My Sister Wants to Kill Me The moment my mother stepped forward to help my sister, I gave up struggling. Later, she underwent extensive plastic surgery to look exactly like me, sitting in my bedroom waiting for my husband to return. My parents hoped she would live happily ever after with my husband and enjoy a life of luxury. I laughed at their ignorance, not knowing how dangerous the man before them truly was. Today is the day Alexander Thorne returns from his business trip abroad. He’s been gone for over two months, and I’ve been dead for a week. My sister Natalie Reed nervously stands up when she sees Alexander enter the room. “Alex, have you had dinner? I asked the cook to make your favorite pumpkin soup.” This should be their first time meeting. Yet Alexander doesn’t seem to notice his wife has been replaced. I have to admit, Natalie did an impressive job of making herself look exactly like me from head to toe. Alexander hands his suitcase to the servant and rubs his temples. “I’ll have a bowl.” Natalie smiles softly, perfectly mimicking my mannerisms from the secretly recorded videos. She follows Alexander into the dining room. “Mrs. Wilson, please bring a bowl of pumpkin soup for Mr. Thorne.” Alexander turns and glances at Natalie when he hears this. We have many servants, but I’m still in the habit of doing many things myself. After all, I don’t have much else to do at home. Even though I’ve been in the city for almost two years, I’m still not comfortable ordering people around. Before marrying Alexander, I always lived in my hometown. Originally, Natalie was supposed to marry Alexander. The Thorne and Reed families used to be close for generations. The Thornes were the second most powerful family in the city, with no one daring to claim first place. The grandfathers of both families saw that they had a grandson and granddaughter of the right age, so they arranged a marriage between them. Twenty years ago, after both grandfathers passed away, the Thorne family fell victim to business sabotage. Alexander’s father brought up the marriage agreement again, hoping the Reed family would help save them. But by then, my father had already been won over by other powerful families. He decided to take advantage of the situation to carve up the Thorne empire, no longer caring about their past friendship. The Thorne Group went bankrupt. Alexander’s father died of depression, and his mother disappeared from the city with her son and the butler. Two years ago, Alexander returned from abroad with the Cloud Summit Group, devastating several major powers in the city. Not a single person who had taken advantage of the Thorne family’s downfall back then escaped. They either ended up drowning in debt with no way to recover, or were caught for their crimes and sent to prison. Family ruin became the norm. People in the business world were relieved this was happening domestically. They had heard rumors about how ruthless Alexander could be in less regulated foreign markets. When the Reed Group was on the brink of bankruptcy, my father remembered the old marriage agreement. Natalie was afraid Alexander would torture her to death out of revenge, so she cried and made a scene at home, insisting that I return from our hometown to marry him in her place. Business families tend to be somewhat superstitious, and my father was especially so. On the day Natalie was born, my father successfully signed a major deal that elevated the Reed Group to new heights. But on the day I was born, a project he had just acquired ran into problems, and the Reed Group lost half its assets. He firmly believed Natalie brought him good fortune, while I brought him misfortune. If it weren’t for my grandfather using his last dying breath to protect me, I probably would have been drowned in a chamber pot as an infant. So my father told everyone I was sickly and sent abroad to recuperate. In reality, I was abandoned in the countryside and randomly given to a blind widow surnamed Mendez to raise. My sister was named Natalie, with our parents wishing her peace and health. I was named Evelyn, with my father hoping for my early demise so I wouldn’t affect the Reed family’s fortunes. My grandmother felt sorry for me and secretly changed my name to Evelyn when registering me. Though I escaped an early death, I still ended up dying in the prime of my youth.

Natalie snapped back to reality and said softly, “I’ve been feeling dizzy these past couple days. I’m afraid I might drop the bowl.” Alexander stared at her intently for a few moments. I saw a flash of panic in Natalie’s eyes. How ironic. That night when she stabbed my heart with a dagger, she was so afraid I wouldn’t die that she even twisted it a few times to make sure. Natalie nervously changed her words, “I’ll go get it for you.” Alexander looked away and walked towards the dining room. “No need. If you’re not feeling well, get more rest.” I was stunned for a moment. In our two years of marriage, I had never heard him tell me to rest more. Now that I’m dead, I finally hear these rare words of concern. It’s also strange – my weak constitution that had plagued me since childhood rarely bothered me after those first few months in the Thorne household. I was hardly ever unwell in the past year. After all, we had shared a bed for two years. I gathered my courage and floated to his ear, calling his name. I wanted to ask him to go to the Reed house and bring me back. My grandmother had passed away. There was no one left in this world that I cared about. Although I died with regrets, living had also felt tiring. The freezer was too cold. I had always been prone to chills. I wanted to find a sunny place to stay. Besides, when I died, I heard them planning to cut me open to make it easier to dispose of my body in pieces later. Just hearing about it terrified me. If I was going to end up dismembered, I would have rather been drowned as a baby. At least then I could have kept my body intact. Even being cremated would be better – at least I would be whole when I died. Unfortunately, he had no reaction at all. He simply picked up his bowl and started eating. “I heard you’ve been going out a lot recently?” Hearing his question, my eyes lit up. Other than the Reed family, I didn’t know anyone else in the city. On my wedding day, my parents had told me that if I didn’t want my grandmother to run out of money for medical treatment, I should do my best to please Alexander. As long as the Reed Group remained stable, my grandmother’s medication would never stop. They said a married daughter was like spilled water – I shouldn’t come back in the future. So after marrying into the Thorne family, apart from occasional trips to the supermarket or walks, I hardly had any contact with the outside world. No wonder Alexander found it strange. Natalie obediently replied, “The weather has been changing a lot lately between morning and evening. My parents both got sick, so I went back to check on them.” At the mention of our parents, I was reminded of the scene when she tried to kill me. I had fought back desperately to protect myself. My mother, worried I would hurt Natalie, rushed forward with my father to pin me down. In that moment, I suddenly lost all strength in my body and allowed the dagger to pierce my heart. Alexander didn’t say anything, only responding flatly, “It must be boring staying at home all the time. It’s good to go out for a change.” I felt somewhat discouraged. How could someone as cautious and suspicious as Alexander not notice anything amiss? He even said things he had never said to me before. On our wedding day, my parents had smiled ingratiatingly at Alexander. They said my marriage to the Thorne family was to atone for the Reed family’s sins. He could take out his anger on me however he wanted. I would endure any beating or scolding – my life and death were in his hands. The Reed family would not object. Alexander didn’t actually use me as a punching bag, but he didn’t seem to like going out. So apart from our activities in bed, we hardly had any other interaction in our daily lives. After finishing the soup, they returned to the bedroom together. Natalie sat on the bed expectantly, watching Alexander finish washing up. Alexander leaned down towards her. His phone rang. After hanging up, he started changing clothes. I wasn’t surprised. He was most likely going to the company to deal with an urgent matter. A flash of dissatisfaction appeared on Natalie’s face, but she quickly replaced it with a smile when Alexander turned his head. “Your perfume is too strong. It was better before.” Natalie stared at Alexander’s retreating back in confusion, then quickly raised her arm to sniff. She found she couldn’t smell anything.

Natalie hurriedly called Mrs. Wilson to the bedroom. “Mrs. Wilson, can you smell any perfume on me?” Mrs. Wilson leaned in and sniffed Natalie’s arm and neck. “I don’t smell anything, just a bit of shampoo scent in your hair.” Natalie frowned, pacing back and forth before asking, “When you used to serve that dead girl, what did she smell like?” Mrs. Wilson thought for a moment. “I don’t think she had any particular scent. That poor thing didn’t know how to enjoy life. She had a whole cabinet full of perfumes but I never saw her use any. She didn’t have any feminine fragrance at all!” Mrs. Wilson was sent to the Thorne house by my mother six months ago. She said since I still hadn’t gotten pregnant, she was sending Mrs. Wilson, who was skilled at making medicinal dishes, to help improve my health. The change in the Reed family’s attitude towards me had made me happy for quite a while. Even though Mrs. Wilson never actually cooked a meal for me after she arrived, it still made me hopeful about my parents’ love. But later I realized that from the moment Mrs. Wilson appeared before me, it was the first step in the Reed family’s plan to help Natalie replace me. Mrs. Wilson came to the Thorne house to observe my living habits and secretly record videos for Natalie to imitate me. Hearing Mrs. Wilson’s mockery of me, Natalie’s lips curled into a smile. “Not only was she poor, she was also short-lived.” Mrs. Wilson looked confused. “Short-lived?” Natalie’s smile froze on her face, but she quickly recited her prepared lines, “She was always very weak. The old widow who took care of her was always saying she needed to take her to the doctor, hoping our parents would give more living expenses.” “All they did was ask our family for money. It was just a beggar raising another beggar! You could tell that dead girl had never seen the world. She did everything herself, which made it awkward for me to order the servants around.” I angrily rushed over and tried to punch and kick her, but my fists and feet passed right through her body with no effect. The Reed family only gave money for those first few years. They never gave another cent after that. It was all my grandmother scraping by collecting recyclables to provide for my food and clothing. When they needed someone to take my place, that’s when they finally remembered me. Mrs. Wilson started giving Natalie advice, “Why don’t you wash your hair a few more times with the shampoo in the bathroom? Maybe the scent from the shampoo you used at home hasn’t completely faded yet.” “Evelyn Reed didn’t care about these things. She just used whatever the Thorne household provided. She wasn’t as particular as you.” Natalie pressed her lips together in annoyance. “I’ve been using it every day! How has it not washed out yet? I’ll wash it again later.” After sending Mrs. Wilson away, Natalie made a phone call. “Master Shen, have you contained Evelyn Reed’s wandering soul like I asked?” I leaned in close to the phone to hear the response. “Don’t worry, ma’am. I’ve used my magic to trap her soul on the spirit altar. She doesn’t even have a chance at reincarnation!” Spirit altar… yeah right. I couldn’t help but roll my eyes as I floated around the room a few times. Although I don’t know why I’m bound to stay by her side, a truly capable master wouldn’t speak so obsequiously. He’s clearly just afraid of losing business.

Alexander didn’t return home for several days. Natalie waited until 8 PM. Looking at the table full of his favorite dishes, I licked my lips. To say Alexander and I had nothing in common wasn’t entirely accurate. When it came to food, our tastes were surprisingly similar. Natalie ate some vegetables and a piece of meat before putting down her chopsticks. She had always been very strict about managing her figure. Her total daily food intake was barely equivalent to one of my meals. Not only did she have specific requirements for cooking methods, she also strictly controlled her last meal of the day to be before 6 PM. My grandmother used to say being able to eat was a blessing, so I never deprived myself. Mrs. Zhang’s mouth-watering chicken was first-class! Just looking at it made my mouth water. I had to say Natalie was missing out. Alexander also stopped eating and looked at Natalie. “The food doesn’t suit your taste?” Natalie smiled serenely. “I haven’t had much of an appetite lately.” Alexander stared at her for a good while before saying, “The butler said your appetite was even better than usual while I was abroad. How come you suddenly can’t eat now that I’m back?” Natalie looked at Alexander’s expressionless face and shook her head repeatedly. “My appetite hasn’t been good these past few days. I might have caught a summer cold.” Alexander lowered his gaze. After a moment, he said, “First dizziness, now loss of appetite. I’ll take you for a check-up tomorrow.” Natalie instinctively wanted to refuse, but ended up smiling and agreeing. I knew she thought as long as they didn’t go to the plastic surgery department for an examination, she had nothing to fear. After all, only the three of them knew about my disappearance.

The Cloud Summit Group owns a hospital. I used to come here when I was sick to avoid spending money, conveniently charging it to Alexander’s account. The fact that Alexander was accompanying Natalie for the check-up nearly made my jaw drop. The hospital director handed the report to Alexander, saying, “Mr. Thorne, this is the full body examination report. Mrs. Thorne is in very good health.” “I remember when she came for her first check-up two years ago, her body was lacking in various vitamins. But this examination shows that problem is gone now. It seems the madam has been taking her supplements regularly.” Back then, I had just married into the family and was falling ill every few days. The director had suggested I get a full body check-up. My poor health was due to malnutrition. The hospital had prescribed a bunch of supplements to improve my constitution. But medicine is partly toxic, so after taking them for half a year and feeling much better, I stopped continuing. I wasn’t sure if the medicine actually worked, since they were now examining the well-fed Natalie. Alexander took the report and flipped through it casually. His hand suddenly paused on one page. Just as I was about to float over to take a peek, he quickly flipped to the back. After finishing, he asked, “Aren’t these recent symptoms typical of pregnancy?” I nearly choked on my saliva. Although his suspicion wasn’t directed at me, he knew I took contraceptives after every time. Besides, with my issues of cold constitution and weak blood, how could I possibly get pregnant? The director shook his head. “The weather has been hot lately. Many people are suffering from summer heat exhaustion. I’ve prescribed some Huoxiang Zhengqi water. Mrs. Thorne should feel better after drinking one box.” Alexander lowered his eyes, looking at the report in his hands without saying anything.

Meanwhile, Natalie saw Alexander talking to the director and felt a bit uneasy. She hurried over with the medicine the nurse had retrieved, interrupting, “Alex, is there something wrong with my health?” The director repeated what he had just said. Natalie relaxed upon hearing this. Just then, Natalie received a call from the Reed family asking her to come home for dinner. Seeing this, Alexander said he would accompany her. I floated along and got in the car with them. Since Alexander’s return this time, I felt his attitude towards Natalie impersonating me was a bit strange. For such a businessman who never did anything without profit, I couldn’t help but suspect he had some other motive. This was Alexander’s first time visiting the Reed house. My parents’ faces lit up with joy when they saw him. Their tone was full of fawning and flattery. As they sat in the living room, I was bound to stay within Natalie’s vicinity and couldn’t go too far. My mother held Natalie’s hand, examining her closely while quietly asking if she was eating well at the Thorne house and how she was sleeping. I didn’t want to watch her doting on Natalie. My gaze kept drifting towards the storage room in the backyard of the villa. That day, they had given all the household staff time off. After luring me there to kill me, they directly hid me in the freezer they had prepared in advance. I wanted to go see if I was still there. It was rare for Alexander to visit. If only he could take me away with him. At this moment, my mother gave my father a look. He immediately made an excuse to take Alexander to the study for tea and chess. I followed the mother and daughter to the bedroom. My mother spoke in a low, grave voice, “Your father and I cut that girl into pieces last night.”

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My 10-year-old son reported me for watching obscene videos. He pointed at me angrily and said, “Mom’s life with you must be miserable!” What he didn’t know was that this video was captured by the hidden camera I had installed in the bedroom. The pixelated protagonists were my wife and her lover. After the police arrived, my wife also rushed home. Her eyes were red-rimmed as she said, “Honey, I never thought you were this kind of person!” I let out a cold laugh and said, “Since the police are here, let’s talk about the divorce.” “Dad, why are you watching this kind of video?!” A voice suddenly sounded behind me, and I whipped my head around. Ten-year-old Liam glared at me angrily, “If I hadn’t snuck in quietly, I wouldn’t have known you were watching this kind of video!” I quickly closed the video and was about to explain, but he took out his phone and dialed 911 right in front of me. “Son, you’ve misunderstood. It’s not what you think.” He gritted his teeth and said, “Mom’s life with you must be miserable!” Hearing these words, I felt as if I had fallen into an icy pit. Aria and I had known each other for three years and been married for twelve. From the beginning, we had agreed to be a DINK (Double Income, No Kids) family. It wasn’t until her belly gradually swelled that she came clean with me. “Honey, I’m sorry. I changed my mind. I want to have a child of my own, so I… tampered with the protection.” When both sets of parents found out about this news, they all pressured me to keep the child. After Liam was born, I slowly began to experience the feeling of being a parent. For this son, I can say I held nothing back. Now, he wouldn’t even give me a chance to explain. Seeing this scene, besides anger at my wife’s infidelity, I felt more heartbroken. “Ding dong—” The doorbell rang abruptly. Liam hurried to open the door and pointed at me angrily, “Officer, I want to report my dad for watching that kind of video!” The two police officers who came looked at me and said, “As a parent, you’re not setting a good example for your child. Instead, you’re making the child warn you.” Before I could speak, Aria rushed home in a hurry. Seeing her return, Liam went forward and hugged her arm, “Mom, Dad was secretly watching that kind of video!” Aria looked at me with disappointment all over her face, “Honey, have I not been good enough that you had to watch those videos?” She’s such a good actress! When we first got together, Aria told me she liked buying bags. She said she wanted to fill a whole closet with bags. To fulfill her wish, I worked like crazy. My colleagues joked that I was working harder than a workhorse. After Liam was born, I quit my stable job against my parents’ wishes and started a business with a friend. In the early stages of the startup, we had cash flow problems. Aria sent me a link to a handbag. [Honey, I want this.] I tried to appease her: [Once this project is secured, I’ll buy it for you.] [Caleb Frost, you can’t even afford a bag. You’re so useless!] That night, to secure the project, I drank with the client bottle after bottle until I was nauseous and vomiting. When I finally bought that bag, wanting to surprise her, she didn’t even glance at it. She said, “That bag is already out of style. Honey, I want this one. I know you’re so good, you’ll definitely buy it for me.” Only when I bought bags for Aria would she say such sweet words to me. They were the most insincere words, but I had been fooled by her for so many years. Thinking of this, I trembled with anger. “Officer, please check my dad’s phone quickly.” Liam urged from the side. I laughed coldly and said, “Aria Sinclair, do you think I should let the police see the video?”

In all these years of marriage, I had rarely called her by her name. Aria looked at me coldly, a hint of mockery at the corner of her mouth. “Caleb Frost, you dare to do it but not admit it? Did I make you watch that kind of video?” Since she said that, I didn’t need to consider her face anymore. “Officers, there’s a child here. Why don’t we move to the bedroom?” Aria muttered, “You didn’t think about the child when you were watching it.” At that time, I was so overwhelmed with anger that I hadn’t noticed Liam coming in and opening the door. As soon as we entered the bedroom, Aria crossed her arms and said in a disgusted tone, “Caleb Frost, you watch these videos behind my back. Have you also been seeing other women behind my back?” I was stunned for a few seconds, not expecting her to turn the tables on me. Originally, I had pixelated the faces of Aria and her lover out of consideration for our marriage. Now it seemed there was no need for that at all. I opened the computer and asked Aria again, “Are you sure you want me to play it?” She frowned impatiently, “You’re so indecisive. How did I ever fall for a man like you!” I smiled and clicked play. The moment the faces appeared, Aria lunged forward like a madwoman to shut off the computer. The two police officers beside us were at a loss for words, “What’s going on here?” I looked at the guilty-looking Aria and slowly said, “What I was watching wasn’t obscene videos, but videos of my wife cheating with another man.” As soon as I finished speaking, Aria screamed, “Caleb Frost, shut up!” I spoke calmly, “Since the police are here, let’s talk about the divorce.” “Divorce?! You want to divorce me?” Aria looked at me in disbelief. When I first got together with Aria, I would rush to do part-time jobs after work. I finally bought her the bag she had always wanted but couldn’t afford. The moment she got the bag, she looked at it in disbelief, “This bag is so expensive, can it be returned?” At that time, I only thought her expression was cute and wanted to be even better to her. Now I just felt utterly disgusted. The two police officers were caught in the middle and looked a bit uncomfortable, “This is a family matter between you two. Try not to say these things in front of the child.” Seeing the police leave, Liam looked confused, “Mom, why wasn’t Dad arrested?” Aria glared at me fiercely, “Son, if Dad and Mom get divorced, who do you want to live with?” Without thinking, Liam blurted out, “Of course with Mom!” Hearing this answer, Aria seemed to have gained the upper hand. I only asked one question, “Do you like him?” Hearing this, Aria’s face turned shy, “Jasper is a thousand times better than you. What can you do besides give me money?” I was almost laughed with anger. If I didn’t work, who would support the daily expenses of this family? Which of Aria’s bags didn’t start at over a thousand dollars? Which of Liam’s school fees, extracurricular classes, and tuition fees didn’t start at over ten thousand? I took a deep breath, “Let’s get divorced. You leave with nothing.” “What?!” Aria shrieked, “Caleb Frost, what gives you the right to make me leave with nothing?” I sneered, “Aria Sinclair, you cheated first. Since you don’t want my money and only want that man’s love, I’ll grant your wish.” Aria was speechless for a moment, “Fine, let’s divorce. Caleb Frost, don’t regret it!” Seeing Aria and me at daggers drawn, Liam actually reached out to push me. “Don’t bully my mom!” At this moment, something broke in my heart. As a man, not only had my wife cheated, but my son didn’t understand me either. The happy family I had always believed in was nothing but an illusion. After saying this, Aria ran to the bedroom to pack her things. I watched her stuffing those bags into her suitcase, afraid of leaving even one behind. Take them, take as many as you can. The more you take now, the more you’ll have to return.

Not long after Aria left with Liam, my parents called. As soon as I answered, my mom started persuading me, “Caleb, Aria brought Liam to our place. There’s no grudge between husband and wife that can’t be resolved overnight. Just talk it out.” I was a bit surprised. She didn’t go to find that lover Jasper but went to my parents instead. I spoke firmly, “Mom, we must get divorced. Aria admitted herself that she only loves my money, not me as a person.” “Caleb Frost, you’re talking nonsense!” Aria’s voice came through the receiver, “Caleb Frost, are you even a man? I ruined my figure to give you a child, and it hasn’t even recovered properly yet!” Back when Aria was pregnant with Liam, she had severe morning sickness. I saw it with my own eyes and felt the pain in my heart. As long as she said a word, I never said no. In the middle of the night, if she wanted grapes, even if it was pouring rain outside, I would brave the storm to go from door to door looking for them. But what did I get in return? “Aria Sinclair, don’t forget I have the video.” After saying this, I heard my mom’s voice on the other end of the phone. “Aria, wake up!” I hung up the phone and found a reliable lawyer through a contact. Aria had cheated during our marriage, so the marital property should be equally divided, but personal property couldn’t be divided by the other party. After marrying me, Aria became a full-time housewife. In all these years, I could count on my fingers the number of times she cooked. Sometimes when I came home late from business dinners, she would look at me with disgust, “You stink of alcohol. You’re not allowed in the bedroom tonight!” She was used to enjoying life without working for it, used to being pampered. Well, the taste of hitting rock bottom would surely be unforgettable for her. The next day, when I went to get the divorce agreement, I received a call from Aria’s mother. “Caleb Frost, you’ve upset Aria so much she’s in the hospital. If you’re still a man, come to the hospital and see her!” Of course I would go. This good show couldn’t go on without me. I slowly walked into the hospital room. Aria was leaning against the headboard, surrounded by three elders, looking pale. Seeing me arrive, my mom came over and reproached me, “Caleb, quickly apologize to Aria.” Mrs. Sinclair looked at me with hatred in her eyes. I let out a light sneer, “I’ve already drafted the divorce agreement.” Mrs. Sinclair snatched it first, and when she saw the property division, she shouted at the top of her lungs, “Caleb Frost, you’re not human! How dare you make Aria leave with nothing!” “Leave with nothing?” My mom frowned slightly, “Caleb, what exactly happened between you and Aria?” I looked coldly at Aria, “You won’t say it? Do you want me to show them the video?” Aria’s lips quivered, “I’m pregnant.” This sentence was like a stone thrown into a calm lake. Mrs. Sinclair seemed to have found her backbone and started questioning me, “You, Caleb Frost! Aria is pregnant with your child, and this is how you treat her? Are you even human?!” My parents also joined in. “Caleb, pregnancy is no small matter. Your father and I have also quarreled for so many years.” “You said you wanted to be childless before. If it weren’t for Aria, we wouldn’t have a grandson. You can’t divorce.” No wonder Aria went to my parents first. So this was what she was waiting for. I took out my phone, found the video, and prepared to play it. Afraid my parents would be shocked, I planned to just let them hear the audio. The next second, Aria said, “I’m pregnant, but the child isn’t Caleb’s.” [Truncation point] “Aria, what are you saying!” Mrs. Sinclair pushed Aria, “If the child isn’t Caleb’s, whose could it be?”

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After fourteen years of marriage, Liam betrayed me. I was pushed down the stairs by his mistress and died. Then, I was reborn eighteen years in the past. In a small alley, Liam was being trampled in dirty water by some thugs. Seeing me pass by, he begged for my help. Liam had an affair. When I found out, I was holding a pregnancy test with two lines. I had accompanied him step by step from the bottom to the top. In our toughest times, we only had ten dollars in our pockets. On the day he proposed, he swore to the heavens that if he ever betrayed me, he would find a cliff and jump off. On our wedding day, Liam cried like a child, saying how fortunate he was to have me as his companion. Fourteen years of marriage, two seven-year itches. In the photo, the child was smiling brightly. Liam was holding him, his eyes gentle. Everything was as I had imagined. Except the main character wasn’t me. When I was young, I traveled frequently for work, which damaged my health. For this child, I took countless medicines and injections. When the pain was unbearable, Liam would hold me, his eyes full of concern, telling me over and over: “We don’t need a child, I only need you.” But at that time, I always thought love could overcome all difficulties. I never imagined this day would come. Out of a woman’s intuition, I checked his suit. On the collar of the suit, there was a barely visible lipstick mark. I held the suit, stunned for a long time. Actually, there had been signs all along, but I never thought Liam would betray me, so I subconsciously ignored them. In a daze, I heard a voice behind me. “Nora, I have a dinner tonight. You should go to bed early.” Liam quickly kissed my forehead, took the suit from my hands, and hurriedly left. I opened my mouth, wanting to say something, but the door had already closed. I only heard the sound of the car engine. It seemed that this had become the norm between us for some time now. Once, we had endless topics to talk about. Now, when we face each other, there’s only silence. The next day, I went to the company alone. The company was called Promise, named after me, Nora. The receptionist had changed, and they didn’t recognize me anymore. They asked for my appointment number in a businesslike manner. After some awkwardness, an old employee of the company saw me and took me upstairs. The office door wasn’t closed. The new secretary was helping Liam tie his tie. The young girl wasn’t very old and seemed clumsy while tying the knot. Liam didn’t mind, just lowered his head and looked at her with a smile. I was lost in thought, remembering when the company was just starting and urgently needed funding. We spent all our savings to buy Liam’s first suit. Back then, I was just as clumsy tying his tie, and Liam would look at me with the same gentle smile. I got annoyed and pulled the tie too tight, making him yelp. It all seemed so close, yet it had been over a decade. When did things change? I pushed the door open with a creak. Liam looked up and saw me, seeming a bit flustered: “Nora, why did you come to the company today?” “No reason, I just missed you,” I said softly, stepping forward to carefully tie his tie. He wanted to say more, but his team was calling him for a meeting. Before leaving, Liam specially turned up the air conditioning and prepared a blanket and snacks for me. He was so thoughtful, he loved me, but this didn’t prevent him from having an affair. The young girl was more impatient than I had imagined. Liam had barely left when she started probing me intentionally. I just leaned back on the sofa, looking at her carefully. When we first got together, I joked with Liam: If he ever had an affair in the future, he must bring the person to me so I could check them out. I never thought this joke would come true. He broke his vow, and now I wanted to see. The young girl’s features were somewhat similar to my younger self – the same big eyes, a bun hairstyle, with an air of innocence. I touched the fine lines around my eyes, feeling a bit sentimental. The young girl was young and impetuous, her tone becoming aggressive. She was young and didn’t know that in the circle of wealthy wives, there were many ways to torment people without making a sound. But I didn’t bother to do that. At this moment, I only felt utterly exhausted. I regretted coming here today. It all felt so pointless.

As I turned to leave, she grabbed my arm. I had no intention of tangling with her, but as we struggled, we had already reached the stairway. She flashed an extremely innocent smile. Before I could react, we both fell. As we fell together, I saw Liam grab the other person’s hand. I tumbled down the stairs heavily. I tried to protect my abdomen, but it was all in vain. Something was flowing out of my body, blood everywhere. Liam stumbled down the stairs after me, holding me in panic like a child, no longer showing any of his usual calm composure: “Nora, ambulance, Nora, please don’t sleep, ambulance” I gradually lost consciousness. When I woke up again, I was back to when I was 18 years old. In a small alley, on a rainy day, a young man was being pushed into a puddle of dirty water. I looked over belatedly and met Liam’s eyes. His eyes were full of hatred and unwillingness, like a wolf cub. This was my first meeting with Liam. Later, when we talked about this first encounter, Liam would always look at me with tender eyes: “You were clearly terrified, but you still trembled as you stood in front of me.” “I thought then, how could there be such a foolish person in this world!” I would get annoyed and try to hit him, and he would just look at me with a smile as I fussed. But at this moment, I stared steadily at the young man lying injured on the ground. “If you don’t want to die, get lost,” the thug with dyed hair said menacingly, a cigarette dangling from his mouth. I took the lollipop out of my mouth and asked calmly: “Can I watch? I’ve never seen someone being beaten up before.” The man seemed a bit surprised, looked at me, and laughed: “Interested?” I nodded, and he had his men throw Liam back into the mud puddle, tormenting him over and over. Liam lay on the ground like a lifeless object. I just watched expressionlessly. I had originally thought I might get some satisfaction from this. But there was nothing – no excitement, no sadness, no anger, like an ancient well that had been still for ten thousand years. I shrugged, “Boring,” and turned to leave. Behind me, Liam’s suppressed cries of pain continued. But all of this had nothing to do with me anymore. If the story had developed as before, Liam would have originally chosen me as his deskmate. And thus began our ill-fated relationship. But now… I looked up at Liam who was entering the classroom door. The young man was thin, wearing a slightly yellowed school uniform. Backlit by the sun, his expression was unclear. At this moment, he was leaning against the podium with his hands in his pockets, looking at me with a half-smile. I lowered my head and continued to focus on the problems on the paper. The questions weren’t difficult, but it still took some time to pick it up again after so long. A loud thud sounded beside me as Liam dropped his desk next to mine. He spoke in a mocking tone, arms crossed: “Hello, new deskmate.” I glanced at him indifferently, not wanting to engage. But he persisted, seeming determined to get to the bottom of that day’s incident. Annoyed by his questions, I finally replied: “There’s no reason. I just don’t like you.” “Why don’t you like me?” I slammed my pen on the desk and glared at him fiercely: “Phoenix eyes, passionate; thin lips, fickle; thick eyebrows, promiscuous.” “I’ve studied physiognomy. You’re naturally a heartless, unfaithful person. I can’t stand it, okay?” Liam was clearly stunned for a moment. When he tried to speak again, I had already put on my earphones. But my heart was in turmoil. I wasn’t as indifferent as I thought I was. After being together for over a decade, Liam’s betrayal had left a hole in my heart, filled with nothing but pitch-black hatred. But the 18-year-old Liam knew nothing of this. The young Liam had a vindictive personality. He resented me for laughing at him that day, so he started opposing me in everything. Young people have their own ways of tormenting others, yet leaving no evidence. He knew I was terrified of insects, so he would catch them and hide them in corners. When the insects crawled out during class, I would be on edge the whole time. At those times, Liam’s phoenix eyes would be full of mirth, taking pleasure in my panic and distress.

He still hung out with those thugs from outside school, his brow bone still bruised. I heard that he had beaten those guys who bullied him very badly, breaking several of their ribs and costing a lot in compensation. Liam’s parents had divorced when he was young. He was given to his mother, who had remarried and had a new child, so no one really cared about him. He was never one to follow rules, and not wanting to go home, he often wandered outside. Moreover, his stepfather liked to get violent when drunk, which was why Liam’s face was often bruised. Liam was very resistant to this part of his past. Even after being together for over a decade, I still knew very little about it. The young Liam was actually a very difficult person to get along with, solitary and obsessive. The teachers treated him like an invisible person, assuming he would just fend for himself. Back then, as class monitor, I was too responsible and always thought I could save everyone. I talked to Liam over and over, trying to open up his tightly locked heart. And after learning about his family situation, I tried to help him every day. I told him the world outside was vast, and this small county town shouldn’t trap us for life. I shared my dreams with him, gazed at the starry sky together, telling him that even in darkness, we should look up at the stars. Every day I was like a broken record in his ear, talking and talking until he got annoyed and coldly asked if I knew no shame. After hitting so many walls, I privately swore several times that I wouldn’t bother with him anymore, but I still kept trying. Finally one day he opened a book. Liam was very smart, and after finding something he liked in books, his grades started to improve rapidly. Later Liam said it was me who saved him from the mire. Starting over this time, I just wanted to watch how he would rot and stink in the mud. When the midterm exam results came out, Liam was still undisputedly in last place. Liam and I both used the college entrance exam as a springboard to reach places we had never imagined before. But now, how fate would develop, I no longer knew. Liam had disappeared after the midterm exam results came out. As class monitor, the teacher asked me to go to his home to inquire about the situation. I had originally planned to go after school, but I was delayed by a problem, so it was already getting dark when I went. His house wasn’t far from mine, on the edge of the village, with its own small courtyard. I really didn’t want to make this trip, just going through the motions. After a long time, I reached the door and was about to knock when I heard the sound of things crashing inside, and also… Listening carefully, I heard Liam’s whimpers. I quickly found a corner to hide myself and peeked through the cracks in the door. A middle-aged man, reeking of alcohol, red-faced, was beating Liam with a stick, not holding back. He was muttering something, getting angrier and angrier, hitting harder and harder. In the end, he even tried to strangle Liam. Liam struggled desperately. At 18, the young man already had some strength, and for a moment the man couldn’t subdue him. The man became enraged and shouted something. A middle-aged woman ran out from the inner room. Though older, you could tell she had been a beauty when young. Liam’s eyes were very much like hers. “Hold him down.” The man had completely lost his reason, his eyes full of bloodshot. The woman hesitated, her body trembling constantly, but she still went forward. The moment she approached, I noticed Liam stopped all struggle. He just lay quietly on the ground, looking up at the starry sky, a strange smile on his lips, as if he was going to some sweet rendezvous. A sudden pain gripped my heart. Liam had always told me that life was too bitter, and I always thought it was just young people’s affectation. I never imagined that for him, life really was this bitter. The moment his mother stepped forward, he had already lost all will to live. The gears of fate had started turning again when I came to the past. I still hated him, the hole in my heart now cold and empty. It had brought me here to see how I would choose?

The moment I pushed the door open, all movement stopped. The man looked at me with murderous intent, as if he wanted to silence me too. But standing here now was the 36-year-old Nora, who had been through all sorts of situations in life. “Stop now, and I’ll pretend I saw nothing,” I said coldly. The man still wanted to move, but I stared straight at him: “Liam is your son. If he dies, no one will investigate. But if I’m harmed, my father will level this village.” The bloodlust in the man’s eyes completely dissipated. He asked hoarsely what I wanted to do. “He’s under my care now,” I said, pointing at Liam lying lifelessly on the ground. The young man seemed to have become a skeleton, as if he had already died just now. I used a lot of strength to drag him out of the small courtyard. Throughout, Liam had no reaction at all. In the moonlight, I looked down at him for a long time, then cleanly and decisively slapped him: “There’s nothing easier in this world than dying. If you really don’t want to live, there’s a river right there.” I grabbed his collar and continued fiercely: “Liam, you owe me too much. This life is no longer your own.” Liam suddenly looked up at me. Our eyes met, and finally, there was emotion in his. Perhaps it would take a long time to fully understand, but at least for now, he wouldn’t take his own life. I turned and left decisively, feeling completely lost. By chance, I had saved the person I should have hated the most. The web of fate had woven us two together, getting tighter and tighter, more and more entangled. After that day, Liam seemed to suddenly change his ways, studying day and night. Almost every monthly exam, his ranking would jump up several dozen places. He became even more silent, hiding in corners, as if he didn’t exist. One day I was doing problems late and took a shortcut home, but unexpectedly encountered the group that had surrounded Liam that day. The leader was very interested in me and insisted on having me drink with him. We reached a stalemate. It was getting dark, and it started to rain. Summer clothes were thin and transparent, clinging to the body when wet, inevitably revealing curves. The group laughed lewdly. During the standoff, unexpectedly, Liam kicked the leader to the ground. He had several people behind him, and it quickly developed into a brawl between two groups. I stood in the corner watching Liam. He fought viciously, aiming for vital points with every strike, like an untamed beast. I called the police. When they arrived, Liam was already covered in injuries, but his expression remained defiant. He licked the blood from the corner of his mouth, got on the police car nonchalantly, and even whistled at me before leaving. Liam was detained for several days before being released. I heard his stepfather had slapped him hard in public. When he returned, there was still a visible handprint on his cheek. Many classmates were whispering about it, but Liam just silently continued to do problems. From then on, every day when I went home, Liam would quietly follow behind me, leaving only after seeing me safely home. He didn’t say anything, and I pretended not to notice. After the college entrance exam, Liam followed me and got into the same university. I wanted to get rid of him, but unexpectedly, he never left. He was like a shadow behind me, stubbornly following, impossible to shake off or escape. ———-This is the breakpoint———- The whole university knew that Liam was Nora’s number one admirer.

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After a decade as Adam Carter’s secret lover, I was still just a plaything to him. He only spent nights at my place, rushing back to his wife at dawn. I thought his devotion to me was genuine, until I smashed a wine bottle over his wife’s head and he went berserk. With one slap, he extinguished the last shred of conscience I had. Adam Carter, are you ready to face our revenge? Adam Carter slapped me hard across the face. The force of the blow made my head spin and my ears ring as I stumbled sideways. I steadied myself against the wall and slowly sank to the floor. Something glinted as it fell – the earrings I had just bought yesterday. But the man who had lovingly put them on me was now frantically embracing Zoe, checking her injuries with concern. Watching Adam’s nauseating display of false affection, I almost laughed out loud. He and Zoe had been married for ten years. I had also been his secret lover for ten years. For a decade, he catered to my every whim and showered me with affection. His only request was that I not interfere with his wife Zoe. Not only did I ignore his wishes, I deliberately provoked Zoe by smashing a wine bottle over her head. Crimson liquid trickled down her face. Zoe wasn’t particularly attractive and had a meek personality. Even after being assaulted, she just stood there helplessly. It wasn’t until Adam rushed in and embraced her that she timidly spoke up. “Adam, who is she?” Adam glanced back at me huddled in the corner, his expression dark. “Just some crazy woman.” The side of my face that he had slapped began to burn. I silently watched as he led Zoe out the door. When he bent his head towards her, the tenderness in his expression made him look like the perfect husband. I felt utterly pathetic. After they had gone, I finally picked myself up off the floor. But as soon as I stepped outside, I saw a figure standing around the corner. Adam had always been handsome and charismatic, the center of attention since childhood. No wonder Zoe and I were both so captivated by him. He walked towards me, his features coming into focus in the dim hallway. Looming over me, he leaned down for a kiss. His lips tasted of roses – Zoe’s favorite perfume. Suddenly nauseous, I pushed him away. How could he do this? One moment tenderly comforting his trembling wife, the next passionately kissing his lover. “Stop it,” he said. Adam was never good at sweet talk. The countless times we argued, he would just flatly say the same thing: “Ava, stop making a fuss.” But I wasn’t his obedient wife who followed his every command. I was the seductress who had thrown herself at him. It all started when I was truly desperate, flinging myself onto his car on a cold, rainy night to seduce him. I knew he had just gotten engaged to the wealthy Chen family’s daughter. His own net worth was over 100 million. As I lay on the freezing ground, I was still calculating how much money I could extort from him when I heard the car door open. Designer shoes splashed through puddles, the water droplets glittering like tiny crowns. For some reason, I started laughing. It took me a while to look up and see Adam standing there with an umbrella. After that night, I had two jobs – officially Adam’s assistant, but really his mistress. Adam was skilled in bed and extremely generous. In the past, I could barely make $800 in three months of work. Now Adam would casually hand me over $20,000. But after being his mistress for ten years, he still treated me like a cheap whore. Adam only spent nights at my place. Before dawn, he would get dressed and rush back to his home with Zoe. He said he needed to make breakfast for Zoe. The housekeeper’s cooking didn’t agree with her stomach, so she wouldn’t eat and would get stomach pains. Without fail, every single time. Even though I knew Adam was probably just keeping up appearances for the business partnership with the Chen family, he still insisted on making Zoe breakfast. Even after Adam had completely taken over Chen Corp, he still persisted in making breakfast for Zoe. I could no longer deceive myself.

I’ve gone crazy, pretended to be sick, thrown tantrums – nothing could stop him from returning to Zoe’s side. He would only say to me, “Ava, stop making a fuss.” Then he would lean down to kiss me before rushing off like the wind. Back at home, the unfinished wine still sat on the table. The sweet aroma of alcohol hung in the air as Adam took off his coat and went to the kitchen to get some ice to press against my face. “Aren’t you going to comfort your wife?” I asked, staring at his long eyelashes as he bent over me, feigning nonchalance. “She’s much more obedient than you.” The words I wanted to say got stuck in my throat. The warm yellow lamplight enveloped us as I listened to his breathing, suddenly feeling empty inside. Ten years. I had devoted ten years of my time and energy to Adam Carter, thinking it would soften his heart. But his heart remained as cold and hard as ever. “Let’s break up,” I said. His hand on my cheek paused for a moment as he looked at me steadily. I hated that expression of his the most – aloof and callous. In an instant, it transported me back to that stormy night thirteen years ago. My body started trembling uncontrollably. I shook off his hand and turned away, hiding my vulnerability in the shadows. Adam just thought I was having another outburst. He was used to me threatening to break up whenever I was upset, only to be appeased with some money. So easy to placate. That night, Adam still slept at my place. He held me close as he slept soundly, moonlight flowing like the tide over his hair. His brows, his eyes – I had gazed at them for ten full years, each time etching them into my memory with a hatred that cut to the bone. A faint vibration interrupted my thoughts. Adam’s phone lit up, displaying just one word on the screen: “Nian”. “Hello?” I answered the call. The urgent tone on the other end suddenly fell silent. After a long pause, Zoe’s trembling voice came through. “Is…is this Ava? Is Adam there? Can you ask him to take the phone? I…I think I’m having a miscarriage…” I turned back towards Adam, at a loss for words, and met his still slightly dazed gaze. When he finally registered what Zoe had said, his expression changed. He snatched the phone from me, his voice barely containing his anger – directed at me. “Why did you answer the phone?! Haven’t you upset her enough already?” His grip on my wrist was so tight it felt like he would crush the bone. I trembled, feeling the blood in my heart run cold. I watched him hurriedly throw on his clothes and rush out the door, his face etched with anxiety that seared my vision. I collapsed onto the floor, letting out a bitter laugh as I looked down at the angry red marks on my wrist. I remembered my first miscarriage. I had also made a phone call then, forcing Adam to come back from the villa where he was cooking for Zoe. I had been even more ruthless back then, sitting calmly on the sofa as I watched the pool of blood spread. Only when it was certain the baby couldn’t be saved did I finally call Adam. The anxiety on his face when he arrived was identical to just now. As if he had divided his love equally between Zoe and me. But how can one heart love two people? He was false and pretentious, unable to let go of either Zoe or me. I felt exhausted and cold. I curled up on the carpet and fell asleep until the sky began to lighten, but there was still no sign of movement outside the door. Adam wouldn’t be coming back. I sat in our spacious home, looking around, and realized for the first time how many traces of Adam there were. The mugs on the kitchen island – we had picked them out together as a couple. Adam had scoffed at such childish things, but still used the silly cartoon rabbit mug to drink alcohol. In the fridge, half was filled with his liquor, half with my calcium milk drinks. He had mocked my habit, but would silently restock the milk each time. And the wall of perfumes he had collected for me, the ring designs he had personally sketched… My phone lit up as the long-awaited message finally arrived. It was a photo from Zoe. Adam’s handsome profile was buried in the snow-white bedding, one hand tightly gripping Zoe’s pale, slender fingers. The smile on her face was gentle and serene as she gazed directly at me through the screen. “I told Adam you scared me into miscarrying.”

Children had always been a sore spot for Adam. He found them troublesome, but couldn’t do without one. After all, his business empire needed a legitimate heir. Adam was the typical rich second generation. Spoiled by his family since childhood, he excelled at smoking, fighting, and racing cars. It wasn’t until he got into trouble and his family had to cover it up that he finally cleaned up his act and took over the family business. But Adam had a younger half-brother from his stepmother, ten years his junior, who was about to come of age and take on responsibilities. The two were at odds, destined for a fight to the death. Adam’s father favored his younger son and had always been strict with his eldest. As luck would have it, several major business partners withdrew their investments at this time. Adam was overwhelmed, barely able to come home once in a while after working late into the night. Seeing his son’s career setbacks, Adam’s father began gradually handing over control of the company to his younger son. Adam fought this for a long time before his father finally relented slightly. He could have the company, but Adam needed to produce an heir first. After all, he was already in his mid-thirties with no children, inevitably raising doubts about whether Adam had some hidden condition. If that were the case, the company would naturally go to his brother, who would inherit after Adam’s death anyway. I had miscarried once a year ago. And now Zoe, who I had just hit over the head with a wine bottle, had been frightened into miscarrying. The heavens were not on Adam’s side. I almost wanted to applaud. I thought Adam would stay at the hospital with Zoe for a long time, but he called me very soon. “Come to the hospital,” he said. His tone was so cold it seemed to seep through the phone. I carefully applied my makeup and walked to the hospital room in high heels, only to be hit in the face with a heavy medical chart as soon as I entered. “Apologize,” Adam commanded. He stood imposingly by the hospital bed, his gaze ice cold. Zoe leaned against the bed, her small face pale as paper, her eyes glimmering with laughter. This wasn’t the first time I had seen Zoe. Before smashing the wine bottle over her head, before I knew Adam had a wife, I had hidden in corners many times, watching her like a voyeur. She liked to wear cream-colored sweaters, gently taking Adam’s suit jacket. She loved rose-scented perfume, subtle and elegant. When Adam held me at night, the rich scent of roses would envelop me. She enjoyed doing small crafts. Adam still wore the red string bracelet she had made on his wrist. Adam was covered in traces of her. This woman asserted her dominance without a sound. I tried to deliberately ignore these things, but they only became more glaring. Especially when Adam stood beside her. I clutched my stomach where the medical chart had struck me, meeting Adam’s warning glare. …I couldn’t fight back. I wasn’t ready to openly defy Adam yet, so I could only swallow my pride and apologize to Zoe. “I’m sorry, Miss Chen. I was wrong.” Hearing me give in, Adam also relaxed. He turned and took Zoe’s hand, his face full of tender caution. “It’s my fault. You focus on getting better. I’ll end things with her. From now on, we’ll have a good life together.” A faint smile bloomed on Zoe’s pale face. Like a delicate white flower swaying in the wind. I rolled my eyes, but she immediately caught it. “Adam, can you ask her to leave?” Adam obeyed her every word. I don’t know where she got such charm. “Go outside…handle some company matters. Don’t disturb me unless it’s important.” Adam’s phone was tossed into my arms. I got up, limping towards the door. As I was leaving, I turned back and waved the phone at Zoe. She lifted her head from Adam’s embrace, her eyes curving into crescents. Silently signaling to me with her gaze. The corners of my mouth twitched upwards. — The plan had succeeded. [Cut-off point] Because Zoe had always been in poor health, this miscarriage took a severe toll on her already fragile body.

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It was a Sunday evening when I got a call from Lucas while having dinner. “Ava, I’m sorry. I cheated again.” I calmly put some vegetables into the pot and replied, “Buy me a car to apologize, and we’ll move on.” Lucas fell silent for a moment before dropping the bomb. “She’s pregnant.” I stopped eating and stared at the bubbling broth. “Oh, that won’t do. You’ll have to add an apartment too.” … After my face was registered for the lock of the 4,600 square foot penthouse downtown, the keys to a white Cullinan also arrived in my hands. Lucas, my fiancé, truly lived up to his reputation as the cream of the crop among the city’s second-generation rich. This time, his mistress was a stunning woman named Mia, who confronted me aggressively. “Break up with Lucas! He loves me!” “While you were sitting at home alone, we were kissing by the lake! He took me horseback riding and we made love passionately every night at the resort! That’s when the baby was conceived…” What a riveting love story. If I’d come across it on TikTok, I’d have given it a like. My gaze lowered to Mia’s slightly protruding belly beneath her heaving chest. I’d seen many mistresses before. But one coming to confront me while pregnant? That was rare. She was the second. The first was me. I looked at her, my expression unchanging. “Miss Mia, don’t get carried away. Lucas is young and likes to play. When he’s tired of someone and wants to get rid of them, he hands them over to me. You’ve entered the after-sales stage.” Lucas’s pinned post on Instagram was our engagement photo, and he always wore the Harry Winston wedding ring on his left middle finger. Anyone still throwing themselves at him would be treated as “asking for it.” “As for the authenticity of the child, I’ll take you for a paternity test tomorrow. Once we have the results, we can discuss compensation.” Mia slammed the table and stood up. “Ava, are you even human? You’re talking about me and my baby like we’re commodities.” I remained as calm as still water. “Being a mistress comes with its own treatment. Miss Mia, if you could reach Lucas and make him take responsibility, would you be sitting here for three hours waiting for me?” Mia’s expression faltered, and I delivered my final blow gently. “Coincidentally, Lucas always uses protection when he sleeps with others. I never give him condoms that are more than six months old, and I insist that he confirms the other person’s health status before sleeping with them. How strange that this time there was an accident?” Hearing this, Mia was not only shocked by the content of my words but also showed a moment of panic. Her fingers, gripping the cup, trembled and turned white. “Maybe… it was just bad luck…” Her voice trailed off, quickly swallowed by her cup. I smiled without speaking. Her phone rang. Suddenly, Mia’s gloomy face brightened. “I’m not afraid. You can check all you want. But I’m telling you, if the report shows it’s really Lucas’s child, you’ll have to step aside and break up with him!” My eyes darkened. This idiot Lucas really fell for it. Mia pressed her advantage. “Ava, if Lucas really loved you, he wouldn’t have slept with someone else. You’re so calm about his cheating, do you really love him?” I thought to myself, youth is beautiful, still believing in love. Adults are all about mutual benefits and satisfaction. I stood up, gathering my things to leave. “Since Miss Mia is determined to take my place, I wish you success. However, from now on, you won’t be dealing with me, but with William.” Hearing this name, Mia’s whole body tensed. “William… you’re going to hand me over to him?” William, the undefeated killer in the business world, was Lucas’s older brother and the most outstanding young CEO in the city. He doted on his playboy younger brother Lucas the most. Those who dared to scheme against his brother were always ruthlessly dealt with. Seeing Mia’s fear, I gave examples of William’s skillful methods of causing “accidental” bloodshed. Mia’s features crumpled as she protected her belly. After an internal struggle, she decisively grabbed me. “I choose to negotiate with you…” I wiped away her tears. “Alright. I’ll help you get the maximum financial compensation.”

After transferring the seven-figure compensation to Mia’s account, I received a message from Lucas. He invited me to a party tonight, saying there would be new people. I stood outside the private room for two minutes. Lucas was sitting in the corner of the sofa, his arm around his childhood friend Rachel as they played a game. When Rachel got tired, she clung to Lucas’s arm and whispered in his ear. Lucas smiled, gently pinching her cheek. The ambiguity was thick in the air. Someone like Mia had probably been forgotten long ago. Lucas’s philandering was like a powerful air conditioner that suddenly cuts off. A person who’s gentle to everyone is actually cruel to everyone. Fortunately, I was even more gently cruel than him. Just as Rachel was about to lean in closer to Lucas, I pushed open the door. Lucas’s face lit up with joy, and he immediately stood to greet me. Rachel’s face darkened, and she furiously tapped on her phone. “Ava, I’ve missed you so much. Thank you for your hard work. When we get home, I’ll make it up to you…” Lucas’s sweet talk came as naturally as breathing. I let it go in one ear and out the other, never taking it seriously. “It wasn’t hard. But in the future, you need to be more careful and avoid these accidents. I can help you keep things under control, so they won’t reach your parents’ ears.” I was always generous and considerate. No matter how many women Lucas flirted with outside, I never cried, made a scene, or acted out. I even took the initiative to clean up his messes. His friends were dying of envy. But I simply didn’t love him. Lucas led me to a secluded corner of the room. “Ava, let me introduce you to a new friend. He’s one of my brother’s business partners, and I’ve been asked to entertain him recently…” As the neon lights flashed by, they illuminated two faces from deep in my memory. My college first love and his affair partner. It took all my strength to clench my fists and not make a sound, but I still showed the biggest loss of composure in nearly three months. “Noah, did you see that? Ava’s expression just now was so ridiculous, still as stupid as ever…” Contemptuous, frivolous, malicious female voice. I once broke down and cried under such a voice. Now, it only took me two seconds. I took the initiative to raise my glass and greet them with a smile. “Hello, I’m Ava, Lucas’s fiancée.” Zoe, wearing a wine-red spaghetti strap dress, turned her head haughtily, disdainful of me. Instead, it was Noah, hidden in the darkness, who accepted my toast. His voice was low and bewitching. “Lucas is lucky to have such a good fiancée.” Compared to before, Noah had become more sophisticated and less cold. Lucas joked, “Brother Noah, are you envious? I can introduce you to some quality girls. Someone as outstanding as you doesn’t need to hang onto a crooked tree. Find someone you can show off…” A blatant insult to her face. Zoe finally realized and glared at Lucas. Lucas didn’t flinch, smiling softly and innocently. Zoe had miscalculated. Lucas might seem good-natured, but he was actually sharp-tongued, playing dumb to outwit others. Zoe had offended me, so he targeted her. The air froze. Noah smoothly mediated the situation. “Thanks for your kindness, Lucas, but I’m a man of singular taste. Once I’ve found someone I like, I don’t change easily.” “New clothes might be nice, but old friends are irreplaceable. The more people you meet, the more you miss the sincerity and companionship of your first love.” He seemed to be defending Zoe, but his gaze fell on my face. I turned away, pretending to look at my phone. Suddenly, there was a loud noise at the door. Usually, I deal with one mistress a month, but today I’ve encountered three in one day. The girl standing at the door with her arms crossed and glaring was Ella. Two months ago, I had seen her at Lucas’s friend’s rock climbing gym. That day, Lucas had complimented her a couple of times, and Ella had blushed, finding ways to talk to him. After lunch, Lucas told me he was going to the hotel next door to take a nap. Not long after, Ella disappeared too. I pretended not to see or hear anything. Rachel couldn’t find Lucas, so she asked me. I said I didn’t know. Rachel was frantic: “Ava, can’t you control him more?” I never controlled Lucas; in fact, I indulged him. Men can’t be controlled; the more you try, the more they resent you.

Tonight, Ella came in full force. I stood up, wearily going to meet her. “Miss Ella, if you have something to discuss, let’s go outside…” Ella, taller than me, took advantage of my attempt to reason and slapped me to the ground. “Ava, haven’t you overstayed your welcome in the Lucas family? I’ve done my research, you’re quite the gold-digger. You even seduced the boss of a finance company before, your reputation is in tatters, everyone wants you gone…” The crowd gasped, and discussions broke out. It was like having a bucket of ice water dumped on me in winter. My heart clenched, and the light in my eyes went out like a switch. That suffocating feeling of being overwhelmed came rushing back. Before I met Lucas, I had been struggling in that kind of darkness, lost and confused. Ella turned and changed her demeanor. She grabbed Lucas and pleaded earnestly. “Lucas, don’t be fooled by Ava, she’s no good. Her mother is just an ordinary worker from Xinjiang, and her father died fifteen years ago.” “She has neither background nor connections, but she’s beautiful. Women like her have no bottom line, they’ll do anything to climb up, using men as stepping stones.” “She’s only close to you for your family’s money. Break up with her…” Another one trying to force me out. But this time, she was going through Lucas. Before I could counterattack, Lucas laughed. He looked at Ella with curved eyes, but there was coldness deep within. “Miss Ella, have I offended you somehow? Why are you slandering my beloved fiancée?” Ella was stunned, suddenly feeling uneasy, and waved her hands repeatedly. She had underestimated my relationship with Lucas. I was the daughter-in-law recognized by the Lucas family, with interests aligned with Lucas. My face was his face. Ella’s foolish public exposure, her self-righteous good intentions, were actually trampling on his face. Lucas looked up at me, his lips silently forming two words. “Get up.” Behind Ella, I was already at arm’s length, my eyes bloodshot. Grabbing that flamboyant high ponytail, I directly hit her head with the bottle of Dom Pérignon in my hand. “Ah!” Ella screamed, followed by other girls screaming, mixed with Zoe’s cold laughter. “Don’t go over there.” Lucas sternly warned others not to move. “Can’t you see your sister-in-law is angry about being wrongly accused?” Sometimes, I felt Lucas and I were a perfect match. I unconditionally tolerated his philandering, and he stood by my side and defended me without limits. Ella panicked and was about to explain. I quickly stunned her with another bottle. Straddling Ella, I slapped her face one after another. “This is for spreading rumors about me, this is for making up stories, this is for repeatedly trying to ruin my relationship with Lucas…” Apart from Ella’s whimpers and the crisp sound of slaps, the room was silent. More than a dozen people looked at each other with complex expressions. Until someone abruptly applauded. “Bravo, bravo, Miss Ava is truly impressive, it’s quite an eye-opener…” I suddenly came to my senses and stopped my actions. The one applauding was Noah. He walked step by step into the light. Phoenix eyes, thin knife-like lips, a slightly aquiline nose. His mouth curved up, but his eyes were full of mockery. Every move exuded a dangerous aura. “I’m becoming more and more interested in Miss Ava…” Noah and I looked at each other across the space, separated by four years. After a long while, I was the first to look away. I forgot to manage my expression, leaving indifferently. From the corner of my eye, I saw Lucas following me. I deliberately waited a while at the elevator, but no one came. I laughed self-mockingly and pressed the elevator button to go down. I dialed William’s number; I wouldn’t turn to him unless absolutely necessary. “Hello, big brother, help me deal with someone named Ella.” “…Yes, I did delete everything back then, I don’t know where she dug up the dirt, she publicly exposed my affair with Jack…” Downstairs, I bought a milk tea to ease my anxiety. Behind me, a black G-Class drove up. Noah’s well-defined face was gradually revealed by the car window, which had tinted film on it. It wasn’t hard to imagine his purpose for the tinted windows. In the past, Noah and Zoe were like dry tinder, ready to ignite at any moment, and they had played in all sorts of places. While they were recklessly indulging, I was making soup for Noah and ironing his shirts. The man’s slender knuckles knocked on the car window: “Let me take you home.” I held back the nausea rising in my throat: “No need, Lucas will be down soon.” Noah pretended to think for a moment. “What a pity, Grace is very clingy, she won’t let Lucas come down easily tonight…” I was surprised. I had heard of Grace, she was a famous escort. Thinking back, she did seem to be in the private room earlier. So, Lucas’s footsteps were held back by her. In just a second, I reacted: “You arranged this?” Noah chuckled softly, getting out of the car himself to pull me. “Don’t worry, Grace has a clean health check report.” He came closer, I stepped back. I turned and ran back towards the building. Noah didn’t waste words, his large hand caught my waist and locked me in the car. ———- This is the breakpoint ———- Seeing the car drive out of the city center against my will, I was both anxious and angry, desperately calling Lucas.

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I was kidnapped. But my kidnapper turned out to be my future husband. So the question is, should I call for help first, or should I call him “honey” first? After my dad refused to pay the ransom. I could only weakly ask, “How about… I offer myself instead?” “Boss, this is the Winter’s kid!” a voice said as the blindfold was pulled off my head. As my eyes adjusted to the light, I began to assess my surroundings. It was clear that I had been kidnapped. But when I focused on my captor, I was shocked to realize it was my future husband! Well, a 10-year younger version of him. Liam Reeves frowned slightly as he got a clear look at my face. He turned to the chubby guy beside him and said, “Wasn’t the Winter’s kid supposed to be a boy? How did it turn into a girl?” “That boy was surrounded by bodyguards, it was too risky,” the chubby guy explained with a dejected look. “But I found out this girl is also Old Winter’s daughter!” Liam scrutinized me, bending down slightly to meet my eyes. “Little girl, we don’t want to hurt you. But your dad has gone too far. As long as he pays the ransom, we’ll let you go. Nod if you understand!” I nodded frantically! When the phone call connected… “I have your daughter Zoe. Prepare $500,000, or you know the consequences!” “Daddy, save me…” I cried pitifully and helplessly, following Liam’s instructions. My dad very decisively — hung up the phone. Liam, not giving up, called again. My dad was decisive once more: “No money. Take the girl if you want!” This behavior was so typical of my dad. Liam and I exchanged an awkward glance. I tentatively suggested, “How about… I offer myself instead?” Liam looked at me like he’d seen a ghost. The chubby guy laughed and said, “Sis, you’ve got guts!” What could I do? After all, he was my future husband. I had to pamper him.

Liam coldly ordered, “Lock her up!” So I was untied and locked in a room. From what I could tell, we were in the countryside, probably at Liam’s grandparents’ old house. I could even see some of his childhood photos. Who would have thought that my husband was so… adorable as a child. Although I was kidnapped, the fact that it was him made me not feel scared at all. I had just been reborn, so I might as well take this chance to rest and sort out my thoughts. I carelessly took off my shoes and socks and lay down on the bed. Liam and I had an arranged marriage, but that was ten years in the future. By then, Liam had become a renowned business tycoon, while the Winter family was in decline due to my father’s extravagance. For the sake of benefits, my dad decisively chose to sell his daughter for glory, and I was naturally the one being sold. Liam’s father had been driven to death by my dad, so I always felt that he married me only for revenge. But at that time, I had no choice but to agree to this marriage. After getting married, Liam and I maintained a cold and distant relationship, not interfering with each other’s lives, like strangers living under the same roof. It wasn’t until I was kidnapped by his business rival and he risked everything to save me that I finally saw his true feelings. After that, we broke down the barriers between us and began a sweet and passionate married life… Perhaps I had to experience being kidnapped once to truly become his wife?

“Wake up, wake up!” In my dream, the past and present intertwined. Looking at Liam, I instinctively grabbed his hand and softly whined, “Honey, I’m hungry.” Liam was once again stunned by my bold words. The chubby guy, on the other hand, couldn’t stop praising me, “Sis, you’re really something! You’re really getting into character!” Liam, somewhat irritated, frowned again and said to the chubby guy, “You, get out!” Then he coldly said to me, “Get up!” I got up reluctantly, taking my time to make the bed. I showed no signs of the fear a kidnapped person should have. Liam stood with his arms crossed, frowning as he looked at me, his eyes full of assessment. I looked up at him, full of obedience. “Don’t think you can get away with this kind of trick!” “Mm-hmm.” Please don’t let me get away. “Didn’t you say you were hungry? Come out and eat!” “Okay.” I gave him a sweet smile. Whether in the future or now, my husband is always so adorable.

The so-called meal was actually just two cups of instant noodles. Looking at the mushroom chicken flavor in front of me, I instantly felt full. Then I glanced at his beef flavor noodles… “I want yours.” “What right do you have to make demands as a hostage!” “You’re right, but I still want yours.” “Damn it,” Liam cursed. “I’ve already eaten from mine.” “I don’t mind!” “You…” Liam took a deep breath and reluctantly pushed his beef noodles towards me. I really dislike instant noodles, but I was indeed hungry, so I had to eat in small bites. Liam seemed unable to stand the way I ate and urged, “Hurry up and eat. Finish quickly and leave!” “Ah? That doesn’t seem right!” “What else then? You can’t be exchanged for money, what use is keeping you here — to steal my noodles?” I immediately put on a pitiful look and pushed the noodles in front of me towards him, “I’m not eating anymore.” “Damn it.” “You shouldn’t curse, you know.” “You dare lecture me!” I continued to act like a poor, helpless little thing. “This is ridiculous!” Liam cursed under his breath, but still pushed the noodles back to me, “Hurry up and eat.” I ate less than half a bowl before putting it down. Liam frowned as he looked at me. “I’m full…” “We’re in a poor rural area, this is all we have.” “Mm, I don’t mind.” I smiled at him and said, “But you should eat less instant noodles, it’s not good for your health.” After all, you’ll die of stomach cancer at a young age, leaving me a widow, which isn’t a good life. Thinking of that, I immediately realized I should urge my husband to eat well and have regular check-ups. I can’t let that tragedy happen again! Perhaps my concern was too obvious, as Liam seemed a bit uncomfortable. “Don’t you think you should act more like a hostage?” “Theoretically, I should, but you…” “What about me?” I looked at him with a coy expression: “I like you, you know!” “Clang!” Liam’s chopsticks fell, his expression shattered. Perhaps he had never seen such a bold hostage before, he seemed a bit scared.

Liam was a bit speechless, “What, hostage falling for the kidnapper, not following the usual script?” “I might have Stockholm syndrome.” “You actually know what that is!” “Wow, you’re so smart!” The atmosphere suddenly became awkward. “Um… I know you, we went to the same high school.” I blinked at Liam with starry eyes, trying hard to show my sincerity. Of course, I didn’t know all this information from the beginning, but discovered it when sorting through Liam’s things after we got married. It turned out he had been paying attention to me since I entered high school, silently protecting me. Later, when he insisted on marrying me, it was purely because he liked me. How could I miss out on such a good husband! Sure enough, a suspicious blush flashed across Liam’s face. Based on my understanding of my future husband, I continued to push forward. “I also know that time when I was being stalked by a creep, you helped chase him away, and then you kept secretly walking me home. I know everything you did.” I looked at my husband, who I had lost and found again, and poured out my heart: “Liam, I like you.” Liam looked very calm, but his reddening ears betrayed his emotions. He turned away strategically, coughed, and pretended to be indifferent, “Do you think it’s appropriate to say these things now?” “Why not?” Liam looked at my innocent face and sighed quietly. “I’ll take you back first thing tomorrow morning.” “Ah… but I don’t want to leave you. I haven’t seen you for so long since you went to college. How’s college? By the way, you haven’t dated anyone, right?” “Don’t you think you’re overstepping?” “Can’t I reasonably claim the rights of a secret admirer?” “Why are you so troublesome!” “You’re the one who kidnapped me and brought me here, you have to take responsibility!” “I…” “So that means I still have a chance, right?” “You…” Liam was suddenly rendered speechless by me. Of course I knew he hadn’t dated anyone, I just regretted not meeting him earlier in my previous life. Now that I’ve been reborn, I must cherish this opportunity! Perhaps the burning love in my eyes was too pure, Liam seemed unable to handle it. He put on a cold and heartless facade and pushed me into the bedroom, commanding, “Go in and stay there, don’t talk.” “Okay, honey!” “Don’t call me honey!” “Okay, future boyfriend.” Liam: Are young girls nowadays all this bold?

I had taken a nap after they brought me back in the afternoon, so now I was bursting with energy to the point of wanting to tear the house apart. Plus, with the person I’d been thinking about just outside the door, I was feeling restless. Although it might be a bit early to get intimate with my husband now, it didn’t seem entirely impossible. Thinking about our shameless married life before, how should I deal with this blushing and heart-pounding feeling! Although the mirror showed a high school student, the soul inside was actually that of a woman in her 30s. Especially after Liam passed away, I had been quite lonely and cold. Now I was at that age where I felt like a hungry wolf. No, no, I can’t get carried away! I patted my face to dispel these wild thoughts, and decisively decided to take a shower to cool down. Now that I’ve been reborn, I can’t let the previous tragedy happen again. ———-This is the breakpoint———- First was Liam’s dad. From what I knew, it was because my dad owed his family a large sum of money for a project that Liam’s father had a heart attack. He was now in the hospital waiting for surgery fees, money was a big issue.

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When I was seventeen, the boy I liked committed suicide. His blog was made public online. In millions of posts, his hidden sorrow and feelings for me became known to thousands. At the end, he wrote: “Only you can save me.” That night, I went back to the day we first met and hugged him. The usually aloof and proud boy fumbled: “Classmate, this isn’t appropriate, is it?” Zack died. I heard the news while squeezed in a crowded subway during rush hour. Next to me were two high school girls in uniforms, whispering to each other. I caught some fragments: Zack, sleeping pills, Chris remembered. These keywords connected together easily made me think of something unpleasant. There was a moment of ringing in my ears, and I turned my head to look at the two girls. Perhaps frightened by my blank stare, one girl hesitated: “Sister, do you like Zack too?” I was stunned by this question, nodded, and the girl immediately showed a sympathetic expression. “My condolences.” What a pity, only after you died did I have the chance to say I liked you in front of others. The topic of Zack’s suicide had already risen to number one. His good friend Chris made all the private posts on Zack’s blog public according to Zack’s last wishes. I scrolled through his blog posts one by one. He wrote about how painful it was in his creative process, how difficult it was to maintain his sharp edges in the entertainment industry. My heart seemed to feel the same pain. In these articles, he kept reminiscing about a person called ‘Lily’. What a coincidence, we have the same name. If I didn’t know that I had almost no contact with Zack during high school, I would have thought it was me. But when I saw the last post, my tears instantly dried on my face. “09/02/2014 Today, a classmate listened to my original song seriously. What a strong sense of achievement! I really want to hold a concert and sing just for her.” “I’m thinking, even if many people don’t understand me, what does it matter? As long as I’ve been treated seriously by one sincere gaze, I’m lucky.” “If there ever comes a day when I want to give up, only Lily can save me.” In an instant, the hundreds of articles with ‘Lily’ in them had an answer. ‘Lily’ was me. My heart started beating uncontrollably, but what followed was a deep sense of helplessness. If… if I had been a little braver back then, could I have saved him? The dead are gone, and the living still have to go to work tomorrow. I looked at the redness under my eyes in the mirror and sighed. Zack… I hope in your next life you can be an ordinary but happy child. That night, I dreamed of Zack. In the dream, the sky was orange-red like an oil painting. I stood on the playground, with unfamiliar classmates playing basketball in the distance. Everything was so familiar. Eight years ago… Just then, a guitar sound came from behind me, accompanied by a boy’s low singing. In an instant, I suddenly froze. This scene, I would never forget in my life. It was because I accidentally heard Zack’s original song that I started to have a crush on him. The voice from behind continued, and I turned around stiffly, staring at the boy in front of me. Zack was only seventeen at that time, his face still had baby fat, his hair fell on his forehead, and his eyes were pure. His temperament hadn’t yet developed the melancholy of his post-debut days. Sensing my burning gaze, he stopped. “Classmate…” He was about to say something when he suddenly stopped. My tears also instantly slid down my cheeks. Zack stood up, put everything else aside, and fumbled in his pants pocket to find a pack of tissues. “I don’t think I was singing a sad song, was I?” He handed them to me: “Or do you have something upsetting you?” From Zack’s personal diary, I knew that Zack had also fallen in love with me at first sight because of my appreciation for his music. I threw aside my former reserve and shyness, and suddenly hugged Zack’s waist without warning. “Zack… you’re still alive… that’s so good.” I said these words chokingly. Zack raised his hands the moment I hugged him. Behind us, many classmates started whistling teasingly. “Classmate, this isn’t appropriate, is it?” Zack’s ears turned red, and he stood stiffly, not daring to move. I let go, took out a jade pendant from my neck. This jade was given to me by my grandfather at a scenic spot when I was a child, saying it could bring safety. It had always been with me, and I indeed had been healthy and safe since childhood. Now I laid this jade in front of Zack. “It’s for you.” Since it could protect me, it could protect you too. After all, it was in my dream, I could do whatever I wanted. Zack’s ears turned red, a bit bewildered by my behavior. “This…” His clear eyes seemed to have a glimmer of water, his hand took it. “Thank you then…” He gripped my jade in his palm, tightening it. When he looked at me again, his gaze was a bit serious. “Classmate, have we met before?” I paused, shook my head, and tried hard to suppress the sourness in my heart to give him a smile. “Maybe, just seeing you, hearing your music, I felt a special sense of familiarity.” When I first met you, it was like reuniting with an old friend. My consciousness gradually recovered, and when my eyes opened, my face was cold. Indeed, dreaming of Zack still makes me sad. When I arrived at the company, the atmosphere was gloomy. As soon as I sat down, a colleague came over. “Have you seen Zack’s public blog?” My heart was suddenly pierced by a thorn, but I still nodded strongly. The colleague immediately opened up. “I didn’t expect Zack to have so many painful aspects inside.” “And, I didn’t expect such a handsome guy would have unrequited love.” “But that girl must have liked him too, right?” “Otherwise, how could she directly give Zack that jade pendant?” In an instant, my eyes suddenly widened, and even my breathing became heavy. “What did you just say?” As I said this, I opened Zack’s blog and turned to the last post. “A jade pendant?” The colleague’s words suddenly came out, and I also saw the content in Zack’s blog post that wasn’t there yesterday. “This girl suddenly cried when she saw me.” “She took off her jade pendant without saying a word, her neck instantly turned red.” “But when I asked for her name at the end, she ran away without saying a word.” But this… was what I did in my dream… “How is this possible?” I muttered to myself, and my colleague’s eyes showed a bit of confusion. “Didn’t you see the news? Zack was clutching this jade pendant when he died.” “But you have the same name as this girl, it’s really such a coincidence.” If I understand correctly. Last night’s dream really gave me a chance to save Zack. But why… did he still commit suicide? I was so uncomfortable at my workstation that I could hardly breathe, hating myself for not seizing the opportunity. Back home, after a simple wash, I fell into a dream again. This time, I must hold onto him. Today’s dream scene was on a dark path outside the school gate. It should have just missed the crowd after the evening self-study session, now there were very few people on the small path. I wonder which scene of me and Zack this is? Suddenly, I heard an angry shout from the alley beside. “Don’t touch my guitar.” In an instant, I had an impression. In the second year of high school, there was a nasty off-campus fight incident involving Zack. To say it was a fight, it was almost one-sided with him being beaten. The cause was that Zack accidentally discovered his classmate being extorted for protection money by boys from a vocational school. So he took his classmate away. Zack had quite a few brothers, so those people were wary of Zack and let him go at that time. Later, they found a few small-time thugs from society and took Zack to a small alley when school was over. I heard they smashed Zack’s guitar that he had used for a long time, and Zack was outnumbered. Afterwards, Zack bought a new one, but obviously, every time he played the guitar, his expression wasn’t as immersed. So, this was Zack. And at this moment, I was just a seventeen-year-old girl. I thought calmly, every time Mr. Harrison was on duty, he would stay in the office for a while after the evening self-study session. The school, now with only a few lonely lights, became my reassurance. I first hid to one side and called the police. Then I sent a message to Mr. Harrison: “Mr. Harrison, there are students from other schools extorting our school’s students at the school gate.” After sending the message, I stuck to the wall, covering my breath. Now in the alley was an oily voice. “Actually, we don’t have to touch this, but you have to apologize to my brother.” “Why should I?” A sound came from inside, as if someone had hit the wall with the guitar. “Don’t move!” Zack’s voice in the quiet alley was like a whimpering lion. ———-This is the breakpoint———- Even though I knew I should protect my own safety, I really couldn’t sit by and do nothing.

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At 28, I took a huge gamble on Nathan Quinn. Six years. I waited for him to graduate, supported his startup, watched him become a tech mogul showered with glory. At the celebration party, he sneered drunkenly, “Sophia Chen? Just an old woman.” Amidst the knowing laughter of the men, I calmly left. Late that night, I returned to the hotel where the party was held. My assistant asked groggily, “Ms. Chen, didn’t you go back to Sapphire City?” “On second thought, I’ll wait until the contract is finalized,” I replied coolly, not letting her detect the trembling and loss of control in my voice. A month later, the deal was done. Back at the company, everyone teased me for losing my edge. But using a month to lick the wounds of 6 years was already my limit. After the new product launch, the company expanded rapidly. Nathan also got a new secretary. She was a bright and lively young woman, very popular at the company. Through bits of gossip, I quickly learned her identity – Olivia Harper, daughter of the CEO of Harper Industries. “Can I call you Sophie? I heard you started as Nathan’s secretary too. Please teach me!” she said cheerfully. Hah, if only she knew I was much more than just a secretary. The girl’s smile was dazzling, almost blinding. My gaze grew distant. “Sophia Chen? Just an old woman.” The words echoed in my mind like a curse. Nathan came over and patted my shoulder, frowning slightly. “What’s wrong, Sophia? Too tired from the business trip? Go home and rest.” “Hmph, you must be exploiting Sophie too much,” Olivia pouted, playfully punching Nathan’s arm. “Mind your manners,” Nathan chuckled, flicking her forehead. Their easy intimacy made my 6 years of companionship seem like a joke. It was as if I was the one who didn’t belong.

Coming out of the restroom, I found Olivia waiting by the sinks. I turned on the faucet. Her voice and the sound of running water mingled. “Nathan’s agreed to date me. He doesn’t want to hold you back anymore.” Hold me back? When Nathan and I first met, he used to hold me and say that often. He hadn’t said it out loud in nearly two years. Hearing it from Olivia’s mouth was certainly novel. “Let him tell me himself,” I said, turning to leave. The girl quickly moved to block my path, eyebrows raised high. “Sophia Chen, don’t be obtuse. You’re 6 years older than him, almost 40. Do you really think you’re still good enough for Nathan?” “Miss Harper, you seem quite knowledgeable. Surely you’re above using age as an argument,” I replied. “You’re all washed up but still acting tough. If 6 years ago you had—” I laughed, looking into the girl’s bright eyes: “If 6 years ago I had followed the normal path of marriage, I might be divorced with kids by now.” “Or a nagging housewife begging my husband for money.” “Now I have a successful career and enjoyed Nathan’s most vibrant 6 years.” “Miss Harper, toughness isn’t about words.” Olivia’s eyes widened, at a loss for words. I gently pushed past her and walked away. I don’t deny her youthful vitality. But she shouldn’t presume to challenge my composure and calm. At my age, grace is etched into a woman’s bones. Still. Nathan Quinn, oh Nathan Quinn. If you want to break up, why go through this charade? Didn’t we agree that even if we parted, we’d give each other dignity? I am a gambler, true. But I have no regrets about my bet, and I’ll bear the consequences. I thought you understood that.

Nathan’s business engagements grew more and more frequent. He didn’t even react when I moved back to my small apartment. Perhaps he truly didn’t know. Or maybe he just didn’t care. It seems waiting for him to come talk to me is unlikely. I returned to our home, still dark and empty. After asking around, none of our colleagues knew Nathan’s whereabouts. I made some inquiries and finally learned he had gone to a dinner organized by Olivia. It made sense – newly successful, he was eager to join high society circles and expand his network. Olivia was the perfect secretary to give him the best entry ticket. I pushed open the door to the private room. The pulsing music and interweaving lights inside made me catch my breath. A group of young men and women were dancing, singing, playing drinking games, shouting. It was absolute chaos. Olivia and Nathan were dirty dancing on a small stage, with the crowd below cheering and clapping. Nathan saw me first. He stopped, rubbed his nose awkwardly, looking quite uncomfortable. “Sophia, you’re not asleep?” He waved at me, then quickly smiled as if nothing was wrong. “Hey Quinn, who’s that? Your girlfriend? Doesn’t look like it. Don’t tell me it’s your housekeeper,” one of the men jeered drunkenly. There was clear malice in his tone. I instinctively looked at Nathan. His hand was on Olivia’s shoulder, but his eyes looking at me were unfocused. Dark and deep. In the end, he didn’t speak up to clarify my identity. Olivia clung to his arm, tilting her head to look at me. “Sophie, women over 30 really shouldn’t stay up late. It’s hard to recover the next day. Nathan will be home soon.” With that, she waited expectantly for my reaction. I just smiled and calmly looked at Nathan. “It’s the weekend tomorrow. You’ll be home, right?” “Mm,” he grunted in response. I nodded and turned to leave without hesitation. The moment the door closed, I immediately heard Olivia’s disgruntled voice. “Ugh, what an act. I really hate that high-and-mighty attitude of hers.” “Nathan Quinn, is that your type? You have strange taste. What were you thinking?” someone loudly chimed in. “Oh please, Nathan just feels obligated to her. If I were Sophia Chen I would’ve left long ago. I don’t know what she’s thinking, coming here to embarrass herself!” Having been shut down by me last time, the young girl was eager to get back at me. That competitive spirit was truly laughable. But walking down the dim hallway of the club, I paused to look at my reflection in the mirror on the wall. It vaguely showed my face – no cracks, no grimaces, no shame or anger. Just a hint of disappointment amidst the calm. I was disappointed. Nathan had become a stranger to me. No longer the fresh-faced smile, no longer the familiar gaze. He had gained the worldliness and reticence of a mature man. I glanced back at the private room one last time. He still hadn’t come out. He had probably truly forgotten that today was our 6th anniversary. I had hoped to part ways amicably today, while also secretly wishing for a chance to reconcile. Perhaps Olivia was right – I was being stubborn after all. What did 6 years matter? When a woman clings to old sentiments rather than dreaming of a beautiful future, It already says everything, doesn’t it?

On Sunday, I went to our home as agreed, carrying a large suitcase. But it was Olivia who opened the door. With a victorious attitude. Nathan was in the kitchen wearing an apron, cooking breakfast. The aroma filled the house. “We knew you were coming, so Nathan and I went grocery shopping early. Look, are these the dishes you like?” Olivia pointed at the table. But I was scrutinizing her, trying to decipher the deeper meaning in her words. Wearing pajamas, her clothes from last night in a pile, cartoon slippers, early morning grocery shopping. All these details unmistakably revealed: They had slept together last night, and it wasn’t the first time. Though I had expected it, my heart still ached uncontrollably. Nathan had finally taken that step. And despite knowing I was coming over, he flaunted his new relationship in the home we had shared for 6 years. He was determined not to give us a chance to talk privately. I set down my suitcase and asked directly, “Nathan Quinn, I know our accounts are complex, but this isn’t necessary. What, are you afraid I’ll eat you alive?” He didn’t used to be like this. Once bold and unstoppable. Now all that remained was weighing pros and cons. He frowned, looking displeased. “Sophia, when did you become so confrontational and petty? Olivia drank too much last night and was afraid of getting scolded by her dad if she went home, so she crashed here.” I took a deep breath and said calmly, “Fine. We need to talk. Is Miss Harper sober now?” Olivia looked shocked, pointing at herself. “Are you kicking me out?” I didn’t speak, just looked at Nathan. “Let’s eat first. There’s too much for just us,” Nathan finally suggested as a compromise. “I won’t! It’s just a breakup, what’s there to discuss? Sophia Chen, what are you trying to do?” Olivia angrily spoke first. She turned and plopped down on the sofa in a huff. “I really don’t understand. Why make this so complicated? Sophia, couldn’t you just pack up and leave quietly? Why create trouble for us?” “I swear, is this what all you older women are like? Pretending to be calm while clinging on endlessly. If you want something, just say it outright!” Nathan’s face darkened. “Enough!” he snapped. “You’re yelling at me? What’s enough? Look at what she’s doing! If you can’t handle losing, don’t play! You’re just taking advantage of his guilt! When will this ever end?!” Olivia seemed to have a belly full of grievances to vent. Her voice was loud and shrill, her eyes reddened. She glared defiantly at Nathan with wide eyes. Youth is wonderful – even anger and scolding seem like displays of affection. From our first meeting, her fighting spirit has been strong. Again and again she launches fierce attacks against me. I almost started to doubt if I truly was being unreasonable and annoying. I crouched down to gather some old items from the coffee table, speaking calmly. “Miss Harper, it’s been 6 years. I want to say a proper goodbye to Nathan, to settle things. I don’t think that’s unnecessary.” “Hmph, still pretending. I know exactly what you’re up to,” she scoffed. I smiled slightly. “Even with pets, there are feelings. When they die, I would bury them and hold a ceremony.” “Sophia!” Nathan yelled angrily, coming over to grab my hand. I continued, “I may not be a qualified current partner, but I’m certainly a qualified ex. It’s better to speak face-to-face and clear things up. You wouldn’t want Nathan and I to keep entangling endlessly, would you?” Olivia’s expression fluctuated as she looked at us, finally biting her lip and sitting down reluctantly. “Fine! I hope you keep your word!” Fighting back the sourness in my heart, I began going through things with Nathan point by point to draw clear boundaries. From emotions to belongings to financial interests, from company shares down to a single sock, I made detailed and clear divisions. Cutting off all excuses for either of us to look back. Ever since he said those words – “just an old woman” – I had been going through our 6 years of memories one by one in this unfamiliar city, severing each tie. Just waiting for this day to face Nathan. Back then I was willing to risk everything for Nathan Quinn. Now I can also cut my losses and set sail anew. I looked calmly at Nathan. “I suppose I should say that for 6 years, I’ve been preparing at every moment. Nathan, I should thank you for never lulling me into complacency.” “Sophia Chen, you—!” Nathan exploded in anger, grabbing me roughly and even raising his fist. Olivia also looked at me in shock. I stood my ground against Nathan, not giving an inch. But in a hidden corner of my heart, a storm was raging. I won’t bow my head, I won’t submit, I won’t act like someone who’s been abandoned. That’s the only dignity I have left after choosing to be a gambler! I knew deep down that I didn’t have the courage to try again. Nor did I have the capital to cling on endlessly. Leaving gracefully was the most perfect ending I could give to this relationship. As for the guilt that Olivia kept emphasizing Nathan felt towards me, hah. I really don’t need it. Accompanying Nathan to where he is today won’t change because I shed a few more tears or showed a bit more reluctance to part. I let out a soft snort and pushed Nathan away, going to the bathroom to gather my toiletries. I had already moved the larger items like clothes and shoes back to my small apartment. The furniture and decor I had added to the home I had already had the moving company take away. These small items were just my last excuse to come back. Now I didn’t need that anymore. The bathroom door suddenly closed and Nathan barged in, holding me tightly. He whispered in my ear, “Sophia, do you really have to leave?” The smell of alcohol on him made me uncomfortable. I turned my head away, using my elbow to keep distance between us. “No need to feel guilty. The company shares will let me live very comfortably for the rest of my life.” “Six years, though we didn’t reach our destination, I’m still free. I’m still grateful that you rescued me from arranged dates back then.” Nathan tried to say something but I covered his mouth. He looked at me dejectedly, finally saying, “Alright, it’s my fault. I’ll attend the dinner with your parents as we agreed. I won’t make things difficult for you.” I stared at him steadily. How could he say that with such a tone of bestowing grace? “Nathan, you no longer have the right to sit at my family’s dinner table.” I swept the cosmetics off the counter with a clatter and turned to leave. “Then how will you explain to your parents? Wait for me, okay Sophia?” He grabbed me reluctantly, his tone meaningful. But I just found it laughable. In our 6 years together, he had never said “wait for me.” Now that he’s successful and famous, he asks me to wait for him. “I’ve already left my resignation letter on your desk. Let me know soon whether you’ll pay out my dividends or buy me out.” That elaborate meal ended up going cold and uneaten. Just like my relationship with Nathan Quinn. All that effort to prepare, and in the end we didn’t even get to enjoy it. Going downstairs, I realized it was pouring outside. Thunder and lightning raged.

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My father made a will. Whoever between my brother and me has a child first would inherit his entire estate. So I secretly poked holes in all the condoms. But unexpectedly, my boyfriend had been secretly replacing my vitamins with birth control pills. Yet I still got pregnant. Only the child isn’t his, and he doesn’t know. My brother and I don’t have much of a relationship. He’s ten years older than me. Because my father was a womanizer, my mother took the money and ran after giving birth to me. My father dumped me on my brother, who in turn dumped me on a nanny. Even when he saw me covered in bruises, he would just pretend not to notice. As for my father, he was rarely home. But after this unexpected addition to the family, he became extra cautious, always careful not to leave any more children behind. I later learned that was because my brother had threatened to throw any more kids my father brought home into the river. My brother always kept his word. As he got older, his intimidation only grew stronger. Sometimes even my father was afraid of him. Recently, my father was diagnosed with kidney disease. This man who had lived a life of debauchery suddenly wanted a grandchild. So he told my brother and me: “Whoever has a child first before I die will inherit my entire estate.” My brother is now thirty-four, already the youngest and most successful CEO in the city. And my father’s assets are probably at least ten times his. My brother isn’t married, but he has many mistresses. I only have one boyfriend.

My brother has better odds than me. I can only get pregnant myself, while he can cast a wide net. My only advantage over him is time. Using the excuse of feeling unwell, I dragged my boyfriend Liam to the hospital and got a full body check-up. As I expected, he was very healthy, with high sperm motility. After all, his stamina was terrifyingly good. As for me, due to long-term lack of exercise, my immune system was weak, so I was prescribed some vitamins. I didn’t plan on telling Liam about wanting a child. He had always been very careful with protection. When I tentatively asked if he was afraid of me getting pregnant, he weighed the pros and cons for a long time. “Aria, my career is on the rise right now. If you have a child at this time, I won’t have enough energy to take care of you.” “Also,” he hugged me and kissed the top of my head, “I want to wait until we’re married and settled down before having a baby.” Liam has a kind of charm that makes everything he says seem sincere. But this also makes him very stubborn. If I told him the truth about the situation, he would definitely drag me to get married right away. Then I’d have no way out. If Liam couldn’t do it, I wouldn’t be able to find someone else. This inheritance would be like handing it over to my brother on a silver platter. That’s impossible. Even if the chances are slim, I have to fight for it. Liam, no matter how hard he works, could never earn half of my father’s assets in his lifetime. The family business, passed down for generations, combined with my father’s business acumen, has expanded overseas. But he’s selfish, never giving my brother or me any advantages. He didn’t even give my brother a penny to start his business. He also knows my brother doesn’t like me. I reasonably suspect that this inheritance competition is just his way of keeping my brother in check. No matter how much he stirs things up, he shouldn’t think about riding roughshod over him. “What are you thinking about so intently?” Liam came out of the shower, his hair half-dried and falling over his forehead. He was wearing thin lounge pants, shirtless, making me feel a bit hot and bothered. Liam smiled and pinched my face, touching his nose to mine. “Thinking about it?” I swallowed hard. Actually, I wasn’t very enthusiastic about doing this. On the contrary, it was Liam who, no matter how busy, wanted to do it at least four times a week. So, how could I inconspicuously increase the frequency on this basis? I wrapped my arms around Liam’s neck, pulling him to the bed, closing my eyes to kiss him. As my hand went to pull at his pants, Liam buried his face in my neck and chuckled softly. “Why so passionate tonight?” He looked up at me. Somehow, I couldn’t see any humor in his eyes. But before I could think too much about it, he reached out and grabbed a condom from the drawer. He flipped me over, my back to him. Hearing the rustling sounds, I secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Every time I looked into Liam’s eyes, I always felt like he could see right through my little schemes.

The next day at work, I was reporting my brother’s schedule to him. After I finished, he stared at me with an enigmatic smile. “Working hard for the inheritance, aren’t you?” Liam had gone crazy last night, leaving a lot of marks on my neck. Even with concealer, they were still visible up close. “Aren’t you too, brother?” I retorted. He had left work early yesterday to visit his mistress. We weren’t in a secret battle, but an open competition. It’s just that my brother was much more capable than me, having his own big company. I could only be pushed in by my father to be his assistant. “Never thought about trying other men? You trust your boyfriend that much?” “He’s younger than you, brother. You should take better care of yourself.” My brother raised an eyebrow but didn’t get angry. “Good luck to you.” As I was leaving his office, he knocked on the table behind me. “Aria, at five in the afternoon, go pick up Raven.” Raven, a famous model. My brother’s most beloved mistress, with an incredibly hot body. “Understood, Mr. Milo,” I nodded. When I picked up Raven, she greeted me with a warm hug. The first time we met, she thought I was my brother’s new flame. After looking me up and down for a while, she sneered disdainfully: “He likes the innocent type now?” “Can you satisfy him?” Just as she finished speaking, my brother appeared from behind her, wrapping an arm around her waist, his face full of adoration. “What nonsense are you talking about? This is my sister.” Raven didn’t quite believe it, thinking it was an excuse he made up: “Didn’t you say your mother only had you?” “Same father, different mother. My dad brought her back from outside.” “I originally wanted to throw her in the river, but she clung to my legs crying pitifully, so I kept her.” My brother wasn’t lying. When I first came home, he did try to get rid of me by picking me up to throw me away. I cried my eyes out, snot and tears everywhere. So later, no matter how the nanny tormented me, my brother wouldn’t stand up for me. Raven had been with my brother the longest. Later, as she said, my brother did find someone more innocent. She made a fuss for a while, but my brother became increasingly outrageous, having flings wherever he went on business trips, just like our father. Then they broke up, and recently when Raven’s runway video came out, it caused a sensation. My brother watched it for a long time, then went to find Raven every day, coaxing her back. I think Raven must really like him to be able to forgive all that. But this time when we met, the feeling seemed a bit different. After getting in the car, Raven asked flatly, “Where’s Milo?” “He has a meeting, so he sent me to pick you up.” My brother had bought Raven a villa. Raven just made a sound of acknowledgment and fell silent. It wasn’t until I dropped her off that she looked at me, smiling calmly. “Your brother said he wants to have a child with me.” I blinked, gripping the steering wheel tightly. “What do you think about that?” She touched her stomach, “Do you think if I have a child, he’ll settle down?” “Raven, what if he’s saying the same thing to other women?” I didn’t believe for a second that my brother would only pin his hopes on Raven. Raven unbuckled her seatbelt and patted my head. “Aria, I want to believe him one more time.” “He said this time, I’ll be the only one by his side.”

I have to say, my brother really knows how to put on an act. He had me send away all his mistresses except Raven, giving them money, houses, and cars. So when Raven asked me, I could only grit my teeth and nod. I asked her, “Is my brother going to marry you?” Raven was taken aback: “I don’t know, maybe if we have a child, he will. I feel like he’s really looking forward to it.” I watched her smile happily, feeling a bit sorry for her. Wanting a child was true, but marrying her? I didn’t think my brother, with his habitual philandering, would settle down so easily. Sure enough, within a week, my brother had taken on two new girls. There was one he particularly liked, even younger than me, with an air of innocence about her. My brother didn’t hide it from me. Every time, he had me pick them up and take them to his place. His excuse to appease Raven was also very appropriate – the company was expanding its business, so he was genuinely busy. Sometimes, he had me bring the girls directly to the company. My brother wasn’t afraid I would tell on him. Because Liam was his leverage against me. My brother could easily get rid of Liam if he wanted to. The one he particularly liked was called Ivy. Completely different from Raven, with a sweet and innocent look, fair skin, easily embarrassed. My brother dumped all his work on me, leaving me no free time. He himself took advantage of lunch breaks to shut himself in the rest room with the young girl. Hearing those ambiguous sounds, my blood rushed straight to my head. After work, I drove straight to Liam’s company. Seeing me, he was a bit shocked: “Why are you here?” Liam had been avoiding me lately. He even used the excuse of working overtime to not come home. I secretly wondered if I had been too forward. But seeing my brother carrying on like that, I felt inexplicably wronged. I wondered if Liam also had someone else outside. My eyes stung, and tears started to fall. He hurriedly hugged me: “What’s wrong? Did your brother bully you again?” I wiped my tears on his shirt: “Why haven’t you been coming home these past few days?” His voice was gentle: “I’ve been too busy.” “I’m sorry, I’ll come back every day from now on.” Liam’s eyes were full of heartache. I kissed his lips, and he stiffened, grabbing my hands. “Aria, this is the office.” I bit his Adam’s apple, hearing him groan. The kisses continued downward. I slowly unbuttoned his shirt: “Liam, don’t you miss me?” “I do,” his voice was hoarse. He closed his eyes then opened them again. Just as he was about to lose control, he turned his face away with difficulty. “There are no condoms here.” I fumbled around on his body, not caring: “I’m on the pill.” Liam’s breathing grew heavier, his kisses becoming more intense. He still didn’t do it. He patiently took very good care of me instead. When I woke up again, the office was dark, with only light coming in from outside the window.

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After an arranged marriage for business reasons, I suddenly had a 4-and-a-half-year-old son. Before meeting him, I was bitter and resentful. I imagined a “miserable” future where my husband would ignore me and my stepson would pretend I didn’t exist. But the moment I saw that adorable little boy clutching my shirt and timidly calling me “Mommy,” I surrendered instantly. I even asked my husband, “If we divorce, can I keep our son?” My husband: “???” When the company ran into trouble, my father didn’t hesitate to arrange my marriage to a business tycoon who already had a son. Surprisingly, I was perfectly fine with it. After all, I was a firm believer in staying single. If he already had a son, I wouldn’t have to worry about having children in the future. Plus, the guy was a workaholic who never had time for his kid. The boy was mostly taken care of by a nanny. I figured I could just coast through life from now on. My husband was a big-shot CEO, and I wouldn’t even have to raise the kid. The wedding was a small, quiet affair with few guests. Of course, I didn’t see the child there either. True to his workaholic nature, my new husband headed straight to the office as soon as the ceremony was over. As he left, he tossed over his shoulder, “I’ll be busy at work for the next few days. Sam’s already at home. Get to know him when you get back.” Sam Quinn. That was my stepson’s name. After my parents’ divorce, my relationship with my father had grown distant. I didn’t take much from home when I left, just a necklace pendant, and that was it. “Mrs. Quinn, young Master Sam is waiting for you in the living room,” the housekeeper informed me cheerfully as soon as I stepped through the door. Hmm… already trying to assert dominance, huh? Well, bring it on! I can handle whatever a kid throws at me. But… Who was this adorable little dumpling sitting on the sofa?! So tiny! So cute! So soft! While I was still gawking, the little munchkin toddled over to me. In his sweet, baby voice, he said: “Miss… West, this is… a gift… for you… from Sam.” It was a pink teddy bear. Even though the stuffed animal was bigger than him, he was still trying his best to offer it to me. Despite this being our first meeting, he was incredibly friendly towards me. I was so touched that I quickly took the teddy bear and crouched down to hold his chubby little hands. “Wow! Thank you, sweetie! I love it! Your name is Sam, right? I’m your new mom. No need to be so formal, we’re family now. You can call me Mom if you’d like.” Gosh! He’s so adorable! I just want to hug him! This precious boy – my good-for-nothing husband doesn’t deserve him! Neglecting my son like this, how cruel! That’s right, from now on, he’s my own son! The little dumpling seemed surprised by my words. His tiny body trembled slightly, and his fair face turned bright red. He clutched at the hem of his shirt and timidly called out: “M-mom?” After saying it, he shyly lowered his head, stealing glances at me from time to time. Oh my goodness! Forget about the dad, the son is all mine now!! I cleared my throat and gave a serious “Mm-hmm.” Then I turned to the housekeeper who had been standing nearby and said, “I’ll take care of the child from here. You can go about your business.” “Very well, Mrs. Quinn.” This feeling was absolutely amazing! Suppressing my inner excitement, I tried to act nonchalant as I gently picked up the little dumpling. Then, with one arm holding Sam and the other clutching the teddy bear, I headed upstairs. I’d been here a few times before the wedding, so I was familiar with the general layout of this six-story mansion, complete with three elevators and two small gardens. The decor was impressively grand, befitting a tycoon’s home. I brought Sam to the room Nicholas had prepared for me and placed the teddy bear next to the pillow. “Sam, I’m sorry I didn’t prepare a gift for you, but this necklace pendant is very important to me. Would you like to keep it safe for Mom?” “I’ll look at it every day,” he promised solemnly. I put it around his neck, and he looked delighted. “How about you sleep with Mom tonight, and then tomorrow I’ll take you to preschool? Is that okay?” I asked, keeping my voice soft and gentle. If my best friend could see me being this sweet, she’d probably think I was possessed. “Okay,” came another soft reply. He’s just too cute. Lost in my thoughts, I didn’t notice the momentary stiffness that crossed the little dumpling’s adorable face. That night… “…and so the little fox and his mother lived happily ever after.” After finishing the story, I glanced down at the sleeping Sam and quietly set the book aside. Just then… my phone started ringing. I nearly dropped it in surprise and quickly hung up. Hearing Sam’s steady breathing, I breathed a sigh of relief. I tiptoed out of the room and only called back once I was sure Sam couldn’t hear me. “Olivia West, did you just hang up on me?!” the woman on the other end of the line shouted indignantly. “I was putting my son to bed. Besides, it’s my wedding night, for crying out loud. Why are you calling so late?” I replied, exasperated. “Oh, please. Everyone knows your husband isn’t even home. He went straight to the office after the wedding.” “Wait, what did you just say? Son? Since when do you have a son?” The person on the phone sounded shocked. I frowned slightly, “My husband’s son, but he’s my son now too.” It’s normal that she didn’t know; I only found out myself when I was told about the marriage to Nicholas. Nicholas had kept the child’s existence very private. But now the news about the child was public. “And keep your voice down, will you?” I added. “I thought you didn’t like kids. I know you’re alone on your wedding night, so I called to comfort you,” Sophia said bluntly. How was I supposed to know Sam would be so adorable? Though I thought this, I didn’t say it out loud. “What’s up?” I asked instead. “You have to come to the class reunion this Saturday. That little miss perfect is going to be there too. Remember! Dress to impress and show her up!” I could tell from her tone how angry Sophia was; her expression was probably just as ugly. I couldn’t help but chuckle, trying to comfort her, “Come on, it’s been years. I’ve long forgotten about all that stuff.” She just snorted, not saying anything more. We chatted briefly before hanging up. I stood by the fifth-floor window, staring at the sky and daydreaming. Suddenly, I remembered the summer after high school graduation. In high school, Sophia, Chloe, and I were really close friends. At a dinner party after the college entrance exams, the most popular guy in school suddenly confessed to me. Everyone was egging us on, making a big scene. I was annoyed and rejected him outright. What I didn’t know was that Chloe had liked him for a long time and had been pursuing him privately. Because of my rejection, the guy, feeling spiteful, immediately got together with Chloe. People said she only got to be with him because of me. That’s how our relationship started to sour. I thought we’d never see each other again after starting college. But to my surprise, even though we weren’t at the same university, she still spread rumors about me, seemingly determined to make my life miserable. However, she and the popular guy didn’t last long; he ended up cheating on her. I heard Chloe would be at the class reunion on Saturday too. “Argh! So annoying!” I ruffled my hair in frustration. But then again… It’s been such a long time; maybe she’s forgotten all about it. Thinking this, I relaxed a bit. For the next few days, I stayed home with Sam. Apart from dropping him off and picking him up from preschool, I worked on my design sketches. I’m a fashion designer for a well-known brand, and I wasn’t about to give up my career just because I got married. That would be too boring! Lately, because of Sam, I’ve been bursting with inspiration. It would be a waste of my talent not to design! On Saturday morning, I watched Sam quietly playing with his building blocks, a smile blooming on my face. But then I thought about the people I’d have to deal with in the afternoon and couldn’t help but sigh. Why was I going to a class reunion instead of a parent-teacher conference? Noticing my mood change, Sam looked at me worriedly. “Mom, are you sad?” I gently pinched his chubby little cheeks and said, “Mom has to go to a party this afternoon. Can Sam play at home by himself?” After spending these few days together, Sam had grown much closer to me. “Can Sam go too? Sam will be very good,” he promised. Thinking about Chloe being there, I refused. The light in his bright eyes dimmed immediately, “Okay, Sam will wait for Mom at home.” Oh no, here comes the guilt. It wouldn’t hurt to bring Sam along, right? I’d keep an eye on him. If I left him home alone, wouldn’t I be just like his dad? “You can come, Sam. Do you want to go with Mom?” I asked. “Yes~” Seeing his eyes light up again, I breathed a sigh of relief. But why did I feel like I’d just been played? The reunion was held in a private room. When we arrived, it had already started. “Isn’t that Olivia? Why so late? Come on in, we’ve been waiting for you!” As soon as we entered, we were noticed. So much for quietly staying in a corner. I smiled and greeted everyone, then saw Sophia waving at me. I took Sam’s hand and walked over. At this point, everyone else stopped what they were doing. “Olivia’s here. And this child is…?” someone asked. I sat down and lifted Sam onto my lap. Noticing the bottles of alcohol on the table, I frowned slightly. “My son,” I replied. Then I turned to a nearby waiter and asked softly, “Do you have any drinks suitable for children?” “Yes, of course.” After getting Sam settled, I looked at Sophia, “Wipe that look off your face. You’re scaring my son.” Sophia grinned, “Your son is so cute. Does he need a godmother?” She looked suspiciously mischievous. “Get lost,” I said, giving her a disgusted look. Then we started eating and chatting. Soon, a strong whiff of perfume wafted over. The next moment, Sam sneezed. At the same time, a familiar voice rang out, “Olivia, I heard you recently married a man with a child. Are you that desperate? Don’t tell me you’re…” She didn’t finish her sentence, but I knew what she meant. “Chloe Zimmerman, who are you trying to provoke with that passive-aggressive tone!” Sophia’s temper flared up instantly, and she glared at Chloe angrily. Chloe covered her mouth in mock surprise: “Oh, I’m so sorry. Did I hit a sore spot?” I moved aside a bit, covering Sam’s nose, and said coldly: “Chloe, you’d better stay away from us. Can’t you see my son is choking on your smell?” “You!” Her face turned ugly. Then, as if remembering something, she pointed at Sam. “Is this your twice-divorced husband’s child? Little boy, do you really think she likes you? Wait until she has her own child, then you’ll see her true colors!” Her vicious expression was extremely unpleasant. Sam turned and burrowed into my arms. I thought he was scared, which made me furious. I sneered, “Chloe! What’s wrong? Didn’t you say you were coming with your new boyfriend? Oh my! Don’t tell me he cheated on you too?” “Seriously, you’re so pretty. How could anyone not like you?” “He… he just had something to come up today!” Seeing her face turn black as thunder, I knew I’d hit the nail on the head, and I felt instantly better. I waved goodbye to Sophia and picked up Sam to leave. “Well, I’ve made my appearance at the reunion. I have other things to do, so I’m leaving now.” Finally got a chance to attend a reunion, and it gets ruined. I should probably avoid these in the future. As I carried Sam out, I didn’t notice him coldly glancing at the motionless Chloe, then staring intently at my belly. On the way home, Sam didn’t say a word. I thought Chloe’s words had scared him and was about to comfort him when I saw him point his little finger at my belly and say, “Mom.” “What is it, Sam?” After a pause, he asked curiously: “Why will a baby appear in your tummy later?” I was charmed by his innocent question, “Babies grow in their mommies’ tummies, then they’re born, and slowly they grow as big as you.” But it’s not easy to explain this to a small child. “Oh,” he said, wearing a serious expression. I couldn’t help but laugh. Kids are just too adorable. When we got home, I saw an unexpected face. “Why are you back?” I asked. Nicholas looked at me strangely: “This is my home.” Me: “…” I miscalculated. Sam happily ran over to him: “Dad!” I was a bit surprised to see how skillfully Nicholas picked up the child. I had thought a man like him wouldn’t be good at these things.

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