soft – a piece of lingerie. And right under my feet were two used condoms. Derek had driven this car earlier today to pick up Chloe. It was obvious who they belonged to. My stomach lurched with disgust. I stumbled out of the car, throwing up until my vision swam. Almost as soon as I got home, Derek arrived. Seeing me look at him, he slapped me hard. “Do you have any idea how much embarrassment you caused Chloe today?!” My face stung, instantly red and swollen. I winced in pain. But Derek’s expression softened in a panic, and he cradled my face. “Why didn’t you dodge?” I recoiled from his touch, forcefully swatting his hand away. Derek swallowed his anger, trying to soothe me. “That man was Chloe’s friend. Don’t you know you made things really difficult for her?” His words ignited a furious fire in me. I looked at him coldly and asked, “Derek, have you forgotten who your wife is?” Derek paused, then quickly pulled me into a hug. “Of course it’s you, honey. Are you jealous? Chloe and I are just like siblings. Don’t overthink it, okay?” Siblings? Do siblings wear lingerie and use two condoms in a car? I wasn’t in the mood to expose Derek’s lies, but at that moment, he received a text message. His body was pressed against mine, and I instantly felt how hot he was beneath his clothes. Derek immediately let me go. “Honey, I left something at the club. I’ll go grab it.” Before leaving, he even kissed my cheek tenderly. “I’m sorry. I’ll help you with your face when I get back.” Watching his desperate, eager back disappear, even though I had already decided to leave him, my eyes still welled up. Seven years of marriage, and it was still nothing compared to his childhood friend. To marry him, I had cut ties with my father, not returning home for seven years. For seven years, I had built our life with him from scratch. When we were at our poorest, we squeezed onto a bed barely bigger than a twin. Back then, Derek would hold me, promising earnestly, “Autumn, I’ll always be good to you.” He said he liked docile girls, so I changed all my bad habits, learning to be a kind and sensible wife. I suffered with him year after year. Now that we had everything, his promises were long forgotten. My tears had dried on my face. My phone vibrated with a text from Chloe. The picture showed her and Derek’s clothes scattered on the floor, with three used condoms nearby. 【Derek told me you two haven’t done it in ages. He said he loves a ‘little firecracker’ like me; he’s been bored of a good girl like you for ages.】 I wiped my tears, cursing myself for just moments ago feeling sad. Derek was trash. He wasn’t worth my tears. The next day, Derek dragged me out of bed. Before I could even figure out what was happening, he frantically shoved me into the car. “Derek, what are you doing?!” Derek didn’t speak, driving the car at over 100 mph down the road. I could only grip the seatbelt tightly, watching him pull up to the emergency room. My arm was throbbing where he’d pulled me. Derek practically threw me in front of the doctor. “Doctor, she’s ready for the blood!” He held me down, forcing the doctor to draw a full 800cc of blood from me. I was so lightheaded from blood loss I couldn’t even sit straight. But Derek abandoned me again, rushing to another patient’s room. While resting, I overheard the nurses talking: “You know that couple next door? Apparently, the woman had severe internal bleeding from… well, let’s just say ‘overdoing it’ in the bedroom last night.” “But then, one of their friends—or whoever she was—actually volunteered to give 800cc of blood! Who in their right mind could handle that? Luckily, nothing serious happened.” The nurses’ voices faded as they walked away. My heart pounded, a dull, aching throb spreading through me. So that’s why he dragged me here in such a hurry – Chloe had gotten herself into trouble because of their excessive ‘bedroom activities,’ and I was just here to be her involuntary blood donor. Why should I pay for their mistakes? I rested in the hospital room all afternoon. Then, Chloe, clutching her stomach, actually walked into my room. Seeing my pale face, she chuckled. “Oh, sorry, Autumn. We were just a little too intense last night. Hope we didn’t embarrass you.” Derek, who was supporting her from behind, quickly explained after hearing her words, “Her husband actually came home last night. And honestly, it’s my fault for not… ‘supervising’ them better. Honey, don’t get the wrong idea.” I merely glanced at him. “Is that so? Then why isn’t her husband by her side?” Derek was momentarily at a loss for words. Chloe chimed in, “He has to work, Autumn. Not everyone is as lucky as you, being a stay-at-home wife.” With that, she slowly shuffled toward my bed, but just as she reached out to touch me, she collapsed onto the floor. Derek quickly helped her up. Chloe pointed at me, her face contorted in pain. “Autumn, I just wanted to thank you! How could you push me just because of one little comment?!” More blood stained the bed beneath her. Derek, frantic, scooped her up and rushed her back to her room. Less than half an hour later, he stormed back, his face furious, and shoved me hard. Having lost so much blood, I was still disoriented. Derek pushed me directly to the floor. My head hit the bedside table, and blood trickled out. “Autumn, how can you be so vicious? Chloe came specifically to thank you, and you actually pushed her!” “What she said was true! Aren’t you just a lazy freeloading wife who does nothing but live off my money?!” Derek’s words made my heart tremble even more. I had co-founded our company with him. In the early days, to secure clients, I drank with those bosses until my stomach bled. To raise funds for him, I practically begged like a dog outside their company buildings every day. Later, as the company earned more and more, Derek told me to stay home and rest. “Autumn, things are better now. I can’t bear to see you suffer.” “I told you, I’d take care of you.” But I had only been home for less than half a year, and now, to him, I was “lazy and good-for-nothing.” I looked at the man I had loved for seven years, disappointed, realizing he had become such a stranger. I raised my hand and slapped him without hesitation. This slap was the final punctuation mark on our seven years together. That night, the nurse let me go home after confirming I was stable. As I passed Chloe’s room, I saw Derek bustling about, bringing her water and cutting her fruit. So attentive, so gentle. I swallowed the bitter ache in my heart and went home. Just as I arrived, my front door began to pound. I instinctively grabbed the baseball bat leaning against the wall. The door instantly flew open, unlocked with a key. My heart jumped into my throat when I saw the group of men stride in. I spoke to them in English, “Who are you? Get out of my house, or I’ll call the police!” The leader of the group held up a key. “We’re not breaking in, are we? Isn’t this your key?” But only Derek and I had a key to this house. Before I could speak, they grinned menacingly and lunged at me. They snatched my baseball bat and started laying their hands all over me. My skin crawled. “Get off me!” Their touch made me nauseous; a wave of disgust brought tears to my eyes. They forced me onto a table, tearing at my clothes, taking countless photos with a camera. “Chloe was right, this woman is damn hot!” “Her man is so generous, he even gave us the keys.” Rage blinded me. I kicked out at the man in front of me with all my might. In their stunned faces, I snatched up the baseball bat and swung it at them. I fought back with all I had. They quickly reacted, trying every way to subdue me. In the end, those men lay groaning on the ground, clutching their heads. I stood huddled in a corner like a cornered animal, unwilling to lower the baseball bat. The next second, Chloe’s shrill scream pierced the air: “Ah! What happened to you all?!” Tears streaming down her face, she looked at Derek. “Derek, these are my husband’s friends! I just thought it was dangerous for Autumn to go home alone, so I asked them to protect her. Why did Autumn hit them like this?” “If my husband finds out, how will I face him?” It was the first time I realized Chloe wasn’t just a snarky manipulator, she was a total snake, too. Derek didn’t notice the dark bruises on my face from their punches. He looked at me with a cold, furious face. “Autumn, you’re so ungrateful!” Chloe nestled into his arms, her eyes fixed on me with venom. “Derek, I heard Autumn is terrified of snakes. My friend happens to have a bunch of non-venomous snakes. How about we put her in a room with them? Otherwise, I don’t think she’ll ever learn her lesson.” Derek’s eyes flickered with hesitation. Seeing this, Chloe immediately pulled away from him. “If you don’t want to, then fine. Don’t come looking for me anymore.” Derek agreed without a moment’s hesitation. He and Chloe’s friends locked me in the room, and he spoke to me in a low voice: “Autumn, don’t worry, these snakes aren’t venomous. But if you’re willing to apologize to Chloe and her friends, I can persuade Chloe to let you go.” I sneered, spitting on his face. “Derek, you’re truly blind!” The reason I was terrified of snakes was that once, while running an errand for Derek, I went to a boss’s hillside villa to find him and got bitten by a venomous snake. That time, I almost died. Since then, I’m absolutely terrified of snakes. And now Derek was using this to force me to apologize to Chloe. For the first time, I felt like everything I had done before was so foolish. Derek’s face turned beet red with rage, and he slammed the door shut. Half an hour later, they brought in two baskets of snakes and emptied them all into the room. The slithering sounds of the snakes on the floor made my skin crawl. In the darkness, I could almost see them flicking their tongues, moving closer to me. A cold, slithering sensation wrapped around my ankle. I struggled to break free, only for the snake to bite down hard. More and more snakes coiled around me. My calves, my thighs, my waist, my arms. I was covered in their cold, icy scales. Fear made me tremble uncontrollably. The pain felt like it was crushing my will. I crawled toward the door, but outside, I could hear Derek and Chloe’s joyful laughter. “Open… the door…” My voice made the laughter outside abruptly cease. A moment later, I heard Chloe’s triumphant voice: “Autumn, if you’re willing to kneel and beg for forgiveness, I’ll let you go, how about that?” The next second, she spoke in a voice only I could hear: “My friends took a lot of pictures of you just now, you know? What do you think would happen if I leaked those photos? Would Derek still want you?” Another snake bit my thigh. I had countless wounds all over my body. Blood was gushing from the wounds, and combined with the blood I’d already lost today, I was so dizzy I was about to pass out. I regretted it. I regretted not listening to my father, regretted marrying Derek. I was supposed to leave after tonight. I couldn’t accept being bitten to death here. My eyelids grew heavier and heavier. I couldn’t even speak. Just before I lost consciousness, I heard a commotion erupt outside. The door in front of me burst open, and I fell into a familiar, warm embrace. “My sweet girl, Daddy’s late.” I opened my eyes and saw my father’s reddened eyes. The accompanying doctor immediately began treating me. After I had recovered slightly, my father carried me to the bed. Chloe and her friends, along with Derek, were all pinned to the ground by my father’s men. Seeing my bruised state, Derek’s face flashed with surprise and worry. He tried to rush over to me but was held down, unable to move. “Who are you people? Why are you breaking into my house? Let me go!” Seeing that I was finally okay, my father walked up to Derek and kicked him hard. Derek coughed up a mouthful of blood. Chloe shrieked in fright. “I never approved of Autumn marrying you. Seven years, and this is how you treat her?” Derek finally recognized who was standing before him. Because he said he liked ‘good girls,’ I had never told him about my family background. Seeing the group of men in black, even Derek, as foolish as he was, started to guess. “Father-in-law, you’ve misunderstood. Autumn was in the wrong, and I just wanted to teach her a lesson. I never expected it to be this serious.” My father scoffed, kicking Derek again with unrestrained fury. Before his foot could land, Chloe screamed, “Stop! You’re not allowed to touch him!” Derek’s eyes welled with a touch of emotion. “Chloe, don’t say anything, they might hurt you.” My father chuckled. One of his men brought a chair for my father to sit on, then tossed a phone onto the ground in front of Derek. On the video, Chloe was embracing her husband, whispering sweet nothings. “Don’t worry, honey. Derek is such an idiot; all I have to do is lift a finger, and he’ll give me all his money. Once we get the cash, we’ll run away and live happily ever after.” Chloe’s voice echoed in the room, replaced by her panicked explanations. “No, it’s not! Derek, don’t listen to them, the video is fake!” Derek stared intently at the video, then looked at Chloe with a betrayed expression. “You’ve been lying to me all along!” Chloe shook her head fearfully. “I, I haven’t, Derek. Don’t you believe me?” Derek sneered, watching as my father’s men retrieved the photos they had taken of me from the men’s phones. Seeing those pictures, Derek was completely consumed by regret. Looking at my body, covered in snake bites, he fell to his knees, remorseful. “Autumn, it’s all my fault. I just lost my mind for a moment.” He crawled towards my bed, only to be kicked to the ground by one of my father’s men. “Autumn, I want to see you.” I sat up with the doctor’s help, calmly looking at Derek at the foot of the bed. “Derek, do you want to see how much you and your friends have hurt me?” Derek frantically shook his head. “No, Autumn. I’m just worried about you.” His words made me laugh. Worried about me. If he hadn’t discovered Chloe’s true colors, would he be regretting it now? How laughable. My father sat beside my bed, stroking my hair. “Autumn, Dad’s here to back you up. Do whatever you want.” My heart warmed, and when I looked at Derek, only coldness remained in my eyes. “Derek, I’ll deal with our business later.” With a glance from me, one of my father’s men dragged Chloe forward. Chloe was trembling with fear. “Autumn, it was my fault. I shouldn’t have treated you like that. Please, let me go.” I couldn’t be bothered to waste words on her. I simply instructed my father’s man, “Do to her exactly what she did to me.” Chloe, terrified, rushed towards the door but was caught and thrown back into the midst of her friends. “She’s all yours. You know what to do.” Immediately, the men exchanged glances, and their hands reached for Chloe. Chloe screamed in horror. “Don’t touch me! Get your filthy hands off me! Ah!” Gradually, her screams turned to whimpers, then back to gut-wrenching wails. Two hours later, Chloe was half-dead. My father had the captured snakes placed in the bathroom, then ordered his men to throw Chloe in. Hearing this, Chloe desperately fell to her knees, begging for mercy, gathering all her strength to kowtow to me again and again: “No, I was wrong, I really was wrong! Please, spare me, please spare me!” Seeing that begging was useless, she hugged Derek’s leg, pleading: “Derek, save me! Didn’t you say you loved me the most? Save me!” “I did all this for you! You go instead of me, okay?” Derek looked at Chloe like that, and a flicker of disgust crossed his face. He kicked Chloe away, then personally grabbed her hair and threw her into the snake-filled bathroom. The door slammed shut, and Chloe’s heart-wrenching screams echoed from within. The sounds quickly faded. I didn’t know if Chloe was dead or alive. As for her friends, my father’s men had already broken their arms and thrown them out, half-dead. After all that was done, I finally closed my eyes with a satisfied sigh. Derek was still at the foot of my bed, pleading: “Autumn, are you in a lot of pain? Can I take a look?” Seeing his fake concern, I said calmly, “Derek, we’re getting a divorce.” The word “divorce” hit Derek like a shock. He instinctively cried out, “No! I won’t divorce you! Autumn, I know I was wrong. I promise, I’ll treat you well from now on. Please, let’s not get a divorce, okay?” … Seeing me close my eyes and say nothing, he turned and knelt before my father: “Father-in-law, I truly know I was wrong. Please, help me convince Autumn, okay? We have seven years of history; we can’t just end it like this.” My father remained silent, waiting for my decision. I carefully sat up in a wheelchair with the doctor’s assistance. Seeing my movements, Derek’s eyes filled with tears of regret and heartbreak. He suddenly began slapping himself repeatedly on both sides of his face. “It’s all my fault, all my fault! Autumn, I was wrong. Hit me, please, hit me!” Too little, too late, Derek. I looked at one of my father’s men, who placed a prepared divorce agreement in front of Derek. “Sign it.” A pen was forced into his hand, but Derek refused to sign it, fighting with all his might. My father, enraged, ordered his men to drag Derek aside for “education.” But even as he was beaten until he spat blood, Derek still wouldn’t sign. “Autumn, you’re my wife. I… I won’t divorce you! Please, just give me one more chance, okay?” As soon as he finished speaking, several of my father’s men held him down, grabbing his hand and forcing him to write his name on the divorce agreement. I kept one copy and gave him the other. Staring at the divorce agreement, Derek suddenly broke down. He lay on the ground, clutching the papers to his chest, crying uncontrollably. As I was pushed away in the wheelchair, he lunged, grabbing a wheel. “Autumn, don’t leave…” The doctor didn’t stop, continuing to push me forward. Derek’s hand was crushed under the wheel, and he sweat profusely from the pain. His leg was broken, but enduring the pain, he still crawled after me. “Don’t leave…” My father glanced at me worriedly, as if afraid I would soften. I looked up at him with a reassuring smile: “Dad, when I’ve made up my mind, I don’t look back.” Seven years of history, lost is lost. Trash isn’t worth picking up. I followed my father back home. The journey back to my hometown, a city just a few hundred miles away, was a path I hadn’t set foot on for seven years, all for that ridiculous love. Looking at the gray hairs at my father’s temples, a wave of deep guilt washed over me. My father patted my shoulder. “Autumn, I never blamed you.” The tears I had held back for so long finally burst forth. I buried my face in my father’s embrace, sobbing. Crying for my foolishness, for my naivety, for finally escaping that absurd marriage. After returning home, my father hired the best doctors in the world to treat me, and the scars on my body slowly faded. Once I recovered, I began to take over my father’s businesses. Though my father was once a powerful figure in the underworld, he had begun transitioning to legitimate business years ago. “Autumn, I don’t want you to come back and live a life of fear like I did.” Remembering my father’s words, a warmth spread through my heart. Perhaps I was lost in thought, because I accidentally twisted my ankle. Just as I was about to fall, Lucas quickly caught me. Lucas was more than just my father’s trusted butler; he was his right-hand man, and my father had assigned him to be by my side after I returned. Lucas was mature and handsome; I understood my father’s intentions perfectly. I was about to say thank you when I saw Derek running towards me, holding a bouquet of flowers. “Who are you?!” Derek pointed at Lucas and demanded. I hadn’t expected him to follow me here. Seeing the jealousy in his eyes, I deliberately leaned into Lucas’s embrace. “Isn’t it obvious?” Derek’s eyes filled with hurt. “Autumn, I know you’re still mad at me, but don’t just pick up a random man to spite me. Come here.” Derek’s words made me laugh in anger. “Who do you think you are? And Derek, we’re divorced. Who I’m with is none of your damn business, is it?” Derek’s face turned ashen at my words. He held out the red roses he was carrying. “Autumn, I know what you’re mad about. Trust me, Chloe and I are really just like siblings. There’s nothing going on between us.” “Nothing?” I scoffed, pulling out the photos Chloe had sent me and showing them to Derek. “This is your ‘nothing’? Derek, I never realized how truly disgusting you are.” Derek’s lips trembled. Faced with undeniable evidence, he was speechless, his face pale as he pleaded with me: “Autumn, I just lost my mind for a moment, she seduced me. My heart has always been with you. Didn’t you used to love red roses the most? I specially picked the most…” He didn’t finish his sentence. I took the roses from his hand and tossed them directly into a nearby trash can. “Derek, you’re just like these red roses now. To me, you’re nothing but trash.” I watched his face crumble, feeling a twisted sense of satisfaction. I guess I was never a ‘good girl’ anyway. “I don’t believe it!” Behind me, Derek’s heartbroken roar ripped through the air: “Were seven years of love all fake?! Autumn, I don’t believe you don’t love me anymore!” He screamed, completely unconcerned about his image, drawing curious stares from passersby. This utterly unhinged display bore no resemblance to the powerful businessman I once knew. “Autumn, I’ll keep begging you until you change your mind! I won’t give up on you! You can only ever be mine!” I heard some young girls nearby whispering enviously. I clenched my fist, about to step forward, but Lucas was quicker. He landed a punch directly on Derek’s face. “She said she doesn’t want to see you anymore. Don’t you understand?” Derek crumpled to the ground like a broken rag, utterly defenseless. He clutched his swollen face, looking at me with pathetic hope. “Autumn, I’m hurting so much.” I smiled. Did he really think I would rush over to comfort him, to worry about him, like I used to when he got hurt? I looped my arm through Lucas’s and said, “Well done. I’ve wanted to do that for a long time.” Then, Lucas and I got into the Maybach. Leaving Derek sitting there, stunned, regretful, and heartbroken. He clutched his face, sobbing loudly, oblivious to the people passing by. He didn’t understand. Why did Autumn, who had loved him so much, suddenly stop loving him? He had only made a mistake any man could make, right? He had already repented, so why wouldn’t she forgive him? He sprawled on the ground like a drunkard. Autumn’s words had torn his body in half, the pain unbearable. After that day, Derek never gave up. Every day, he came up with new ways to send me gifts. I simply instructed my butler to throw all of them in the trash. Until one day, he appeared before me, his hands red and raw, holding a bowl of soup. “Autumn, didn’t you say you loved my homemade soup the most? You’re not feeling well, please have some.” His pleading eyes were clear to me. I raised my hand. The diamond ring on my finger stung Derek’s eyes. “Don’t ever come looking for me again. I’m getting married.” Lucas was incredibly good to me. At the very least, he knew how to respect me, how to care for me, making me feel a tenderness I hadn’t experienced in years. I wasn’t the kind of person who, after being hurt by one relationship, would refuse to believe in love again. So, faced with his sincerity, I didn’t hesitate to say yes. Seeing the engagement ring on my finger, Derek completely panicked. His eyes red-rimmed, he knelt before me. “Autumn, you loved me the most! How can you marry someone else?” “Love? Don’t you think it’s hilarious hearing that word come from your mouth?” I ignored his pale face and said calmly. When I had loved him so much, he still betrayed me so easily for Chloe. So he was the last person who had the right to talk about love. Just then, Lucas drove the car up. He ignored Derek, who was still kneeling on the ground, and smiled as he opened the car door for me. Today was the day we were taking our wedding photos. Through the rearview mirror, I saw Derek chasing after the car, eventually stumbling and falling to the ground, like a pathetic, abandoned stray.

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My boyfriend secretly took annual leave and didn’t tell me. He hid it from me, traveling for seven days with his female ‘best friend.’ After the trip, they were still clinging to each other, unwilling to part ways. They were wrapped in an embrace right outside my apartment building. His female ‘bestie’ quickly pecked him on the cheek. Her voice, sickeningly sweet and soft, a syrupy whisper. “You’ve served this queen well this week. Consider this your reward.” Liam Miller’s gaze was light and wild, but when he looked up, he accidentally met my eyes. I smirked, walking forward to fling my keys at Liam. “What, not going to continue? Go on up. I’ll leave the bed free for you two.” The playful smile vanished from Liam’s face. His pale skin instantly flushed crimson. It was around eight or nine in the evening, prime time for people to be out in the neighborhood park. My sarcasm had already drawn quite a crowd. “Chloe, don’t overthink this. Serena’s just like that, we’re nothing…” Serena Davis practically stumbled out of Liam’s embrace, giving his shoulder a mock punch. Her tone was overly casual, almost too carefree. “Chloe, really, don’t misunderstand. We’re just best buddies. I’m just used to it, I couldn’t help it.” Used to it? I didn’t get angry; instead, I laughed. Liam and I had been together for five years. What kind of habit was that hard to break? Liam was completely under Serena’s spell. Seeing her feigned guilty expression, he playfully reached out to pinch her cheek. I felt like nothing more than an irrelevant prop in their disgusting little flirt show. Just another pawn in their twisted game. “Oh, I’m not overthinking. I just think you two have such an amazing relationship. Your ‘brotherly’ bond truly moves me.” “Go on, keep hugging! What’s the fun if only I know? Let everyone see how you ‘besties’ normally interact. Just hugging isn’t enough, is it? Kiss again! Besties are supposed to be devoted to each other, right?” The atmosphere around us instantly froze. Liam and Serena wiped the playful smiles from their faces. The stares from onlookers were like daggers piercing right through us. Even the kids, who had been playing, clung to their parents, seemingly waiting for the drama to unfold. Serena’s eyes instantly welled up, her voice thick with a sob. “Chloe, what do you mean? You’re being so disrespectful.” Liam’s face was awful. He took a step towards me, glaring down. “All the good mood I built up on the trip, you just ruined it. I even brought you a gift, but I didn’t expect you to make such a big deal out of nothing the moment you saw me. Guess I was just deluding myself.” He walked towards me, not out of concern, but to shield Serena behind him. His tone was full of contempt and displeasure, aggressive and demanding. In the past, I would have burst into tears, begging him, emphasizing how much I loved him, panicked and speaking without thinking. But now, I suddenly felt disgusted. I even felt a little annoyed at myself for being so tongue-tied, only able to spit out such toothless insults. My eyes were dry and aching. I looked past Liam to gaze at that simpering ‘best friend’ behind him. I’d known Liam for almost seven years. I always knew he had a group of close friends he’d grown up with. But I never expected his relationship with Serena to be this deep. They drank from the same cup, ate from the same bowl. They went to the movies together, went hiking and camping together. I’d questioned him, showed my vulnerability, thrown tantrums, cried. In the end, all I got was their perfectly synchronized reply: “We’ve always been like this since we were kids. It’s just habit.” “We’re just best friends. You’re too sensitive.” When Liam pursued me, he told me I was the only woman he’d ever love. Little did I know that Serena, who called herself his “buddy,” had already infiltrated every aspect of Liam’s life. Because of her difficult childhood, Serena always got more attention from Liam. “Serena’s just a little girl, who never knew a shred of parental love. It’s only right for me to look out for her, it’s a good deed.” Right, Serena grew up without parental love. So what about me? Someone who clawed her way out of an orphanage, fighting for every single step just to get to him? Guess I was just unlucky. Every time I got jealous, he interpreted it as unreasonable fussing. Every time I questioned him, he saw it as distrust. I couldn’t say anything bad about Serena, because she was his “good friend.” I had no right to interfere with his friendships, nor could I question how they interacted. Liam would occasionally give me some sweet words, saying that after we got married and had our own little family, Serena would keep her distance. She’d also get married, and we’d all remain good friends. But the old me, completely blinded by love, was always fooled by his sweet words and empty promises. For our future, I worked tirelessly, overtime until I was exhausted, just so we could get married sooner. Yet, he and Serena still refused to change their ways, hiding behind the label of ‘friendship,’ doing every single ambiguous, flirty thing imaginable. 0

The late autumn wind felt chilling, making my head spin and my thoughts scatter. Liam reached out, trying to pat my shoulder as if to comfort me. “That’s enough. Go back and cool down.” I instinctively recoiled. “Yes, that’s enough. It’s time to end this.” I sniffled, looking past Liam at Serena behind him. The feigned victimhood was gone from her face. Her lips were curled into a slight, almost triumphant smile. I turned my face away, suppressing a wave of nausea. “Liam, let’s break up.” Liam grabbed my arm, forcing me to meet his eyes. “Chloe, don’t be so dramatic. I finally got a chance to relax and clear my head. Do you really have to upset me like this?” “You just met my mom two weeks ago. Even though she wasn’t completely happy with you, I already convinced her to agree to our marriage.” Liam wanted to say more, but I had no patience left to listen. My mind felt tangled, as if thick, suffocating threads were winding around my brain, leaving me dizzy, numb, and unable to think. I yanked my hand free and walked straight towards the elevator. Liam roared at my retreating back, clearly annoyed: “Go home and think about this properly!” At the same time, Serena’s sickeningly sweet voice cooed. “It’s all my fault. I upset Chloe again. I’m so sorry, buddy, I really didn’t mean to…” The elevator doors reflected their figures. The moment I turned, they were clinging to each other again. “You didn’t do anything wrong. She’s just overreacting.” “Don’t cry. Come on, I’ll take you to get something you love to eat.” I stared blankly as the elevator numbers changed, my heart feeling like it was stuffed with a sodden ball of cotton, making it hard to breathe. I don’t know when it started, but our sweet moments had been replaced by endless arguments. Nine times out of ten, it was because of Serena. Abandoned as a child, I lacked security. I always bowed my head to Liam, again and again. It was my love that made him so complacent, taking advantage of every inch I gave. I was stupid enough to think that if I just waited, Liam would eventually settle down and build a proper life with me. 0

I sluggishly entered the password for our apartment—it was Liam’s and my anniversary. The blinding glow of first love always makes you lose your mind. Seven years ago, I finally managed to get into college on my own merit. I fell for Liam, the freshman representative, at first sight. He exuded an elegant, gentle, and friendly aura. Standing tall at six feet, he commanded everyone’s attention the moment he walked in. A deep-seated insecurity that had clung to me like a shadow since childhood made me hide that affection deep inside. So when Liam confessed his feelings to me, I felt as if my suffering had finally ended, as if the gods had blessed me. From that moment on, I became Liam’s shadow. I transferred to his major, joined the same company as him, worked in the same department, and collaborated on projects. I opened the apartment door. Every corner showed traces of my careful decorating. Even though this was a complimentary apartment from the company for Liam and me, I treated it like our own little home. Last month, I met Liam’s mother. She had quite a few complaints about my background. When I returned from the restroom, I overheard her telling Liam outside the private room: “Those who bring bad luck aren’t welcome in a blessed home.” My heart sank. To marry Liam, I told him I didn’t need a dowry or any expensive wedding jewelry. Liam seemed a little guilty and bought me a gold ring, weighing only about two grams. By the time it reached my hand, it was already slightly bent out of shape, almost as if it had been worn by someone else. “I told them it wasn’t Serena’s size, but she insisted she’d never worn a gold ring and wanted to try it on.” “It’s fine, it’s not that noticeable once it’s on.” I let him slide the ring onto my ring finger. It was a little loose. My heart, at that moment, felt loose too. “Once I save enough money for the down payment, I’ll get you the proper wedding jewelry.” I forgave him again. A few days later, I saw a post Serena put on Ins— A selfie, and a photo of a necklace. *“My gold addiction kicked in. Liam said he wanted to get me some. That ring was too light, so I said no! So happy with this new necklace~”* The more I remembered, the more my heart ached. Thank goodness I finally woke up before the wedding. I’m so tired. I don’t want to love you anymore, Liam. 0

I started packing my clothes, wanting to move out. To save money for a house with Liam, I usually skimped on food and clothes, so I didn’t have many belongings. I only wore a few outfits regularly. I walked to the bathroom to pack my toiletries. Opening the door, I saw a black lace bra hanging conspicuously on the hook. I froze in the bathroom doorway, the damp mist inside choking my nose and mouth, making it hard to breathe. Liam came back then. I turned to face him, my nose stinging. He casually placed the things in his hand on the table and started taking off his clothes. A bowl of dessert—from that shop Serena loved, the one she always posted about on Ins. “I bought you something to eat, chestnut sweet soup. The owner said it’s a new autumn special.” I didn’t reply. My brain buzzed, and then the frantic drumming of my heart drowned out all other sensations. The feeling of my blood rushing to my head was terrible. I was allergic to chestnuts. Liam belatedly noticed my abnormal stillness. He walked towards me with a hint of helplessness, his tone softening considerably. “I sent Serena away so I could come back to you sooner. And I even brought you something delicious. Not mad anymore, right?” “If you keep this up, I’ll actually get mad.” He propped his hand against the doorframe, leaning in to kiss me. He always did this. Whenever I was angry or upset, he’d just try to kiss and hug me, hoping to sweep everything under the rug. After the kiss, he’d rub his nose against mine, looking into my eyes with tender affection. My anger would just melt away, succumbing to the warmth of the moment. But now, I forcefully pushed the bathroom door open, pointed at the black lingerie inside, and demanded in a low voice. “What is that?” He paused, then straightened up and explained. “It poured rain on the way back, and Serena got soaked, so she came in to borrow the bathroom and take a shower.” He habitually added, his tone the usual dismissive command: “You put it away for her. I’ll take it to her tomorrow.” “Oh, and when you make breakfast tomorrow morning, could you brew some ginger tea? She got rained on today, she’s probably not feeling well.” Liam was recently promoted to team leader. He was busy with work and often forgot to eat. To take care of his health, I woke up an hour early every day to prepare his breakfast and lunch bento. He was a picky eater and didn’t like vegetables or fruits, so I changed up the dishes to ensure he ate a balanced diet. And now he wanted me to take care of Serena too? Ha. He sure knew how to use me—a free, dutiful nanny. Sure enough, whoever gave their heart was the loser. I suddenly let out a cold laugh, wiping my eyes. I took off the ring on my finger, placed it on the nightstand, and pointed at it as I told Liam: “Here’s your ring back.” Liam looked confused: “What do you mean?” I didn’t reply, turning to continue packing my luggage. Liam finally saw the suitcase on the floor. His voice became agitated as he rushed forward and grabbed my arm. “Chloe, how long are you going to keep this up? I’m already trying to be nice.” His grip on my hand was tight, my skin turning faintly red. The old me would always fear Liam like this, on the verge of losing control. I’d immediately wonder if I’d gone too far, making everyone unhappy. But now, why should I care about him anymore? I stopped my internal struggle, forcefully pulled my hand free, closed the suitcase, and walked towards the door. “You’re ridiculous!” “You’re overreacting!” “If you leave, don’t come back!” He cursed loudly from the center of the room, but his words went in one ear and out the other. While waiting for the elevator, I even heard Liam forcefully open and slam the door. It seemed he wanted to see if I was truly determined to leave. Since I had decided to stand up for myself, I wouldn’t look back at him again. Liam, I’m truly letting you go. Stepping out of the apartment complex, the evening breeze whistled past. I reflexively hunched into my clothes, the dizzying sensation in my head becoming even more pronounced. I raised my hand to my forehead, feeling a distinct warmth. I squatted by the roadside, trying to hail a cab to a hotel, but my hands were shaking, stiffly unable to open my phone screen. A Mercedes pulled up in front of me. A burly man got out of the car, scaring me so much that I quickly hid behind my suitcase. “Chloe?” A gentle voice spoke, sounding kind. I looked up at him. He walked towards me, silhouetted against the light. In a haze, I thought I recognized him. But before I could reply, I collapsed.

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I loved Asher for a decade. But he was the one who destroyed my life. I was three weeks pregnant when Asher dragged me onto the operating table. He was my husband, yet here he was, disregarding my life and our baby’s, demanding I undergo a bone marrow transplant to save Willow. “Mr. Asher, Ms. Scarlett is pregnant. Do you still wish to proceed with the surgery?” I heard the lead surgeon ask repeatedly before the procedure. The impeccably dressed, strikingly handsome man leaned over me, his gaze devoid of any tenderness. Through my tear-filled eyes, I saw his thin lips part, each word a dagger twisting in my heart. “Proceed with the surgery!” In that moment, I heard my heart shatter into a million pieces. “Hahaha, hahaha…” In the operating room, where the silence was deafening, my laughter was both desperate and desolate. Someone yanked me from the hospital bed. “If you’re not dead, get up!” “Mr. Asher, if you have something to say, just say it.” He scoffed, the disgust in his eyes overflowing. “Don’t put on an act in front of me. It’s sickening.” With that, he pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his hands. “You’d better behave until Willow wakes up.” I clawed at the bedsheets with all my strength. “Get lost!” He loomed over me, grabbing my throat, pinning me against the wall. “Scarlett, I advise you to face reality. Before, you were the precious jewel I held in my palm, but now…” “You’re nothing but trash.” Then, without a shred of pity, he yanked my arm and dragged me out of the hospital room. All the way, I felt like a puppet, my strings manipulated by an unseen hand, powerless against him. He forcibly dragged me to a tombstone. “Kneel!” he commanded coldly. The biting autumn wind tangled my long hair around my face. I guessed that in that moment, I must have looked breathtakingly beautiful. Because he stared at me for several long seconds. Ever since he became convinced that I had harmed Grandpa, he hadn’t truly looked at me. But he quickly regained his composure, pressing me forcefully to the ground. I saw a name carved on the tombstone: Alexander Asher. This was the name we had found together, leafing through dictionaries, for our future son. My heart ached, and I was about to speak when I heard his voice above me, “This is my child with Willow, Scarlett. If you hadn’t been so vicious and caused her miscarriage, I would be a father by now.” “What did you say? Your child with Willow?” I stared at him in disbelief, an agonizing pain ripping through my chest. “Scarlett, don’t push your luck,” he clenched his fists, as if trying to restrain himself. “You owe him an apology!” I owe no one! The late autumn wind raged, chilling me to the bone, and hurting me to the core. Prostrate on the cold concrete ground, it took me a long time to find the strength to speak. “Asher, listen to me. This Scarlett only kneels before heaven, earth, and her parents. No one else is worthy!” He looked down at me, all the past tenderness replaced by bitter hatred. “Scarlett, don’t make me say uglier things.” The silence around us was suffocating. After a long moment, his voice, cold as frost, spoke again. “Grandpa’s life was saved by Willow. Because of that, she can never stand on a stage again. For that alone, my devotion to her is absolute, until death.” I closed my eyes in anguish. The tears I had held back for so long cascaded down my face the moment I bowed my head. I didn’t cry when my hair was burnt off in the fire, nor when I was pregnant and forced into a cold operating room to have my bone marrow extracted, which led to a miscarriage. But in this moment, tears streamed down my face like a relentless storm. There truly is a pain that cannot be put into words.

A gnawing stomach ache woke me up. Opening my eyes, I saw a blood bag hanging above me, and the small nurse’s guilty explanation. “I’m sorry, Ms. Scarlett, Ms. Willow urgently needs a blood transfusion. There’s no matching blood type in the blood bank, so Mr. Asher ordered…” Ordered them to draw my blood! Heh. I frowned, glancing at the needle in my arm, then nonchalantly closed my eyes. Out of sight, out of mind! Let them do whatever they wanted. I swallowed a few stomach pills with cold water and drifted back to sleep. When I woke again, I didn’t know how much time had passed, only that the sky was a dull gray, even gloomier than my mood. I struggled to get up, wanting to go to the bathroom, but despite all my effort, I couldn’t straighten myself. Finally, Martha, the cleaning lady, saw me and helped me. “Dear, you’re so weak. Why don’t you call your family to come and take care of you?” Family? The only person I could call family, my husband, had abandoned me. Where did I have family now? The thought brought a fresh wave of sadness. I had originally planned to tell him the happy news of my pregnancy when he returned from overseas, so our family could be happy and together forever. But instead, what awaited me was such devastating news. *Scarlett, let’s get a divorce!* “Why?” I couldn’t accept it. “If there’s no love, we separate. You were the one who said it.” He slowly exhaled a puff of smoke, his tone indifferent. My eyes welled up, but I forced a smile, maintaining my last shred of dignity. “Yes, I said it.” “I’ll have someone send over the divorce papers. Remember to sign them.” Then, he stood up and left. I stared at his retreating back, my heart utterly broken. In that moment, I despairingly believed that he truly didn’t love me anymore, which was why he was so cruel. Later, I realized things were far more complicated than I had imagined. And the mastermind behind all of it was lying in a hospital bed, playing the pitiful role of a damsel in distress saved by a hero. Who would believe me if I said she framed me? Even Grandpa, the only one who could prove my innocence, had become a vegetable, unable to speak a single word. Everything was so coincidental, it was terrifying to think about. Only Asher, however, believed it without a doubt. He was convinced that I was the culprit who caused Grandpa to become a vegetable! He hated me to the core! But fortunately, he hadn’t completely lost his humanity. These past few days, he would send a nurse to bring me food every day. Sometimes it was chicken soup, sometimes my favorite lotus seed porridge, or something else. My heart swelled with a foolish hope, thinking he had uncovered the truth and changed his mind. But then I overheard him, telling the nurse, “Make sure you keep a close eye on her. Until Willow is out of danger, I need to ensure she’s alive.” So that was it! My existence, to him, was nothing more than a tool. I lay in the hospital for twenty days straight. My body didn’t improve at all; instead, I grew weaker. It turned out Willow was experiencing severe rejection after the bone marrow transplant, so I was forced to become her personal blood bank. In Asher’s words: fresh blood would be more beneficial for his precious Willow’s recovery. Grandpa was a vegetable, and Willow was in the ICU. Asher’s temper was as volatile as it could get. Before, when I rescued Grandpa from the fire, my hair had accidentally been burned off, damaging the follicles. Later, I finally found a specialist who patiently treated me until my hair grew back. All because Asher said he liked me with long, flowing hair. But now, my hair was falling out in handfuls, looking like dull, withered grass. I was terribly thin, a shadow of my former self. Finally, after one transfusion after another, the doctor couldn’t help but warn him, “Mr. Asher, if this continues, Ms. Scarlett’s life will be in danger. Don’t you think…?” But all I heard was Asher’s cold reply, “Her life doesn’t matter!” All he cared about was Willow. Tears silently slipped from the corners of my eyes. In the quiet hospital room, I buried my head in the blankets and sobbed silently. When you are favored, you always act without fear. I would fuss, and he would laugh. But once the love died, he could turn away instantly, while I was trapped in memories, unable to move forward. …A month later, Willow’s condition finally stabilized, and I got a temporary reprieve. That afternoon, several severely injured car accident victims arrived at the hospital. The entire staff was swamped. I took advantage of the chaos, secretly changed into a cleaning lady’s uniform, and slipped out. I stood on the street in late autumn, gazing up at the brilliant blue sky. In my hazy memory, everything seemed unchanged, yet everything had changed. I couldn’t stop the surge of grief. Under the dim streetlights, I crouched in a deserted alley, weeping uncontrollably. It was that day I saw an old classmate I hadn’t seen in ages – Caleb Sterling. “You’re awake?” A deep, magnetic baritone. I stared blankly at him, unable to speak for a long moment. “What, don’t you recognize me?” He held a cup with a straw to my lips. After I took a few sips, he lowered the cup, smiling, and extended his hand. “Scarlett, long time no see!” “Long time no see!” I tried to make my voice sound normal. Five years ago, I chose Asher over Caleb. The day after Caleb heard the news, he processed his paperwork to go abroad and never returned. I thought we would never see each other again. I never expected that five years later, we would meet again in this way. Suddenly, past memories flooded my mind, churning my insides with a sickening feeling. After much thought, I simply managed a small smile. “Caleb, welcome back.” Caleb smiled too. “I’m waiting for you to throw me a welcome party!” “In my current state…” “It’s okay, I’ll wait for you!” He wore gold-rimmed glasses, and when he smiled, his perfectly white teeth added to his scholarly charm. He slowly merged with the image of the young man in my memory. *Scarlett, I like you!* *Three years or five years, I’ll wait for you.* That afternoon, with dappled tree shadows, the wind blew my hair, brushing his face. The young man in white, looking at me, had eyes full of starlight. I smiled brightly at him, yet spoke the cruelest words, “I’m sorry, Caleb, the person I like is Asher.”

I still couldn’t escape. Because, no sooner had Caleb left, than two men in black suits and sunglasses dragged me into a car. “Meeting someone right under my nose, Scarlett, you’ve really grown audacious!” In the extended limousine, Asher squeezed my chin with one hand, making tears well up in my eyes from the pain. “For the sake of the love we once shared, let me go!” I almost pleaded. “Love we once shared?” He sounded as if he’d heard the funniest joke in the world. “Scarlett, after all these years, you’re still so delusional!” “What do you mean?” I knew he wanted to tear me apart limb by limb, to make me suffer a slow, agonizing death. But I didn’t blame him. “I never loved you!” His thin lips parted, slowly spitting out the words. It felt like a lightning bolt had struck me, leaving me utterly shaken and about to collapse. “So, the one you’ve always loved is Willow?” Despite the immense humiliation, I couldn’t help but ask. His narrow, phoenix-like eyes stared at me. “What do you think?” *What do you think?* In that moment, my world imploded. I was taken back to Deerwood Manor. It was ironic, really. This manor, Asher had built it with his own hands for me. In the throes of our passionate love, he jokingly called it our “love nest.” Now, it felt more like an exquisite cage. It trapped me, but not necessarily him. “Quick, tell me, who was that man?” The moment we entered, Asher violently threw me onto the bed. My forehead hit the headboard, and I immediately felt blood seeping out. But before I could even try to deal with it, he grabbed my throat and pinned me against the wall. “Tell me, who was that man?” “If you don’t love me, why bother?” I looked at him. Blood still flowed freely, down my face, my neck… finally blossoming into crimson stains on the pristine white bedsheets. My brows were so tightly furrowed with pain that I knew I must look hideous. But he stared at me, unblinking, his gaze so complex that for a second I almost thought he was worried about me. “Do you think I can’t find out?” I stayed silent, my face flushed, slowly struggling for breath. He sneered, not only refusing to let go, but tearing off the clothing I had used to cover myself. “Scarlett, we’ve known each other for so many years, and I never knew you could be so cheap.” I still looked at him. I watched him talking to himself, suddenly bursting into a furious rage. With a ripping sound, he stripped the clothes from my body, then bound my hands and feet. Rescued from the brink of suffocation, I retorted mockingly, “Oh, so now you don’t find me dirty anymore? Mr. Asher is really desperate, isn’t he!” *Slap!* One blow, and half my face went numb. He stood over me, looking down, and every word he spoke sent chills down my spine. “Scarlett, I’m dragging you to hell with me!” Two hours later, he was done with me, sated and uncaring. He pulled up his pants and slammed the door shut, leaving without a backward glance. I lay there like a dead fish, feeling nothing but profound humiliation. On the bedroom wall, our framed wedding photo still hung. He had his arm around me, and I leaned on his shoulder, smiling as if we were a match made in heaven. But it was all a cruel irony. The next day, I received an anonymous email. I opened it, and the content nearly made me faint. “Scarlett, why do you think he married you? Do you think your parents’ car crash was merely an accident? Scarlett, you fool, stop being so delusional. Asher has always loved Willow, from the very beginning.” Just a few lines, but they hit me like a lightning bolt, snapping me awake. I thought everything he had said was just empty words, spoken in anger. But it was all true. Thinking back to how my parents both died in a car crash, forcing me to transfer all the shares of our family company to my name, I couldn’t help but feel a chilling dread. So, that was it. That was his true motive. And I, a complete fool, had thought he loved me! Scarlett, how could you be so stupid! I looked at the family photo in my wallet, wanting nothing more than to bash my head against the wall and die. But I couldn’t.

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My first day at the new job. I rode to the company in Caleb’s car. After getting out, I handed him a portion of the breakfast Mom had made. But as soon as I settled into my cubicle, my brother’s assistant called, her voice sharp and accusatory. “How can an intern like you be so shameless, trying to hit on men the minute you walk in?” I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Caleb wasn’t my biological brother, but he was Mom and Dad’s adopted son. Why would I ever try to seduce him? Fresh out of college, I started my internship at our family’s branch company. Caleb Sterling happened to work there, and he’d offered to drive me on my first day. I never expected it to turn into such a ridiculous misunderstanding. Listening to the shrill scolding over the phone, I recognized her. It wasn’t the first time I’d heard that voice – Caleb’s assistant. Caleb had chattered away on the phone with her in front of me more than once. He often talked about how sweet and innocent his little assistant was, calling her an angel. He even listed a bunch of her adorable blunders. Like how she always accidentally mixed up the meeting documents. Or how she’d offer customers milky tea instead of actual tea. And how, when booking travel for clients, she’d book them economy class but herself first class… I felt it was inappropriate and once asked Caleb: “If that’s the case, why don’t you just fire her?” “We should give ordinary people more chances. She works hard, she’s kind, she’s just a little scatterbrained.” Caleb’s answer was perfectly reasonable to him. I didn’t say anything else. She was just an assistant, what kind of trouble could she really cause? The woman on the phone was bossy and rude, and I couldn’t help but frown. Seeing my silence, Willow Davis’s arrogance grew. “Must be great having a man drive you to work, carrying your bag, huh?” “How can you be so shameless? We’re both women, so don’t pull your fake innocent act with me, it won’t work!” “Do you know how busy Caleb is as the General Manager? How dare you waste his time making him pick you up?” My face burned red. It was just a quick ride since he was going that way anyway. Was it really that big of a deal? But seeing how Caleb always defended Willow in his words, it seemed like they were either flirting or already dating. I could somewhat understand her possessiveness over her boyfriend. “He’s my brother,” I explained. I thought that would make Willow change her tone. Instead, her words became even more venomous. “Oh, so you’re the clingy pest they warned me about. Seducing your own brother at such a young age? You’re truly disgusting.” Her insults completely stunned me. How could such an unreasonable person be the kind, scatterbrained angel Caleb talked about? A vein throbed on my forehead, but I still patiently tried to explain: “Don’t say such terrible things. We grew up together. Is it really too much for my brother to drive me on my first day of work?” “Shut up! How can you be so ill-mannered? Didn’t your parents teach you about the separation between men and women? Even if you’re his sister, you should know better!” Willow’s voice was terrifyingly cold. “I’ve seen plenty of manipulative, backstabbing women like you. You even compete with other women at home, seducing your own dad and brother—” Those words were truly disgusting. Even with my generally good temper, I couldn’t take it anymore. My face darkened: “Where did you come from, you psycho? Are you saying this because you do such things at home?” “Fine, you bitch, just you wait. I won’t let you off easy.” Willow hung up after that. I didn’t take it seriously. I sent the recording of the call to Caleb. I figured he would handle it. Caleb’s message came back quickly. He seemed panicked: “I’m so sorry, Skylar. Your sister-in-law is just childish, and very possessive of me, but she doesn’t mean any harm.” “I’ve already talked to her. I promise this won’t happen again.” “Next time we meet, I’ll make her apologize properly to you, okay?” Caleb was my brother, the one I’d grown up with. Since he was humbling himself like that, I found it hard to stay angry. I didn’t want to make things difficult for him, so I agreed to reconcile with Willow.

I thought my forbearance would lead to a graceful end to this matter. Instead, the next day, Willow tagged me in the company chat. In a group of nearly five hundred people, she unleashed her fury on me. “You rotten snake, when I curse you, just take it! How dare you tattle to my boyfriend?!” “Brother, brother, endlessly! Are you a broken record? Complaining non-stop.” “Not only did you make him drive you to work, but you dared to sit in the front passenger seat? Don’t you know the front passenger seat is reserved for *me*, his girlfriend? How can you be so shameless?” She even attached a few pictures. The photos showed her using a high-pressure washer to clean the front passenger seat. Willow didn’t forget to add: “Disgusting, that seat reeked of cheapness.” I stared at those messages, my mind completely blank. I sat in the front passenger seat only because I get severe motion sickness. And I didn’t know Caleb had a girlfriend at the time. Even if he did, I didn’t think sitting in my brother’s front passenger seat was a big deal. The group chat fell silent for a while because of Willow’s craziness. Some people were watching the drama, others felt it was inappropriate to act like that in a work chat. But everyone knew she was Caleb’s girlfriend, so no one dared to voice their displeasure. All my good mood was ruined by Willow. Meeting the curious, scrutinizing gazes of my colleagues, I unleashed my fury. “Ms. Willow Davis, first, I must make one thing clear: Caleb is my brother. We’ve lived under the same roof since childhood.” “Second, this is a work chat, not a place for you to throw tantrums. Please keep your personal and professional lives separate.” After I sent the messages, the chat exploded. Some people messaged me privately asking for details. Others in the group played the peacemaker, trying to ease the tension. Some subtly advised Willow to calm down, urging her not to be impulsive. But Willow was clearly blinded by jealousy. She then threw out a screenshot of a chat. It was a message Caleb had sent her yesterday. [Stop it, Skylar is my sister. She’s always been clingy with me since she was little. I can’t exactly be mad at my own sister.] When I saw that message, my head buzzed. It looked like he was defending me, but his words were strange and off. Willow continued to furiously spam the chat. “Skylar Sterling, are you f***ing disgusting or what? You know he has a girlfriend, but you still cling to him every day! Are you trying to engage in an incestuous relationship with your brother?!” My head was ringing from her insults. I previously had been very clingy with Caleb, it’s true. Mom and Dad were always busy, traveling all over the world for business. From a very young age, Caleb had always taken care of me. That was also why Mom and Dad adopted him. I relied on Caleb a lot. Plus, I was a very high-maintenance child when I was little, so I loved sticking to Caleb. Because of this, people around us always joked that I was his little shadow. Just as the atmosphere was thick with tension, Caleb suddenly tagged Willow in the group: “Alright, Willow, don’t be mad anymore. I bought you your favorite pink diamond as an apology, okay?” Willow replied with a haughty emoji. And just like that, the two of them started flirting in the chat. I became part of their little couple’s play. A surge of anger got stuck in my head, unable to rise or dissipate. I felt my temples throbbing. Just then, the department director suddenly sent a message in the group: “This work chat is for work-related discussions only. Violators will be dealt with according to company regulations.” The farce temporarily ended. But my nightmare had only just begun.

The next day, as soon as I got to my cubicle, I found it drenched in red ink. My computer was completely dead. A fellow intern whispered to me that Willow had come in early to do it. I was furious, practically breathing fire. But I could only swallow my anger since I was at work. And Willow wasn’t even at the company; she had gone on a business trip with Caleb. As soon as I clocked out and reached the company’s ground floor, someone doused me with a bucket of cold water. Willow emerged from the crowd. She held up her phone, with the live streaming camera on. Beside her were several of her girlfriends, all seemingly on her side. Willow pointed at me, drenched like a drowned rat, and looked into the live camera. “Family, this is the psycho who coveted her own brother. Absolutely disgusting.” At her words, sharp laughter mixed with jeers erupted around me. Many people gathered to watch the show. Those who didn’t know the full story started pointing fingers at me. I clenched my fists. “Are you crazy?” Willow let out a short, mocking laugh. “So what if I am? If you dare to seduce my boyfriend, you better be prepared for the consequences.” The live stream comments were frantically scrolling. I glanced at them; almost all of them were insulting me, calling me cheap. I pushed Willow away. “Willow, does Caleb know what you’re doing today?” “So what if he knows? I’m going to marry him someday, I’m your sister-in-law. As your future sister-in-law, I’m practically family, and I have the right to teach you a lesson! Who can say anything?” Willow spoke as if it were obvious. She lunged forward and grabbed my hair, pulling so hard my scalp stung. I tried to struggle, but her girlfriends came up and grabbed my arms. I was forced to look up at Willow. She sneered: “You bitch, you’d better tone down your innocent act, or you’ll regret it once I’m officially part of the family.” As she spoke, she eyed the bag on my shoulder. Her eyes lit up instantly. “That’s the latest Chanel bag!” Then she reached out to snatch it. Of course, I wouldn’t allow it. But there were too many of them. I was slapped several times, and my bag was still snatched away. Many people were coming and going from the company, but no one dared to intervene. “Willow!” I suddenly broke free. But Willow grabbed my hair again and violently shoved me away. I fell to the ground, my forehead throbbing with a dull pain, the world spinning. During this, I heard the continuous sound of gift notifications from the live stream, mixed with the shrill laughter of Willow and her friends: “Family! Our little ‘innocent’ sister is bleeding! Send rockets, and I’ll make her kneel and beg!” Then, several rockets appeared in the live stream. Willow’s high heel suddenly kicked my hand. She triumphantly held up the bag she’d snatched from me. “The Sterling family will be mine and Caleb’s. You need to understand that every penny you spend now is mine. How dare dead weight like you spend so lavishly?” “Caleb told me you get a six-figure monthly allowance. From now on, that money won’t be yours.” As she said this, Willow’s heart ached. She already considered the Sterling Group as good as hers. Me spending my parents’ money also felt like *her* loss. “Are you insane? What does me spending my parents’ money have to do with you?” I truly couldn’t follow Willow’s twisted logic. Willow giggled at the camera, then turned to me: “Of course, it’s your sister-in-law helping you get rid of your wasteful habits.” I gasped for breath. “You? You think you’ll ever step foot in my family’s house?” Willow was enraged. She raked her long nails across my face. In a few swipes, glaring red scratches appeared on my face. Just then, a furious shout came from outside: “What’s going on?! Who dares bully my sister, Skylar Sterling?!”

It was Caleb. The group of girls quickly released me. I looked at Caleb, filled with hope. “Caleb.” Seeing the scene, he looked at Willow in shock. Willow ran over and wrapped her arms around his waist, tears still clinging to her eyelashes. “Caleb, you’re here.” “It was her! She just said I wasn’t worthy of entering the Sterling family home, and I got so mad that I…” Her voice trailed off, but her meaning was clear. My heart clenched. Caleb… he wouldn’t believe her, would he? We’d known each other for so many years. I was the sister he’d watched grow up. He should know my character. But Caleb still disappointed me. His gaze fell on my pale face, and a fleeting flicker of impatience and blame passed through his eyes. But he said nothing, only told Willow to turn off the live stream. Willow reluctantly ended the stream. After that, Caleb walked back and helped me up. He still had that high-handed, patriarchal air about him. “Sister, you really went too far. I’ve spoiled you these past few years.” “Apologize to your sister-in-law, and this whole thing will be over.” I felt cold all over. This Caleb was so utterly foreign to me now. “Apologize? I’m the one with scratches all over my face, and you want *me* to apologize?” I suddenly laughed. Meeting my sarcastic gaze, Caleb’s expression remained unchanged. Willow, hiding in his arms, looked at me with a smirk of triumph. “Caleb, you need to rein her in. She’s too stubborn.” A chorus of boos rose from the onlookers. A few passersby holding phones started shouting at me: “Homewrecker, get lost!” “Original wife beats the homewrecker, how exciting!” “Young girls these days, no sense of morality, just looking to hook up with rich guys. Society’s gone to the dogs.” Seeing that I remained silent, Caleb’s eyes showed clear displeasure. “Still not apologizing? Do you even have any respect for me as your brother?” “And you? Do you have any respect for me as your sister?” I stared fixedly at Caleb. Caleb seemed to realize, belatedly, that he’d gone too far. His tone softened a bit. “Sister, no matter what, you were too clingy with me, which made Willow uncomfortable.” “Her hitting you once is understandable, but your saying she’s not worthy of entering the family is going too far.” Willow watched me, arms crossed, a smug look on her face, fanning the flames. “Caleb, you can’t let this go! You’re the future heir of the Sterling family. Her daring to bully me shows she looks down on you.” “If you don’t teach her a proper lesson today, how will you establish yourself in Sterling Corp in the future?” I looked at Caleb in surprise. The heir to Sterling Corp had always been me. What did that have to do with Caleb Sterling? But Caleb showed no sign of guilt. He frowned at me: “What are you waiting for? Apologize! Otherwise, get out of the Sterling household.” “Do you think you have the right to say that, Caleb?” I found it utterly preposterous. Had Caleb lost his mind? Caleb was visibly enraged and looked like he wanted to hit me. But he barely managed to restrain himself. “I’m your brother, Mom and Dad’s only son. Of course I have the right.” “Are you sure?” I tilted my head, looking straight into Caleb’s eyes. I leaned close to his ear and whispered, “But I’m their only biological child.” At my words, Caleb’s pupils constricted. It had been so long since anyone had mentioned his adopted status, he must have forgotten. He’d gotten too arrogant these past few years. Because of my presence, Mom and Dad had placed a lot of importance on him. They even gave him full authority over this branch company. Our kindness to him had made him lose sight of his true place. I ignored him, pulled out my phone, and messaged Mom and Dad: “Caleb says he’s kicking me out of the house.” I also shared Willow’s live stream with them. The next second, Caleb’s phone rang.

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My mom’s life motto was “Taking a Loss is a Blessing.” She firmly believed that every concession and sacrifice in life would eventually transform into good fortune. When I asked her why, she’d say it was the wisdom of our ancestors: “A little patience calms the storm, and stepping back gives you endless possibilities.” What’s ridiculous is that no one in our entire family could sway her even an inch. Until I turned 20. I’d just won half a million dollars in a startup competition and landed an investment offer. But Mom, wanting to help my uncle Gary, whose business had tanked, used emotional blackmail to make me lend him all the money so he could get back on his feet. I refused and had a huge fight with her. What I got back wasn’t family understanding, but everyone’s moral judgment. My dad, Arthur, sighed and said, “Your mom’s doing this for your own good.” My younger brother, Leo, chimed in, “Come on, Chloe, just think of it as accumulating good karma. Uncle Gary will pay you back later.” My mom, Brenda, burst into tears, accusing me of being unfilial and predicting I’d suffer huge losses someday for being so petty. In the end, after Uncle Gary ran off with all my hopes, and my whole family turned around to blame me for even entering the competition in the first place, I leaped from the rooftop in despair. If I get to live again, I swear, I’m going to see if your “Taking a Loss is a Blessing” philosophy can truly protect our family. … The study window was open, and the wind blew in, scattering papers on the desk. I stood at the study door, my “well-meaning” family inside. My mom was trying to persuade me with a bitter look on her face. “Chloe, just listen to your mom this once. Let your cousin Isabelle have that spot. She’s not as good at studying as you, and she needs this chance more to broaden her horizons. Stepping back is how we accumulate blessings for our family.” My younger brother, Leo, who’d just started college, nodded along. “Yeah, Chloe, it’s just a summer intensive, right? There’ll be plenty of other opportunities later. Isabelle is so pathetic.” “So pathetic”? That was the *only* spot I’d earned, pulling all-nighters, out of thousands of applicants. And they just so casually demanded I give it up. If I hadn’t been good enough, fine, but I won this fair and square! My dad, Arthur, noticed my sour expression and tried to smooth things over. “Chloe, your mom’s right. Taking a Loss is a Blessing.” And my mom, Brenda, pulled me aside immediately and began her brainwashing. “Why are you so stubborn, child? If you take all the good things for yourself, your blessings will be thin. Share some with others, and Heaven will truly bless you. Listen to your mom; I’m the most farsighted person in this family, I’d never harm you.” Hearing this, I felt a chilling wave of despair. Ever since I was little, everything in our family ultimately had to follow my mom’s “taking a loss” philosophy. No matter how absurd the decision was. She believed her patience and sacrifice were the roots of our family, the source of our good fortune. My maternal aunt, Diane, Isabelle’s mom, saw I wasn’t budging and immediately squeezed out a few tears. “Chloe, I know this is hard for you. But look at your cousin. If she doesn’t get this chance, her life might be ruined. You’d be doing a great deed, accumulating good karma.” I looked at my family, not a single one truly cared about me. But they didn’t know how many disasters, caused by their “taking a loss” mentality, I had subconsciously helped them avoid over the years. Yet, when it was my turn, they collectively handed me the knife. Thinking of this, I gave up all hope for this family and decisively gave in. When I woke up again, I heard my dad’s excited voice. “Chloe, I’m almost certain to get that internal promotion at the office this time! It’s all thanks to those project reports you helped me organize last time. So clear and logical, my boss praised me!” The familiar voice and scene made me instantly dazed. Was I… alive again? From my dad’s words, I knew I was back to the day his colleague stole his credit. In my previous life, my dad was full of confidence, but then Mr. Davies, his most trusted colleague, stabbed him in the back, stole all the credit, and took the promotion spot. When I found out, I stayed up two days and a night, found evidence of Mr. Davies’s fraud, and told my dad to confront him. But my mom stubbornly blocked him, saying we couldn’t be so extreme. Losing credit was fate, she said; we should accept it. This was “taking a loss,” and blessings would come eventually. My dad, talked out of it by her, ultimately gave up on the confrontation. He didn’t get any blessings. Instead, because of this “loss,” he became known as a pushover at work and was miserable for many years. Thinking of my mom’s “blessings” theory from my past life, my heart turned to stone. You all love “Taking a Loss is a Blessing,” don’t you? You all listen to her, right? This time, I’m going to see where your blessings come from. With that thought, I gave my dad a worried smile. “Dad, you really shouldn’t think that way.” My tone changed, and I took his hand. “Dad, have you forgotten what Mom always says? The closer something good is, the more low-key you should be, or you’ll scare the good fortune away. Our whole family listens to Mom; I’m sure she wouldn’t want you to fight for this.” 2 As soon as I mentioned Mom, my dad’s smile instantly froze. He awkwardly rubbed his hands together. “Chloe, this is different, this is Dad’s own hard-earned…” “Dad, I know you’re capable,” I nodded understandingly, “But Mom says, the more capable you are, the more you should know when to step back. She calls it ‘keeping your edge hidden,’ and it’s an even bigger blessing.” My dad clearly hesitated; he knew how stubborn my mom was. Sure enough, at dinner that night, as soon as my dad mentioned the promotion, my mom’s face dropped. The others at the table just kept their heads down, eating, as if nothing was wrong. But I still asked, “Mom, if Dad gets promoted, that’s a good thing, isn’t it? Why aren’t you happy?” Hearing me, my mom immediately put down her forks and launched into a long lecture. “What good thing? The nail that sticks out gets hammered down! Your dad’s current position is stable and secure, what’s wrong with that? Why push to be the one sticking out? What if something goes wrong? All our blessings will be gone. The old saying goes, ‘Taking a Loss is a Blessing,’ and a simple, peaceful life is the true path.” Under the tablecloth, my dad’s fists clenched, but he still didn’t dare to argue. Just then, my dad’s phone rang. It was a colleague from work, saying the final list was out, and it was my dad. My dad just started to show a hint of joy when my mom snatched the phone. “Hello, Mr. Davies? This is Arthur’s wife. About this promotion, our family discussed it, and we think you’re more suitable than Arthur. We’re giving it to you, so please don’t refuse. We’re all colleagues; helping each other is just what we do. Think of it as our family accumulating some blessings…” My dad stared, dumbfounded, trying to grab his phone back, but my mom’s glare made him stop. The people at the table still didn’t dare to say a word. In my previous life, I would have argued fiercely. Now, I just found it utterly ridiculous. One willing to beat, one willing to be beaten. As expected, my mom hung up and triumphantly told my dad, “See? Wasn’t I right? Mr. Davies was almost in tears on the phone, saying our family is like living saints. See, aren’t the blessings coming now? He’ll definitely look out for you at work from now on.” My dad’s face was ashen; he couldn’t utter a word. Leo, my brother, acted like it had nothing to do with him, just focusing on his phone. Only I noticed a glint of tears in my dad’s eyes; he must have been fuming. But if he was willing to put up with it, then so be it. My mom, with pride in her eyes, proclaimed to us, “People just shouldn’t be too calculating. The more you give, the more blessings you get. So you all must listen to me!” Then, she pulled my brother Leo closer. “Leo, you failed your exam again this time. Did your classmates bully you and keep you from studying properly?” My brother, who was playing on his phone, immediately slumped, because he simply didn’t like studying. In my previous life, my mom asked the same thing, and I’d directly pointed out that Leo was just lazy and didn’t study. That earned me a scolding from my mom. “How can you talk about your brother like that? He must have his reasons. As his older sister, you should share his burdens more, take some losses for him, and your blessings will transfer to him.” But for my brother’s future, I stuck to my guns and signed him up for tutoring. Eventually, my mom compromised, and my brother’s grades didn’t completely fall apart. At that moment, Leo’s eyes pleaded with me because he knew that in this family, only I dared to tell Mom the truth. But this time, I was going to disappoint him. Didn’t he say in my previous life that Mom was always right? Well, this time, let him taste the consequences of Mom’s “Taking a Loss is a Blessing” philosophy himself. My usually domineering mom, seeing that I didn’t step forward to “scold” my brother, glanced at me displeased. After some hesitation, she turned to my dad, Arthur. “Honey, what are we going to do about Leo? Maybe we should talk to his teacher. It must be the teacher’s fault for not teaching him well.” My dad, still fuming, bristled at her words. He couldn’t believe that after his own major life event had been ruined, my mom still had the nerve to twist the truth like this. Before any of us could react, he slammed his hand on the table. “Enough! A doting mother spoils her child! If he doesn’t study, it’s *his* problem! You keep talking about ‘Taking a Loss is a Blessing,’ but I think our family’s blessings will be completely ruined by you and this boy sooner or later!” With that, he stormed back to his room and slammed the door shut. My mom, Leo, and I were all stunned. Because this kind of outburst was something we were all too familiar with in our family. Normally, I would have gone to comfort my dad and tried to convince my mom not to be so extreme. But today, I wanted to be as indifferent as my brother. All because my mom, such a “kind” person, could make excuses for my brother’s laziness but wouldn’t say a word for the hard-earned opportunity I’d achieved. It turned out she understood everything; it was just a matter of prioritizing interests, and I was always the one to be sacrificed, the one to “take the loss.” My mom looked at me for help, thinking I’d mediate as I always had. But I didn’t move until the very end. Finally, my mom’s gaze turned resentful. I was shocked, and I didn’t understand. 3 She didn’t hate herself for ruining her husband’s future, didn’t hate that her favorite son was a disappointment. Instead, she hated *me*. Finally, my mom wiped her tears and spat at my brother, “Worthless thing! When did this family ever need your dad to worry? Honestly, you can’t handle a little loss, no wonder you have no blessings. I’m telling you, in this family, only what I say counts!” Then she turned to me. “Chloe, what do you think?” At this point, I was too tired to argue with her. How could I dare to say no? I could only nod quickly, indicating, “Whatever Mom says!” Over the next month, my dad became a complete joke at work. That Mr. Davies wasn’t grateful at all; instead, he went around proclaiming how my dad had voluntarily stepped aside, making himself look like the popular choice. My brother, Leo, emboldened, watched his test scores plummet. My mom, Brenda, went to the school every day, causing trouble for the teachers, insisting it was their fault. And I grew even more silent, though the coldness in my eyes when I looked at my mom was impossible to hide. Then came the day my brother was caught cheating at school and even got into a fight with a teacher. By the time my mom arrived at the school, Dean Miller had delivered a final ultimatum. “Mrs. Harper, your son’s behavior has seriously violated school rules. We’ve decided to expel him.” As soon as my mom heard “expel,” she immediately panicked, cautiously asking, “Dean Miller, no, that can’t be right. My Leo is usually so well-behaved. Is there some misunderstanding?” Dean Miller shook his head. “No misunderstanding. We have witnesses and evidence. You should complete the paperwork as soon as possible, so it doesn’t affect other students’ learning.” But my mom couldn’t hear him anymore. The word “expel” echoed in her mind. For her, who firmly believed in “Taking a Loss is a Blessing,” this consequence was a disaster, a sudden misfortune before any blessings arrived. My brother, Leo, standing beside her, said nothing when he heard the disciplinary decision. After Dean Miller left, my mom turned to my brother and immediately demanded, “What’s wrong with you? Didn’t I tell you to take more losses at school? Why did you get into a fight with the teacher?” Leo looked startled, wanting to argue, but seeing my mom’s furious glare, he could only shut his mouth sheepishly. Finally, my mom slapped her thigh and declared, “Leo, don’t listen to that Dean Miller. They just want to push the blame. Your mom has a great idea that will let you stay in school!” My brother’s eyes lit up when he heard Mom had a solution, but then a flicker of suspicion crossed his face. “Mom, you’re not the principal. What good idea could you have?” My mom got annoyed when my brother dared to question her. “Leo, your mom is the backbone of this family. There’s nothing I can’t solve. Just listen to me. If I say you can stay, you can stay!” Leo had no choice but to follow my mom’s plan. And the plan my mom came up with was to stage a sit-in protest outside the District Office! She confidently told my brother, “Leo, remember last time when Mrs. Miller’s son next door was wrongly accused, and she went and sat in, and the problem was solved? If she can do it, so can we. We’ve suffered a huge injustice. We’re taking this loss, and Heaven will give us blessings.” My brother’s confidence immediately surged when he heard my mom say this. “Oh yeah, that did happen. Mom, you’re so smart!” Listening from the side, I just found it absurd. A sit-in solving a problem? Only a fool would believe that. And yet, no one in our family, not even my dad, dared to question my mom’s ridiculous idea. Since that was the case, I could only grit my teeth and go along with them. But that wasn’t the end of it. My dad, Arthur, started having problems too. In these two days since Leo was expelled, no one at home was looking after him. He finally got to cut loose, spending all his time outside with a bunch of shady characters. My mom had specifically told me to keep an eye on my brother and “take more losses” for him. I agreed verbally, but actually, I was preparing for my startup competition these two days and had no time to manage him. My dad also felt sorry for Leo, and Leo kept complaining. “Dad, you don’t know how bored I am at home every day. If it weren’t for Mom, I’d still be in school.” My dad then gave me a meaningful look. “If your sister had convinced your mom more back then, you might not have been expelled.” I scoffed internally. He was trying to pass the blame onto me. My brother, hearing this, immediately shoved me twice. “It’s all your fault!” I just coldly watched the two of them. Eventually, my mom found out about my brother’s troublemaking outside. That day, I came home after my preliminary competition, and the house was a mess. While I was still wondering what happened, a neighbor suddenly poked her head out and told me, “Chloe, hurry to the police station! Something big has happened with your family!” 4 When I got to the police station, I learned from the officers what had happened. It wasn’t anything “big.” It was just my brother getting into a fight, and my dad getting dragged into it. My dad was okay, but my brother, Leo, was in bad shape. After my mom returned from her fruitless protest at the school, she found my brother wasn’t home. At first, my mom didn’t believe it; she couldn’t accept that her precious son would secretly defy her. She stormed out to find him and eventually found him gambling at a pool hall, getting into a fight after losing money. My mom felt her authority challenged. So she grabbed a nearby stool and joined the brawl. “You punks! How dare you bully my son! You’re barely grown, and you think you can turn the world upside down?” As luck would have it, the other side had more people, and my mom and brother were quickly overwhelmed, both beaten black and blue. My dad, Arthur, rushed over when he heard the commotion, let out a yell, and charged into the fight, clawing and scratching at the group. My dad was completely enraged. For so many years, he had silently endured my mom’s “Taking a Loss is a Blessing” philosophy. But today, for his beloved son, he finally learned to fight back. You see, it really depends on the person. If I had been the one in trouble today, I believe my dad wouldn’t have said a word, even if I was beaten to death. Let alone muster the courage to get into a fight. Thinking of this, my eyes welled up. Even though I knew the outcome, experiencing it firsthand was still bitter. But how could their three people stand against a group of thugs? They all ended up beaten and lying on the ground. My brother Leo could only watch helplessly, groaning and clutching his arm, yelling, “Mom, my arm, my arm feels broken!” My mom finally realized the seriousness of the situation, called the police, and everyone was taken to the station. My brother was still at the hospital. The police said Leo’s arm had a comminuted fracture, meaning it was likely crippled for life. My mom refused to accept this fact, gripping the officer’s uniform. “Officer, no, that can’t be right. They just pushed him once. How could he have a broken bone?” The officer asked my mom if Leo had been getting enough calcium. A flicker of guilt crossed my mom’s eyes when she heard the question. “It’s nothing much, I was doing it for his own good, making him take more losses.” The officer looked confused. “He’s only a teenager, still growing. What kind of losses are you making him take?” My mom, even at this point, hadn’t realized her mistake and retorted discontentedly, “Taking a Loss is a Blessing! When I was a kid, I was hungry all the time. Why can’t he do it?” The officer rolled his eyes in exasperation. “Everyone’s body is different; you can’t generalize. Now, we can only hope for the child’s recovery!” My brother, Leo, lay on the hospital bed, eyes vacant. He still didn’t know he’d be half-crippled for life. I went to my dad’s room. As luck would have it, he woke up just as I entered. He woke up, grabbed my hand, and burst into tears. “Chloe, your mother, she’s not human. She actually harmed your brother like this. Didn’t she say Taking a Loss is a Blessing? Your brother is her son too!” Seeing my indifference, he viciously pinched the back of my hand, making me wince in pain. “Chloe, what do you say we cut ties with your mom?” No sooner had he spoken than his eyes widened in terror. He turned around and saw my mom, Brenda, standing at the door, her face dark. My mom, holding a payment slip, walked step by step to my dad’s bed, slamming the slip onto the table, and coldly questioned him. “What about cutting ties?”

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