After my parents divorced, my dad dumped me on my mom’s lover to raise. He beat and scolded me constantly, only hoping I could quickly repay the debt my mom owed him. But ten years later, when my mom wanted to take me away, he cried and said he’d give up everything just to keep me. [1] When I was seven, our once-harmonious family shattered overnight because of my innocent comment: “When daddy’s not home, mommy brings other uncles to sleep over.” My mom moved out that very night, and my dad dumped me on my mom’s lover to raise. The man’s name was Frank. My dad looked at the man before him and said coldly, “If it weren’t for you, our family wouldn’t be in this mess.” “As compensation for destroying my family, take care of Mandy for a while until I get settled in my new job.” With that, my dad pushed me towards the man opposite him. Seeing the scar on Frank’s face, I cried and turned back to run to my dad. “Daddy, I promise I’ll never say anything wrong again. Please don’t leave me!” My dad didn’t hide the disgust in his eyes. Even though I had his blood, I was still the child of that unfaithful woman. But my dad still forced a smile, “Mandy, be good and sensible. Only then can daddy come back for you sooner.” I could only wipe my tears and obediently return to Frank’s side. Frank hadn’t looked at me once. As my dad was about to leave, Frank grabbed him and said, “Room and board not included.” My dad gave an awkward smile and took out $50 from his bag to hand to him. Watching my dad’s retreating figure, Frank said coldly, “If you don’t come back for her within a month, I’ll dump her.” My dad nodded repeatedly, “She’s my own daughter after all. How could I possibly abandon her?” With those words, my dad turned and left without looking back. And so, I was temporarily taken in by Frank. As we lived together, I discovered that although he was my mom’s lover, he was actually a pitiful man who had been scammed out of his money by my mom. He originally had some small assets, but after my mom took everything and ran, he could only move into a run-down house rented in the countryside. Within a month, I endured all kinds of cold treatment from Frank. He always dumped all the dirty and tiring chores on me. “Seeing your face that looks just like your mother’s makes me angry! You’re both good-for-nothing freeloaders!” I knew he was taking out all his resentment towards my mom on me. To be able to stay in this house temporarily, I could only humbly obey any of Frank’s arrangements. Every day, my only motivation was the hope that my dad would come to take me away from this misery soon. But as the one-month deadline approached, there was no news from my dad’s side. Frank’s calls to my dad went unanswered. Frank’s face grew darker and darker. He spat on the ground viciously, “You little brat, if your dad doesn’t come to get you in the next couple of days, I’m going to sell you to old man Johnson at the end of the village!” A wave of panic washed over me, and I could only work even harder. The month passed, and I waited from dawn till dusk, but still didn’t see my dad. It was then that I realized I had truly been abandoned by my father. Frank grabbed me and said, “Come with me.” He dragged me towards the direction of the village’s end. Seeing he was serious, I panicked completely and desperately clung to the ground. “I don’t want to go! I don’t want to!” “You think you have a choice? Since you’re your mother’s daughter, you should pay off her debts!” Just as I was still struggling desperately, old man Johnson from the village’s end actually came to the door. [2] “Frank, I couldn’t wait any longer at home.” Old man Johnson grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth. The fear in my heart was like a lake, drowning me until I could barely breathe. Frank took advantage of my daze and hoisted me onto his shoulder, following old man Johnson towards his house. I desperately pounded on Frank’s back, “I don’t want to! I don’t want to go with him!” Tears of grievance soaked Frank’s back, but he showed no sign of stopping. “I’m begging you, I’ll do whatever you say from now on, just please don’t send me away.” Frank ignored my fear and helplessness, casually discussing the price with old man Johnson. “As agreed, $400 a month.” At old man Johnson’s house, he turned and went inside to find an iron chain. Frank’s brow furrowed slightly, “Old man, what are you doing?” Old man Johnson smiled slyly, “Well, since I paid for her, I naturally have to prevent her from running away.” With that, he locked the huge iron chain to my foot. Old man Johnson handed the money to Frank, who counted it, satisfied, and turned to leave. No matter how much I cried for help behind him, he never looked back at me once. Abandoned by my parents, and now abandoned by my mother’s lover, it seemed I was destined only to be discarded in this life. Old man Johnson closed the door and immediately slapped me across the face, “From now on, you’re my property. You’ll cry when I tell you to cry, and laugh when I tell you to laugh, got it?” I nodded, clutching my stinging cheek. “Now take off your clothes!” I looked up in disbelief, meeting old man Johnson’s leering gaze. My whole body trembled uncontrollably. Seeing my reluctance to move, old man Johnson slapped me again. “What are you playing at, acting all pure?” “Your mom is a big slut who seduces men everywhere, and you’re just a little slut too! Do you want me to do it myself?” Despite the tears of humiliation falling non-stop, I still hugged myself tightly, not giving him any opportunity. Old man Johnson grew increasingly impatient. Sure enough, the next second he pounced on me like an evil ghost. “No! No!” I closed my eyes tightly, hearing only the sound of clothes being torn. His disgusting, dry hands groped all over my body. Fighting the nausea, I bit down hard on his hand, but it only earned me an even more vicious beating. “You little slut, you dare bite me? I’ll teach you a lesson today!” I wanted to scream for help, but found I was too scared to make a sound. Just as I was about to be forced to accept my miserable fate, the door behind me was kicked open. Before I could even look back, I saw a figure rush in front of me and kick old man Johnson away hard. “You bastard!” “Didn’t I say I was bringing her over just to do your laundry and cooking? What the hell are you doing?” Old man Johnson looked at Frank with an awkward smile, “Frank, why are you protecting this little brat so much?” “Don’t forget, she’s the daughter of that woman who hurt you. Didn’t you want revenge on her?” “How about this, I’ll give you an extra $50 a month, just let me play with her a little…” Before he could finish, Frank punched old man Johnson in the face, “If you dare touch her again, I’ll kill you!” With that, he threw the $400 old man Johnson had given him earlier onto the ground. He unlocked the iron chain from my foot and picked me up. “Let’s go home.” [3] After returning home, Frank stopped making me do heavy chores. He turned around and sent me to the only elementary school in town. “Your mom owes me so much money, it would take forever if you just worked to pay it back. Better to send you to school, you’ll make money faster that way.” “Remember, you’ll have to pay me back double for your school fees in the future!” He rubbed his stomach, “I’m hungry, go make dinner.” Frank used to be a small factory manager. He had the opportunity to gradually expand his business, but then he met my mom. He gave my mom everything he could, but she turned around and betrayed him. The factory went bankrupt almost overnight. I heard all this from the neighbors. Soon it was time to start school. Frank handed me a new backpack and clothes with a blank expression. “I’m telling you, if your grades aren’t good, I’ll send you off to work!” I excitedly took the clothes and backpack, “Thank you, Uncle!” Frank said he was afraid I’d run away, so he personally took me to and from school every day. He now worked at a parts factory just outside the small town. Although his work hours didn’t match my school schedule, he still managed to drop me off and pick me up on time. I thought things would continue peacefully like this, but before long, the story of my background spread through the school. The school bully, Fatty, and some other kids cornered me in a secluded spot by the school wall. “Mandy, my mom said your mom is a big slut who seduces men everywhere. You little slut came to our school just to corrupt us.” “You should go seduce men everywhere like your mom. Our school doesn’t welcome people like you!” Looking at their faces, I mustered up the courage to retort, “Your whole family are the sluts!” Fatty glared at me, nostrils flaring, and with a few others, locked me in the equipment shed. “Mandy, no one wants you. Even if you die in here, no one will know!” They laughed at me as they ran away. Frank waited for me at the school gate for two whole hours. By the time he found out where I was, it was already midnight. Curled up in a corner, I shivered from the cold. In my daze, I heard his scolding. “Useless thing, don’t you know how to fight back when they bully you?” “Your mom is so capable, how did she give birth to such a wimp?” His reprimands gradually grew quieter until he held me in his arms, wiping away my tears with his calloused hands. All my insecurities instantly vanished. Later I found out that to find me, he had searched every corner of the small town. Those bad kids only revealed my location after he repeatedly questioned them. Seeing the scrapes on his arms, he must have fallen in his haste to find me. The next day, Fatty’s mom came to the school to make a scene. She pointed at my nose and started cursing. “This little bastard not only uses foul language but also tells lies.” “My son was just joking with her, and look how badly beaten his face is now?” I looked at Fatty’s swollen face, knowing it must be Frank’s handiwork. “Principal, you must expel this little bastard!” “You’re the bastard!” I snapped back immediately. The fat woman flew into a rage, “You unwanted child, if you’re not a bastard, what are you? Am I wrong?” “Let me tell you, it’s your honor that my son even joked with you…” Suddenly the office door opened, and Frank, who should have been at work, appeared. “You call that a joke? How about I lock your son up for a night too?” Seeing Frank, Fatty quickly hid behind his mother. Such a comical sight made me burst out laughing. “If your kid dares to bully my daughter again, I won’t be so lenient next time!” At that moment, I felt the whole world go quiet, with only Frank’s word “daughter” echoing in my ears. My eyes stung, and I quickly ran out of the principal’s office. [4] By 2008, I was old enough to start middle school. Remembering Frank’s “threat,” I got into the best middle school in the city with the top score in town. At this time, there were layoffs at the factory where Frank worked, and he was on the list. He wasn’t cut out for physical labor in the first place, and these years had taken a toll on his health. He hadn’t saved much money, and now things were even worse. A female employee who had once been helped by him at his factory suddenly approached him, saying she wanted to marry him and live together. Although friends advised him to send me away, he sighed helplessly: “The child is so big now, we can’t let someone else benefit from the bride price for nothing.” The woman’s arrival gave this home a chance to breathe. This pieced-together family finally had a hint of home-like warmth. Frank relied on a second-hand motorcycle he got from a friend to start a passenger transport business in town. The income wasn’t much, but it was stable. But good times didn’t last long, and the woman gradually revealed her true intentions. Whenever Frank wasn’t home, she would drag me to meet various old ladies. “Mandy, remember, these might all be your benefactors.” At that time, I didn’t understand what she meant, and seeing how hard Frank worked every day, I didn’t dare to bother him. But that day, she and an old lady said they were taking me to a banquet. I was forcibly dragged to someone’s house, only to see a big red “Double Happiness” character pasted on their front door. I was pushed into the main seat, and next to me sat a man wearing a red flower on his chest. “Mandy, just enjoy your meal. I’ll come pick you up later.” With that, the woman left with the old lady, and they were counting some cash that had appeared from somewhere. It was then that I finally realized – she had sold me! I threw down my chopsticks and tried to run, but the man next to me grabbed me, “Wife! Where are you going?” “After we finish eating, it’s time for our wedding night!” I panicked but forced myself not to cry. “Let go of me. If my uncle finds out, he’ll kill you!” The man smirked, “You mean that lousy motorcycle driver? The money I gave him is more than he could earn in decades of driving. He’d be overjoyed!” “Just stay here obediently and give me a big fat son. I promise I won’t mistreat you!” The man hoisted me up to leave when suddenly there was a loud bang. Frank had crashed right in on his motorcycle. He threw his motorcycle aside with a flourish, “Put her down!” The man was intimidated by his aura, and I quickly broke free to hide behind Frank. “Frank, I’ve already given the bride price to your wife. You’re not thinking of going back on your word, are you?” Frank snorted coldly, “I never married that woman!” Just then, the woman came back crying with the money. “Frank, why are you doing this? I really wanted to live with you!” “If we sell this girl, you could open your own factory again. You wouldn’t have to ride that motorcycle in the wind and sun anymore!” But faced with such a huge temptation, Frank didn’t even bother to look. He directly slapped away the money the woman was offering. “I don’t need it.” With that, he put me on his motorcycle and left. After that, the woman never came back. But one day, the motorcycle he relied on for a living was smashed to pieces. It didn’t take much guessing to know who did it, but without evidence, he could only swallow his anger. As the start of my school term drew nearer, Frank started coming home later and later. I also tried to find whatever part-time jobs I could do. But when I came home that day, I saw Frank had returned early. He sat on the doorstep, chain-smoking the cheapest cigarettes. Seeing me, he slowly raised his head, his eyes filled with an emotion I couldn’t understand. Putting out his cigarette butt, he finally spoke, “Your mom’s back. She’s inside.”

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I had been pretending to be good by Lucas Foster’s side for four years. Four years ago, when the video of Natalie Nelson killing my sister in a car accident was exposed, my boyfriend Charlie West hired a top lawyer for her, helping her clear her name. When I was left alone and helpless, it was Natalie’s stepbrother, Lucas Foster, who stepped up and chose justice over family ties. He found a lawyer for me, collected evidence and witness testimonies everywhere, and finally sent Natalie to prison. When the dust settled, Lucas proposed to me, and I agreed. But in our fourth year of marriage, I saw a birthday wish from Natalie in Lucas’s email. It was accompanied by a happy selfie of her on the beach. The date in the bottom right corner of the photo was yesterday. [Happy birthday, bro!] [Claire Hayes’s heart has been with me for four years now, with no adverse reactions. Thanks to you and Charlie, I’ve been given a new lease on life.] [It’s just a pity that you have to be forced to stay with Chloe to keep her from causing trouble.] Lucas’s reply was: [As long as you’re happy, I’m willing to do anything, sis.] After reading this, I smiled brightly. These three murderers still want happiness? After four years, their time is up!

I carefully recorded and saved this conversation between Lucas and Natalie as evidence, then quickly left Lucas’s study. Unexpectedly, as soon as I opened the study door, I ran into Lucas face to face. Lucas’s brow furrowed almost instantly: “What are you doing in my study?” In our four years of marriage, he had showered me with affection and even allowed me to work in the Foster family’s company, but he never let me near two places: his study at home and a specific room in his office at the company. Before he could finish speaking, I fearfully threw myself into his arms, choking back tears: “Lucas, I just had another nightmare. I dreamed of my sister covered in blood when she died. I was so scared, but I couldn’t find you anywhere, not even in your study…” The coldness in Lucas’s demeanor instantly melted away. He raised his hand to hold my waist, while his other hand gently patted my back to comfort me: “It’s okay, I’m here. Don’t be afraid.” “I know Claire’s death has been a constant pain for you all these years, but now that the culprit is behind bars, we should move on and live our lives well.” I trembled in his embrace, but my heart was filled with nothing but surging hatred. Lucas still didn’t know that I had long since discovered his involvement in my sister’s death, even though Natalie was the only apparent culprit on the surface. The reason Lucas chose to marry me was nothing more than an act to fool me. It was all to help his beloved stepsister Natalie escape legal punishment. Thinking of this, I fought back my nausea and cried even harder in his arms. Lucas put aside all his work and patiently comforted me for a long time, driven by guilt. After I had calmed down, he hesitantly spoke: “Honey, I need to tell you something… Natalie has been released from prison. She’s coming back tomorrow.” Seeing me freeze, he hurriedly added: “I shouldn’t be telling you this right now, but you know, she’s still related to me by family ties. Even though she committed a terrible crime, she has to come home. But I’m worried…” This usually decisive CEO’s voice grew softer as he spoke, filled with uncertainty. It was indeed cruel to ask the victim’s family to accept the return of the culprit. Especially since I was his wife. But I just wiped away the tears from the corners of my eyes and smiled gently, without even furrowing my brow: “I understand your concerns. I’ll be fine.” I looked up and gently caressed his brow: “You’ve done so much for me, even choosing justice over family. I should let it go too.” Hearing this, Lucas’s hand on my back suddenly tightened, and he kissed my forehead. “Chloe, I’ll be good to you for the rest of my life.” I chuckled lightly and pushed him away: “Come on, we’re an old married couple now. Stop being so mushy.” “Since Natalie is out of prison, we should throw her a welcome party to ward off bad luck. Let me take care of it.” Lucas breathed a sigh of relief and hugged me tightly, but the guilt in his eyes deepened. “Chloe, my sweet Chloe, you’re so good. I’ll never let you go in this lifetime.” I leaned on his shoulder, smiling sarcastically. Is that so? Well, let me show you just how “good” I can be.

Over these four years, I wasn’t just the respected and beloved Mrs. Foster; I was also a valuable asset to Foster Enterprises. Many profitable business plans were my ideas, and I fought for many employee benefits as well. Two years ago, when Lucas said the company was facing difficulties and urgently needed to cooperate with West Corporation, I agreed. Charlie West was my ex-boyfriend, the one who abandoned me when I sought justice for my sister and instead hired a top lawyer for Natalie. But at that time, for the sake of Lucas’s company’s development, I reconciled with Charlie without batting an eye. Now, once again for Lucas’s sake, I proactively suggested throwing a welcome party for the murderer of my sister. How could he not be moved by such devotion? How could our friends and family who knew the situation not like someone like me? At the welcome party, the elite of Ocean City gathered. Natalie, dressed in a gorgeous red gown, entered gracefully on Charlie’s arm. Her composed demeanor and arrogant attitude didn’t resemble someone who had just been released from prison at all. Instead, she looked like she had just returned from a vacation abroad. Of course, she had indeed just returned from abroad, and Lucas had personally picked her up from the airport. Natalie immediately spotted Lucas standing beside me. She ran over and threw herself into Lucas’s arms. “Brother, I’ve missed you so much! I was wrongfully imprisoned for four years, but now we can finally see each other!” As she spoke, her eyes, filled with jealousy and hatred, darted towards me like daggers. She added in a spoiled tone, as if showing off: “This welcome party is so beautiful! Did you prepare all this for me, brother? I love it!” Lucas fondly ruffled her hair: “All of this was arranged by Chloe. Come, say hello to your sister-in-law.” The smile on Natalie’s face instantly froze. She turned her gaze to me, forcing out a fake smile and greeted me briefly. As the party officially began, Natalie flitted through the crowd like a social butterfly, her eloquent performance drawing bursts of laughter. But I could feel her gaze, seemingly present yet absent, closely following me. Finally, when Lucas went to the restroom, Natalie approached me. At the time, I was resting in a corner of the party. Without a word, she took a glass of red wine and splashed it on my face. “Oh my, I’m so sorry, sister-in-law! I wanted to come over and toast you, to thank you for preparing such a lavish party for me, but I accidentally spilled it on your face.” “Are you okay? Do you need me to help you clean up?” Despite her words, she just stood in front of me, smiling mockingly, showing no intention of helping me at all. I took out a handkerchief to wipe the water from my face, revealing a calm smile: “It’s alright. Go enjoy yourself. I’ll just wash up in a bit.” My nonchalant attitude seemed to ignite Natalie’s anger. She slammed the wine glass down on the nearby table, no longer trying to hide her malice towards me: “Chloe Hayes, what are you playing at, acting all magnanimous? Don’t think I don’t know your little tricks. Are you planning to act pitiful so my brother will sympathize with you? You’re way out of your league!” Her gaze shifted to something behind me, and she suddenly leaned close to my ear, smiling as she said: “Guess what? Do you think my brother would allow someone who maliciously bullies his sister to continue being his wife?” As she spoke, she raised her hand and slapped herself hard across the face, her eyes immediately brimming with tears. Lucas quickly rushed over to protect the seemingly faltering Natalie in his arms. “Natalie, what happened?” Natalie curled up pitifully in Lucas’s arms, her lips quivering as tears fell like broken strings of pearls. “I just wanted to come over and toast Chloe, but she called me shameless. She not only slapped me but also grabbed the wine from my hand and splashed it on her own face, trying to frame me for bullying her.” Lucas immediately looked at me, seeing the wine dripping down my face and staining my dress. “Brother, I don’t understand why Chloe is treating me like this. Is it still because of that car accident? But I really didn’t mean to, and I’ve already served four years in prison for it. Why won’t she let it go…” Lucas’s face quickly darkened, but not towards me. Instead, it was directed at Natalie.

He furrowed his brow and immediately let go of Natalie, sternly saying: “No one is to bring up that incident again. Why are you imagining all this?” Natalie’s lips parted slightly, looking at Lucas in disbelief. I stepped forward to intervene: “It’s okay, Lucas. Natalie probably didn’t mean it. I’m fine.” “Today is supposed to be a happy occasion. Let’s not ruin it over something so trivial.” Lucas’s face remained grim as he coldly led Natalie away. As the onlookers dispersed and the party continued, I secretly followed them. In a corner on the second floor, Natalie finally couldn’t hold back and shook off Lucas’s hand, complaining in a coquettish tone: “Brother, you’re hurting me! And why won’t you believe me? Why are you siding with an outsider instead?” Seeing Natalie’s aggrieved expression, Lucas let out a long sigh, his tone softening: “We both know the truth of what happened. Chloe has been through a lot too. You should let it go.” Natalie’s eyes widened, looking at Lucas as if she didn’t recognize him: “What are you saying? Brother, don’t tell me you actually think of Chloe as your real wife. You only married her to help me escape punishment!” “It’s been years since that incident, and I’ve served my fake sentence. It’s time for you to dump her!” Lucas shook his head, “We owe her too much. I’ve prepared myself to spend the rest of my life making it up to her.” But as he turned to leave, Natalie hugged him from behind: “I don’t believe it! Lucas, you like me, don’t you? We’re not blood-related. I know you love me, otherwise why would you do so much for me?” Lucas froze as if struck by her words. His hands trembled slightly. Finally, giving in to his desires, he turned around, cupped Natalie’s face, and kissed her fiercely. I silently stopped recording, saved the video, and left the second floor. When Lucas brought Natalie down from the second floor, the party was coming to an end. He couldn’t find me anywhere and only discovered me crying in the storage room when we got home. Hearing him open the door, I pretended not to notice and cried even harder. “Chloe!” Lucas rushed over to hug me, frowning as he spoke: “I was wondering where you’d disappeared to. What happened? Why are you crying like this?” I quickly turned my head away, hastily wiping away my tears with my sleeve before forcing a smile and facing him: “It’s nothing. I just twisted my ankle while tidying up earlier. I hid here because I was afraid you’d laugh at me…” Lucas stared at me, his eyes full of pity: “Chloe, don’t you know that your smile is the most forced when you’re lying? I can see right through it.” “I…” I nervously glanced away. He wiped away my unshed tears with his knuckle, “Tell me, why were you hiding here crying?” I bit my lip, holding back for a moment before hooking my arms around his neck and letting my sobs break free. “At the party, Natalie mentioned my sister. It made me think that if Claire were still alive, she’d be about Natalie’s age now…” “But I’ll never get to see her grow up.” As I mentioned my sister, a flash of panic crossed Lucas’s eyes, quickly replaced by guilt. His grip on my waist tightened as he said remorsefully: “It’s all my fault. I was so busy with the party that I neglected your feelings. Tell me, honey, what can I do to make you feel better?” I lowered my eyes and shook my head: “You don’t need to do anything. Just letting me see you often is enough.” “Lucas, can I come to your office more often from now on? I’ve been having nightmares lately, dreaming that you’ve left me. I… Could we have meals together and talk more? Maybe that would help.” Lucas frowned hesitantly. He had always avoided letting me into his office. Because in there, he kept many secrets he didn’t want me to know. I withdrew my arms, forcing a light laugh: “If you’re too busy, forget it. I was just thinking out loud.” “Lying again.” He gently tapped my forehead, smiling tenderly. “Of course I can fulfill such a small request.” I brightened visibly and kissed his cheek, “You’re the best, honey!” The look of delight on his face didn’t seem fake, a spark of fire dancing in his eyes. Lucas happily picked me up in his arms, and I nestled my face against his neck in feigned shyness. I almost couldn’t hide the disgust in my eyes…

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When I met Blake Pearson, he was broke. I stood by him as he built his business from scratch, helping him become a shining star in the business world. Just when I thought our love was finally bearing fruit, I saw him proposing to another girl with utmost sincerity. Standing at the doorway, I heard laughter erupting from the private room. “Mr. Pearson, we all thought you’d marry Zoe Chapman. Why are you marrying Lily White now?” Blake slammed his glass on the table. “Don’t mention that clingy bitch! It’s been 7 years, I’m sick of playing with her!” The people around burst into laughter, echoing his sentiments. “I always thought Zoe Chapman looked so high and mighty, turns out she’s just a hypocrite!” Blake downed another drink. “You guys don’t know the half of it. She used to ask me when we’d get married every day, like a desperate puppy!” Seven years of unwavering devotion, shattered in an instant. Applause thundered around me as I gently pinched the base of my ring finger. There was a pale mark there, left by a makeshift ring Blake had crafted from a guitar string. I turned to leave but someone grabbed me. “Zoe!” Blake slowly descended from the stage. He wore the navy blue suit I had carefully ironed for him. The bowtie was a birthday gift from me, and even his hair was styled the way I had spent hours perfecting this morning. He gripped my wrist with surprising force, dragging me onto the stage without a word. Then, with practiced ease, he adjusted my collar. His hot breath brushed against me, his eyes brimming with joy. He cleared his throat and spoke solemnly. “This is my best friend, Zoe Chapman.” “I wouldn’t be where I am today without her…” My smile froze on my face, ears ringing. The strange looks from the audience below felt like knives stabbing my face. Fighting back tears, I remember forcing a smile for what felt like an eternity before quietly leaving the stage. In a daze, I returned home and made myself a cup of instant noodles. I stared blankly at the bowl. There was a chip on the edge of the bowl, from when Blake had smashed it in a drunken state last week. The image of Blake placing his pinky ring on Lily White’s finger kept replaying in my mind. Before I knew it, tears were mixing with the noodles in the bowl. I should have never gone out for that walk. The small room was dimly lit, with a thin layer of cobwebs on the window outside. The house was in a crowded old neighborhood, a birthday gift from Blake three years ago. During the early days of his startup, when he was poor, I accompanied him in this tiny rented apartment. Back then, he had blushed as he gave me this house filled with our memories, then held my hand and promised. “Zoe, thank you for staying with me all these years. In the future, I’ll buy a bigger and better house, and you’ll be the lady of that home.” Three years had passed. Blake could now afford bigger and better houses, but it seemed I was no longer the intended lady of the house. After finishing my tear-seasoned noodles, I numbly cleaned up the dishes when suddenly I heard the sound of a key turning in the lock. Blake was back. I quickly wiped my tears with my sleeve and turned my back, pretending to be busy. He didn’t seem to notice anything amiss, naturally hugging me from behind. The familiar scent of his cologne mixed with alcohol wafted over me. “Zoe, why are you eating instant noodles again? It’s not good for your health to eat too much of that.” His tone was as intimate as ever, as if the man who had just proposed to someone else was a different person entirely. I wriggled out of his embrace, my voice trembling. “Now that you have a fiancée, you should keep your distance from other women.” Blake’s confused voice came from above my head. “What do you mean by ‘other women’?” I turned to face him, only to see him pull out a box from behind his back as if performing a magic trick. Inside the box lay a plain women’s ring, the kind often seen in mall clearance sales. He took my hand and slipped it onto my ring finger. “Zoe, you’ve been with me for so many years, I really don’t know how to repay you.” “I saw this ring and thought it would suit you perfectly. I hope you like it.” Looking at the ring on my hand, tears spilled from my eyes. I raised my hand and wiped them away forcefully, managing a strained smile. “If you don’t know how to repay me, why don’t you marry me then?!”

Blake’s smile froze on his face, his voice dropping to a whisper. “What are you saying… you’re my friend.” I forced out a smile uglier than crying, dodging his attempt to touch my hand and yanking off the ring to throw at him. “Blake Pearson, what do you take me for?” “Which friend would sleep with you? Which friend would give you so much money to start your business?!” Blake’s expression changed, his voice filled with disbelief. “Zoe, how can you think of me like that?” He took my hand, raising it to swear to the heavens. “All these years, I’ve been sincere to you, I swear.” This was how Blake always coaxed me whenever he did something wrong, and this time was no different. I pressed down on his hand, persisting with my question. “Then when are you going to marry me?” Blake’s lips pressed into a thin line, and after a long while, he finally spoke. “Zoe… you’ve already enjoyed my best years. All my firsts were yours, you already have so much.” I stood there stunned, unable to believe my ears. He looked up, ruffling my hair as if to appease me. “Don’t be angry… I’ll make it up to you, okay?” “I have to meet a client tomorrow, have you ironed my clothes?” Tears finally broke through the dam, and I bit my lip hard, keeping my head down to avoid looking at him. He pushed me, forcing me to look up. Seeing my expression, he suddenly frowned deeply. “Tsk, what are you crying for…” “Zoe Chapman, I’m not going to marry you.” “You’ve been by my side for so many years, aren’t you satisfied yet?” With that, Blake left in anger, pausing to wipe his leather shoes that had been dirtied by the wooden door – those shoes were the birthday gift I had given him last month. My mood was far from good, so I slumped down on the floor, examining the ring on my hand. It was the simplest women’s ring, without even a diamond, probably worth less than a hundred dollars. Yet Blake had just closed a million-dollar deal a few weeks ago. Perhaps… in his eyes, this was all I was worth. My phone kept buzzing. I saw the company group chat exploding with congratulatory messages. “Congratulations on Mr. Pearson’s successful proposal!” I opened the video to see Blake kneeling before Lily White on a yacht deck covered in rose petals, holding out a ring. It wasn’t a diamond ring. It was the pinky ring he had worn for seven years. His voice trembled with tenderness. “Because I met you, I finally realized…” “It wasn’t that marriage couldn’t bring me happiness, but that I hadn’t met the right person.” I stared at the screen many times until my eyes stung. On my birthday during our senior year of college, I had secretly tried on that pinky ring while Blake was asleep. He had suddenly woken up and snatched the ring back. “Don’t touch this, it’s very important to me.” So it was because I wasn’t the right person. I lowered my gaze, casually placing the ring aside. The sound of metal rolling on the floor rang out crisply. All these years I had accompanied Blake, sharing my connections, taking care of his daily needs, paying attention to his hobbies. In return, all I got was a statement that we were just friends. Initially, it was a bet with a friend that sparked my interest in Blake. Who knew that one bet would last 7 years.

In college, Blake was a special recruit. With his good looks, he was adored by many girls. But from the start of school, he wore a simple pinky ring, declaring himself a believer in staying single, telling others not to get close to him. Friends often said Blake would surely end up alone for life. But I took a particular interest in him and secretly approached him. Unexpectedly, Blake didn’t reject me alone, and even actively stuck to me. I was skinny, so he would work at the cafeteria window I liked, always giving me extra meat. I had trouble waking up, so he would run far every morning to buy my favorite breakfast, coaxing me to get up and eat in various ways. It was my first time falling in love, and I naturally fell for his caring gestures. We often appeared as a pair on campus, and although he never explicitly stated our relationship, I was content. I felt sorry for him and often used money from home to supplement his living expenses while we were in school. After graduation, I was even willing to break ties with my parents to be with him. Thinking back now, I feel very resentful. Resentful of my years of dedication, but what’s done is done, and I don’t want to continue anymore. Blake was a believer in staying single, and I had asked him many times when we would get married. Now, I guess I’ve finally got my answer. Since that’s the case, I don’t need to dwell on it anymore. It’s better to cut your losses on a mistake early. As I walked out of the Pearson Group building, the sunlight was so bright it hurt my eyes. In my bag was the newly signed equity transfer agreement. As the daughter of the Chapman family, I always kept my word. Back then, I had a big fight with my family to be with Blake. But parents always have a soft heart despite their harsh words, and they had been secretly sending me money over the years, so I had some savings. In the afternoon, Blake’s call came through, his tone unpleasant. “Zoe, what’s going on? People in the company say you’ve resigned?” “That’s impossible, don’t joke around.” “And why did Mr. Lee suddenly cancel? Go smooth things over quickly.” Blake’s tone was rushed, but still composed. After all, no matter what happened before, I would always clean up his messes. But not anymore. I brushed Blake off with a few vague responses and hung up the phone. Looking at the files sent to my computer, they contained the information of Pearson Group’s core employees, with several names highlighted in red – these were the backbone staff who had joined the company because of my abilities. I took a sip of coffee and the screen showed that Blake had recently hired a female assistant with zero work experience, but her monthly salary was higher than that of department managers. My phone lit up again, this time with a message from an unknown number. “You think it’s over just because you left? Mr. Pearson says you’re just a dog that comes when called and leaves when told!” The attached image was of Blake kissing Lily White. A dense, sour feeling spread through my heart. I took a deep breath and blocked the number.

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At an extravagant celebration party, my husband Caleb Winters once again ordered me to play the role of a maid. He pushed me in front of the new model his company had just signed, introducing me flippantly, “This is the dog I keep at home. If it weren’t for my mother’s kindness years ago, she’d have starved to death on the streets.” He commanded me to bow and scrape, to massage the model’s shoulders, to serve her with all my skills. Everyone laughed, waiting to see how I would continue to show my gratitude. Instead, I inappropriately brought up divorce. Caleb acted as if he’d heard the most ridiculous joke. He grabbed my neck, snarling viciously, “Aria Sinclair, you dare mention divorce? Have you forgotten who’s keeping your sick mother and paralyzed brother alive?” “If you keep acting up, I’ll cut off all your brother’s medical expenses right now!” Everyone bet that I would immediately cry and beg for forgiveness, saying I’d never let go of this golden opportunity I’d managed to grasp. But they didn’t hear his usually silent uncle, Lucas Winters, the true power holder of the Winters family, whisper behind me: “Divorce him. I’ll take care of you.”

“How dare Aria Sinclair mention divorce?” “Hah, she’s just talking big. Would she really leave? Her paralyzed brother, her half-dead mother, which one of them could survive without the Winters’ money?” “Exactly. Look at how submissive she is to Caleb. That maid outfit really suits her.” “Let’s place bets! I’ll put down a million that she’s just putting on a show today. In the end, she’ll obediently stay.” “I’m in. It’s a sure win.” I clenched the hem of my maid outfit, looking towards Caleb. The girl beside him was Mia Sullivan, a new model his company had just signed. She was now giggling as she poured more wine into his glass. Caleb held his wine glass, looking at me with a mocking smile. “Look at that. The person we Winters raised can’t even serve properly now?” “Who was it that knelt and begged us Winters to take her in back then? What’s this? After being Mrs. Winters for a few years, you’ve gotten too proud to serve?” Mia giggled and stretched her foot towards me. “Mr. Winters, my feet are so sore. Make her rub them for me?” “You heard her,” Caleb tapped my calf with the tip of his shoe. “Get to it.” He always did this, pushing me into the mud in front of everyone, watching me struggle. I crouched down, took off her shoe, and started massaging, one press at a time. His friends burst into raucous laughter, their faces full of schadenfreude. Just when everyone was waiting to see me swallow my pride as I had for the past seven years, I put Mia’s shoe back on, slowly stood up, and met his gaze. “Caleb Winters, let’s get a divorce.” The room fell silent for a few seconds, then erupted into even more unrestrained mockery. Caleb acted as if he’d heard something unbelievable. The casual smile on his face vanished completely. He shook off Mia and strode over to me in one step, his large hand violently gripping my neck. “Say that again?” His voice was low and vicious. “Aria Sinclair, have you forgotten how you begged like a dog at my family’s doorstep, asking my mother to take you in?” “You want a divorce? Fine!” The force on my neck suddenly increased, forcing me to look up at him. “Do you believe I’ll cut off your brother’s medical expenses right now? Let him die along with your half-dead mother!” “What you owe our Winters family, you can’t repay even in your next life!” Tears finally fell uncontrollably. That snowy winter night seven years ago floated before my eyes once again. My father was driving us to pay New Year’s visits when he swerved to avoid a child who suddenly ran into the road. The car lost control and crashed into an oncoming vehicle. In that car sat Caleb Winters’ father. The accident scene was horrific. My father died on the spot, my mother became a vegetable, and my brother suffered a severe spinal injury, condemning him to spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair. And Caleb Winters’ father couldn’t be saved either. I knelt for a long, long time outside the Winters’ mansion. Snow and blood from my forehead mixed together as I kept kowtowing, begging Mrs. Winters to save my mother and brother who were still in the hospital. I was willing to do anything, to atone for the Winters family for a lifetime. Mrs. Winters finally nodded. She said, “Stay. From now on, take good care of Caleb.” I moved into the servants’ quarters of the Winters house, serving wholeheartedly. One night, Caleb, reeking of alcohol, barged into my room. The smell of liquor and hatred hit me: “Marry me! You have to live under my nose for the rest of your life, watching how I suffer because of your family! That’s how you atone!” To atone, I agreed. To repay Mrs. Winters’ kindness, I endured Caleb for seven whole years. But Mrs. Winters passed away from heart disease six months ago. I could no longer find a reason to endure. This kind of life, I didn’t want to suffer through for even one more day. Just as I was about to pass out from being choked, I seemed to hear a vague sentence float by. “Divorce him. I’ll take care of you.” It must be some bored person playing a prank on me. My vision was blurring, and I had no strength to see clearly.

Back at the Winters mansion, Caleb once again threw me into the servants’ room. “Don’t come out without my permission!” He slammed the door shut with a bang. I slid to the floor. My neck, which had just been gripped, was still throbbing with pain. My heart felt numb. I don’t know how long it had been when my phone suddenly rang shrilly. It was an unknown number. “Is this Ms. Aria Sinclair? This is Central Hospital. Your brother Alex Sinclair has developed post-operative complications. His condition is critical. Please come immediately!” My head felt like it was exploding. I sprang up from the floor, frantically pounding on the door. “Caleb Winters! Open the door! I need to go to the hospital!” “My brother is in trouble! Please, open the door quickly!” There was no response from outside, only faint music. “Caleb Winters! Open the door!” I pounded on the door with all my might. My hands turned red, and my throat went hoarse. After a long while, the door was finally opened. Caleb stood in the doorway, his clothes somewhat disheveled. “What are you making a fuss about in the middle of the night?” Mia was clinging to him, looking at me with seductive eyes and a smile. “What trick is big sister trying to play now? Mr. Winters is quite busy, you know.” “My brother needs surgery! Caleb, take me to the hospital, please!” I rushed forward to grab his arm, but he shook me off in disgust. “Aria Sinclair, haven’t you had enough of this act?” Mia whispered in his ear: “Mr. Winters, I think she’s just trying to get your attention like this. What a manipulative bitch.” Caleb pinched Mia’s chin, smiling. “You’re such a good girl.” When he looked at me again, his eyes were cold as ice: “Weren’t you so good at crawling back then? All the way from my family’s doorstep, making my mom soft-hearted enough to take you in. Now if you want to go to the hospital, you can crawl there yourself.” Mia laughed, looking at me with triumphant eyes. Caleb no longer looked at me. He left with his arm around Mia, slamming the door again. “Caleb Winters!” No matter how I shouted, there was no more movement outside. This won’t do. I can’t wait! I looked around this small room. The windows were sealed with iron bars. The only way out was that door. I found a broken mop handle and tried to pry the door lock with all my strength. The lock was very sturdy. It didn’t budge after several attempts. Time ticked by, and I was frantic with worry. I spotted a fire extinguisher in the corner. Without thinking, I grabbed it and smashed it against the door lock! The loud noise was particularly jarring, but finally, the lock was broken! I rushed towards the main door as fast as I could. The security guards tried to stop me, but I just kept running, heedless. Rain mixed with tears blurred my face, biting cold. Just when I despairingly thought I would run my legs off, a beam of headlights illuminated me. The window lowered, revealing a sharply defined profile. It was Caleb’s uncle, Lucas Winters. “Get in,” he said concisely. I practically crawled into the passenger seat on all fours. With no time for thanks, I blurted out the name of the hospital incoherently. He said nothing more, driving quickly towards Central Hospital. As I got out of the car, Lucas handed me a business card, telling me: “If you encounter any trouble you can’t solve in the future, try contacting this number. Remember, you are your own person first.” My mind was in chaos. I clutched the card and ran out of the car. Rushing into the emergency room, I grabbed a nurse and asked, “Alex Sinclair! How is my brother Alex Sinclair?” The nurse looked at me, her face full of hesitant sympathy. The door of the nearby operating room opened just then. The doctor walked out wearily, taking off his mask. “We did our best.” “The patient insisted on having that surgery himself. The success rate wasn’t high, but he persisted, saying he wanted to stand up, to give his sister a surprise…” The doctor sighed, “This is the letter he wrote before the surgery, asking us to pass it on to you.” The nurse stuffed a letter into my hand. “Sis, by the time you read this letter, I might have succeeded, or… I might have gone to find Dad. Don’t cry, big sis.” “I know how much you’ve suffered for Mom and me all these years. It’s all because I’ve been holding you back. I want to stand up. I don’t want to watch you being bullied by Caleb anymore.” “The doctor said there’s a new surgery. Although it’s a bit risky, what if it works? I want to stand in front of you like a man and tell you that I can take care of you now.” “Sis, none of this is your fault. Don’t blame yourself. If it fails… don’t be sad either. I’m just going to find Dad. He must miss me too. You have to live well, live for our share too.” “Your brother who will always love you, Alex.” I hugged that letter, sitting in the hospital corridor, crying my heart out.

My brother’s ashes were light, fitting into a small ceramic urn. I knelt before my father’s grave, hugging the tombstone, my fingers tracing the engraved words. “Dad, Alex has come to keep you company.” “You won’t be in pain anymore where you are.” I went to the hospital, holding my mother’s withered hand against my face. “Mom, I’ll take care of you from now on.” The money I’ve saved from taking on private jobs over the years is enough to pay for medical expenses. I don’t need the Winters family’s support anymore. Leaving the hospital, my feet unconsciously led me back to our old house one last time. I dug out an old photo album from the corner. There was a photo of Alex when he was fifteen. He was on the green field, wearing a jersey, smiling like the sun. Holding that album, I returned to the Winters mansion. Pushing open the door, it was still the same deafening music and flirtatious laughter. Caleb was slouched in the center of the sofa, Mia nestled against him, surrounded by several young and beautiful female artists, all signed to his company, chattering away. Over the past seven years, I’ve grown tired of this scene. He had made me dress up as a bunny girl, as a snake woman, just to give them more amusement. But today, I won’t play along anymore. I walked over and put the divorce agreement on the coffee table in front of them. “Caleb Winters, sign it.” Caleb picked up those few pages, his gaze falling on the title. He snorted. “Aria Sinclair, you really don’t give up, do you? Coming with this again?” He crumpled the agreement in his hand, contemptuously throwing it on the ground. “Getting smarter now? Forgot how you were begging me to open the door yesterday? Now you’re putting on this act again?” “Want a divorce? I’ll tell you what, in this lifetime, you can forget about it!” I don’t know why, but tears suddenly fell, without warning. Caleb looked at the wet trails on my face. He reached out his hand, almost touching my cheek, then suddenly stopped, throwing his hand back even more forcefully. “Put away this crying act of yours! Who are you trying to fool? I’m telling you, Caleb Winters doesn’t fall for this!” I looked at him, forcing back the tears: “Caleb Winters, it’s been seven years. I’ve used everything I have to atone. Now Alex is dead. This debt, I don’t want to repay anymore.” “What did you say? Alex is dead?” Caleb’s face changed. Mia bent down to pick up the album from the table. She acted as if she had discovered something particularly interesting, speaking in an affected voice: “Is this your crippled brother? He looked quite lively back then.” She then picked up Alex’s letter, “What’s this? Oh my, this handwriting is so ugly! It’s like chicken scratch. He wasn’t illiterate, was he?” The people around laughed uproariously. Mia fanned herself with the letter, her hand slipping, the letter fluttering to the ground. She raised her foot, about to step on it— That letter was written by Alex, using fingers that couldn’t bend properly, painstakingly forming each stroke! I lunged forward, grabbing Mia’s hair, pulling her down and pinning her to the carpet! “Don’t touch that!” Caleb answered a phone call, his face turning ashen as he hung up. He turned back and with one move threw me off. My lower back hit the corner of the coffee table hard, the pain making my vision go black. “Aria Sinclair, have you gone mad?! Seducing me wasn’t enough, you’re even going after my uncle?! Does our Winters family owe you or something?!” He dragged me by my hair like a dead dog: “Shameless! Go kneel in the ancestral hall! Apologize to my father, to Mia!” He kicked away the prayer mat in the ancestral hall, “Kneel properly!” I looked at his twisted face, hunched over as I knelt down, my forehead slowly touching the stone tiles. The ancestral hall was very quiet, with only the sound of my heavy breathing left. I don’t know how long I knelt there. My consciousness gradually blurred, sinking completely into darkness.

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Five years ago, the Chen and Brooks families decided to arrange a marriage between their children through a random draw. Lucas Chen, who had always been fond of my younger sister, ended up being matched with me. After standing me up 99 times at the courthouse, he resolutely chose to go on a business trip to Kenya, a country with harsh living conditions. He left for five years. The day after he left, my sister Rachel abandoned her arranged fiancé and emigrated to Kenya as well. Five years later, Lucas returned to the country with Rachel and their daughter Lily. He arrogantly informed me: “Since we have to follow the arranged marriage rules, I will only marry Rachel.” “As long as you stay at home and take good care of her and Lily, I won’t embarrass you in front of others.” The man who was originally waiting for my response looked down at my daughter Emma, whom I was holding hands with, and suddenly smiled: “So you got pregnant after just one time? Looks like you have no choice but to agree now.” I covered Emma’s mouth as she was about to call him “Daddy” and whispered to her: “How about I find you a new daddy? Is that okay?”

Five-year-old Emma immediately understood my meaning. She jumped up and down excitedly, clapping her hands, and looked up at me to whisper: “Is it that handsome uncle who always takes me to the carnival?” I forced a smile and nodded at her. Seeing us smiling instead of getting angry, Lucas, who was affectionately holding little Lily, frowned, seemingly displeased: “What are you two whispering about?” Seeing that I had no intention of answering him, the man’s tone turned cold again: “It’s settled then. I’m sure you understand the situation. Rachel and I have known each other since childhood. You’re just getting in the way. Since you’ve given birth to my child, I won’t abandon you, but remember to behave yourself.” Emma and I had waited for Lucas for five years. I had to comfort her almost every day, telling her that her daddy was just working abroad and would be back soon. Countless times, I saw the longing in Emma’s eyes when she saw other children with their fathers. She even developed autism because of it. My heart ached as if it was being squeezed. If it weren’t for Rachel’s ex-fiancé taking care of us, Emma’s autism might have gotten worse. But after enduring these five years, what we got was Lucas returning with Rachel and their daughter, demanding that I become their housekeeper. Although Emma liked her new dad, seeing Lucas, her biological father, holding another little girl, she couldn’t help but show a pitiful expression of envy. Lucas noticed Emma’s gaze and handed Lily to Rachel before crouching down to caress Emma’s little face. But the next second, Lily ran over and scratched Emma’s face, leaving a bloody mark. She pouted arrogantly: “This is my daddy, you can’t steal my daddy!” Emma endured the pain with the scratch on her face, biting her lip to hold back tears. Her eyes were brimming with unshed tears. Growing up without a father’s companionship had taught her to be strong beyond her years. She seemed to know that she didn’t have a father to stand up for her, but as her mother, my chest hurt so much I could barely breathe. I turned my gaze to Lucas, who remained unmoved. He instinctively shielded Lily behind him and defended her: “It’s just children being naughty. Are you really going to make a fuss over this? That’s enough.” Hearing his completely biased words, I lowered my head and laughed bitterly. Why did I still feel disappointed when I knew this would be his attitude… When Lily tried to run over to hit Emma again, Lucas stopped her with a look. She halted in her tracks. Rachel knowingly took Lily into her arms and deliberately raised her voice: “Don’t be angry, sweetie. Daddy built a princess fairy tale kingdom especially for your birthday, and even bought you a star. Even your little braids today were done by daddy. Of course, daddy only loves you, his one and only daughter.” After saying this, Rachel, who was crouching down, tugged at Lucas’s pant leg and blinked her eyes, asking: “Lucas, am I right?”

Lucas didn’t answer directly, but his tender gaze towards Rachel and Lily answered everything. Rachel, who had been gloomy because of Emma’s existence, suddenly became cheerful. She stood up and linked arms with Lucas. “Sis, we’re just comforting the child. Don’t take it seriously.” She emphasized the word “we” as if they were a loving couple who had been together for years. Emma heard about all those enviable father-daughter interactions that Rachel mentioned. The word “Daddy” that she had been holding back for five years was once again swallowed timidly. Lily straightened her back proudly and clamored to go see her grandparents. Lucas immediately picked her up lovingly. Before leaving, he glanced coldly at the red mark on Emma’s face and didn’t forget to instruct me: “Come to the family house tonight for Lily’s birthday celebration. Remember not to say anything unnecessary. Just say Emma bumped into something.” Watching the family of three laughing and joking as they got into the car, Emma finally showed her vulnerable and grieving side, mumbling: “Then let Uncle Ethan be my daddy. Mom never cries when she’s with him. I don’t want mom to be sad…” Hearing her say this, I realized that there were faint tear tracks on my face. After returning home, Emma eagerly called Ethan. He quickly responded: “It should have been this way long ago. Wait for me, Emma. Uncle will take the earliest flight back home.” I originally thought that no matter how much Lucas disliked me, he would at least treat his biological daughter well and take good care of Emma wholeheartedly. But now that he has Lily, he can no longer be a competent father to Emma. I think a stepfather might not necessarily be worse than a biological father. In the evening, Lucas personally drove back to pick up Emma and me. He leaned against the car, not even bothering to step into the marital home he hadn’t set foot in for five years. Seeing Emma’s face covered with a large bandage, Lucas made a move to check on her, but Emma dodged him. Although the child is young, she understands everything. I silently got into the car with my daughter, watching Lucas’s hands awkwardly freeze in mid-air. After a long while, he angrily sat in the driver’s seat and looked back at me dissatisfied: “Sophia, did you teach Emma to ignore me?” “I didn’t expect you to still be so jealous. Let me ask you, how long are you going to hold a grudge against me?” Perhaps in the past, I would have really been jealous and angry that he only had eyes for Rachel. But now, I just looked out the window and calmly reminded him: “Let’s go. If we’re late, everyone will be worried.” Lucas’s hand gripping the steering wheel unconsciously tightened, his knuckles gradually turning white. The journey was silent. We arrived at the Chen family house. The Chen family elders were very fond of Lily and were willing to give the entire family fortune to the mother and daughter. “Rachel, the chain of hotels under the Chen Group will be handed over to you in the future. Consider it our dowry for Lily.” Seeing my arrival, Rachel deliberately showed off the family heirloom jade bracelet on her wrist and quickly thanked them. Then she feigned surprise: “What about Emma? Shouldn’t the Chen family prepare a dowry for her too?” Just as the elders realized Emma’s existence and their faces flashed with embarrassment, Lucas casually interjected: “We’ve established a primary school in rural Kenya, Emma can…” Before he could finish, I directly interrupted him: “Lucas, keep it for yourselves. Emma doesn’t need it.”

Perhaps it was the first time he heard me call him by his full name, Lucas was stunned. Seeing this, Rachel tightly held onto Lucas’s arm and spoke in a sarcastic tone: “Sister must be angry, right? But after all, Lily is the legitimate heir of the Chen family. It’s reasonable for the elders to arrange things this way.” “However, as her aunt, I’ll definitely arrange a job for Emma in the future. I can’t bear to see her go hungry.” Lucas immediately smiled with doting eyes and pinched the woman’s chin: “I knew you were the kindest, always thinking of others no matter what.” Emma and I were squeezed into a corner, completely out of place with all the Chen family members. Of course, we were considered “others.” Seeing that we were not welcomed, even the servants began to gossip without restraint: “Knowing that the young master liked Rachel, she still shamelessly gave birth to a little burden. How shameless!” “Huh, anyway, the young master won’t marry her. The Chen family giving them food and shelter is like throwing scraps to beggars. If they want to stay, let them stay…” Everyone gathered around Lily, singing her happy birthday song and blowing out candles with her. Emma had always crouched outside the dining room window watching others celebrate birthdays as a family of three, but now that Lucas was back, she still could only watch from the side. After dinner, Lucas took Lily to the rooftop to watch the fireworks display. Rachel found me. “Sis, you shouldn’t have given birth to Emma. Do you really want to use a child to steal my happy family?” Looking back now, it’s laughable. If Lucas hadn’t made excuses to go on a business trip, promising to come back and fulfill our engagement, I wouldn’t have given birth to Emma. Seeing that I remained silent, the hatred in Rachel’s eyes became more obvious: “You know what? No matter how hard you try, even with a child, you can’t steal Lucas’s heart. I am the rightful Mrs. Chen!” As she spoke, the woman showed off the family heirloom jade bracelet on her wrist, smiling triumphantly: “Don’t you think it’s redundant for you and Emma to stay in the Chen family?” Then she began to grit her teeth: “I’m tired of beating around the bush with you. I’ll say it directly, take your bastard child and get out of the Chen family!” As soon as she finished speaking, a slap unexpectedly landed on my face. Emma heard the commotion and ran over, directly pushing Rachel away and standing protectively in front of me: “Don’t bully my mom!” Lily also rushed over to help Rachel, getting into a fight with Emma. The scene became increasingly chaotic. I originally wanted to quickly break up the fight, but Rachel held me back and even encouraged her daughter to scratch Emma freely. “Lily, don’t be afraid. Daddy will support you. Even if you scratch up a wild child like her, no one will care!” Lily completely inherited her mother’s viciousness, pinning Emma to the ground and bullying her without restraint. Until Emma couldn’t bear it anymore and used all her strength to push Lily to the ground, breaking free from the restraint. Unexpectedly, Lucas, who arrived late, saw this scene and without a word, slapped Emma across the face.

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After another disagreement with Lucas about marriage, he went to sleep in the guest room. At 2 AM, I wanted to apologize. But as I approached the guest room door, I overheard him on the phone: “Dating and marriage are two different things. Ivy can’t handle the rules of high society. Not marrying her is for her own good.” “I don’t have a suitable marriage prospect anyway, so I’m just taking it day by day. After all, she saved my life. I can’t bring myself to break up with her…” I didn’t confront him. I just went back to our room and lay awake until dawn. Early the next morning, I sat down across from Lucas’s mother, Rachel: “Is your previous offer still valid? I don’t choose Lucas anymore. I want the money.” Rachel took a leisurely sip of coffee before looking up at me. “Are you sure? If you take the money, I’ll never allow Lucas to marry you.” The scene before me was similar to five years ago. But back then, I had unhesitatingly refused Rachel’s check. I had declared confidently: “Lucas and I love each other, so my grandfather and I won’t charge for treating him!” Lost in thought for a few seconds, I came back to the present: “Don’t worry, once I get the money, I plan to break up with Lucas.” Hearing this, Rachel didn’t waste any more words. “Give me your account details. I’ll transfer the money to you shortly.” As I was leaving, Rachel added one more reminder: “You know Lucas’s personality. If you suddenly bring up breaking up, he definitely won’t agree.” I paused for a moment, nodded, and left without another word. When I got home, Lucas was busy in the kitchen. Seeing this scene, I suddenly remembered how clumsy he had been in the kitchen a few years ago. Back then, I never could have imagined that the famous heir to the Wilson family would one day learn hundreds of different dishes just for me. Of course, I also couldn’t have imagined that this man who seemed to only have eyes for me had never actually thought about having a future with me. “Where did you go so early? Are you still mad at me?” Lucas put the food on the table and came over to hug me. “I was in a bad mood last night. Let’s eat first, and then we’ll go try on wedding dresses this afternoon.” If I hadn’t overheard his conversation with his friend, I would have happily given Lucas a kiss right now. After hesitating for a few seconds between refusing and agreeing, I decided to give myself one last dream. So I softly replied, “Okay.” However, my dream was shattered halfway through. As soon as I put on the wedding dress, Lucas barely glanced at it before saying he had an urgent matter at the company and had to leave. Just after he left, Rachel sent me an address with a message: “In case you don’t know what reason to use for breaking up, I’ll help you out.” In all the years I’ve been with Lucas, I haven’t met his mother Rachel very often. But I’ve always known that if Lucas and I got married, she would be a pretty good mother-in-law. Now that she knows Lucas and I won’t have a future together, she’s efficiently stepped in to start arranging blind dates for him. Unfortunately, I failed to catch Lucas in the act of going on a blind date. Because on the way there, I stopped to help a pedestrian who suddenly fell ill. After taking them to the hospital, I no longer had the energy to confront Lucas. So I went back to the place Lucas and I had lived for several years. When Lucas returned, he saw me packing my things. “Ivy, I’m sorry. Let’s try on wedding dresses in a couple of days, okay?” Rachel, probably afraid I’d change my mind, had been sending me photos of Lucas with his blind date all afternoon. They looked perfectly matched, smiling and chatting away. I was calmer than I expected. While packing our couple items into a bag, I replied noncommittally: “We’ll see.” Lucas wanted to say something, but his phone chimed, distracting him. When he looked back, he had changed the subject: “Adam invited us over for a bit. Let’s go, and when we get back, I’ll help you pack.” Now wasn’t the right time to have it out with him. I had no choice but to go along. As soon as we entered the private room, I sensed something was off about the atmosphere. Adam, who usually joked around and called me “little sister-in-law” as soon as he saw me, kept glancing at a woman sitting in the corner. Following his gaze, in the flickering light, the woman’s face perfectly matched Lucas’s blind date from that afternoon.

Lucas led me to sit in the center, not even glancing at the woman. He handed me a glass of juice and gestured for Adam to introduce the woman. “Luke, Iv- I mean, Ivy, this is my cousin Wendy. She just got back from abroad a couple days ago. She doesn’t have many friends here, so I brought her along.” Maybe out of guilt, Adam’s voice got quieter as he spoke. Lucas’s face betrayed nothing. He nodded briefly at his blind date before looking away. “Hi there, may I sit here?” A few minutes later, Wendy sat down next to me, holding a Yorkshire terrier. Because I had been focused on Lucas, I clearly saw him frown slightly when Wendy sat down. I’m a bit slow to warm up to people. Not knowing how to handle the current situation, I just smiled awkwardly. “I heard your family has a history of royal physicians? Momo’s appetite isn’t good, could you take a look?” Healing and saving lives is my family’s ancestral teaching. Ignoring the strange feeling in my heart, I replied seriously: “Besides poor appetite, does the patient have any other symptoms?” Wendy laughed and held up the little dog in front of me: “Here, there’s no human patient, just an unwell little dog. It’s a life too, Ivy. You wouldn’t refuse to help, would you?” Our family has always been small. When my grandfather was young, he almost lost his life due to certain circumstances. After the founding of New China, he lived in hiding for a few years. But eventually he was called out of retirement to save lives. In my memory, those who knew my grandfather’s background were always very respectful to our family. Even though I was a girl, once people knew I was the only heir to the Sang family in this generation, they rarely spoke to me like this. “Wendy! Where are your manners?! Do you know who you’re talking to?!” Adam angrily rebuked her, then turned to apologize to me: “Ivy, I’m so sorry. This girl’s been spoiled by the family. Please don’t take it to heart.” After I got together with Lucas, his friends basically all asked me to check their parents’ pulses. I once detected a problem with Adam’s mother’s body when she showed no obvious symptoms. Although Lucas had already recovered by then, they thought it was all thanks to my grandfather’s skills and were half-skeptical of me. But Adam still took his mother to the hospital for a checkup, out of respect for Lucas. As a result, they were able to intervene before the lesion became cancerous. This is why, among Lucas’s friends, Adam is so warm towards me. “Miss Summers doesn’t understand medicine, does she? Examining humans and pets are completely different things.” I hadn’t spoken yet, but Lucas chimed in first. However, he didn’t seem to be taking my side at all, and continued calmly: “Ivy isn’t petty. Miss Summers meant no offense, she won’t take it personally.” There had been similar situations before. When someone badmouthed me behind my back and Lucas overheard, he immediately got physical. But now? Just because she’s his socially-compatible blind date, he can be infinitely tolerant? “I’m so sorry, Ivy. I was too impulsive. You don’t mind, right?” As she spoke, Wendy placed her cool hand on my arm. A strong feeling of discomfort welled up from the bottom of my heart. Afraid I might show an odd expression in front of everyone, I quickly stood up: “I don’t mind, but I need to use the restroom. Excuse me.” After adjusting my breathing in the bathroom for a while, I decided to clear things up with Lucas as soon as possible and returned to the private room. Maybe because I had left in such a hurry earlier, the door wasn’t fully closed, and I could hear the voices from inside. “Luke, even though Wendy’s my cousin, I have to be fair. If you want to get back together with her, you should be honest with Ivy. You’ve been together for so many years, and she even saved your life. If you have any conscience, don’t play her for a fool!”

I stopped my hand that was about to push open the door. So Lucas and Wendy knew each other from before? They had even been together? “With Ivy’s personality, if I say we should break up, she’ll leave immediately. She has no family left – where would she go without me? Don’t get involved in this. Keep your mouth shut in front of Ivy, and I’ll talk to Wendy myself…” From Lucas’s words, it seemed he wanted to discuss marriage with Wendy while keeping me in the dark? Taking a deep breath, I withdrew my hand from the door and turned to leave. Less than half an hour after I got home, Lucas returned too. “Ivy, are you feeling unwell? Should we go to the hospital?” His concern didn’t seem fake. But that’s exactly why I felt even more disgusted. “I’ve already taken some medicine. Don’t you remember? I know medicine myself.” After scrutinizing me for a while and seeing that I really didn’t seem to be ill, Lucas breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s good. By the way, Adam said he’s throwing a welcome party for his cousin tomorrow. Do you want to come with me?” Closing my eyes briefly, I replied flatly: “I won’t go. I have an appointment for a house call tomorrow.” Lucas’s attention was drawn to his phone again, and he just gave a distracted “Oh” after a while. When I came back from using the bathroom in the middle of the night, I saw Lucas’s phone screen lit up on his pillow. Out of trust, I had never touched his privacy all these years. I was just going to turn off the screen and put it back. But the content that met my eyes made me hold my breath. [I didn’t expect Aunt to set us up on a blind date. Luke, I’ve missed you so much these past years.] Looking at the time the message was sent, it must have been right before Lucas came back from the blind date and said Adam had invited us out. Lucas hadn’t replied to this message. Next were messages from after Lucas and I arrived at the club. [Luke, is this the girlfriend you’ve been with for many years? She looks okay, but seems so boring. What do you like about her?] Lucas replied to this one quickly. [Even though both families want us to get married now, I haven’t broken up with Ivy yet. Watch what you say!] It seemed to be after this message that Wendy came to sit next to me with her dog. And the content of Lucas’s next messages was even more beyond my imagination. [You didn’t drive? Wait, I’ll have someone send you home.] [Are you home yet? Reply! Don’t make me worry!] [It’s not that I don’t want to get back together with you, but my girlfriend is innocent. I don’t want to hurt her.] At this point, Wendy finally responded. [You should know that in families like ours, marriage is rarely a matter of personal choice. But if you want to marry her, I’ll give you my blessing. I can even put in a good word with your mom. I want you to be happy more than I want to marry you.] It took Lucas a long time to reply: [Everyone thinks Ivy and I are a good match, that we have a great relationship. But only I know that I’ve never forgotten you all these years. I’ll talk to her. Wendy, from beginning to end, you’re the only woman I’ve ever wanted to marry.] This message was sent half an hour ago. Because I had things on my mind, I hadn’t been able to fall asleep. But I knew that during that time, Lucas had placed a glass of warm water by my bedside. Not only that, he had kissed my forehead and tucked me in. How difficult it must be for him, to juggle between two women. Afraid of another sleepless night, I alternately pressed the acupuncture points on my wrists. Finally, I slept soundly through the night.

Early the next morning, Lucas left. Shortly after he left, I received a friend request on my phone. Actually, I knew who it was just from the name. But after hesitating for a few seconds, I still chose to accept it. [My brother told me a lot about you. To be honest, if we hadn’t met under these circumstances, I would have liked to be friends with you. But there’s no helping it – there’s no room for a third person in a relationship. Luke and I are well-matched and have feelings for each other. We’ll definitely get married in the future. I don’t want things to get ugly, so why don’t you just leave on your own? It’s better for everyone.] Before Lucas came home yesterday, I had already cleared out all the couple items in the house. When Wendy sent her message, I was sorting through my own things. Everything in the house related to me, things I had bought. I took what I could carry and planned to throw away what I couldn’t. Seeing that I hadn’t replied for a while, Wendy sent another message. [You probably don’t know why Luke was so seriously ill back then, do you? It was actually because of me. I was young at the time, and after an argument with Luke, I angrily said we should break up and then went abroad. I only found out later that he had fallen seriously ill because of my departure and almost didn’t make it. I’m actually grateful to you for saving his life. I’m not saying this for any particular reason, just want you to know that what you thought was love might just be gratitude. Luke may have had feelings for you, but how much of it was actually love is hard to say.] I couldn’t quite describe how I felt. Since that night, my emotions had fallen into a state of numbness. Following my instincts, I had taken back the high consultation fee from Rachel that I should have received years ago. I had also warned myself that I must clear things up with Lucas as soon as possible. Now, I learned the truth that had been delayed for years. For a moment, I doubted whether the past few years of my life had been a dream. I had no ill feelings towards Wendy. Although her words were somewhat condescending, that was the confidence and assurance her family background gave her. And she was just stating facts, not being malicious. I was grateful to her. At this moment, she urged me to make up my mind. [I’ll be leaving soon. I wish you both happiness.] After sending this message, I put down my phone. After all, this was a place I had lived for years. Afraid of leaving things behind that might cause misunderstandings for Wendy in the future, I packed very carefully. Before leaving with my suitcase, I checked each room one last time. Only after confirming that I hadn’t left anything related to me did I feel at ease to leave. I didn’t expect to see Rachel at the airport. “I thought you weren’t leaving for a few days. Have you talked things over with Lucas yet?” Although Rachel was wearing a coat, it was clear she had on an evening gown underneath. She must have rushed over from Wendy’s welcome party. I briefly told Rachel about what had happened these past two days and what I had seen. When she heard what Wendy had said to me, Rachel raised her eyebrows in surprise. “I arranged that blind date for them purely to give you a reason to leave Lucas. To be honest, if I had to choose, I would still prefer you as my daughter-in-law.” I didn’t know how to respond to that. Rachel stepped forward and adjusted my collar. “Take good care of yourself from now on. Love yourself first before loving others. If there’s anything you’re unsure about, you can always come to me. Most importantly, don’t fall in love with someone carelessly.” I hadn’t shed a single tear these past few days. But after Rachel said those words, my tears fell uncontrollably. “Thank you, Rachel.” Thank you for being able to consider things from my perspective as a mother. After saying goodbye to Rachel, I found Lucas’s chat window. I sent him the screenshots I had taken last night of his conversation with Wendy. Then I sent a message: [Let’s break up. I wish you both happiness.]

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I discovered a chat log on Lucas’s phone in our third year of marriage. The other person was flirting with him. [Pretty please, take me to Disneyland this weekend? I was so good last night.] Lucas replied, [Let me see your chest first.] The contact was saved as “Little Puppy”. Lucas didn’t come home all night. When he returned, I was enjoying breakfast. A brand new Bulgari necklace was placed on the table. “Sherry, a gift for you,” he said. I gave a faint “Mm-hmm.” Perhaps my reaction was too casual. He paused, then kissed my forehead. “Be good, I’m going to take a shower.” The sound of running water came from the bathroom. His phone, left on the table, vibrated occasionally. I unlocked it – the password was my birthday. Inside were unread chat messages. The other person was flirting with him. [Pretty please, take me to Disneyland this weekend? I was so good last night.] Lucas replied, [Let me see your chest first.] The contact was saved as “Little Puppy”. The other person sent a photo almost instantly. Pink, sexy lace. I estimated it was an E cup. I held the phone and sent a voice message to the contact: [He’s in the shower.] The next second, the phone was snatched away. “Sherry, you’re going through my phone?” Lucas questioned accusingly. I looked up. “It’s quite big. No wonder you like it. I like it too.” He stared at me, frowning. “Don’t talk nonsense.” “The young girl is innocent.” He fidgeted with the phone as it rang. “Little Puppy” spoke with a tearful voice. “Lucas, is Mrs. Chen angry? Should I explain to her?” Lucas’s expression turned sympathetic as he comforted her softly, “It’s okay, don’t cry.” I yawned, about to turn and leave, feeling bored. A hand restrained me as Lucas gazed at me intently. “You don’t care?” I was confused. “Care about what?” His face suddenly darkened. We stared at each other for a few seconds. Lucas grew angrier. “Fine,” he spat. He slammed the door shut. Faintly, I could hear him comforting the girl: “Don’t cry, you’ll turn into a little flower dog. I’ll come see you soon.” I glanced over. There was a cabinet next to the door. Seven shelves full of Bulgari necklaces. Lucas’s apology gifts over these three years.

When I was eight, I became the true heiress of the Chen family, treading carefully in my new home. My parents favored the fake heiress, Tara. Tara’s childhood sweetheart was Lucas. They were inseparable since childhood. Until I appeared. On the day the Chen family was busy celebrating Tara’s graduation, everyone forgot my birthday. I bought a cake alone and hid in the backyard to eat it. When Lucas came, I was stomping on the unfinished cake. He raised an eyebrow and said, “What a waste.” I glared at him. “None of your business!” I ignored his intrigued look and ran off. After that, Lucas would invite me along when he and Tara went out. When rich boys teased me, he would coldly fight them. When Tara drugged and framed me, he recklessly drove to save me, spending three months in the hospital. On my birthday, he set off fireworks across the city for me. He protected me so fiercely that everyone knew. People joked that he was protecting his “future wife.” He didn’t deny it. I believed it too. So when I heard the Chen family wanted to marry me off to someone else, I immediately went to Lucas. “Either you marry me, or you watch me marry someone else.” “Lucas, you choose.” That night, he coaxed me into losing my virginity. Our fingers intertwined, skin touching skin. As we reached the climax together, he bit my earlobe and whispered in a low voice. “I, Lucas, will never betray you in this lifetime.” With the deed done, I naturally became Mrs. Chen. He kept his word— Flowers everywhere, jewelry worth hundreds of millions, and a wedding dress that took top designers five years to complete. The guest list spanned political, business and entertainment circles. Luxury hotels across the city were fully booked, and the wedding venue was Lucas’s family’s private villa. Faced with countless media questions, he only replied: “Because she’s Sherry Chen. She deserves it.”

The thing high society has no shortage of is gossip. The first time Lucas cheated, I was having afternoon tea with other wealthy wives. They were chatting about which husband was hiding a mistress, whose husband took his mistress to the Maldives. One wife sighed to me: “I really envy your husband. He protected you so fiercely before marriage.” “Marrying him,” I smiled shyly, “is probably the happiest thing in my life.” That wife smiled and nodded in agreement. That girl showed up at our door that very day. She had a high ponytail, youthful and vibrant, and extended her hand to me directly. “Mrs. Chen, I’m Lucas’s lover.” She spoke frankly. “Lucas said he likes me best in bed, much more interesting than Mrs. Chen.” For the first time in my life. I couldn’t control my upbringing and slapped her.

I thought the girl was simply provoking me. Until the day I received a video she sent. On a luxury yacht was a wild party of socialites. The atmosphere was lively, the lights dazzling. Lucas lounged lazily on a sofa. In the dim light, his expression was unclear. A girl’s legs were draped over his, her skin glaringly white. Everyone was chanting, “Kiss! Kiss!” Lucas’s fingers gripped the girl’s chin as he leaned in to kiss her. The next second, the girl started unbuttoning his shirt. The phone suddenly fell to the ground. My chest felt like it was blocked by a stone, pain spreading to my heart. When Lucas came home, I showed him the video. “Why? Why…” I questioned him over and over. In an instant, all the grievances rushed to my head. Tears rolled down like broken strings of pearls. I looked at him with pleading eyes, tugging at his sleeve. “Tell me what I’m doing wrong, I’ll change, okay?” “She made a scene in front of you?” Lucas rubbed his brow. “I’ll have someone take care of her.” No explanation, no comfort. Lucas seemed to have watched a farce, unmoved. I collapsed to the ground, sweeping the porcelain to the floor, hysterical. “Get out!” Lucas sighed finally, trying to straighten me up. “Sherry, you’re the only one in my heart.” He pulled me into his arms. “No one can replace you. I love you.” My rationality returned as I struggled to meet his gaze. “Then can you stop seeing other women? Lucas, please…” “Be good, be sensible.” He continued, “Just focus on being Mrs. Chen.” Those light words. Words like knives, cutting to the bone, stabbing my internal organs with pain. That night, he took me several times. Each time at the height of passion, he repeatedly promised in my ear: “Sherry, I love you.” I felt my tears had run dry, not knowing how to respond. After that, that girl disappeared. When attending gatherings, different women were by his side. Every time a scandal broke, he would give me a necklace. Every morning I woke up afraid of not seeing him, yet afraid of seeing him. I started refusing his touch, fearing smelling different perfumes; I started fearing going online, afraid of seeing gossip about him and other women; I started fearing calling him, afraid of hearing unwanted sounds. On nights he didn’t come home, I didn’t know how I managed to keep my eyes open until dawn. Some wives advised me, “Think positively, all men are like that.”

“Little Puppy” was indeed different. Lucas hadn’t come home for two months because of her. Compared to previous women, this could be considered doting. But when I saw her in person at home, I was stunned. For the first time, Lucas brought someone home. The girl was as delicate as a flower, with a gentle and outstanding temperament. In the dim morning light, I saw Lucas kneeling on the ground, tending to the girl’s wound. His movements were gentle, his face doting. “Does it hurt?” he asked. The girl shook her head. “Lucas, I’m fine.” Sunlight shone through the window onto them. This scene made me unsteady. The girl noticed me first. Like a frightened rabbit, she said, “Mrs. Chen, I’ll leave right away.” Sensible, obedient, discreet. Lucas held her back, introducing her to me frankly. “Sherry, this is my new secretary Tiffany.” I nodded. Then I heard him continue: “Tiffany will be accompanying me to a charity gala later. You two have similar builds, let her choose a dress from your closet.” I looked at him in disbelief as I watched them go upstairs. The closet was full of new seasonal styles. Tiffany browsed through them before her fingers landed on a cheongsam in the corner. She timidly asked me, “Can I try this one?” I glanced over – this cheongsam was one of the wedding dresses from our marriage. Fine silk, exquisite embroidery. I had carefully put it away in the closet. Sometimes I would take it out to look at, comforting myself that love hadn’t disappeared. Lucas once said, “This dress, only my wife can bring out its beauty.” I was about to refuse when Lucas directly handed it to Tiffany. “Go try it on.” I suddenly couldn’t understand Lucas anymore… A few minutes later, Tiffany came out in the dress. She did look good. A slender waist, the neckline revealing ambiguous red marks. Showcasing my husband’s good mood last night. Tiffany twirled on the spot, then sincerely said to me, “Thank you Mrs. Chen, I’ll wash the dress and return it after I use it.” “No need.” I refused, feigning composure. Tiffany’s face paled for a moment. She looked to Lucas for help. “Sherry, what’s wrong?” Lucas sighed helplessly, patting my head. “Don’t be petty, tonight’s gala is important.” “No need to return it, I find it dirty.” I stared at him, enunciating each word. The words were quite blunt. Lucas was stunned for a moment. He lowered his eyes, seeming to realize something. “Then I’ll buy you a new one. Recently…” “Okay.” I interrupted him. “Aren’t you two busy?” Lucas chuckled dryly. “Sherry, are you chasing us out?” “You used to be so clingy, cooking soup for me, picking out my clothes every morning. Now you don’t do anything.” His words carried a hint of grievance. Lucas, how should I tell you? When I eagerly waited for you to drink the soup I made, you’d rather squat by the roadside eating dumplings with your new flame. The tie I carefully knotted for you became a tool for bedroom flirtation.

As the Mid-Autumn Festival approached, Lucas suggested accompanying me back to the Chen family. He said, “Sherry, you’ve been too tired lately. It’s a good chance to relax with family.” I had no opinion. As for the Chen family, perhaps they couldn’t be called family. Since I was found and brought back to the Chen family, they continued to favor the fake heiress Tara. Giving her company shares, letting her inherit the family business. Even when I once stood in the snow trying to get their attention, catching a cold with a 39°C fever, they only said: “So troublesome, not obedient like Tara at all.” It wasn’t until I married Lucas that they started paying me a little attention, for the sake of cooperating with the Lu family. The car stopped in the Chen family courtyard. Today seemed to be a party hosted by the Chens, with people coming and going. Just as I got out of the car, the Chen family’s housekeeper called me away. “Miss, Madam is looking for you.” Lucas said: “Go ahead, I’ll wait for you.” The housekeeper led me through the crowd into the study. A stack of papers flew at my face, hitting the ground. The paper edges cut my face like blades, stinging with pain. Mother pointed at me. “Sherry Chen, you dare to divorce?” The papers that fell to the ground were clearly a divorce agreement. It was what I had asked a lawyer to print a few days ago, originally kept in a drawer at home. Mrs. Chen glared at me, her tone contemptuous. “A woman who can’t keep her husband in check is useless.” “Anyway, don’t even think about divorce!” Over the years, everyone knew. The Chen family had leveraged this in-law relationship with the Lu family to do a lot of business. I gently closed my eyes. “What if I insist?” “Then you’ll be the enemy of both the Chen and Lu families.” Mother sneered. I turned to leave. Walking to the end of the long corridor, Lucas was leaning against a pillar smoking. A wisp of white smoke lingered hazily in front of his cold features. The trees swayed, quiet enough to hear the wind. Our eyes met, and he spoke first. “Sherry, don’t blame me. I love you too much.” His fingertips brushed over the wound on my face, his voice pained. “You’re so good, how could I let you go?” I shrank my fingers, avoiding his hand. “I hope you can keep watching me forever.” He smiled indulgently, as if looking at a harmless kitten. When the cigarette burned out, he acted as if nothing had happened, taking my hand and walking out.

Lucas had been staying home to accompany me these past few days. One morning as I came downstairs, I was surprised to see a busy figure in the kitchen. “You’re up. I made breakfast.” He set out toast and milk, pulling out a chair for me. I gave a small “Mm” and started eating. He wasn’t annoyed, scrolling through his phone. “There’s a concert today, let’s go watch it together after we eat.” Just as we were about to leave, Lucas’s phone rang. With his hand on the steering wheel, he naturally turned to me and said, “Honey, can you check who’s calling?” That term of endearment made us both freeze. I glanced at the screen – oh, “Little Puppy”. Lucas suddenly realized something and snatched the phone away, turning off the screen. Tiffany kept calling persistently. Finding it too noisy, I put on my headphones. I watched Lucas answer the call, listening to what the other person said. Then Lucas took off my headphones. “I’ll have the driver take you. Something came up at the company.” Watching his retreating figure, I felt a subconscious relief. This was the normal Lucas. The seats Lucas bought were in the front row. Apparently it was a solo cello recital by the famous performer Jason Jiang. When Jason came on stage, I was surprised to find— The gifted cellist was so young! The young man sat down casually, his thin pale hands gripping the cello. Messy bangs fell over his high nose and thin lips. Clear, melodious cello music echoed throughout the hall. Someone quietly exclaimed, “It’s so beautiful.” After the performance, it started raining outside. The audience had mostly left. I was looking for a room to wait for the driver. Before I entered, I overheard people talking: “Jason, didn’t the Jiang family forbid you from playing cello? I heard they even cut off your cards.” Another voice replied irritably, “Giving up is impossible.” The Jiang family. Could it be the mysterious heir of the prestigious Jiang family? I paused and turned, walking up to tap his shoulder. “I’ll sponsor you.” Jason scoffed, hands in pockets. “You’re that rich?” I pulled out several cards from my purse. “This one has no limit, this one has some pocket money, about 3-4 million, and this one…” I hesitated, looking up. “Is it enough? If not I can ask my husband for more.” Jason was visibly shaken.

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I successfully wrapped up a five-year research project, and my girlfriend, who comes from a wealthy family, and I finally decided to get engaged. While sampling dishes at the hotel, I happened to run into my ex-girlfriend Esme and a group of old classmates who were also celebrating an engagement party. So much has changed over the years. I had long since let go of any past grievances and was ready to offer Esme my congratulations and catch up with old friends. Esme, on the arm of her affluent fiancé Declan, pointed at my simple clothes with a finger adorned by a five-carat diamond ring, and with a smug look, mocked me as someone who could only afford verbal blessings. Laughter erupted from the wealthy guests and old classmates as Esme tossed her hair with exaggerated confidence. Fingering the black card in my pocket, I thought she might be in for a surprise. 0 “Declan, this is Caspian, our class president from high school. Look at his thrift store outfit; I wonder how he’s been managing all these years. Let’s just take his blessings as a token of goodwill.” Esme, dressed in an extravagant haute couture gown, wore a smile full of undisguised contempt, casually displaying the five-carat diamond ring on her finger while holding her fiancé’s hand. A few mocking laughs echoed around, and disdainful glances swept over me, making me frown with discomfort. These past years, I’ve been dedicated to my project, working tirelessly day and night, often re-wearing the same clothes for convenience, my mind focused solely on work, leaving little room for fashion. I came straight from the research institute today and didn’t have time to change. Despite their education, these people still judge by appearances. I suppressed my annoyance. After all, we’ve been classmates for many years; I didn’t want to argue with them. And since it’s an engagement, a joyful occasion, I should show some courtesy. I touched the black card in my pocket, feeling it might be impolite to just use it, and they might not even have a card machine. Scanning the crowd, I saw my good high school buddy Jude winking at me. “Jude, I didn’t bring my phone today. Could you lend me some money?” As soon as I finished speaking, laughter erupted. “Hahaha, really, Caspian? You’re actually asking for money?” “Look at him, so pathetic. Can he even pay it back?” “If you can’t offer anything, just say so. Don’t give me the ‘I didn’t bring my phone today’ excuse, it’s hilarious.” Jude jumped in front of me, glaring angrily at everyone, speaking harshly. “What’s wrong with you? Caspian just forgot his phone; it’s no big deal.” I patted Jude’s shoulder, ready to take out the black card, but Esme, covering her mouth with a light laugh, interrupted me. “Caspian, it’s clear you’re having a tough time. Don’t pretend to be wealthy; Declan and I aren’t concerned with your token gifts.” Declan arrogantly scrutinized me, sneering with disdain in his eyes. “Forget it, Esme. Today’s our big day. Later, let the kitchen pack up some food for him.” Esme smugly raised her eyebrows at me, then turned with a face full of affection, playfully teasing Declan. “Declan, you’re so kind-hearted.” The people around them fawned and echoed, bowing and scraping so much that calling them lapdogs would be an insult to dogs. Declan chuckled, not caring, but his words had a pointed tone. “I’m used to doing charity with my mom. It’s no trouble at all.” Jude, unable to stand it, wanted to argue with them, but I held him back. I coldly scoffed, finally seeing Esme for who she really was. Thinking she had snagged a rich guy, she wanted to flaunt and belittle her ex to satisfy her pitiful vanity. And her wealthy fiancé wasn’t any better; his refined appearance couldn’t hide his vulgar roots. “Did you throw this engagement party just to collect money?” 0

Esme’s face turned sour quickly. “Caspian, do you have to be so harsh? I kindly invited you to my engagement party and even worried about your financial difficulties. Is this how you repay those who help you, with malicious speculation?” She sure knows how to twist the truth. I was too lazy to argue with them any further, and with a nod to Jude, I planned to leave, but Esme stepped forward and grabbed me. I shook off her hand with some disgust, her face twisted in embarrassment. “What? You’re feeling guilty and admitting it? Sneaking away with your tail between your legs is really your style.” I couldn’t help but laugh at their antics. “Is hooking up with a wealthy guy not enough to satisfy your vanity? Do you have to step on me to show your superiority? You really need to work on that mindset.” “The value of life isn’t measured solely by money. Instead of stirring up trouble here, why not do something meaningful with your time?” Out of respect for old classmates, I decided to offer them some advice. My colleagues exhaust themselves daily for research, thinking of ways to contribute more to the country and its people. Their worldview, however, is truly baffling. Declan’s face also turned ugly, looking at me as if to say, “Who do you think you are to lecture me?” Esme, no need to mention, her face was so dark it could almost drip water. I respect others’ fate, just giving a kind reminder. Whether they listen or not is up to them. I shrugged indifferently, turning to leave. Behind me, Esme let out a malicious laugh. When I turned around, I saw her with tear-filled eyes, looking pitiful. “Caspian, all these years, I’ve kept quiet to protect your dignity. I was wholeheartedly devoted to you, but you dumped me for a better future, afraid I’d hold you back. Who’s more vain between us?” Her words made Esme start sobbing uncontrollably. Declan comforted her, and whispers grew louder around us. “Really? Caspian turned out to be like this? I was silently rooting for him just now.” “No wonder they broke up without warning; so that’s what happened…” “Scumbag! Pfft!” When Esme and I dated, she pursued me. Three months into the relationship, a handsome and wealthy transfer student joined our class, and since then, Esme became distant. After seeing her with the transfer student, I decided to talk to her, but she took the opportunity to break up with me. “What do you have compared to him? Can you give me money or fame? If not, stop wasting my time. Honestly, being with you is embarrassing.” Thinking of this, I’m suddenly grateful for the breakup back then. “Weren’t you the one who disliked me for not giving you money or fame? Wasn’t it you who wanted to break up to be with the transfer student?” Now playing the victim, what’s the point? Angered by her twisting the truth, I couldn’t hold back and revealed the facts. Declan, comforting the sobbing Esme, glared at me with furrowed brows. “Esme was the prom queen back then, lots of people chased her. You were broke and couldn’t give her security, what’s wrong with her leaving you?” Esme spoke between sobs. “I just wanted a stable future with someone I liked…” As I explained the truth, some people’s angry faces switched to mocking expressions. “Bottom line, you were just incompetent, couldn’t even keep a girlfriend.” “Girls are sensitive, you know? If you can’t provide basic security, what’s the point of dating?” “Caspian, seeing you like this, I bet you still don’t have a girlfriend.” “Esme was right to leave him back then. Being with him would only lead to hardship.” As the crowd discussed, all attacking me, Esme couldn’t help but smile, and Declan arrogantly raised his head, looking like he was enjoying the show. 0

You can never wake someone pretending to be asleep, and logic only works on those who understand it. Looking at this group with no basic moral values, I felt powerless. I didn’t want to bother, but thinking of my current girlfriend, such an outstanding and kind girl, I couldn’t let her become their topic of gossip. I had to speak up. “Sorry, I already have a girlfriend. She’s amazing, doesn’t judge by wealth, our relationship is stable, and we’re planning to get engaged soon.” They didn’t believe I had a girlfriend. Even if I spoke the truth, they acted like they couldn’t hear, fixated on the idea that I couldn’t afford a wife. “Anyone can brag. I could say I have a wealthy fiancée too.” But my soon-to-be fiancée, Genevieve, is indeed wealthy, and this hotel we were sampling dishes at belongs to her family’s business. I checked my watch, it was almost time for my meeting with Genevieve. I shouldn’t have stepped into this room today; it brought unnecessary trouble. “Believe it or not, that’s the truth. I have things to do, so I’ll be leaving.” I turned to go, but was blocked a few steps in. “Don’t rush off, Caspian. Since you’re Esme’s old classmate, let me introduce you to someone.” Disregarding my frown and refusal, Declan called his assistant, who soon arrived with a respectful young man. “Young Master Declan, the person is here.” He nodded to Declan, then stepped aside to reveal a cleaning lady who looked about 40 or 50. Declan placed a hand on my shoulder, speaking as if we were good friends. I turned to leave, but after just a few steps, someone stopped me. “Don’t be in such a hurry, Milo. Since you’re an old classmate of Esme’s, let me introduce you to someone.” Despite my frown and refusal, Declan took out his phone and called his assistant. Soon, a young man entered, showing respect and deference. “Mr. Declan, the person is here.” He nodded slightly to Declan and then stepped aside to reveal a cleaning lady who looked to be in her forties or fifties. Declan placed a hand on my shoulder, speaking in a patronizing tone. “This is an employee at this hotel. Don’t be fooled by her age; she has a stable job and probably earns more than you do each month. Plus, she has a son. If you marry her, you’ll have someone to look after you in your old age.” “Hahaha, suddenly becoming a dad is not something everyone gets to experience. Class leader, you’re really lucky. You should thank Mr. Declan.” Jude couldn’t handle it anymore and started cursing at them. He stood up for me today and took quite a bit of heat. I shrugged off Declan’s hand and stepped forward to stop Jude from getting into a fight. I also sent the embarrassed cleaning lady away. “As old classmates, I don’t want to make a fuss with you. But if you keep pushing it, don’t blame me for not being friendly.” “Oh, such big words. We’re so terrified.” “What, are you going to kick us out? Do you even know that Mr. Declan reserved the whole venue today? With your broke look, you probably couldn’t even afford a fraction of the cost.” They weren’t wrong. I did want them to leave. A high-end hotel had been turned into a mess because of them. High-end service sometimes needs high-end guests. “So what if I want to kick you out?” Declan snorted disdainfully at this. “Milo, don’t be ungrateful. Do you even know the status of the Declan’s family around here? You can’t afford to mess with the Declan’s family!” Although I’ve been busy with my projects these past few years, I’m not oblivious to the world. Genevieve’s family, where my girlfriend Genevieve belongs, is truly the leading enterprise locally. I’ve accompanied her to several local business banquets. Although we often just made brief appearances, I never heard of anyone with the last name Declan among those qualified to greet us. “If you can’t afford to mess with the Declan’s family, do you think you can handle Genevieve’s family?” A cool female voice rose behind me. I turned to see my girlfriend standing at the entrance of the private event room in a casual suit. Her bright eyes, behind gold-rimmed glasses, looked coldly at Declan. I’m sorry, it looks like the document you’re referring to is missing. Could you provide the text that needs translation? Genevieve caught my eye and walked over to me, gently entwining her fingers with mine and offering a warm, concerned smile. “I didn’t see you at the door. I only came over when I heard the commotion. Is this person bothering you?” “It’s just a small issue,” I replied, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. Genevieve and I met through an introduction by my superior. Although it was a blind date, she genuinely admired my commitment to scientific research and supported me wholeheartedly. I, in turn, respected her decisiveness in business. From the moment we met, we found ourselves kindred spirits, able to talk about anything. “Let me introduce you. This is my girlfriend and soon-to-be fiancée, Genevieve, Miss Genevieve.” Genevieve greeted everyone graciously and leaned in to whisper teasingly in my ear, “Oh, big scientist, aren’t you embarrassed to call me that?”

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I was shipwrecked during a voyage, and after escaping from the doomed vessel, I found myself on an uncharted island inhabited by a local tribe. A female crew member and I were captured by them. Fortunately, they didn’t plan to kill us right away. Instead, they intended to keep us for breeding. The female leader seemed to have a particular interest in me… My name is Ethan, and I’m a sailor. During a voyage, the cargo ship I was on was overturned by a storm, forcing us to abandon ship. Two lifeboats carried about a dozen survivors, drifting aimlessly at sea for days. We received no rescue, and our supplies of fresh water and food were nearly depleted. Just as despair began to set in, an island emerged on the horizon. From afar, it was clear this wasn’t a barren place; the lush vegetation suggested it had a water source. “We’re saved!” I exclaimed, reaching for the motor. “Hold on a second!” Someone held my hand back. “We should conserve the fuel; we might need it later.” I looked at the others, and they all nodded in agreement. So, to save the precious fuel, we didn’t use the motor. Instead, we gathered our remaining strength to row towards the island. Exhausted, we finally reached the beach. Just as everyone was relieved to have made it, something flew out from the dense forest near the shore with a “whoosh.” “Ah—!” A scream erupted from Nora, the female intern. Two bone spears had pierced her calf and shoulder. Before we could grasp what was happening, we heard shouting, getting closer and louder. A group of armed tribesmen emerged from the forest, hurling rocks and bone spears at us. “Run!” someone yelled. We scrambled to our feet. Several bone spears landed near me but missed. Unfortunately, the two people next to me weren’t as lucky. They were hit by the sharp bone spears and couldn’t move. “Help! Ethan, help me!” Nora cried out, but no one could spare her any attention. I was about to run too, but her plea made me pause for a second. That second was enough for a rock to hit my head, knocking me down. Soon, we were surrounded by tribesmen, who pointed their bone spears at us, snarling and jeering. A strong male tribesman approached Nora. “Please, let me go. I’ll do anything.” Nora was crying, her body trembling with fear. The tribesman grabbed her hair and pulled it back, roughly handling her. Despite the pain, Nora was too terrified to scream. The tribesman sniffed her and then shouted. Several tribesmen rushed over, tearing her clothes amid her screams, binding her to a tree branch, and carried her away like a captured animal. Nora’s life was barely spared. But the two male crew members weren’t as fortunate. The strong male tribesman made some sounds, and a dozen tribesmen repeatedly stabbed them… Seeing my colleagues brutally killed was horrifying. I knew I was next. Suddenly, a sharp whistle came from a distance. The tribesmen stopped and made way. A female tribeswoman approached. She wore a necklace of skulls and a headdress made of woven vines and bone decorations, suggesting she was the leader. I’d heard rumors about matriarchal societies in tribes with scarce females. The female tribeswoman inspected me and tugged at my clothes. Then she grabbed my lower body, making me almost faint from the pain. She then lunged at me, ripping my sailor T-shirt into strips. But my work clothes were sturdy, and I had a belt on. She couldn’t tear them open. Frustrated, she shouted at me. The male tribesmen seemed to understand, threatening me with their bone spears. I was unwilling, but seeing my dead colleagues, I knew I had to endure to survive. The female tribeswoman quickly pulled down my pants and excitedly shouted. Then, she pinned me down and bit me…

The pain was excruciating, and I was bleeding. But I was powerless and too scared to resist, letting her do as she pleased. The male tribesmen were excitedly shouting around us. After a long while, the female tribeswoman finally stood up, panting heavily. The male tribesmen tied my limbs with vine and hung me from a thick branch, carrying me into the dense forest. My two male colleagues’ bodies were tied similarly, hanging on either side of me. I was taken to a village under a waterfall deep in the forest. A bonfire burned fiercely, with a large pot above it. A nauseating stench wafted from that direction. I was taken to a cave while my colleagues’ bodies were thrown into the pot. I realized I was among a tribe of cannibals. Soon, I was thrown onto a pile of straw in the cave. I don’t know if they thought I was too weak to resist or for some other reason, but no one stayed to guard me. I immediately wriggled my body towards the cave wall. I sat up against the wall and found a sharp edge to rub the vine on my wrists against. Suddenly, shadows flickered at the entrance. A few tribesmen with spears appeared. I held my breath in fear and stopped moving. But they weren’t coming for me. After some grunts, they walked past the cave entrance. Soon, I heard heart-wrenching screams and the shouts of tribesmen from next door. It was Nora! She was right next door. The matriarchal tribe saw her as a “resource,” so they spared her life. I increased the pace of rubbing the vine. After some time, the vine finally broke. I quickly untied my legs and went to the entrance, sticking to the wall to peek outside. “Thump, thump, thump…” A series of knocks sounded, as if signaling the tribesmen, who began to move towards the sound. I quickly hid in a corner. Shadows passed by the entrance, but luckily, no one looked inside. Confirming the tribesmen were gone, I boldly went to the neighboring cave. Nora’s limbs were still tied. She lay limp on the straw pile, covered in bruises, with a pool of blood beneath her. The only relief was that the tribesmen had treated her leg and shoulder wounds to keep her alive. Hearing a noise, she thought the tribesmen were back and was about to scream. I quickly covered her mouth. “Don’t scream, it’s me!” Nora nodded, and I let go. I looked around and found a bone spear nearby. Having grown up on a farm and often fishing in the river, I could manage this weapon. I picked it up and cut the vines binding Nora. “Can you run?” Nora nodded. We cautiously left the cave. Outside, the tribesmen were dancing around the pot, seemingly performing a ritual. The female tribeswoman was leading it. This was the perfect chance to escape! “Don’t make a sound. Stay close to me!” I held the spear, leading the way, with Nora close behind. Just as we were about to leave the village, we ran into a patrolling tribesman. “Oh oh oh—!” I thrust the bone spear into his chest. But it was too late; his shout interrupted the ritual. Although we were about a hundred meters away, I felt as if the female tribeswoman instantly locked eyes with me. She smiled at me, and despite our earlier encounter, that smile seemed wickedly charming. Suddenly, the woman from the tribe emitted a piercing scream. As if on command, the tribespeople armed themselves and rushed toward me. “Run!” I grabbed Nora, who was still in shock, and sprinted into the depths of the forest. The tribespeople’s howls echoed just behind us, and bone spears and blow darts zipped past. Fortunately, the thick foliage blocked their view and their missiles, so none struck us.

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My twin sister ran away just before her wedding. Our parents, desperate to maintain the alliance with the Taylor Family, insisted that I step in and marry Declan Taylor in her place. After the wedding, Declan never laid a finger on me. “Adeline, stop wearing those clothes to try and seduce me. You’re just standing in for Hazel, so keep your little fantasies to yourself.” “If it weren’t for the fact that you and Hazel have the same face, I wouldn’t even look at you.” Declan had no idea, but he was about to get his wish. Fiona had already enjoyed her life outside. Before Declan returned, I sent a message to my father. “I agree to the switch, but you need to set up a new identity for me.” “Alright, I’ll transfer a hundred million dollars to you. Never come back to the country.” Was such a deal even possible? I laughed aloud at the message. Declan put on his coat, returning to his usual composed demeanor, and frowned at my cheerful expression. “Adeline, what’s so funny? Are you thrilled because I touched you today?” I stopped smiling and looked up at him. “I was just thinking about Grandfather’s upcoming 80th birthday.” Declan nodded, a hint of mockery in his eyes. “Another chance for you to seek favor.” “But no matter how much the Old man likes you, he’ll always see you as Hazel.” My fingers dug into my palm. When I decided to take Fiona’s place at the wedding, I was secretly pleased. After all, I’d been in love with Declan for fifteen years. The Taylor Family has a rule: one can only marry once in a lifetime, and breaking it means expulsion from the family. I thought I was finally going to spend my life with the one I loved. On our wedding night, I couldn’t wait to confess my feelings. But he coldly pushed me away and left. The next day, he brought a series of outfits, all in Fiona’s style. “From today on, pretend to be your sister until she returns.” At that moment, I felt utterly ridiculous. The phone rang. “You’re back? Where are you now?” His voice was breathless with excitement. “Okay, wait for me.” He hurried out, and soon the sound of an engine starting downstairs could be heard. He sped off. A few hours later, I saw a picture posted by Fiona on Twitter. “After all the detours, you’re still the best.” The next day, he brought Fiona home and casually instructed me, “Pack your things and move to the secondary bedroom.” I didn’t respond and pushed the suitcase I packed last night towards the door. But he suddenly stopped me, frowning. “I meant for you to move to the secondary bedroom. Hazel just came back and isn’t familiar with the Taylor Family. You must help her adjust.” “You’ve occupied the position of Mrs. Taylor for three years. You owe Hazel this.” Fiona whispered in my ear, “Dad said if you don’t behave, he won’t give you any money.” Declan hesitated a bit, saying, “If you don’t want to leave the master bedroom…” I didn’t let him finish and spoke up. “No need, I’ll stay in the empty nanny room on the first floor.” Declan looked surprised, trying to find a hint of insincerity on my face. But all he saw was calmness. He got angry and said: “If you don’t want to live in the secondary bedroom, go to the basement.” “Then it’ll be inconvenient for my younger sister to live on the same floor as us.” Fiona said with a shy smile as she pulled Declan into the room. Soon, the sound of their kissing filled the air. I silently went down to the basement, feeling a bit desolate. Declan had always been restrained. In the early days, I deliberately tried to provoke him, but he was like a monk. I’ll never forget that night when he came home drunk and kissed me urgently. But in the end, he didn’t touch me. From then on, he moved into the master bedroom, venting every night. It’s laughable that I once thought him using me to solve his needs was a sign of things getting better. What a fool I was.

I never thought there would come a day when Declan, a workaholic, would take a ten-day vacation. Turns out, love and indifference are worlds apart. The upstairs door was shut tight. Breakfast and lunch were delivered to the door by Aunt. I sat on the sofa, scrolling through my phone, looking at Finland travel spots. “Adeline, give the longevity painting you made to Hazel. The birthday banquet is in two days, and she doesn’t have time to prepare a gift.” They appeared at the top of the stairs, looking down on me. Fiona’s eyes were red as she spoke softly, “You must have worked on it for a long time, right? You surely don’t want to part with it.” I hadn’t said anything when Declan casually said, “It’s just a worthless trinket.” Indeed, it wasn’t worth much. The fabric and thread together didn’t cost more than three hundred dollars, but it was a gift I had stitched by hand for a whole year. “It’s in the Carter Family Gallery. You can get it yourselves.” I couldn’t be bothered to argue with them. I only knew that in two days, the birthday banquet would be my day to leave. As long as the gift reached Grandfather’s hands, I’d be content. But my compliance seemed to annoy Declan. He quickly walked over, grabbing my wrist, a restlessness in his eyes. “You’re being so cooperative, what are you planning? What method are you going to use against Hazel?” “I haven’t forgotten all the things you’ve done before!” I looked down at the ground. Memories of why my reputation had been so bad over the years flashed through my mind. Before college, not many could tell Fiona and me apart. We often switched places. During a piano competition, I took her place. Just because a judge praised “Fiona” for her significant improvement, she pushed me down after the event, stomping on my fingers until they nearly broke. Declan happened to witness this. He carried me home on his back. Mom and Dad said it was “Adeline” who did it to “Fiona.” They always favored Fiona, and I was born later, during a difficult childbirth that almost cost my mother’s life. They labeled me a “disaster star.” Even if they could tell us apart, they’d tell others I was the one who caused trouble. Even when my fingers were broken and healing, they took Fiona on a world tour. Only Declan would visit me daily. From that point, I had no more expectations for my parents. I thought Declan would be different, but they all liked Fiona in the end. Since that’s the case, I decided I didn’t need any of them. “Because I signed the longevity painting under Fiona’s name. I can’t go, so if the gift reaches Grandfather, I’ll be very satisfied.” He sneered, “Grandfather isn’t here, who are you pretending to be filial for?” He threw my hand away forcefully, and I lost my balance, falling to the ground. He paused for a moment, then said condescendingly: “If you want to attend the birthday banquet, you can dress as a server and hide in a corner. But make sure you wear a mask, and don’t let anyone…” “Ah!” Fiona screamed, and Declan didn’t care about me anymore. He gently picked up her sprained foot and went upstairs. I got up from the ground by myself. I received the new identity information that had just been sent and bought a ticket for the day after tomorrow. I sent a screenshot to a longtime online friend in Finland: “I’ll arrive that day, remember to pick me up.” The reply came quickly: “Yay! I’ll jot it down!” I hung up and was about to put down my phone when Fiona sent a GIF of Declan kneeling on one knee, massaging her ankle, his eyes full of unspoken tenderness. “Declan is so considerate.” She sent a happy emoji, “He said that during the years I was gone, he only treated you as a ‘real’ doll, never touching you.” “Having the same face as mine was useless. Even men I don’t want, don’t want you.” “Just like the gifts from mom and dad when we were kids. If I didn’t want them, you wouldn’t get them either.” I didn’t reply, and a few minutes later, she came downstairs. The door was pushed open forcefully. She wore my custom dress, looking at me with disdain. “Aren’t you curious why I let you stay?” She suddenly took out a small knife. Looking at her malicious face, fear rose from the depths of my heart, and I instinctively took a step back. “What are you going to do!” “What am I going to do? Of course, I’m going to ruin your face.” She slashed my face hard with the knife. Pain surged through me as my skin was instantly cut open. Blood flowed down my cheek. Fiona’s delicate features twisted with delight. “Adeline, I’ve always hated your face. Before you leave, I must ruin it.” “Remember, you don’t deserve this face.” As I fainted, I heard Declan’s familiar voice. “Hazel, where are you? The driver is here.” Fiona responded sweetly, “Declan, my sister refused to go shopping with me. She’s upset that I’m back. It’s all my fault…” She tried to block Declan at the door but was a step too late. Seeing the knife wound on my face, Declan frowned. “What happened to your face?” Fiona sighed, “My sister wants me to leave. I refused, and she threatened to kill herself.” “It was the same three years ago, but this time, I won’t part with you again.” Declan, furious, kicked me and sneered coldly: “How could someone be as scheming as you!” “Stop dreaming, Adeline.”

“Even if you drive Hazel away again for three years, ten years, twenty years, it will only make me hate you more.” I looked at him in disbelief. Clearly, it was Fiona who disappeared the day before the wedding, leaving only a note. “Mom, Dad, I don’t want to get married now. I’m young and want to see the world.” But my parents didn’t want to offend the powerful Taylor Family or lose the opportunity. They forced me into the wedding dress. I tried to speak up, but anger overwhelmed me, and I collapsed backward. As I fell, I instinctively looked at Declan, not far away, at his hesitant feet. But Fiona held onto Declan’s arm, leading him outside, “She’s at it again, ignore her. Teach her a lesson. She’s always been like this, pretending to be sick to get her way.” Fiona Carter vanished the day before her wedding, leaving behind only a note. “Dear Parents, I don’t want to get married right now. I’m still young and want to explore the world.” However, my Parents were reluctant to offend the influential Taylor Family or let such a lucrative opportunity slip away. They pressured me into the wedding dress. I wanted to explain, but I was so overwhelmed that I fainted. As I lay there, I instinctively glanced at Declan Taylor standing nearby and noticed his hesitance. Fiona Carter, meanwhile, wrapped her arm around Declan Taylor’s and headed toward the door, saying, “She’s at it again. Just ignore her. Maybe this will teach her a lesson. She’s always been like this, pretending to be sick to get her way.” She playfully urged, “Let’s hurry, we have a lot of shopping to do today.” When I woke up, I had no idea how much time had passed. The room was dim. I checked my phone. The Fake Friends Group chat had blown up with over 99 messages. “Declan Taylor ordered a million-dollar custom dress for his wife.” “Declan Taylor bought a diamond ring worth tens of millions.” People in the group kept tagging me. “I heard the mall music couldn’t even keep up today. Mr. Taylor sure knows how to spoil his wife. How much did he spend this afternoon!!” “Fiona, I remember Mr. Taylor never went shopping with you before. What’s your secret? Share it with us.” I looked at the photos of him being kind and attentive. He was personally carrying a Victoria’s Secret bag. I chuckled bitterly, but it hurt my wounded face, making me wince in pain. Training? Who needs that? The problem was the wrong person. I had the Nanny bandage me up, took my belongings, and left the Villa. Back at my home, I overheard my father and mother talking. “Isn’t giving Adeline Carter a billion too much?” Father took a sip of his drink: “Hazel Carter is going to ruin Adeline’s face.” Mother exclaimed, “Ah… really?” Father sighed, “Consider this billion as compensation for Adeline Carter.” Mother said coldly, “Even so, it’s too much. What does she want in exchange for a new identity? Ungrateful child.” I forced a smile, but my body trembled uncontrollably. I couldn’t hold back and burst into the room, shouting: “Why are you doing this to me? Am I not your child?” Mother stood up with confidence: “Your body and skin come from your parents. I can take what I want.” “Your life was given by me, it’s just a face.” My mind buzzed with shock, and my hands clenched into fists. I stood there, feeling utterly helpless. “Enough, stop causing trouble,” Father ordered coldly, “I’ve already instructed the secretary to transfer a billion to your account. Leave. Declan Taylor was meant to marry your sister.” I looked up and laughed through my tears. These were my Parents. After checking into the Hotel, Declan Taylor unexpectedly sent a birthday banquet invitation. “You can come as the Carter Family Second Daughter, but behave yourself. Don’t cause trouble for Hazel Carter.” The invitation showed my seat was on the very edge of the room. There was even Security nearby. Was this constant vigilance? I laughed at myself, deleted the chat, and removed Declan Taylor. The next day, I booked an early flight. Before canceling my phone number, I sent Grandfather an early birthday wish. The next moment. Grandfather sent a long message: “When Declan visited today, I sensed something was wrong. Whatever decision you make, Grandfather wishes you all the best.” My eyes burned, and tears fell uncontrollably. I canceled my number and removed the SIM card. It seems you’ve provided a placeholder or an incomplete text following “———-此处为截断点———-“. Could you please share the actual text you would like translated?

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