I overheard my pregnant girlfriend mocking me, saying I looked like a child. She had no idea that after my mother died, Lucas’s father had adopted me. He gave me the exact same name as my mom and used hormone injections to keep my body forever frozen at age twelve. Not long after, I froze his life forever at age thirty. Lucas gripped my chin, releasing himself under my verbal stimulation. Clouded by the effects of the drug, he was like a dangerous beast. He warned me not to compare him to his father, or he would throw me out. Of course, I couldn’t let him throw me out. This body of mine that can never grow up wouldn’t be able to survive without him. Early the next morning, the pregnant Mia brought me a bowl of porridge. She asked me, “Lily, how old are you really?” I guess she must have noticed last night’s intense activities. I smiled mischievously, deliberately exposing the kiss marks on my neck, “What do you think, sis?” Seeing the marks, Mia got angry. She spilled the porridge onto her own stomach, then plopped down onto the floor. I looked at her in surprise, until Lucas appeared. Only then did I understand what she was trying to do. Mia clutched her belly, her facial expression contorted in “pain”. Lucas told me to help Mia up, asking irritably, “How could you be so careless? Is the baby okay?” Mia groaned a few times, “Lucas… don’t blame Lily. The porridge I brought was too hot, that’s why she pushed me.” I let go of Mia’s arm and looked at Lucas with puppy dog eyes. Lucas frowned, “Lily pushed you? She’s not strong enough to push a cat, how could she push you over?” As expected of the man who had watched Pride and Prejudice five times with me! Nice! Lucas called Mrs. Wilson over to clean up and had the driver take Mia to the hospital. I smiled and waved goodbye to Mia, who glared at me fiercely before getting in the car. Lucas was about to go with her, but I tugged on the hem of his shirt. I said softly, “Brother, you were too rough last night. I’m sore all over and hungry. Can you carry me to get some food?” After hesitating for a moment, he still called his secretary to accompany Mia. Then he picked me up with a cold expression. I rested my head on his shoulder and saw that his ears had turned red.

Mia was unharmed. When she returned from the hospital, I was sitting on the living room floor folding Lucas’s underwear. She sat down beside me, “Lily, what exactly is your relationship with Lucas?” I didn’t look up, “Didn’t Lucas tell you?” “He said you’re his sister.” I smiled, “We don’t even have the same last name.” “So, what is your relationship really?” I frowned at her, “Why don’t you go ask him?” Mia really has a bad temper. She got angry again and slapped me. “Lily, I’m already pregnant and about to marry your brother. You’d better behave yourself!” I fell to the ground awkwardly, unable to recover for a while. When I was finally able to move, I held my head and whimpered. I guess that sound reminded her of what Lucas and I had done last night. She grabbed my shoulders frantically, shaking me violently and demanding to know what it would take for me to leave this family. I thought to myself, you really are clueless. Because Lucas was about to discover that she was bullying me. Sure enough, Lucas’s voice rang out in the living room, “Mia, what are you doing?!” Mia was startled and let go of me, looking around in confusion, but not seeing Lucas anywhere. I weakly raised my hand and pointed to the cabinet in the corner. Mia’s face changed color, “Lily, you set me up?” There was a surveillance camera there, connected to Lucas’s phone. I chuckled softly, “Yes, I set you up. What are you going to do about it?” Mia fled upstairs in a panic. I waved at the surveillance camera, “Brother, it seems your girlfriend doesn’t like me very much…” Then I collapsed, “fainting”.

When I “woke up”, both Lucas and Mia were in my room watching over me. Her eyes were red and swollen, obviously having been scolded by Lucas. Lucas heard me stir and looked over. I curled up, crying, “Sister, please don’t misunderstand. Although my brother and I aren’t related by blood, we grew up together and truly have a sibling relationship…” Mia bit her lip and said nothing. Afraid she wouldn’t believe me, I continued, “Really, you’ve seen what I look like. I can’t grow up, and I can’t get pregnant. No one will marry me.” Hearing this, Mia touched her own belly and looked at Lucas anxiously a few times. Lucas kept a stern face the whole time, “If you can talk this much, you must be feeling better. Mia, let’s go.” As they reached the door, I called out, “So brother and sister won’t kick me out, right?” Mia’s body stiffened. Lucas didn’t turn around, “No one will kick you out.” I was so happy. I snuggled back into bed contentedly and fell asleep again. When I woke up, it was already late at night. Last night’s events left me feeling lonely and cold. So I took out my phone and sent Lucas a SnapChat. “Bro, I have a fever.” When he didn’t have a girlfriend, I could bide my time. But now with a formidable enemy before me, I had to fight back with all my might. Even if I had to use underhanded… extremely underhanded tactics! Less than two minutes after I sent the message, Lucas appeared in my room with a glass of warm water and fever medication. I didn’t actually have a fever, but I still swallowed the pill. Then I hugged him tightly, shivering from the “cold”. “Bro, can you stay until my fever goes down?” Strike while the iron is hot – tonight I must make him want me again. His stiff body gradually relaxed, and he put his arms around me. I curled up in his embrace, remembering last night’s passion, and blushed. He felt my forehead, “Should I get you a cooling patch too?” I shook my head and pretended to doze off in his arms. Soon the effects of the fever medication kicked in. I broke out in a sweat and “groggily” took off my pajamas, burrowing back into his arms. I could feel a certain part of his body responding. Pretending to be delirious, I mumbled, “Daddy, I don’t want a shot… Brother, save me!” He suddenly tightened his arms and called my name to wake me. I made my gaze hazy and intoxicated. He kissed my forehead, then nibbled my earlobe as he pressed down on me…

The next morning at breakfast, I told Lucas I wanted to change my name. “I don’t want to be called Lily anymore. Anything else is fine.” Lucas’s face was like still water, showing no reaction. I turned to Mia for help, “Sister-in-law, please help me. I’ve asked my brother so many times but he won’t agree. I hate this name!” Maybe calling her “sister-in-law” made Mia feel a bit better. She also started pleading with Lucas. Lucas gave me a cold look, “I’m busy lately. We’ll discuss it another time.” I breathed a sigh of relief and gave Mia a sweet smile. But our fake sisterly affection only lasted three seconds. After Lucas left for work, Mia came to find me again. She wanted me to go shopping with her for baby items. She also said we could stop by some children’s clothing stores to buy me a few outfits. She was clearly trying to mock me! I held back my anger and glanced at her flat belly, “Are you even two months along? Isn’t it too early for baby shopping? Besides, I don’t know anything about that stuff. I’m not going.” Mia suddenly lashed out, “You don’t like the baby your brother and I are having, do you?” “I really don’t. So what? Is that not allowed?” Mia snatched the paintbrush from my hand and threw it on the floor. She grabbed my collar and easily dragged me to the stairs. “So, Lily, you don’t want me to have this baby, is that it?” She smiled sinisterly and let go of me, falling backwards down the stairs. Wails of pain echoed through the living room. Blood gushed from between Mia’s legs as she lay unconscious at the bottom of the stairs. This spot had no surveillance cameras. If Lucas checked the security footage, he would only see me standing at the top of the stairs while Mia fell down below. I was stunned. I never imagined this woman would kill her own child just to frame me! Mrs. Wilson came running over in alarm, telling me to quickly call Lucas. When the call connected, I stammered, “Bro, Mia had a miscarriage…” “What?! What happened?!” I could hear the fury in Lucas’s voice. Frightened, I hung up the phone and tried to think of how to explain things to him. … Mia lost the baby and was hospitalized. Lucas came home with a dark expression and asked me what happened. This time I didn’t cry, “Bro, if I said she framed me, would you believe me?” Lucas raised an eyebrow, “She killed her own child just to frame you?” “I know you won’t believe me, but she really is that vicious. To get rid of me, she’d even kill your own flesh and blood. Bro, you can’t keep such an evil woman!” Lucas looked at me, this beacon of righteousness, and his mouth twitched, “Alright Lily, stop acting. I said she was pregnant, but I never said the child was mine.” I was speechless. !! “Bro, then why were you going to marry her?” Lucas stared at me for a while, then pulled me up, “I’ll take you somewhere.” He took me to a cemetery on the outskirts of the city. In one corner was a new gravestone with his friend’s name on it. “Mia was Sam’s girlfriend. The baby was his too. Sam died in a car accident and asked me to take care of Mia and help her deliver the baby safely.” “But bro, she said she was pregnant with your child and was going to marry you!” I clenched my little fists indignantly. So she had been lying to me. Of course, my brother, this perfect catch, was indeed worth her playing the role of a liar. “You believed her?” Lucas patted my head. I pouted, “You never explained things clearly, so of course I believed what she said. But now that I know the truth, it’s fine… Bro, since we’re at the cemetery, can we go see my mom?” Lucas held my hand, just like a brother holding his sister’s hand, and led me to my mother’s grave. The woman in the photo was very beautiful, but I felt no emotion towards her. Because she had died when I was still a baby. But seeing that face that looked 90% like mine, I still felt a bit moved. My fingers traced over the gravestone, following the strokes of the characters as I read out my mother’s name. Lily…

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I silently tore up my husband’s positive HIV test results. Since you two enjoy swimming in the ocean of love so much, I’ve decided to let you drown in it. Just as I received the medical report, I got a call from an unknown number. The intimate voices of a man and woman nearly made me drop my phone in shock. “Liam, be gentle. Don’t hurt the baby,” a woman’s voice cooed. “Alright, sweetheart. Lower your waist a bit,” a man replied. The call lasted less than ten seconds before they hastily hung up, not giving me a chance to speak. Liam Westbrook and I had been in love since we were 18, for twelve years now. This morning, before he left for work, he had thoughtfully bought me breakfast and told me to sleep in a bit longer before going to the hospital for my test results. I wiped away the tears from the corners of my eyes and tore Liam’s medical report into tiny pieces, throwing them into the trash can. How laughable. Just a minute ago, I was worried about him, thinking there must have been a mistake with the test. I couldn’t believe that Liam, who had always been so careful and honest with me, could have contracted HIV. Liam Westbrook, since you’re so good at keeping secrets, I’ll learn a thing or two from you. I won’t tell you about your HIV and severe gout either. I immediately went to get a full set of tests done for myself. During the anxious wait for the results, I didn’t want to see Liam. I used the excuse of visiting my parents and stayed at a hotel for two days. During this time, that unknown number called me twice more. Both times were when they were being intimate – once at 9 AM and once at 2 AM. It seems he really cares for this woman, staying at her place while I’m not home. Well, of course. This woman is carrying his child. Liam and I got married right after graduation. We’ve been married for eight years but never had children. When we first got married, we were focused on our careers, wanting to wait until we were financially stable before having kids. When we finally felt ready, we discovered during fertility tests that both my fallopian tubes were blocked. I couldn’t conceive naturally. Liam hugged me and said we could spend our lives just the two of us, and that he’d be jealous if I had to share my love with a child. But I really wanted a child, one that looked like him. For the past three years, since I turned 27, I’ve been undergoing IVF treatments. The embryo successfully implanted five times, but I miscarried early each time. To maintain the pregnancy, I gave myself daily injections in my belly. My once smooth, slender abdomen that I had been so proud of was now covered in needle marks and bruises. When I finally got my test results, I was relieved. I hadn’t contracted HIV. The night I returned home, Liam came back from work earlier than usual. He walked into the kitchen and wrapped his arms around my waist, enveloping me in his familiar scent. “Smells delicious. What treat have you cooked up for me today, honey?” he asked. “I couldn’t sleep well without you these past two days. The house feels so empty when you’re not here,” he added. Suppressing my disgust, I playfully chided, “I bought some fresh seafood to make you a seafood hotpot. Go wash your hands, dinner’s almost ready.” Liam went to the bathroom, humming happily. Watching his back, I added another handful of bean curd sticks to the pot. Liam had always been particular about food. Whenever he enjoyed something outside, I would tirelessly work to recreate it at home, just to please his palate. I had spoiled his taste buds and stomach. Seeing him eat with such relish, I peeled a shrimp and fed it to him. He smiled at me as he took it, clearly satisfied. “Honey, why aren’t you eating?” he asked. I lowered my eyes to hide my sadness and poured him a glass of beer. “I’ve gained a bit of weight recently. I’m avoiding high-calorie foods at night.” Besides HIV, Liam also had extremely high uric acid levels. He was happily eating the gout-inducing, paralysis-inducing meal I had carefully prepared for him.

“Honey, how were my medical results?” Liam asked. I pulled out a thick stack of reports from my bag and spread them on the table. “The doctor said all your indicators are good, no major issues. Here, take a look yourself,” I said. I knew Liam well. For all these years, I had taken care of every detail in his life, big or small. He trusted me completely. As expected, he didn’t even glance at the papers. “That’s great. It’s all thanks to you taking such good care of me,” he said. I silently put the reports back in the envelope and opened another can of beer for him. After two cans of beer, his fair complexion was flushed red. When he looked at me with half-closed eyes, his gaze was full of desire. Liam was handsome and dashing, standing at 6 feet tall with long legs. I was deeply attracted to him from the first moment I saw him in college. Back then, my heart would race uncontrollably, feeling like it might jump out of my chest. But now, looking into his passionate eyes, knowing he had been rolling in bed with another woman, I wanted to gouge out those hypocritical eyes. Liam finished the last crab, patting his stomach in satisfaction. “Honey, there’s less than a month left before the deadline for this year’s International Jewelry Design Competition. Have you finished your design?” he asked. I nodded gently as I cleared the table. “Just a few more tweaks and it’ll be ready.” Liam excitedly stood up, wanting to hug me. I dodged him subtly, carrying the plates to the kitchen without a trace of awkwardness. He followed me to the kitchen, leaning against the doorframe, gesturing excitedly. “Honey, I need to get an even bigger display case for the company. We’re running out of space for all your awards!” Liam and I both studied jewelry design. The year we graduated, I turned down an offer from a top company because he wanted to start his own business. Out of love for him, I supported him without hesitation. Not only did I give him the $20,000 I had saved from part-time jobs during college to start his business, but I also joined his small studio. In the first few years, to make a name for his studio, he entered all sorts of jewelry design competitions, big and small. But he always got eliminated in the preliminaries, while I won gold awards every time. At that time, the studio was losing money every month. Liam was stressed out, losing 30 pounds in half a year. I couldn’t bear to see him suffer like that. I suggested closing the studio, but he wanted to hang on a bit longer. Until we were completely broke, squeezed into a basement, sharing a bowl of instant noodles a day. He left most of the noodles for me, drinking only the soup to fill his stomach. Liam hugged me, crying, saying he shouldn’t have let me suffer with him. He said he’d close the studio the next day and find a job. I knew that was his pride and hard work. Behind his back, I borrowed $5,000 from my parents and secretly submitted my competition entry under Liam’s name. He had said he lacked inspiration and had no portfolio, so clients didn’t trust him and wouldn’t work with him. With that $5,000, we held on for another three months. And my design won first prize in a top international competition. From then on, Liam made a name for himself in the industry. He never lacked for orders again. The studio grew bigger and bigger, eventually becoming a jewelry design company with over a hundred employees. He became known as Mr. Westbrook, a young talent in everyone’s eyes. But from that point on, all of my designs were submitted under Liam’s name.

That night, as usual, Liam lay on his side, holding me as we fell asleep. In the past, his heavy arm gave me a sense of security. Now I felt suffocated, his arm weighing heavily on me, making it hard to breathe. I couldn’t sleep, lying awake until dawn. At 5 AM, I got up and went to the kitchen to make breakfast for him. I cleaned the shrimp I had bought yesterday, carefully removing the veins, then finely chopped them into a paste to make plump little wontons. The eight-treasure porridge in the pot had been simmering for nearly three hours. The five different types of beans were soft and mushy. When Liam got up at 8 AM, I had already packed his breakfast. He loved to sleep in but didn’t want his employees to think their boss was always late. Every day he arrived at the company just in time. To prevent him from going hungry or eating carelessly, I always carefully prepared his breakfast for him to take to the office. He said I spoiled him like a child, that he wouldn’t be able to live without me. I saw him off at the door, carefully reminding him: “This porridge is good for your stomach, drink it while it’s hot. I cooked the wontons separately and put them in a container. Just pour them into the soup when you’re ready to eat.” Liam was putting on his shoes when he leaned in for a kiss. I didn’t want any contact with him, but I couldn’t let him suspect anything and ruin my plans. I had to suppress my disgust and let my cheek brush against his lips, wet with the scent of his minty aftershave. As soon as he stepped out, I immediately closed the door, rushed to the bathroom, and frantically washed my face. I scrubbed the side of my face he had kissed with alcohol repeatedly until it was red and burning. Looking at myself in the mirror, my eyes were full of hatred and pain. Liam Westbrook, I will make you pay for this. First, I needed to find out the identity of the woman Liam was cheating with. I searched for her phone number on SnapChat. Her profile picture was a selfie – a very young woman. After confirming it was her real number, I saved it to my contacts. I opened Instagram and quickly found her account among my suggested friends. A recent college graduate in her early 20s, with a rich and handsome boyfriend who loved her, a blissful expectant mother. But her most recent status update was posted at midnight last night: “When will you truly belong to me?” The photo showed a full-body pregnancy shot with her face hidden. It seems she knows she’s the other woman but is eager to become Liam’s official wife. However, judging by how Liam is keeping this from me, he doesn’t intend to make her his wife. At noon, I went to the company to bring Liam lunch, carrying a carefully prepared gout-inducing meal. I rarely come to the company, so much so that the new receptionist didn’t recognize me and stopped me from going upstairs. One phone call and Liam came down to get me himself. “Honey, it’s ridiculous that I can’t even enter our own company,” I complained, putting on a hurt expression. “I want to go back to work in the design department. I don’t want to feel like I have no value.” Liam hesitated. “Weren’t you focusing on your health? Work is too tiring.” I lowered my eyes and sighed. “After so many failed IVF attempts over the years, I’m exhausted. Maybe it’s fate that I’m not meant to have children.” “Honey, I’ve told you before, I don’t care if we have kids or not. It’s fine if it’s just the two of us for life,” he said, his face full of sincerity. Seeing his hypocritical act, I could barely keep up my own facade. But I knew that lashing out would only satisfy my emotions momentarily and do no good in the long run. “I’ve been doing IVF non-stop for three years. My body can’t take it anymore. I want to take a break,” I said. Liam looked at me with pity in his eyes. Seeing the emotional card was working, I made my real request: “Honey, I want to come back to work at the company. Let me take charge of the design department.”

The design department was the most important division in the company. Moreover, the star products released each year were all designed by me, just under Liam’s name. He immediately understood that I no longer wanted to hide behind him and be his ghostwriter. From now on, the designs would be credited to me, Amelia Winters. Liam put down his chopsticks and looked at me intently. “Amelia, if I did something to hurt you, could you forgive me?” I gently took out a container of tripe soup, chiding him playfully. “Why are you suddenly saying this? Did you really do something to hurt me?” For a moment, I thought he was going to confess. He just shook his head, took the soup, and sighed after a sip. “Of course not. How could I ever hurt such a wonderful wife?” I nodded with a smile. “I’ll start working in the design department tomorrow then. Remember to assign me two capable assistants, okay?” Before leaving the company, I asked Liam to take me on a tour of each department. He seemed uneasy. When we got to the design department, a young girl gave me an unfriendly look. She was wearing a loose hoodie and tight leggings. I studied her carefully and realized she resembled the profile picture of Liam’s mistress. She must have recognized me first, staring at me with resentful eyes. After all, Liam’s phone wallpaper was my photo. In person, she wasn’t as polished as in her photos. She was rather plain-looking, someone you wouldn’t notice in a crowd. But she was indeed young. Even pregnant, she maintained a slim figure. The loose clothing hid her pregnancy. Liam hurriedly introduced a few people, eager to leave. I smiled and extended my hand to the mistress. “The company is grateful to have such a dedicated employee. How many months pregnant are you?” She barely touched my fingertips before letting go. Instead, she turned to Liam with a blissful expression. “Five months,” she said, then raised an eyebrow at me and proudly rubbed her belly. What an indiscreet girl. I was a bit disappointed that Liam would cheat with someone like her. The mistress was never my target. The one who hurt me was Liam – he was the one who failed to stay faithful to our marriage. But I wouldn’t be kind to the mistress either. I would use her well to get back what I deserved from Liam, and more. I gave Liam’s arm a squeeze. “Pregnant employees need special care. Don’t give the young lady too much work.” The surrounding employees praised me: “The boss’s wife is so beautiful and kind. You two are such a perfect match.” Liam put his arm around my waist, smiling smugly. The mistress’s face had turned almost green with envy. It seems this mistress doesn’t hold much weight in his heart after all. On my first day working in the design department, the employees weren’t very respectful towards me, even though I was the boss’s wife. Artists tend to be free-spirited and a bit rebellious. In their eyes, only Liam was the real boss. The intern mistress, however, seemed quite popular in the company. She smiled warmly like a spring breeze, with everyone greeting her. I calmly exported this year’s International Jewelry Design Competition draft from my computer. When I asked for suggestions on which gemstones to use, the mistress came over and glanced at it. “Mrs. Winters, you design too? We usually just create entries to accompany Mr. Westbrook’s work,” she said. The design director pushed the mistress aside and stared at the computer screen with shining eyes. “Perfect! Absolutely perfect! This is the most stunning piece I’ve seen all year. It’s definitely going to win gold.” He eagerly poured me a cup of water. “Mrs. Winters, you’re a true master! I’m so sorry for my poor attitude earlier. When you have time, could you please give me some guidance on my work?” William Lewis, the design director, was someone who lived and breathed design. Many of the company’s popular pieces were his creations. But he wasn’t arrogant like some artists. Instead, he was very good at management and operations. He had been with Liam since the early days, and the company’s growth owed much to William’s efforts. I chose to work in the design department not only because I excelled at design, but mainly because of William. He had followed Liam out of admiration for Liam’s work – which was actually all created by me. I wanted to take away one of Liam’s arms, to have William work for me instead. I nodded kindly. “Of course. Bring me all your work to take a look.” While working, I continued to be attentive and caring towards Liam. In the past, he often had business dinners and ate out. Since I started working at the company, I prepared all three of his daily meals myself. After keeping this up for a while, Liam started telling me he occasionally felt pain in his legs. I knew this was a symptom of gout. His comeuppance was approaching. One time, when I was bringing Liam his lunch, I ran into the mistress coming out of his office with a lunchbox. She was wiping away tears as she walked. Clearly, she had wanted him to eat the food she made, but Liam refused. I pretended to mention it casually to Liam: “Did you scold Tiffany? The poor girl is pregnant, don’t be too harsh on her.” Liam tried to change the subject. “What delicious meal did you make for me today, honey?” Seeing he wanted to gloss over it, I pressed on: “I saw her throw the lunchbox in the trash right after leaving. What happened?” Liam’s expression turned awkward, his voice tinged with guilt. “She was just trying to suck up, I guess. You know I hate people who rely on tricks instead of real ability. Let’s not talk about her. I’m starving.” Liam had indeed hidden things well. No one in the company knew about their relationship. And since I started working there, Liam and Tiffany hardly interacted at all. At home, he barely looked at his phone and received no suspicious calls. Tiffany’s gaze towards me grew more and more resentful. The results of this year’s jewelry design competition came out a month after I started working. In previous years, Liam always won the awards, but this time it was me. Moreover, the design department staff had witnessed my entire process from initial draft to multiple revisions to the final design. No one doubted this was my own work. Instead, rumors started circulating in the company that Liam’s previous works had all been done by me. William Lewis solemnly invited me out for coffee. I brought my laptop and gladly accepted. When I arrived, he had already been waiting for over half an hour. Actually, I had arrived early and observed him from a hidden corner, watching him fidget anxiously with a furrowed brow. I knew then that my chances of convincing him to work for me had increased to about 20%. “Hi William, sorry I’m late,” I said. Seeing me arrive, the straightforward William got right to the point: “Were all of Liam’s previous award-winning designs actually created by you?” I smiled gently and turned my laptop towards him. I had kept copies of all my design drafts. When designing, I had a habit of hand-drawing my initial sketches and signing them at the bottom of the page. William’s expression grew serious as he flipped through them one by one. As he progressed, his brow smoothed out and his eyes began to sparkle with admiration. He kept muttering, “So beautiful. Your talent is truly unparalleled.” After finishing, he gripped my hand tightly, staring at me intently. His expression was so exaggerated that I uncomfortably pulled my hand away. “You should be shining brightly in the jewelry world. Why did you hide behind Liam?” he asked gravely. “Did he force you?” I shook my head. “It was my own choice. But that doesn’t matter now. William, I’ve come to my senses. I want to have my own independent design studio. Would you like to work with me?” William nodded frantically. “Of course! I originally followed Liam hoping to improve my skills. But all these years, I never created anything that surpassed myself. Just this past month with your guidance, I finally feel like I’m breaking through my limits.” “I’ve never cared about how much money I make. I only hope to design pieces that will stand the test of time. I’d work for you even without pay.” I had bet correctly. William was a born artist. In his eyes, talent and creations were more important than fame, fortune or sentiment. I tactfully told William about Liam’s affair and my future career plans. Though he disdained worldly relationships, he was very perceptive. He immediately understood my true intentions when I explained. I wanted to bring Liam down. But he didn’t care about that. He only asked that I guide him on each of his future designs. I agreed, of course. My studio had actually started being set up two weeks ago. To separate it from Liam, the legal representative was my father. William acted quickly, immediately submitting his resignation to Liam. He didn’t even bother with the resignation procedures. He didn’t want his final month’s salary either, packing up and leaving the very next day. I was in Liam’s office when HR informed him of this. Liam was furious, barely containing his anger as he called William. He couldn’t believe that his right-hand man, who had been with him since the beginning, would leave without a word. When he dialed, he found William had already blocked his number. That was typical of William. I almost couldn’t control my expression, having to bite my tongue hard to keep from laughing out loud. Liam angrily threw his phone, shattering the screen of the latest model. That wasn’t enough. He swept everything off his desk onto the floor. The HR person trembled in fear. I gestured for them to leave and went to comfort Liam. “Honey, don’t be angry. It’s just losing a design director. His work wasn’t as good as mine anyway. I’ll take good care of the design department from now on.” Liam collapsed into his chair, deflated, his hands shaking uncontrollably. “Honey, I’ll have to trouble you with the design department then. It’s good that I have you,” Liam said, looking at me tenderly. “Being a director is hard work. Don’t squeeze time to cook for me anymore. Let’s just eat out.” I stood behind him, gently massaging his temples. “It’s no trouble at all. Taking care of your health and stomach doesn’t feel like work to me. Don’t worry, I’ll lead the design department to create even better pieces.” After becoming the design director as planned, I finally got access to the company’s key clients. These were all ultra-wealthy individuals. For their exclusive custom jewelry, the design director needed to personally bring the designs to show them the renderings before creating the final product. After interacting with these wealthy clients for a while, I locked onto my target – a divorced businesswoman named Vivian King. I took the initiative to build a closer relationship with her. Given her love for jewelry, I would let her see all my new designs first. This time, Vivian had already claimed dibs on my award-winning piece. However, after she purchased the finished product, I successfully convinced her to replace the pendant with an 11-carat pink diamond. This would bring the total value of the piece to $30 million. When I told Liam this news, he was initially worried we couldn’t source an 11-carat pink diamond. After all, gems of this caliber were usually in private collections and rarely came on the market. But I emphasized that closing this deal would bring in nearly $10 million in profit. I told him that in two weeks, at a Sotheby’s auction, there would be a nearly 12-carat flawless pink diamond. Based on historical prices, diamonds larger than this one had sold for no more than $20 million. What I didn’t tell him was that those were prices from five years ago, and that he would absolutely not be able to win this pink diamond at auction. Liam believed that as long as we prepared $20 million, we would definitely be able to acquire it. When he personally signed the delivery contract with Vivian, his hands were shaking uncontrollably with excitement. His leg pain had been getting worse lately, and his hands shook more and more frequently. But with the mess left behind by William’s departure, he was too preoccupied to pay attention. Plus, I reassured him it was just from overwork, which he fully believed. The reason I encouraged Liam so much was that for these custom jewelry contracts, we had to collect full payment from the client in advance and guarantee delivery. Otherwise, we would have to pay the client ten times the amount in compensation. For this deal, if Liam breached the contract, $300 million in damages would be enough to bankrupt him.

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On my wedding day, the groom was nowhere to be found. My family and friends joined me in searching for him. We found him in a hotel room, lying on pristine white sheets. And beside him… a naked man. Not long after, I jumped to my death, infected with HIV and pregnant. A double tragedy. I left behind only my deranged mother, subjected to cruel mockery from relatives. Given a second chance at life, I vowed to make them all pay! I opened my eyes in my familiar bedroom. The memory of my body shattering as I jumped still made me shudder. April 1st – the day I first met Lucas Gray in my previous life. A pale yellow dress was laid out neatly by my bed, along with accessories, a purse, and even foundation and lipstick. My mom’s nagging from before she left for work echoed in my ears: “He’s from a good family, introduced by Mrs. Johnson. He’s 24, so don’t mess this up… Don’t come home if it doesn’t work out…” My mom was still as elegant and forceful as ever. But Mom, you said it well. Next time, don’t say it at all. Last time, it was this innocent look that made Lucas think I’d make a good wife, choosing me as his beard. This time, to hell with that pale yellow dress.

“Welcome to Timeless Coffee” I was already an hour late. On purpose. Lucas Gray was still eye-catching in the corner. Crisp suit, lounging casually, his long fingers idly playing with the rim of his cup. He didn’t seem anxious or impatient at all. In my past life, I was completely fooled by his handsome facade! I never even questioned why someone with his qualities needed to go on blind dates. “Lucas Gray, right? I’m Emma Carter.” Lucas looked up at me, his captivating eyes widening slightly. Clearly, my current outfit surprised him. Probably didn’t match Mrs. Johnson’s description. My tight leather jacket accentuated my curves, and sky-high heels brought me to nearly 5’9″. Fiery red wavy hair paired with blood-red lips and dramatic eyeliner. I looked aggressively sexy – my own mother probably wouldn’t recognize me. Not exactly wife material now, huh? “Miss Carter, hello.” Lucas stood to shake my hand. In my past life, his polite demeanor had me head over heels. This time, I was immune. “Oh, hi.” I sat across from him, speaking carelessly. I ignored his outstretched hand, leaving him awkwardly frozen. The following conversation was all initiated by Lucas. Just like last time, every topic flowed naturally. He never said anything to make me uncomfortable, while still managing to close the distance between us. But I really didn’t want to hear his bullshit anymore. It made me sick. So I deliberately raised my voice, saying something I’d never have dared in my past life: “Lucas, did you take a shit today? Was it solid or runny? What color? Yellow, or more brownish?” Most people in the cafe had been subtly watching us – women eyeing Lucas, men looking at me. My outburst left everyone’s jaws on the floor. Lucas seemed shocked by my crude words, too stunned to answer. “I don’t think you’ve shit yet. Your breath stinks so bad, I’d think you ate shit if I didn’t know better. I can’t stand it anymore, I’m leaving. Next time, remember to take a dump before coming on a date.” With that, I sashayed out of the cafe in my sky-high heels, swinging my hips dramatically. Raucous laughter erupted behind me as I left. Peeking back through the glass door, I saw several girls deleting photos they’d sneakily taken of Lucas. Their fingers moved at lightning speed, as if their phones had been contaminated. Another girl holding her phone, probably about to ask for Lucas’s contact info, stood frozen in place… Haha, I laughed inwardly. Lucas must be so embarrassed now! But to my surprise, Lucas in the corner remained completely unruffled. He didn’t argue with the people laughing at him, and made no move to leave. This guy’s got some thick skin to still be sitting there!

Just as I was about to turn and leave, Lucas moved. He got up and went to where I had been sitting. Slowly, he turned his face towards the foam cushion. Then he took a deep breath, his expression shifting to one of utter bliss and satisfaction… He looked just like an addict after getting a fix. No one in that corner of the cafe could see him, except me through the window. My fragile psyche was utterly shaken. Ugh, what the actual fuck?! Thinking back now, when he first saw me. That change in his eyes wasn’t surprise. It was excitement! I had no idea young people these days were into such kinky stuff.

“How was the blind date today? Mrs. Johnson said that young man’s family is in the clothing business, should be making at least six figures. I’m telling you, you better not let this one slip away.” I kept my head down, eating. I still hadn’t figured out how to tell Mom about the date. I was so shocked at the time that I forgot to record a video. If I told her Lucas was a pervert, she’d never believe me. “Are you listening, you brat?” “Yes, yes, okay…” “Ding dong~ Ding dong~” The urgent doorbell interrupted our cozy mother-daughter dinner. It was Mrs. Johnson, the matchmaker. She stormed in with her phone, demanding to know if the woman in the video was me, and why I’d said such things to embarrass Lucas. Apparently someone at the cafe had posted the gossip online. It should have been a minor incident, but because Lucas was so handsome, the stark contrast made his alleged bad breath go viral. Of course, some people said I must be Lucas’s obsessed fan, slandering him because I couldn’t have him. I was slandering him alright, but because I had already had him. Mom looked confused. After watching the video, her face turned pale with anger. “Is this you? Tell me this isn’t you! Where did you get these clothes?! And what’s with this red hair?!” “Emma Carter!” Mom was having another episode. She’d always had a bad temper and was extremely domineering. That’s why my dad divorced her when I was ten. Mom rushed into my bedroom, searching every nook and cranny where I liked to hide things. Finally, she laid out the black leather outfit and red wig in front of me. Her eyes were bloodshot, her normally immaculate hair in disarray. That hysterical look took me back to that cold night. Mom had the same crazed expression. Holding my mangled body, she cried hoarsely: “Mommy was wrong, Emma. I shouldn’t have pressured you, shouldn’t have made you go on that date. It’s all my fault… Please come back.” My soul stood by her side, watching as my strong, capable mother turned into a babbling madwoman. For 100 days after my death, Mom went to the nearest intersection to our home every day to wait for me. It was on my usual route home from work. In my memory, Mom was always a beautiful, well-dressed woman who cared about appearances. But during those 100 days, her clothes were filthy and tattered. She even lost control of her bodily functions in public. She called every passing woman in her 20s her daughter. Or as others put it, she harassed them all. Mom, this time I won’t be so foolish.

“Mom, Mom, calm down, please calm down…” “I, I actually looked into what type of girl Lucas likes. This is the style he prefers.” Mother didn’t seem convinced: “Really? What decent man would like this kind of style?” Decent or not, men are all the same. “It’s true. If you don’t believe me, have Mrs. Johnson call and ask what impression I made on him.” “Ring… ring… Hello, who is this?” The call connected, and Lucas’s deep, magnetic voice came through. “Oh, Lucas dear, it’s your Auntie Johnson.” Mrs. Johnson’s face was fawning. She must stand to make a good commission on this match. “Mrs. Johnson? Oh, it’s you.” Lucas hesitated slightly. “Oh I’m not calling for anything important, just wanted to ask how the blind date went today.” The voice on the other end raised slightly, sounding pleased. “It went very well, Mrs. Johnson. Miss Carter was quite interesting. I’m looking forward to getting to know her better. By the way, do you have her contact information?” I could imagine the perverted look on Lucas’s face as he said this. “That’s wonderful, that’s wonderful. Yes, I have her info, I’ll send it to you right away.” Mom was overjoyed hearing this. She immediately gave Mrs. Johnson my contact details to pass along, Without even asking how I knew Lucas’s preferences, or why I’d said those things. If she had pressed further, I’d have had to tell her the truth about the dare. Before bed, I liked all the comments criticizing Lucas under the video.

“A new trendy dessert shop just opened on Blossom Street. Want to go check it out?” A message from my best friend, Olivia White. Of course I’d go. After all, I hadn’t properly thanked her for her “help” yet. In my past life, it was Olivia, who worked at the hotel, who told me to go catch Lucas cheating. Even though she clearly knew Lucas was gay long before, she only told me on my wedding day. And she even rallied all the guests to come watch the spectacle. Humiliating me and my mother beyond belief. … “What took you so long? I’ve been waiting forever. Here, I ordered you the red velvet.” Looking at Olivia’s smiling face, I felt sick. The best friend I once thought was so close was nothing but a facade. In reality, Olivia hated me to her core. Because her family background, looks, education, and job were all far inferior to mine. Without the right qualifications, she could only work as a hotel receptionist. Next to me, she was just a plain Jane. But I had never looked down on her! Of course, I only learned all this when she came to my grave to tell me. Her face twisted with hate. She forgot how in school, when everyone ostracized her, I was the only one who played with her, talked to her, became her only friend. Because I was there, the other students stopped bullying her. She herself said we’d be best friends for life. How ironic.

“Liv, do you want a man? If you do, I can set you up.” Olivia had fallen for Lucas the moment I introduced them. In my past life, I was too caught up in my romance with Lucas. Drowning in love, I never noticed Olivia’s little crush. I kept flaunting my relationship in front of her. This time, why not make her dreams come true? “A man! Where, where?” Olivia looked around eagerly, putting on an act of anticipation. I opened Lucas’s Instagram profile and showed her his photos. “Holy shit, he’s gorgeous! I’m in love! Secretary Carter, I need his full background check in two minutes.” I knew it. Olivia would still fall for Lucas. After all, who doesn’t like a handsome face. I laughed inwardly: Hook, line and sinker. “Wait, something’s not right. Why would you share a catch like this with me? There must be a catch.” Olivia gave me a contemptuous look. “Besides, someone like me clearly doesn’t deserve him. Never mind.” When did Olivia grow a brain? She used to stop in her tracks for any hot guy. “To be honest, he’s my blind date.” “See, I knew it was yours. All the good stuff always goes to you. Nothing left for me.” “But you know how my mom’s always setting me up on dates. I really don’t want to date or get married right now, so I’m planning to rebel.” “Oh, look who’s standing up to Mommy Dearest.” It’s true, I used to be a total mama’s girl. Even though I didn’t want to marry and have kids, I still went on date after date at my mother’s insistence. I hadn’t expected anything, but then I met Lucas. Handsome, wealthy, polite – who wouldn’t fall for him? Soon enough, both our parents were meeting to discuss wedding dates. “And to sabotage this date, I did something crazy.” I showed her the viral video on my phone. Olivia was shocked: “Oh my god, I’ve seen this video! That was you?! So this is your blind date? I gotta say, he looks even hotter on video.” “You really went all out to ruin that date, huh.” “So, waste not want not. You want this hottie or not?” Olivia nodded eagerly. “Yes, yes, yes!” “Then you better listen to me carefully.” I needed to figure out how to get my bestie into my blind date’s bed.

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The plane plummeted rapidly. Amber Rose, Caleb Anderson’s first love, had a heart attack from the shock. I stopped Caleb from unbuckling his seatbelt and snatched the medicine from his hand to throw to her. But she still ended up being the only fatality in this plane malfunction. Afterwards, engagement, marriage, pregnancy – everything fell into place smoothly. Until I had complications during childbirth and was struggling for my life on the operating table. Caleb, now Chief of Surgery, watched me slowly lose consciousness with an expressionless face. “Olivia Parker, now you know how terrifying it is for a patient when someone stands by and does nothing?” It turns out he had hated me all along. I opened my eyes, reborn. This time, I let Caleb unbuckle his seatbelt. “Go on, fulfill your duty to save lives!” The plane was plummeting rapidly. Screams and cries erupted throughout the cabin. Except for Caleb, no one noticed Amber clutching her chest and quietly begging for help. The cabin announcement was playing: “The plane is experiencing technical difficulties. Please fasten your seatbelts…” Caleb raised his hand to unbuckle his seatbelt. He was ready to sacrifice his life without hesitation. If I hadn’t accidentally discovered a photo of Caleb and Amber kissing before I died in my past life, I probably would have thought Caleb was just acting on his professional ethics as a doctor. But in reality, he just couldn’t bear to let his first love die here. At that moment, the plane was shaking violently. People who weren’t wearing seatbelts were even thrown high into the air before crashing back down, their heads bleeding. Worried he would get hurt, I desperately tried to stop him from unbuckling his seatbelt and threw the heart medication in his hand to Amber. I said, “Caleb, you need to ensure your own safety before you can save others!” In the end, the plane malfunction resulted in 1 death, 5 severe injuries, and 8 minor injuries. Amber died. The night the news came out, Caleb proposed to me. He said we had been through life and death together, hand in hand. I was so touched that I burst into tears. But when I confronted him with the photo of him and Amber, he angrily pushed me, pregnant, down the stairs. All the deep affection vanished in an instant. Only intense, bone-deep hatred remained. “Olivia Parker, you’re a doctor too!” “Have you never had nightmares all these years about watching a patient die right in front of you?” I was rushed to the hospital with severe bleeding. As I lay on the operating table desperately struggling, the doctors were slow to arrive. Only Caleb, now Chief of Surgery, entered the room. He watched me slowly lose consciousness with an expressionless face. “Olivia Parker, now you know how terrifying it is for a patient when someone stands by and does nothing?” “You selfish woman, you’ve finally experienced Amber’s pain.” “How wonderful.” After ten years of marriage, there was not a trace of pain or pity in his eyes. His venomous gaze pierced me like a sharp blade, wounding me all over. Living this life again, I stepped aside to let Caleb go save Amber. He said with disgust, “Olivia Parker, thankfully you didn’t stop me this time, otherwise—” My heart skipped a beat. Had Caleb… been reborn too?

Amber was extremely lucky this time. After taking the medicine and receiving CPR from Caleb, she slowly regained consciousness. But Caleb’s luck wasn’t so good. Without his seatbelt on, he was thrown high into the air by the violently shaking plane and hit his head, immediately losing consciousness. He had multiple fractures all over his body as well. Especially his hands. He became one of the severely injured. After three days in the ICU, Caleb was moved to a regular ward. The doctor said he was in a deep coma and if he didn’t wake up within seven days, he would become a vegetative patient. Mrs. Anderson wailed and screamed at the hospital, blaming me for not taking good care of her boyfriend. She lunged at me and grabbed my clothes: “This is a disaster! He’s my only son, I raised him with such difficulty!” “Olivia Parker! If anything happens to Caleb, you’ll have to pay with your life!” I couldn’t help but laugh coldly. Caleb’s father had passed away early, leaving his mother to raise him alone. But Caleb was very successful, a top student since childhood. He later went straight to graduate school and got his PhD, sailing smoothly through life. Mrs. Anderson always thought her son was heaven’s chosen one, and no one was good enough for him, including me. Even though my mother was the hospital director and my father was a big shot in the medical field, even though Caleb became Chief of Surgery within just a few years of graduating thanks to my family’s influence, Mrs. Anderson still thought I wasn’t good enough for her precious son. A crowd had gathered around us, with many people taking out their phones to record. Not far away, the door to the ward was pushed open by a woman wearing a mask and covered from head to toe. I recognized that figure even in my dreams. I grabbed Mrs. Anderson’s hand and pointed at Amber. “Mrs. Anderson, if you’re looking for someone to blame, it shouldn’t be me.” “That woman over there is Caleb’s precious darling. He unbuckled his seatbelt to save her, and now he’s in a coma!” Amber’s movements froze. When she heard this, she turned to run. Mrs. Anderson rushed over and slapped her hard across the face. The mask and hat were all violently torn off, exposing Amber’s face to the cameras. “Amber Rose, it’s you!” Mrs. Anderson scratched Amber’s face: “If my son doesn’t wake up, I’ll kill you!” “Are you crazy?!” Amber let out a shrill scream. The angelic face was filled with impatience and anger. “I didn’t beg your son to save me. He chose to be a simp and rushed over recklessly when he saw I was uncomfortable!” “It has nothing to do with me?!” “I even came to see him out of kindness. With your attitude, forget it!” Amber fled in a panic. Mrs. Anderson collapsed to the ground, her face full of resentment.

Mrs. Anderson followed me into the ward: “Anyway, I don’t care. You all share responsibility. If Caleb doesn’t wake up, you’ll all have to take care of him and me…” I rolled my eyes and glanced at Caleb’s condition on the hospital bed. Still no improvement. His face was bruised and swollen, almost unrecognizable. I wonder how he would feel if he knew that Amber, whom he had tried so hard to protect, had actually said such things. Unfortunately, he was in a coma now and couldn’t know anything. I clicked my tongue in regret, about to turn and leave, when suddenly I saw a thin, transparent human form sit up from the bed. I was so startled that I stumbled backwards, stepping on Mrs. Anderson’s foot. “What the hell, why are you stepping on me?” Mrs. Anderson angrily shoved me, her hand passing through Caleb’s soul. She couldn’t see him. I didn’t dare look directly either, only daring to observe the soul’s state from the corner of my eye. I saw Caleb first shocked, then panicked, and finally, he ran in front of me and waved his hand. “Olivia Parker, can you see me?” I could even hear him speak. Could it be because I had been reborn? I pretended not to see or hear him. Caleb sat back down by the bed with a disappointed look, muttering to himself. “Where’s Amber? I wonder how Amber is doing.” “This time, did I manage to protect her?” “Why hasn’t she come to see me?”

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After five years apart, I reunited with Lucas Thorne. His business was thriving, and his love life flourishing. He toured the mall arm in arm with his fiancée, surrounded by admirers. Seeing me in my plain work uniform, he smiled with a hint of mockery: “Evelyn Shaw, your retribution has finally come.” To seek revenge and torment me, he stopped at nothing. But later, with bloodshot eyes and hands covered in scars, he knelt before me crying: “Can we go back to the way things were?” I swayed my high heels and replied, “Of course not.” Lucas Thorne is now the most prominent figure in Ocean City’s business circle, wielding immense power and influence. At the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new shopping mall, Lucas’s handsome face stands out strikingly. Tall and slender, impeccably dressed in a suit, his cold eyes sweep across the crowd. His fiancée, Olivia White, clings to his arm, flashing a gracious smile at the reporters. She’s wearing an elegant white dress, the epitome of a refined beauty. Suddenly, Lucas’s gaze fixes on me, his eyes piercing and cold. He walks towards me, his voice low and calm: “Long time no see, Evelyn.” His voice isn’t loud, but my heart still skips a beat. I keep my head down and say, “Welcome, Mr. Thorne.” Olivia leans on his shoulder, asking gently, “Lucas, is this your friend?” “Evelyn Shaw, heiress to the Shaw Group, once a top socialite. She was the princess of the entire Capital City, no one dared to cross her back then.” He pauses, letting out a brief, cold laugh. “But now, the Shaw Group has gone bankrupt. Her pride and status are gone.” “Oh, I see.” Olivia nods in understanding, not pursuing the topic further. She changes the subject, “Lucas, shall we go for Japanese cuisine?” “You go ahead, I’ll join you shortly.” Lucas and Olivia kiss goodbye in front of me. After everyone around has been cleared away by Lucas’s security, he suddenly pins me against the hard wall. “Come, let me have a look at you.” “Lucas, let go…” My weak struggle causes my collarbone to form a deep hollow. Lucas’s fingers slide down from my shoulder, leaving a trail of fire wherever they touch. He asks me meaningfully: “How have you been, Evelyn? Where’s that Miss Shaw who used to humiliate me with her money? Thanks to you, I’m doing very well now.” My eyes sting, and I slowly clench my fists. “Actually, back then I…” “Are you showing up in front of me now just to disgust me?” The sarcasm in his words makes my heart tremble, and I can’t utter another word. I never told him that back then, I was in debt of hundreds of millions, attempted suicide, and broke up with him because I didn’t want to drag him down.

Lucas’s gaze falls back on my face. “The Shaw Group collapsed, your father died in his office, and you have no source of income. If you need money, I can help you. As much as you want. But on the condition that it’s kept secret, no commitments, just to satisfy physical needs.” He shamelessly looks me up and down, his words direct. My breathing tightens slightly as I look at this man who grew up with me but has now changed beyond recognition. I firmly refuse: “Impossible!” All these years, I’ve struggled to live, just so that when I meet Lucas again one day, I won’t be so miserable. Yet he wants me to sell myself, to be his mistress! Lucas lets out a light laugh, showing impatience. He leans close to my ear: “How noble of you. Evelyn, don’t think about running away. I can catch you no matter where you go, even to the ends of the earth.” “You want… revenge on me?” “Heh.” Lucas seems to laugh at my obvious question. Just then, his phone rings. He lets go of me and walks to the side to answer it, his tone gentle: “I’m coming now. Bring her? Alright, got it.” Hanging up the phone, Lucas’s cold gaze falls on me. “Olivia wants to see you. If you don’t want to lose this job, you know what to say and what not to say.” He says this without a trace of mercy. I lower my eyes and say, “Mr. Thorne and I have no relationship.” I arrive at the entrance of the Japanese restaurant. Olivia waves me over: “Come in.” As I walk over, I hear Lucas pointing at a wedding photo on his phone saying, “This one.” Olivia rests her cheek on Lucas’s shoulder, saying softly, “I want to tell Dad that the man I love most has fulfilled all his promises to me!” After sending the message, she unhurriedly raises her head to scrutinize me: “So beautiful. Lucas, is this the type of woman you men like best?” “What type?” “Good figure, youthful looks.” “It’s nothing special.” “If she were willing to be with you now, would I still be Mrs. Thorne today?” Lucas doesn’t want to discuss this topic, his brows furrowing. Unexpectedly, Olivia suddenly asks: “Have you two slept together?” Her gaze is fixed intently on Lucas, not missing the slightest change in his expression. Lucas takes a sip of wine, his expression indifferent: “No.” I also say: “No. Mr. Thorne and I have no relationship.” Olivia frowns as she looks us both over. “Then I’ll go back to work.” Just as I’m about to leave, Olivia suddenly calls out to me: “Wait a moment.” “That outfit you’re wearing looks like the H brand’s classic limited edition? Over a hundred thousand dollars. There are only two in Ocean City, one with me and the other with my cousin. Where did you get yours?” “Mine is a replica, just a few hundred dollars.” Olivia smiles, speaking slowly: “You’re so vain. If you met someone who didn’t know better, they might actually believe you could afford a hundred-thousand-dollar outfit. What level are you to wear the same as me? Even fakes are not allowed!” She takes out five hundred dollars in cash from her bag and places it on the table. “I’ll give you money, you cut up this outfit.” As she speaks, two people come up to strip off my clothes. When they’re about to cut with scissors, one of them suddenly trembles, “Miss White, this… is the one from Capital City. It’s genuine.” Olivia’s expression changes. Lucas, however, remains calm. He takes out a blank check from his pocket, signs a number, then throws it on the ground. “Miss Shaw doesn’t have occasions to wear such clothes anymore. It’s better to exchange it for money. I’ll buy this outfit.” I bend down to pick up the check, my fingertips pressing slightly. Ten thousand. Lucas looks at Olivia, his tone indulgent: “Cut it.” “Aren’t we bullying her?” Olivia asks. “How could we? We’ve paid for it.” I remain silent, my nails digging into my palm, painfully. Behind me comes the sound of fabric being torn. The top-quality hand-woven fabric turns into shreds under the scissors. Pearls scatter, covering the ground. Coincidentally, at this moment, several of Olivia’s acquaintances enter the restaurant, amusedly looking at my disheveled state. Then they pass by me, saying: “You two are engaged, right? If there’s good news, remember to let us know.” Olivia smiles shyly, “Lucas says the baby is already in his plans, so there should be good news soon.” Their conversation is joyful, no one noticing me in the middle, wearing thin clothes and freezing cold.

Lucas hates me so much, I thought yesterday would be our last interaction. The next day, as soon as the mall’s closing time arrived, I quickly changed clothes, put on lipstick, and prepared to go to the KTV for my night shift. Suddenly my phone rang, a message came in: “7 PM, parking lot, space F0888.” I vaguely felt it was Lucas, and went to the parking lot with a nervous heart. Unexpectedly, a pair of silver high heels walked out from around the corner, the tone unfriendly: “So it’s you. Are you still pining for my fiancé?” “Miss White, you misunderstand.” Olivia snorted, “Misunderstand? He told me, you were his first love. Now you’re short on money, and he’s rich. It’s hard for me not to suspect you have ulterior motives appearing around him.” “But let me tell you, you can’t squeeze in. He bought an island named after me, his first words after ringing the bell at the NYSE were about marrying me. He eats the food I like, wears the clothes I like.” “Do you know how long he comforted me the night you appeared?” Just then, a Rolls-Royce drove up, the window lowered, and a deep male voice came: “Olivia, who are you talking to?” Olivia put away her scornful expression and switched to a gentle face: “Miss Shaw somehow knows your parking spot. Is she looking for you?” Lucas got out of the car, his gaze falling on me, “How did you know about this place?” I was about to say: You sent a message telling me to come. But seeing Olivia looking at us, I ultimately didn’t say it out loud, only saying, “I was passing by.” “You can come up with such a low-level excuse?” Lucas frowned, he’s tall, looking down at me with lowered eyelids, “In the future, appear less in front of Olivia, she’ll overthink things.” Olivia leaned against the car door, arms folded, casually saying, “Who knows if she’s doing it on purpose, deliberately flaunting in front of me. She was just telling me about your past.” “I didn’t!” Suddenly a large hand tightened around my neck. “Evelyn, how dare you, aren’t you ashamed.” The next second, Lucas released me, throwing me to the side. I gasped for air, the corners of my eyes tinged with blood red, the pain in my chest coming in waves. “You’ve changed a lot over the years, deaf and blind.” My words struck Lucas to the core, his face stiffening. Olivia spoke up: “Lucas, fire her.” I dug my fingertips into my palm. Lucas was silent for a moment before answering: “Alright.” I pulled a self-mocking smile at the corners of my mouth: “You clearly know I need this job.” He replied coldly: “What does that have to do with me?” He and Olivia got in the car, not even glancing at me, throwing down a sentence: “Evelyn, this is your retribution.” Those two intimate silhouettes were a perfect couple that no one could come between. Heh, I let out a light sneer. I suddenly realized that in Lucas’s eyes, my dignity didn’t matter. I was just a little toy for him to use to please his sweetheart. The car lights came on, and as it started, I also turned away. I took out my phone and swiftly blocked the number that had sent the message.

I finished my night shift absent-mindedly, feeling empty when I walked out the door. Lily would bring breakfast and wait for me at the entrance of White Night every day. When the Shaw family went bankrupt, all my friends in the circle avoided me. Only Lily stood by me in my most difficult time, accompanying me through the hardest first three years. I finished the breakfast, closed the lunch box, and handed it back to her, “Thank your mom for me.” “You only eat one meal a day… if my mom knew, she’d definitely scold me. You don’t earn little from that daytime job, can’t you afford to eat lunch?” “It’s gone.” “What?” “That daytime job is gone.” I took a deep breath, “Lily, I met Lucas.” With a “clang”, the lunch box fell to the ground. Lily’s lips trembled violently, “How could you two still cross paths? Evelyn… you should leave Ocean City quickly.” “I know him, there’s no escaping.” The Shaw Group’s competitors had once spread word in Capital City, forbidding large companies from hiring me, and small companies were even more afraid to be associated with me. I had no choice but to come to Ocean City, only to run into Lucas as soon as I arrived. Finding a job became very difficult. I had to go to the gate of an international elementary school to hand out business cards, “I graduated from the National Academy of Fine Arts, I can tutor children in painting. Please contact me if needed.” Not far away, a figure came running, a pink skirt flying in the air, opening a black luxury car and climbing in. Someone by the car took the schoolbag. I looked up. My gaze met with that person looking over. That face was stunningly handsome. Slightly upturned eyes, a cold yet passionate eye shape. A black sweater covered his Adam’s apple, supported by broad shoulders. The ascetic outfit gave him an unapproachable nobility. I handed him a business card. This person’s car was very expensive. His watch, also very expensive. So families like this are willing to pay for useless yet expensive hobbies. That slender hand with distinct knuckles played with my business card, his lazy and casual gaze looking at me, “My sister doesn’t like painting. Sorry.” I turned to leave. At this moment, a doll-like little girl popped her head out of the car window, “It’s not that I don’t like painting, I just don’t like that teacher.” I turned back to meet those slightly upturned passionate eyes, pleading, “I can give a free trial lesson.” Half an hour later, I was sitting in the living room of a mansion waiting for the final result. The man walked down the spiral staircase leisurely with one hand in his pocket and the other holding a coffee cup, “Ava likes you very much. Let’s start from next week then.” After walking out of this house, I finally learned the identity of this employer. Ethan Hawke, from the Hawke family, a famous aristocratic family in the financial circle, with countless capital alliances behind them, their financial empire as solid as a fortress. He was temporarily residing in Ocean City to accompany his sister Ava’s studies.

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In the delivery room, my husband Jack was grinning as he held our daughter. “Emma, you’re awake. This is our little girl.” Looking at our daughter in the swaddle, I clenched my fists, my whole body trembling. I knew that when my daughter grew up, she would kill me. This was my third reincarnation. In my previous two lives, I had died at my daughter’s hands. My daughter was born evil, an ungrateful wolf that could never be tamed. I raised my hand high. “Emma, what are you doing?” My husband looked at me in horror. “Slap!” I struck my husband across the face. A father who didn’t care about his daughter’s upbringing at all. In my previous two lives, I had always reflected on my own parenting issues. This life, I finally understood. A child isn’t raised by just one person. Even if I were to be killed by my daughter again, I would drag my husband down with me. 0 I believe some people are born bad, but my daughter wasn’t one of them. When I breastfed Lily, she was always hungry. Although she had no teeth, her little mouth was always strong, bringing tears to my eyes every time she fed. Once, when I couldn’t bear the pain anymore, I gently told her, “Mommy hurts, please eat more gently.” Lily, tiny and soft in my arms, seemed to understand. She slowed down her feeding. From then on, whenever I breastfed her, she was always gentle and never hurt me again. When Lily was two, we weren’t well off, but I would occasionally buy her small cakes. Every time, Lily would smile, take the little cake, and toddle over to me, insisting I take the first bite. Most of the time, I couldn’t bear to eat it. Once, I experimentally took a big bite, and Lily didn’t get upset at all. She happily ate the rest of the cake. At that time, I thought I had given birth to an angel. But I don’t know when it started, Lily’s personality became increasingly difficult. When I wouldn’t let her eat ice cream, she would complain to her dad and grandmother, saying I pinched her, hit her, and didn’t feed her. At the time, I thought she just couldn’t distinguish between fantasy and reality. But after that, whenever I was slightly unkind to her, she would tell everyone that I, her mother, was abusing her. At preschool, she fought with her best friend Rachel over a toy. When the teacher just scolded her a bit, she started spreading rumors that the teacher had molested her. I don’t know where she learned that word. Luckily, all the teachers at the preschool were women, otherwise it would have been hard to clear up. When I exposed her lie, she cried and said she wanted to kill Rachel and the teacher. Later, she saw other kids playing the piano and said she wanted to play too. I said the piano was too expensive, that mommy couldn’t afford it. But she cried and begged, and I couldn’t resist her persistence, so I still bought her one. But after buying it, she only played a few times and then refused to play anymore. I tried to persuade her nicely a few times, but it didn’t work. Then one day when I came home from work, the piano was smashed. Not just the piano, the whole house was turned upside down. I thought a thief had broken in and called the police. After the police investigation, they found that no one had come to our house. It was all Lily’s doing, just so she wouldn’t have to play the piano. After discovering this, I wanted to punish Lily, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. After scolding her a bit, Lily went on a hunger strike in protest. My heart softened, and I coaxed Lily into eating. From then on, Lily became increasingly out of control. Starting in middle school, she often skipped classes. I only found out when her teachers called me. She was addicted to video games and barely communicated with anyone around her. If I criticized her a bit, she would curse at me, showing no respect at all. Regarding Lily’s education, both my husband and mother-in-law blamed me, saying I had spoiled her. I realized myself that the indulgence from her childhood had made Lily uncontrollable. But now it was too late, and she wouldn’t listen to me anymore when I tried to discipline her. If my tone was even slightly off when I spoke to her, she would hold a knife to her own throat, saying she had depression and wanted to kill herself. I was scared out of my wits and quickly tried to comfort her. To prevent her from committing suicide, I gave in to whatever she wanted. My husband wanted to send Lily to a school that specialized in troubled kids. I cried and begged him not to, saying they really abused children there, and if Lily really became depressed, we would regret it too late. But Lily found out about this and stole money to run away from home. Chapter

Lily was gone, and my heart was breaking. I cried every day. The next time I saw Lily, her belly was already big, and she was followed by a punk with dyed hair. My husband was so angry he smashed the table. I sat beside him, crying non-stop. I tried to take her to get an abortion, but she shook me off: “You don’t love me. Can’t I have a child to love me?” I had worried myself sick for her all these years. How could she say I didn’t love her? She grabbed a fruit knife from the kitchen and pointed it at me. “If you try to stop me again, I’ll kill you all.” Lily took two thousand dollars and left without looking back. My husband was smoking on the balcony and said to me: “How did you raise our daughter? How did she turn out like this?” I was also blaming myself. How did the sweet little girl from her childhood turn into this? Before Lily got too far, I chased after her. Lily and the punk were waiting for a cab outside. I grabbed Lily and tried to drag her home. This time, I wouldn’t let her leave no matter what. But I didn’t expect Lily to have grown so strong. Even with all my strength, I couldn’t pull her, and she pushed me to the ground instead. I had been working in a factory for years and had an old back injury. This fall aggravated it, and I grimaced in pain. Seeing my pained expression, Lily said, “Keep acting. Go on.” Lily looked at me coldly, like a stranger. “Lily, come home with mom. Listen to me, you can’t have this baby. It will ruin your life.” “My life is already ruined. You’re only realizing this now?” I cried and said, “I’m sorry, Lily. I’ve missed you so much while you were gone. Please come back with me.” Lily shouted and covered my mouth with her hand. “Shut up! Don’t cry! You’re just trying to make me feel guilty.” “Why should I go back with you? So you can kill my baby?” Before I could say anything, a sharp knife plunged into my heart. I looked down and saw blood gushing from my chest. Lily was holding the fruit knife she had taken from our home. Lily said coldly, “I won’t let you kill my child.” “I won’t be like you, treating my own child badly.” That was the last thing I heard. Soon, I lost consciousness. When I woke up again, I was back in the hospital. Time had rewound to when I had just given birth to Lily. My husband was showing me the swaddled infant. I hadn’t yet woken from the nightmare of my previous life. The knife entering my body was so cold and painful. The one who plunged the knife into my heart was the daughter I had raised for so many years. My heart went cold, as cold as the knife tip that pierced it. I didn’t understand why. Even if you raised a dog for eighteen years, it would become attached to you. Why was Lily always so cold, like a stone that could never be warmed? Her words still echoed in my ears: “I won’t be like you, treating my own child badly.” Hadn’t I been good enough to her? We didn’t have much money, but everything good was hers. When she said she wanted strawberries, even if it was freezing outside, I would go from store to store looking. Even if I only had a few dollars left, I would buy the best for her. When Lily was little, she was always afraid of monsters and didn’t dare sleep alone. I always slept with her, even if it meant I couldn’t sleep well myself. From small things like toys and snacks to big things like a piano or trips to the amusement park or vacations, as long as she asked for it, I would make it happen. Wasn’t that good enough? Maybe it was too good. It made her think she was the center of the world, that everyone should revolve around her, that she could take my love for granted. This life would be different. I was prepared to discipline her strictly. Chapter

In my previous life, Lily didn’t like to eat, and the whole family would follow her around trying to feed her. This life, she doesn’t want to eat? Fine. I dumped out all the food in her bowl right in front of her. Eat it or don’t. If you don’t eat, you’ll go hungry. Lily cried and said, “Grandma, mommy won’t give me food and she hit me.” Lily was lying again. I asked her quietly, “Lily, how did mommy hit you just now?” Lily put her little hand to her face to show me: “Like this.” “Oh, really?” I raised my hand and slapped Lily’s face hard. A red mark immediately appeared on Lily’s cheek. I said sternly, “This is hitting.” Lily started crying loudly. I shouted, “Is this how I hit you earlier?” “Tell grandma, did mommy hit you like this before?” Lily shook her head, crying, “No.” “No? Then why did you say mommy hit you like this? Why are you lying?” Lily cried without saying anything. My mother-in-law came over to stop me: “What are you doing? She’s just a child.” “I know she’s young. That’s why I’m helping her understand what ‘hitting’ really means, so she doesn’t go around saying it carelessly in the future.” My mother-in-law crouched down and wiped Lily’s tears with the back of her hand. “It’s all mommy’s fault. Mommy is bad. Lily, don’t cry, okay?” Hearing this, I got angry. It was the same in my previous life. My mother-in-law was always telling the child “It’s all mommy’s fault” and “Mommy is wrong.” When I tried to discipline the child, they all accused me of being too harsh. But when Lily really went bad, they jumped out to say I had spoiled her. I tried to control my anger and said, “Mom, from now on, don’t interfere when I’m parenting. Otherwise, if the child turns bad in the future, it will be your fault.” My mother-in-law said sarcastically, “You’re like a loaded gun every day. Lily is so good, how could she possibly turn bad?” “You’re so fierce, aren’t you afraid the child will pull out your oxygen tube when you’re old?” I laughed. She would kill me long before I needed an oxygen tube. After this incident, I sent my mother-in-law back to her hometown. If I let her continue to spoil Lily, she would end up on the same path as before. I quit my job to focus on teaching Lily at home. I bought a ruler, and whenever I was sure Lily was lying, I would hit her palm with it. After a few times, her lying improved a lot. The way she looked at me was often full of fear and trepidation. Whenever I was about to soften, I would think of the knife plunging into my chest in my previous life. But I didn’t know then that she was just scared, not changed. When her preschool teacher criticized her, she still made up stories about the teacher molesting her. I took her to the preschool and made her stand in front of all the teachers to point out which one had touched her. She was scared and cried, admitting she had lied. She smashed the piano at home again. I gritted my teeth and bought another one. Every day I stood behind her with a stick, supervising her practice. She had to practice for two hours a day. Since we agreed she would learn, even if she didn’t want to, she had to practice. Lily wasn’t a very smart child. I attended extra classes with her and checked her homework every day. Under my strict discipline, her grades improved a lot compared to my previous life. I finally managed to get her into a good high school, but then she started saying she was depressed. She said she didn’t want to go to school and held a knife to her throat, threatening suicide. In my previous life, every time she did this, I would practically get on my knees begging her. This life, hah. “You want to die? Go ahead, just don’t get blood on me.” Lily was stunned. She hadn’t expected this reaction from me. She put down the knife sheepishly. She didn’t really want to die. It was just a tactic to threaten me. “You don’t want to go to school? Fine, then don’t. Tomorrow I’ll withdraw you from school, and you can go get a job to support yourself.” Lily left. Two months later, she came back on her own, carrying her bag. Working was too hard. She wanted to go back to school. After this episode, Lily’s attitude towards studying finally improved a bit. Unfortunately, she didn’t do well on the SAT and only got into a second-tier college. Although it wasn’t a great school, I was still satisfied. Compared to her middle school education in the previous life, my efforts this time had finally shown some results. But after starting college, she completely reverted to her old ways. In her first year, she failed nine out of fifteen major courses. I called her, but she stopped answering my calls. One month, two months, three months passed with no news. I was so angry I cut off her living expenses. The next time I saw her, she was standing in front of me and my husband with a big belly again.

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I swallowed all the warnings I wanted to give her. Including but not limited to: your father is skilled at burying people, your mother likes making dolls, and that mute housekeeper… Never mind, let her explore and discover for herself. Later, I agreed to help her by locking her in a room to do homework, slapping her once for each wrong answer. She endured the slaps and thanked me from the bottom of her heart. When I was six, a nanny joked: “Lily really doesn’t look anything like her parents. She must be adopted, haha!” The next day, that nanny disappeared. I was digging in the garden with my little shovel, tending to my roses. When I dug down, blood seeped out of the soil. Mom picked me up and gently wiped my face: “Stop playing, you’re filthy. Don’t be like your dad.” Mom brought me to the dining table. I stared at the fancy china plate holding a bloody steak, hugging my teddy bear silently. Dad’s smile was even gentler than Mom’s: “Why isn’t Lily eating?” “Daddy found you a new nanny. She definitely won’t say anything to upset you.” Because she couldn’t speak at all. “It’s okay, even if you’re not our biological child, you’re still Mommy and Daddy’s precious daughter.” My hand shook a little as I cut the steak. I accidentally knocked a piece off the plate. It flew across the table, leaving a trail of blood. The mute nanny quickly pulled out a napkin and wiped the blood off the table and my hands. Just as efficiently as she had cleaned up the previous nanny’s blood in the kitchen. Before she arrived, we went through nannies quite frequently. But she ended up staying with our family for ten years. From that moment on, I knew there wasn’t a single normal person around me.

They finally found my parents’ biological daughter. She lived in a run-down house. Her mother – my birth mother – had committed suicide years ago due to mental illness. All that was left was an alcoholic, gambling addict father. The day we arrived, he was grabbing his daughter’s hair and slamming her head against the wall. “I told you to go work the streets, why did you run away?!” “You’ve been freeloading off me for years, time to earn your keep!” “Useless, just like your crazy bitch of a mother!” Dad cleared his throat at the door: “Ahem.” When the drunk realized the daughter he’d raised for years belonged to the wealthy man before him, his eyes lit up greedily. “I raised her for 12 years, a full 12 years. $120,000 wouldn’t be unreasonable, right?” Turns out he wasn’t my birth father either. My mom had remarried him when the real daughter was 4. I had no idea who my birth father was. After the tearful family reunion, the true daughter cried hard. Her gaze towards me changed from envy to hatred. Mom took us home first. Dad stayed behind to discuss “compensation” with that man. I turned back and gave him a sympathetic look. The man’s greedy gaze grew stronger. Clearly he had no idea what was about to happen. The true daughter, now renamed Daisy, sobbed in the car: “Why did it take you so long to come get me?!” Thunder suddenly cracked across the sky as rain began to fall. I answered for Mom: “Because it’s raining today.” Rainy days make things easier to clean up. Mom smiled, giving me an approving look. Daisy paused, then continued crying. Ten days later, when debt collectors came looking for that man, he had vanished. Rumor had it he’d suddenly come into money and left the country. No one cared which sewers he’d been washed down.

My parents renamed the true daughter Daisy Foster. Her room was arranged next to mine. The night she arrived, Mom and Dad prepared a feast. Our dinner conversation was perfectly harmonious. Except for when we each went upstairs to our rooms. SLAP— Daisy slapped me hard across the face. She lifted her chin haughtily: “Listen here you little bastard. You’ve been impersonating the real daughter for years. From now on, you’d better know your place.” She glared at me one last time before slamming her bedroom door. After her light went out, I changed into a white nightgown, let my hair down, and grabbed my teddy bear before slipping out of my room. Her door was unlocked. How careless. How convenient for me. I opened her door just wide enough to peer inside, standing perfectly still. Motionless, I stared at her. The hallway was lit. When she rolled over, she’d be able to see me. Ahhhh— AHHHHHHHHH! Daisy’s bloodcurdling scream echoed through the entire house. Mom and Dad came running, flipping on the lights. Daisy was huddled in the corner. When she recognized my face, she flew into a rage: “Lily Foster, are you trying to kill me?!” I squeezed my teddy bear’s paw. “I couldn’t sleep. I just wanted to talk.” Daisy refused. In the end, Mom and Dad soothed her briefly before we all returned to our rooms. This time she locked her door and drew the curtains tight. Mom and Dad knew about Daisy slapping me earlier. They were observing in secret, waiting to see how I’d react. Judging by their smiles just now, they seemed satisfied with my “performance.” Mom and Dad hate boring people. Mom and Dad don’t like useless children. Oh right, when I was little, after the DNA test results came back, Mom and Dad went to check the hospital security footage. There was a gap in the nursery camera feed. They searched for a long time before finally spotting a woman in black. Unfortunately she wore a hat and mask, so nothing could be made out. Two weeks later, the hospital went bankrupt. The kind where even the building gets demolished. This was followed by reports of missing hospital staff, but those were quickly buried under other news. Dad patted my head at the time: “What do you think we should do with you?” I patted my teddy bear’s head: “Turn me into a teddy too?” Dad laughed heartily and scooped me up: “You’re thinking too much, Lily. You’re Daddy’s adorable daughter.” Mom smiled: “That’s right, Lily’s not some boring little kid.” Dad chimed in: “You’re far more interesting than those teddy bears. It’d be such a shame if you couldn’t talk.” I smiled faintly and bit down hard on my tongue. I didn’t even dare pinch my arm or leg, afraid they’d see through my forced composure. I didn’t want to be turned into a teddy. I didn’t want to be made into a doll. So my every word and action had to mimic what they liked.

Daisy transferred into my class. She was very popular. The other students loved hearing her rags-to-riches story. With her outgoing personality, she quickly gathered a large group of friends. In comparison, people didn’t like me much. “Bastard child, it’s a miracle the Fosters were willing to keep you.” “You barely say three words a day. What’s the difference between you and a mute?” “Look how gloomy she is, I bet she’s growing mushrooms. Ugh, I can almost smell the stench of decay.” “Daisy, it must be awful living with her, right?” They said these things right in front of me while Daisy smirked. At first it was just mean words. Then they started hitting me. Daisy especially loved slapping my face. She said she enjoyed the sound and rhythm as she hit me over and over: “This is all payback.” “You stole my parents for over a decade. You deserve to suffer. I’ll make sure you pay for every day.” “How dare you try to scare me that night, you little mongrel.” SLAP— SLAP SLAP— Two girls flanked me, pinning my arms so I couldn’t fight back. “Still not making a sound? You really are pathetic.” She grabbed my face. I cried out in pain, whimpering: “Please, stop…” They all burst out laughing. A boy eagerly filmed the scene on his phone. They had taken over the girls’ bathroom. No one else would come in. Daisy’s arm got tired. She shook out her wrist and kicked over a red bucket. The bucket was filled with dirt they’d dug up from the school garden. They smeared mud all over my face and clothes. “Tsk tsk, so filthy. Let’s clean her up.” I was dragged to a toilet. The two girls shoved my head towards the bowl. “Please, don’t—” I had already begged them. I had already given them a chance. “AHHHHHHH!!!” The two girls shrieked like pigs being slaughtered, even louder than Daisy that night. “Snake! There’s a snake! From her bag, ahhhh!” “Get away!” “Kill it! Kill it!” I was there when they dug up dirt from the garden. I could guess what they were planning, so I brought my pet along. It’s very obedient and listens to me well. The three girls and one boy ran for their lives, screaming the whole way. The little snake slipped out the window, returning to the garden. I calmly walked out of the bathroom. They stared at me in shock as I entered the classroom, stuttering: “Y-you… did you b-bring it in?” “No,” I answered honestly. I would never actually hurt them at school. It was just to scare them. I smiled. “But if you try to hurt me again, it might come back.”

After this incident, my classmates avoided me even more. I overheard them whispering about going to my house to tell my parents what happened. “We’ll back you up, don’t be afraid.” “We have to get her kicked out, or who knows how you might end up dead one day.” Daisy glanced at me nervously before nodding to them. As school let out, our housekeeper pulled up in the car. There was plenty of room for all of them. They kept their distance from me and hailed a taxi instead. I sat in the front seat. Ms. Yang tilted my chin up, examining my face. Her eyes held a questioning look. I knew what she wanted to say. [Did she hit you again?] I pushed her hand away. “It’s fine. I already got revenge.” Ms. Yang shook her head, her face as expressionless as ever. She signed to me: [How rude. The master and madam should teach her a lesson.] Teach her a lesson? If they found out, they’d probably just enjoy the show. After all, those two often ended up with bruises themselves. From the sounds I occasionally overheard, it was very violent, but they seemed to like it. When I got home, Daisy and her friends had already arrived. They sat on the living room couch. In front of them was a white coffee table with gold trim, set with delicate cake plates and a vase that always held fresh red roses. Mom sat in an armchair, hand on her chin, smiling as she listened to them. “Lily’s home!” The room fell silent when I entered. Only Mom spoke enthusiastically. “You must all be hungry. I’ll check on dinner, it should be ready soon.” “Didn’t you want to see the doll collection room? Lily can show you.” Their faces fell. “Mrs. Foster—” Mom smiled. “I’m sure there’s just been some misunderstanding at school. Why don’t you clear things up today?” “Lily, be a good host. Don’t scare your classmates again.” I nodded to show I understood.

The doll collection room was exactly what it sounded like – filled with dolls of all sizes. And many teddy bears too. At first glance, I couldn’t even tell which were real dolls and which were… “Wow, so pretty!” “There’s so many! The whole room is full!” The girls were excited. Even Daisy had never been in here before. She had a girlish look of wonder. The boy was clearly uninterested. He poked and prodded randomly before bumping a music box. It began to play. “The dolly and the teddy bear dance, dance, dance…” One girl hugged an ornate Baroque-style doll, her eyes full of envy. “Daisy, your mom is amazing. Look at this dress, it’s so beautifully made!” “Um… can I have this one? I really love it…” Daisy was very generous of course and immediately agreed. I looked carefully at the doll and said, “Maybe you shouldn’t take that one. How about choosing a different doll?” She glared at me. “Daisy already said yes. It’s none of your business. This isn’t your house anyway.” They mocked and ridiculed me. The boy chuckled. “This reminds me of a horror movie about creepy dolls. Have you guys seen it?” “Shut up!” the girls yelled, but their voices lacked conviction. He continued, “It was also set in a mansion. The lady of the house loved collecting dolls. Guess what the dolls were made of?” “Real children.” “Ahh! Shut up!” The girl holding the Baroque doll screamed and started hitting the boy with it. Crack— thunk thunk— The doll’s head fell off and rolled away. “Oh no, I didn’t mean to…” The head rolled into another room. The lights were off and it was very dark. “Lily, where’s the light switch…” After I turned on the lights, they were shocked by the scene before them. “Is… is this a workshop?” There were syringes, gauze, and a trash can with bloody bandages. The table held various knives and a half-finished project that looked quite disturbing. A strange smell wafted from the bathroom, like a foul odor mixed with air freshener. The music box outside was running out of power. It made a buzzing sound and seemed to slow down. “The… dolly… and… teddy… dance…” A girl’s voice trembled: “This is creepy. I’m scared.” Another agreed: “Me too. I want to go home.” BANG— The door suddenly slammed shut, making everyone jump.

The boy yanked on the handle, pushing and pulling with all his might. “It’s locked!” “What’s going on? Is someone out there?” I walked to the window and closed it. “Probably just the wind. This door is a bit old. Don’t worry, I’ll call the housekeeper.” A girl crouched on the floor, sobbing: “Parents who raise a kid like that can’t be normal either. We shouldn’t have come here today!” Another girl scolded her: “Why didn’t you say that earlier?!” “You didn’t say anything either!” Daisy yelled at them: “Shut up! My parents aren’t like that. Do you want me to hit you?” “AHHHHHHHH!” The two girls clung to each other, screaming even louder than before. “Bones! That doll!” They hadn’t dared retrieve the fallen head. Only now did they notice the headless doll still in their hands. “It’s made from a real person, right? Isn’t it?! ISN’T IT?!” They grabbed Daisy by the neck, shaking her violently. The boy panicked too, trying even harder to open the door. The wood creaked loudly with each attempt. Knock knock knock. Someone was at the door. “AHHHHHHH!” They were all in a state of terror. “W-who’s there?!” There was no answer from outside. Daisy suddenly got excited: “Ms. Yang! It’s Ms. Yang! Quick, open the door!” Daisy hated Ms. Yang. She had never sounded so eager to see her before. I warned them: “Step away from the door.” BANG— After two or three hits, the door burst open with a loud crash. Ms. Yang walked in, closed the door behind her, and stood blocking the exit. “Let us out!” “Please, I’m begging you, let us go!” The corners of Ms. Yang’s mouth turned up slightly. This was the closest she ever came to smiling. She began to sign. “Get out of the way!” “What are you saying?! We can’t understand you!” Their voices were filled with terrified sobs. I translated with a cold smile: “I begged you like this too. What did you do then?”

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On the third anniversary of our son’s death, Alexander Shaw didn’t come home. Instead, I saw his photo with that innocent-looking starlet, Rosalie Lee, on TV. This time, I truly didn’t want to fight anymore. The moment I returned from the cemetery, I sent him a message: “Alexander, let’s get a divorce!” I sent the message at 3 PM, and he came home at 9 PM. Alexander saw me sitting at our son’s old desk. His tone was cold, “Aria, what madness are you up to now?” Madness? Yes, I’ve been a wreck since our son died. At the funeral, I slapped him three times, demanding he bring back our child. He yelled at me with red eyes, “You lunatic! You’re the one who killed our son!” “Why didn’t you watch him properly?” At that moment, I remembered – it was me. I left Henry by the pool, and when I returned, only his lifeless body was floating on the surface. A video of me attacking Alexander at the funeral home went viral. From then on, the name “Mrs. Shaw” was followed by whispers of “that unstable woman.” Alexander found me embarrassing. He’s barely been home these past three years. If I wanted to see him, I could only catch glimpses in gossip columns. This situation was different, though. I stood up and handed him the divorce papers. “I’m not crazy. I’m just… done.” “Mom said if I can’t control you, I should let someone else do it. She’s ready to find a replacement for you.” Alexander scoffed, tearing up the divorce agreement in seconds. “Aria, forget it. Even if you die, you’ll die as part of the Shaw family.” I wasn’t surprised. I just reminded him, “Don’t be late for the visit to your parents’ house tomorrow.” Then I returned the chair to its original position and went to the bedroom. Since Henry passed, Alexander and I have slept in separate rooms. The bedsheets seemed to still hold our child’s scent. I inhaled deeply, sitting there motionless. Then I realized – the sheets had been changed. The baby powder smell was gone. When Alexander came in, he saw me like this and couldn’t help but mock me: “Remembering the past? What’s the point of fooling yourself?” “Today is our child’s death anniversary, Alexander. You commemorated it with tabloid gossip. How classy.” Hearing this, Alexander’s face immediately paled. We both knew how to hit each other’s weak spots. Clearly, this time, I had hurt him. He loosened his tie and surprisingly lay down beside me. I was about to push him away when Alexander muttered, “I didn’t forget. I just got held up.” “Rosalie’s son had a sudden heart attack. I had to go.” “That’s a life at stake too.” I didn’t respond. Rosalie Lee, the new innocent starlet launched by the entertainment company. She debuted with a pure image, but somehow ended up with a child. A single mother raising a kid, independent and strong – just the type to catch Alexander’s eye. Since then, whenever the child was sick, Alexander would contact specialists. If she had family issues, Alexander would smooth things over. When her career hit obstacles, of course, Alexander would be there to protect her. During these three years that I’ve been labeled “unstable,” Rosalie has apparently been poised to replace me as Mrs. Shaw. But now? Alexander doesn’t want a divorce. How ironic! I covered myself with the blanket without saying a word. Soon, Alexander’s phone rang. I could faintly hear Rosalie’s sobs. He immediately sprang up and stormed out, slamming the door. I heard the car start in the driveway. Not long after, I received a message from Rosalie: “Alexander won’t be coming back tonight, Mrs. Shaw. Please don’t call him. It’s too late and inconvenient.” The photo showed Alexander’s profile as he cradled a boy to sleep. His usually sharp features were softened by a rare tenderness, making my eyes sting. I took a deep breath and sent her the recording of him refusing the divorce. Rosalie quickly went silent. Why bother? I just want to leave. Alexander, you shouldn’t have stopped me. I really might go mad.

On the way to his parents’ house, I imagined a thousand ways his mother would scold and torment me. But I never expected Alexander to bring Rosalie along. As soon as the door opened, I saw Rosalie and her child gathered around Alexander’s mother. Alexander sat on the opposite sofa, a gentle smile in his eyes. They looked like a perfect family. My heart felt like it had been stabbed repeatedly. How could Alexander do this? “Mother-in-law,” I greeted. Hearing my voice, they all turned. Seeing me, his mother’s smile faded. “You’re here?” I nodded and sat down directly. “I didn’t know we had guests today.” Alexander and I weren’t divorced yet, so Rosalie was still an outsider. Hearing this, Rosalie smiled humbly: “I just got a ticket for a new play and wanted to invite you to see it together, Mother. It’s by Director Yin.” “And little Tommy missed his grandma, so we stopped by.” From Rosalie’s tone, it seemed this wasn’t her first visit. For her son to call Alexander’s mother “grandma,” it must have been with her approval. I just smiled faintly. “How thoughtful.” But Alexander’s mother looked at me. “She’s so busy with a child, yet still thinks of me. You, my daughter-in-law, can’t manage at home or outside. I really don’t know why Alexander married you. He should have replaced you long ago!” Hearing this, I caught a flash of joy in Rosalie’s eyes. I just called the maid to pour me a cup of tea, then said, “Wasn’t I chosen because I had no family and some money? Easy to control?” “Otherwise, given the Shaw family’s situation back then, you couldn’t have found another sucker, right?” His mother was suddenly speechless, never expecting me to be so bold as to speak to her like this. Alexander was displeased. “Aria!” I took a sip of hot tea to calm myself. “Am I wrong? Without my five million, could you have weathered that crisis?” “Now you want to kick away the ladder after you’ve climbed up?” “Alexander, I’ll tear down this bridge myself, but you need to return the wood I provided.” Bang! As soon as I finished speaking, his mother threw a teacup at me. I dodged, and the scalding tea splashed near my feet. But the shards cut Tommy’s foot. He burst into tears. “Tommy!” Rosalie quickly knelt to check on him. Alexander’s mother also looked extremely anxious. I hadn’t expected this and was about to go over when a great force knocked me down! Alexander pushed me aside to pick up Tommy, then turned to shout at me: “Aria, must you make such a scene? I’ll deal with you when we get home!” He carried the child out with Rosalie, while his mother stayed behind to throw one last barb: “Even so, you killed my grandson. The Shaw family doesn’t owe you anything. If you know what’s good for you, leave now!” Then she hurried after them. No one cared that I was hurt too. My hand stung fiercely. After rinsing it with cold water, I went to the hospital. Some wounds can’t be ignored. When I got home, Alexander was there, surprisingly. I ignored him. The doctor had prescribed me medication and advised me not to bottle things up. I considered today a fresh start, though it hadn’t gone well. “Aria, don’t you have anything to say to me?” Alexander’s eyes were dark and unreadable. I paused, looking at him on the sofa. Tilting my head, I asked, “About the divorce?” He laughed bitterly. “Fine! You want a divorce? Well, I won’t give you the satisfaction! You just want to take the money and start a new life. Dream on!” I frowned. Alexander strode over, gripping my neck as he tried to kiss me. Seeing his face so close, smelling the perfume on him, I instinctively slapped him!

A moment of silence, then Alexander forcefully kissed me, ignoring my resistance. Painful memories flooded back. I suddenly pushed him away, covering my stomach as I dry heaved. Three years ago, when Henry left us, Alexander tormented me relentlessly. It was during that time that I developed an intense aversion to him. Just touching him made me feel physically ill. Seeing me like this, his face darkened terribly. After a while, he laughed, “So looking at me makes you sick, huh?” He wiped his mouth. “Well, same here. So don’t think about leaving.” “We’ll just torture each other for the rest of our lives!” With that, he stormed out, leaving me alone in the vast mansion. I collapsed on the stairs, gasping for air. I stumbled to the bedroom, opened a drawer, and swallowed some pills. My hands were still shaking, my head spinning. That’s when he returned, saw the pills on my desk, and his pupils constricted. The next second, he slapped me hard! “You’re trying to kill yourself!” The blow left me dizzy. When I recovered, I stood up and slapped him back with all my might! “Alexander Shaw, I’m giving you three days. If you don’t sign, we’ll see each other in court!” “Then we’ll see if Rosalie and her son get dragged down too. After all, everyone says she’s the future Mrs. Shaw. I want to see if being a homewrecker really does bring bad karma!” Alexander was furious. “I have no relationship with her! Don’t project your dirty thoughts onto her!” “Even if you die, you’ll still be my wife!” Seeing his anger, I suddenly smiled. If he wanted mutual destruction and torture, then I’d cut off the source. Alexander took me to the hospital against my will, insisting I get my stomach pumped. When I showed the pill bottle to the doctor, he looked conflicted and told Alexander they were just stomach medication. No pumping needed. Alexander still didn’t believe it and made a scene. It only ended when I smashed a glass and held it to my wrist, threatening him. He slumped against the wall, taking a deep breath. “Aria, don’t think you can leave me and start over. Even if he comes back, it won’t happen!” This was the second time tonight he mentioned someone coming back. Confused, I asked, “Who?” “Who else? Kevin’s back. Isn’t that who you’ve been waiting for? I’m telling you, it’s not happening!” The familiar name flooded my memories. When I realized who he meant, I couldn’t help but laugh. Kevin Lin, my first love. Well, more like a one-sided crush. I chased him for a year, then he went abroad and we lost touch. Since then, I’d married, had a child, lost that child, and ended up here. Yet Alexander thought I wanted to leave for another man. Even if Kevin was back, we had no connection. But Alexander believed it and had been going crazy over it. I didn’t respond. If that’s what he thought, let him. He warned me, “Don’t think about trying to kill yourself again. Otherwise, I won’t return your family’s assets!” I found this funny. “Assets? Hasn’t the Shaw family already swallowed them all?” “Alexander, how does it feel to profit from someone’s death?” “Enough!” Exposed, he became angry and embarrassed. But I wouldn’t let up. “How is it enough? Why did Henry die? Was it really my fault?” “Alexander Shaw, that woman from Zhangcheng International – thanks to your support, she’s already out of poverty. Yet you’ve pushed me into hell. You’ve eaten the meal my family provided, and now you want to smash the pot too?” “We can stay married, fine. But let’s settle accounts. How much of my family’s assets did you swallow up using Henry’s death? You’re the one who climbed to the top on our son’s bones, you bastard!” Slap! An iron taste filled my mouth. My ear was ringing. I saw Alexander’s mouth moving, but before I could make out what he was saying, everything went black. This time, it can truly end.

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My mother, pitying my seven-year unrequited love, got our adopted brother drunk and locked him in my room. The next day, photos of Blake Sullivan and me in bed went viral. He proposed to me with a cold face. The wedding reception ended hastily, and he retreated to the mountains to meditate. He only agreed to return when our daughter turned five. Our daughter, eager to see her father, insisted on going up the mountain to meet him. Olivia Winters, lying in his arms, saw the daughter who was a spitting image of Blake. Heartbroken, she left but accidentally fell off the cliff. Blake held Olivia’s body and cried for three days and nights. Afterwards, he returned to the family, becoming a universally praised good husband and father. I thought I had finally weathered the storm, but on our daughter’s fifth birthday, she accidentally fell into the sea. Without hesitation, I jumped into the raging waves during the storm. He watched us coldly from the yacht, his eyes full of terrifying hatred. “You two have ruined everything! You’re the culprits who killed Olivia Winters! This is what you owe her, pay with your lives today!” He decisively cut the lifeline short and sailed the yacht away without looking back. It wasn’t until my daughter and I were swallowed by the cold sea that I realized how much Blake Sullivan hated us. I woke up, reborn to the night Blake was drugged. “Aria! Open the door! Let me in!” I desperately held the bedsheet against the door and dialed the number of his true love…

My heart was racing, and my ears were ringing. “Damn it! The drug’s working too fast!” I cursed under my breath, stumbling backward. On the security camera feed, Blake Sullivan was standing outside my bedroom door. He was tugging at his hair in frustration, his shirt collar wide open, revealing his muscular chest. Muffled sounds of distress escaped his throat. The drug was already beginning to erode his self-control. I inhaled sharply as memories of my past life’s nightmare flooded back. If tonight’s script were to repeat itself, photos of Blake and me in bed would once again make headlines tomorrow. The tidal wave of public opinion would force him to marry me. After the wedding, he’d use meditation as an excuse to abandon me, leaving me as Mrs. Sullivan in name only. Later, I’d discover he had already been hiding his true love in the mountains. He only agreed to come down to buy a wedding dress for Olivia. Ironically, Olivia accidentally saw our daughter’s face, which looked exactly like Blake’s, instantly shattering her fragile nerves. After an argument, she fell off a cliff. Blake then poured all his hatred onto me and our daughter. No, living this life again, I absolutely cannot repeat the same mistakes! With trembling hands, I fumbled for my phone. “If you want to marry Blake Sullivan, come to the yacht right now.” After sending the text, I felt my cheeks burning up, and my breathing became rapid. “Damn it! I’ve been drugged too!” My mother’s crazed face suddenly appeared in my mind. “Aria, darling, Blake is so outstanding. Only you are worthy of him!” “Mom… what are you trying to do?!” “Don’t worry, my dear daughter. I’ll make Blake willingly marry you.” I leaned weakly against the cold wall, a bitter smile tugging at my lips. “Mom… you’re really going to be the death of me…” In less than ten minutes, urgent knocking shook the door, and Olivia’s shrill voice pierced through. “Aria James! What the hell are you up to? Why is Blake here? What have you done to him?!” “Aria, have you no shame? You’d do anything to get him, you’re despicable!” I took a deep breath, suppressing the strange sensations in my body, and said hoarsely, “Olivia, I know you and Blake have been secretly together for a while now. Whether you want to lock him in a room alone or join him in there, it’s up to you. I’m handing Blake over to you now.” With that, I yanked open the door and shoved Olivia into the room. I pushed Blake in as well. Then, without hesitation, I closed the door. From inside, the sound of tearing fabric immediately followed… I covered my ears and stumbled away.

I felt like my body was about to burst into flames. My rationality was torn to shreds, and all I wanted at that moment was to find a man, as quickly as possible. I stumbled and pushed open a door. The room was dimly lit, with a man standing by the window, his back to me. My voice was hoarse and tinged with tears as I lunged towards him. “Help me…” I cried out hoarsely, clinging to him like a drowning person grasping at a floating log. I hugged his waist tightly, pressing my burning cheek against his cool shirt. The man turned around, his handsome face filled with surprise. I didn’t care about anything else. I grabbed his collar, driven by instinctive desire, and pressed my burning lips against his. My kiss was clumsy, even a bit rough. “Mmph…” The man tried to push me away, but I clung to him desperately. “Please help me…” I mumbled incoherently, frantically pulling a diamond necklace from my bag and stuffing it into his hand. “This is very expensive, consider it payment for your trouble…” “I’m begging you…” I kissed him again, fumbling to unbutton his shirt. The man’s body stiffened, then he let out a sigh and pinned me against the wall. He whispered in my ear, his voice low and husky, “Aria James… don’t regret this.”

When I woke up, my entire body ached as if I’d been hit by a truck. I picked up my torn clothes from the floor, wrapped them around myself, and slipped out of bed. Back home, I rushed into the bathroom and examined myself in the mirror. My neck was covered in red marks, layers of deep and light bruises overlapping. Just as I walked out of the bathroom, I heard the front door open. I pressed an ice pack to my neck, hiding the marks. Blake walked in and frowned when he saw me with the ice pack. “What’s wrong? Got a stiff neck? Icing it so early in the morning.” I avoided his gaze, my eyes darting around nervously. “Um… yeah, stiff neck. Just icing it a bit.” Blake stepped closer, his gaze sharp. “Aria, drop the act! You think I don’t know your mom deliberately got me drunk last night?” His voice was cold, filled with undisguised disgust, “She’s always trying to push you onto me. You two are so pathetic, always clinging to me.” “What, couldn’t get into my bed last night, so you went out desperately looking for some random guy?” “You think I’d worry about you? That I’d run around like a dog looking for you? Dream on! Your little games of playing hard to get only disgust me!” I was stunned. How could he say such hurtful things? I hadn’t come home all night, wasn’t it to give him and Olivia a chance to be together? What right did he have to accuse me so self-righteously? “As you wished, I was with Olivia last night, and we’ll be together from now on. Olivia will be my wife, never you! So I suggest you give up on this foolish idea and stop doing these ridiculous things!” Blake tilted his chin up, his tone arrogant and smug, the fresh red marks on his neck clearly visible. I looked at Blake standing before me, my heart aching. Once, this man had been my everything, a mix of love and hate, deeply etched into my soul. Now, it was all in the past. Could I really let go? When I wake up from dreams at midnight, will I still feel regret? Fighting back the pain in my heart, I forced a smile, “Don’t worry, I’ll let you two be happy.” My voice was soft, but loud enough for him to hear clearly. “I’ll tell my parents that I don’t like you anymore. I won’t bother you again.” Blake was clearly taken aback by my words. His frown deepened, as if he couldn’t believe I would give up so easily. I suppose in his eyes, I, Aria James, should always be chasing after him. After all, my entire family had gone mad trying to arrange our marriage. They’d made him a close family friend, given him company shares, and even promised to transfer all the family assets to his name if he agreed to marry me. How ridiculous! Thinking back to my previous life, how much I had sacrificed to marry him, how much pain I had endured. After our daughter was born, I thought I had finally found happiness, but in the end, it led to the destruction of my family and the tragic deaths of both mother and daughter! Living this life again, I absolutely will not repeat the same mistakes! Blake was about to say something more when my mother’s questioning voice suddenly came from the pool area. “Olivia?! What are you doing here?!” My heart skipped a beat. I ran to the balcony and saw my mother standing by the pool, pointing at Olivia, who had just climbed out of the water. Blake’s face changed. He immediately rushed over, shielding the dripping wet Olivia behind him. “I brought Olivia here. She said she didn’t sleep well on the yacht last night, so I let her come here to rest.” “Yacht? Olivia was on the yacht last night too? What was she doing there? Weren’t you supposed to be with Aria last night?!” My mother’s face turned extremely unpleasant as her gaze darted between the red marks on Blake and Olivia’s necks. She looked up at me standing on the balcony. Feeling guilty, I shrank back and quickly retreated to my room, closing the door. Whatever was about to happen next, I couldn’t be bothered to watch.

A little while later, my mom walked in with a smile plastered on her face, followed by Olivia and Blake. “Aria, look who’s here.” Olivia linked arms with my mom, “Auntie, you’re too kind. Last night, thanks to Aria, Blake and I were able to be together. We came to thank her.” I sat on the edge of the bed, watching them. “Aria, come out, we’re waiting for you.” I walked out of the room to find a barbecue grill set up in the living room. Blake was grilling meat while Olivia handed out drinks. They were chatting and laughing. “Aria, come sit with us. Blake has grilled lots of food,” Olivia called out to me, as if she were the hostess of this house. I sat down in a corner and picked up a skewer of grilled meat. Blake grilled a prawn and held it to Olivia’s lips, “Olivia, try this.” Olivia ate the prawn and exclaimed, “Delicious! Blake, you should have some too.” She picked up another skewer and tried to feed Blake. Blake dodged, and Olivia chased him with the skewer, insisting on feeding him. They were playfully chasing each other. “Blake, you’re only feeding Olivia. What about your sister? She wants to eat your grilled meat too,” my mom said from the side, her smile a bit forced. Blake glanced at me, “Aria can grill her own food. Olivia is my fiancée, so of course she gets the best treatment.” Olivia picked up a slice of watermelon and held it to Blake’s lips, “How about I feed you with my mouth?” “Okay.” They kissed in front of me, seemingly seemingly unable to part. They only stopped when their faces had turned red from lack of air. Olivia touched her lips lightly and gently tapped Blake’s waist, “Oh my, Blake, you’ve made my lips all swollen.” She looked at me, “Aria, Blake must be addicted to my lips.” “You’ve never been kissed by him, so you wouldn’t understand.” I looked up to see my mom sighing as she watched them. I watched Olivia’s mouth open and close, feeling irritated. I made an excuse to leave. “I’m going to get some water.” I returned to the living room where my dad was sitting. He was looking outside, seemingly aware of everything.

Dad slammed his hand on the table in a fit of rage, causing the teacup to jump. “Aria James! You’re killing me! Last night, your mom and I got Blake drunk and sent him to your bedroom door, and you didn’t even open it! Are you stupid? You wasted such a perfect opportunity!” “Mark my words, that vixen out there will be moving into Blake’s house in no time! The cooked duck has flown away! I’m telling you, there’s no chance left! Do you know how many favors I’ve done to get you married to Blake? And you, you dropped the ball at the crucial moment!” I looked at him, my voice calm, “Dad, I don’t like Blake anymore.” Dad looked as if he’d heard the most ridiculous thing in the world. His voice suddenly rose, “What did you say? You don’t like Blake anymore? Aria James, have you lost your mind? Wasn’t it you who insisted on marrying only Blake? Wasn’t it you who was ready to die for him? Now you say you don’t like him? Are you toying with me?” His chest heaved violently, clearly furious. I took a deep breath, trying to make my voice sound more determined. “Dad, I’m serious. I really don’t like Blake anymore. I was foolish before, but now I’ve come to my senses.” “Besides, I don’t want to have anything to do with Blake anymore. Didn’t you say Ethan Grant from the Grant family is a good match? Why don’t you arrange for us to meet?” Dad was stunned, his anger dissipating somewhat. He looked at me. “You… you’re serious? You’re not just throwing a tantrum?” I met his gaze, my eyes resolute, “Dad, I’m serious.” Dad was silent for a moment, his expression softening and his tone becoming gentler, “Ethan Grant… that boy from the Grant family is indeed a good catch. His character and family background are impeccable. If you really want to ally with the Grant family, we can consider it.” He paused, then added, “But, Aria, have you really thought this through? About Blake… have you really let go?” I nodded and took out my phone, “Dad, give me Ethan’s contact information.” “Good, good, good!” Dad repeated the word ‘good’ three times and took out his phone to search. As I added Ethan on SnapChat and looked at his profile picture on the screen, I felt lost. Was giving up on Blake really this easy? Could the obsession from my past life really vanish like a dream? A few days later, I was driving past Blake’s house. Olivia was leaning against a red sports car. When she saw my car, she raised her chin, her face smug. She dangled the car keys in her hand, smiling at me, “Oh my, isn’t this Aria? What a coincidence! Isn’t this new car beautiful? Blake gave it to me.” She raised her voice, pointing at Blake who was walking a dog not far away, “Blake is so good to me. He even walks the dog for me every day. Unlike some people who chased after Blake for so many years and ended up worse off than a dog!” Olivia laughed lightly, her eyes full of contempt. My heart ached. In my past life, our daughter Sweetie never received even a shred of fatherly love from Blake, he barely even looked at her. But now, he was so attentive to Olivia’s dog. I felt a lump in my chest. Not wanting to engage with her any further, I stepped on the gas, ready to leave. But just then, Olivia rushed in front of my car, banging on my window and screaming. “Aria James! Get out of the car! How dare you look at me like that! Are you jealous of me? Jealous that Blake loves me?” She yelled and cursed while forcefully pulling at my car door, her nails scratching the paint. Blake heard the commotion and walked over, his face dark. “Aria James! What are you up to now? What did you do to upset Olivia? Why are you bullying her?” He pulled Olivia behind him protectively, glaring at me angrily. Olivia hid behind Blake, looking at me, “Blake, I’m so scared… I just wanted to say hello to Aria, but she… she seems to hate me so much, she even tried to run me over with her car…” “Enough!” Blake interrupted Olivia, roaring, “Aria James! That’s enough! How many times have I warned you not to cling to me? Not to harass Olivia? Why won’t you listen?” “Look at yourself! I’m so disappointed in you!” He pointed at my nose, his tone full of disgust. Turning to Olivia, his expression softened, “Olivia, don’t be afraid. I’m here, I won’t let her hurt you. Let’s go, ignore this crazy woman!” Saying this, he put his arm around Olivia’s shoulders and turned to leave, leaving me sitting alone in my car. Olivia nestled in Blake’s arms, turning back to give me a smile. My heart sank to the bottom. Blake had never changed. It was the same in my past life, and it remained the same in this life. He could never see my true feelings, always siding with Olivia. And I, for such a man, had wasted half my life, sacrificing my own happiness and that of my daughter. Thinking of my daughter, tears welled up in my eyes, blurring my vision. This time, I must let go completely and start anew. For myself, and for my daughter, I absolutely cannot repeat the same mistakes!

I didn’t expect to end up in the hospital the next day. The door to my room was pushed open, and Olivia walked in arm in arm with Blake. The diamond ring on her finger was dazzling. “Aria James, the timing of your car accident is quite interesting,” Olivia spoke, her tone acidic. “Right on the day Blake and I were taking our wedding photos… Blake, don’t you think Aria still has lingering feelings for you, that’s why she…” She snuggled into Blake’s arms, leaving her sentence unfinished, but her implication was clear. I laughed, looking at the red roses on the bedside table, freshly picked by Ethan that morning. I had only realized during our meeting that he was the man I had spent that passionate night with. “Olivia, you’re overthinking. I have no feelings left for Blake.” Blake’s face darkened. He walked to the side of the bed and looked at me, his tone hard. “Aria James, what are you up to now? Why did you have to have an accident on the day Olivia and I were taking our wedding photos? Don’t you know how long we’ve been preparing for today?” He was suppressing his anger, his chest heaving. “I’ve told you so many times, we’re impossible. Why won’t you listen? Do you have to resort to this kind of attention-seeking?” I took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. “Blake, you’ve misunderstood. The car accident was just that – an accident. It has nothing to do with you.” “Is that so?” Blake didn’t believe me. Olivia’s eyes darted around, and she chimed in, “Blake, don’t say that about Aria. She might have just been careless. Besides, Aria doesn’t lack suitors. Maybe she’s already forgotten about you.” As she spoke, she adjusted Blake’s tie, giving me a triumphant look. Blake’s expression softened a bit, but his tone was still displeased, “Olivia and I are getting engaged. Aria, if you see me as a brother, you should be happy for us, not…” “I have a boyfriend now, and he treats me very well,” I interrupted Blake. Blake frowned, “Boyfriend? How come I don’t know about this? Who is he?” Olivia covered her mouth and laughed, walking to my bedside and shoving her diamond ring in my face, “Aria James, stop pretending. Even if you hired someone to act, Blake won’t believe it. He certainly won’t be jealous of your so-called fake boyfriend. His heart only belongs to me, and this diamond ring is proof. Are you envious?” Her smile was sweet, but her eyes were full of challenge. I turned my head away. Once, I too wanted Blake’s love, but that was in the past. Now, my heart belonged only to Ethan. “Even if you don’t have a boyfriend, it doesn’t matter. You’ll always be my sister,” Blake sighed, his tone patronizing, “I’ll take care of you, as long as you don’t harbor any delusions of marrying me.” I felt a wave of disgust. His so-called “care” was nothing short of a nightmare for me. “That’s right, Aria. You can consider us family. Blake and I will both take care of you,” Olivia chimed in, her smile fake. I knew that no matter how much I explained, they wouldn’t believe me. So I simply dismissed them. “I want to rest now,” I said flatly. Blake looked at me, his expression complex. He seemed about to say something, but Olivia pulled him away. After they left, I picked up my phone and played the voice message Ethan had sent proposing to me. “Aria, will you marry me?” His voice was gentle. Listening to his voice, the corners of my mouth turned up. It was while driving that I suddenly heard his proposal, causing me to get excited and crash into the roadside guardrail. It really had nothing to do with Blake.

During my hospital stay, Blake came to visit a few times, but I always turned him away, saying visiting hours were over. After being discharged, I moved in with Ethan, avoiding everything related to Blake. One evening, I returned home to get a bracelet. As I opened the door, I found myself staring into a pair of sinister eyes. Blake was sitting on the living room sofa, the wall light casting a long, thin shadow behind him. “Aria James, are you avoiding me?” His voice was low. My heart skipped a beat, but I suppressed my panic and forced a smile. “You’re overthinking.” “I hope so!” He stood up, his shadow looming over me. His brows furrowed, a storm brewing in his eyes. “My wedding with Olivia is imminent. I don’t want any more tricks!” “Then congratulations on your upcoming marriage.” I looked straight into his eyes, my tone calm. He stared at me, as if trying to see through me. Finally, his gaze fixed on my neck. “What’s wrong with your neck? Did you strain it again?” He reached out, gripping my chin and forcing me to lift my head. I panicked and raised my hand to cover the suggestive kiss marks on my neck. I stepped back, trying to create distance, but he grabbed my wrist, his grip so tight it felt like he might crush my bones. “It’s none of your business!” I shook off his hand, my tone icy. Blake’s face darkened to an extreme, his whole body radiating danger. A strong sense of unease rose in my heart. Not wanting to engage with him any further, I turned and fled back to my bedroom. From the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of a figure flashing behind the curtain on the second floor. Olivia was hiding behind the window, staring at me, her eyes filled with malice and distortion. The next afternoon, I dressed up carefully and went out to watch a movie with Ethan. Walking through the yard in my high heels, I saw that red sports car. Olivia was sitting in the driver’s seat, taking selfies with her phone. After the movie, I returned home. Just as I walked into the living room, a voice rang out. “Aria James! You vicious woman! Olivia almost died because of your perfume! Are you satisfied now?!” Blake rushed up to me, grabbing my shoulders and shaking me violently. I felt dizzy from his shaking. Frowning, I asked in confusion, “What perfume? What are you talking about?” “Still playing dumb?!” Blake roared, shoving me onto the couch. Then his body pressed down, pinning me to the sofa. At that moment, my phone rang, the screen flashing “Boyfriend”.

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Felix Edwards was on an overseas business trip when he found himself caught in a terrorist attack. The phone wouldn’t stop ringing. His parents, Ashley and Ryan Edwards, called from the embassy, anxiously waiting for me to negotiate Felix’s safety. To my surprise, my dad, Vincent Miller, who hadn’t bothered to call me in ten years, also reached out. He claimed he had connections at the embassy and could arrange to have Felix brought back home. Even my close friends, Felix’s buddies, colleagues, and neighbors were all reaching out and wanted to know what was going on. And here I was, lying in bed with a newborn, calmly hanging up one call after another. After all, when Felix saw on the news that his ex-girlfriend, a war correspondent, was caught in a terrorist situation, he didn’t hesitate to leave his family behind and fly there to check on her safety. At that time, with my water already broken, I turned to Felix and said, “Are you really going to ditch your family and fly to that war-ravaged country? If you do, Felix, I won’t clean up your mess.” Felix kept his mouth shut, but the urgent slamming of the door as he stormed off said it all. Well, if he was set on being a hothead and digging his own grave, why should I bail him out?

Felix always loved watching international news channels, and I used to find it puzzling. However, just the other day, a particular story caught my attention. A female war correspondent from our country had been kidnapped by terrorists while reporting in the field. In an instant, I recognized her, Megan Fox, the well-known anchor on that international channel. As I sat on the couch, my pregnant belly round and full, enjoying a slice of cantaloupe and feeling sorry for the journalist, Felix suddenly panicked, knocking over the fruit bowl. When he stood up, his knee collided hard with the corner of the coffee table. The thud was so loud that my belly tightened instinctively, but Felix seemed oblivious to the pain. He stiffly made his way to the kitchen for a glass of water but accidentally pressed the hot water button, scalding himself and smashing the cup in response. He rushed to rinse his mouth with cold water to cool down, then bolted back to the bedroom, slamming the door shut behind him. An hour later, Felix abruptly emerged from his room. “I… I have to go on a business trip,” he stammered. I tightened my grip on the cantaloupe but remained calm as I stood up. “Felix, my due date is in a couple of days. It’s really not a good time for you to be traveling. What if I go into labor? “You know my mom passed away giving birth to my brother. I’m really scared of the whole process. “You’ve been so excited about our daughter’s arrival. Don’t you want her to see her dad as the first thing when she opens her eyes?” Felix’s expression faltered for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure. “This business trip is really important to me. I have to go, but don’t worry, I’ll be back before you give birth.” I offered him a smile, even as the contractions in my belly intensified, liquid beginning to trickle down my legs. “I’ll hold you to that, but listen, Felix. You have to take responsibility for whatever happens while you’re gone. I won’t be cleaning up your mess.” Maybe it was the seriousness in my tone, but Felix visibly trembled. “I promise I’ll be safe and return,” he vowed, as if sealing a pact. With that, he rushed back to his room, hurriedly grabbing a couple of items before putting on his shoes and heading for the door. As he was about to leave, I couldn’t help but call after him, my heart softening. “Wait, Felix.” He turned slightly, irritation flickering in his eyes. “Didn’t you just say I could go? Why are you stopping me now?” I clenched my fists, the pain in my belly growing sharper, but I managed to stay composed. “You forgot your passport.” I dragged myself to the bedroom, clutching my leaking water, and retrieved his passport, handing it over along with a bank card—the one that contained the salary he’d sent me throughout our seven years of marriage. Felix’s hand trembled as he took the passport and bank card, his eyes glistening with emotion. For a fleeting second, I thought he might stay. But he stuffed the passport and card into his bag and solemnly vowed again, “I will make it back before you give birth.” With that, he slammed the door behind him and hurried out. Listening to the sound of the door echoing in the empty house, I simply picked up my phone and dialed 119, contacting the maternity center. I mused, “How could a man too oblivious to even notice my water breaking think he could make such promises? It’s utterly ridiculous.”

I met Felix through a hiking club. At that time, the pressure from work was overwhelming; all I wanted was to pile up cash, slaving away at my job and relying on weekends spent hiking to recharge my energy. Felix joined the club in my second year. Initially, he was just another member, but as we consistently found ourselves reaching the summit first time after time, we started to grow closer. He was in finance, and I was in tech. He loved sports and the outdoors, and so did I. So, when we reached our hundredth peak together, he confessed his feelings. There was nothing romantic or original about it—just a simple, “Vivian, let’s date.” And to my surprise, I said yes. After all, my dad had his own flair for creativity; his courtship of my mother once caused half the city to light up with fireworks, and he even ended up in jail for it. But that didn’t stop him from wanting a son, which caused my mother to suffer through years of medicine, ultimately leading to her tragic death in childbirth. To me, romance wasn’t important; stability was. And Felix embodied that. He never showed up late for dates. His gifts were never flashy but always thoughtful. If it rained, he wouldn’t come by uninvited, but the moment I called, he’d be there without hesitation. So, three years into our relationship, we tied the knot. Life after the wedding felt almost identical to before. I cooked, and he washed the dishes. I handled the grocery shopping, while he came home early to prepare the staple food. Our calm and gentle days led me to believe that Felix was indeed the one for me. But everything changed three years ago at the wedding of one of Felix’s college friends. During the bachelor party, one of Felix’s buddies got drunk and broke down, holding Felix’s hand and crying. “Felix, seeing you like this—so lifeless—it really hurts. I’m stepping into a happy marriage, but looking at you like this? It’s tough. If Megan hadn’t gone abroad to be a war correspondent, you might not be so closed off and heartbroken.” At that, Felix instinctively glanced in my direction. “Don’t listen to him; he’s drunk.” I laughed, brushing it off. But once we got home, I pointedly said, “Felix, I have my flaws, but my one strength is the ability to cut ties quickly, especially when it comes to love.” He stood there in the shadows that night, his expression hidden in the darkness. After that, Megan vanished completely from our lives—until now.

I hadn’t answered the phone because I had just finished nursing my daughter at the maternity center when Felix’s mother, Ashley, burst into the room. “Vivian, why haven’t you been answering my calls? Ryan is losing his mind at the embassy! “You need to come home right now with Felix’s documents to go to the embassy.” Listening to Ashley, I calmly replied with six digits, “666313.” She paused, taken aback. Taking a moment to adjust my daughter’s blanket, I explained, “I’m not in a good position to go right now. That’s the code for our home; you can grab whatever you need there.” Ashley’s hand trembled slightly. “Vivian, how can you be so heartless? Felix is in a war zone, and we don’t even know if he’s alive! “Did you not see the distress message Felix sent to everyone? He said he got shot in the leg and is hiding in a stranger’s house. “I know you’re in the postpartum period, but this is an emergency. Can’t you just come to the embassy with me for a sec to check things out?” she insisted, her body shaking with urgency. I replied calmly, “I understand Felix’s situation. Before he sent that group message, he texted me several times for help, but I chose to ignore him.” Ashley stumbled backward, clearly shocked. Seeing her expression tugged at my heart. After seven years of marriage, she had always been good to me, filling the void left by my late mother. But now, everything felt shattered because of Felix. I calmly handed her the recording of my conversation with Felix from that night. “Ashley, don’t think of me as cruel. This is all Felix’s doing.” Trembling, Ashley accepted the recording, and once she finished watching, she crumpled to the ground. She struggled to find her voice. “Vivian, listen to me, Felix and Megan… they really don’t have anything going on.” I still felt a pang of sympathy. Even though my C-section recovery was painful, I got up and helped Ashley to her feet—much like how I had seen Felix leave home when my water broke, softly handing him his passport and bank card. “I know there’s nothing physical between Felix and Megan, but the fact that he’s willing to abandon his family to go find her shows he doesn’t value our little family. He’s okay with my daughter losing her father and me becoming a widow just to chase after her, so he needs to accept the consequences of that decision.” Ashley turned pale at my cold tone, and she fumbled with her words, struggling to find the right thing to say. Perhaps she couldn’t even bring herself to convince me. Ultimately, Ashley gave up, shivering as she stood. “Take care. I’ll leave you to your recovery.” With that, she seemed to age a decade as she rushed out the door. I felt a pang of guilt, but just as she was about to leave, I called after her, “Ashley, can you and Ryan find some time this week to move out of my apartment?” Ashley hesitated, turning back. “Can’t you just wait a little longer?” I shook my head. “Didn’t Felix leave without waiting to make sure I got to the hospital after my water broke? “I just want to sort out all our shared assets before he comes back.”

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