My grandmother is the wealthiest person in Country A, and I’m her only granddaughter. Yet, my two brothers let their mistress take my place. Before the centennial celebration of SkyRise Corporation began, Lydia took the seat meant for the corporation’s daughter and feigned sincerity as she said to me, “If it weren’t for the brothers insisting I bring you out into the world, a poor student like you would never set foot in SkyRise Corporation.” “Make sure you behave later and don’t cause trouble for me, or the brothers will have no mercy on you.” In my previous life, my brothers’ threats made me timid and submissive to Lydia. But now, I’ve been reborn. As Lydia continued her nonsense, I kicked her a meter away. “Who do you think you are? Lecturing me like that!” My reckless action immediately drew everyone’s attention. Finn rushed over to comfort Lydia, while Jasper slapped me twice. Seeing their treasured friend kicked away, my brothers were heartbroken and angrily glared at me. “Adeline, have you lost your mind, daring to hit our sister!” Looking at my aggressive brothers, I realized how foolish I was to ever think they felt sibling affection for me. Pointing at Lydia, whom they were protecting, I loudly mocked, “She’s just a mistress. Am I, the rightful daughter of the corporation and granddaughter of the wealthiest, not qualified to hit her?” Hearing this, Finn was instantly enraged and pushed me to the ground. “Adeline, Lydia kindly funded your education, yet here you are, spouting nonsense.” “Everyone here, listen up. Lydia is my grandmother’s real granddaughter and the true heiress of SkyRise Corporation.” I looked at Finn in disbelief. “She’s my grandmother’s real granddaughter? The heiress of SkyRise Corporation? “Finn, how dare you say such things? You have some nerve!” Jasper rolled his eyes at me disdainfully. “Adeline, did you forget to take your meds today? You’re losing it again.” Lydia then started to cry hypocritically. “It’s all my fault. I knew Adeline had mental issues, yet I still brought her here.” Their twisted dialogue was heard loud and clear by everyone in the hall. Suddenly, those around me looked at me with disdain. “So Adeline is just a poor student funded by the heiress, no wonder she’s so shabbily dressed.” “The heiress is truly kind-hearted to support someone mentally unstable and morally questionable.” Finn then called for Assistant Zach from the corporation. “Take Adeline out of here. Without my permission, she’s not allowed to step foot in the corporation again.” I looked at the assistant approaching with security. “Mr. Zach, you’ve been with my father for years. How can you not recognize the true heiress of the corporation?” Mr. Zach stopped in his tracks, stunned. “I… I…” Jasper glared at him displeased. “Mr. Zach, my brother is the future heir of the corporation. If you disobey his orders, are you looking to get fired?” Mr. Zach turned pale with fright, looking at me uneasily. “Miss, I have a family to support. Please, don’t make this hard for me. Come with me.” He signaled the security to drag me away. Seeing them closing in, I grabbed a vase from the table and threw it forcefully. “Not only am I the heiress of SkyRise Corporation, but I’m also the sole heir. Touch me if you dare!” The sound of the vase shattering and my furious voice echoed throughout the banquet hall. Hearing my declaration, those around me began to sneer. “Looks like she’s really lost it, pretending to be the granddaughter of the wealthiest, and now claiming to be the heir. Ridiculous.” “Even if she were the granddaughter, a woman wouldn’t inherit the corporation, especially since there are two grandsons.” Facing my arrogant brothers, I directly questioned them. “Finn, are you sure you and Jasper have the right to inherit?” Jasper’s eyes flickered for a moment but quickly returned to normal. He tugged at Finn’s sleeve. “Finn, today’s a joyous day. The elders will be here soon. Let’s just drop it.” Seeing Jasper’s reaction, I knew he remembered his background and was getting scared. After all, my grandmother, the wealthiest woman in Country A, only had my mother as her daughter. After my mother passed, I became her only granddaughter. My two brothers were merely the orphaned children of my father’s brother. When their parents died, my father couldn’t bear to see his nephews suffer, so he brought them into the family. They have no blood relation to my mother or grandmother and can’t possibly inherit the SkyRise Corporation founded by my grandmother. But Finn didn’t care about what I said. Instead, he frowned and glared at Jasper. “She just hit Lydia. Can you really let Lydia suffer?” “Adeline, it seems your condition has worsened. How about having the assistant send you to a mental institution?” Hearing those words, my chest filled with hatred. I remembered the pain of being in a mental institution in my past life, where Lydia extracted my blood and skin. Yes, in my previous life, Finn and Jasper conspired against me to win Lydia’s favor. They plotted and harmed me. Lydia, being a medical student, always had a desire. She wanted to see the differences between a living and a dead body. When my brothers found out, they assisted Lydia in dissecting me alive. Even though I grew up with them, living together for 18 years, they let Lydia impersonate me and helped her torture me. Now, I understand. In my brothers’ eyes, family means nothing. Only love matters to them. But now I’m curious. When love and power are at stake, how will my brothers choose? With this thought, I chuckled coldly. “I’m asking you for the last time, who is the true heiress and heir of SkyRise Corporation?” Before my brothers could answer, Celeste, the daughter of a business partner under the corporation, rushed out and slapped me. “Outrageous! A funded poor student dares to act out in SkyRise Corporation? Know your place.” I know Celeste because she’s not only been secretly in love with Finn but also dreams of marrying him to become the future chairman’s wife. Since she heard Lydia is the granddaughter of the wealthiest, the heiress of SkyRise Corporation, she’s been flattering Lydia for two months, trying to build a good sister-in-law relationship and appear as a good wife to Finn. But she’s flattering the wrong person. Lydia isn’t the heiress of SkyRise Corporation; she’s Celeste’s rival, and the mistress Finn has secretly supported for years. I wasn’t about to take Celeste’s slap for nothing, so I kicked her hard in the stomach. “Who do you think you are? A daughter of a third-rate company’s CEO dares to hit me! With one word from me, your family goes bankrupt.” Celeste clutched her stomach in pain, looking at me in disbelief. “Adeline, you dare kick me? My parents never even scolded me!” “Wait and see, I won’t let you off!” Lydia, feeling guilty, grabbed Celeste’s hand. “Celeste, don’t mind her. She’s not right in the head. I’ll apologize on her behalf.” I looked at Lydia disdainfully and sneered. “I think you’re the one who’s crazy. Giving up being a mistress to impersonate the heiress at such an important event.” I turned to my brothers, pointing at the door, and coldly said, “If you want to play role-playing games with your lover, then take your mistress and get out of my corporation!” My brothers glared at me, their faces dark. “Lydia, I’m telling you, we have real power in the corporation, while you’re still in school. If anyone leaves, it’s you!” “What’s going on here? Why are you all standing? Go take your seats.” A dignified, extraordinary middle-aged man squeezed in. He is Declan, the CEO of SkyRise Corporation, and my biological father. Yet, he hurried over to Lydia, raising his hand to wipe her tears. “Lydia, don’t cry. Who bullied you?” “Tell me, and I’ll stand up for you!” Finn angrily pointed at me. “Who else but Adeline, this impudent girl, would dare bully Lydia under my nose?” Hearing this, my father displeased, slapped me. “Adeline, you really have some nerve, taking advantage of others’ power to bully Lydia.” “Kneel and apologize to Lydia immediately, or you won’t get any living expenses for the next year.” Looking at my father, who blamed me without understanding the situation, I felt utterly disappointed. As expected, my father is just like in my past life, blindly favoring Lydia along with my brothers. Though I anticipated this, my heart still ached. I never understood why I, his daughter, was treated this way, while Lydia, just the brothers’ plaything, received his favor. “Adeline, you really have some nerve, daring to push Lydia around using someone else’s influence.” “Kneel and apologize to Lydia right now, or you can forget about receiving any living expenses for the next year.” Seeing my father blame me without knowing the full story filled me with disappointment. As expected, my father remained the same as in my past life, blindly favoring Lydia along with my two brothers. Although I had anticipated this, it still pained me. I never understood it before. I am my father’s daughter, yet Lydia was just a toy for my brothers. But once my father met Lydia, it was like he was bewitched by her. Especially after learning that both my brothers had been supporting Lydia, he was furious and punished them severely for an entire day and night. At that time, I even tried to intervene and defend them, but my father accidentally struck me twice. The marks from those strikes are still on my arm to this day. Afterward, my father not only forbade my brothers from supporting Lydia but even used his connections to get her into the best university in Country A. He also told my brothers that if they truly liked Lydia, they should compete fairly to win her hand in marriage. And whoever succeeded in marrying Lydia would inherit his fortune. In my past life, my father’s strange behavior piqued my curiosity, so I secretly investigated Lydia’s background. I later discovered that Lydia was the daughter of my father’s first love. Lydia resembled her mother, and my father recognized her immediately. The pull of a lost love is indeed powerful; just one familiar face was enough to capture my father’s heart. It’s sad for my late mother, who never knew that my father harbored feelings for another woman. Thinking of this, I looked at my father with a mocking smile. “I won’t apologize!” “But my brothers claimed Lydia is their sister, the heiress of SkyRise Corporation. Don’t you have anything to explain to everyone?” Upon hearing this, Lydia immediately looked at my father with teary eyes because she knew he couldn’t stand seeing her cry. As expected, seeing Lydia break down, my father slapped me twice more. “Explain what? They’re right; Lydia is my beloved daughter, the heiress of SkyRise Corporation.” Seeing my father lie so blatantly, I shouted at him in anger. “Declan, do you think you’re being fair to my deceased mother? Can you repeat what you just said with a clear conscience?” My father ignored me and looked at my brothers. “Throw this trash, who bullied your sister, out.” Looking at my cold and unfeeling father, my heart was filled with mixed emotions. Ha, is this the man my mother loved all her life? Is this the biological father I admired for 18 years? I think my mother never expected, while she was alive, that the two sons she kindly adopted would harm her beloved daughter for a mistress. And that her husband would not protect his own daughter but would instead throw her out for the child of his first love. At this moment, I truly felt sad for myself and my deceased mother. I lifted my head and met my father’s eyes directly, speaking coldly. “This is my family’s SkyRise Corporation; you outsiders have no right to flaunt here!” I deliberately emphasized “my family’s.” As soon as I finished speaking, my father was completely enraged. He ordered my brothers to come forward and hold me down tightly so I couldn’t move. “Yours? How laughable!” Then my father walked behind me, grabbed my hair, and smashed my forehead against the glass wall of the hall. “For years, I’ve been managing SkyRise Corporation. Why can’t it be mine, Declan’s? Why can’t I decide the heir?” I held back my tears and shouted firmly, “SkyRise Corporation belongs to my grandmother. I am the sole heir of the corporation!” “Bang, bang, bang,” my forehead was pushed against the glass wall again as soon as I finished speaking. My father continued to roar, “Adeline, stop dreaming. I gave SkyRise Corporation to Lydia as a dowry last year. Whoever marries Lydia will inherit SkyRise Corporation!” My father’s words shocked everyone present, and the way they looked at Lydia became even more intense. At this moment, an old and sharp female voice came from behind me. “Declan, dare to say that again! Who is the heir of SkyRise Corporation?” I’m sorry, but it seems that the text for translation is missing. Could you please provide the Chinese text that you would like to have translated? Chapter Four Upon hearing that familiar voice, Father and my two brothers immediately released me. As I looked at the elegant woman before me, the tears that had been welling up in my eyes finally spilled over. Ignoring the pain coursing through my body, I rushed into her embrace and clung tightly to her waist. “Grandma, I’ve missed you so much.”

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After five years of marriage, Zachary Smith turned our marital home into 99 themed rooms for his affairs. The models he brought back could open a nightclub in our house. I chose to turn a blind eye because of the child in my womb. Later, he personally dressed me in a princess gown and took the dolled-up me to the hospital to shave my head bald. All to make a sick little girl smile. I didn’t cry or make a fuss. Until our anniversary, when the little girl insisted on going skiing. Zachary forced me to be there as a human cushion for Lily. On the slopes, Lily deliberately crashed into me, sending me flying. Blood gushed from beneath me. I begged him to save our child, but he picked up the unharmed Lily and sneered at me: “Claire Johnson, you’ve lied more times than I’ve slept with you.” “If you’re hurt, find the medical staff. Don’t blame me for not acknowledging the child if you delay Lily’s fun!” On the way to the hospital, our baby died in my womb. Yet he let his friends laugh and bet on whether the child would survive. I closed my eyes in despair: “Zachary, let’s stop torturing each other. Let’s get divorced.” 0

When the doctor shook his head, I heard something shatter inside me. With trembling hands, I signed the death certificate. His friends rushed into my hospital room, cursing when they saw my swollen body. “Tch! How unlucky, we lost the bet!” “I told you Zach is a god. Look how bundled up she is, cherishing that child so much.” Hearing this, I forced a smile. With multiple fractures all over my body and my abdomen wrapped in bandages, I looked about five months pregnant. Zachary’s long fingers tapped on the table. He hadn’t looked at me once. Until there was a knock on the door and a document was thrown onto my bed. “Sign it! Just say how much you want!” “You’re a professional skier, not as fragile as Lily. A fall won’t kill you. Stop pretending, it’s getting old!” I looked at the “Voluntary Waiver of Injury Assessment” on the floor and laughed. “Zachary, the baby is dead,” I said, my eyes hollow. “What if I don’t sign?” He froze for only a second before bursting into laughter: “Trying to make me feel guilty? Do you think I’d believe you? Stop wasting time and sign. My dear Lily is waiting for me.” I stared at him, my face ashen. He had sat in the hospital room for half a day without once asking about my wellbeing. He was afraid I would hold Lily responsible. When he knew skiing was dangerous, he once used his life to make me quit the ski team. Now he forced his pregnant wife onto the slopes for Lily’s sake. Zachary’s eyes were cold, flashing with impatience. He dumped a whole package of cash on my head, stinging my face. “Is this enough? If not, I’ll give you more!” My fingers clutched my clothes tightly. Through the money, I saw my own humiliation. “Zachary,” my voice was hoarse, “let’s stop this. Let’s get divorced.” If you asked what my wish was at 22, it would have been to spend a lifetime entangled with Zachary Smith. But now I was truly numb. Zachary’s expression froze for a moment, then burned with anger. “I’ll let you go when I’m dead. You can only endure my torment!” His hand pressed hard on my wound, making me cry out in pain. He didn’t know how many steel pins were in my body, nor that I had nearly died. He certainly didn’t know the baby was already gone. I didn’t dare say it hurt. I couldn’t forget how last time I cried in pain, Zachary called me dramatic. He had switched my allergy medication for vitamins, nearly suffocating me in the elevator. “Claire Johnson, you’re using the wrong tactics. If you want to leave, cut out that child! If you think you can take the baby and run away, dream on.” “If you don’t dare, crawl on your knees to Lily’s room and apologize. Then I’ll forgive you.” I stopped in my tracks. My body felt filled with shattered glass, every movement cutting into my flesh. As soon as he finished speaking, his friends cheered excitedly. Just like years ago when our love was passionate and known to all. We had been through life and death together. Back then, I desperately protected him, nearly not waking up. He, who had never bowed his head, knelt before Buddha and transcribed scriptures in blood. Everything changed on our wedding day. There were no questions, no arguments. We quietly finished the ceremony. From then on, he found new ways to humiliate and torment me. Even our marital home that we designed together was completely transformed into themed rooms for his affairs. Going home felt like entering a sleazy motel. He forced me to clean the toys they had used, to tidy up the mess they left behind. Thinking of this, I looked at him with red eyes, pain overwhelming my reason. “Alright.” I didn’t want to live like this anymore. As I spoke, I shakily unzipped my coat. When I picked up the knife on the table, he stormed out, slamming the door so hard it made my whole body ache. After he left, his assistant came forward. “Mr. Smith instructed that you are to go serve in Miss Evans’ room. Otherwise, he can’t guarantee that person’s grave will remain undisturbed.” 0

I stopped mid-turn, tears welling in my eyes. “Let him do as he pleases.” I went to the cemetery and bought a plot next to his for our child. I knelt there for a long time, until I heard footsteps behind me. Zachary had his arm around Lily as he spoke with fake sincerity: “When you said ‘do as he pleases,’ you meant coming here to protect him yourself? Claire Johnson, what do you take me for? A plaything?” He shoved Lily aside and roughly yanked me up. “Since you’re so keen on protecting him, let’s see if you can.” In the struggle, my wig fell off. Lily screamed, covering her eyes. Zachary grabbed the back of my neck and shoved my face against the tombstone. “With your ghastly appearance, you still think you can be buried with him after death? Would he still love you?” I looked at the scattered tombstone, biting my lip until it bled. I did love him, but he was my brother. On our wedding day, I didn’t run away. I only wanted to see my brother in the hospital one last time. I tried to explain countless times, but in return he locked me in those themed rooms and made me watch as he had sex with others. He ignored me now, gently patting Lily’s back to comfort her. “Lily is so brave, don’t be scared. Doesn’t she look much better when she’s ugly like this?” The mocking laughter cut me to the core. Tears silently rolled down my cheeks as I touched the centipede-like scar on the back of my head. My heart felt like it was being sliced open. To protect him, my skull had been fractured, requiring 18 stitches. I never cried out in pain once. My prized long hair became a bald head, and I didn’t resist. All these sacrifices had become swords piercing my own heart. Noticing my movement, his hand clenched into a fist at his side. Lily stepped forward and hugged me, her eyes brimming with tears: “Sister, it’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have mocked you. I’m sorry.” After she spoke, she leaned close to my ear and whispered: “I did it on purpose that day skiing. Your child deserved to die!” My mind went blank with ringing. I lunged at her. Lily covered her ears, tears streaming down her face as she accused me of biting her ear to Zachary. But I hadn’t even touched her. Zachary exploded in anger, raising his hand to slap me hard. My ears rang and I tasted blood in my throat. Flames lit up before my eyes as Zachary held our photo in his hand. “Consider this my greeting to him!” He had the entire grave blown up, leaving not even a speck of ashes. I screamed hysterically, burning to ashes in an instant. I lunged forward like a madwoman. Zachary yanked me back hard. “Have you gone insane?!” I collapsed on the ground, all strength to struggle drained from me. That was my fool of a brother who raised me, my only family. Why would he do this to me? I had gone mad. A thousand words couldn’t compare to one sentence from Lily. The truth was right before my eyes. Why wouldn’t he even try to verify it? Did I really deserve to die? My throat burned with pain as I laughed dryly, falling backwards. When I woke up, Zachary was firmly holding down my arm. As the needle pierced my vein, I felt so numb I couldn’t even feel the pain. Then he had the doctor cut a piece of skin from my arm and throw it in the trash. I knew he was punishing me. This was nothing compared to before. He once forced me to buy sex toys for them, putting the hat that hurt Lily on my head. Letting her stab me with needles. Another time when I was pregnant and had a fever, I begged him to take me to the hospital. He thought I was faking illness out of jealousy to ruin their fun. He used the baby to force me to clean up after Lily. I still didn’t understand how two people who once loved each other could become like this. Even my brother, who I had relied on since childhood, was trampled on and slandered after death. With trembling hands, I took out my phone and dialed a long-unused number. “Hello, I’d like to arrange a sand burial.” 0

In our most carefree year, Zachary once said he wanted to become the most beautiful legend in an uninhabited desert. We decided on our final resting place at the most inappropriate age. But now… At the front door, the whole mansion glowed with colorful lights. I knew they were trying different themes again. I sat numbly on the steps, almost dozing off. A jacket that didn’t smell like Zachary was draped over me. “Why are you sitting here? Is Zachary misbehaving again?” When I looked up, I realized the distinguished man before me was Zachary’s uncle, Ian. I smiled bitterly and said: “Uncle Ian, can you help expedite my visa application?” The man just gave a low “Mm” in response. Early the next morning, Lily stood by my bed with her hands on her hips. She dumped a bucket of cold water on my face, her expression twisted and hideous. “Enjoy eavesdropping last night? Zach and I tried several new positions. He praised me for doing well and gave me this ‘Eternal Love’ jade bracelet. Last night we even used it to…” I suddenly looked up at her wrist. Tears fell uncontrollably. My brother had saved money for years, refusing treatment to buy that bracelet as my wedding gift. The thought of how they desecrated it made my mind explode. “Give it to me…” Lily narrowed her eyes and smirked, leaning close to my ear, “Want to bet?” The next second, she grabbed my hand and shoved her into the toilet, screaming dramatically. “Help! I won’t dare again!” Zachary rushed in and held me underwater in the bathtub until I nearly suffocated. Then he carefully took Lily into his arms, treasuring her. I watched as he gently kissed Lily, who was covered in dirty water. My pupils dilated. “Zach, this bracelet must be from someone important to Claire. If it could lead to death, I don’t want it anymore.” Lily burst into tears, sobbing uncontrollably. Zachary said nothing, just glared at me viciously. He carried Lily and rushed to the hospital. I swallowed the nausea rising in my stomach, my eyes stinging. Soon after, Zachary’s bodyguards took me to the hospital by force. They poured medicine into my mouth over and over, then pumped my stomach again and again. It was repeated over a dozen times until I collapsed in agony. Tears streamed uncontrollably as I vomited until I passed out. Next door, Zachary was telling stories to entertain Lily as she got an IV drip, making her giggle constantly. To coax her into getting her stomach pumped, he had all the world’s jewels brought to the hospital. I closed my eyes. He had once spent a year nursing my stomach back to health. Now it was completely ruined. Zachary came over with cold eyes. Seeing my reddened eyes, he clenched his fists tightly. “Claire Johnson, don’t think I won’t touch you. It’s just a stupid bracelet. I can buy you thousands to replace it.” I coughed up blood, letting the tears fall. “Zachary, would you only be happy if I died?” Hearing this, Zachary’s body froze for a moment. Then he looked at my abdomen and sneered: “Could you bear it? The child you schemed so hard to keep, could you bear to part with it?” I looked at the man before me who was impervious to reason. I no longer wanted to explain. Ignoring his furious rage, I pulled out the gastric lavage tube and left. Outside the hospital, Lily invited me into the car with a beaming smile. Zachary held Lily’s hand tightly, not sparing me a glance. The car reeked of tangerine peels. He didn’t give me a chance to get out. I opened the window. Zachary said coldly: “Close it. Lily’s pregnant and afraid of the wind.” My fingertips trembled. He knew how severe my allergies were. I stared at my phone expressionlessly. Zachary’s face darkened. Lily giggled coyly: “Don’t blame me, sister. I wasn’t feeling well so I asked Zach to set this up.” I replied to messages, occasionally rubbing my arm covered in red spots. As soon as we got out of the car, I clutched my stomach and retched violently until I was utterly exhausted.

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I noticed something strange about my wife sleeping next to me. She was unresponsive to my intimate gestures, like a dead fish. I thought maybe after years of marriage, she had lost her passion and excitement for me. That is, until I overheard my wife talking to her hot best friend: “My husband sleeps like the dead every night. You could put a corpse next to him and he wouldn’t even notice!” So my wife found a body double? 0 I woke up with a start, faintly hearing slight noises coming from the living room. It sounded like someone moaning and panting. In the pitch darkness, I couldn’t help but feel a chill run down my spine. Instinctively, I reached out to nudge my wife beside me. “Honey, I think there’s someone outside…” I pushed her a few times, but she didn’t respond, seemingly fast asleep. She must have been exhausted from the day, I thought. In the end, I decided not to wake her. I slowly got up, grabbing a vase from the nightstand for self-defense. Could it be a burglar? I tiptoed out of the bedroom, the living room pitch black. After some hesitation, I mustered up the courage to feel my way to the kitchen and grab a knife. Feeling slightly braver, I made my way to the light switch by the door and turned on all the lights. The living room suddenly lit up. I looked around but found nothing out of place. I checked the other bedrooms too, but there were no signs of intrusion. Even our valuables were untouched. I stood in the living room, bewildered. Had I imagined it all? The next morning, I woke up and went to the living room to find my wife already sitting at the dining table, a radiant smile on her face as she looked at me. “Good morning, honey! Come have breakfast!” My wife, Lily, was tall and curvaceous, with looks that could easily be described as stunning. We had a whirlwind romance, getting married after knowing each other for just a month. Despite the rushed nature of our marriage, our relationship had always been good. She stood by me as I went from having nothing to becoming the CEO of my own company. I became the envy of all the men in our social circle. After my business took off, she quit her job to become a full-time housewife. The only regret was that after six years of marriage, we still didn’t have a child to show for our love. We initially thought there might be some health issues, but medical check-ups showed we were both perfectly healthy. Perhaps it just wasn’t the right time yet. I sat down after washing up and took a bite of the warm sandwich. Remembering last night’s incident, I couldn’t help but ask her about it. Lily rolled her eyes and said impatiently, “Honey, were you dreaming?” I wanted to say more, but she had already gotten up, telling me, “Alright, you need to get to the office. Hurry up and eat! I’m going back for a nap. For some reason, I’ve been feeling really sleepy lately.” Lily stretched and walked past me towards the bedroom. I don’t know if it was my imagination, but I thought I caught a faint strange odor coming from her. Without thinking too much about it, I quickly finished my breakfast and headed to the office. The next night, I don’t know how long I had been asleep when I was once again startled awake. The panting sounds outside were even louder this time. I got up to check, but again found nothing missing. My scalp tingled with fear. Could it be not a burglar, but a ghost in our house? I’m an atheist, but at that moment, the only explanation I could think of, besides a haunting, was beyond me. However, for the next two weeks, everything seemed to return to normal. The eerie sounds never resurfaced. I thought the matter had come to an end, but little did I know it was just the beginning. One night, I had a vivid dream. In it, Lily and I were passionately intimate. But just as things were getting intense, I suddenly woke up. The lingering desire from the dream left my entire body feeling like it was on fire. I couldn’t help but snuggle closer to Lily’s body, softly calling out to her. “Honey, are you asleep?” Just like before, I called out to her many times, but she didn’t respond. It felt like lying next to a corpse. 0

But I was already too consumed by endless desire to let her be. I went from softly calling her name to shaking her vigorously. “Honey, wake up.” Just as my mind was starting to form some unpleasant suspicions, Lily finally showed a slight reaction. She mumbled in a faint voice, “Sleeping.” Of course, I wasn’t going to give up. I pressed closer to her body again, whispering in her ear, “Honey, it’s been so long since we’ve been intimate. How about we go wild tonight?” As I spoke, my hands started to wander. She didn’t refuse me, so I became even bolder in my actions. However, I vaguely felt that the skin I was touching was cold, unlike my wife’s usual soft and warm body. Moreover, the scent on her body seemed different from before, giving me a strange sense of novelty. But just as my hand was about to reach her peaks, she suddenly grabbed my hand. “No… not now, I need to take a shower first.” Before I could react, she had already scrambled out of bed, wrapped herself in the blanket, and stumbled out of the room in the dark. Watching this series of actions left me bewildered. But since she wanted to shower, I could only wait silently, hoping she would be quick. However, after waiting in the room for a long time, I was starting to doze off. So I got up, intending to go and hurry her along. Suddenly, I heard voices coming from the living room. To my surprise, there was another woman in the living room besides my wife Lily. It was Lily’s best friend, Rachel. I had met her a few times before. Rachel was equally stunning in terms of both figure and looks, certainly not inferior to my wife. Today, she was wearing only a thin T-shirt on top, which perfectly accentuated her flawless figure. She had on a pair of extremely short denim shorts, revealing long, snow-white legs. She was the type of beauty that would make anyone’s imagination run wild after just one glance. For some reason, Rachel’s expression didn’t look good, seeming to contain a hint of fear. “When did you get here?” I asked. Lily immediately linked arms with Rachel and said to me with a beaming smile, “She just arrived, honey. There’s been some disturbance downstairs at Rachel’s place lately. She couldn’t stand it anymore, so she came to stay with us for the night.” Hearing this, I nodded. I was about to turn and go back to the bedroom when I suddenly noticed something odd. “Hey, honey, weren’t you taking a shower? Why are you still wearing a dress?” Lily had said earlier that she was going to shower, but now she was wearing neither pajamas nor a nightgown, but a tight-fitting bodycon dress that she would wear to go out. She even had high heels on her feet. Lily rolled her eyes at my question and said impatiently, “Well, Rachel just called me to come down and let her in. I couldn’t exactly go down wrapped in a towel, could I?” I didn’t think much of it and turned to go back to the bedroom. The earlier feeling of arousal was gone, and considering how late it was and that I had an early meeting at the company tomorrow, I ended up falling asleep without continuing what we had left unfinished with my wife. However, little did I know that Rachel’s appearance at our home tonight was not as simple as my wife had made it out to be. 0

A week later, I had finished my work at the office and had nothing else to do, so I fell asleep in my office chair. I slept deeply, as I had indeed been under a lot of stress lately. By nighttime, because I had rested for so long during the day, I wasn’t sleeping as heavily. I woke up groggily to find my wife not 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 whispered voices coming from outside the door. Could it be my wife talking on the phone with someone? A feeling of unease immediately welled up in my heart. So late at night, my wife wasn’t in the room but secretly making a call in the living room. Had our marriage hit a rough patch? I hurriedly went to the door, pressing myself against it as if trying to meld into it. I could hear my wife’s voice from outside. “Rachel, please help me out. Hasn’t your company not paid salaries for months now? If you help me, I’ll add another thousand… no, two thousand. How about that?” So she was talking to Rachel. The heart that had jumped to my throat relaxed a bit. But suddenly, Rachel’s voice rang out. It wasn’t the sound of a phone call; she was right there in the living room with my wife. “No, no, Lily. Even if I’m desperate for money, I can’t agree to this. Last time we almost got caught by your husband…” I was stunned. What had they almost been caught doing? My wife continued, “Don’t worry, that was just a fluke. I promise it won’t happen again.” “Look, if you agree, I’ll not only give you an extra two thousand, but I’ll also have my husband arrange a position for you at his company. The salary will definitely be higher than at your previous company.” Rachel seemed to fall silent. I listened, completely confused. What extra money? What was Lily asking Rachel to agree to? And how was I involved in all this? What on earth was going on? After a long while, under Lily’s urging, Rachel seemed to waver, but she said, “Oh, Lily, I really don’t understand why you’re doing this. It’s clear that your husband truly loves you. Why don’t you two just have a baby? Maybe that would change your mind.” My heart, which had just settled, leapt up again. Although Lily’s voice wasn’t loud, I could still hear a hint of dismissiveness in her words. “I don’t want to turn into a frumpy housewife because of a kid. I still want to enjoy life for a few more years. You have no idea, every time I’m intimate with my husband, I secretly take contraceptives afterward.” “I can’t live without the strong bodies of those young studs out there!” Hearing this, I nearly collapsed to the ground. So the so-called full-time housewife was actually going out to party behind my back every day. All that talk about not being able to live without it was just an excuse. And the reason we hadn’t had a child in all these years was also due to her secret manipulations. Disbelief, pain, and anger instantly flooded my mind. I wanted to rush out and slap her hard, demanding to know why she would do this. But just then, she spoke again, pleading with Rachel. “Come on, Rachel. My husband has been under a lot of stress lately. He’s sleeping like the dead every night. You could put a corpse next to him and he wouldn’t even notice!” A lightning bolt flashed through my mind, and an unbelievable suspicion formed in my thoughts.

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For the sake of Harry’s face, which looked so much like Frederick’s, I went crazy and livestreamed myself cutting my wrists in the family group chat, just begging for a chance to marry Harry. Everyone praised my devotion, but they didn’t know that every time Harry had an affair with his childhood sweetheart, I saw it all clearly. I didn’t make a scene or expose him. But he actually faked his own death to escape our marriage, then released a video online accusing me. “Miss Zoe, are you satisfied now that you’ve broken up a loving couple? Do you want me dead before you’ll leave me alone?” Overnight, I was bombarded with insults, labeled a “homewrecker” and a “shameless bitch.” Five years later, my family was on the brink of bankruptcy. Harry suddenly came back from the dead, standing before me with a smug look on his face. “Zoe, how does it feel to be a widow for five years? I heard you sleep with my photo every night?” “How about this – kneel down and lick Rachel’s shoes, then bark like a dog three times. If I’m in a good mood, I might invest a few million in your family’s company.” He was waiting for me to kneel down like a stray dog and beg for mercy. But I just smiled. Harry didn’t know that the day his fake death was exposed, the Yan family’s IPO failed and their funding dried up. The Yan family had gone bankrupt even before mine. And my wedding ring was already on someone else’s finger… 0

“As expected of Mr. Yan, lying low for five years – so Deep Create was actually founded by you!” “We could tell long ago that Zoe wasn’t good enough for you. Now that her family is bankrupt, she’s only fit to be a servant for you and your wife!” The crowd laughed and gathered around Harry. Harry looked quite pleased with himself. “Women are all the same. Back then she chased after me shamelessly, acting like she’d die if I didn’t marry her. She was more pathetic than a dog wagging its tail.” “You don’t even know the half of it,” Harry narrowed his eyes, his expression especially mocking. “Zoe actually got hymen reconstruction surgery so I could take her virginity.” “She said she wanted me to experience her first time. Man, it felt amazing!” “If you ask me, you should all make your women get this surgery. They could charge a few hundred extra when they sell themselves!” His suggestive tone drew the gazes of the surrounding men to fall on me. Someone had already blocked my path. “Miss Zoe, I may not be as rich as Mr. Yan, but I can certainly afford you for one night.” “Why don’t you come with me instead?” Harry raised his glass and looked at me. “Isn’t this why you came here? To sell yourself? This is Mr. Fu’s party after all. Give up your foolish fantasies. Go rent a room with Mr. Wang – it might even help solve your family’s urgent financial problems.” “Or I could pay for you to get hymen reconstruction a few more times, so you can sell your ‘first time’ over and over!” The crowd burst into laughter. Ever since Harry had abandoned me at our wedding five years ago, I, the young lady of the Xu family, had become the laughingstock of the entire city. They looked at me with contempt. “The bankrupt Miss Xu is dressed so provocatively. Looks like she’s ready to sell herself by the pound to Mr. Yan.” “Mr. Yan already has Miss Rachel. How could this worn-out piece of meat ever compete?” I looked at them with disgust. If it weren’t for Harry’s face looking so much like Frederick’s, how could I have ever stooped to his level? But Harry thought I was just upset at having my intentions exposed. “Stop acting all high and mighty. This isn’t the time to be desperate to marry me anymore.” “If you want to sell your body, go do it somewhere else. If you disturb Mr. Fu, he’ll make you wish you were dead.” Make me? Frederick doesn’t have the guts. I let out a scornful laugh. “Since you say this is Mr. Fu’s party, do you have the right to kick people out? Or are you overstepping your bounds?” I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. I should have just waited and come with Frederick instead of trying to surprise him by arriving early. Just as I turned to leave, Rachel entered through the main doors. To my shock, her dress was identical to mine. “Miss Xu, are you trying to copy me?” Rachel glanced at me, then put on a hurt expression. Harry immediately exploded. “Zoe, you disgust me! How dare you copy Rachel to try to please me!” “A used-up slut like you could never compare to Rachel! I’m telling you, no matter how much you imitate her, I’ll never look at you!” I was so angry I could barely breathe. Where the hell did this guy get the nerve to accuse me of copying? The others also looked at me with disdain. “How shameless, first forcing her way in, now imitating the real love interest! The Xu family has really fallen low!” “Hah, I bet even her underwear is copied.” 0

As soon as those words were spoken, Rachel burst into tears. “Miss Xu, how could you be so cruel! Harry doesn’t love you at all, yet you still try to seduce him!” Harry was heartbroken. He turned and looked at me with contempt. “A cheap whore has no right to wear the same clothes as Rachel.” “Strip her! I want to see if you’re being cheap from head to toe.” As soon as he said that, the leering young men swarmed towards me. “Don’t you dare!” I struggled as my wrists were grabbed, glaring furiously at Harry. “I didn’t copy anything!” “How can you prove it if you don’t take it off?” “That’s right! Let’s see Miss Xu’s figure!” Someone started tugging at my dress zipper, while another simply dove under the long skirt. “Get away from me!” My legs were being pulled at, but my arms were firmly restrained by Harry’s men. Rachel smirked in Harry’s arms. “Bang bang—” The host’s mic tapping interrupted the commotion. “Welcome everyone to the party. Mr. Fu is in a meeting and will arrive shortly. Please remain patient.” Harry naturally didn’t dare offend Frederick, so he had to let me go. “You got lucky! If this wasn’t Mr. Fu’s party, I wouldn’t let you off so easily!” I finally breathed a sigh of relief. But the next second, the big screen at the party suddenly lit up. All the scars I had inflicted on myself to pursue Harry, the humiliating images of me kneeling before him, the tattoo of his name on my chest. Everything was displayed shamelessly in front of everyone. The final image froze on that video. Me wearing lingerie, begging Harry to take pity on me. The crowd gasped in shock. My lips trembled, unable to utter a word. My whole body felt like it had been plunged into an ice bath. “That’s so slutty!” “How shameless, releasing this kind of video just to seduce someone!” Rachel approached me. “Miss Xu, I know you love Harry very much. But you can’t show these things at Mr. Fu’s party. What if Mr. Fu sees them and it ruins Harry’s reputation?” Harry looked at me with disgust. “Give up on trying to seduce me! Even if you stripped naked in front of me right now, I wouldn’t look at you!” Rachel took my hand and spoke earnestly. “I know unrequited love is painful, but please let him go, okay?” Hearing her words, the others started praising her. “Miss Rachel is so understanding. Zoe deserves this! She’s just cheap!” But where others couldn’t see, Rachel flashed me a mocking smile. “You bitch, I can make you even more humiliated!” So it was her doing! I yanked my hand away, when suddenly— Rachel fell straight to the ground, and her dress tore open with a huge rip from the chest. She shrieked as she was exposed. “Miss Xu, how could you be so vicious and tear my dress!” I clenched my jaw, looking at the furious Harry. “Stop going crazy! This has nothing to do with me!” I tried to back away, but Harry strode forward and grabbed my hair, slapping me with all his strength. “Zoe, you bitch, get on your knees and apologize to Rachel!” He kicked the back of my knee, and I fell to the ground with a thud. My knee immediately swelled up. “I said it wasn’t me!” He slapped me again. Suddenly someone in the crowd spoke up, “Stop hitting her, Shawn is here!” 0

My brother! I turned to look at Shawn. “Brother, help me…” My brother took a big step forward, grabbed the back of my head without a word, and slammed it down hard. “You useless piece of trash! How dare you offend Mr. Yan!” “Hurry up and apologize to Mr. Yan and Miss Rachel!” My forehead split open on the marble floor, blood blurring my vision as I collapsed in a heap. “How did our Xu family produce such a shameless thing!” Shawn kicked me again without hesitation. Then he immediately turned to Harry, bowing and scraping as he fawned over him. “I’m so sorry Mr. Yan, it’s all my fault for not teaching my sister properly. I’ve caused you trouble. How about I make her apologize to you and Miss Rachel?” “Or I could give her to you! You can do whatever you want with her!” “As long as you’re willing to invest a bit in the Xu family, we can work together for mutual benefit. What do you think?” Harry was very pleased with his behavior. “As expected, Young Master Xu has much better manners. Much more sensible than your sister.” With Harry’s approval, Shawn immediately stomped on my palm. I curled up in pain, glaring at him viciously. “Shawn! I’m your sister. How can you do this? Do Mom and Dad know?” He grabbed my chin contemptuously. “You dare mention Mom and Dad? The Xu family doesn’t have a treacherous daughter like you!” I stared at him in shock. I was too naive. Parents who were ready to marry me off to an old man, how could I have any expectations of them? A family that had only ever used me as a tool for promotion since childhood, how could I hope for love? Tears streamed down my face. A warm flow trickled down my lower body. Rachel covered her mouth and screamed, pointing at the hem of my dress. “She’s bleeding!” I quickly covered my abdomen. I was two months pregnant, and hadn’t had a chance to tell Frederick yet. Blood stained my white dress red. I broke out in a cold sweat from the pain. Rachel continued in shock. “Miss Xu, you didn’t get knocked up by some random guy, did you? Is that why you came to find Harry today? Were you hoping he’d take responsibility?” Harry glared at me in a rage. “You actually dared to get pregnant with another man’s child! Tell me, who is he!” “Damn it, Zoe, are you that desperate? I’ve only been gone five years and you’ve become such a shameless slut!” He slapped me again. I covered my stinging cheek and yanked off the necklace around my neck, revealing the hidden wedding ring. “I’m already married! This child has nothing to do with you!” “What?” Harry let out a cold laugh. “You? Married? Who would want damaged goods like you? I bet you don’t even know who the father is, do you?” He grabbed my wrist forcefully. “Don’t forget! You’re still my wife in name!” “This child absolutely cannot be kept!” I frantically shielded my belly, my nails digging deep into my palms. “This child is Frederick’s. If you dare touch him, Frederick will never let you off!”

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Because of the blizzard, Ryan’s first love was stranded on the snowy mountain. Ryan was severely injured and fell unconscious trying to save his first love. Due to the lack of resources, I couldn’t bear to watch him suffer. I had no choice but to bite my wrist and use my blood as water to save his life. Unexpectedly, the first thing he did when he woke up was to try to leave with his first love. I had lost too much blood and could only watch helplessly as he left with his first love. He looked at me apologetically: “I’ll send a rescue team to save you.” The wound on my wrist kept me painfully awake, but it was nothing compared to the fear of death from my body losing heat. “No…” My weak groan didn’t make Ryan turn back. He walked away, carrying Sophia in his arms, getting further and further from me. In the freezing cold, there were only their silhouettes, supporting each other like a couple in distress. Sophia hugged Ryan tightly, deeply moved. I could hear their voices: “Ryan, if we make it out alive this time, I’ll marry you. I’ve finally realized that you’re the only one who truly loves me.” I couldn’t see Ryan’s expression, but I saw them kiss passionately as the snow fell around them. “I love you too, Sophia.” I felt waves of cold and heartache wash over me. The pain from my wound had even subsided somewhat due to the numbness from the cold. I could only tear off part of my inner clothing to roughly bandage my wound. But it was far from enough to ease my despair and pain. My eyes remained fixed on Ryan, desperately hoping he would look back at me one last time. But his steps, though slow, were determined. He never glanced back in my direction. I leaned my body against the snow cave. Watching their silhouettes disappear before my eyes. My eyes stung with unshed tears, my body nearly frozen stiff. “Don’t cry, the tears will freeze,” I told myself. I tried my best to hold back my tears. Until my blood gradually stained the snow red. I waited from dawn to dusk, but the rescue team Ryan promised never came. After two whole days, my body was too cold to move. We had been stranded on the snowy mountain for five full days. I had only come along to save Ryan in the first place. I hadn’t brought much food with me at all. The hypothermia even made me feel feverish. I had no strength left. My heart was filled with despair. Stranded on this endless snowy mountain, dying here. My heart was full of resentment. And despair towards Ryan. If I had known this would be the outcome, I never would have come to the mountain with him. Before losing consciousness, I thought helplessly: If I can make it off this mountain alive, I will never love Ryan again. In my hazy state, I seemed to see a figure walking towards me. My body had warmed up enough that I could feel the heat from another person. I desperately clutched his hand. “Save me…” [CUT-OFF POINT]

When I slowly opened my eyes, I found myself not in a hospital, but in a strange warm place. Alarmed, I quickly sat up. But as soon as I tried to stand, my body collapsed weakly to the floor. “Why are you getting up? Your body hasn’t fully recovered yet, you still need more rest.” A strange man helped me up from the ground. I instinctively looked up at him. The young man supported my body and helped me back into bed, then sat down beside me. Compared to Ryan’s striking good looks, the face before me could only be described as fresh-faced. He handed me a bowl of medicine. “Drink this.” I looked at him hesitantly. “What is it?” The bitter herbal smell alone made me wince. I’ve never liked bitter things. “It’s medicine I found to drive out the cold from your body. You were frozen for so long in the snow, if the cold isn’t expelled completely you’ll get sick.” “Were you the one who saved me?” The young man nodded, still holding out the bowl to me. Seeing his boyish smile revealing dimples, I smiled back slightly and took the bowl from his hands. The man introduced himself as Ethan Chen. His family lived at the foot of the mountain and ran a traditional medicine clinic. He said Ryan and Sophia had come to his clinic earlier to use the phone, and that’s how he learned there was still someone stranded on the mountain. So he went up specifically to rescue me. I felt incredibly grateful and thanked him profusely. Ethan blushed in embarrassment. “By the way, could I borrow your phone? I’ve imposed on you for so long, I should…” Ethan didn’t say anything, just went to get his phone from across the room. I instinctively took the phone, but as soon as I turned it on, I saw news flooding the internet about an engagement celebration. Seeing two familiar names, I couldn’t help but click on the article. The report showed Ryan and Sophia in hospital gowns. As I scrolled through photo after photo, the final image showed the two of them in formal attire, faces radiating happiness. The internet was flooded with stories praising their undying love on the snowy mountain. There wasn’t a single mention of me anywhere. I held back my tears and looked up at the awkward Ethan. “Why… why are you crying?” I sniffled, trying to contain my heartache, and asked: “Was I unconscious for a long time? Did any rescue teams come up the mountain?” Ethan instinctively shook his head. “I live here and I didn’t see any rescue teams…” Seeing my tears fall harder, he hurriedly tried to explain: “Maybe I just didn’t notice. Hey, don’t cry. Your body hasn’t recovered, you can’t get too emotional.” I forced myself to hold back my tears and nodded slightly. Mountain rescues are always a big operation. How could Ethan, who runs a clinic at the foot of the mountain, not have noticed? I gritted my teeth and still dialed my brother’s number. “Brother…” As soon as the call connected, I couldn’t hold back my sobs. “Emily? Is that you? Where are you right now?” I told my brother my location in detail, my throat tight with emotion. My brother didn’t say much, just promised he would come get me soon. “By the way Emily, there’s one more thing I need to tell you. The Parker family notified us that they want to break off your engagement.” My brother sounded hesitant, as if afraid of hurting me. But surprisingly, I felt nothing at this point. “It’s okay brother, let’s talk about it when we get back.” “Alright, I just wanted to give you a heads up. Never mind, I’ll head back now.” With that, I reluctantly hung up the phone. At the same time, I reconsidered my feelings towards Ryan.

I didn’t know exactly when my brother would arrive, so I had no choice but to stay at Ethan’s house for now. I felt bad about imposing, but he had a mature, composed demeanor despite his youth. “Your body still hasn’t fully recovered. When you go back, make sure to rest well and avoid catching cold for a while.” “Okay, thank you Ethan.” Hearing me call him by name, the young man’s ears turned red. “No need to thank me. You should rest now, I’ll go make you some food.” I stayed one more night at Ethan’s house, and was woken up by my brother the next morning. As soon as I saw him, I couldn’t control my emotions and threw myself into his arms, crying. Ryan and I had studied abroad for years, only seeing our families once a year. Thinking of that now, I felt incredibly touched. My brother was worried about my health. This time he not only came by helicopter, but even brought a medical team with him. But Ethan was different. No matter how much we tried to pay him, he refused to accept any money. He looked at me steadily. “If possible, if you’re willing, just give me your address. I’ll come visit you in the city someday.” I smiled and nodded, exchanging contact information with him. “Anytime you come to the city, you can reach out to me. I’ll show you around.” As I left with my brother, I felt like I was emerging from another world. My brother looked at my expression and hesitated for a long time before speaking: “Emily, today is Ryan’s engagement party. We…” “Brother, I’m tired. I won’t go. Just send a gift on my behalf and wish them a happy marriage.” With that, I leaned against my brother and fell asleep. When the helicopter reached the city, there were signs of romance everywhere. A helicopter scattered rose petals across the entire city. Some even landed in my hair. I looked at the tall tower in the city center. “Are they having their engagement party there today?” It was the tallest building in the city, with a view of the entire skyline from the top. It suited Sophia’s adventurous personality. My brother glanced at my expression, but still confirmed it. “Don’t worry brother. This time, I’ve come to my senses. I don’t love Ryan anymore.” “You don’t love him anymore? You…” I turned back, my expression very calm. My brother swallowed whatever he was going to say. “It’s good you don’t love him anymore. We don’t need him anyway.” We got in the car to head home. I had clarity about the situation with Ryan. From the moment he returned with Sophia and immediately got engaged, without a single word about me, things were over between us. I just never expected our car to be stopped by the wedding convoy. Ryan’s figure hurriedly walked towards our car. He leaned against the window, standing in front of me. I only glanced at him before quickly looking away. Surprisingly, seeing him this time, my heart was calm. There were no more waves of emotion like before. “Emily, you’re back? Why didn’t you tell me? What happened back then, I didn’t mean to. Sophia’s health was poor, I was worried and forgot about you in the moment.” His face showed rare uncertainty. I deliberately exposed the ugly scar on my wrist. I had always been vain, and this scar would remain on my body forever. “Ryan, it doesn’t matter anymore. Since we’ve run into each other today, let’s clear things up. We should break up.” “No! I won’t agree!”

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For thirty years, my DINK husband Lucas adhered to a “Platonic marriage,” refusing to have children or any physical contact with me. He claimed that desire would tarnish our love, and he only wanted us to dedicate our lives to our medical careers. But on our anniversary, I witnessed him intimately entangled in our living room with the woman responsible for my father’s death. “Claire, you don’t know how hard it’s been for me all these years. I only want you…” Thirty years of principles crumbled into a joke. I finally realized I was just a tool for his career advancement. Heartbroken and disillusioned, I decided to accept a position at a German hospital. But when he couldn’t find me anywhere, he panicked. “Claire, I swear you’re the first and will be the only one…” Lucas’s husky voice, mixed with the woman’s soft moans, struck me like lightning. Thirty years. For thirty whole years! Lucas had remained chaste for this woman?! So he wasn’t really devoted to “Platonic love,” nor was he genuinely committed to being childless! He simply didn’t want to touch me! All these years, I had respected his wishes. I even gave up my right to motherhood for him! The cold operating table where I had my IUD inserted still sends chills down my spine. I’m a gynecologist, for heaven’s sake, yet I couldn’t have my own child! All these years of envying newborn babies have now turned into a cruel joke! “Dr. Lin, when are you going to divorce her? I don’t want to wait too long~” “Don’t rush, I’m already making arrangements. After your aunt retires in a while, I’ll divorce her and marry you properly.” “Aunt? Haha, Lucas, have you no shame!” Amber laughed, playfully punching his chest in mock anger. My hands clenched and unclenched, the loose thread on my clothes pricking my skin and my heart. Lucas and I had an age-gap relationship; I was five years older than him. When he married me, he said how amazing his “big sister” was. Now he calls me “aunt.” The hallway mirror mercilessly reflected my graying hair and plain, shabby clothes. I couldn’t help but touch the wrinkles covering my face. I’m only 55, yet time has been so cruel… “Dr. Lin, I heard next week is Dr. Chen’s retirement party. Could you propose divorce to her publicly then?” “But… Claire has been a backbone of the hospital. We need a reason.” “I have a great idea. You can tell everyone that Claire, the renowned gynecologist, is actually a hen that can’t lay eggs!” Amber’s words exploded in my ears, shattering my last line of defense. I stared hard at Lucas, the man I had shared a bed with for thirty years. I searched his face for any hint of hesitation or reluctance. But there was none. His eyes were filled with Amber, and he even chuckled in agreement, “Alright, whatever you say.” My heart plummeted to rock bottom. For Lucas, I had given up my right to motherhood, willingly remaining childless for all these years; For Lucas, I had abandoned my beloved clinical practice to focus on theoretical research, just to help him secure his position as hospital director; For Lucas, I had given up promotions and turned down offers to stay on after retirement, planning to step back and take care of his health. But in the end, was he going to humiliate me like this? That was Amber, the very woman who had caused a medical accident and framed my father, leading to his death in disgrace! Lucas knew all of this, yet he still betrayed me and chose Amber. He was even willing to publicly destroy my decades-long reputation to please her! Tears blurred my vision as I leaned against the wall, gasping for air. With trembling hands, I took out my phone and called the German hospital, accepting their offer to stay on after retirement. As I hung up, thunder rumbled in the sky, and a light rain began to fall. My phone vibrated again, Lucas’s name flashing on the screen. “Claire, are you off work yet?” Today was our 30th wedding anniversary, and Lucas had made early dinner reservations to celebrate. “It’s about to rain. Shall I come pick you up?” he added when I didn’t respond, playing the role of a caring husband. In reality, whenever I had asked him to pick me up before, he always had excuses – either in a meeting or performing surgery. How many late nights had I fumbled my way home after a night shift, only to find him sound asleep? Back then, I foolishly comforted myself, thinking he was just too tired to care for me, stubbornly clinging to a delusion. “No need, I’ll take a cab.” “Alright, be safe on your way. Don’t be late.” I hid in the stairwell, watching the two of them leave arm in arm. I noticed how Lucas tilted his umbrella more towards Amber and couldn’t help but smile bitterly. So Lucas did know how to care for someone; he just never cared for me. All he would say to me was not to be late. “Dr. Chen, long time no see~” Amber was the first to stand and greet me, a gentle smile on her face, the picture of serenity. “What is she doing here?!” I demanded, despite having mentally prepared myself. I had thought Lucas was just dropping Amber off at home, but he had actually brought her to our anniversary dinner! Was Lucas so eager to show her off? On our wedding anniversary, no less?

But Lucas acted as if nothing had happened, pulling out a chair for me while explaining: “I happened to run into Amber, and she said she’s always wanted to apologize to you in person, so I invited her along.” “Dr. Chen, I know I’ve wronged you and your father…” Amber’s eyes reddened as she spoke, “I was young and foolish back then, which led me to make a terrible mistake.” “I’ve been repenting all these years, unable to sleep well at night, always dreaming of your father…” How dare she call my father her mentor! When she first entered the field, my father had guided her every step of the way, from reading medical records to hands-on training, treating her like his own daughter. And how did she repay him? Because of her own mistake, she not only cost a patient’s life but also pushed all the blame onto my father. My father was stabbed in the back, labeled a quack, and died in despair! All of this was thanks to Amber! “Amber, you don’t deserve to call my father your mentor!” I shouted in anger. “Claire, Amber was just confused back then…” Lucas tried to smooth things over. “Confused?” I laughed coldly, “Is ‘confusion’ enough to erase my father’s lifelong reputation? To make up for the pain of his wrongful death?” “Lucas, don’t forget who swore to me that he would seek justice for my father!” The image of Lucas earnestly promising to right the wrongs done to my father was still vivid in my mind, but now this man had become a complete stranger. Lucas looked a bit guilty under my gaze, coughing lightly and avoiding my eyes: “Claire, the hospital has hired Amber as a special consultant. You’ll be seeing each other often from now on. For the sake of hospital unity, can’t you just make peace with Amber?” Special consultant? I finally understood. Lucas had gone to great lengths to bring Amber back to the country and arrange for her to work at our hospital so they could be together! I stared blankly at the two people before me, feeling utterly disgusted. Seeing my expression, Amber knelt down: “Dr. Chen, I know you can’t forgive me right now, but that’s okay. I’ll keep repenting until you accept me as your new colleague… I really want to work alongside you.” “Get out!” I couldn’t hold back anymore and shouted at Amber. “Claire! Can you stop making a scene!” Lucas grabbed Amber and shielded her behind him, “Have you considered how difficult these years have been for Amber? She left her home and country because of this incident.” “Your father’s case happened so long ago. Does it really matter who was right or wrong? Why do you have to be so petty?” I looked at Lucas in disbelief. This man who had once professed his love for me and vowed to take care of me for life. He had seen me cry my eyes out and had sworn to seek justice for me. But now, he was saying this was all trivial, that I was being petty! “If it weren’t for Amber… my father wouldn’t have spent his final years being pointed at and called a quack,” I said, my voice breaking as I clutched my chest in pain. But Lucas didn’t care at all, impatiently cutting me off. “Enough, Claire! Can’t you stop living in the past!” “Look at yourself now. Where’s the gentle woman you used to be? All you do is doubt and suspect, acting like a crazy old hag!” “With a daughter like you, who knows if your dad was really innocent? Maybe he was the one trying to bite back in his confused state.” Every word Lucas said was like a hammer, pounding mercilessly at my heart. I clutched my chest, struggling to breathe. “Lucas, do you have any conscience left? You…” Before I could finish, my vision went black, and I felt myself falling backward uncontrollably.

“Claire!” Lucas cried out, instinctively reaching out to support me. I reflexively grabbed his hand, my face pale and cold sweat dripping down my forehead. Amber quickly pushed Lucas aside, “Dr. Chen, don’t worry. I’ve trained in first aid. Let me take a look at you.” She put on a show of examining me: “It’s nothing serious, just a bit of heat exhaustion. You’ll be fine after some rest.” Then, feigning weakness, she furrowed her brow and suddenly swayed, falling into Lucas’s arms. Lucas caught her in a panic, asking anxiously, “Amber, what’s wrong? Don’t scare me!” “I… my heart doesn’t feel right…” Amber’s voice was weak and fragile, as if she might fade away at any moment. “I’ll take you to the hospital right away!” Without another word, Lucas scooped Amber up in his arms. Before leaving, he glanced back at me, his eyes full of conflict, but he didn’t stop. I watched their retreating figures, tears finally sliding down my cheeks. So this was the man I had loved for thirty years, this was the marriage I had given everything to protect. How laughable, truly laughable! I used my last bit of strength to call 911, then lost consciousness. When I came to, I was lying numbly in a hospital bed. The doctor said I had suffered from acute stress reaction. Indeed, at my age, I shouldn’t get so emotionally worked up, especially not over such a man. After finishing the IV, I stumbled home on shaky legs. Seeing the clothes still hanging on the balcony, I reflexively took them down and folded them neatly, only realizing what I was doing when I opened the closet. In the closet, Lucas’s clothes were all ironed crisp and neat, giving off a faint scent of laundry detergent. My clothes, on the other hand, were pitifully few, mostly just white lab coats. All these years, I had been like a spinning top, shuttling between home and the hospital, living as nothing more than an appendage. At this moment, I could no longer hold back. I broke down and cried my heart out. I tore up the photos of Lucas and me from when we were dating, along with the diary entries I had written back then: “Today Lucas gave me a ring. He said he made it himself and hopes I’ll wear it forever…” “Lucas proposed to me today. He said he would love me and take care of me for life…” “Today Lucas told me he wants a spiritual relationship and doesn’t want children. But that’s okay, all the newborns will be my children from now on.” Once, I thought I had chosen love. In the end, I realized I had only chosen loneliness. Thirty years of feelings, thirty years of dedication, all turned out to be a joke. The next day, Lucas came back. He brought a bunch of breakfast, unprecedented, and even prepared warm water for me to take my medicine. “Claire, Amber had a heart attack yesterday, I was just taking her to the hospital. You know, it’s our duty as doctors,” he said. Seeing no reaction from me, he moved closer, trying to butter me up. “There’s an important symposium at the hospital today, so…” Perhaps only when Lucas needed something from me would he lower himself like this. All these years, I had participated in countless symposiums for the hospital, winning awards big and small, all to secure Lucas’s position as director. But now, I’m tired. “I’m retiring. I don’t want to join this circus anymore.” “A doctor’s duty is to heal, Claire. Just think of it as for the hospital, for the patients! I promise this is the last time!” A doctor’s duty to heal – this was my father’s teaching. I remained silent for a long while, eventually softening and agreeing.

But when I arrived at the hospital, I realized that today’s symposium was nothing but a stage tailor-made for Amber. The topic was “Diagnosis and Treatment of Difficult Gynecological Cases,” with Amber as the main presenter and me as her assistant. I was made to look like a clown, running errands for her – printing materials, organizing case files, serving tea. “Dr. Chen, please revise this case analysis report for me. Make sure it highlights my professional expertise.” “Dr. Chen, where’s my coffee? Don’t you know I need a cup in the afternoon to stay alert?” “Dr. Chen, have you proofread my speech? I’m representing our hospital, so there can’t be any mistakes.” … In the end, Amber won the competition with her “brilliant” presentation and “unique insights,” successfully promoted to chief physician. She stood on the stage, radiant and eloquent, as if she were the true expert who had devoted years to gynecology. And I, like an outsider, was arranged in a corner. Watching her perform, listening to her use the research topics I had studied for years, reaping the applause and acclaim that should have been mine. I remained silent. Seeing me still silent after returning home, Lucas thought I was still angry about the symposium. He approached me with a fawning expression, eagerly massaging my shoulders: “Claire, don’t be angry. Amber just returned to the country and doesn’t understand many things.” “As a senior, you should be more understanding. Think of it as maintaining unity in the hospital.” As he spoke, he pulled out an exquisite little box from his pocket. Inside was the pearl necklace I had admired at the mall earlier this month. In the past, whenever we argued, Lucas would take out a small box with something I liked inside. Accepting the gift meant no more anger – this had been our unspoken agreement for years. “I noticed you liked it last time. You’re always reluctant to spend money on yourself, but never hesitate to buy clothes for me.” Lucas shook his head as he spoke. I fingered the pearl necklace for a long time without speaking. Lucas was the hospital director, often attending public events, while I… How long had it been since I had properly dressed up? Thinking of my reflection in the glass that day, my heart ached again. “Do you like it? It’s to commemorate our 30th anniversary – our pearl wedding.” “Tomorrow is your retirement farewell party. Wear this, and you’ll be the most beautiful queen of the evening.” Lucas said, reaching out to help me put it on. He gently lifted my hair, just like years ago. At this moment, I couldn’t describe the taste in my heart. “Do I have to go to the farewell party tomorrow?” I asked reluctantly, “I don’t want to retire yet…” “Claire,” Lucas turned my shoulders, his eyes full of tenderness, “Your health isn’t good. From now on, just be Mrs. Lin.” Mrs. Lin? Really? I closed my eyes, suppressing the surging emotions, and after a long while, I softly replied, “Okay.” The next day, I got up early, packed a few clothes, and took a cab to the cemetery. I gently placed the divorce papers in front of my father’s tombstone. Looking at the photo on the tombstone, I choked up. I never thought I would be as old as my father was when he passed away. “Dad, from now on, I’ll live for myself! I’ll seek justice for you on my own!” Leaving the cemetery, I went straight to the airport. The German hospital had already arranged accommodation and work for me, just waiting for my arrival. But just as I was about to board, Lucas’s calls flooded in.

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Married for ten years, Phoebe has been incarcerated ten times. Each time she is released, she arrives with a newborn, leaving the chaos for me to handle. “There are no precautions in prison, so why can’t you just take care of a few more kids?” The wives of the fathers of these children show up at my door, demanding child support and compensation for the nights they lost with their husbands. They even injured my five-year-old son because of this. On the day my son was seriously injured, after bearing humiliation, I hurried to pick up Phoebe from prison, only to find her friends had already organized a welcome party for her at the most luxurious restaurant. “Phoebe, Gideon has waited for you for over a decade and has been raising kids that aren’t his. He’s more loyal than any devoted follower.” “Yeah, while you’ve been off visiting dozens of countries under the guise of being in jail, he’s been so broke he’s been washing other people’s clothes for money.” Phoebe laughed, “If I weren’t pregnant with Asher’s child, I wouldn’t have come back so soon this time. Just looking at that old fool disgusts me. But since he’s willing to be a nanny, let him serve both me and Asher well.” My face turned pale as I left the divorce papers and walked away. Her friends tried to calm the situation, “Come on, Gideon, we’re just joking.” Phoebe stopped them, “If you want to leave, then leave for real. Don’t come crawling back later.” I looked at Phoebe, resolute, “I will never regret this.”

As I stepped out of the room, my younger son and daughter ran over, “Dad, where are you going?” I hesitated, and Phoebe immediately laughed. Her friends shouted, “Wow! That was fast. Not even half a minute!” “No wonder he’s such a devoted follower. He’s getting paid, getting paid!” Phoebe knew my weak spot. Even if these two kids were fathered by someone else, I raised them myself. I couldn’t bear to leave them. My son and daughter looked at me hesitantly, “Dad, what’s wrong with you? You smell awful.” Phoebe got up and kicked me like a dog, “I heard you slept with a woman. At least wash off the stench. What would the kids think?” I glared back at her, unable to hold back, “And what about bringing the kids to a place like this?” At that moment, Finn came out of the bathroom, and the two kids immediately ran to hug him, “Uncle Asher, we missed you so much!” Finn looked at me with a challenging gaze, “So, do you like your dad more or Uncle Asher?” “Of course, Uncle Asher!” Finn smugly handed them a piece of cake, “Uncle has a little cake for you.” The kids, who had never seen a cake before after all these years with me, were drooling at the sight. Finn elongated his words, “But only good kids get to eat cake.” Before I could understand what he meant, my son lunged at me and bit me hard, “You jerk!” My beloved daughter walked up to me, slapped me, and hugged Finn, saying, “You’re a dirty nobody, poor and always with women. You’re disgusting! I don’t want you as my dad! I want Daddy Asher!” Finn was extremely pleased, “Gideon, look at what you’ve taught the kids, using foul language and doing such things in front of them.” Phoebe looked at me with disgust, “Is this the kind of children you raise?” My hand, my face, and my heart all hurt. The two kids who had just insulted me were now devouring the cake beside Finn. They humiliated me for a piece of cake. My heart broke, “I’m not fit to be their father. Let’s get a divorce.” I handed the divorce papers to Phoebe again. Phoebe walked toward me, mockingly tore up the papers, “Gideon, you know Grandma will never agree to our divorce. You want me to sign, just to tattle to Grandma about Asher? Dream on!”

“You’re unbelievable!” I was furious, thinking of my sick son at home, and was about to leave. Phoebe grabbed my hair, “What, got a woman waiting for you in bed? We’re celebrating me being pregnant with Asher’s kid. Make us happy, and you can go.” Her friends egged me on, “Gideon, you’re here, might as well join the fun.” “Yeah, it’s a rare gathering. Tell us, how do you handle all those women? Still got your stamina?” “Do you deal with them one by one, or all together? Hahaha!” The kids finished their cake and looked at me expectantly. I couldn’t stand it, “Phoebe! The kids are here. How can you let them say such things?” Phoebe snorted, “But you don’t find it disgusting to do such things in front of them.” “Show us how you usually take care of the kids. Or maybe, give us a demonstration?” Her friends excitedly jumped up, “Phoebe, I’ll play the lead!” “I’ll be the second lead!” Without hesitation, they pulled me onto the sofa, touching me over my pants, “Gideon, don’t be shy, just let loose.” My son and daughter stared at me, “That’s not how it is! Dad is usually on the bottom!” I couldn’t believe my ears, struggling to push away the person in front of me. She grabbed my hand, “Oh, you like it rough.” “Looks like you’ve been busy. Even your niece and nephew know your moves!” My torn clothes exposed bruises and hickeys. Extreme shame washed over me. But they were even more excited, “Such a wild man! Look at those muscles, must be a beast!” My daughter said again, “Mom, where are the third and fourth leads? Dad likes a crowd.” Her words shattered my worldview. I couldn’t believe my cherished daughter said such things for half a piece of cake, “Nora, who taught you this nonsense!” Frightened, my daughter hid behind Phoebe, “Mom, I’m not lying. Dad wasn’t like this before, he used to enjoy it!” My heart went cold. Phoebe frowned at me, “Even with scum like this, you guys can still have fun? Who knows how many diseases he has.” The person with me was getting more excited, “Phoebe, you don’t know, experienced men are thrilling…” The room fell silent. Phoebe’s face turned dark, and they let go of me. I hurriedly crawled to the corner to put on my tattered clothes. Phoebe held Finn’s chin and said, “I don’t want Asher’s eyes dirtied. Drink all the wine on the table, consider it our celebration.” The person was annoyed, “Such fine wine, Gideon, you’ve never seen it, right? Consider yourself lucky.” I couldn’t handle alcohol, but for my son, I forced myself to drink. I was dizzy, “Can I go now?” Phoebe raised an eyebrow. Just as I stepped out, I remembered something important and turned back.

Standing awkwardly in front of Phoebe, “Phoebe, my son is sick, I don’t have money for his treatment…” For years, I’ve taken care of ten kids alone, with a seriously ill Grandma in the hospital, while being bullied and exploited. I had no money for my son’s treatment. Phoebe laughed, “So, you want money. My money doesn’t grow on trees. Can’t let you take it for nothing.” I felt a chill, “What do you want?” “Here, you earn it by skill.” Phoebe slapped a stack of cash on the table, “How much you get depends on your ability.” The group got interested again, “Gideon, a drink for a bill, how about it?” The 96-proof liquor was too much for me. Finn whispered something to my daughter, who immediately rushed at me, slapping me hard, “Weren’t you good at drinking and sleeping with women? Why aren’t you earning money now?” She cried and hugged Phoebe, “Mom, take me away. I don’t want to live with this dirty nobody…” Fueled by alcohol, I lunged at Finn, “What did you say to my daughter! What have you taught her?” Phoebe lost her patience, kicked me hard, “Gideon, are you done acting? Aren’t you disgusting enough! I’m nauseous at night, Asher can’t take it, you serve.” I was desperate, “Phoebe, my son is really sick! I need to take care of him!” Earlier, I was about to go to the prison to welcome Phoebe. But those women got drunk and caused trouble, clinging to me. My five-year-old biological son tried to protect me, but they mercilessly beat him until he was covered in blood, now lying in bed unable to move. Phoebe sneered, “You just want to trick me into sleeping with you, right? Gideon, look at your disgusting self, which woman would want you? In my heart, there’s only Asher.” “Take care of me until Asher’s child is born safely. I’ll have someone treat that little bastard.” I reluctantly agreed and returned home with Phoebe. Only then did I realize she never went bankrupt. She never went to jail. She just avoided me, wanting to punish me. But I didn’t care anymore. I just wanted my son to live. In the middle of the night, Finn said he was hungry, wanting me to cook. He ate my food and vomited. Phoebe grabbed me up and slapped me hard, “You scum, are you trying to poison Asher?” “You need to keep me happy until Asher’s child is safely born. I’ll have someone take care of that little brat.” I had no choice but to agree. I went home with Phoebe. It was then that I realized she had never gone bankrupt, nor had she been in jail. She was simply hiding from me, intent on punishing me. But I no longer cared about that; all I wanted was for my son to survive. In the middle of the night, Finn said he was hungry and asked me to make him something to eat. After eating, he vomited everything up. Phoebe grabbed me and slapped me hard, “You scumbag, are you trying to poison Asher?”

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Zombie hordes were taking over the city, and the last iron door protecting my home was on the verge of collapse. I ended the call when my sister-in-law tried to contact my brother for help. That day, my brother opened the protective gates of the safe zone, allowing the zombies to raid and pillage everything from everyone. He ordered a highly intelligent zombie to cruelly claw the unborn child from my sister-in-law’s womb and even demanded that my skin be flayed. “If it weren’t for your jealousy, Phoebe wouldn’t have been disfigured by the zombies!” he exclaimed. “Now, with the umbilical cord blood and your skin, I can give Phoebe a complete transformation. She’ll be even more beautiful than before!” With the last bit of strength, I crawled to my sister-in-law’s lifeless body, only to find my fiancé, having discarded his suit, gently holding my skin and coaxing softly, “Silly Phoebe, this cheap skin doesn’t match your gentle and kind heart. But it’ll have to do.” They kept me barely alive, just enough to witness as they drained my body for their experiments. When I opened my eyes again, I heard my sister-in-law desperately calling my brother.

I awoke abruptly to the sound of fighting beyond the iron gate. “Declan! Hurry back and save us! Zombies have broken through the outer city and reached the neighborhood!” My sister-in-law’s words jolted me back to reality. I had truly been reborn! Suddenly, I heard my brother’s impatient voice on the phone: “Women are such a hassle. Aren’t you already pregnant? Why are you bothering me?” “Today’s Phoebe’s twentieth birthday. She’s been alone her entire life. Only I, her mentor, can give her a proper celebration.” “You two always exclude her. Can you stop causing me trouble?” “Every time there’s a zombie attack, you call me with excuses. I’ve had enough! No matter what happens tonight, it won’t stop me from celebrating Phoebe’s birthday!” Seeing the zombies about to break through the gate, I pressed my sister-in-law’s phone, “Brother, we got it. Zombies are out tonight. Be careful.” Then I hung up and quickly pulled my sister-in-law to the armory. She looked at me, confused and panicked, asking, “Cora! Why won’t you let your brother come save us? He’s an elite guardian martial artist of the City of Laurel. No matter how busy he is, he shouldn’t be out now!” The explanation caught in my throat. My sister-in-law still believed my brother was a peerless hero, not realizing that beneath his cool, restrained exterior lay a black heart. He claimed he was discussing defense strategies with a senior martial artist, but he was actually preparing a fireworks display at the beach with his junior student, Phoebe Carter. The fireworks we could only buy with high honors were casually used for Phoebe, enough to fend off zombies for three months. After two failed attempts to unlock the armory, a message appeared: only one chance left, or it would lock permanently. Meanwhile, the sound of zombies approaching grew louder. My sister-in-law couldn’t resist and called my brother a fifth time. Again, I heard my brother’s impatient voice: “I knew you would try to bring me back. Do you want to open the armory and face the zombies yourselves?” “Luckily, Phoebe reminded me to prevent you from using the armory at home! I’ve changed the password remotely, so don’t bother trying!” My muscles tensed. I couldn’t believe that even in this reborn life, even without asking my brother for help, he gave us no chance to survive! He was so heartless, sealing off the armory completely. How would two women, unarmed, escape the zombies’ grasp? My sister-in-law sobbed, overwhelmed by the stench of blood. She cried, “To your brother, is Phoebe more important than his wife, child, and sister?” “Groaning sounds!” Before I could respond, a skeletal hand with decayed flesh appeared over the wall and leapt into the yard. My pupils shrank as I grabbed a stick and smashed the small zombie’s head, sending it rolling across the ground. Seizing the moment, trembling, I grabbed my sister-in-law’s wrist to flee. In the basement, she clutched her aching abdomen. I hugged her tightly, placing her hand on her stomach and reassuring her, “Sister-in-law, hold on! Now’s not the time to be sad. We have to save ourselves!” “My brother isn’t coming back. We have to find a way to survive!” “The City of Laurel is the most important defense barrier! If it’s overtaken, more of our family will perish!” I called my brother’s superior, Heath, for help. After five rings, someone lazily answered, with fireworks crackling in the background.

“Cora, your brother told me there’s no zombie invasion. It’s just your sister-in-law’s pregnancy causing drama. You shouldn’t get involved in their couple’s quarrels!” My sister-in-law and I couldn’t help but plead with Heath not to believe my brother. But we were met with cheers and applause from the martial artists. “Phoebe’s got real archery skills! No wonder Declan favors you. You found the zombies’ weak spot and killed them in one shot. Impressive!” Heath joined in their games. Meanwhile, outside the secret chamber, zombies dismantled the iron gate. They followed their scent to the chamber, moving in an orderly fashion under the highly intelligent zombie’s command, attacking the strong families first. Their familiarity was like a rehearsed routine. In my previous life, my brother returned quickly under Heath’s orders. But now, even Heath joined him at the beach for Phoebe’s birthday. Pressing matters left no time to ponder this twist. Heath’s unexpected absence felt like a heavy weight on my back. With zombies blocking every road, we had no way out unless we could fly. Our secret chamber had a passage leading outside, but… I hesitated at the path leading to my fiancé Jasper’s home. On our wedding day, he conspired with the zombies to give my skin to Phoebe. It was fresh in my mind. If I sought help from him again, it would be the height of foolishness! The other path led to the Night Beast King’s territory. My sister-in-law, seeing me glance that way, quickly wiped her tears and pleaded, “Cora, Dad warned us never to open the gate to the Orc Dark Territory!” Behind us, the foul stench and clattering footsteps of zombies drew closer. Clutching my sister-in-law’s hand, I hesitated. Though unarmed, with her pregnant, I finally pressed the switch for the passage to the Orc Dark Territory as the zombies broke in. Just then, my sister-in-law’s phone vibrated. It was a taunting message from Phoebe. In the ocean-view room, Phoebe sat disheveled on a strong man’s lap. Her soft voice begged, “Declan, am I really no match for Lin Yu?” “I heard she’s pregnant. Has it been difficult for you?” “You prepared such a grand birthday party for me. I don’t know how to repay you.” Under bright lights, she slowly lifted her skirt, her purple-pink satin butterfly dress clinging to her hips. “I learned from a private tutor just to please you… Don’t you want my first time to be yours?” My sister-in-law shook, struggling to type on her phone. The video showed my brother pouncing, eyes filled with fierce desire, too impatient for foreplay, already entwined with Phoebe. Their silhouettes blended on the translucent curtains. Furious, I threw the phone, cursing, “Declan, you dog! The City of Laurel is surrounded by zombies, and he abandons his wife and sister to sleep with his mistress? He’ll die for this!” Suddenly, zombies flooded the passage within minutes. My sister-in-law quickly released every obstacle to block them. Two robots activated, guarding us. “Cora! Go get help!” “If you can’t, save yourself!” “Reach the next safe zone and warn them to resist the zombies!” Tears of determination streamed down her face. “Two robots can’t hold off the zombies!” “I’ll stay and buy you time!” Tears of helplessness poured down my face. “Go! If one survives, it’s something!” Two robots sprang to life instantly, standing guard behind us. “Cora! Hurry, go outside and get help!” “If you can’t find help, escape on your own!” “Quickly reach the next safe zone, and tell them to resist the zombies!” Tears of determination welled in her eyes. “Just two robots won’t hold off the zombies!” “I’ll stay here to buy you some time!” Tears of helpless fear streamed down my face. “Go! If even one of us survives, it’s worth it!” “Your brother is no good; we can’t let everyone in the City of Laurel die because of us!” I stumbled a few steps, witnessing the bloodthirsty madness of the zombies. In the endless darkness, skulls with sharp mutated teeth glinted coldly. Some zombies, having recently feasted, still had fingers and leg bones in their mouths. I made a swift decision. “Sister-in-law, take care! I’ll come back to save you!” My sister-in-law’s phone had taunting messages from Phoebe Carter. “Are you surrounded by zombies now?” “Who told you to ignore me just because you’re Declan’s wife?” “Honestly, those zombies are after Cora. Her innate spiritual blood is full of yang energy, the only thing that can restrain zombies.” “Once Cora is dead, I won’t have anything else to worry about!” In the long, endless secret passage of the chamber. I suddenly realized that I might never have truly understood my brother. Or this world. And I never deeply thought about why Phoebe Carter wanted to harm me and my sister-in-law. In my past life, my brother ordered my skin to be peeled off. My sister-in-law was even torn apart by zombies competing for the child. Was our previous disaster really just a simple zombie siege? I felt like I was overlooking something important. The secret passage I used to play in as a child seemed different now. I remembered there should be a fork here. With a “thud,” I stepped into dark, muddy ground, and the sound of trickling water reached my ears. A branch pierced through my wrist, and crimson blood mingled with the silver-bright dark river. I was stunned. It felt like something eerie beneath the dark river was about to awaken. At the same time, I realized that it had been a long time since the world had such clean, sweet water. Suddenly, I felt a mysterious calling. It was as if a voice told me: [You must cross the dark river! Once you do, you can gain the help of the Orc Dark Territory!] But at this moment, there were suddenly some faint, shadowy knives on the ground. A familiar figure emerged from the darkness. My eyes couldn’t withstand the dazzling light ahead. “Cora?” “I’ve been waiting for you at home for so long. Why haven’t you sent a distress message yet? This isn’t like your past life behavior.” I vaguely remembered that in my past life, I also frantically sent distress messages to my fiancé, Jasper. But Jasper said he was busy and couldn’t come to save me, asking me to wait. In the end, someone set fire to the armory in the City of Laurel, attracting the attention of surrounding cities. My brother’s superior, Heath, led everyone to fight the zombies. In my past life, my brother was forcibly recalled by Heath, which finally stabilized the City of Laurel against the zombies. Although my brother saved many people after returning to the city, the City of Laurel lost its survival resources, making the city defense more vulnerable. People had to evacuate with their families to the rear! It seemed like a victory for self-defense, but in fact, after the evacuation, zombies quickly took over the City of Laurel! Now I faced Jasper’s bright, shining eyes in the darkness. A sudden, sharp fear surged in my heart.

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My younger sister, who is in college, got pregnant out of wedlock. When asked about the father’s identity, she refused to disclose it, insisting on having the child as a testament to their love. I felt sorry for her because she was so young and pregnant, so I brought her home and took good care of her. Only on the day she was about to give birth did she tearfully admit in front of everyone that the child was hers and my husband’s. After a huge uproar, it turned out my whole family saw me as nothing but a free nanny. “Say it again, whose child is this?” Even in the hospital gown, my sister’s pretty face couldn’t be concealed. She stubbornly held her head high, lovingly stroking her large pregnant belly. Her voice choked with tears as she urged me to accept the child, saying that the child shouldn’t be born without a father. As her sister, I should consider her situation. If word got out that the child had no father, how many people would gossip about us and the child? You can’t be so heartless. I stood there silently, listening to all her accusations, as if I were the one who did such shameful things. I swallowed my bitterness and stood frozen, unsure of how to respond, so I looked to my parents standing by the bed for help. I hoped they would stand up for me. But to my surprise, even after my sister did something so vile, my parents’ first reaction was to ask me, as the older sister, to be more forgiving and not to argue with her. They said, “There’s no obstacle that can’t be overcome. Forgive your sister’s youthful ignorance.” They also said, “Your parents are getting old. Your sister needs someone by her side. Take good care of her during her confinement period, and don’t let her suffer any health issues.” The favoritism in their words pierced my heart like a thousand tiny needles. Because of the saying that the older should yield to the younger, my sister always managed to take everything from me effortlessly since we were kids. Our family was poor when we were young. We ate cabbage stew with tofu every day, only affording a roasted chicken once a month. But when it came to dividing the chicken, all I got was the dry head and the smelly tail. According to them, “Your sister is still growing, so the legs and wings are hers. Your parents do physical labor every day, so they get the meatiest parts for strength.” Even when my sister couldn’t finish her food, my mom never thought to share a bit with me. She would meticulously strip the meat off the bones, shred it, and mix it with rice for my sister to eat the next day. Even now, any good food is always for my sister first. They showered her with love and were always strict with me. When my sister fell behind in her studies, my parents paid for expensive tutors. When I fell behind, I got scolded and whipped, so much that I couldn’t sleep at night. Mom said girls should dress up from a young age, so she bought my sister countless dresses to wear every day, while I got my relatives’ kids’ old clothes. During my teenage years, I wanted to look nice and begged a friend to do my makeup, only to be called a “tramp” by my parents. I even suspected at one point that my mom had taken the wrong baby home from the hospital. It wasn’t until adulthood that I learned my mom gave birth to me in a wheat field, not even making it to the hospital. It seemed I was destined to be lesser the moment I was born. But they never admitted to being unfair. Whenever I questioned why they loved my sister more, they would beat and scold me, telling me to stop causing trouble. “We raised you, and you think we’re wrong? How did we end up with an ungrateful child like you?” “When will you grow up and stop competing with your sister for attention?” My sister took my parents’ love, everything that should have been mine, and now she wants to take my place too. But this time, I refuse to endure it. Who set the rule that the older must yield to the younger?

As I thought about this, a fierce determination emerged in my eyes. My sister noticed I hadn’t comforted her or responded, so she glanced at me from the corner of her eye to gauge my reaction. After all, whenever we disagreed, I was always the one to lower myself, appease her, and agree to all her unreasonable demands. She assumed I hadn’t heard clearly, so she raised her voice and repeated, “Sister, you’re not still clinging to those outdated ideas, are you? Only those who aren’t loved are the third wheel! You should be the one to leave!” “You’re not worthy of my Finn!” Honestly, I wanted to see what nonsense was in her head. I didn’t expect “disgraceful” to slip out of my mouth. I lunged forward, grabbing my sister’s shiny black hair and pulling with all my strength. No one could pry me off her. My sister probably didn’t expect my sudden outburst and didn’t defend herself at all. She was caught off guard, letting me unleash all the suffering I’d endured. I sat up, tears in my eyes, and loudly questioned her, “Since we were kids, tell me what I’ve done to wrong you. You got the best food, the best toys.” “Do you know how scared I was when I got a call from your school at 3:30 a.m. telling me you were pregnant?” “I took the earliest flight to pick you up, didn’t sleep a wink, and was terrified you’d be upset. I handled all the paperwork for your leave of absence, climbing several flights of stairs for you.” “Afraid you’d be tired, during your time at my home, I didn’t let you lift a finger. You just lay in bed, ate, and enjoyed my care.” “I dare say I’ve done more for you than your own parents. How could you do this to me!” Only then did a hint of panic show on my sister’s delicate face as she realized I was serious. She cursed at the crowd watching the scene, yelling, “What are you all staring at? Get this crazy woman off me! What are you waiting for? She’s insane!” Everyone told me it wasn’t worth it, but they were too scared to come near me. It wasn’t until a familiar figure entered my view that I gradually eased my grip, giving my sister a chance to escape. I tidied my wild hair, trying to maintain a shred of dignity, forcing a stiff smile, “Mom, why are you here, I…” But before I finished, my mother-in-law’s slap landed squarely on my face. The force was so strong that I had to brace myself after taking the hit. I held my swollen face, looking in disbelief at my sister seeking refuge behind my mother-in-law. My voice trembled, “Mom, you knew all along?” My mother-in-law beamed, affectionately adjusting my sister’s hair dampened by sweat, softly asking if she was scared by me. Then she cleared her throat, put her hands on her hips, and looked down at me, “If you can’t keep your man, that’s your own fault. He just made the mistake all men make. If you won’t have a child, plenty of others will.” “You’ve been married to Finn Nolan for three years and haven’t delivered. Who can you blame?” “I’m telling you, a hen that doesn’t lay eggs can’t hog my Finn Nolan’s nest!” “This is outrageous. What woman is as cold-hearted as you? You can’t stand to see our Nolan family prosper! Are you hoping our Nolan family ends with Finn Nolan?” My mother-in-law didn’t bother to hide her disdain for me. Her angry words were accompanied by spittle, but I didn’t even bother to wipe it off. I’ve been married to Finn Nolan for three years, and my mother-in-law has been giving me trouble for three years. I always knew she looked down on me. I didn’t have a degree or beauty. Not just her, everyone said I married up with Finn Nolan. So I treaded carefully in this family, afraid to step out of line and offend my mother-in-law. But even so, my inability to give Finn Nolan a child was a thorn in her side, and she found excuses to pick fights. No matter what grievances I suffered at my in-laws, I swallowed them silently, afraid my husband would be caught between me and his mom. But now, I didn’t know what I was even doing all this for. I must be truly pathetic, because even now, her dismissive words made me tremble with fear.

“Stop filming, what are you looking at!” “Are you okay, honey?” My husband, Finn Nolan, pushed through the crowd blocking the door, closing the hospital room door heavily. He must have rushed here straight from work, barely catching his breath, eager to stand up for me. My sister blushed and leaned towards Finn Nolan. But to her surprise, he showed no sympathy, pushing her to the floor. With Finn Nolan here, I finally felt like I had someone to rely on. I leaned against his shoulder, exhausted. He held me, silently comforting my turbulent emotions. But the tender moment didn’t last long. My mother-in-law and sister’s cries rose from below. Finn must have rushed over immediately after work. He barely had time to catch his breath before stepping in to support me. When Cora saw Finn Nolan arrive, she shyly nestled into Asher’s arms. However, to her surprise, Asher showed no sympathy and pushed her to the ground. Seeing Finn Nolan gave me a sense of reassurance. I leaned my exhausted body against the shoulder I had longed for. Asher embraced me, silently calming my restless emotions. But the imagined warmth didn’t last long. Hazel and Cora’s cries rang out from below. Hazel was also on the ground, crying and accusing Asher: “Now that you have a wife, you’ve forgotten your mother! You won’t even let me have a say in this small matter!” “I raised you as a woman; was that easy? I suffered ten times more than any man, and look at this, it’s all for nothing! A son is raised for someone else!” Not content with just crying, Hazel got up and rushed towards the hospital’s load-bearing wall. She mumbled, “Oh dear, I’m coming down to join you. We’ll meet again below, but I regret not seeing my eldest grandson before I go.” However, the hospital wasn’t a place for such dramatics. The commotion was too loud, and security came to separate Hazel. I looked at Asher with gratitude, thinking, “With a husband who protects and loves me like this, I have no regrets in this life.” I felt confident I could overcome anyone who coveted my marriage. But in this situation, it was only me who was truly involved. After hearing Hazel’s words, Asher’s eyes welled with tears. He fiercely shook off our tightly held hands, his face contorted as he told me not to make things difficult for him. His mother raised him, and it wasn’t easy. She just wanted a grandson to enjoy her old age; she wasn’t wrong! I stared at the man I’d known for four years and loved for eight. His face overlapped with the memory of the shy boy who asked if I’d marry him and promised to love me forever. I realized I never truly understood him, or maybe I never saw through him. But the years of emotional foundation left a shred of hope in my heart. With a voice that couldn’t hide my disappointment, I asked him, “What about me? What did I do wrong?” “Please, tell me, okay? I’ll change.” I’ve always been strong in front of Asher. This was the first time I showed my vulnerability. He hesitated for a moment, but when he heard that Cora’s water broke, he turned and left without hesitation. If I could excuse his earlier actions as being forced by filial piety, anyone could see now that he had feelings for this child. Outside the delivery room, everyone was anxiously awaiting the new life, but I tore the prepared gift in a corner where no one noticed, hoping no one would discover this secret. “Congratulations! Eight pounds and six ounces, a healthy boy.” “Lucky! He’s the first boy today.” Everyone rushed to hold the baby, marveling at him. Cora, exhausted, was pulled out, but no one cared. She raised her hand but slowly put it down again. The nearly nine-pound baby was naturally delivered by petite Cora because Hazel said natural birth made smarter babies. Cora endured it to please her. Now, she’s utterly exhausted. After being transferred to the general ward, Cora couldn’t get out of bed. Beatrix and Hazel agreed to take turns caring for her. But within days, their strong alliance showed cracks. Beatrix was annoyed that Cora only knew how to order her around. Hazel thought Cora was too demanding, insisting on separate basins for washing different things. But who has that many? The basins all serve the same purpose. She’s just picky, only good-looking but can’t manage a household, a wasteful person! Soon, everyone found excuses not to come. Cora, who was always proud, felt helpless with postpartum bleeding, at their mercy. Finn Nolan didn’t come to see her. She could only watch the affectionate couple next to her and silently cry. Postpartum emotions are volatile, and the baby’s nightly cries didn’t help. Cora’s once beautiful face was gone, and her hair, once a source of pride, fell out in clumps each night. Seeing this scene, I found it laughable. This was the happy life Cora chose over me. But perhaps Beatrix realized leaving Cora alone in the hospital wasn’t right. She called me, ordering, “Your sister is hospitalized, go stay with her, quickly! Don’t make me angry! I’m telling you only once!” Silence, a long silence. The person on the other end grew impatient: “Are you deaf? Your mom is talking to you. Don’t you know to answer? Who taught you to be so rude?” “You’re all making me worry, did I raise enemies? I’m your mom, you have to listen to me whether you like it or not!” I am committed to ensuring that the content remains true to its original meaning while adapting it to be more naturally expressed in English for easier understanding. During this process, we will maintain the original formatting, including line breaks and paragraph breaks.

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I went downstairs to take out the trash. But I noticed a rare Lamborghini rocking unnaturally. In the back seat, my two brothers were caught up with the orphan girl they had brought home. I wasn’t surprised. I quietly recorded a video and sent it to the world’s largest Global News Network. “By 7 PM tomorrow, I want this video to be seen by everyone worldwide.” In my previous life, the orphan leveraged her role as my brother’s kept companion to usurp my identity as the eldest daughter of Boston’s elite Harrison family. At the birthday banquet for the Harrison family’s eldest daughter, the orphan Adeline Harrison and my brother confronted me, twisting the narrative. “Do you, just an orphan, have the right to be here?” “I am now the eldest daughter of the Harrison family. And you?! You should crawl back to your kennel and stop embarrassing yourself here.” In my past life, I feared my brother’s wrath and always gave in to Adeline Harrison. But now I’ve been reborn. At the banquet the next day, when the orphan Adeline Harrison blocked my way as she had in my past life, I kicked her to the ground without hesitation. “Who do you think you are, daring to stand in my way?” I shot a sideways glance at the maid nearby, “What are you waiting for? Remove this impostor!” Everyone present was stunned into silence. No one expected me, once so timid, to dare take action. The maid hurried over to help Adeline Harrison up. When she looked back at me, her eyes were filled with fear. “Second Miss, aren’t you afraid the eldest young master will be angry for treating the eldest miss like this?” She knew full well I was the eldest daughter, yet she addressed me otherwise on purpose. “Remember this! The Harrison family has only one daughter, Cora Harrison!” The maid was so frightened she trembled all over, lowering her head, not daring to respond. I stepped up and slapped her to the ground, “Can’t even recognize your own master, what use are you? Get lost!” In my past life, this maid, seeing that my parents were often not home, took my brother’s authority as her own, and insulted me, the eldest daughter of the Harrison family, without restraint. The orphan Adeline Harrison ordered her to find someone to disfigure me and then had me killed and my body disposed of. The maid obeyed, becoming Adeline Harrison’s servant. Now, she was completely intimidated by my aura, kneeling on the ground, “I was only acting on the eldest miss’s orders, how could you hit me?” “If the eldest young master finds out, he definitely won’t let you off.” At this moment, Adeline Harrison, in her orphan identity, began to win people over, helping the maid up and adopting a sisterly posture to scold me. “Truly an orphan taken in.” “Even after all these years in our Harrison family, you still haven’t changed your habit of lying.” Adeline Harrison’s friend, Phoebe Thompson, couldn’t wait to come forward and link arms with her, looking at me with eyes full of resentment. “You’re shameless. Not only do you not appreciate the great kindness of the Harrison family, but you also slander Adeline at her own party.” Everyone present immediately began to whisper. “This person was clearly taken in by the Harrison family, and yet she repays kindness with enmity.” “I heard the Harrison family treats this orphan they took in very well, treating her as one of their own. Even Miss Adeline Harrison treats her as a real sister, sharing everything with her.” “An orphan without parents, yet she wants to impersonate the eldest daughter of the Harrison family, she’s really tired of living.” These people didn’t know the truth. Back then, I saw how pitiful Adeline Harrison was and begged my parents to bring her home to keep me company. As Adeline Harrison grew up, she became sweet-talking and was very likable, which made my cousin fond of her. So whenever there was an event in the circle, my brother would only take Adeline Harrison, leaving me at home, forbidding me to go out. Over time, everyone thought Adeline Harrison was the Harrison family’s eldest daughter, and I was the one taken in. Reborn, I will never swallow my anger again. My dad has billions in assets, and his word is law in the New York social circle, known as Mr. Harrison. My mom is an International Film Star, renowned in the film industry. Many people’s lives and fortunes here depend on my parents’ words. Why should I let an orphan and a cousin ride on my head? Sweeping my gaze over everyone present, my eyes finally locked onto Phoebe Thompson, boiling with hatred, clenching my fists. “Your father’s multinational company only got off the ground because he begged my dad for three days and nights for funding. Ask him if he dares meddle in our family’s affairs?” Publicly humiliated by me, Phoebe Thompson couldn’t swallow her pride and came up intending to slap me. I grabbed her wrist and slapped her back instead. She was instantly furious, her face contorted with rage, her chin trembling, “You, you brat, how dare you hit me?” Adeline Harrison looked around and shouted, “Where are the security guards? Are they all dead?” The security guards had just started to move when I turned and shot them a sharp look, so intense they didn’t dare meet my eyes. “I am the Harrison family’s eldest daughter, who dares lay a finger on me?” Adeline Harrison, afraid others would believe me, immediately shrieked with a guilty conscience. “Cora Harrison, everyone knows you are the brat my dad picked up.” “You think you can reverse black and white, and everyone will believe you? Dream on!” Everyone nodded in agreement. “Miss Harrison is right. Every time there’s an important event, it’s always the Harrison family’s young master attending with Miss Harrison, never seen you.” “Today is the Harrison family’s banquet celebrating Miss Harrison officially entering the New York social circle, yet it’s been ruined by an orphan.” I laughed coldly at their words. I turned to the maid beside me, “Go call my respected brother, and tell him the brat Adeline Harrison wants to impersonate the eldest daughter of the Harrison family and bring shame to us.” “Isn’t he afraid Adeline Harrison will become a rat everyone wants to beat?” The maid hesitated. She knew my brother always held Adeline Harrison in the palm of his hand, even spending billions to make her an online celebrity. Every time Adeline Harrison bullied me, he would take her side, even scolding me harshly for being immature, grounding me without food or drink, and finally forcing me to kneel and apologize to Adeline Harrison before letting it go. “Go, I’ll handle everything.” Hearing this, the maid finally left. Adeline Harrison, the orphan, laughed mockingly, “Cora Harrison, have you forgotten how my brother dealt with you every time you offended me?” Relying on my brother Nolan Harrison’s favor, she never took me seriously. In my past life, when Adeline Harrison had the maid throw acid on me, I called Nolan Harrison for help. Not only did he not believe me, but he also scolded me on the phone for slandering Adeline Harrison, telling me to die far away if I wanted to die. In the end, filled with deep despair and pain, I was beaten to death by people arranged by Adeline Harrison and thrown into the icy, bone-chilling river. In this new life, I will make them pay for their blood debts! Chapter Two Unexpectedly, before Nolan Harrison arrived, my childhood friend Wesley Johnson came pushing a huge bouquet, dressed in a sharp suit, walking gracefully. “Harrison family sister, to show my love for you, I bought out all the flower shops in the city to gather these 9,999 roses.” Phoebe Thompson, Adeline Harrison’s friend, suddenly froze, her face turning pale with shock. She glanced nervously and doubtfully at Adeline Harrison beside her. Could Wesley Johnson’s words be meant for me? Looking at Wesley Johnson’s affectionate expression, I couldn’t help but find it ridiculous. He used to cling to me as a child, often playing the game of groom and bride with me, even telling my dad he wanted to marry me when he grew up. But after seeing the orphan Adeline Harrison, he immediately transferred his affections, starting to fawn over her. Even when Adeline Harrison bullied me, he watched coldly, telling me to recognize my place. Standing in front of Adeline Harrison, Wesley Johnson wore a gentle smile, lightly brushing aside the hair on her forehead, “Adeline, you’re truly beautiful.” Turning his gaze to me, his eyes were sharp as knives, “You, an orphan nearly starved to death on the streets, dare to impersonate the eldest daughter of the Harrison family?” “Cora Harrison, even if you beg me on your knees now, I won’t spare you a glance.” “The only one I love is the true eldest daughter of the Harrison family, Adeline Harrison.” The Wesley Johnson who once swore to love me for a lifetime now shamelessly groveled at the feet of the orphan Adeline Harrison, accusing me of being the one taken in. Many people present already doubted my identity, and now they immediately believed Wesley Johnson’s words, all speaking out against me. “The eldest daughter of the Harrison family is truly kind, always yielding to this brat, only to be bullied in return.” “Such an ungrateful, heartless brat, Mr. Harrison should have let her die on the roadside back then.” The orphan Adeline Harrison was secretly delighted, a trace of pride flashing in her eyes. Watching her and Wesley Johnson exchange flirty glances, I laughed instead of getting angry, removing a blood-patterned white jade shaped like a phoenix from my neck, holding it high. “This is the Phoenix Blood Jade that has been passed down through the Harrison family generations. Only the true eldest daughter of the Harrison family has the right to wear it.” “Adeline Harrison, do you have it?” Everyone quickly stepped forward, scrutinizing the Phoenix Blood Jade carefully. Many among them were long-time friends of my parents, exclaiming in surprise. “I’ve heard Mr. Harrison mention this before. It seems Cora Harrison is indeed Mr. Harrison’s daughter.” “Strange. Then why did the Harrison family young master tell us Mr. Harrison invited us here to pave the way for Miss Adeline Harrison?” Adeline Harrison instantly panicked, her face turning white. She knew nothing about the Phoenix Blood Jade, let alone possessed one. Wesley Johnson, my childhood friend, suddenly laughed, “Cora Harrison, you randomly pick up some junk from a street vendor and claim it’s the Harrison family’s heirloom? Then I could buy a hairpin and say it was worn by Empress Wu Zetian.” Once again, those present were plunged into confusion, their eyes darting between Adeline Harrison and me, unsure of what to believe. “That’s odd. Why did the young master of the Harrison family tell us that Mr. Harrison invited us here to give Ms. Adeline Harrison an advantage?” Adeline Harrison suddenly looked alarmed, her face going pale. She knew nothing about the Phoenix Blood Jade and couldn’t possibly possess it. Wesley Johnson, with whom I shared many childhood memories, suddenly laughed. “Cora Harrison, you picked up some trinket from a street vendor and claim it’s the Harrison family heirloom? If I bought a hairpin, I could say it was once worn by Empress Wu Zetian.” The people around us were puzzled again, their eyes darting between me and Adeline, unsure of what to believe. Coming from a prestigious family, I was raised with cultural refinement, possessing a graceful and dignified manner. Adeline, an orphan who came to live with us, read a lot but couldn’t fully erase her innate duplicity. No matter how much she tried to imitate, it was just a poor attempt. Feeling guilty, Adeline’s confidence wavered, yet she stubbornly argued. “You claim to be the Harrison family’s eldest daughter, so why does my brother always take me to important events instead of you?” The more Wesley Johnson looked at me, the more he found me irritating. “Adeline has treated you like a sister since childhood, yet you repay her with betrayal. How shameless!” Their performance swayed the crowd towards them again. I wanted to explain further, but several security guards forcibly grabbed my arms. Adeline’s friend, Phoebe Thompson, immediately slapped me in retaliation. Not satisfied, she hit my face with her bag. “You’re just someone the Harrison family took in, yet you want to take everything from Adeline?” “Apologize to Adeline right now!” Blood trickled from the corner of my mouth, dripping to the ground and splattering like a small red flower. I glared at the three of them, filled with intense hatred. “Wait until my parents arrive and see how you explain this to them.” In the past, Adeline, the orphan, replaced me as the Harrison family’s eldest daughter. I was harmed by her, my body sinking in the dark river. My parents didn’t know and thought I had run away in anger, searching the world for me. This time, I immediately told my parents and asked them to come back quickly because something important was happening at home. By my calculation, they should arrive in a few minutes. Adeline saw me spitting blood and quietly mocked me. “Dad and mom are going abroad; they won’t come back. Telling such a lie is incredibly foolish.” “Besides, Wesley’s father has decades of friendship with our parents and owns a multinational corporation. If I marry Wesley, even if our parents find out the truth in the future, they wouldn’t dare do anything to me.” As soon as she finished speaking, a voice suddenly shouted, “Nonsense! What are you doing?” Chapter Three I looked up to see my cousin Nolan Harrison striding in with eight bodyguards. The security guards quickly released me and retreated. Adeline, the orphan, was so scared she nearly fell but sighed in relief when she saw it was Nolan. She then shot me a gloating glance. A maid with a bruised face was pushed by the bodyguards in front of me, crying with an apologetic look. Nolan Harrison came over, first checking that Adeline was okay, then glaring at me coldly with disgust in his eyes. “Good thing Adeline is fine. Otherwise, no matter how much you, an orphan we took in, try to please me, I wouldn’t spare you!” In the past, no matter what happened, Nolan always favored Adeline. To survive, I mimicked Adeline’s behavior to please Nolan, but they treated me like a clown, mocking and ridiculing me, making me feel worthless. Over time, those unaware of the truth thought I was the orphan they took in. Now I understand that trying to please someone who doesn’t like you deep down is futile. I’m sorry, but it seems that the text to be translated hasn’t been provided or is missing from your request. Could you please supply the specific text that needs translation?

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