I induced labor early and gave birth to my child, then stuffed pillows under my clothes to pretend I was still pregnant until the day my sister and I were both sent to the delivery room. It was all because in my previous life, when my sister and I married into the wealthy Gray family together, our mother-in-law promised at the wedding that whoever gave birth to an heir would inherit the entire family fortune. But after carrying a child for ten months, I unexpectedly gave birth to a black baby, while my sister delivered a healthy, chubby white boy. My mother-in-law was furious, calling me a shameless whore for cuckolding her son. “Sister, I can’t keep covering up for you anymore about your secret meetings with that black man,” my sister said with tears in her eyes, acting as if I had been forcing her to keep quiet all this time. I struggled desperately to explain, but no one believed me. Even my father spat at me, saying I was born to be a disgrace. When my enraged mother-in-law locked me in the basement, my sister poured gasoline inside while gloating. “Your son will have to call me mom from now on. Everything that was yours is mine now!” When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to the time before giving birth.

“Lily, you must be carrying a boy!” “You’ll be their greatest contributor by continuing the family line. Dad’s future depends on you!” My father exclaimed excitedly, holding my sister’s prenatal check-up report. Meanwhile, my sister stared greedily at my belly, a barely noticeable smile on her face. Seeing the scene identical to my previous life, I couldn’t help but sneer inwardly. This time, I absolutely won’t let you have your way! I covered my mouth and bent over, dry heaving continuously. My father glanced at me with disgust and said impatiently, “I don’t know how the Gray family’s heir apparent took a liking to you.” “But it doesn’t matter. In the future, he and you won’t even be fit to shine Yvonne’s shoes.” After saying this, he exaggeratedly supported my sister, his face beaming with joy. Watching their retreating figures, I sneered. Sure enough, both father and daughter were despicable creatures. In my previous life, before my grandfather passed away, he struggled to arrange my marriage to Lucas Gray, my childhood sweetheart and the heir to the city’s most powerful family. When my sister heard the news, she threw a tantrum, saying she wanted to marry into a wealthy family too. But she was nothing more than the illegitimate daughter from my father’s affair. She was only able to move into our home because my mother had passed away early and my grandfather had been bedridden for years. My father pestered my grandfather time and time again until finally, to protect me from being bullied, grandfather agreed to let my sister marry into the Gray family as well, though she would wed Zack Gray, the family’s black sheep. The wedding was held in a castle, where our mother-in-law promised that whoever gave birth to an heir would inherit all of the Gray family’s assets. Coincidentally, my sister and I became pregnant on the same day and even gave birth on the same day. But fate played a cruel trick. Under their scheming, I gave birth to a pitch-black child. My father didn’t hesitate to sever ties with me. My mother-in-law also cursed me as a slut. They locked me, weak from just giving birth, in the basement, planning to wait for Lucas to return so he could personally throw me out. That night, my sister came to the basement with a can of gasoline. “Your son will have to call me mom from now on. Everything that was yours is mine now!” It was then that I realized I hadn’t given birth to a black child at all. My baby was healthy and fair-skinned. It was Yvonne who had given birth to the black child. She had always been jealous of me for being smarter and prettier, envious that my grandfather left everything to me, and resentful that I could marry Lucas Gray. She and my gold-digging father had conspired together, bribing all the doctors to give me her child and then accusing me of infidelity. Years later, after Yvonne gave birth to her own child, she orchestrated another “accident,” pushing my son off a luxury yacht, drowning him! She ensured that both my son and I died without intact bodies, while also bearing a lifelong stigma. Now, seeing her, I truly wished I could grind her bones to dust and cut her into a thousand pieces! By the time we reached the hospital entrance, my father was already helping my sister into the luxury car Lucas had bought for me. Looking at the empty driver’s seat, I curled my lips into an innocent smile. “Dad, I think you’re right. It’s of utmost importance for my sister to give the Gray family a child.” I turned to look at my sister’s strange expression. “As it happens, my best friend is returning from abroad today. She’s a professional nutritionist. Why don’t we have her take care of my sister’s prenatal care?” In my previous life, my best friend had always been worried about me, which was why she returned early to be by my side. Unfortunately, I was too stupid back then. I still believed in family bonds and rejected my friend’s good intentions. Hearing this, both my father and sister’s expressions changed. They stiffly refused, “You think marrying into the Gray family means you’ve reached the top? What nutritionist needs your approval? Do you have any sense of respect for your elders? Is this how your grandfather, that supposedly well-respected dean, taught you?” My father became increasingly agitated, his entire face turning red. My sister chimed in, “You’re asking your friend to take care of me? What if something happens to me? Wouldn’t that be convenient for you?” I coldly watched their reactions, understanding most of what was going on. Sure enough, there was still something wrong with my sister’s pregnancy. Seeing that I didn’t respond, my father excitedly got out of the car, grabbed my arm, and raised his hand. “I never thought you’d harbor such intentions!” “I can see now that you and your mother are cut from the same cloth!” Looking at my furious father, I couldn’t help but laugh, both for myself and for my foolish mother. This ungrateful social climber, who would scheme against even his own daughter, was truly eye-opening. But unfortunately for them, they would miscalculate this time. I wasn’t pregnant at all. Even my protruding belly was a fake one I had bought online. In this life, I wouldn’t give birth at the same time as her. How could they swap babies now? My father’s expression became even more unpleasant as I laughed. He gritted his teeth and squeezed out, “Today, I’m going to teach you a lesson!” As he finished speaking, his hand swung down hard. But before it could land on my face, someone kicked him away, sending him stumbling backward with a yelp as he fell to the ground. He was about to lash out when he saw it was Lucas Gray. Immediately, he switched to a fawning demeanor. “Son-in-law, why are you here? Weren’t you busy with the acquisition?” Lucas ignored my father’s attempt at flattery and pulled me into his arms. In my previous life, when I was accused of infidelity, he was the first to stand up and declare his trust in me. He even warned everyone over the phone not to touch a hair on my head. But just as he was rushing back overnight, his car’s brakes failed, and he plunged off a cliff, his body never found. Feeling his warm embrace, I suddenly felt overwhelmed with emotion. Thankfully, in this life, everything could still be salvaged. He whispered in my ear, “I’m sorry I’m late.” I shook my head, fighting back tears. “Who were you going to teach a lesson to?” Lucas’s imposing presence was palpable. As the normally stern heir to the city’s most powerful family, no one dared to come within half a step of him except for me. If he hadn’t been so concerned and careless in my previous life, he wouldn’t have fallen for their tricks. His gaze swept over my sister, who had been so arrogant just moments ago. Now she was terrified, her whole body trembling as she looked fearfully at my father. My father’s face flashed with embarrassment. He quickly approached again, bowing and scraping. “It’s nothing, nothing at all. I was just giving Lily a bit of fatherly advice.” Lucas kept his arm around my waist, not even bothering to look up. “You’re Lily’s father, so I I can overlook it.” “But what about Yvonne? Since when does the Gray family allow you to speak to your sister-in-law like that?” She was so frightened her legs gave out, and she burst into tears. Seeing her trembling in fear, I felt a rush of satisfaction. She was finally getting a taste of her own medicine! Lucas’s cold gaze swept across Yvonne’s face as he contemptuously spat out: “Apologize to Lily.” “Yvonne was just thinking of the baby and spoke without thinking. There’s no need for apologies between sisters!” My father swallowed hard and tentatively asked, “Good son-in-law, for my sake, please don’t be hard on Yvonne.” But Lucas had always been a man of his word. How could he allow anyone to bully me without seeking revenge? He pulled me back half a step and gave his bodyguard a cold look. The bodyguard immediately rushed forward, restrained my father to one side, and then slapped Yvonne more than a dozen times across the face. Her mouth bled and her cheeks swelled up. Yvonne’s tears flowed freely, but she didn’t dare resist or even cry out in pain. Lucas smirked at my father, who was now terrified. “You’re Lily’s father, so I’ve still shown you some respect.” “As for you?” He turned his gaze to Yvonne, whose face was now swollen like a pig’s head. “Don’t let me catch you bullying Lily again, or I won’t be so lenient.” Yvonne nodded without the slightest hesitation. Seeing the hatred in her eyes, I couldn’t help but smile slightly. She would never have imagined that I had returned to the past two months ago. And the first thing I did when I opened my eyes was to tell Lucas everything. Chapter 3 Lucas was furious, punching the hood of his luxury car so hard it dented. He even wanted to call a board meeting the next day to kick Zack and our mother-in-law out of the Gray family. Although the Gray family was nominally headed by our mother-in-law, she was only Lucas’s stepmother and couldn’t make any decisions for Gray Corp. The “black baby” incident orchestrated by my father and sister was indeed a good strategy. It could both throw Lucas off balance and allow Zack to take over smoothly. But how innocent were my son and I! He was so young that when he fell into the sea, he was pushed down by the waves without even a chance to struggle. How pitiful that all three of us died unjustly! After Lucas calmed down, he decided to play along with their plan. It would be a shame not to take advantage of such a perfect scheme. So he took me abroad in secret, arranged for a professional medical team, and induced my baby early. When I was lying on the bed writhing in pain after the induction, Lucas was so distressed he almost cried. “Lily, I’ve let you down.” Soon, I gave birth to a healthy baby boy. Lucas spent a fortune to put him in an incubator. When we returned to the country, I kissed him over and over again, reluctant to part. This was the child I had given birth to, not some illegitimate child. Originally, my sister and I were due on the same day, but now that I had already given birth to a healthy child, there was no chance for them to swap babies. How would my sister face the Gray family’s expectations now? When the time came, it wouldn’t be me who would be driven out of the Gray family! Thinking of this, I couldn’t help but smile. Perhaps because of the slaps from the bodyguard, my sister suddenly clutched her belly and started wailing. Her water broke, trickling down intermittently. My father hurried to support her, shouting heartrendingly, “Doctor! We need a doctor! My daughter is in labor!” Watching my sister being carried away on a stretcher, I exchanged a glance with Lucas and immediately clutched my own belly. “Oh no, I’m in labor too!” Lucas pretended to panic and carried me in his arms, rushing me to the delivery room as well. Two hours later, my father came to my hospital room carrying a swaddled infant. He rudely ordered me, “You have everything. You should give up the position of the Gray family heir to your sister.” “You owe her this!” I couldn’t help but want to laugh. Back then, it was he who had an affair and fathered an illegitimate daughter, not daring to bring her home, making her suffer. How could this be blamed on me? “What if I refuse?” I asked. My father’s gaze turned vicious as he gritted out a threat, “Then don’t blame me!” “Blame you for what?” My best friend pushed open the door, looking at my father’s stunned figure with a half-smile. “Uncle, you really are a good father, staying by your daughter’s side at a time like this.” After saying this, she quickly ushered in the bejeweled socialites behind her. “See, I told you Mrs. Gray was fine. It’s just childbirth after all.” The wealthy ladies crowded into the room, each offering unique congratulations, their faces full of flattery. One of them reached out to take the baby from my father’s arms. “This must be the second Mrs. Gray’s child, so quiet and well-behaved.” My father sneered and held the baby high. “This is Lily’s child!” The socialite kept smiling. “Miss Chen’s child must be extraordinary.” “After all, Mr. Gray…” As her eyes swept over the child, she suddenly screamed. “What is this!” “Why is it black!” “Miss Chen! Whose child is this?!”

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My husband’s first love got engaged. In an attempt to make her regret her decision, he left me right after our wedding to join a research team in Antarctica. Despite visiting him 66 times, my efforts were in vain. Five years later, I stopped going. At a birthday party, amidst laughter and conversation, he suddenly appeared. Upon seeing my slightly rounded belly, he was visibly upset, “I’ve been at the research institute for five years, and you ignored me all along. Whose child is in your belly?” I replied calmly, “It’s none of your business. According to the law, a couple can divorce after being separated for more than two years.” Upon hearing this, Jackson kicked over the birthday cake in anger, “Avery, I’ve only been away for five years, and you’ve already gotten yourself pregnant.” “Who does the child belong to?” “I’m going to make sure he can’t survive in New York City.” Watching Jackson ruin the carefully prepared birthday party, I got angry too, “Jackson, this isn’t the place for you to act out.” “If you’re not well, go to the hospital.” The mention of “hospital” made Jackson’s emotions flare up. He grabbed my arm and started dragging me outside, “We’re going to the hospital right now.” Jackson was so strong, I couldn’t even struggle. At that moment, Grandma Nora heard the commotion and hurried over with her cane. Seeing Jackson’s rough actions, she was instantly alarmed. “Jackson, let go of Avery!” “Avery is pregnant with…” Jackson’s mood softened a bit when he saw Grandma, but his anger surged again at her words. He interrupted Grandma Nora, “Avery, you’re quite clever, even fooling Grandma.” Then he raised his hand and slapped me hard. Blood trickled from my mouth as my cheek swelled. Grandma Nora was shocked by the scene. She tried to rescue me from Jackson’s grip. But the bodyguard by Jackson’s side kept her away. Jackson instructed the bodyguard to call the private hospital for a procedure. As he arranged things, he dragged me into the car. Grandma Nora reluctantly got into another car with the bodyguard. None of the surrounding friends offered help. Instead, they watched the scene unfold. Jackson’s family was wealthy and influential. They didn’t want to offend him and were happy to give him respect. The car quickly reached the private hospital. The director personally came out to greet Jackson. Ignoring the director’s flattery, Jackson dragged me to the OB-GYN department. “Jackson, let go of me. The child in my belly is…” Before I could finish, we ran into Phoebe, who had just come out of the doctor’s office. She was Jackson’s former sister-in-law and his long-cherished first love. Seeing Jackson, she happily ran over and hugged him. “Jackson, I’m finally pregnant,” she said, looking at Jackson with deep affection. Jackson let go of my hand and carefully hugged Phoebe. “Phoebe, you’re pregnant now. Be careful.” Phoebe playfully smiled and, noticing me, exclaimed in surprise, “Sister-in-law, you’re pregnant too?” Seeing their intimate actions, I instantly understood. Why Jackson left for five years and why Phoebe disappeared too. They had been together all along. Ignoring Phoebe’s provocative gaze, I simply replied, “Jackson, we’re no longer married, and you’re with Phoebe now.” “Let me go immediately, or you won’t be able to handle the consequences.” Grandma Nora was shocked to see Jackson and Phoebe together. But it was more important to stop Jackson from doing something rash. “Jackson, let Avery go home and rest.” Hearing this, Jackson immediately released Phoebe and sternly questioned, “Grandma, Avery cheated on me and is pregnant with someone else’s child. Do you want me to turn a blind eye?” Grandma Nora realized Jackson wasn’t going to let it go easily. She hurriedly said, “Jackson, the child in Avery’s belly isn’t someone else’s. It’s…”

Before Grandma Nora could finish, Phoebe interrupted, “Jackson, Grandma doesn’t look well. Is Avery not taking good care of her?” “Or is Grandma being threatened by Avery?” Hearing this, I found it laughable, “Jackson, you were raised by Grandma, and you disappeared for five years.” “You know better than anyone why Grandma’s not well.” Phoebe smirked and approached me, “You intruded on the relationship between Jackson and me. Don’t you know why Jackson left?” As she spoke, Phoebe pushed me hard. My belly hit a hospital bed in the corridor, and sharp pain shot through me. A warm sensation flowed down my thigh. Grandma Nora looked on in panic, “Doctor, come quickly. Avery’s child can’t be harmed.” The doctor and nurses were about to check when Jackson shouted, “No one is allowed to check. Today, I’m making sure she doesn’t keep the child.” At the director’s signal, the doctor and nurses didn’t dare move. Phoebe mocked, “Sister-in-law, carrying someone else’s child, betraying Jackson.” “How do you have the nerve to seek help from the family hospital’s doctors?” Grandma Nora anxiously searched her bag for her smartphone to call for help. Jackson ordered the bodyguard to take Grandma’s phone away. “Grandma, what kind of manipulation did Avery use on you?” “You’re still trying to help her.” “Grandma, I’m telling you, this child must not remain.” Grandma Nora was shocked, “Jackson, I’m your grandmother. Won’t you even listen to me?” Saying this, Grandma Nora supported me to leave and find another hospital. But the bodyguard restrained her. “Jackson, stop this madness.” I struggled to stand, clutching my belly, breaking out in cold sweat, “The child in my belly isn’t yours to touch. Let me go now, or you can’t handle the consequences.” Jackson stared at me, silent for a moment. Then Phoebe started live streaming with her smartphone. She whispered something in Jackson’s ear. Jackson took the smartphone from Phoebe and aimed it at me, “Avery, if you don’t want a dignified procedure in the hospital, I’ll do it another way.” “Remember the consequences of betraying me.” Jackson ordered the bodyguard to tie me to the hospital bed. I stared in horror at the bodyguard holding a stick. I struggled desperately, trying to break free. I was ready to reveal the true identity of the child’s father. “Jackson, you’re insane. The child I’m carrying is…” Before I could finish, the bodyguard, at Jackson’s signal, struck my belly with a stick. The intense pain turned my words into cries of agony. Blood seeped from the places my wrists and ankles were bound due to my struggles. “This is the price for betraying me and getting pregnant with someone else’s child.” The live stream audience, after hearing the story, joined in. “This woman is obviously trouble.” “Cheaters deserve to die. Don’t let her off easily.” “Teach her a lesson. Let all women see the consequences of infidelity.” Jackson showed me the live stream comments. “Avery, you not only betrayed me, but you also manipulated Grandma into deceiving me.” “Today, I’m going to make sure the child in your belly is dealt with.” Grandma Nora, who was locked in an office when the bodyguard tied me up, was now trying to intervene.

As the second blow was about to land, someone suddenly burst in. He stopped the bodyguard. “Young Master Jackson, Miss Avery isn’t someone you can touch now.” “Stop and apologize to Miss Avery. It might make your life easier later.” Phoebe looked uneasy at the sight of the bodyguard, but she said nothing. Jackson, however, stared at the intruder for a long time before speaking, “I see you’re familiar. You’re my brother’s bodyguard.” With that, Jackson suddenly grabbed the stick from the bodyguard and smashed it over his head. “How dare you meddle with my affairs.” Blood gushed from the bodyguard’s head as he collapsed on the ground. Watching the bodyguard who had been my only hope now lying there, possibly dead, plunged me into despair. “Jackson, please, I’m sorry. Spare the child in my belly.” I was desperate, crying as I spoke. Jackson glanced at the smartphone, then at me, and instructed the bodyguard to release me from the bed. “Now kneel in front of me and tell me what you did wrong.” “If the live stream audience forgives you, then I will too.” Clutching my aching belly, I painfully crawled to Jackson and knelt before him. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have betrayed you or gotten pregnant. I’m at fault.” “But the child is innocent. Please, spare him.” Jackson looked at my pitiful state and said nothing. Instead, he connected with a netizen’s microphone. A furious voice came from the other end of the smartphone. “You deserve to be punished. Show no mercy.” “Are you kneeling here to confess your mistakes?” “If the viewers in the live streaming room forgive you, then so will I.” Clutching my agonizing stomach, I painfully crawled to Jackson’s feet and knelt. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have been unfaithful, and I shouldn’t have gotten pregnant. I’ve made terrible mistakes.” “But the child is innocent. Please, I’m begging you, spare him.” Jackson surveyed my disheveled state in silence. Instead, he randomly connected a viewer’s mic. An outraged voice burst through the smartphone. “You deserve to be punished, you wretched woman. Someone should teach you a lesson.” Phoebe approached Jackson and spoke with deliberate calm, “Jackson, see, your sister-in-law is still unwilling to give up the child and won’t disclose the father’s identity.” “It seems she hasn’t truly realized her mistakes.” Their conversation made my face go pale. But for the sake of my child, I had to fight. I endured the pain and abruptly stood up, racing toward the exit. If I could just make it out of the hospital and call for help, the child might still have a chance. Just as I was about to escape through the hospital doors, Jackson grabbed my hair from behind. He yanked me back with such force, I felt my scalp tearing apart. “You’re still thinking of running away, are you?” “Without a lesson, you won’t learn.” He handed me over to the bodyguards, who restrained me on the operating room bed. “Doctor, perform the procedure and remove the child.” The medical team prepared to administer an anesthetic, but Jackson stopped them. “She’s disgraced herself, and the child is illegitimate. No need for anesthetic.” Under the harsh lights of the operating room, I whispered weakly, “Jackson, you’ll regret this.” I’m sorry, but it looks like the text you’re asking to translate is missing. Could you please provide the specific Chinese text that needs translation? Jackson listened indifferently and remarked,

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Husband was diagnosed with kidney failure at the hospital, and my kidney was a perfect match. A thought occurred to me, and in front of the entire family of in-laws, I lied, saying that I was the one who needed a kidney transplant. Their faces changed dramatically, and they almost immediately jumped up. “A kidney transplant? How much would that cost? Our family doesn’t have money to treat your illness!” “Let your husband donate a kidney to you? No way! He’s the only son of our family, his health must not be compromised!” “If you’re sick, just accept it. Don’t drag our whole family down! Hurry up and get a divorce, don’t hold back my son!” I was utterly heartbroken, leaving behind the medical report with his name on it, which they hadn’t even bothered to open. I signed the divorce papers and left with nothing. My fingertips brushed the paper, with a subtle, almost imperceptible tremble. My gaze was fixed on the creatinine level column. It was frighteningly high. As a seasoned surgeon, I instinctively understood what this number meant. End-stage renal disease! Impossible! Absolutely impossible! I rushed to the computer, my fingers turning white from pressure, and quickly retrieved more detailed examination records of Ethan from the hospital’s internal system. Each metric was like a judge’s verdict, coldly pointing to the same diagnosis—chronic kidney failure, end-stage renal disease. Driven by some inexplicable force, I opened the HLA matching records from our annual checkups. The result that popped up on the screen was like a lightning bolt striking me. A perfect match! All it would take is for me to nod, donate a healthy kidney, and he could live. The man who always chose silence and avoidance when I needed him most. A wild and bold idea, like vines breaking through darkness, quickly wrapped around my heart. I picked up the phone and dialed my mother-in-law’s number. “Mom, are you, Dad, and Lydia free this evening?” My voice was calm, without a trace of emotion. “Come to our house.” “I have something very important to announce.”

At 7 p.m., the doorbell rang on time. I adjusted my expression, making myself look haggard and weak. Father-in-law, mother-in-law, and sister-in-law Lydia stood at the door. Their faces carried the usual critical and scrutinizing look. Ethan followed behind them, seemingly a bit clueless. “Adeline, what’s going on, being all secretive?” my mother-in-law spoke first, with a hint of impatience in her tone. I didn’t answer immediately. I just silently let them into the living room. “Dad, Mom, Lydia, Ethan… ” My voice carried a deliberately suppressed tremble. “I… am sick.” The usual impatience on my mother-in-law’s face froze like a cheap mask. Father-in-law frowned, eyes scrutinizing. Sister-in-law Lydia smirked, as if saying, “What’s she up to now?” Only Ethan. He stared at me nervously, his voice trembling: “Adeline, what’s wrong? Is it serious?” I deliberately avoided his eager gaze. “The doctor said… it’s chronic kidney failure, end-stage renal disease.” Mother-in-law’s eyes widened, her voice instantly rising: “What?! Kidney failure?!” “How could that be?” her voice was sharp with intense skepticism, as if interrogating a criminal, “You seemed perfectly fine. How could you suddenly have such a serious illness?” She paused, her gaze sharper as she looked at me: “Did you know about this long ago? Have you been hiding it from our family?” I lowered my eyelids just in time, hiding the mockery in my eyes, my voice low, with just the right amount of fatigue and vulnerability. “It was discovered during a recent checkup.” “The doctor said the only treatment is a kidney transplant.” “Kidney transplant?!” Her voice rose several more pitches, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. “How much would that cost?!” “What about a donor? Who’s going to donate to you?!” Here it comes. My gaze, slowly, like a slow-motion camera, landed on Ethan’s bloodless face. “Ethan and I… went for a matching test.” “The result…” I paused. “Ethan is the only perfect match.” Ethan’s face turned as white as a sheet of paper, and he instinctively stepped back. Mother-in-law’s eyes flickered intensely. “A match… matched?” she muttered, her voice changing pitch. “No way! Absolutely not!” Like a lit firecracker, she suddenly became agitated, sprang up from the sofa, and pointed at me. “Ethan is the only son of the family! The only heir!” “He has to work! He has to support the family! He has to continue our family line!” “How can he donate a kidney?! Huh?!” “Mom!” Ethan finally found his voice, looking at me with a trace of plea and guilt in his eyes, “Adeline, she…” “Shut up!” Mother-in-law glared at him like a protective hen, cutting him off. “You have no say here! What do you understand?!” She turned to me, instantly switching to a concerned demeanor, her eyes reddening on cue. “Adeline, it’s not that mom’s being heartless, it’s just… don’t you know our family’s situation?” “Ethan’s dad is also not in good health, always on medication, basically a medicine jar.” “Everything in and out of the house relies solely on Ethan!” “Where do we have the spare money for you to have a transplant surgery? I heard it costs hundreds of thousands! And it’s not even guaranteed!” She started crying poor, tears came just like that, even raising her hand to pat her thigh, wailing. Lydia chimed in, her tone sharp and cutting like a knife. “Exactly, sister-in-law, it’s not that we don’t want to help you.” “It’s just that there’s absolutely no way.” She paused, her gaze sweeping over me with undisguised disdain. “Besides, your illness… sigh.” “Why wasn’t this found before you got married?” “Did you hide it on purpose?” “Can you still have kids now?” “If my brother donates a kidney, his health fails, then what about the family’s legacy? Who will carry it on?” Father-in-law, who had been silent, now had a face so dark it could drip water. He gave a heavy snort. And said firmly: “If you’re sick, accept it, don’t drag down our whole family!” He paused, each word like an ice spike laced with poison, stabbing into my heart. “Hurry up and get a divorce, don’t hold back my son!” And Ethan? He stood there like a wooden post. Just like numerous times before. When I needed him most. He chose cowardly silence.

Not long after. My phone buzzed. A new SnapChat group chat invitation popped up. The group name was conspicuous: “Johnson Family Internal Communication Group.” Initiated by sister-in-law Lydia. In the group, besides me, were my in-laws, Ethan, Lydia, and several distant relatives of the family. Lydia’s message popped up: “Brother, you must not be foolish! That woman is bad luck, a jinx!” “She can’t even have children, and now she wants to drag you down!” Mother-in-law immediately sent a voice message, the tone sharp and cutting: “Exactly! Our family absolutely cannot spend this money, and she wants you to donate a kidney, what a joke!” “If she really can’t make it, just let her go back to her family! Don’t drag down our family!” A person noted as “Aunt” messaged: “Oh dear, this woman is really unlucky, marrying her in and she gets this illness in a few years, she must be faking it, trying to scam our family’s money?” Another noted “Uncle” chimed in: “Ethan, listen to your mom, quickly cut ties with her, divorce!” “Otherwise, there will be endless trouble in the future!” I looked at those unbearable words without any expression. Saved the chat records as screenshots. The last bit of warmth in my heart. Extinguished completely at that moment. Ethan began avoiding me like the plague. He no longer came home from work with exhaustion but gently embraced me, asking softly if I was tired today. Now, he always came home late. Either reeking of alcohol or simply saying “working overtime at the company,” then throwing himself onto the office sofa overnight. Even when he was rarely home, he stayed locked in the study, that small space. I didn’t hysterically question him. I just watched coldly, with a kind of cruel calmness. That night, I went to the bathroom, the cold floor making my mind especially clear. Passing by the tightly closed study door, I vaguely heard Ethan’s suppressed, altered voice. “Mom, I know… I really know… Please stop pushing me, okay?” His voice carried a fatigue on the verge of collapse. “Adeline, she… her health is already like that, how can I at this time…” “What do you mean I’m foolish?! Should I just watch her… watch her die?!” He seemed to raise his voice a bit, but was quickly drowned in helplessness. “I don’t mean that… but… donating a kidney… Mom, it’s a kidney! I…” Then, from the other end, mother-in-law’s sharp, cutting, highly penetrating voice, even through the thick door, pierced my eardrums like ice spikes, word by word. “Die? What kind of illness does she have? It’s a bottomless pit! It’s an incurable disease! She wasn’t going to live long anyway!” “Even if you donate a kidney to her, can you save her? Don’t be foolish, son!” He seemed to raise his voice a bit, but was soon swallowed by a wave of helplessness. “I don’t mean that… but… kidney donation… Mom, it’s a kidney! I…” Then, from the other end of the phone, my mother-in-law’s sharp and biting voice cut through the thick door, piercing my ears with each word, like a needle. “Die? What kind of illness does she have? It’s a black hole! A terminal illness! She wouldn’t live long anyway!” “Even if you give her a kidney, can you save her? Don’t be foolish, son!” “When the money’s spent and she’s gone, and you collapse too, who will take care of you? Who will look after us in our old age? Who will carry on our Johnson family name?” “Ethan, I’m telling you now! If you dare to think about donating a kidney, I’ll die before you do!” “Now! Immediately! Go ask her for a divorce!” “Tell her you love her, that you’re afraid of dragging her down! That you don’t want to hold her back! Make her go back to Adeline’s family to rest!” “Better a short pain than a long one! Our Johnson family can’t be dragged down by this jinx!” In the study, Ethan’s breathing became heavy. He was locked in a fierce battle with himself, a battle he was destined to lose. For a long time, long enough for the air to feel like it was frozen. “…I understand, Mom.” I turned around without a word, my footsteps as light as a feather, silently returning to the bedroom. Sure enough, what had to happen couldn’t be avoided. That day, Ethan, unusually, didn’t stay out late for socializing and came home early. During dinner, the tension at the dining table was so thick it felt like it could be cut with a knife. He barely touched his food, his gaze unfocused, opening his mouth several times but stopping as if something was holding him back. After dinner, I quietly cleaned the dishes as usual. Then he suddenly called out to me, “Adeline.” I stopped what I was doing, turned around, and looked at him with an extremely calm gaze. “Let’s… get a divorce.” Finally, the Sword of Damocles hanging over our heads fell. I looked at his face, filled with struggle and exhaustion, feeling no stir in my heart. It was as if I was merely listening to the end of a story that had nothing to do with me. “Adeline, don’t misunderstand… It’s not because you’re sick that I’m rejecting you…” “On the contrary, it’s because I… I love you too much, I don’t want to drag you down.” Ethan began his clumsy and hollow performance. “Look at me now… The work pressure is so high, I feel worse every day, I’m really afraid… afraid that if I collapse too, who will take care of you then?” “So… while we can… let’s part ways. You go back to Adeline’s family, the environment is better, you can rest and maybe… maybe find better treatment…” His reasons were incoherent, each one as fake as a plastic flower, glaringly false. “Afraid of dragging me down?” I softly repeated, unable to control the faint, icy, and sarcastic smile on my lips, “Ethan, ask your conscience, is this really what you think?” He looked as if he’d been caught off guard, his head snapping up, eyes filled with panic and embarrassment: “Of course! Adeline, you have to believe me! I mean it! I’m really doing this for you!” “Fine.” “I agree to the divorce.” My calm and straightforward response was clearly beyond his expectation. It appears that no text was provided for translation. Could you please supply the Chinese text that needs translating?

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My mom is an amateur archaeologist with questionable ethics. She insisted on taking the whole family grave-digging on the summer solstice, claiming it was the day with the strongest positive energy of the year. We didn’t find any antiques, but we did unearth a thousand-year-old vampire. My family pushed me forward as a sacrifice to be the vampire’s groom. They thought the vampire queen would drain me dry and kill me. But not only did I survive, the vampire queen also helped me find many valuable antiques. My brother Ryan saw me with all the antiques and got jealous. He used a homemade bomb to kill me. When I opened my eyes again, we were back on the day my mom dug up the thousand-year-old vampire. This time, Ryan volunteered to be the vampire’s groom. I secretly laughed. Did he really think sleeping in a coffin with a vampire every day and having his energy drained was a good thing? 0 After being killed by my brother’s homemade bomb, I was reborn. I woke up on the day my family pushed me out to be the vampire’s groom. My mom is an amateur archaeologist with questionable ethics. In my previous life, she had found a tomb, but it was surrounded by such strong negative energy that she didn’t dare to dig it up normally. The summer solstice is the day with the strongest positive energy of the year, which can counteract the negative energy. So on the summer solstice, my mom took our whole family to dig up the grave. But what we didn’t expect was that after we finally dug our way in, there was only a coffin inside. My sister Emily saw it and got excited. “Mom, this coffin is made of nanmu wood! There must be valuable burial objects inside!” Nanmu wood was something only the nobility could afford in ancient times. It was clear that the tomb’s owner must have been a wealthy person. My mom nodded in agreement. She wouldn’t let us men touch it, saying our energy might disturb things. So she and Emily worked together to lift the coffin lid. But when they opened the coffin, there were no burial objects. Instead, there was a beautiful female vampire dressed in ancient royal robes. My mom was stunned. Then, before the vampire queen woke up, she whispered harshly, “Jack, come here quickly.” Before I could react, my brother Ryan pushed me in front of my mom. Mom cut my palm with a knife and shoved me into the coffin. “Your Highness, we didn’t mean to disturb your peace. This boy has a pure yang constitution. We offer him to you as an apology.” Then they hurriedly closed the coffin lid. I begged them desperately to let me out. But the thousand-year-old vampire queen on top of me woke up at that moment. She grabbed my wrist tightly, trapping me. I was so scared I stopped breathing. The next moment, a cold breath brushed against my neck. “Are you my groom?” Her voice was unexpectedly cold and pleasant. I lay there trembling, my teeth chattering in fear. “N-no… I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to intrude into your coffin.” “Can you please let me out?” But she just chuckled and stroked my face. “Your blood has already formed a contract with me. From now on, you belong to me.” Then she extended her cold fingertip and slowly traced my Adam’s apple. I felt like a snake was staring at me, ready to strike. When dawn came, she finally released me. Licking her crimson lips, she commented, “Pure yang blood is indeed nourishing.” After that, I became her tool for absorbing positive energy. At night, I had to sleep with her in the coffin, letting her feed on me. During the day, I had to fend for myself to avoid starving to death. Fortunately, when she learned I had no money, she voluntarily took some valuable burial objects from the tomb and gave them to me to sell. It was when my brother caught me exchanging antiques for money that he stopped me. After learning that all the antiques in my possession were provided by the vampire queen, he forced me to ask for more antiques from her for him. When I refused, he followed me to the tomb and killed me with a homemade bomb. What he didn’t know was that even if he hadn’t acted, I wouldn’t have lived much longer. The vampire queen was an evil creature. My energy had been nearly depleted from her constant feeding day and night. It’s not that I hadn’t thought about escaping, but she had placed a curse on me. No matter where I ran, she could always drag me back. Living again, watching my brother eagerly volunteer to take my place… I couldn’t help but laugh coldly. Did he really think being the vampire’s groom was some cushy job? 0

Thinking of everything from my past life, I couldn’t help but clench my fists. At this moment, Mom and Emily were already excitedly pushing open the coffin lid in front of me. I instinctively took a step back. The next second, the joy on Mom and Emily’s faces froze when they saw the vampire queen in the coffin. Then, just like in my past life, Mom turned to me and hissed. “Jack, come here quickly!” I looked at them warily and stepped back again. This time, no one was going to force me to be a vampire’s groom again. Living day and night in a narrow coffin, sleeping with a cold vampire – I never wanted to experience that life again. If they tried to force me, I’d bash my head against the coffin and die. Then none of them would be able to escape. But what I didn’t expect was that this time, Ryan rushed out from behind me. “Mom, let me be the vampire’s groom!” Ryan’s eyes flashed with excitement. Hearing Ryan’s words, Mom’s face changed. “Ryan, don’t be reckless. Come back here.” But Ryan urged Mom, “Mom, hurry up! If she wakes up, it’ll be too late.” Seeing this, Mom hesitated no longer. She immediately cut Ryan’s hand and chanted a string of incantations. Ryan was very cooperative. He didn’t even need Mom to push him; he eagerly climbed into the coffin himself. Before going in, he waved to us and said, “Mom, Dad, you guys should leave quickly. I’ll be fine.” Seeing this, I was certain Ryan had also been reborn. But I didn’t say anything. I just turned and ran quickly towards the exit of the tomb. 0

I was the unexpected second child in the family, so I was never favored by my family members since childhood. When I was born, my grandfather had originally planned to drown me in the pigsty. But my mom, being an amateur archaeologist, was already doing things that could bring bad karma. She was worried that if my grandfather drowned me, it would affect the fortune of her descendants. So she stopped my grandfather. The result was that although I survived, I grew up unloved by my parents. Add to that, I wasn’t as good at sweet-talking and pleasing people as my brother, and I couldn’t produce results no matter how hard I was pushed. So my parents liked me even less. As far back as I can remember, all the household chores like washing clothes, cooking, feeding pigs and chickens were done by me. To them, I was just a workhorse they could sacrifice at any time. Mom used to often tell me that if it weren’t for her soft-heartedness, I would have been drowned by my grandfather on the day I was born. Because of her words, I had always been grateful to her. But it wasn’t until she instinctively sacrificed me first when danger came that I realized she had never cared about me at all. And even if I really owed her anything, in my past life, I had already repaid it. In this life, I just want to live for myself. 0

After escaping from the tomb, my dad cried and slapped me hard. “You little jinx, why didn’t you go when your mom called you?” “Your brother sacrificed himself for you.” “Why couldn’t it have been you who died?” My dad’s eyes were full of hatred as he looked at me. I just stood there expressionlessly, looking at him. “Dad, my brother didn’t sacrifice himself for me. He sacrificed himself for our whole family.” “If you really feel sorry for him, why didn’t you stop him and take his place as the vampire’s groom?” I stared straight at my dad and asked. My dad’s face immediately showed embarrassment and anger. “You little bastard, are you cursing me to die?” “Besides, I’m already married. How could I be some vampire’s groom?” Mom impatiently looked at us at this point. “Alright, stop arguing. While the positive energy is still strong, let’s hurry home.” Mom urged irritably. Seeing Mom angry, Dad didn’t dare say anything more. It wasn’t until we got home that Mom collapsed into a chair, letting out a long sigh of relief. Then she instructed us, “If anyone asks in the future, just say Ryan eloped with his girlfriend, understand?” We all nodded quickly. Dad glared at me again at this point, “What are you standing around for? Go boil some mugwort water for your mom and sister to bathe in and get rid of the bad energy!” I silently turned and walked towards the kitchen. As I boiled the water, I was thinking about how to deal with that vampire. In my past life, I lived with that vampire for three years. Her powers were extremely high, but she was still afraid of light and only dared to go out on rainy days. During the day, she usually cultivated in places with extremely heavy negative energy. At night, she would pull me into the coffin to absorb the positive energy from my body. But before I was killed by my brother’s bomb, she had tried to reach out her hand under the morning sun. So I had a feeling that if that vampire queen was allowed to continue cultivating, she would eventually become an even more terrifying monster. By then, it was uncertain if anyone could deal with her. So I had to quickly spread the news of the vampire queen’s appearance. But what I never expected was that the vampire queen would appear at my house that very night.

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I was kidnapped by my father’s enemy. They demanded a ransom of $10 million. To my shock, my father wasn’t even willing to pay $1000 for me. He told them to just keep me as a wife instead. “If your father doesn’t pay up, you know what will happen to you, right?” the kidnapper threatened to throw me into the sea. My teeth chattered as I replied, “I know.” A year later, my father finally called. The man yelled at him: “Forget the money, just take her back! I’m not your babysitter!” He hung up the phone, chewing on a cigarette as he angrily scrubbed my little stuffed animal. In a rundown apartment, the man wore a black cap pulled low, his muscular arms covered in tattoos. “Remember what to say?” he asked. “Yes,” I nodded. My life hung by a thread. The call connected. “I have your daughter Olivia…” “Dad…” Click. As soon as he heard my name, he hung up. The man called again. “I don’t have money, just take the girl.” The next call, my dad’s phone was turned off. Everyone in the room stared at me. “Boss, what do we do now?” they all looked to him. I later learned his name was Ethan Cole. Ethan looked at me, put out his cigarette, and said in a hoarse voice, “Throw her in the sea.”

In the end, I was thrown into a swimming pool instead. There was no sea anywhere near this remote area. Half an hour later, I climbed out soaking wet and returned to my original spot, sitting quietly as I awaited my fate. They were playing cards. Ethan glanced at me, casually tossing down a card, but otherwise ignoring me. The others started discussing me. “Boss, she’s from the city. Won’t she catch a cold being all wet like that?” “Yeah, city folk go to the hospital over a paper cut.” I sat nervously, barely daring to breathe. “You seem so concerned. Want to take her as your wife?” Ethan snapped. “Boss…” “I thought you came here for money, not to pick up girls.” He shot the group an annoyed look. They all fell silent. He turned back to me. “Why are you just standing there?” “Oh.” I stood up uncertainly, moving to a nearby stool. “Go take a shower. There’s no hospital here if you get sick.” He got up and lit a cigarette as he walked out, grumbling, “So high maintenance. Bathroom’s on the left. Don’t you dare wear my clothes!” I replied meekly, “Okay.” He was so fierce.

I cried as I showered, but not because my father abandoned me. I cried because I somehow managed to learn how to swim in just 30 minutes. My name is Olivia Young. My father is a wealthy businessman who’s been married over a dozen times. There are 20 children in the family, and I’m the dumbest one. He never believed he could have produced such a slow, underdeveloped child. Until one day, he laughed as he looked at my paternity test results. “I knew I couldn’t have such a stupid kid!” But as he kept laughing, his face started turning green. After that, I was cast aside. My allowance disappeared. I lost my private room and was moved to the basement. Every day I got up early to cook, clean, and do laundry for the whole family. I asked my grandmother, “Why doesn’t Dad like me?” She glared at me. “Go ask your mother.” I shook my head. Grandma’s dementia was acting up again. My mom had been dead for 10 years. From then on, I was careful with my words and actions, working hard without complaint, afraid of upsetting my father. I thought that would be my life forever. But then I was kidnapped. My peaceful existence was suddenly shattered.

After showering, I had no clothes to wear. I searched the closet and found a t-shirt. I couldn’t find any suitable pants. Hearing voices outside, I didn’t dare linger too long. I had no choice but to go out. When I walked out, everyone immediately stopped horsing around and stared at me – or rather, at my legs. Ethan stared too, frowning as he abruptly stood up. “What are you looking at? Never seen a woman before?” he yelled at the others. “Boss…we weren’t looking.” “Get out!” The group grumbled as they left the mahjong game and filed out. “You, get back inside.” Ethan glared at me. “I…okay.” I didn’t dare argue, turning to run back to the room. I heard his footsteps behind me and frantically closed the door. BAM! He kicked it open. “Dressed like that?” He looked me up and down again. “Kids these days…” “I’m sorry. I…I don’t have any clothes.” I explained shakily, not daring to move as he blocked the doorway. “If you don’t have pants, don’t go out with bare legs.” He leaned against the doorframe, staring at me. “You know those guys out there are all wolves, right? They’d eat you alive if they could.” “I didn’t know…” “Well I’m telling you now. They’re all single guys who haven’t touched a woman in months or even years.” I’ll admit, that scared me. A tear slipped out before I could wipe it away. “Why are you crying? Now you’re scared?” “…” I bit my lip, holding back tears. “For crying out loud!” He chewed on his cigarette as he rummaged through the closet, finally pulling out a pair of athletic shorts and tossing them at my head. “Put these on! And stop crying, or I really will throw you to the dogs. Got it?” “Got it.” I quickly started putting on the shorts. “In the bathroom!” He stared at me and sighed. “I’m a man, and a bad one at that. Do you even know what you’re doing?” “Okay!” I ran to the bathroom with the shorts.

He really was fierce, even more than my father. I didn’t dare defy him. When I came out in the shorts, the room was empty. I saw him at the door getting takeout as I walked out. He had only ordered one portion. I sat next to him, watching as he opened a container of twice-cooked pork fried rice. My mouth started watering. He glanced up at me. “Want some?” “Mm.” I nodded honestly. “Too bad.” He tossed down his chopsticks. I fell silent. Even if he wouldn’t give me any, I couldn’t just take it. I definitely couldn’t overpower him. “Do you know how much your father owes me?” “Ten million dollars.” “So you do know.” He laughed bitterly. “And you still want to eat my food? What, you want to add another $30 to that debt?” I hadn’t eaten in a day. All I could think about was the twice-cooked pork. “Is that okay?” I looked at him pleadingly. “In your dreams.” He dragged out the words. “Don’t think acting all pitiful will make me soft. That doesn’t work on me.” “Okay.” I swallowed hard and sat quietly beside him, not daring to make a sound. He opened the takeout container and poked around with his chopsticks before cursing, “Tastes like crap.” Then he grabbed his cigarettes and lighter and went out to the balcony. I watched silently as he smoked cigarette after cigarette, tilting his head back. My stomach growled loudly, but he still hadn’t come back inside. I looked at the pork, then at my stomach. When he wasn’t looking, I quickly grabbed a piece of meat with my hand and stuffed it in my mouth. He turned back just as I did it. My heart stopped and I froze, not daring to chew. But he just glanced at me before pulling out his phone to make a call, turning his back as he talked. I finally breathed a sigh of relief. Hunger won out over fear, and I kept sneaking bites of meat. By the time he finished his call and walked back over, I realized I had eaten all the meat, leaving just rice. “Where’s the meat?” He squinted at me. “I don’t know.” “You don’t know?” He stared me down, suddenly raising his hand- I thought he was going to hit me. I wanted to move but was too scared. But his fingers stopped at my lips, brushing away a grain of rice and holding it up. Busted! “Ate the rice too. Now, how are you going to pay back your father’s debt?” He leaned back, regarding me coolly. “Can’t you make him pay?” “He skipped town.” “Then…I’ll pay it back?” “You? How exactly? You really think a scrawny little thing like you is worth $10 million?” “You…” I felt insulted but didn’t dare get angry. “Finish eating and get out. Don’t bother me anymore.” He stood up and stormed out, slamming the door. Of course I wanted to leave. Only an idiot would stay after being told to go! I quickly finished the rice and ran out as fast as I could. But half an hour later, I was back at the apartment, bedraggled and defeated.

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Adrian hasn’t touched me in the three years we’ve been married. I put on a lace nightgown, faked some kiss marks, and sent him a sleeping selfie from his perspective. “Dude, she smells amazing. Why don’t you divorce her and let me have her?” I guessed Adrian would be disgusted and angry when he received this anonymous message, and would throw me away like trash, the sister who was just a replacement. I thought that this time, I’d finally be able to divorce him. Natalie was on vacation in Europe, celebrating her third wedding anniversary. She asked me what gift I wanted, and I asked for an anonymous international phone card. Holding the phone card, standing in the empty hotel room, I let out a tired sigh. Then I put on the sheer lace nightgown I had bought specifically for this plan. In front of the mirror, I created fake kiss marks on my collarbone and neck. The marks were scattered, as if left by a man consumed by desire, forceful and domineering. One strap of the nightgown was “torn” by the “man”. Finally, I carefully smudged my lipstick in front of the mirror. Then I sat on the bed, making the other side look as if someone had slept there. I closed my eyes. The camera was set on a timer from his perspective. Three, two, one. In the photo, the woman seemed to have just fallen asleep after an intimate moment, completely defenseless. I stared at it for a long time. I couldn’t help but think of Adrian’s notorious reputation in the business world. The smiling tiger. The capitalist who devours without spitting out bones. But what I was most familiar with was his perpetually cold and emotionless face. Although handsome, all his affection was only for my sister. I prepared for the worst. Even if Adrian had no feelings for me, a man should find it hard to tolerate a woman’s betrayal. He might seek revenge. But in the end, he would disgustedly and angrily abandon me and divorce me. As long as I could get a divorce, that’s all I wanted. I closed my eyes and pressed send. On the phone screen, that casually worded text message— “Dude, she smells amazing. Why don’t you divorce her and let me have her?” Along with that photo. Sent successfully.

In less than two seconds. I received a reply. Adrian: “Who are you?” I changed clothes slowly. Almost mischievously prolonging the response time. Was he about to explode with anger, desperately wanting to tear the anonymous sender apart? He, who had always been heaven’s favorite, perfect from childhood to adulthood, was now having his emotions controlled by someone else, and by someone like me who he had always held in the palm of his hand. Three years of depression and pain, finally getting a moment of satisfaction today. I changed into my regular clothes, and during this interval, Adrian sent two more messages. “Don’t use such poor AI face-swapping. Tell me your purpose.” “I advise you to come clean yourself, and I might leave you in one piece.” I chuckled. “Mr. Shaw, why don’t you ask your wife if it’s AI face-swapping? You’ll know then.” “The kiss marks on my baby’s neck won’t fade that quickly (＾ｖ＾).” I dared to say this because I knew Adrian was abroad negotiating an important deal. He couldn’t come back for at least half a month. The next moment, my own phone suddenly rang. I was startled. The phone kept ringing furiously, it was Adrian calling. I pursed my lips, staring at the phone until the call ended. But soon, the screen lit up again, Adrian was persistently calling me. I understood that this time, he was really angry. My heart was pounding, feeling like I was walking a tightrope, playing an absolutely dangerous game. I sent: “Mr. Shaw, stop calling. We did it five times, your wife is exhausted and asleep.” The phone finally stopped ringing. My phone fell into dead silence. I sent from the anonymous phone card: “I didn’t mean to break you up, Mr. Shaw. Your wife and I are truly in love. Be magnanimous and divorce her soon, give her to me. Otherwise, if word gets out about you being cheated on, you’ll lose face.” Adrian didn’t reply anymore. I nervously threw the torn lace nightgown into the trash, checked out of the hotel, and returned to the mansion. The housekeepers were cleaning. Everything was perfectly normal, as quiet as if nothing had happened. Wash up, sleep. At dawn, when the sky was turning white, I vaguely heard the roar of an engine and the sharp sound of tires braking outside the window. When I realized and opened my eyes in panic, the bedroom door was knocked at the same time. “Aria, open the door.” That voice was cold, the tone forcibly controlled to be steady, only faintly revealing a hint of anxiety and unease. I was wide awake now, as if cold water had been poured over me, my whole body cold. It was Adrian.

I panicked. How could he be back? To him, I was just an insignificant replacement tool. The knocking sounded again, still three knocks, extremely restrained. He spoke a bit faster: “Aria, I want to see you.” I sat up, trying not to panic, not to give myself away. I took a deep breath and said sleepily but pretending to be calm: “Mr. Shaw, I… need to use the bathroom and take a shower. Please wait a moment.” I quickly ran into the bathroom, turned on the shower, then stared at the kiss marks on my neck. These were marks I had made myself yesterday by pinching with a bottle cap. For the sake of realism, I had been rough, and now they were so obvious that even foundation couldn’t cover them! But I couldn’t not cover them either. Because the first reaction of someone who’s cheating would definitely be to lie and cover up. Adrian was shrewd; I had to play my part thoroughly. I wet my hair to look like I had just showered, then changed into a high-necked black dress that covered everything, including my arms. I carefully covered the half-visible kiss mark at the neckline with a band-aid. I looked in the mirror, practicing an expression of guilt poorly hidden beneath forced calmness. Disgusting enough, right? Adrian would surely be repulsed and immediately propose divorce, telling me to get lost. I opened the door. Adrian was sitting on the sofa, brows furrowed, eyes closed as if resting. His face was a bit pale, with a faint shadow of stubble on his chin. He had forgotten to wear his watch, and the cufflinks that matched his suit were missing. One hand tightly gripped his phone, the other hung on the sofa armrest, with four deep wounds on the knuckles. As if he had hit something hard, more than once. But he didn’t seem to care, not even bothering with a band-aid. “Mr. Shaw, why are you back?” Adrian opened his eyes and looked at me, his pupils dark and deep. He stood up from the sofa, the man who had been so anxious just now suddenly moving very slowly as he walked up to me. I instinctively stepped back, but Adrian grabbed my arm and pulled me back. He lowered his eyes to look at my neck, his pupils contracting. I forced a smile and said, “Did something happen?” He didn’t answer, just used his cold fingers, two fingers together, slowly hovering over the band-aid, as if he would roughly tear it off the next second, along with all my lies, and then angrily, humiliated, tear up our fake marriage contract. My body started to tremble, I closed my eyes waiting to be exposed. But his index and middle fingers just lightly touched the band-aid. Adrian calmly asked, “How did you get this?” I deliberately avoided his gaze, “Just… just accidentally got scratched by a book page yesterday.” “Book page…” Adrian blinked very slowly, “What were you doing last night?” His fingertips explored into my collar, just a little more force and he could see the kiss marks hidden under the fabric. I swallowed, “I went out for a hair treatment last night.” Adrian’s breathing became heavy. He looked at me expressionlessly, for a moment, I had the illusion that he would devour me whole. His fingers tightened on my collar, I stumbled along with that force, almost falling into his arms, I quickly extended my arms to block his chest. His palm encircled my lower back, like an iron hoop, tightening bit by bit, that restrained anger seemed to be venting in this way. I couldn’t match his strength, my resisting arms began to soften. Adrian approached me inch by inch. “Mr. Shaw, don’t,” I said trembling, though I didn’t know what he intended to do, but instinct told me it would be dangerous. My mind went blank, my voice shaking, I begged incoherently. After three or four seconds. He actually slowly withdrew his fingers, clenched them into a fist, his face turning iron-gray, his lips tightly pursed. I realized what I had been saying — “I’m scared, don’t touch me, please.” “I’ll assign you two personal bodyguards. They’ll follow you when you go out from now on to ensure your safety,” Adrian announced flatly. Then he turned and left without hesitation. When I heard the familiar engine sound from outside, I finally came to my senses— He’s not pursuing it? How could this be?!

I was monitored very strictly, with almost no chance to take out that phone to make contact. Adrian, who was supposed to be abroad, somehow finished his business trip in just five days this time and hurried back. After he returned, the surveillance on me loosened a bit, and I finally had the chance to pick up the phone again. I sent a message using that anonymous phone card. “Dude, you can’t take it like a man? Even if she cheated, why not just divorce? Why lock your wife up?” Adrian replied quickly: “She didn’t cheat. I trust her. Aria isn’t the kind of person who would do such things.” I stared at this text message in a daze. What does he mean? Although I indeed didn’t have the courage to actually find a man to cheat with, which is why I resorted to this plan. But how could Adrian understand so well what kind of person I am? He had always been so cold to me. I pushed on, disregarding everything else, adding fuel to the fire: “Mr. Shaw, you don’t know your wife better than I do.” “She has three moles, on her ribs, near her belly button, and… Every time I trace them with my finger, connecting the dots, she trembles uncontrollably from the stimulation.” “But you’re her husband, married for three years, you must have known this long ago, right?” The last sentence was dripping with sarcasm, because in these three years, Adrian had never touched me. “Bang!” Just as I sent it, suddenly a huge crashing sound came from upstairs. The sound came from Adrian’s study. I trembled, nervously hurrying to hide the backup phone. The crashing sound rang out a few more times. Then, I heard Adrian coming downstairs. He tiredly instructed the housekeeper: “Find someone to clean up, the computer needs to be replaced.” Footsteps approached. I was so scared I was shaking, vaguely feeling that I would be the next thing he tore apart. I escaped into the blankets, pretending to be asleep. The lock on my door had mysteriously broken since he returned. Adrian gently turned the handle, seeing the bedroom was dark, he didn’t say anything. In the dead silence, his heavy, uneven breathing and unsettled heartbeat were extremely obvious, so much so that I wondered if Adrian could hear my own racing heart. He came closer and closer. I kept my eyes tightly shut. Adrian didn’t shake me awake, didn’t furiously grab my neck demanding an explanation. He stood by my bed. Even though I didn’t open my eyes, I could still feel a sharp, burning gaze deeply fixed on my lower abdomen, as if hesitating whether to check. Don’t shake, keep breathing steady, keep acting! I didn’t move. Suddenly I felt the mattress sink down beside me. Adrian slowly lay down next to me. That icy yet burning gaze still focused on me. I gritted my teeth, no gain without pain. I gave him more fuel! As if lost in a sweet dream, I murmured and turned towards him, nuzzling my head into his embrace. Adrian paused for a moment, that fierce, burning gaze suddenly softened. “Honey…” I mumbled. Adrian stiffened for an instant. I persistently wrapped my arms around him, using the sweetest voice I could muster, “Honey, hug me.” I thought he would get angry, even wake me up with a slap. Because I had never called him honey before, he knew I was calling someone else. But— He stared at me hard, gripping my arms tightly, trembling with anger, but the next moment, hearing my muffled whimper, he forced himself to loosen his grip. Adrian held the back of my head, letting me hug him tighter. He kissed my hair. Then he stroked my back from top to bottom with his palm, in a clumsy yet gentle soothing gesture. He said softly, “Mm, honey’s hugging you.” I froze. This kind of eerily calm reaction was utterly insane. Adrian was an exceptionally intelligent person. He should have understood I was cheating from the first text message he received. To avoid a scandal, he should have quickly drafted divorce papers and forced me to leave with nothing. But instead, he denied it again and again, frantically, obsessively insisting that I hadn’t slept with someone else. Even now, he was almost self-hypnotizing, snatching away the pet names meant for someone else. What on earth was he doing? Adrian thought I had stopped sleep-talking and fallen into a deeper slumber. He silently lifted the blanket, his finger resting on my ribs, then lightly sliding down along the direction of that mole. A light touch, his fingertip cool. So quick, I didn’t even have time to react before I suddenly curled up, shaking uncontrollably. That text was something I had made up, I didn’t even know myself that being touched on the moles would cause such an electrifying stimulation! I trembled pathetically, unable to keep up the act any longer, immediately wanting to turn away and hide. Adrian stopped his caressing motion and completely enveloped me in his arms, forcing me to face him chest to chest. Forceful, secure, like interlocking hearts, so tight that I could feel his heartbeat from beneath his ribcage against my chest. Chaotic, frenzied, powerful. He whispered softly: “You are mine, I am yours.” He had truly gone mad. He had completely abandoned all rational, cool logic and weighing of pros and cons, becoming a wild beast. Savage, direct, possessive without compromise. As if I had been carried into his lair, and could only belong to him. Adrian had objectified me, objectified himself. We were not humans with fragile shells and sensitive souls, but two lifeless iron locks. With a “click”, locked together. He could stubbornly believe, I am his, he is mine. He had truly gone mad. I opened my eyes in the darkness, looking at Adrian’s sleeping face with complex emotions, between his burning chest and arms. Until my eyelids grew heavy and I fell into a dream. In the dream, three years ago, I cried and begged Adrian to let me go. He looked at me coldly. Until I shouted: “I don’t owe you anything, you have no reason to lock me up!” Only then did he take a step back, silent for a full minute before looking up, “You do owe me. Your sister ran away and ruined the engagement, so you have to pay me back for life. I won’t let you go.” At that time, I collapsed on the ground, touching the face so similar to my sister’s, finally understanding that he would never let me go because he saw me as a replacement for my sister. Three years passed like this, bitter and unbearable. When I opened my eyes, Adrian was already gone. The bed beside me was neat and clean, as if no one had ever been there.

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I’m a relationship tarot reader. At a party, my husband’s female colleague asked me to read her love fortune. My husband suddenly became anxious, “You always talk nonsense! You’ll make her cry!” But his colleague had already drawn the tarot cards on the table. Looking at the cards, I answered honestly: “This man is very handsome and a high-level executive in the company, but he’s already married.” The female colleague glanced at my husband, “Will we have a future together?” My husband’s breath caught for a moment. I deliberately curled my lips: “No, you won’t. If you insist on being together, you’ll end up in a terrible situation.” The once pleasant weekend gathering suddenly became tense. The men tried to use me as a fire extinguisher, desperate for me to say something comforting: “What’s all this talk about terrible situations? How could you scare our team’s lucky charm like that!” “Sis, you’re in the wrong here! Tarot cards aren’t supposed to predict life and death! Quick, say something nice!” I ignored them. I picked up my fork and helped myself to a tender and flavorful pork rib. Today was my third wedding anniversary with Jack. I had been preparing this meal, including these ribs, since 1 PM. I even started the soup three hours in advance. He had promised me a week ago that he would set aside the whole day to celebrate our anniversary. I waited for him to come home with excitement. When he opened the door, He brought his noisy project team members home with him. Our promised anniversary celebration turned into his team’s success party.

Seeing that I had no intention of speaking, His colleagues turned to Jack for help: “Boss! You can’t cover for her this time! You have to take a drink as punishment for your wife!” I glanced at Jack. His usually calm eyes involuntarily drifted towards the corner where the little crybaby sat with rabbit-like eyes. When he looked back at me, his expression returned to its usual rational and indifferent state: “Tarot cards are just a Western method of predicting weather using astrology. It’s not as accurate as our Chinese zodiac predictions. Besides, talking about fate like this breaks the spell and makes it invalid. “Although Alice is my wife, I’ve always been objective and fair. In this case, Alice was indeed wrong, so I’ll take a drink as punishment for her.” Jack, who had gastritis, had been abstaining from alcohol for half a year at my request. But seeing Fiona with her red eyes, he gripped the glass tightly and downed it without hesitation. As he drank, the chill in my heart grew deeper. There was clearly no point in continuing this meal. But Fiona’s tears kept flowing: “I have no right to blame you, sis. I heard you used to be a tarot streamer, so you must be accurate.” She sobbed. Raising her wet eyes to look at Jack, She seemed to make a painful decision: “I’ll definitely listen to you, sis. I’ll cut ties with this man completely.”

After the gathering, The table of leftovers looked just like the anniversary that someone had forgotten today. Jack, who usually helped clean up the table, suddenly changed his habit. He walked over to me. Still with an overly rational tone: “I know today is our anniversary. “If you’re just upset because I broke our promise and decided to pick on the softest target among my colleagues, then any guilt or regret I had is now completely gone.” After saying this, He lit a cigarette and went to the balcony, smoking one after another. Through the glass door, I saw the chat message he sent: “She’s not accurate, you don’t need to listen to her.” I watched him for a long time, until I lost myself in thought. That face of his. I had originally planned to love it for a lifetime.

From the moment I was born, my birth mother didn’t want me. The foster parents who took me in raised me until I was five, but after having their own child, they didn’t want me either. The kidnappers who took me away had their den busted by the police in the second month after abducting me. I finally managed to convince a kind-hearted couple to take me in. But a blind fortune teller told them: “This child’s fate is too strong, you won’t be able to handle her.” They adopted me anyway, but within six months, the couple divorced, and I had nowhere to go again. I wandered half-dead until I was twelve. I set my sights on a homeless tarot reader who was very accurate in fortune-telling and seemed to have an even tougher life than me. To make him adopt me, I deliberately occupied someone else’s begging spot and was almost beaten to death in a deserted street corner. I got my wish and was rescued by him, but he refused me again: “Calling me brother, uncle, or even dad won’t work! I won’t adopt you forever, I’m only six years older than you, I can barely take care of myself!” Despite saying this, I knew he was kind. Even his refusal seemed clumsy: “I’m warning you! I’m destined to be alone! Otherwise, I wouldn’t have ended up as a homeless person! If you insist on following me, I’ll teach you tarot, and once you have a skill, you can leave and be independent.” Zack, who always said he was short-lived and destined to be alone, ended up becoming family with me without any issues. I inherited his skills and started doing tarot readings for people everywhere. Because I was accurate, I helped many girls who were about to fall into traps, and even accurately predicted the direction of their true love. So, I really did fulfill what he said. I started to have the ability to be independent. In the year when live streaming became popular, I gradually built a stable client base online by doing tarot readings. At eighteen, I bought the pork ribs we used to crave but couldn’t afford, and returned to the house we had bought together with our family savings. Even ten years later, I can still clearly remember my pounding heart as I thought about how to confess my feelings to him, facing the sunset that had dyed the horizon red in early summer. But when I opened the door, All I saw was a note he left behind: “Our fate together has come to an end, and there’s no possibility of meeting again in this life. But I will always protect you.” At that moment, I knew I was done for. My life was like that bag of pork ribs that couldn’t be eaten by my loved one. In the days to come, it would only slowly rot and stink with time.

I frantically searched for him for two years. The tarot cards told me he was gone, and I even found out the location of his grave. But I didn’t believe he was dead. I kept looking for him while living a free and easy life in Dali, until one day, while setting up a tarot stall on the old street, I saw a man whose features were 99% similar to Zack’s. My heart was instantly gripped. I stared at him intently, as if traveling through time and space, seeing Zack. “Hello, are you a tarot reader? Can you do a reading for me?” He crouched down, his eyes sincere, as if it was the past me asking Zack: “Hey tarot reader, can you do a reading for me?” Time seemed to intersect at that moment. I couldn’t tell for a moment if the man in front of me was Zack I had imagined, or if my memory was playing tricks on me. How could there be two people in this world who looked exactly the same? I chatted with him for a bit, and he said his name was Jack and wanted me to predict when his lucky person would appear. So I let him draw a few tarot cards. He drew several cards in succession: The Magician, Six of Cups, The Sun, and The Tower. Looking at the cards, I immediately understood. I said honestly: “You will have a female benefactor who will help you. As long as you’re with her, your career and relationships will be full of opportunities. “But with The Tower present, it means you won’t have any ability to protect yourself in front of her.” I always have an instant feeling about tarot cards. I even had a rough impression of this female benefactor: “This woman is very mysterious, her work is related to Western mysticism, but I can’t see what her feelings for you are, the tarot cards didn’t say anything about that.” Jack crouched in front of my stall, a flash of shock crossing his eyes: “The only girl I know who’s into Western mysticism is you, isn’t it?” Ever since I met Jack, I suspected that he might be the one sent by Zack to protect me. After all, even their names were so similar. I loved making pork rib soup for him. Especially on early summer evenings when the sunset dyed everything red, I would serve him a bowl of rib soup and listen to him say over and over: “Alice, I love you so much. “I will love you forever.” Then I would walk over, completely satisfied, hug him, and kiss his eyes, jaw, and the corners of his mouth. I almost believed that he wasn’t sent by Zack. He might actually be Zack. Later, we had a child. I cherished him immensely. I believed this child Would be my only hope for the rest of my life.

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Everyone knew that Harrison, the billionaire CEO, had a precious little girl he doted on. This girl, Lily, was spoiled rotten, like the protagonist of a novel, indulged by everyone. Everyone except me. On our wedding day, Lily, wearing a white wedding dress, looked at me with a challenging expression: “Only those who aren’t loved are the other woman.” “So what if you marry Harrison? I’ll still be the woman he cherishes most!” Hearing this, I smirked and turned to Harrison, slapping him hard across the face: “Are you deaf? Your mistress is right here causing trouble, and you’re just standing there?” On the wedding day, Lily stood before me in a white wedding dress, her face full of defiance as she looked at me: “Only those who aren’t loved are the other woman.” “So what if you marry Harrison? I’ll still be the woman he cherishes most.” The wedding hadn’t started yet, but the backstage area was already crowded with people, including many prominent figures from high society. Everyone exchanged glances, but no one dared to intervene. After all, who didn’t know that billionaire CEO Harrison had a precious little girl he doted on? This girl was spoiled rotten, like the protagonist of a novel, indulged by everyone in the Thorne family. Even though I was now Harrison’s wife, I was just a pawn in this business marriage. I couldn’t compare to the woman Harrison truly cared about. The backstage area fell silent. Harrison approached, surrounded by a group of people, his expression cold. When he saw Lily, his eyes softened like melting ice in spring. But when he turned to me again, his face was as frosty as before: “Why are you just standing here? The wedding is about to start.” I let out a cold laugh and looked up at Lily: “Do you dare to repeat what you just said?” Lily smirked and repeated those words loudly, word for word. Before she could finish, I raised my arm and slapped her hard across the face! SLAP! I work out regularly and have considerable arm strength. With that slap, Lily’s little face immediately turned blue. A drop of blood slowly trickled from her nose, ruining her supposedly innocent makeup and adding a touch of dark comedy to the scene. Lily seemed stunned, holding her face and staring at me in disbelief. I laughed coldly and slapped her twice more, left and right. The woman Harrison cherishes most? Ha! I’m slapping exactly that woman! As I was about to raise my hand again, Harrison finally reacted, grabbing my upraised arm: “Scarlett! Haven’t you had enough? Lily is just a child! How can you hit her for saying a few childish words?” She’s a child and you’re having an affair with her? You’re sick! After he finished speaking, I laughed coldly and turned to look at Harrison. Harrison frowned at me. The next second, I raised my other hand and gave Harrison another hard slap! I laughed coldly as I looked at Harrison’s swollen face: “You probably don’t know, but I’m known as the ‘Slap Queen,’ nicknamed the ‘Goddess of Slaps.’” With that, I shoved Harrison away and pointed at his nose, cursing loudly: “I spent 1.5 billion on this business marriage with you, and you’re playing sugar daddy with a little girl?” “If you want to sleep with young girls, just say it outright, you old pervert. Don’t give me this grooming bullshit.” “It’s fucking disgusting!” I finished by throwing my bouquet in Harrison’s face: “If this mess isn’t cleaned up today, no one’s letting this wedding continue!” “You think I’m eager to marry you?” “I have men lining up from here to Paris. Who are you to be picky?” “If your old man hadn’t begged me, almost kneeling, do you think you’d have a chance to marry me?” “Go to hell!” With that, I ripped off my veil and stormed out of the backstage area!

My mother was waiting in the dressing room. Seeing me come in, she gave me a thumbs up with a smile: “That’s my girl, so fierce!” I laughed coldly and plopped down on the sofa, crossing my legs. I’ve been in the business world for years; I’m not an idiot. The Thorne family letting Lily humiliate me in public was just a test of obedience. They’re an elite family in the city, with a high social status. However, in recent years, they’ve fallen behind the times, and the Thorne Group has declined with weakening revenues. To raise funds, they had to resort to a business marriage. And I, a woman with money but no background, was the perfect choice. They coveted my billion-dollar dowry but couldn’t lower themselves to ask me directly. So they decided to play dirty, trying to manipulate me. They wanted to use their “noble” status to put me down. Make this “nouveau riche” feel inferior, so I’d eventually hand over my dowry, begging them to use it. Thinking about this, I laughed coldly. It’s laughable. Even a dog would shake its head at such audacity. They thought their plan was perfect, but they didn’t realize I’m not some pushover. I’m a force to be reckoned with. I was raised by my mother, who caught the wave of economic reform early on. Back then, she partnered with a few people, started with a steel mill, later invested in the internet, and built a vast fortune. I’ve surpassed her, making my mark internationally at a young age. Many famous clothing brands on the market now are subsidiaries of my company. The business world is a battlefield, and those who survive are no ordinary people. My mother and I are both expert arguers. If it weren’t for wanting to make a name for myself in the vast domestic market, I would never have agreed to marry Harrison. I despise Harrison from the bottom of my heart. My mother’s assistant was undercover at the scene. The assistant said Mrs. Thorne had arrived, but things hadn’t escalated yet, so we should wait in the dressing room. There were snacks in the dressing room, so my mother and I sat on the sofa. We munched on seeds while cursing Harrison. In this society, women who show even a bit of weakness get torn apart by men. My mother and I have been in business for years, so we know this well. That’s why we’re both sharp-tongued and loud when necessary. We knew there were Thorne family people eavesdropping outside the dressing room, so we cursed even louder. My mother, coming from a humble background, was especially skilled at cursing. She screeched and yelled, cursing the Thorne ancestors in every creative way possible. I fanned the flames, and we kept at it for half an hour before we heard someone outside slam something and leave in frustration. My mother calmly sipped her tea and said sarcastically: “I didn’t expect them to give up so easily.” “If they knew they couldn’t handle it, why bring that little bitch to the wedding? Aren’t they just asking to be cursed?” I smiled and twisted the ring on my finger: “They’re just gluttons for punishment. I heard the Thorne family are all masochists; the more you curse them, the more obedient they become.” My mother nodded in agreement, approving of my assessment.

Another half hour passed, and still no one came. I knew the Thorne family couldn’t swallow their pride. They weren’t willing to lower their “noble” status to beg a lowly “nouveau riche” like me. My phone buzzed with a message. It was from Mrs. Thorne, asking me to forgive Harrison and attend the wedding for her sake. I laughed coldly. Your face? Your face is worth shit! You don’t want to come apologize to me? Fine, let’s see this through to the end! I glanced at the time and decisively called Harrison. The call connected, and I could hear that Harrison had put it on speaker. Before Harrison could speak, I started: “Harrison, I’m giving you five minutes. You, you big scumbag, bring that little tramp you’re keeping and come apologize to me in person.” “If you don’t, remember that financial bigshot you recently got to manage your assets?” “Don’t forget, my main business is overseas, and I’m quite good in the fund industry.” “From now on, if you dare to be late, I’ll become your competitor tonight.” “You short, I’ll go long. You go long, I’ll short. I’ve got plenty of money to burn, and I’m not afraid of losses.” “For every minute you’re late, I’ll make you lose 10 million. I always keep my word.” With that, I hung up, ignoring the shouts from the other end. Three minutes later, hurried footsteps approached the dressing room, and the door burst open. It was Harrison and Lily. I sat on the sofa with my legs crossed, watching Harrison reluctantly approach. When he lowered his head in submission, I turned to look at Lily. The girl’s face was a mess of red and blue, like she’d been through a dye factory. I put on a fake smile: “Lily, I know you’re just a child, and I can understand your lack of filter.” “It’s okay. Once I’m part of the Thorne family, I’ll teach you slowly.” I took out a stack of cash from my purse: “You’re the child Harrison keeps by his side, so naturally, I’m your stepmother now.” “Call me ‘Mom,’ and Mom will give you some money for the new title.” Lily suddenly looked up, her face full of tears as she looked at Harrison. I smiled sweetly at Lily. After a moment, Lily gritted her teeth, her eyes full of hatred, but she had to lower her head: “Mother.” I smiled and tossed the stack of cash in her face: “Good girl. Mom loves self-respecting girls the most.” “Learn from Mom in the future. Don’t let your head be full of men; that’s called being boy-crazy, short for mental illness. It needs treatment.” I stood up gracefully, brushed off non-existent dust, and turned to Harrison with a smile: “What are you standing there for, Harrison? Let’s go.”

The wedding concluded successfully, and I, Scarlett, became an overnight sensation in the city’s upper class. Slapping both the adopted daughter and the husband at a high-society wedding – what an achievement. Everyone said I was a badass. The in-laws originally wanted to put me in my place in front of everyone. Who knew I’d turn the tables on them, shoving their own shit right back in their faces. I didn’t care what others said. All I knew was that I had become the Thorne family’s new matriarch. On our wedding night, Harrison came to the bedroom, his face dark as the bottom of a pot: “Scarlett, let me tell you, you may have my body now, but you’ll never have my heart!” I laughed coldly and kicked him off the bed: “Who wants your pasty pig body? I get nauseous just looking at it!” “Get out!” The next day, I woke up feeling refreshed. The first thing I did was gather all the servants of the mansion. The butler stood in the middle, hands at his sides. I looked him up and down, then suddenly smiled: “Who pays your salary now?” The butler respectfully replied: “You do, Madam.” I nodded. Seems he’s quite sensible. After he finished, I picked up my teacup and stirred the tea leaves: “Since you know who feeds you, don’t bite the hand that feeds you.” “Be careful, or I’ll fire you all. See if those old fools will still want you then!” As I finished speaking, I looked up to see a few young servants shrinking back, lowering their heads even more. After the servants dispersed, I looked up to see Harrison standing on the second floor, frowning down at me. I put my teacup on the table and said slowly: “If you have something to say, come down. I hate looking up at people.” Hearing this, Harrison came down the stairs, dark circles under his eyes. The young master had never slept on the floor before. No worries, he’ll get used to it soon enough. Harrison’s voice was cold and hard: “Scarlett, why do you have to be so ruthless?” I raised an eyebrow: “Ruthless? This is called employee training.” “If they listen to me and fulfill their responsibilities, of course I won’t be stingy.” “Clear rewards and punishments – that’s basic business logic.” “You’ve been in charge of the Thorne family for so long, haven’t you learned this yet?” Seeing my mocking expression, Harrison took a deep breath and changed the subject: “When are you going to give me that 1.5 billion?” I was amused and countered: “My dowry? Why should I give it to you?” “Did you give me a bride price? What right do you have to ask for my dowry?” “What do you need my dowry for anyway?” Faced with my triple question, Harrison clenched his fists and said in a low voice: “The Thorne family is having some difficulties lately. We’re short on funds and need your dowry for investment.” “As for the bride price, we apologize for that.” I laughed out loud on the spot. A vague “sorry” and you think you can get my 1.5 billion? Dream on! I leaned back on the sofa, crossing my legs, and smiled: “You want my dowry? Sure.” “But every penny you invest, every fund you inject into the Thorne family, has to go through my people.” “Every business move you make needs to be pre-approved by my assistant.” Hearing me say this, Harrison’s long-suppressed anger finally exploded: “Scarlett! Don’t go too far!” “I’ve never met such a vicious woman like you!” Seeing him angry, I smashed my teacup on the ground! CRASH! I glared at Harrison: “Harrison, you’re quite the hypocrite, aren’t you?” “When your Thorne family was being stingy, not letting me use any resources or connections, you didn’t say a word!” “Now it’s my turn, and you’re calling me vicious?” “Let me tell you, for this business marriage, if you want cooperation and mutual resource exchange, I’m fine with that.” “But if you think you can freeload off me, let’s see how many lives you have to dare try!” I stood up, looking down at him: “I know you like gentle women.” “But your likes mean as much to me as dog shit. There’s no difference.” “Think hard about your own business value, show some sincerity, then come talk to me about cooperation.” With that, I left Harrison behind, took the bag the butler handed me, and walked out the door.

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After caring for my comatose husband for three years, I sold my property to hire specialists for his treatment when I saw the comments appearing on the screen. [This is the final test. If the female supporting character spends all her money to hire experts from Country D, the male lead will believe she isn’t with him for money, will immediately wake up, and take her back to inherit billions.] [No way! If she hires experts, how can the gentle heroine continue with the male lead pretending to be in a coma?] [Exactly, I’m still waiting to see the male lead sneak up at night to sweetly kiss the heroine.] I couldn’t believe it as I looked at Gideon lying quietly. Was he faking it? No, it couldn’t be. I went back to the attending doctor to have Gideon examined. The doctor’s answer was the same as before. “Ms. Daphne, Mr. Gideon still shows no signs of waking up.” I breathed a sigh of relief. I knew it, Gideon couldn’t be lying to me. But the next moment, the comments appeared again. [For a moment, I suspected the female supporting character might have found out something. But luckily, the doctor didn’t spill the beans.] [My heart was in my throat too, almost thinking the male lead pretending to be in a coma was about to be discovered!] [Don’t worry~ Don’t forget the male lead Gideon’s identity as the Crown Prince of the Capital Circle. The hospital has long been bribed. Without his permission, no one dares to reveal he’s pretending. The female supporting character will never find out he’s faking.] Seeing these comments, a shiver ran down my spine. I glanced at the doctor who checked him; he avoided my gaze and comforted me: “Ms. Daphne, you’ve been taking good care of your husband for three years. As long as you keep it up, I believe he’ll wake up soon.” How soon is soon? I didn’t respond to the doctor’s words but called out to Gideon. Calling him again and again, just like when we were dating. I cried as I recounted our dating memories, hoping he’d wake up to see me, but he still didn’t react. I cried for a long time, and after venting my emotions, my mind cleared up. Even though I didn’t know what those comments were, their words hadn’t been proven, and I didn’t believe the Gideon who supported me all along would deceive me. I had already sold my property and bought a plane ticket for this afternoon. I wiped my tears, got up, and packed my things.

These past two years, to take care of Gideon, I moved a lot of stuff to the hospital room. After selling the house, I moved the remaining items here. This trip to Country D was a long journey, and as I packed, I talked to Gideon. “The first time you celebrated my birthday with me, I wished to visit Country D. You said you’d go with me, but who knew I’d go there to find someone to save you. If I’d known going to Country D was to save you, I wouldn’t have made that wish.” “Gideon, I’ll be gone for at least a week this time. During this week, I’ve hired Aunt to take care of you. When I get back, you’ll surely be awake!” But the comments appeared again: [The female supporting character is leaving for a week? Won’t the male lead and the gentle heroine baby be able to explore many places together for a week?] [Right, with the female supporting character gone for a week, the male lead and the heroine baby can snuggle sweetly in the hospital room. Maybe they can explore new places too, I’d love to see that!] [You two, stop dreaming! The female supporting character won’t make it a week because she’ll have a car accident on the way to the airport, miss her flight, and completely lose the chance to hire experts. That way, she won’t pass Gideon’s test, and Gideon won’t believe in love, only enjoys desire, and ends up with our gentle heroine.] I paused while packing my luggage. Would I have a car accident? Although these comment predictions hadn’t been verified, they seemed plausible. Could everything happen as the comments said? I still didn’t want to believe that the suddenly appearing comments were true or that Gideon, who I’d been in love with for years, was a fraud. So, I decided to test what the comments predicted. With my luggage, I got in a taxi to the airport. After getting in, the first thing I told the driver was to drive carefully. But the car still met with an accident. A car with failed brakes at the corner crashed into several vehicles, including the taxi. Although the driver and I weren’t seriously injured, the scene was blocked, and I was stranded on the overpass, missing my flight to Country D. As I was in despair, the comments appeared again: [Oh my! The male and female leads in this wildly passionate story are insane. Even the rooftop is fine? The male lead’s physique is amazing!] [Role-playing, little nurse and patient, it’s forbidden but so tempting!] [Honestly, while this sneaky togetherness is thrilling, I still wish the female supporting character would exit quickly, and the leads could show their love every day.] [Don’t worry above, the female supporting character already had a car accident, she can’t hire experts, she’s out. She’ll be kicked out in a few days! Be patient!] The comments were shocking. I ignored my wounds and rushed back to the hospital.

Gideon and I fell in love freely. I first met him during a work-study program. It seemed like he broke something and didn’t know what to do. Seeing his gloomy expression, I kindly helped him deal with the broken item and negotiated with the boss about compensation. Luckily, the item wasn’t expensive, and the boss didn’t ask for much. He paid, and we went back to school together. I learned he was from my school and, like me, was a student working part-time due to financial difficulties. I lost my parents young and relied on my grandparents and my own efforts to get through school. I felt a connection with someone in a similar situation, and since he was quite talkative, we exchanged contacts and shared many part-time jobs. Gradually, we confirmed our relationship. Our love was simple, plain, and fulfilling. There was no epic romance or dramatic turmoil, just as I expected, and I was content. In our third year of dating, he proposed to me. He said he came from a modest background, didn’t have assets, only a decent face, and hoped to marry me to live a simple life. I didn’t care about his background or looks; I liked him because our personalities matched. I accepted his proposal, but two months after our wedding, he had an accident. The doctor said he unfortunately became a vegetative state and might lie in bed for life. But he was young, and if I persisted in treatment, helping his recovery, there was a good chance he’d wake up. So, for three years, I’ve been diligently caring for him, giving up opportunities at big companies, and sold everything my grandparents left me to treat him. But now, the comments tell me. All my efforts and dedication were just his test for me. And I was just the antagonist in his story, the one who loved but couldn’t have him, who turned evil from love and faded away as a malicious non-playable character.

It was already evening when I reached the hospital. As the comments predicted, Gideon wasn’t in the hospital room. A nurse on duty saw my injuries and came to help me. My heart was utterly cold as I leaned against the wall and asked the nurse: “Where’s my husband?” The nurse looked at the hospital room, confused: “Yeah, where’s your husband? Nurse Quinn saw him during rounds, and the Aunt you hired already left. Where did your husband go?” I leaned against the wall, unmoving. The nurse, seeing my disheveled state, softly comforted me: “It’s okay. Everyone in the hospital knows your husband, and given his condition, no one could take him out. He can’t go elsewhere, we’ll find him soon. Would you like to treat your wounds first?” I waved her off, speaking each word deliberately: “I want to know where he is right now!” Seeing my distress, the nurse, though worried, went to make calls to find him. I leaned against the wall, exhausted. At that moment, the comments appeared again. [Wow, so thrilling! The female supporting character is in the corridor, while the male lead and heroine are passionately making out next door.] [Gideon’s lips are bruised, who knew our gentle heroine was such a little lion!] [You must be new here, right? Our heroine baby didn’t just bruise Gideon’s lips; there are marks elsewhere too.] [The chemistry between them is just amazing! The sweet and soft heroine pinning Gideon down to kiss him, the contrast is delightful.] A “bang” sounded from the room next door, something had fallen. I froze. The comments continued. [The heroine baby saw the returning female supporting character but still dared to make such noise, so bold yet brave!] [I think it’s brave too, but won’t their intensity get them discovered by the female supporting character? I’m worried!] [Relax, they locked the door when they went in. The female supporting character can’t open it!] [I mean, when she finds the male lead missing, won’t she discover he was deceiving her? I don’t want him to be wrongfully accused of being a jerk!] [Oh, that! She won’t find out! The hospital has doctors cooperating with the male lead. Once they’re done, the doctor will wheel him back, claiming it’s for muscle relaxation and rehabilitation. With a doctor helping, the female supporting character will believe it.] [The male lead prepared so thoroughly?] [Of course! Without such comprehensive preparation, how could he deceive the female supporting character for so long?] [The male lead baby is impressive!] Just as the comments predicted, Gideon was wheeled back by a doctor. I asked the doctor, and he gave the same explanation as the comments. “`plaintext

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Mr. Beckett owed the Nash family a life debt. Mrs. Nash used that debt to make Mr. Beckett force Rowan Beckett to marry me. But even after ten years of marriage, he still despised me. He tried to rid himself of me by letting countless women into his life. I became a laughingstock among our social set, and Rowan Beckett coldly remarked: “What right do you have to feel wronged? You brought this upon yourself.” Everyone thought I’d cling to Rowan Beckett forever, and he thought so too. Until the person I trusted most betrayed me. My resolve wavered. But when I handed over the divorce papers, I smiled with relief. “Finally, I can end this farce of a marriage.” I stepped onto the yacht, the party already at its peak. In the center of the crowd, Rowan Beckett lounged casually on the sofa, his posture relaxed and indifferent. That familiar silhouette made my heart skip a beat. She sat provocatively on Rowan Beckett’s lap, her fingers gently tracing his neck. Men and women raised their champagne glasses, chanting for a kiss. Nora Nash’s cheeks were flushed with excitement, her eyes filled with anticipation. Rowan Beckett’s eyes narrowed slightly as he surveyed the crowd. With a slight smirk, he pointed at me and said, “Look over there, your best friend is watching us.” Everyone turned to look at me, and their voices fell silent, their eyes filled with amusement. Someone shouted “sister-in-law,” and others followed suit. Nora Nash glanced at me but made no move to get off his lap. I clenched my hands tightly, staring at her. My heart bled. I never imagined Nora Nash would betray me. She was like family to me, someone I relied on and trusted! I wanted to loudly ask her why, but I couldn’t—not here. Nora Nash giggled sweetly: “Isn’t this what you expected?” “I betrayed her and chose you. Can you love me now?” The crowd stirred again, eagerly anticipating the drama. My marriage with Rowan Beckett was nothing but a facade. He openly indulged in debauchery, changing women one after another. But this time, the woman was my most trusted friend. I ignored her and looked directly at Rowan Beckett. Expressionless, I spoke calmly: “The media is gathered at the dock, waiting for your yacht to return.” “Rowan Beckett, come with me.” He tilted his head, drawing out his response: “Hmm…” “No.” Nora Nash, seeing this, boldly nestled into his arms and gave me a provocative smile. As we approached the dock, the photographers were already focused, their cameras flashing incessantly. I curled my fingers, feeling a sting in my palm. We still got photographed. No doubt, the Beckett family won’t let me off easily. Suddenly, Rowan Beckett’s mocking voice reached my ears. “Mrs. Beckett, do you like this?” “The old folks probably won’t let you go, right?” “Why don’t you divorce me, and I’ll help you?” I bit my lip, struggling to speak, “Rowan Beckett, do you really want a divorce?” For the first time in ten years, I relented. Rowan Beckett’s playful smile disappeared, his deep eyes filled with complexity. Before he could react, I said directly, “Then let’s divorce.” These words felt like they had been ten years in the making. The moment I said it, I felt relieved. What’s not mine will never be mine. The emotions that had been suppressed in my heart finally found an outlet, beginning to release bit by bit. “Lydia, are you serious?” Nora Nash’s tone was filled with uncontrollable joy. However, Rowan Beckett’s grip on her waist tightened. Nora Nash gasped in pain, “Ouch!” Then a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes, and she pouted, “Rowan, you’re hurting me.” Rowan Beckett ignored her and stared straight at me. For the first time, he let go of Nora Nash and walked directly to my side. “Let’s go home, Mrs. Beckett.” I clearly saw the malicious smile in his eyes. He did it on purpose. He knew how important Nora Nash was to me. And he knew that by letting the paparazzi take these photos and causing a scandal, I would be the one punished. Rowan Beckett really went to great lengths to make me relent on divorce.

I calmly linked my arm with his, “Let’s go.” Rowan Beckett immediately let out a sarcastic laugh. I was used to it and closed my ears. As Mrs. Beckett, I had to be poised and graceful in public. Soon, I could end these days. Once ashore, I let go of his hand. Rowan Beckett grabbed it back, interlocking our fingers, his tone mocking: “The show must go on, don’t quit halfway.” “The paparazzi are still shooting.” I slightly furrowed my brows and turned to look out the window. Forget it, let him be. The ride was silent, and we arrived at the family estate. As soon as we entered, he pinned me against the wall. In the dim light, I caught a glimpse of the interest in his eyes. I was exhausted and softly said, “Rowan Beckett, I don’t want this.” I tried to push him away after speaking. Rowan Beckett held tighter, biting my collarbone as punishment. He chuckled, “Mrs. Beckett, those old folks are still waiting for you to have a child.” My body stiffened. His repeated “Mrs. Beckett” was a constant reminder of my identity. I had willingly put on these shackles, without even the right to call a halt, only silently accepting. But now, I could. The only reason I compromised betrayed me. I had no more worries. For the first time, I bravely pushed Rowan Beckett away. “Rowan Beckett, I can stop being Mrs. Beckett.” He paused for a moment, giving me a deep gaze. “Lydia, are you serious?” My heart sank. “I’m willing to let you go, isn’t that good?” “I’ve clung to you for ten years, you’re tired, I’m tired, let’s just let each other go.” Before the words were finished, Rowan Beckett gripped my hand tightly. His body pressed against me, trying to pin me to the wall. After a while, he suppressed his anger, “Lydia, your playing hard to get is too obvious, I won’t let you succeed!” After speaking, he stormed off without looking back. I was puzzled. Staring at his departing figure, I fell into thought. This was the result he wanted, and I gave it to him. Why was he angry again? “Bang!” A sound snapped me back. No matter what, I had made up my mind. But thinking of Nora Nash, my heart ached. My phone vibrated again. I fished it out of my pocket, my fingertips brushing the screen. Finally, I opened the chat window with Nora Nash, who kept sending messages. [Lydia, you know everything.] [Since you do, can you give Rowan Beckett to me?] [You’ve been with him for ten years, and he doesn’t love you. Why not let me try?] [Maybe he’ll fall in love with me?] [I know it’s wrong to sabotage a friend’s relationship, but I can’t help it.] [I was deeply attracted to him when you introduced us.] [I tried to avoid him, but you kept bringing him around. I didn’t mean to.] [You forced me!] …… The more I read, the more it hurt. This was the person I once trusted the most. I laughed at myself. [Nora Nash, I misjudged you.] [Since you want him, I’ll let you have him!] I quickly typed these two sentences and sent them to her. From then on, our friendship was completely broken. For a man, she betrayed me. In the end, I misjudged her. That night, I couldn’t sleep. When I woke up, my eyes were red and swollen. It took a long time with an ice pack to ease the swelling.

I let my mind go blank for a few minutes. Remembering the tough battle today, I quickly grabbed my smartphone. I opened the trending topics, and as expected, saw last night’s news topping the list. In the photograph, Nora Nash sat on Rowan Beckett’s lap while I stood facing them. The comments were all over the place: [Mrs. Beckett is so generous, even gifting her best friend to Prince.] [Prince is quite something, picking up his wife’s best friend, even having his wife watch. Impressive!!] [Prince is so handsome! If I were Lydia, I’d let him have anyone he wants in his harem!] [Don’t you think Lydia is pitiful? Betrayed by the two closest people, it makes you feel heartache for her.] [Hilarious, she deserves it! Prince never wanted to marry her. If she hadn’t used favors to threaten Mr. Beckett, Prince wouldn’t have married her!] [Exactly, clinging to Prince without any dignity! Still not divorcing after all this, truly shameless!] [No way! Prince is clearly in the wrong, and you’re all blaming Lydia? Why aren’t you blaming Prince and that disgusting best friend?] [Let me be fair, it’s mutual. We netizens don’t know the truth, just enjoying the drama.] The onlookers argued endlessly. In the blink of an eye, the trending topic disappeared. The Beckett PR team acted. There was a noise from the entrance. Rowan Beckett returned. He glanced at me indifferently, “We’re going to the family estate in thirty minutes.” I nodded. What was meant to come would come. The Beckett family rule was that everyone must return to the family estate every weekend. Disobedience meant facing the family rules. Even the reckless Rowan Beckett never disobeyed. “Lydia, good luck!” He smirked, his tone full of schadenfreude. The crowd was caught up in a fierce argument. In an instant, the trending topics vanished. The Beckett family’s PR team stepped in. There was a commotion at the entrance. Rowan Beckett had returned. He glanced at me with a distant look, “Be back at the family estate in thirty minutes.” I nodded. What is destined to happen will happen. The Beckett family rules require everyone to return to the family estate every weekend. If not, the rules are enforced. Even Rowan Beckett, known for his carefree nature, never disobeyed. “Lydia, good luck!” He curled his lips slightly, his tone dripping with mockery. At the entrance of the Beckett family estate. Rowan Beckett didn’t bother with formalities and walked straight into the main hall, leaving me behind. When I entered, he had the old lady smiling widely. “Grandma.” I greeted her respectfully. “Mm,” the old lady replied indifferently, “Your parents are waiting for you in the study.” I nodded slightly, “Understood.” I knew what was coming. And Rowan Beckett, the instigator, had a slight smile at the corner of his mouth, not even bothering to lift his eyelids. As soon as I entered the study, Mrs. Beckett slapped me. My head turned from the impact, and I could taste blood at the corner of my mouth. She blew on her hand and regained her composed and elegant demeanor. Mrs. Beckett looked at me coldly, her words slow and dismissive: “Lydia, you’ve let me down.” “A woman who can’t even hold her husband’s heart, how can you be Mrs. Beckett?” “If I had known, I wouldn’t have agreed with Mr. Beckett for Rowan to marry you!” “What a mistake!” I lowered my head, my hands unconsciously clenched. “Lydia, if you still can’t make Rowan love you, you should divorce him sooner rather than later!” I suddenly lifted my head, my gaze resolute: “Fine, I’ll divorce him!” Mrs. Beckett’s eyes widened in disbelief. Mr. Beckett also frowned slightly, unsure, “Really?” “I mean it!” I spoke with conviction. Mr. Beckett waved me away, indicating I should leave first. I stood at the study door, vaguely hearing their conversation inside. “Why blame her for your son’s mess?” Mr. Beckett sighed. “If not her, then who?!” “Before Rowan married her, he never acted out like this!” Mrs. Beckett couldn’t help but complain: “If you hadn’t forced Rowan to marry a woman he doesn’t love, would he have ended up like this?” “Don’t you know how much he’s hurting inside?” Mr. Beckett looked at her helplessly: “Don’t you know your son’s nature?” “If he didn’t like it, who could force him?!” “Now Lydia wants a divorce, just watch, there’ll be trouble…” Mrs. Beckett was stunned, “Impossible, right? If Rowan really liked Lydia, why would he act like that…” “He’ll keep acting out until even his wife leaves…” Yes, how could Rowan Beckett possibly like me? I turned and left. Walking through the long corridor, Rowan Beckett was waiting at the end. He crossed his arms, a cigarette between his fingers. I silently tried to walk past him. But he grabbed my wrist, gently touching the side of my face that got slapped, scoffing lightly: “Tsk~ just like that?” “Isn’t the punishment a bit light?” His deep voice carried a lazy smile, void of emotion. My gaze was calm and unwavering: “Yeah, I told my parents about the divorce.” He paused, taking a long drag of the cigarette, “What did they say?” I shook my head, “They didn’t say much.” With Mr. Beckett around, Mr. and Mrs. Beckett can’t make decisions. And I want a divorce, need to wait for Mr. Beckett to return. “Exactly, what right do they have to say no!” His voice was calm but harsh, “Damn, you brought this on yourself, deal with it.” Rowan Beckett walked away decisively. Leaving me to endure the Beckett family’s underhanded teaching under the guise of instructing on marriage. I accepted it all with neither arrogance nor submission. Waiting. Leaving the Beckett family, I had the driver take me to the nursing home as usual. Halfway there, I received a call from the nursing home: “Mrs. Beckett, something’s wrong.” “Mrs. Nash’s condition isn’t good, please come quickly.” My heart sank suddenly, and I hurriedly took out my smartphone to call Nora Nash. All the way to the nursing home, no one answered on the other end. Finally, at the hospital room door, the call connected. “Nora Nash, hurry to the nursing home, Mrs. Nash is in trouble!” Nora Nash sneered: “Lydia, you were so generous letting Rowan Beckett be surrounded by women, why not me? And now you’re cursing my mom?” “Don’t I know my mom’s health?” “Even if there’s really a problem, she has you, after all, she’s always treated you better than me!” “I don’t even know who her real daughter is, letting you marry Rowan Beckett!” Before I could respond, she hung up. I tightly clutched my smartphone. Pushing open the hospital room, I saw the emaciated woman on the bed. My eyes instantly stung with unbearable soreness. “What happened?” Clearly, two days ago when I came, Mrs. Nash was much better. The nurse couldn’t meet my eyes: “I’m sorry, Mrs. Beckett, I couldn’t stop her, the lady saw online…” I was stunned. “Lydia.” She called me with difficulty. I hurried to the bedside, holding her hand: “Mrs. Nash.” She patted the back of my hand soothingly, her cloudy eyes brimming with tears. “Mrs. Nash apologizes on behalf of Nora, it’s my fault… I didn’t raise her well…” “If it weren’t for her heart condition relapsing, you… wouldn’t have married Rowan Beckett so decisively…” “It’s Mrs. Nash’s fault for ruining your life…” The more she spoke, the heavier her breathing. I wiped away her tears, speaking softly: “Mrs. Nash, everything I did was voluntary, it’s not your fault, don’t blame yourself.” “And if you hadn’t adopted me when I was young, I’d probably be dead by now.” The more I wiped, the more tears flowed. “It’s our Nash family that burdened you… And now Nora treats you like this… I… I’m truly sorry!” “Don’t worry, I’ve told Mr. Beckett, you and Rowan Beckett will divorce, and… Lydia, you must find happiness… No need to suffer anymore…” Tears blurred my vision, I managed a faint smile: “It’s not hard at all, being Mrs. Beckett is very comfortable, with fame and fortune, how great is that.” She looked at me for a long time, then turned her head away, unable to bear it. After a long while, Mrs. Nash asked cautiously: “Lydia, can you let that ungrateful daughter come see me?” I nodded repeatedly, “Okay.” But the calls went unanswered again. I called Rowan Beckett, but there was no response either. Finally, I called Rowan Beckett’s secretary. The secretary told me that Nora Nash and Rowan Beckett went to the Arctic to see the aurora. Tears fell uncontrollably. Seeing my tears, Mrs. Nash seemed to understand everything. She chuckled softly, “Forget it, Lydia, don’t wrong yourself anymore, you owe the Nash family nothing…” After speaking, she closed her eyes relieved. I cried heart-wrenchingly. After Mrs. Nash’s funeral, the two were brought back by Mr. Beckett. At the Beckett family estate. I stood aside. Rowan Beckett knelt on the ground. Nora Nash was taken to Mrs. Nash’s cemetery. Mr. Beckett used his cane to strike Rowan Beckett’s back repeatedly. In the past, every time Mr. Beckett hit him, I would step in front of him, feeling heartbroken. Every time, I’d get one or two hits. Now, I stood aside, unmoved. Mr. Beckett saw my resolve not to help Rowan Beckett, knowing I was truly heartbroken. He beat Rowan Beckett half to death, saying in a deep voice: “Tomorrow, you two will get divorced.” Rowan Beckett lay on the ground, a trace of surprise in his eyes. Then, he gritted his teeth, “I don’t agree! Why should she get married when she wants and divorced when she wants!” Mr. Beckett hit him on the back again with the cane. I’m sorry, but it looks like the text you want translated is missing. Could you please provide the text you need translated? “I won’t let you disagree! You’ve utterly shattered Lydia’s heart. Do you really think she’ll come back?!”

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