I had scrimped and saved to send Lily to the city’s most elite preschool. But then, a spoiled brat in her class shoved her from the top of the slide. My daughter fell like a broken doll, lying before me, covered in blood. By the time I frantically rushed over, her small body had gone still. The teacher, Ms. Peterson, eager to please the powerful Sterlings, purged the security footage. The family offered me a five-million-dollar check to buy my silence. “She was just a girl. Why let her ruin our son’s future?” I shredded the check. I knelt, begging only for justice for my daughter. But Ms. Peterson pointed a finger at me. “Why did he push your daughter and no one else? Perhaps you should look at yourself.” With no one to turn to, I ultimately died of grief and rage right outside the school gates. When I opened my eyes, I was back on the day my daughter died. My first act was to pull Lily out of school and bring her home. But this time, the Sterling boy still killed a child! And this time, the child was…

I had just settled Lily in the car. Before I could drive away, a dull thud echoed from the playground. Thump! The sound was a fist around my heart, squeezing it still. I spun around. At the base of the three-story slide, a small form lay twisted, utterly still. The child was face down. Her pink dress was being swiftly, silently swallowed by a dark, spreading stain beneath her. Chaos erupted. Screams shredded the air, one after another. I was frozen, watching in horror. Brandon Sterling poked his head out from the slide and spat down with a gleeful, jagged cackle. “Serves you right! Should’ve stayed outta my way, you worthless trash! Just die!” Ms. Peterson rushed over. A single glance at the ground and her face went sheet-white, legs buckling. Then she saw the pink dress. Her frightened expression softened into clear relief. She patted her chest and let out a long breath. “Thank goodness. It’s only Chloe. That useless child.” Putting on a sweet smile, she called upstairs. “Brandon, honey, come down. You don’t need to see this.” Brandon slid down and prodded the girl with his foot. “She’s not moving. Lame.” “Don’t look, baby,” Ms. Peterson cooed, covering his eyes. “It’s nothing. Just a little accident. Kids like he…their lives don’t cost much.” I stood trembling in the nearby shade. In my previous life, she’d been exactly the same. A human life, yet in her words, it was just “cheap,” just “poor trash.” Her disregard for the child’s death was absolute. To win favor with the Sterling family, she did not hesitate to hide the truth, pushing me to my limit. I stared at the child lying in the pool of blood. That dress was exactly like my daughter’s, the one given for school performances. Ms. Peterson had clearly mistaken her. I took a deep breath, then stumbled forward toward the scene. “An accident! Quick, someone help! Call 911!” Ms. Peterson heard me and frowned in disgust, immediately blocking my path. “Ms. Sarah, what are you screaming about? It’s just an accident. Do not disturb the other children or Brandon!” I pointed at the child on the ground, my eyes burning. “Ms. Peterson, that is a child! Get help now!” Ms. Peterson scoffed and crossed her arms. “Your daughter must have fallen on her own. Brandon is only five. What could he possibly understand? You better not try to use this to extort money.” Brandon hid behind Ms. Peterson and stuck his tongue out at me. “Haha, I pushed her! What are you going to do? My dad is rich. He will just pay you off!” That vicious tone was exactly the same as in my past life.

I clenched my fists, fighting the urge to tear them apart. Now, save her! My hand trembled as I pointed at Brandon. “You admit you pushed her? From such a high slide, you’re trying to kill someone!” Ms. Peterson slapped my hand away, shielding Brandon like a mother bear protecting her cub. “Watch your attitude! This is the heir to Sterling Industries! You could sell your daughter and still not be able to afford a single one of Brandon’s hairs!” “Kids playing rough is normal. Why didn’t your daughter stand steady? Whose fault is it when someone has poor manners and is weak?” As she spoke, she quickly pulled out her phone, not to call an ambulance, but to dial the monitoring room. “Hello? The playground cameras broke just now, right? Yes, all the cameras are down. Delete… I mean, fix them quickly.” Hanging up, she looked at me triumphantly. “Hear that? The cameras are broken. No one saw Brandon push her. This was just an accident.” I watched her skillfully carry out these actions, a chilling dread, colder than the winter wind, piercing through me. In my last life, she had deleted all the evidence just like this, leaving me with nothing but empty words. Just then, the Sterling family’s nanny, Doris, and driver, Nick, also arrived, having heard the commotion. The burly Doris glanced at the blood on the ground, covering her nose in disgust. “Ugh, how unlucky. Why did she have to die here?” Ms. Peterson quickly scurried over, bowing and scraping. “Doris, you’re here. This is all a misunderstanding. The child accidentally…” Doris waved her off haughtily, cutting her short, then turned to me, her eyes filled with disdain. “Alright, stop howling. Since it’s happened, let’s talk price.” “I know you types, poor families sending your kids here just to climb into high society, right? Well, you might not have climbed, but you’ll get your money.” Nick pulled a stack of checks from his bag, fanning them with a rustling sound. “One million. Enough for you bottom-feeders to live on for a lifetime. Take the money, sign a release form, take the body, and this whole thing is over.” I stared at the flimsy check and suddenly laughed. A bitter laugh escaped me, close to tears. “One million? Is that the price of a life to you” Doris’s face turned to stone. “Not enough? Know your place, Sarah. Your daughter’s life isn’t worth a million. The Sterlings are just being generous.” “Push this, and you’ll lose the money and face a lawsuit!” Brandon cut in, impatient. “Stop wasting time! Get her out! I want the slide, and this dead body is blocking it!” That childish voice held a chill that ran down my spine.

I took a deep breath, trying to make my voice sound desperate and furious. “I’m not doing this for money! I’m doing this for justice! I’m calling the police!” At the word “police,” Ms. Peterson and Doris’s faces both changed. Ms. Peterson rushed forward, trying to snatch my phone. “Calling the police for what! It’s such a minor thing, why call the police! Are you trying to ruin the preschool’s reputation, or Brandon’s future?” Doris gave Nick a direct look. The hulking Nick didn’t hesitate, rushing forward and grabbing my arm, twisting it violently. “Ah!” I cried out in pain, and my phone “smacked” onto the ground, its screen shattering into a spiderweb. Nick stepped on the phone, grinding it with his foot, and snarled, “Had enough? Want to get hit again?” I was pushed to the ground, my knees scraped and burning. But inside, I felt a cold surge of satisfaction. Go on, make a scene. The bigger the scene, the worse your downfall will be. Ms. Peterson looked down at me, her eyes full of mockery. “Ms. Sarah, don’t blame us for getting rough. You brought this on yourself.” “Is the Sterling family someone you can afford to mess with? Crushing you is as easy as crushing an ant.” “Just get the body out of here. Don’t make our place dirty. Important officials are coming to inspect later.” She glanced with disgust at the motionless child on the ground, then waved to the security guard, Jeff. “Go, find a black plastic bag, put this… *thing* in it, and throw it by the kitchen’s garbage bin. Don’t let other parents see it; it’s bad luck!” Jeff hesitated. “Ms. Peterson, this… this is a body. Shouldn’t we notify the family or call an ambulance?” Ms. Peterson’s eyes widened, and she shrieked, “Call an ambulance for what! She’s been dead for ages! I’m the homeroom teacher; what I say goes! The family is right here! This lunatic won’t claim her, so just treat it as trash!” “If anything happens, Mr. Sterling will handle it! What are you afraid of! Don’t you want your job anymore?” Jeff recoiled, his neck shrinking back, not daring to argue further. He could only force himself to go find a bag. I picked myself up from the ground, staring fixedly at Ms. Peterson. “You’ll get your comeuppance. Throwing a child away like trash, aren’t you afraid of retribution?” Ms. Peterson burst into laughter, as if she’d heard the funniest joke. “Retribution? I have the Sterlings covering me; who can bring retribution on me? God? God only helps the rich!” She crouched down, patted my face, and whispered, “Ms. Sarah, accept your fate. This is class. Your daughter being born into a family like yours was a mistake. It’s better she died; next time, try to be born into money.”

I slapped her hand away, looking at her coldly. “I hope you can still laugh like that in a minute.” Just then, Jeff returned with a huge black trash bag. He and Nick, like dragging a dead dog, pulled the child by her legs and roughly tried to stuff her into the bag. The child’s body was covered in blood, her small face obscured by it, making her features unrecognizable. But I knew, that was definitely not my Lily. My Lily was in the car right now, eating the lollipop I bought her, completely unharmed. Nick grumbled as he lifted the bag. “So heavy. What did this dead girl eat to grow so big?” Brandon was still clapping his hands and cheering. “Throw it away! Throw the trash away!” Ms. Peterson adjusted her clothes, smiling obsequiously at Doris. “Doris, are you satisfied with how it’s handled? And Mr. Sterling…” Doris nodded approvingly. “Good, you’re efficient. Don’t worry, Mr. Sterling won’t forget you. I’ll mention to him later that you should be the preschool director.” Ms. Peterson’s face instantly flushed with delight, her excitement palpable. “Thank you, Doris! Thank you, Brandon!” Just as they were about to throw the body bag into the dirty, smelly garbage truck behind the kitchen, there was a sudden screech of brakes at the preschool’s main gate. Followed by a series of heavy, synchronized footsteps. Several black Audi cars drove directly into the compound, even knocking over the gate barrier. Ms. Peterson jumped, about to erupt in anger. “Who is it! So rude! Daring to cause trouble at an exclusive private school!” Car doors opened, and a group of men in black suits quickly exited, lining up in two rows. Finally, a middle-aged man in a suit stepped out of a car. His face was so grim it looked like it could drip water. His gaze swept across the scene like a hawk, exuding an intimidating aura that commanded respect without a word. Ms. Peterson’s curses instantly caught in her throat. She had seen this face countless times on TV news. This was… Mayor Thompson?! Ms. Peterson’s knees trembled. She quickly put on her most fawning smile and scurried over. “Oh, Mayor Thompson, sir! How wonderful that you’ve come in person! Is this an inspection? You didn’t notify us in advance, so we couldn’t prepare…” Mayor Thompson didn’t even glance at her, pushing her aside directly. His voice trembled as he asked, “Where is my daughter? My driver said after dropping Chloe off, her phone has been unreachable! Where is she?” Ms. Peterson froze, her mind a white noise of panic. Chloe? Mayor Thompson’s daughter? She forced a brittle laugh. “Mayor Thompson, that’s impossible. We have no student by that name, and no transfers were processed today…” The mayor’s secretary stepped forward, a photograph already in hand. He thrust it inches from her face. “Look. Closely. Transferred today. Wearing pink.” Ms. Peterson’s eyes locked onto the image of the little girl in the pink dress. All the color drained from her face. Pink dress. Transferred today. Not on the roster. Her head turned, stiff and mechanical, toward the black trash bag waiting near the garbage truck. In that instant, she felt as if she heard the sound of her own doom descending.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “317505”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn

At the wedding of my fiancé, the richest man Ezra Mills, I, Hannah Stevens, kissed a beggar in public. Then, while all the guests were still in shock, I grabbed Ezra’s sister and bridesmaid, Camila Smith, and slapped her hard thirty-eight times. Everyone thought I was crazy and wanted to lock me in a mental hospital. I was excitedly popping champagne and celebrating all night inside. In my previous life, after the wedding, Camila, a pediatric nurse, set the children’s hospital on fire, causing many kids to die on the spot. The police and numerous families surrounded my house, angrily accusing me of being the arsonist. I was completely bewildered, and Ezra even presented surveillance footage to testify against me. He said, “You always complained that taking care of sick kids was worse than taking care of a dog, but I never thought you could be this cruel!” Hearing this, the families lost control and poured gasoline on me, burning me alive on the spot. ***** “Oh my God! The bride went crazy at the billionaire’s wedding!” “This bride is really unlucky. She was about to marry into a wealthy family but went crazy at the last moment.” In the hall, guests in suits crowded together. Some quickly pulled out hidden cameras, frantically taking pictures of the stage. Others crouched in the corner with their heads in their hands, silently praying. At the moment Ezra and I were exchanging vows, I not only slapped him loudly in public but also grabbed a beggar nearby and kissed him. The entire venue fell silent instantly. I took the chance to grab Camila’s hair, dragged her to the ground, and slapped her thirty-eight times. Looking at her swollen face, I burst into laughter. Camila’s screams brought everyone back to their senses, and they all looked at me in disbelief. “She must be crazy, right? Camila is her best friend! I heard she even introduced her to Ezra!” Ezra quickly pulled Camila into his arms to protect her. His gaze at me was filled with shock and disbelief. He said, “Hannah, what’s wrong with you? How could you do this to Camila? Didn’t you say she was your best friend?” “And the entire wedding venue today was carefully planned by us together. What are you dissatisfied with to act like this?” I tore off the veil and threw it at them, then knocked over the champagne tower I had carefully stacked. Instantly, the banquet hall was filled with screams one after another. Ezra held Camila tighter and glared at me. “Hannah, you’ve really lost it. Believe it or not, I’ll send you to a mental hospital right now!” I heard it and was more than happy to let them send me to a mental hospital. In my previous life, not long after the wedding, Camila set the pediatric hospital on fire. At that time, it was flu season, and the wards were packed with children. Because the fire wasn’t discovered in time, all the hospitalized children were burned to death on the spot. The next day, the police came straight to my door and took me away. They released surveillance footage showing me setting the hospital on fire. But on the night of the incident, I was clearly soaking in a hot spring with Ezra. I asked him to prove my innocence. But he looked grim, his brows furrowed. “She complains to me every day after work about how troublesome the children are, even dreaming of burning those kids to death. I never thought she’d actually do it.” “These are the clothes she changed out of yesterday. The nanny found several large burn holes on the edges.” I stared at him in disbelief, unable to believe he would say such things. The incident kept escalating, and my wrongdoing sparked outrage across the internet. On the day of the trial, several parents who had lost their children stormed into the courtroom, doused me with gasoline, and burned me alive. “Wretch, you burned my child to death and destroyed my whole family! I’ll make you pay with your life!” When I opened my eyes again, I felt that the mental hospital was actually pretty nice.

My days in the mental hospital were quite peaceful, with three nutritious meals a day and no need to work. Every day, after eating my fill, I’d take a walk in the garden and bask in the sun. Life was leisurely and pleasant. A week later, the doctor said I was doing well and could be discharged. I figured Camila should have already burned down the children’s hospital. My phone dinged, and just like in my previous life, major media platforms were scrambling to report on the children’s hospital fire. Countless parents supported each other, sobbing in front of the ruins reduced to rubble. I had just left the hospital when Ezra and Camila hurried over, followed by a large group of enraged family members. As soon as Ezra saw me, his eyes turned red, and he questioned me with a trembling voice, “Hannah, I never thought you could be so cruel. It’s one thing to complain about the sick children being annoying, but how could you actually do something like this?” “That’s over two thousand lives, over two thousand families’ hopes!” Camila’s eyes were swollen and red. “Hannah, even though you’re my good friend, I won’t cover for you today. As a fellow pediatrician, seeing so many adorable little lives, how could you bring yourself to do this?” Ezra looked at me as if I were a heinous criminal, wishing he could tear me to pieces. With the testimony of my two relatives, the parents present instantly erupted with emotions they had been suppressing for so long. Mentioning the children who were burned to death, some parents collapsed to the ground, wailing uncontrollably. Some parents clenched their fists, eyes bloodshot, shouting for my life in return. Some passersby, seeing such a lively scene, immediately raised their phones. “Look! The real arsonist who burned down the hospital has been found! I heard it’s even the head of the pediatrics department!” “Everyone, look closely at her face! Such a demon shouldn’t exist in this world!” I was stunned, thinking, “I’ve been locked in the psychiatric hospital all week, what evidence do they have to accuse me as the culprit?” Before I could speak, a water bottle slammed into my forehead, and blood gushed out instantly. Then more random things were thrown at me. I wanted to explain, but no one listened. They screamed for my life, and some, in their agitation, even grabbed knives from nearby stalls to kill me. More and more passersby, upon hearing this, wanted to join in punishing me, causing severe traffic congestion at the hospital entrance. At this moment, my attending doctor Julian Reed stepped out of an ambulance with its hazard lights flashing. He looked at the gathered crowd in front of him and shouted sternly, “What’s going on? This is the hospital entrance. Who among you can take responsibility for delaying emergency care?” I saw him, and my eyes lit up. “Dr. Reed, they say I burned the hospital last night and want to kill me.” Ezra tried to grab me, but I dodged, making him even more furious. “If not you, then who else!” Camila raised her phone and played a video. In the video, I was wearing a white coat, covering a crying child while cursing him to hurry up and die.

In my previous life, after Camila uploaded this video to social media, my wrongdoing sparked outrage across the internet. The enraged parents, blinded by fury, poured gasoline on me right at the trial and burned me alive. The pain of the scorching flames searing my soul in my past life still makes me tremble all over when I think about it now. Ezra’s eyes were filled with undisguised amusement, though his face still feigned righteous indignation. “Hannah, we’ve been together for so many years, and I only just realized how vicious and cold-blooded you are.” Camila chimed in, “Hannah, you’re the department head. You’re the only one with emergency access to the ward. Who else could it be but you?” The families, stirred up by them, were overwhelmed with emotions, their eyes burning with the fire of revenge, as if they were ready to tear me apart and devour me the next moment. They gradually closed in on me at the center of the crowd. At that moment, a stern shout rang out, “Stop it!” Julian shielded me behind him. “This is a hospital. Who gave you permission to cause such a scene?” As soon as he finished speaking, a group of security guards holding electric batons appeared behind him. I took the chance to ask, “What makes you say I committed arson? Did anyone see me start the fire with their own eyes?” In my past life, I was inexplicably labeled a murderer. In this life, I will never let them falsely accuse me again. Camila refused to back down. “Stop making excuses. That sneaky figure I saw after work yesterday was you.” Hearing this, a security guard with bloodshot eyes stepped forward excitedly. “You can’t just accuse someone without proof.” “Our hospital’s inpatient department locks the doors at nine every night. After nine, no one is allowed in or out, and it’s strictly guarded. Besides, the fire happened at eleven. What evidence do you have that it was one of our patients who went out and started it?” Camila trembled in fear at the security guard’s imposing manner, while Ezra’s face darkened as he played a surveillance video. In the video, I was wearing a white coat, skillfully avoiding the on-duty nurse’s line of sight as I slipped into the children’s ward. Shortly after, thick black smoke started seeping through the door crack. The hospital’s surveillance was very high-definition, clearly showing the hospital gown worn under the white coat, with several large burn holes on the pant legs from flames. Even though I experienced this once in my previous life, I still couldn’t help but feel a bit shocked. If the security hadn’t also pulled up footage of me resting in the ward during the same time, I would have doubted whether I was sleepwalking. The scene fell into dead silence. “How can there be two Dr. Stevens?” “Which video is real?” The family members, originally full of indignation, were also confused. Ezra confidently pointed at me. “I’m her boyfriend of ten years, how could I not tell which one is her?” “She’s the one who set the hospital on fire, I’m sure of it!”

“Though I don’t know what method she used, your child was definitely burned to death by her!” “The real culprit you’re looking for is right in front of you, hurry up and arrest her.” Ezra stood in front of the family, shouting loudly with his neck stiffened. He was emotionally intense and spoke obsessively, even the originally furious family members noticed it. Julian frowned. “Since both sides question the authenticity of each other’s videos, why not hand all the evidence over to the police for handling?” Ezra sneered at the words, his gaze sweeping back and forth between Julian and me. He said, “I knew it, after all these days in the hospital, you two have already hooked up, right?” “Hannah, you’re truly disgusting! No wonder even the hospital security guards are scrambling to testify for you.” He deliberately put on a look of disgust. Julian clenched his fists. “What nonsense are you spouting? When Hannah was brought in, she was unconscious and slept all day. It took several days for her emotions to stabilize.” “And you, as her boyfriend, didn’t show up even once during her hospitalization, yet now you dare to slander her innocence without any evidence?” Ezra sneered. “She suddenly went crazy, what’s that got to do with me?” The onlookers found it strange too—Ezra’s attitude toward me was nothing like what a devoted boyfriend of ten years should have. Seeing the crowd hesitate, Ezra grew even more irritable, almost roaring, “The real murderer of your child is right in front of you, what are you hesitating for? Are you even the child’s real parents?” He kept stirring up the emotions of the family members, refusing to stop until he saw me burned to death. Everyone could tell it wasn’t that simple, so they calmed down and waited for the police investigation results. Soon, four or five police officers walked over from outside the crowd. The leading officer said, “After the on-site investigation, it was confirmed that the arsonist used this lighter to start the fire. A clear fingerprint was extracted from it, and upon comparison, it was confirmed to belong to Hannah.” A policewoman walked up to me and took out her badge. “You’re Hannah, right? Please come with us to assist in the investigation.” In an instant, I became the target of everyone’s criticism again. The family members pointed trembling fingers at me, their eyes red as they shouted, “Beat this demon to death and avenge our children!” “Kill her!” ***** This scene is all too familiar. In my previous life, it was the same—shortly after the fire broke out, I was taken away by the police. They showed surveillance footage, claiming I was the arsonist who burned over two thousand young patients. Everything was interconnected, like a web already woven, just waiting for me to step into it. The police’s words caused even greater unrest among the parents on the scene. If not for the police stopping them, I would probably have been torn to pieces by the furious families by now. I stepped back behind the police and calmly said, “Don’t you want to know who the real culprit is?” A hint of panic flashed in Ezra and Camila’s eyes, but they quickly feigned composure. Ezra pointed at me angrily and shouted, “Hannah, the police already found your fingerprints, what are you still denying?” Camila chimed in, “At this point, you might as well confess. Maybe you can get a lighter sentence.” The family members, originally held back by the police, became even more furious, as if they wanted to tear me apart on the spot. The policewoman frowned slightly and took out handcuffs to take me away. “Hannah, you are currently the prime suspect. We have to take you back for further investigation.” I said, “I didn’t kill anyone.” I pulled my hand back, took out my phone, and brought up the hospital’s surveillance footage. The moment the sound played from the video, I curled my lips into a smile. This was the day I had been waiting for.

My name is Lena Welch. Everyone says I’m beautiful, but I ruined my face with a knife myself. The moment she saw me, my twin sister Lydia Welch broke down and demanded to know why I disfigured myself. In my past life, she was addicted to stealing deliveries. When our seven-month-pregnant neighbor Julia Wallace caught her, she pushed her down the stairs, causing two deaths. She arrogantly claimed she was a famous influencer and that two lives meant nothing. She threw out five hundred dollars, sneering, “Trying to scam me for money? Who knows if that baby was already dead? Maybe your family’s just paying for all the sins you’ve committed!” Later, when Julia’s husband Ashton Wallace came to the door with a knife, Lydia hid in fear but deliberately tricked me into coming back. As soon as I reached the doorstep, Ashton, in a mental breakdown, slashed my neck artery with a knife, killing me on the spot. After my death, I was scorned, and everyone said I deserved it. My parents, Emmett Welch and Anna Welch, chose to cover up Lydia’s crime. Lydia even pretended to apologize on my behalf and got together with my boyfriend, George Lewis. The couple’s account they started gained traffic and made a lot of money. In this life, I ruined my face. I want to see how she plans to steal my identity and slander me now! “Did you hear? A social media influencer in the neighborhood committed murder, and the victim was a pregnant woman—two lives lost!” “I just saw the pregnant woman’s husband with a knife, eyes red, rushing toward our building!” I just got to the elevator and heard a few neighbors talking. I was slightly stunned, the sharp pain of my neck being slashed still faintly lingering, as if the tragic scene of my death in the previous life was still vivid. At this moment, Lydia called. As soon as the call connected, her anxious and dissatisfied voice came through. “Lena, what are you dawdling for? Why aren’t you here yet?” “Do you want me to freeze to death? Hurry up and get over here to open the door!” Hearing her overbearing accusations, my hatred almost overflowed. I suppressed my hatred and perfunctorily said, “I’m at the entrance of the community, coming up right away.” Lydia doesn’t like me and always acts commanding towards me. Even so, I still spoiled her and tolerated her because we are sisters. Since childhood, Anna always told me to give in to Lydia, but I never expected that in my past life, she was the one who caused my death. In my past life, right before I died, I only heard her viciously say in my ear, “Lena, why do you get to make a fortune and have an obedient boyfriend? While I’ve lived in your shadow my whole life, always inferior to you. Only when you’re dead can I have everything that’s yours.” She was born frail, so later she blamed all her misfortunes on me, saying I stole her luck. In my past life, after she killed someone, she tricked me into taking the blame. We are twins. The victim’s family saw my face and directly slashed my neck, killing me on the spot. Reborn, I saw Lydia’s true colors. This time, she’s the one who will die!

In my past life, I accidentally went viral with short videos and became an influencer with millions of followers. Meanwhile, Lydia was expelled from kindergarten for her stealing addiction. Yet, she shamelessly moved into my newly purchased apartment, spending my money and living carefree. She spent my money but still wasn’t content, often stealing others’ deliveries in the neighborhood. One day, she was finally caught red-handed by Julia. But instead of admitting her mistake, she pointed at Julia and yelled, “What are you shouting about? Haven’t you ever had takeout? Someone as pathetic as you living in a fancy neighborhood must have sold yourself to get here!” Julia angrily snapped back at her, “You’re a thief and still so arrogant? Such an uncultured brat!” Lydia had been spoiled since childhood and couldn’t stand being scolded by others. She directly pushed Julia down and mocked her using my name. She arrogantly said, “I’m the influencer Lena Welch with a million followers. I make more money in one livestream than your life is worth. Eating your takeout is doing you a favor.” Julia was bleeding heavily, and Lydia was forced to follow the ambulance to the hospital. Julia ultimately couldn’t be saved, resulting in two deaths. Lydia just threw out five hundred dollars to humiliate others and left. She mocked, “You still want to scam me for money? Who knows if she was carrying a stillborn? Maybe your family has done too much evil and is now facing retribution!” The next day, Ashton came with a knife seeking revenge. Lydia, scared, hid but deliberately lied to me, saying she lost her keys and asked me to open the door for her. Feeling sorry for her standing in the cold winter wind, I immediately dropped my work and rushed over. But as soon as I reached the doorstep, I was struck in the carotid artery by the mentally broken Ashton and died on the spot. At the moment I took my last breath, George arrived just in time, carrying the trembling Lydia out of the stairwell and comforting her. After my death, I was scorned, and everyone said I deserved it. Emmett and Anna chose to cover up Lydia’s crime. Lydia pretended to apologize on my behalf and got together with George. The couple started a joint account, gained followers, and made a lot of money. Thinking of the tragic death in my past life, I let out a heavy sigh and took the elevator malfunction sign from the storage room beside the elevator to block off both elevators. I had just finished setting up when Julia’s family came storming over. They glanced at the elevator and then quickly headed upstairs via the stairway. I put the sign back in its place and then leisurely followed upstairs, unable to stop the corners of my mouth from lifting with each step. As soon as I reached the corner of the fifth floor, a piercing scream came from upstairs. I didn’t even need to think to know that the victim’s family had already found Lydia hiding in the corner of the sixth-floor stairwell. Listening to Lydia’s cries, I felt secretly pleased, hiding behind the door to watch the scene unfold, just like she did in her past life.

Lydia clearly didn’t expect them to come up the stairs. She didn’t have time to react before Ashton grabbed her hair and dragged her to the hallway stained with Julia’s blood. The intense pain made her scream repeatedly. Ashton roared angrily, “Bitch! Think being an influencer makes you special? You killed my wife and child, and today I’ll kill you!” “We waited so many years for this child, and you destroyed it. Why wasn’t it you who died?” The others joined in, dragging Lydia, punching and kicking her as a group. Their commotion was so loud that people from the same floor and upstairs and downstairs came to watch. Lydia usually acted arrogant, and the neighbors all disliked her. Hearing she caused someone’s death, the neighbors cheered as they watched her get beaten. “This bitch is usually so arrogant, she deserves this karma!” “In the six months she’s been here, we’ve lost so many deliveries. Finally caught her!” “Poor woman was seven months pregnant, now both she and the baby are gone. Truly heartbreaking.” “These influencers really think having money makes them special!” Lydia was beaten black and blue, left curled up on the ground, crying out repeatedly, “I’m not the one who caused the death. I’m Lena’s sister, Lydia Welch!” In a brief pause from the crowd, she trembled as she took out her ID card and an expired teaching certificate, then opened the real-name verification on my short video account. She said, “The big influencer you’re looking for is Lena. I’m her twin sister, Lydia. This has nothing to do with me.” Ashton took the phone to watch my livestream, comparing it with the outfit his wife wore yesterday, which was exactly the same as in my video, and only then did he let her go for now. He still stared suspiciously at Lydia. Seeing this, Lydia immediately got up and called me. She said, “I’ll call the real culprit over right now!” After saying that, she called me. Seeing that I didn’t answer, a look of impatience flashed across her face, and she muttered curses under her breath. I just found it funny. I thought, “How vicious must my own sister be to go so far as to force me to die for her?” Seeing her anxious look, I finally stepped out. Looking at Lydia with a bruised and swollen face, I pretended to be shocked and concerned as I asked her, “What happened? Who did you offend?” She didn’t answer, her gaze filled with resentment. “Lena, I heard you stole someone’s delivery yesterday and knocked over a pregnant woman, causing a miscarriage. Two lives gone! Now her husband has come looking for you! You’re so vicious!” “Why are you still wearing a mask? Are you afraid of being recognized?” Ashton, upon hearing that I was the culprit, grabbed a knife with bloodshot eyes and charged at me. “You’re the murderer! Today, I’ll make you pay with your life!” I was already prepared and swiftly dodged to the side the moment he swung the knife, moving cleanly and decisively. I asked with a puzzled look, “What are you talking about? I’m a livestream seller and have been out of town selecting products all week. Did you mistake me for someone else?” Ashton thought I was lying and cursed, “You shameless woman, stop pretending! I have surveillance footage of your crime. You call yourself the big influencer Lena, acting all high and mighty. Who else could it be but you?” Lydia chimed in, “Lena, admit it if you did something wrong! Stop pretending!” Seeing that everyone had already decided I was the murderer, I looked at Lydia, who was gloating on the side, and asked, “Lydia, what are you talking about? You’ve been living in this apartment all along. What does this have to do with me?”

As soon as I finished speaking, everyone turned to look at Lydia. She clearly didn’t expect me to call her out so directly, and a trace of disbelief flashed in her eyes. In her eyes, I had always been the sister she could manipulate at will. Now that I suddenly got smart, she was naturally flustered. She immediately teared up, accusing me with a choked voice, “How can you slander your own sister like this?” “I am your own sister! I’m absolutely certain the person in the video is you.” “We’re twins. You deliberately wore a mask today to trick me into taking the blame. You don’t dare show your face and want everyone to think I committed the murder!” Those who were hesitant before all started condemning me. “Oh my God, this influencer is so vicious, even daring to frame her own sister!” “It must be her! People like this deserve to be executed!” Ashton seemed to remember something, scrolled through his phone, then held it up in front of me. It was a screen recording of a video call between Ashton and me. In the video, I had delicate makeup on and was wearing the exact same outfit as I am now. I arrogantly shouted, “Your wife and child are dead, that’s your family’s karma, what does it have to do with me?” “Call the police? What a joke! The PR and lawyers I hired for a hefty price are the best in the industry. As long as I play the victim online, you’re the one going to jail!” “In this world, money is everything!” He also presented evidence that the number was registered under my name. He said, “I checked, this number is registered under your real name, Lena! In the video, you’re wearing the same outfit as now, you can’t deny it.” Ashton splashed paint all over me and spat at me angrily, “You bitch, I’ll make you pay with your life!” The scene got intense, and with the call video and hallway surveillance, people around hated me even more. “This woman is so vicious, she deserves to die!” “Rich people think they can do whatever they want, ignoring lives. These influencers are so shameless.” “Who knows how she earned her money, probably by sleeping with people.” Lydia saw everyone attacking me, glanced at me provocatively with pride, but there was a hint of disappointment in her eyes that I hadn’t died according to her plan. Just then, George came up. He chose to ignore me, covered in paint, and walked straight to Lydia’s side. He gave me a disdainful glance and said, “Lena, what have you done again? I always tell you to leave some room in what you do, but you never listen. Now, karma’s here, isn’t it?” Then, he turned to Ashton, speaking sincerely. “My girlfriend has a bit of a wild personality. If she did anything wrong, I apologize on her behalf.” His words once again made it clear to everyone that I was usually someone with improper conduct. As for Lydia, the moment she saw George, her eyes instantly lit up. She pretended to be aggrieved and said, “George, Lena caused his wife to lose her baby, resulting in two deaths. Now that he’s seeking justice, she’s actually making me take the blame.” Hearing Lydia’s delicate sobs, George immediately held her tenderly. Then, he looked at me helplessly and disappointedly, saying, “Lena, I always thought you were just willful and domineering, but I never imagined you’d be bold enough to take a life. You’ve really let me down.” Watching the two of them work together, I felt a wave of disgust. The man who always loved me and my own sister conspired together to scheme against me. Ashton saw George criticizing me, and now he’s convinced that I’m the murderer. He said, “What a stubborn bitch, even your boyfriend has come forward to expose you.” “My wife and child are dead, you don’t deserve to live either!” As he was about to slash at me, I dropped to my knees with a thud, tightly grabbing his hand holding the knife. Then, I took off the mask on my face. The moment everyone saw my face, they gasped.

My name is Olivia Robinson. On the day of my daughter Emma Sterling’s liver surgery, the procedure was personally performed by my husband, Vincent Sterling, a top general surgery expert. But the moment he opened Emma’s abdomen and saw the abdominal cavity, he immediately announced the surgery was halted. As an expert in this field and Emma’s husband, Ethan Carter took one look and forced me to discharge Emma from the hospital. My son, Ryan Sterling, who has always been deeply attached to Emma, raised the surgical scissors to kill her the moment he saw her abdominal cavity. In the end, Emma didn’t make it off the operating table alive and became a cold corpse. Heartbroken, I confronted them, only to be locked in the basement and conspired against to be killed. When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to the day of Emma’s surgery. ***** Vincent stood in front of me with a gentle expression. “Don’t worry, Emma’s condition is just a minor surgery, she’ll be out in half an hour.” Hearing his reassurance, I suddenly snapped back to reality. Seeing the surgery notice with Emma’s name on it in my hand, I finally confirmed that I had been reborn. I was reborn on the day of Emma’s surgery. In my previous life, ever since Emma was diagnosed with a liver tumor, Vincent had been very worried. Even though all the tests were done at the hospital where he worked and the tumor was confirmed to be benign, he still wasn’t at ease and postponed several academic conferences to personally operate on Emma. Ethan, with ten years of clinical experience, was also so worried that he stayed by Emma’s bedside all night. Ryan was even more afraid something might happen to Emma, so he returned from a renowned hospital abroad to personally oversee her surgery. Three top liver disease experts spent three days and nights repeatedly discussing a benign liver tumor. They even devised a detailed plan on how many stitches to use for suturing and how to ensure no scars after surgery. With them around, I feel at ease. Emma’s pre-surgery indicators were all normal; if not for the tricky angle, it could have been resolved minimally invasively. So on the day of the surgery, I didn’t enter the operating room and just waited outside. But it was this decision that ended both Emma’s and my life, leaving me unable to rest in peace. On the day of the surgery, when Emma’s abdomen was opened, Vincent took one glance at the abdominal cavity, instantly turned pale with fright, and without hesitation, put away the scalpel and announced the surgery was halted. Staring at the dimmed operating room light, I froze in shock. “Vincent, didn’t you say it was a benign tumor? What happened? Why stop the surgery?” But he didn’t answer me and directly arranged for Emma’s discharge. I wanted to stop him, but he was cold and his voice was full of anger. “Olivia, this surgery absolutely cannot be done!” I was startled by his words. Just yesterday, he personally told me that Emma’s tumor was pressing on nerves and blood vessels and must be removed as soon as possible, or it would be life-threatening. My legs went weak, and before Emma was wheeled out of the operating room, I quickly called Ethan and Ryan. The two, who were on standby at the hospital, arrived quickly. Seeing them, Vincent not only didn’t panic but even seemed much more relaxed. I grabbed Ryan’s hand, tears streaming down. “Emma is still lying on the operating table. Please go save her.” Ryan saw the bill in Vincent’s hand and roared, “Why can’t such a simple surgery be done?” Vincent said nothing, pulling Ryan toward the operating room. I followed, but they wouldn’t let me in. I could only see through the glass as Emma lay motionless on the operating table with her abdomen opened. Ryan picked up the scalpel in a tense but orderly manner, just about to start the surgery, but the moment he saw Emma’s abdominal cavity, the anger on his face turned to terror. The scalpel dropped to the ground, and he grabbed the scissors nearby, stabbing them toward Emma’s wound.

Fortunately, Ethan rushed into the operating room in time to stop Ryan. The scissors stabbed deeply into his arm. His eyes were bloodshot as he punched Ryan in the face, roaring, “Are you crazy? She’s your own sister!” Ryan licked the blood at the corner of his mouth, sneering as he pressed Ethan’s head toward Emma’s open abdominal wound. Ethan, who had just risked everything for Emma, suddenly turned pale. He hurriedly grabbed gauze to cover Emma’s wound, his whole body trembling. He murmured, “No, this surgery can’t be done.” Through the glass wall, I had already noticed the abnormality in Emma’s abdominal cavity. I frantically pounded on the glass, shouting hoarsely, “What’s going on? Why can’t Emma’s surgery be done?” But no one paid attention to me. Vincent stared at the lifeless Emma, his eyes nearly deranged. “No, no way.” He gave Ryan and Ethan a look. “We mustn’t let anyone find out, so she’ll have to die on the operating table for another reason.” I widened my eyes, my whole body numb. I couldn’t understand why the three men who adored Emma so much just the day before turned into completely different people after seeing her abdominal cavity. Even if she really had a terminal illness, why couldn’t they just tell me directly? Seeing them pick up the instruments and start operating on Emma, I quickly called the police. But before the call went through, Vincent caught me. I cried and begged them to save Emma. If she really couldn’t be cured, I would accept it, but at least let me know what was in her belly. But they injected me with drugs, leaving me unable to move. I watched helplessly as they operated on Emma, then made an excuse to declare her dead. When I woke up, they outwardly appeared grief-stricken. Facing my hysterical questioning, they all claimed I had lost my mind because of my daughter’s death. So, they admitted me to the psychiatric ward. On the day of Emma’s funeral, Vincent, Ryan, and Ethan came to pick me up. Vincent acted like nothing had happened. “Babe, let’s go home.” I numbly looked at them, the three in front of me felt unfamiliar and frightening. I broke down and screamed, “Why didn’t you save her? Why did you kill her? She was your family! How could you do this?” Ryan and Ethan instantly wiped away their expressions, the coldness in their eyes seemed eager to devour me. Vincent slapped me to the ground. “Short-sighted fool!” I froze, pointing at them, trembling all over. “I will expose your conspiracy to murder. I won’t let you off even if it kills me!” Then, they forced sedatives on me and locked me in the basement at home. The husband who once cared for me tenderly is now cold as ice. Ryan, whom I raised single-handedly, wishes for my death every day. Even Ethan, whom I personally chose and nurtured, deeply hates me. Every one of them wants me dead. In less than a month, my old illness relapsed, and I passed away in the basement. I quietly wiped away the tears from the corner of my eyes. In this life, I must figure out what really happened.

I didn’t respond to Vincent and took Emma’s medical reports to find the hospital director, Arthur Finch. Even Arthur, after seeing the test results and ultrasound report, said it was a minor surgery. The hospital handles thousands of such cases every year, so he told me not to worry. Hearing him say that, I felt slightly relieved. As long as the surgeon isn’t Vincent or Ethan, Emma will be fine. But unexpectedly, as soon as I requested a different surgeon, Vincent insisted on performing the surgery himself, just like in my previous life. My heart sank suddenly, but I pretended to know nothing and asked, “Don’t you have an academic conference? It’s fine to leave it to another doctor.” He nervously scratched his head. “You’re right. But I’m her dad, and only if I perform the surgery myself can I feel at ease.” I continued, “Dr. Finch already said it’s a minor surgery. Are you questioning his skills?” His eyes flickered. “No, it’s just that Emma is my precious daughter. I want to be there during the surgery so I can handle any emergencies promptly.” I knew he was indeed deeply concerned for his daughter at this moment. But thinking of Emma’s cold body in the previous life, I didn’t dare to agree easily. So, I called Vincent’s assistant surgeon, Aiden Thomas, the youngest hepatobiliary specialist in the department. I said, “Aiden, Vincent is getting older, and standing through a surgery can be tiring. You watched Emma grow up, so I feel at ease leaving the surgery to you.” Vincent thought I was truly considering his hard work. After glancing at Emma’s medical report again, he finally nodded. “Alright, Aiden will take the lead, and I’ll monitor remotely.” I smiled and watched him get into the car for the hospital’s academic exchange. “I’ve got things covered here at the hospital. Go to your meeting with peace of mind, and I’ll message you once the surgery is over.” It wasn’t until the car drove away that I finally felt relieved. Our family members are all doctors. I am the director of obstetrics and gynecology. In my previous life, I trusted Vincent and only waited outside the operating room. But in this life, I explained the situation to Arthur—I must enter the operating room myself. I need to see with my own eyes what exactly is in Emma’s belly that made them go to such extremes. When I changed clothes, disinfected, and entered the operating room, my heart sank—Vincent was standing in front of the operating table. I hurried over, but before I got close, I saw Vincent staring at Emma’s freshly cut abdomen, his face pale. And Aiden, who was supposed to be the lead surgeon, was nowhere to be seen. Vincent saw me and quickly walked toward me. I instinctively turned to run, but he still blocked my way. His eyes were bloodshot, staring at me intently. “Olivia, this surgery can’t proceed. We’re taking Emma out of the hospital now.” In my previous life, even until my death, I couldn’t understand why Vincent, who always doted on Emma and turned gray overnight because of her illness, changed completely after seeing Emma’s abdomen opened. Vincent gripped my wrist so tightly it hurt, the ruthlessness in his eyes identical to when he decided to kill Emma in the previous life. I forced myself to stop trembling and, before he could continue persuading me, shouted into the operating room intercom, “Help! Dr. Sterling is trying to murder his own daughter! Call the police!” The operating rooms were side by side, and soon many medical staff who had just finished surgeries gathered around. Vincent didn’t expect me to suddenly call for help, nor did he expect me to play the recording of Arthur and him out loud. I held Emma’s still warm hand and knelt straight before him. “All the test results, all the doctors said Emma’s condition was just a minor surgery. Why did you stop the operation? Why did you want her discharged?” Vincent’s face turned red with anger as he glared at me and growled through gritted teeth, “Shut up! You fool, stand up!” He directly dropped the scalpel he was using to stitch up Emma, but doctors from the department were already approaching. I know this doctor. Not long ago, his son passed away from late-stage liver cancer, so when he heard about the tumor on Emma’s liver, he specifically came to remind me to operate early. He said, “So many people want surgery but can’t afford it. Emma’s condition only needs a simple removal. Aren’t you delaying her?” Others chimed in, “Yeah, we’ve seen the medical records too. We just finished a similar removal surgery—it took half an hour, and there wasn’t much blood loss.” “If you keep leaving Emma on the operating table like this, her life will be in danger!” Out of respect for Vincent’s position, everyone was gently persuading him, and some even offered to perform the surgery in his place. Vincent said nothing, just firmly pressed on Emma’s wound, glaring at me fiercely. But with so many doctors watching, under everyone’s gaze, he couldn’t do anything. At that moment, Ryan and Ethan walked over in surgical gowns.

They walked through the gathered doctors and nurses and immediately saw me kneeling in front of Vincent. Ryan quickly helped me up. But the moment he touched me, my hair stood on end. The surrounding doctors explained Vincent’s request to stop the surgery. Ryan angrily rushed forward and grabbed Vincent by the collar. However, Vincent shifted his body and pushed Ryan toward Emma’s open incision. “Ryan, don’t look!” I screamed hoarsely. I wanted to push him away and see what was going on. But it was too late, Ryan still saw it. In an instant, his eyes, which had just been red with anger, suddenly turned cold. He stood dejectedly in front of the operating table, side by side with Vincent on either side, blocking me from approaching. I tugged at the hem of Ryan’s surgical gown and tentatively asked him about Emma’s condition. The next second, he glared at me fiercely and pushed me far away. “Mom, that’s enough! Dad said no to this surgery, so no! We are Emma’s family, and we have the right to refuse the surgery!” The familiar sense of despair washed over me again. I panicked and hurriedly grabbed the nearby doctors, pleading, “Please save Emma. It’s just a minor surgery, it will be over soon. Don’t I have the right to decide whether the surgery can be done?” The scene fell silent. Seeing the doctors gradually leaving, I quickly grabbed Ryan, begging him to save Emma. But before I could speak, he grabbed the surgical scissors nearby and aimed them at Emma’s bare body. At that moment, Ethan rushed over and shielded Emma with his body. Just like in the previous life, his arm was stabbed, bleeding profusely. His veins bulged as he roared to the sky, “Are you all crazy? Emma is your family!” But when he saw Emma’s open abdominal cavity, he fell silent instantly. One second Ethan was worried about Emma, the next he changed instantly, even showing a murderous intent in his eyes. I completely broke down. He turned pale, forcing a bitter smile to comfort me. “It’s okay, you go out first. I’ll perform surgery on Emma. It will be over soon.” He seemed to be comforting me, but his eyes kept flickering, and even his voice changed. He was pretending. I panicked and shook my head frantically. “No, I don’t want you to operate on her. I want another doctor!” Vincent finally lost his patience and yelled at me, “Enough! The three of us are the closest to Emma and experts in liver disease. Who else do you want to find?” The doctors watching silently turned their backs upon hearing this. Just as the three of them were about to start stitching, Arthur appeared. I clung to him like a lifeline, dropping to my knees in front of him. “Dr. Finch, they said the surgery can’t be done and want to kill Emma!” Arthur looked at me suspiciously, then glanced at the three in front of him. Ethan quickly explained, “Dr. Finch, I’m Emma’s husband, and this is her father. As her family, we’ve unanimously decided not to operate on her now and to discharge her.” Arthur helped me up, his expression sharp. “Emma’s vital signs are stable, and all indicators meet the surgical criteria. Why was the surgery suddenly stopped halfway?” Ryan and Ethan looked at me with indifference, while Vincent continued stitching on his own, completely unfazed. I grabbed Arthur’s hand and walked toward the operating table. “I want to see Emma’s abdominal cavity.” “Each of them changed their expression instantly after seeing Emma’s abdominal cavity and wanted to kill her. “The truth must be inside Emma’s body.” Under Arthur’s piercing gaze, Vincent reluctantly stepped aside. But when I saw Emma’s opened abdominal cavity, I finally understood why they wanted to stop the surgery and even kill her.

My name is Serena Scott. My daughter, Alice Howard, who has always been afraid of water, suddenly suggested going on a cruise vacation, and my husband, Brian Howard, was very supportive of it. On the last night aboard the cruise, Alice suddenly said she wanted to eat the small cakes served on the deck. When I went to get them, I was suddenly pushed into the sea from behind. “Chloe! You ran over Mr. Collins’ sister with your car, and now we want your life in return!” They mistook me for someone else. But before I could explain, sharks near the cruise pounced on me, tearing at me, and blood instantly stained a large area of the sea. In agony and despair, I looked toward the only lit area of the cruise and saw Chloe Green, dressed just like me, smiling sweetly. She said to me, “Serena, thank you. Without you in the way, Brian and I can finally be together openly.” Brian gently draped a coat over her, and Alice affectionately kissed her on the cheek. “From now on, Ms. Green is my mom!” Looking at the Eternal Heart necklace around her neck, identical to mine, I suddenly realized I had become her scapegoat. Darkness engulfed me, and I lost consciousness in anger and unwillingness. When I opened my eyes again, I was back before boarding the cruise. ***** “Mom, let’s go on a cruise vacation!” Alice excitedly shook my arm, her eyes full of anticipation. “I heard the little cakes there are super delicious!” “Yeah, Serena,” Brian smiled in agreement. “It’s been a while since we had a family vacation. Since Alice wants to go, why not take this holiday to relax?” But the searing pain of being bitten by a shark was still etched in my bones. I looked at the two smiling happily in front of me and secretly clenched my fists. In my previous life, they said the same to me. Although I was puzzled why Alice, who had always been afraid of water, wanted to go on a cruise vacation, I thought with Brian and me around, nothing should go wrong, so I agreed. They were unusually enthusiastic, not only packing their own luggage but also preparing mine. Alice said, “Mom, you always packed our luggage before. This time, let me help you! Look, I even brought your favorite dresses!” Brian added, “Oh, Serena, don’t forget to wear the Eternal Heart. It’s the symbol of our love.” I foolishly indulged in the false happiness, letting them do as they pleased, never expecting that these things would lead to my death. Seeing me silent for a long time, Alice’s expression changed first. “Mom, do you not want to go with me? You don’t love me anymore!” she pouted, tears welling up in her eyes. “You’re nothing like Ms. Green. I don’t want you to be my mom anymore.” Brian hurriedly picked her up and gently scolded, “Alice, how can you say that to Mom?” I couldn’t stop trembling until my nails dug deep into my flesh, drawing blood. I thought, “Yeah, how could I not love my daughter?” But when I saw Chloe wearing the same clothes as me and the unique Eternal Heart, I realized that the two people I trusted most had personally pushed me into hell. “What’s going on here?” Chloe pushed the door open and, seeing Alice about to cry, quickly picked her up. “Who bullied you?” Brian frowned at me, his tone displeased. “Serena, is just one vacation really that hard for you?” Chloe sighed theatrically and said, “Maybe Mrs. Howard isn’t too willing to accompany Alice. After all, what could be more important than a child?” I held back my trembling and coldly stared at Chloe. Chloe is a college student I sponsored. I felt sorry for her poor family, often giving her a share of anything good, but I never expected to raise a traitor. Noticing my gaze, Brian immediately stepped in front of Chloe. “Serena, I’ve been too busy lately, so I asked Chloe to help look after Alice. Don’t misunderstand. “But really, what could be more important than a child? Alright, I’ll go pack your clothes now and make sure you look stunning.” “No, I’m not going,” I interrupted him. “Alice is big enough now; you can take her on vacation by yourself.” “How could that work?” Brian said anxiously. “Alice really wants you to go with her.” “Then let Chloe go with you,” I said with a faint smile, glancing at them. “Alice likes Chloe so much; I’m sure she’d be happy about it.”

As soon as I said that, Chloe’s face turned pale. Brian wanted to say something more, but I had already walked away. In my past life, I ended up being eaten by a shark. This time, I won’t let history repeat itself. I immediately contacted my secretary, Emily Porter, asking her to secretly investigate Chloe’s recent activities and have the “Eternal Heart” in my possession sent to a professional institution for appraisal. Sure enough, the necklace in my hand was fake. I laughed at myself. Brian surely wouldn’t let the real Eternal Heart sink to the bottom of the sea with me. I shook my head and started sorting through the clues I had. Last time, the clothes I took on vacation were prepared by Brian, so getting an identical set wouldn’t be difficult. But just with identical clothes and a necklace, could it really make people mistake me for Chloe? Emily reported to me, “Ms. Scott, we’ve tracked Ms. Green’s whereabouts. Three days ago, she was in a car accident. Here’s the surveillance footage from that day.” In the footage, Chloe was wearing the exact same blue dress I had on when I was pushed into the water, and the Eternal Heart around her neck sparkled dazzlingly in the sunlight. I closed my eyes. Just as I thought. She killed someone in a car accident and still boarded the cruise for a vacation as if nothing had happened. This is blatant provocation. I couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh and think, “Brian, how cruel you are. We loved each other for ten years, yet you let me take the fall and die for the woman you love.” I took a deep breath and instructed Emily, “Contact the victim’s family from that car accident. I want to meet them.” Emily nodded in agreement and, after hesitating for a moment, took out a USB drive. “Ms. Scott, this contains footage from the dashcam of the vehicle before the accident. You should take a look.” After she left, I opened the USB drive, and its contents instantly left me stunned. After the sound of rustling fabric, Chloe’s coquettish voice rang out. “Brian, take it easy. I’ve been with you for so long, when can we finally be together openly?” Brian’s voice was husky as he eagerly kissed Chloe. “Just wait a little longer. I’ve almost acquired all the shares of Scott Group. Once I become the largest shareholder, I’ll dump her and let you stand by my side openly.” Chloe let out a soft hum and said, “Easy for you to say. Even without Scott Group, Serena still has millions to her name. Are you really willing to abandon her and marry me?” Brian said, “I even gave you the Eternal Heart, and you still don’t trust me? Besides, Alice likes you the most. Who else but you could be her mother?” “Alright, sweetheart, stop talking about such buzzkill things. Just relax.” After the intense shaking, the screen went black. My heart was filled with disgust and anger. One was a college student I had supported for years, and the other was my husband of many years. They were together behind my back. I opened the home surveillance and was about to instruct Emily to copy a piece of evidence when I saw Chloe and Brian disheveled, hugging each other on the screen. Chloe asked, “Brian, can you really bear to let Serena die for me? Once she boards the cruise, there’s no turning back.” Brian kissed her. “You’ve been living in fear for so long. If her death can bring you safety, then she’s at least of some use.” Thinking about how the mouth he kissed Chloe with had kissed me, I couldn’t help but vomit until my vision went dark and my throat was filled with the taste of blood. I took a breath to calm down, then quickly convened a board meeting. I want to see how Brian plans to become the largest shareholder of Scott Group with me around!

It was almost 8 p.m. when I got home, and surprisingly, Chloe was still there. Seeing me return, she quickly stood up and came over, pretending to look pitiful. She said, “Mrs. Howard, it’s all my fault. I know you’re busy with work and don’t have time to accompany Alice, so I stayed a little longer to play with her. If you don’t like it, I won’t come again. It’s just poor Alice I feel sorry for.” I looked at the fresh hickey deliberately exposed on her neck and the smudged lipstick on her lips. Before I could say anything, Alice angrily rushed over and stood in front of Chloe. “Mom, you can’t bully Ms. Green. If you don’t play with me, fine, but you won’t let others play with me either. How is that fair?” Brian also spoke up, “Serena, I know you’re just saying that out of anger. How could we let someone else take our place on a family vacation?” I suddenly laughed, crossed my arms, and looked at the sulking Alice. “In that case, how about letting Ms. Green go on vacation with you?” Brian’s expression changed, and he quickly grabbed my arm. “Serena, why are you still arguing like a child? If you weren’t so busy with work and neglecting the family, would Alice rely on Chloe this much?” “Besides, Chloe means well. Instead of thanking her, you keep making things difficult for her. I really misjudged you back then.” Looking at Chloe secretly laughing behind them and Alice clinging to Chloe’s arm with a dependent expression, my heart gradually grew cold. So this is what my husband thinks of me. Alice loves oil painting. To ensure she received the best education, I pulled many strings and finally got her under the guidance of a world-class painter. I gave her everything she wanted, yet in the end, I’m still accused of not loving her. And Brian? I gave him a nominal position in the company, yet he used my money to support a mistress, got involved with the girl I sponsored, and even brazenly brought her home. I coldly glanced at the three of them and was about to speak when Brian impatiently interrupted, “Enough, Serena, just apologize to Chloe, and let this matter be over.” He actually wants me to apologize? Thinking about the video on the USB drive, my anger couldn’t help but flare up. I kindly sponsored Chloe’s college education, always shared good things with her, and even helped her get a job at a tech company after graduation. Yet, she secretly got involved with my husband. And now, he still wants me to apologize to her? Before I could speak, Chloe suddenly started sobbing. “I know I come from a humble background and can’t compare to Mrs. Howard’s status. I don’t deserve her apology. I understand, it’s all my fault. I’ll leave.” With that, she turned and rushed out the door. Alice angrily said, “I don’t have such a rude and unreasonable mom like you!” Saying that, she ran out the door after Chloe. Brian looked at me with a pained expression. “Serena, what have you become? Everything I do is for the good of this family. Do you have to tear it apart to be satisfied?” “If you insist on refusing Alice, then I won’t come back either.” I took a deep breath, just about to speak, when my phone suddenly lit up. Looking at the reply, I suddenly smiled and nodded at Brian. “Alright, I agree to go on vacation with you.”

My name is Lily Cooper. My twin sister Jasmine Cooper has always been keen on dressing provocatively. She jogs around the neighborhood in a bikini in the morning and dances on the balcony in lingerie in the evening. I’ve advised her countless times, but she not only ignores me, she mocks me for having a dirty mind. She says she wants the freedom to dress as she pleases. As a result, she caught the attention of the delivery guy Stefan Wilson, who often brought packages to her house, and slept with him for a month. When she found out she was pregnant, she came to me. I told her to terminate the pregnancy and report it to the police, but she said I was inhumane and heartless. But after the child was born, she was afraid her husband David Miller would come back to confront her, so she insisted I raise the child for her. But her affairs had already spread like wildfire in the neighborhood, and many residents went to her house to scold her, threatening to kill her. Yet she didn’t hesitate to push me forward. “Look, the child calls her mom. The shameless woman seducing your men is her.” I was stripped naked by the angry women and thrown onto the street, and someone even recorded a video and uploaded it online. The overwhelming online abuse crushed my spirit. I developed depression and eventually took my own life. When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to the day Jasmine was shouting about her freedom to dress as she pleased. Just as I came out of the bathroom, I saw Jasmine showing off her figure in a bikini in front of the mirror. “This was sent back specially by David from abroad. Does it look good?” she turned and asked me. David loves her dearly and always spoils her. However, he spends most of the year working away from home, so he asked me to move in to keep her company. Knowing she loves beauty, he frequently sends her lots of beautiful clothes. Jasmine has a petite figure but is curvy. Her alluring large chest highlights her sensuality and charm, and the bikini bottoms barely cover her perky butt. I thought, “Why does this sound so familiar?” Turns out, I was reborn on the day Jasmine went jogging in a bikini. In my previous life, I stopped her, fearing she’d attract the attention of ill-intentioned people. But she insisted on showing off her figure, scolding me for being old-fashioned and dirty-minded, saying I didn’t understand the freedom to dress. She also said that all the women in the neighborhood needed to know how much David loved her, and if I kept stopping her from showing off their love, she told me to go die. Later, the delivery guy Stefan, who often brought her packages, found out that David was often away and Jasmine had money, so he set his sights on her. He started flirting frequently, sending her suggestive messages late at night. A few times, he even asked her out for dinner, speaking inappropriately. I advised her to stay away from such a person. “That guy’s gaze isn’t clean, don’t give him a chance.” She didn’t argue at the time and never mentioned Stefan’s name again. I thought she had finally listened. But a few months later, she cried and threw herself into my arms, saying that Stefan had forced himself on her while she was home alone. Now she’s pregnant and asked me what to do. What can I do? David loves her, but he can’t raise someone else’s child, right? The neighbors in the community will gossip endlessly. How will Jasmine face people in the future? I immediately decided to take her to the hospital for an abortion and insisted on reporting it to the police. Just moments ago, she was frail and flustered, but now she arrogantly pointed at me and cursed, calling me cruel and heartless. She also said Stefan’s family is poor, and he supports his elderly parents by delivering packages. If he goes to jail, no one will take care of them. She scolded me for lacking compassion. I’m completely speechless. The child was eventually born. Jasmine was afraid David would divorce her if he found out, which would ruin her comfortable life, so she insisted on making me raise the child. She said, “You’re young, raising a child won’t stop you from getting married. If you really can’t get married, I’ll pay to support you and the child.” “I’m different. Everyone knows David is away all year round. If they find out I’m suddenly pregnant, the whole neighborhood will laugh at me. We won’t be able to keep this big house either, right?” Seeing me silent, she pretended to look pitiful. “Lily, Mom and Dad passed away early, you’re my only family. Can you bear to see me die?” Thinking about how she rarely found such a good husband and not wanting them to divorce, plus she’s my only family, I had no choice but to agree. But she was too much—running in a bikini around the neighborhood in the morning, dancing in lingerie on the balcony in the evening. Her countless revealing private photos had already spread wildly in the neighborhood. So many times, while I was walking with my child, I was cursed at and splashed with dirty water. Later, my child and I didn’t even dare to go out anymore. But Jasmine remained flashy and arrogant, saying those women were just jealous of her and even scolded me for being cowardly and useless. In the end, those neighbors driven mad by her directly came to her house, cursing her and threatening to beat her to death. Without a second thought, she pushed me out. “Look, the child calls her mom. The shameless woman seducing your men is her.” So, I was stripped naked by the angry women and thrown onto the street, with onlookers filming and posting videos online. The relentless cyberbullying caused me to develop depression, and I eventually took my own life. My thoughts snapped back as Jasmine asked me again, “Does it look good or not?” Looking at her revealing outfit, I no longer stopped her. “It looks good. Your body, your choice.” I thought, “Fine, since you want the freedom to dress, I’ll give you that freedom.”

Jasmine, seeing she had an audience admiring her, happily twirled around. “I’m heading out then.” I stood on the balcony, watching her being stared at along the way. While running, her bouncing chest and faintly visible backside had already caught everyone’s attention. The elderly doing morning exercises unconsciously stopped, their eyes following her figure until she disappeared. Parents immediately covered their children’s eyes, their gaze filled with endless disdain. Several cars in the neighborhood almost rear-ended because of her. She turned and gave one of the drivers a charming smile. “Sorry about that.” Some people kept snapping photos of her with their phones, while others approached her to ask for her contact information. The more the passersby acted like this, the more excited she became. I calmly opened my phone; she must be the topic of everyone’s conversation right now. Sure enough, the entire neighborhood group was filled with discussions about Jasmine. [Oh my god! Have you seen the photos? This is way too revealing, might as well not be wearing anything!] [Everyone’s looking at the photos, but I happened to see her on my way to work. Her looks are absolutely stunning.] [She’s too outrageous! We take our kids to school every day, it’s really inappropriate to see her like this.] [Exactly, it’s such a bad influence on the kids. My son even asked me if she’s too poor to afford clothes. I didn’t know how to respond.] [I’ve never seen someone so shameless. She seems to be a resident of our community. Does anyone know her? Call the police immediately!] Someone in the group recognized her as Jasmine. Her husband works abroad for long periods. Suddenly, everyone expressed disdain. [No wonder, she’s living alone and must be feeling lonely. Any single guys? Go approach her quickly!] [Oh, does it have to be single? My wife is on a business trip.] [Is there an age limit? I’m 80, but that’s not a problem.] [Does she charge? If it’s free, I can go seven days a week.] The discussion is getting increasingly out of control, and the topic is becoming more explicit. I really couldn’t stand it anymore. Just as I put down my phone, I heard noisy voices outside. “Is anyone in there? Get out right now.” I opened the door, pretending to be puzzled. “What’s wrong? What happened?” Before they could speak, Jasmine happened to return from her morning run. Everyone saw her and immediately got angry, yelling at her furiously. Facing the accusations, Jasmine sneered, “Do you even know what fashion is? So outdated.” She pointed at the one yelling the most. “You’re just jealous of my figure. Your husband doesn’t even touch you, so you can only criticize my outfit?” That person turned pale with anger and slapped Jasmine across the face. Five finger marks quickly appeared on her cheek. Jasmine refused to back down and immediately lunged forward to fight. Seeing this, instead of stopping them, everyone joined in to attack Jasmine. Several people pinned down her hands and feet, while others slapped her face and tore at her clothes, shouting, “Don’t you like showing off? Then wear nothing and let everyone have a good look!” Someone immediately picked up a phone to take pictures. I pretended to protect her. “Stop it! If this goes on, I’ll call the police!” Everyone got angrier when they heard I was going to call the police. Someone shoved me aside and kept yelling, “Call the police? Do you even have the nerve to call the police?” “Everyone, hit her hard! Women like her with no shame need a good lesson.” Everyone’s enthusiasm surged, punches and kicks rained down, and Jasmine cried out loudly, but she could no longer resist. In no time, her clothes were torn, her body covered in bruises, and her face swollen beyond recognition. When the crowd dispersed after venting their anger, Jasmine curled up, sobbing uncontrollably. I gently draped my jacket over her. “Next time, maybe don’t run around in a bikini.” She angrily threw the jacket on the ground. “What use are you? Just standing there watching me get beaten!” Although she scolded me, I wasn’t angry, because in the previous life, Stefan was about to deliver a package at this moment. Sure enough, within five minutes, he showed up at the door with Jasmine’s package. He stared greedily at Jasmine’s body, his eyes turning red. After that day, Jasmine became the “celebrity” of the neighborhood. But instead of restraining herself, she declared that she would make those women who humiliated her taste the bitter fruit and have their husbands utterly captivated by her. From then on, she not only jogged in a bikini in the mornings but also sang and danced passionately in lingerie on the balcony in the evenings. With her wild actions, it was impossible for Stefan not to be tempted.

I had already installed a camera and captured the scene of Jasmine secretly opening the door for him in the middle of the night. In the surveillance footage, before even entering the room, the two were already eagerly embracing and kissing. Jasmine’s eyes were intoxicated and dreamy, showing no signs of being forced. She moaned in his arms, responding to him, and even showed him the lingerie David bought for her. I felt utterly disgusted. But in the previous life, to make me take her side, she cried and told me she was raped. The truth was right in front of me, and I had to admit that I was deceived by her. At that time, I even stood up for her and called the delivery station to file a complaint. Furious, I took out my phone and called the police, reporting a break-in and theft at home in the middle of the night. The police arrived quickly and immediately restrained Stefan. I thought this would wake Jasmine up. But she told the police that she felt sorry for Stefan and willingly gave him those things, insisting there was no theft or illegal break-in involved. The police looked at her, then at me, and frowned, saying, “Please make sure you understand the situation before calling the police next time. Don’t waste police resources.” As soon as they left, Jasmine yelled at me, “Why are you calling the police in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?” “Stefan works tirelessly delivering packages early and late to take care of his parents. How hard is that? Such a filial man, and you want to send him to jail? How can you be so heartless?” I advised her, “You’re a married woman. You can’t be with another man. David treats you so well.” She raised her hand and slapped me across the face. She gritted her teeth, “What do you know? If David really loved me, would he leave me alone at home? Stefan is different; he messages me every day. Our relationship has come this far, so what’s wrong with being intimate?” I never thought her values could be so twisted, completely overturning my understanding. Fortunately, the police have a record, and since the alarm woke up the neighbors, at least in the future, if she gets pregnant, no one will blame me anymore. Since she chooses to degrade herself, I can’t be bothered to care. From then on, they no longer hid it and often made some blush-inducing noises behind closed doors. I really couldn’t stand it, so I eventually moved out. A few months later, she suddenly called me, insisting that I go back. As soon as she saw me, she hugged me and cried, “Lily, what should I do? I actually got pregnant with that poor man’s child, it’s so embarrassing.” I looked at her coldly. “Since you despise him for being poor, then just get rid of the baby. Anyway, David hasn’t come back yet, and no one will know.” She suddenly looked up, glaring at me. “That’s a life! How can you be so heartless?” I knew she would say that, so I shrugged. “Then just have the baby.” She pointed at my forehead with her finger. “Are you even my sister? David is coming back soon, how do we explain a sudden child at home? Have you been eyeing David all along, hoping for us to divorce?” I was speechless, shocked by her logic. Seeing me silent, she thought I was convinced and quickly leaned closer. “Lily, I have an idea…” Before she could finish, the door to the house opened. David stood at the door with his luggage.

To repay my uncle’s kindness for raising me, I took my cousin’s place. I married into the powerful Harrison family. Their eldest daughter, Elara Harrison, has autism. For seven years, she was nothing but cold to me. I swallowed my pride, constantly trying to get closer. But all I got in return was endless disdain and mockery. Later, I successfully helped her organize a painting exhibition. Yet, in front of me, she clasped another man’s hand. I knew my duty was done. It was time to leave. To outsiders, my marrying into the Harrison family was a miracle, a blessing from above. As Riverdale’s most prestigious old money family, they always married within their social circles, matching wealth and prestige. And I? I was just an orphan, a charity case, living under someone else’s roof. My parents died when I was six. More than grief, I felt an overwhelming terror for the future. My uncles fought viciously over the inheritance. They saw me as a jinx, believing I’d bring bad luck, and none of them wanted the responsibility. So, they decided to throw me into an orphanage. I didn’t want to go to an orphanage; I’d heard there was a terrifying monster there that ate children who didn’t sleep. I found the phone my mom left behind and dialed Robert’s number. It was my first time contacting my mom’s side of the family. Mom had also been a wealthy heiress, but she’d cut ties with her family to marry Dad, no matter the cost. Uncle Robert listened to my request, silent, then the line went dead. Just like that, he hung up. I tried to tell myself he was still heartbroken over my mom, and it made sense he wouldn’t want anything to do with me. But for some reason, tears streamed down my face, endless and uncontrollable. The next day, I woke up early, packed my backpack, and prepared to run away. I’d rather starve and sleep under a bridge than be eaten by a monster. But just as I crept out of my room, I bumped into a man. I recognized him instantly as Robert; he looked so much like my mom. Robert ruffled my hair and asked if I’d had breakfast. I said no. He picked me up, put me in his car, and took me to the Robertson family home. My grandparents had passed away long ago. Aunt Sarah frowned, looking at my scrawny frame. “I have to take care of Ryan and Noah, I don’t have time for him. You brought this trouble home, you deal with it.” “Don’t worry, he’s a good kid. You just need to give him food, he can handle the rest himself.” To prove Robert right, I started learning to eat, dress, go to school, and sleep on my own. Beyond that, I proactively helped look after my younger cousins. Ryan was only two months younger than me, a proud little prince. He never called me “brother,” instead treating me like a servant, barking orders. But I didn’t get angry. Everyone has their own destiny, and he certainly had reason to be proud. As for me, simply growing up safe and healthy was a blessing. After high school, Robert wanted to send Ryan and me to study in the UK. But Elara’s appearance derailed everything.

She came with Mr. Harrison to the Robertson’s home to propose marriage. My grandfather, when he was alive, had indeed made a casual promise with Mr. Harrison’s father — a childhood engagement for their descendants. It was a joke made over drinks years ago, and no one in my family ever imagined Mr. Harrison would actually take it seriously. The atmosphere was awkward. Elara, who had been silently looking down, suddenly stood up and walked towards the backyard. Sarah quickly ordered me to follow, telling me to take good care of her. At first, I didn’t know she had autism. I just found it strange that this Harrison heiress was so rude. It was late spring, and the roses in the garden were blooming beautifully. Elara, as if by magic, pulled out a sketchbook and some charcoal from her backpack and began drawing with intense focus. I didn’t dare disturb her, so I stood behind her, quietly watching. It’s no exaggeration to say Elara was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. Her bone structure was exquisite, her skin as fair as jade. Her deep, unsettling eyes held a cool, aloof aura. Just as I was silently marveling at the luck of her birth, something sudden happened. Elara seemed deeply dissatisfied with her drawing. Frustrated, she crumpled the paper into a ball. I wanted to offer comfort, but she suddenly reached out and squeezed a thorny rose stem. Blood instantly welled up and ran down her hand, but she didn’t seem to feel any pain. Instead, she tilted her head, looking thoughtful. “Let go! Quickly, let go!” I panicked. Miss Harrison was a distinguished guest of the Robertsons, and if she got hurt under my watch, who knew how much trouble it would cause Robert. I shouted loudly, but she didn’t react at all. Left with no choice, I reached out to pull her arm. The moment my hand brushed her sleeve, she suddenly erupted in a furious rage, pushing me violently to the ground. I was terrified; her expression was truly frightening. I even thought she might hit me. But she didn’t. She just turned back and resumed drawing. Mr. Harrison, hearing the commotion, rushed over. He was clearly used to this, and quickly took his daughter away. After they left, Ryan threw a fit. “I won’t marry her! I’m going to the UK! If you dare force me, I’ll… I’ll do something drastic!” Robert’s pain was overshadowed by helplessness. Most of the Robertson family’s business depended on the Harrisons; if we offended Mr. Harrison, the consequences would be unimaginable. Sarah comforted her son, while secretly glancing at me. “The Robertsons don’t just have one son! Why are you always pushing Ryan into this?” My cousin Ryan nodded emphatically. “Exactly! Let Leo do it! Mom and Dad have raised him all these years, it can’t be for nothing.” “What are you saying? Miss Harrison has autism. How can I push Leo into such a difficult situation?” “So you’d rather let your own son walk into a nightmare…”

Robert and Sarah argued all night. I hid in my room, listening in silence, my decision already made. The next day, I told Robert I was willing to step in for Ryan and marry into the Harrison family. “Ryan is right. You and Sarah have been so good to me. It’s time for me to repay that kindness.” Robert’s eyes welled up. He took my hand, wanting to say something, but ultimately nothing came out. Because of Elara’s condition, the wedding was simple. I thought she was willing to marry, that she was ready to share her life with me. But I was wrong. On our wedding night, the moment I stepped into the bridal suite, her face hardened. “Get out!” “This is my room.” “You’re not sleeping here.” I tried to reason with her, to explain the meaning of marriage. But she wouldn’t listen. Instead, she tore up all the wedding photos in the room. Feeling utterly helpless, I had no choice but to turn and leave, my tail between my legs. Mr. Harrison, seeing the situation, sighed deeply and called me into his study. He told me Elara wasn’t inherently bad, just reclusive and unwilling to interact with people. Since I had married into the Harrison family, I had to take on the responsibility of caring for my wife. He believed that if I was devoted enough, I could help her open up and accept me. I decided to try. Caring for someone with autism was an emotionally and physically draining task. Every day, I cooked her three meals, reminded her to take her medicine on time, and took her for follow-up appointments at the hospital. To understand her more deeply, I bought every book on autism I could find, devouring them until the early hours of the morning. My efforts gradually began to yield results. Elara slowly got used to my presence, no longer resisting me as she had at first. I was allowed to ride in the same car as her, or sit at the same table for meals. Knowing I liked fruit, she would personally arrange a beautiful fruit platter for me. My immune system was weak, and I often caught colds and fevers. She would bring me ginger tea and force me to drink it. Years flew by. We both grew accustomed to this routine. The only one still dissatisfied was Mr. Harrison. Every few days, he would talk to me, his goal always the same: to pressure us into having a child. Forced into a corner, I had to be direct. Elara had no understanding of physical intimacy, nor did she allow me to sleep in the same bed as her. Mr. Harrison grew agitated and sent Elara for a medical check-up. The doctor said her physical functions were fine; she just couldn’t overcome the psychological barrier to accepting such an intimate relationship. “It all comes down to you! Can’t you find a way to make her fall in love with you?” I was lost and helpless. What was love? I didn’t even fully understand it myself, let alone Elara.

In the seventh year of our marriage, Mr. Harrison delivered his final ultimatum. “The Harrison family needs an heir. If you two can have a child, then have one. If not, I’ll find someone else to have one. But if that happens, I won’t have time for the Robertson family business!” Faced with such a blatant threat, I had no choice but to give in. That evening, I found a steamy romance film and invited Elara to watch it with me. She agreed, but half-way through, she got bored and walked out. After showering, I put on some carefully chosen clothes and, with a pounding heart, knocked on Elara’s bedroom door. “I’m going to sleep.” “Whatever it is, talk about it tomorrow.” Elara blocked the door, not letting me in. “I just finished a new painting, a hundred birds in flight, and I wanted you to take a look.” That’s right, to appease Elara, I had even signed up for painting classes. Elara finally agreed to let me in, but her expression was cold, and she wouldn’t even look at me. “Where is it?” “Don’t rush. The canvas is a bit large; it needs to be spread out on the bed.” I struggled to overcome my embarrassment, trying to get closer to Elara, mimicking the movie scenes. But Elara remained unresponsive, her gaze fixed entirely on the canvas. “Stop painting.” “What?” “I said, don’t paint anymore. Your brushstrokes are weak, you have no talent. Even a toddler could draw better than that.” My face burned crimson; I was mortified. “If I’m not good, you can teach me. I promise I’ll be your most obedient student.” I reached out to touch her, but she pushed my hand away violently. “Get out! Get out of here!” “You disgusting man! You dirty man!” “Painting is the most sacred thing! How dare you desecrate it!” I had never seen Elara so enraged. Her bloodshot eyes stared fixedly at me, as if I had committed some heinous crime. In the past, I would have been terrified and fled the room immediately. But not today. “Elara, we have to have a child. Otherwise, I can’t stay here anymore.” “Who wants you to stay here?” “Look in the mirror! See how repulsive you are!” “I hate you! You’d better never appear in front of me again!” “Are you serious?” Even though I knew she was ill, her words still cut deep. Seven years of companionship—even a pet cat or dog would develop some affection. Elara nodded emphatically, ignoring the tears in my eyes, and roughly pushed me out the door.

I fell gravely ill. Mr. Harrison, afraid I’d infect his daughter, told me to stay at Robert’s house for a while. Robert, seeing how thin I had become, kept asking if I was being mistreated at the Harrison’s. Fearing his worry, I could only smile and shake my head. After several years, Ryan had graduated with his master’s degree. He studied jewelry design, founded his own brand after returning to the country, and was already making a name for himself in the industry. “Leo, thank you. If you hadn’t sacrificed yourself and saved me back then, I wouldn’t be where I am today.” It was the first time he had called me “brother,” and my eyes suddenly stung with tears. Time truly flies. Everyone else was growing and moving forward. Only I seemed trapped in an endless loop, unable to find a way out. “Leo, Dad has been working hard to restructure the company in recent years, trying to lessen our dependence on the Harrisons. Ryan and I can also handle things on our own now. If you’re not happy at the Harrison’s, you can leave anytime.” Ryan’s words utterly shocked me. Until then, I had never considered that my life could have other possibilities. “I… can I really?” Ryan took my hand and nodded firmly. “It’s not just my idea. All these years, Mom and Dad have carried a deep sense of guilt. Now, their only wish is for you to be happy.” “I don’t know. My mind is a mess. Let me think about it.” I only stayed at Robert’s for three days. Mr. Harrison called, saying Elara couldn’t get used to other people’s cooking, and urged me to come back quickly. When I got home, I didn’t see Elara. The housekeeper told me that these past few days, she had been out early and back late every day, and had even refused a companion. This was truly strange. In my memory, Elara loved staying home. Every time she went out, I had to coax her for ages. Her not speaking to strangers, being out alone all day – it was unimaginable. I made her favorite creamy mushroom soup, wanting to eat it with her when she returned. But too much time passed, and I accidentally fell asleep on the sofa. Vaguely, I felt someone else nearby. I suddenly opened my eyes and found Elara staring at me expressionlessly. “Where were you? Why are you back so late? What if something dangerous happened?” “Leo.” “Hmm?” “Do you know what I hate most about you?” I was speechless for a moment, unsure how to respond. “You keep saying I’m your wife, but in your heart, you just treat me like a child who won’t grow up, a useless person who can’t take care of herself. I hate that feeling.”

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During a company video conference, a young guy’s face popped up on my wife, Veronica’s screen. He was messing with her computer, completely oblivious to the active camera, his expression innocently playful. It wasn’t until Veronica returned from the bathroom that he grumbled, “Veronica, I didn’t know you were in a meeting. You promised to game with me for three days straight, but you’re always in meetings. So boring.” The colleague who had been speaking immediately fell silent. Everyone was waiting to see my reaction. After all, our arguments at the office weren’t exactly a rare sight for them. But this time, I didn’t yell or make a scene. I just coldly told the colleague, “Please continue. Let’s not concern ourselves with irrelevant matters.” I looked at my silent colleagues, their eyes brimming with curiosity, but said nothing. The young guy on Veronica’s screen was still chatting innocently with her. I ignored it, simply gesturing for my colleague to resume the presentation. Any other time, I probably would have confronted Veronica on the spot. But now, I felt strangely calm. After all, Veronica’s computer was something even I, her husband, had never touched. The way that guy had been using it just now, it looked incredibly familiar. And their interaction felt… intimate. From the day I met Veronica until now, I’d never seen her act like that with anyone. Every time I tried to get closer to her, she’d push me away, cool and distant. She’d say, “Alex, don’t you have your own things to do? We’re adults, there’s no need for this.” Even when I needed to use her computer, she’d simply snatch it away. Leaving me with a curt remark about how she disliked anyone touching her belongings. My thoughts drifted until the meeting ended, and Veronica called. “Did you… just see that?” Her voice sounded hesitant. I replied calmly, “See what? I don’t have time to pay attention to things unrelated to work.” On the other end, she clearly let out a sigh of relief. I pressed on, “Did you do something that required my special attention?” She quickly mumbled a few explanations. I just hummed in response, then hung up. It was the first time I hadn’t argued with her over something like this.

She probably hadn’t expected me to hang up so abruptly, so she sent a stream of messages, trying to explain herself. I pretended not to see them, replying only with a brief, indifferent “Hm.” But my cold attitude clearly didn’t sit well with her. 「Alex, what’s your problem?」 「Veronica, I don’t want to argue with you.」 After that, I set her chat to ‘do not disturb’. Almost immediately, a friend request popped up. The profile picture was a Doberman. I accepted it. He said nothing, just sat quietly in my friends list. It wasn’t until I clicked on his SnapChat stories that everything clicked into place. The latest post was just uploaded: a photo of the same guy who’d appeared on Veronica’s screen earlier, flashing a peace sign at the camera, with Veronica’s computer desktop as the background. The caption read: 「Oops, almost interrupted Veronica’s meeting. Good thing she didn’t get mad at me」 The intention of that post was crystal clear, and so was his reason for adding me. I found these games utterly childish. But I didn’t delete him. I just left him there in my list. Among them, one post stood out like a sore thumb. It was posted on my birthday. That day, Veronica, who was supposed to be on a business trip, appeared in his SnapChat stories. In the photo, they sat in the center of a restaurant, the guy wearing a birthday hat, grinning brightly. One of Veronica’s friends commented below: 「You two are something else! Veronica, did you forget about your old buddy now that you have him?」 Veronica replied: 「Stop joking around.」 Even through the screen, I could sense the relaxed, even joyful tone in her reply. I suddenly remembered that day. I’d been waiting for her to come home for my birthday, only to nearly pass out from a high fever. It took several calls for her to finally pick up, her voice impatient. She’d just said, “If you don’t feel well, take some medicine and get some rest.” My call probably did ruin her good mood that day. A bitter, self-deprecating laugh escaped me at the thought.

I finished scrolling through that guy’s SnapChat stories, feeling utterly bored. After washing up, I lay down, ready for sleep. Unexpectedly, Veronica came home just then, right on time. I listened to her footsteps ascending the stairs, closing my eyes and feigning sleep. Behind me, I heard the rustle of her changing clothes. A moment later, I felt the mattress dip beside me. She reached out an arm and pulled me closer. She smelled of her familiar perfume, the one she always used. But it was mixed with a faint, unfamiliar scent of men’s cologne. It wasn’t mine. I couldn’t help but wonder if she’d just been lying in another man’s bed, just like this. Was that unfamiliar scent a lingering trace of it? The thought made my stomach churn. I subtly pulled away from her embrace, resisting her closeness for the first time. In the past, I would have instinctively nestled against her when she lay down. Burying my face in her neck, longing for her scent. Never had I felt such repulsion, not until now. The person behind me stiffened, seeming confused, and reached out to pull me closer again. “Don’t touch me. I’m tired.” With that, I turned my back completely and closed my eyes. But Veronica didn’t give up. She sat up and abruptly pulled me up with her. My sleep interrupted, annoyance was clear on my face. “What are you doing?” Seeing my expression, her own assertive demeanor suddenly faltered. “Did you… see something?” “Or did I do something to upset you?” Faced with her questions, I had nothing to say. What if I did see something? Was I supposed to ask her who that guy was? Ask her what she truly thought of me? None of that mattered to me anymore. “Veronica, I’ve been working all day, and I stayed late tonight to revise a proposal. I’m exhausted.” “Can you just stop this? I just want to get some sleep.” Her temper flared upon hearing my words. “Alex, are you insane? Is it wrong for me to want to hug my own husband?” With that, she slammed the door and stormed out. In the past, I probably would have chased after her, pulled her back, and meekly begged her not to be angry. But now, I just quietly pulled the covers higher, tucking myself in. Then I closed my eyes and went back to sleep. Now, nothing was more important to me than rest. An invisible wall seemed to have risen between Veronica and me. Neither of us contacted the other, and a cold war began, inexplicable and chilling. For the next week, she didn’t come home for dinner, nor did she send a single message. When we met at the office, she’d just give me a fleeting glance. Our colleagues whispered, wondering if we’d had another fight, or if it was about what happened during the video conference. Meanwhile, that guy’s SnapChat stories were updated frequently. I thought we would remain in this stalemate forever. Until a message came from my parents, saying there was a family dinner that night. That’s when I tried to contact Veronica, but my messages went unanswered. With no other choice, I went to the apartment she lived in before we got married. She always went back there whenever we fought or had a cold war.

Standing by the door, I could already hear laughter and playful chatter from inside. The young, vibrant male voice was identical to the one I’d heard during the video conference. I frowned and pushed the door open directly. A blur of gray and white lunged at me. The sheer impact sent me sprawling backward onto the floor, my elbow hitting the door frame with a dull ache. I focused my eyes: it was a massive Husky. Faced with such a large dog, my scalp tingled with fear, and I didn’t know where to put my hands or feet. “Get away! Get the dog away! Hurry up, get it away!” I had been chased and bitten by a neighbor’s large dog as a child, leaving me with a deep phobia. Now, with such a huge dog on top of me, I couldn’t stop myself from trembling all over. The next second, the dog was pulled away from behind me. Veronica extended a hand to help me up, a hint of confusion on her face, as if she found my reaction overly dramatic. I didn’t touch her hand. I pushed myself up and quickly retreated several steps away from the dog. The dog was well-fed, its fur shiny, a cool collar around its neck. It seemed to want to come towards me again, and I took two more steps back. “What are you doing here?” Veronica asked coolly, squatting down to stroke the dog’s head. “You didn’t see my messages…” “Veronica, what’s wrong? Why did Snowball run to the door?” A young male voice sounded, and then the guy emerged from the inner room. Seeing the face I’d seen countless times in SnapChat stories now appear in person, my heart still seized up. Especially the look in Veronica’s eyes, a trace of indulgence not yet completely hidden, as it rested on him. Immediately after, my nominal wife instinctively moved a step, blocking the guy, the softness on her face instantly replaced by wariness. “Veronica, why are you blocking me? Did Snowball cause trouble again?” The guy peeked out from behind her. When he saw me, his radiant smile immediately froze. When he fully appeared before me, the youthful, arrogant aura about him was indeed jarring. “Is he…?” The guy’s voice was laced with confusion, as he looked at Veronica. But when he looked at me, a flash of provocation clearly crossed his eyes. He knew who I was. From the day he added me, perhaps even earlier, he knew. “He’s…” “I’m her husband, legally speaking.” I cut Veronica off directly, smiling faintly at the guy before me. Sure enough, his expression twisted for a moment, but quickly returned to that innocent look. I found such childish games pathetic. He feigned vulnerability, stepping back half a pace, bending down to pull the excited large dog. “Since your husband is here, you two can talk. I’ll take Snowball for some water.” That display of aggrieved yet understanding innocence, even I thought his acting was pretty good. All the more so for Veronica, who clearly fell for it. Indeed, as soon as the guy led the dog away, annoyance immediately flared on her face: “What exactly are you doing here?” “My family sent a message about dinner tonight. I couldn’t reach you, so I came over.” I stated calmly, facing her anger. My business-like tone left her speechless for a moment. I ignored her and walked directly into the living room, sitting down. “You have twenty minutes to get ready. We’d better be on time.” No sooner had I spoken than Snowball, the Husky, suddenly rushed from the balcony again, biting my pants leg and furiously shaking its head, tearing at the fabric. “Get off me!” I yelled, furious and shocked, grabbing my briefcase and swinging it at the dog’s head. The dog yelped in pain, a small cut appearing on its head from a metal clasp. I shouted for Veronica, but the moment the dog charged, she had already rushed to shield the guy, who had come out at the commotion, behind her. Watching that scene, my heart went completely cold.

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I’ve always been conservative. I follow the rules. But today, out of nowhere, I received a package. There was a note inside that read: “Tonight at 10 PM. Wear this. Come to Lush Bar.” I opened it. Inside was an outrageously sheer dress. There was no way I could wear this in public. I was about to toss it in the trash when I got a text from an unknown number: I know your body’s secret. My blood ran cold. Panicking, I pulled on the dress and hurried toward the bar, dodging people the whole way. Because I’m different from everyone else. I was born with two uteruses and only one kidney. If my newlywed husband found out, he’d divorce me for sure… My name is Vivian Rivers. I just got married not too long ago. My husband Marcus travels a lot for work, so to keep him from worrying, I rarely go out. I dress modestly too. I honestly thought I’d never done anything to betray him. But that evening, right after I got home from work, I found a strange package sitting outside my door. I thought it was something Marcus sent again. He loves buying me things. Excited, I tore open the package. It was a dress. A beautiful, plain silk dress. I took a shower, changed into it, and walked over to the full-length mirror. My face instantly turned red. The dress was see-through! Why would Marcus buy me something like this? No, no, I can’t wear this. I’ll throw it in the trash on my way out. But before I could even take the dress off, I got a text from an unknown number. I opened it. My face went white. It said: I know your body’s secret. That line was so strange. I should’ve just deleted it like spam, but the thing is, I really do have a secret. I was born with a double uterus. And I only have one kidney. Who is this person? Why would they send me a message like this? I texted back, “Who are you?” No reply. I tried calling. They didn’t pick up. I clutched the dress, my mind racing. Suddenly, my phone rang. Marcus was calling on FaceTime. “Whoa, you’re actually wearing something like that? You look gorgeous, babe. Save that for me when I get back.” His voice snapped me back to reality. I’d answered his FaceTime in this dress. If Marcus got the wrong idea, how would I even explain? I quickly said, “Honey, I just got this dress and tried it on. The tags are still on, see? Maybe I should return it. It’s not really appropriate.” But Marcus just nodded with satisfaction. “Return it? Why? You finally bought yourself something nice. Don’t you dare send it back.” I caught the subtext immediately. He thought I bought it. But I didn’t buy this dress! So who would send a married woman something this suggestive? I didn’t dare ask. I picked up the packaging from the floor. A note fell out: “Tonight at 10 PM. Wear it. Come to Lush Bar. Or else, you know what happens.” My face went pale. I hung up on Marcus. Combined with that strange text, it all clicked. Someone was targeting me. Someone wanted to blackmail me with my secret. But I really don’t want Marcus to know. Our relationship wasn’t easy to begin with. His whole family keeps asking when we’re going to have kids. If they found out about my condition, that it affects my ability to get pregnant, he’d divorce me. But I love Marcus so much. I can’t let him go. I looked at the clock. It was already 9:50. I didn’t have time to think. I threw on a coat and rushed out, hailing a cab. I went to Lush Bar. But just a few minutes into the ride, I got another text: Take off that coat. Do what you’re told. Don’t try anything clever. I can see you at all times. My heart jumped. I looked up at the rearview mirror and met the driver’s eyes. They were cloudy and dull. He grinned at me, showing yellowed teeth. Could the mystery person be him?

I slowly took off my coat. My curvy figure looked even more provocative under the sheer dress. I stared hard at the cab driver and asked cautiously, “Is it you?” He nodded eagerly. My heart sank. I was in his car. How was I supposed to escape? But then he said, “You requested the cab ending in 3553, right? That’s me.” I wiped the sweat from my palms. I was being paranoid. The driver kept his eyes on the road the whole time. Sure, he glanced at me now and then, but he didn’t do anything unusual. And he was driving the whole time. There was no way he could’ve been texting. I didn’t see anyone suspicious the entire ride either. Soon we arrived at Lush Bar. I jumped out and ran. Because the text came again. This time with a countdown. 10, 9, 8… I burst through the door just as the countdown hit 2. The timing was way too precise. This person had to be watching me nearby! I spun around. Several men and women were staring at me. That’s when I realized what I was wearing. Even for a bar, this sheer dress stood out. My face burned with embarrassment. Buzz buzz. My phone vibrated again. Unknown number: Dance closely with the man in white in front of you for ten minutes. Countdown starts in one minute. I didn’t have time to think. I walked toward the man in white. He was already dancing. I tapped his shoulder. He turned around. I froze. It was him. I covered my face and tried to run. But he grabbed my wrist. His hand was burning hot. “Vivian, is that you?” It was Ray, my coworker. He’d been chasing me for three years. I’d told him I’d never be with someone as indecent as him. But now, I was dressed way more indecently than he was. “No, you’ve got the wrong person.” I covered my face and turned away. But he laughed and pulled me into his arms. “Vivian, I’d recognize those two moles on your waist even in my dreams.” My phone buzzed. I knew it was counting down again. I gritted my teeth and said to Ray, “Hey, can we just dance close for ten minutes? I lost a game with friends. It’s a dare.” He didn’t hesitate. The music started, and he put his hands on my waist and started moving. But halfway through, he got too close. Every hair on my body stood on end. Those ten minutes felt like the longest of my life. When it ended, he still wouldn’t let go. He kept running his hands over my waist. I swallowed my disgust and pushed his hand away. I texted the unknown number: That’s enough. Pranks should have limits. I’m calling the cops. But then they sent me a photo. It was me and Ray dancing close together. With that dress and that angle, it looked completely inappropriate. The text said: If you don’t obey, I’ll send this to your husband. I didn’t dare gamble. But I searched in the direction the photo was taken from. Everyone was dancing. No one was on their phone. What was I supposed to do? Was I just going to keep getting blackmailed like this? Buzz buzz. The next demand arrived: Go to the bar bathroom. Push open the third stall. Go inside and get something.

I walked past couple after couple making out. I finally found the bathroom. It was gender-neutral. The door to the third stall was half-open. There was no sound. I pushed it open and walked in. I thought there’d be something obvious, but there was nothing inside. I was carefully checking the walls for messages when someone came in! He grabbed me fast. I couldn’t turn around. I was locked tight in his arms. “Please, let me go. I can give you money!” I tried to negotiate with him. But he just laughed. “I just paid ten for you. How much can you give me?” Ten? Did he mean ten thousand? Who was sick enough to sell me for ten thousand dollars? “You’ve got the wrong person. Let me go now and I won’t say anything. But if you keep this up, sexual assault is a crime!” The man chuckled softly. “Vivian, I’ve liked you for three years. Getting to have you is worth breaking the law.” “Ray?” Once I called out his name, he stopped disguising his voice. “Vivian, just let me touch you once. After that, I’ll do whatever you want.” “No! I’m married!” I refused firmly. But Ray suddenly ripped my dress. “Oh really? A married woman comes to a bar dressed like this while her husband’s away, looking for a hookup.” “It’s not what you think…” But he didn’t listen to my explanation. He silenced me with one sentence. He said, “Don’t you want to know who sold your information to me?” “There are over a hundred guys in our group chat. They’ve all seen videos of you changing clothes, using the bathroom, and even doing it with your husband.” My whole body went cold. I was terrified by this sudden information. Seeing me stay quiet, Ray opened his phone and showed me a photo. My blood rushed to my head. It was a photo of me in the bathroom after a shower, applying lotion. Crystal clear. Nothing hidden. I bit my lip until it bled. Numb, I made the only choice I could: “Fine. When you’re done, you’ll tell me.” Seeing me agree to cooperate, Ray got excited. He lifted me up and pushed me against the wall… His mouth kissed down from behind my ear. His stubble was rough and scratchy. I closed my eyes in despair. Tears streamed down my face.

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I used to tell myself that snakes were cold-blooded creatures, which was why my adopted shifter didn’t want to be close to me. It wasn’t until later that I realized she liked my brother. Because my brother, Caleb, was tall and well-built, with long arms and legs—the ideal human for any snake shifter. And I? I was a short freak who would never grow. Unworthy of a grand snake like her. Vivienne was a little sick snake I’d adopted. It was no longer uncommon for humans and shifters to bond and unite. Our family had bonded with snake shifters for generations. From childhood, each of us would have a snake shifter, either gifted by our parents or found ourselves. But I was out of favor, so I consciously sought out a little snake for myself. When I found Vivienne in a storm drain, she was tiny and weak, barely clinging to life after shedding her skin. I saved her and raised her for twelve years. Raising a snake shifter required a lot of effort, resources, and money. Raising a sick one was even harder. Plus, I was an unloved, broke mess, making it hellishly difficult. Fortunately, Vivienne grew up healthy. Her slender, graceful muscles contoured her tightened waist, yet her serpentine nature prevented her from appearing bulky, instead lending her a delicate softness. Many in the family said I was lucky to have found such a beautiful snake. I’d just smile, never responding. Only I knew the truth. Vivienne rarely had physical contact with me. Even when I tried to train with her, she rarely cooperated. She’d just wrap around my arm with a cold, impatient expression, her scales scratching my skin painfully. I kept telling myself that snakes were cold-blooded, which was why she didn’t want to be close. Until that one time, I saw her, blushing, carefully wrap around my brother Caleb’s calf and softly ask him: “Does it hurt?” Caleb looked helpless, gently pushing her head. “Vivienne, I know you like me, but David found you. This isn’t right for us.” Her face instantly changed, and she scoffed coldly. “I don’t care! I only like you. Who would ever like that short freak?” Caleb tried to reason with her, but Vivienne pressed further, wrapping around his waist, her scales retracting their barbs to tickle him. Vivienne was being openly flirtatious. Scene after scene from the past twelve years flashed through my mind. Vivienne rarely smiled for me. But at family dinners, sitting across from me, her face always held a faint smile. Looking back now, her gaze was never on me. It was always on Caleb, sitting beside me. The signs had been there all along, I just hadn’t seen them. I thought my short, “freak” self adopting this sick little snake was a mutual salvation, a destined meeting. But it turned out that it was precisely because I was a “freak” that she disliked me. My heart was wrenched. The feather that had tickled my heart for years suddenly transformed into a sharp sword, piercing me deep.

On my way home, I passed a clothing store and couldn’t help but stop. Caleb owned a shirt just like the one displayed in the window. The sales associate looked hesitant, but seeing my insistence, she eventually handed me the outfit. The boy in the fitting room was short, barely reaching halfway up the full-length mirror. His limbs were slender and weak—not the build to bond with a snake shifter. It looked perfect on Caleb, but on me, it was like a precocious kid trying on his dad’s suit. Scenes of Caleb bonding with shifters involuntarily flashed in my mind. Caleb, tall and well-built with long arms and legs, looked incredibly handsome bonding with shifters. Vivienne wrapped around him looked particularly fitting. No wonder Vivienne didn’t like me. From birth, even my own parents didn’t care for me. I hadn’t developed well in the womb and was born with a chronic weakness. I grew slower and was shorter than everyone else. Even as an adult, I looked like an eleven or twelve-year-old boy, making others laugh: “A snake-bonding family producing such a freak. Don’t go breaking your arm trying to bond with one.” Those laughs were like thorns stuck in my heart, and they embarrassed my parents too. They learned their lesson and were especially attentive during my mom’s pregnancy with Caleb. That careful attention resulted in a child who was the ideal human for snake shifters. He grew fast and tall. With Caleb, they cared for me even less. It was as if they were a perfect family of three, and I was just an underdeveloped burden. I looked at my small hands, hating myself, pinching my palm. Then, I couldn’t help but clench my fists and softly cry.

I returned home. Vivienne sat on the sofa, her face impatient, chillingly cold. “What took you so long? Do you know I’m starving to death?” I sniffed, and the emotions I’d just managed to suppress surged back. “I’ll order takeout for you later. I’m a bit tired.” She let out a cold laugh. “Ha, you want me to eat takeout?” Not wanting to argue, I sighed. The foot I’d just placed in the bathroom pivoted, and I walked towards the kitchen. I had always cooked for Vivienne. The fridge was fully stocked, but even if she was starving, she wouldn’t deign to lift a finger. Once before, I’d come home late, and Vivienne, famished, had thrown a huge fit. I thought she was specifically waiting for me to eat, so, feeling guilty and a little hopeful, I cooked a huge feast for her. But just as I pulled out a chair to sit down, she threw a bucket of cold water on me. “You reek of cooking oil. Go take a shower.” My thoughts snapped back. I placed the cooked meal in front of her, but Vivienne didn’t move. “Why do you smell of another shifter?” I lifted my arm and sniffed. It was probably from the clothing store earlier. Suddenly, I remembered how, when I was young and broke, I’d hike up the mountain to catch wild rabbits and pheasants to feed her. She’d unwillingly nibble at the scrawny meat. She’d complain about the dirt on my face and the smell of other shifters on me, keeping her distance. “I’ll go shower right now.” I placed the utensils on the table and headed for the bathroom, but Vivienne suddenly swept the entire meal onto the floor. “David, aren’t you going to explain yourself?” A shard from the broken bowl splashed up and cut my calf. The sharp pain brought me back to reality. Some people are strange. They don’t love you, but they want to possess you, giving you the illusion of being loved and cared for, when really they just want to take more from you. Vivienne was exactly like that. For the first time, I gave her a cold stare. “Explain what? “You get to smell of other people, but I can’t smell of other shifters?” A flicker of surprise crossed her face. But it was quickly replaced by anger. “You’re questioning me? “Don’t forget who self-righteously ‘saved’ me in the first place!” I didn’t answer. I walked past her to get the first-aid kit. I barely brushed her arm, and she immediately recoiled, the barbs on her forearm scales scratching me. Her voice was even colder than her face. “Don’t touch me.” That was it. She barely let me touch her even during training. If she wouldn’t let me touch her even for training, any other kind of touch was pure fantasy.

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